I'll Take Power-Pop For $200, Alex

So I bought some really corny but good albums today. Both debut albums, one a "super-group"(I hate that fucking term) and one is some "new" shit. The super-group is Tinted Windows and they are comprised of Taylor Hanson(yes that Taylor Hanson), James Iha, Bun E. Carlos and Adam Schlesigner. Pretty rad mixup if you ask me and they pull the album off believe it or not. Granted its obvious they wrote this album in about 3 weeks and recorded in about 2, but its 35 minutes of pure sugar-coated guitar pop and I am a fuckin sucker for that. The other album is the debut from Chester French and I dont know much about them aside from the fact that Pharell seems to worship every sound they make, and with decent reason. The album is definitely a fun listen, but I get the feeling that alot of the ideas on the album are overthought and it makes them sound a little out of place. Case in point the track "Country Interlude" is five and a half minutes of eerie sounds and just randomness that doesnt tie the album together in any way and is the longest track on the album by a minute. Great first try from the duo and I expect much bigger things to build from their year or two of pre-album release hype and mix tapes and EPs etc. The debut I DIDNT BUY today was from Asher Roth because he is a clown. I have heard some of his mixes and its obvious he has flow, but the album is straight gimmicky bullshit, halfassed hooks and guest spots. Garbage.

Oh! Listen to the new Manchester Orchestra album! It sounds like In Utero era Nirvana mixed with Pinkerton era Weezer and....country. Slide guitar and all. Get on that shit. Its called "Mean Everything To Nothing".

Bronx Bomber

Been super busy the past few weeks. A quick rundown of what I did includes working, running a meeting that Gov. Corzine spoke at, enjoying the shit out of baseball season, working, learning guitar, and recording drums with my band...I really cant complain.

Ive been doing more music playing than listening lately, but I am particularly excited for the Silversun Pickups album which comes out tomorrow. Carnavas was great and I am really excited to see how theyve grown since and what kind of album they will make coming off the success of the album and more specifically "Lazy Eye". Eventhough it technically wont be their second album, I am hoping they are a band that can avoid the sophmore slump.

The one album I have picked up over the past few weeks was the new Thermals album "Now We Can See" and it is amazing. It was nice to hear their great raw sound to beatle-esque love songs as opposed to their last album which was great, but was stuck in political mode. It was great to hear they can blast out great pop music with pop music themes too.

Keep an eye out for warm sunny days and enjoy them!

Cheers

Feeling Two Years Ago "Trendy"

Just picked up the new Yeah Yeah Yeah's and PB&J albums. Both are great, YYYs is better. YYY's really stepped up their sound adding all sorts of new shit and kinda ditching the guitar whereas PB&J really want another song on the radio so wrote a full album of possibilities. Not to say thats bad, but theres not much variety.

Clear liquid and jello diet for me today...guess on what I get to do tomorrow?

Best Release Week Of The Year

This week was fucking EPIC for releases.

Mastodon and The Decemberists both put out amazing concept albums with tracks that seamlessly play through each other.

The Decemberists album has this amazing mood to it and flows beautifully from begining to end with reprises and a huge variety of musical stylings. The story is great, the added female vocals as a different character really provides great contrast to their enormous sound and its super-well produced.One of the most complete albums from the "indie" scene in years.

Mastodon also put one out...but they always have a theme to their albums. Theyve done Remission, their fire album, Leviathan, their water album, Blood Mountain, their earth album and now Crack The Skye, their....outer space universe record. And they pull it off in pure rock fashion departing from the relentless metal of their earlier work to create a moodier..spacey feel. It does still have that Mastodon/american metal feel to it, but you can tell the band was super focused when writing and recording this album and really went to a different place. Metalheads will be disappointed, but music fans will be thrilled with this album.

Guilty pleasure band Blue October put out a new album too and while it has a hard time comparing to the above mentioned releases, they definitely did create a solid rock record. Steve Lillywhite really did a great job producing the album and giving it an organic feel while still being completely accessable as a major label band rock album. The lyrics are as bad as ever, but its something you expect from bands like this.

And finally, the re-release of Pearl Jam's now classic debut album Ten came out. There are two discs. The first is simply the iconic album remastered by Bob Ludwig and the second is really interesting. Brendan O'Brien(who ironically also produced the new Mastodon album) took the master tape and re-mixed it(no not "remixed" it) to his own liking and added a few extra songs from the session on it too. Both discs sound really fucking good, and the new take on the album is so cool to hear. Well worth the purchase.

Thats all I got, back to studying the chords to Hotel California and the formation of U2s Claw stage.

I am not Irish

I still managed to eat 349508 lbs of corned beef today though, and Irish Soda Bread. It doesnt hold up to St. Josephs Day which is in two days though. Can you say zeppoles????

No green beer for me tonight, but I do have some new tunes that are sure to please. First off is the new Propaghandi album Supporting Caste which is the same great punk band melting faces in the same great ways I remember them from the days at Fat Wreck and Warped Tour.

Next is the White Lies LP To Lose My Life which by the songs Ive heard has a really cool 80s vibe and sounds like what Interpols new stuff should have sounded like (really good).

Off to my twitter to learn about it a bit more!

(Pours one out for all the idiots who will vomit green tonight)

Twitter

I dont get it. I made one. I tried it a few times...I feel like at least on here I can blog to nobody but I can rant about a buncha shit and get stuff off my chest, but one liners aren't cuttin it I dont think. Maybe I'll figure it out, but so far i'm not impressed. Also I think its for the generation right after mine and up, which my cousin warned me of when he was telling me about it. I'm pretty sure hes 100% right on that one.

Also, the new Cursive album is the shit. Listen to it ASAP. I twittered about that, but didnt feel like I told the world/no one well enough. Its one of their best albums and is more diverse than ever for them.

Trivia night tonight, hold on to your hats!

So Watchmen....

Sucked. The visuals were spot-on, but I think my favorite part of the movie was the opening credits. I went with seven people, and the only two who liked it read the book so I think that says more than enough about the screenplay and the movie's intentions. Normal moviegoers beware.

The score was pretty kickss though and the pop culture aspect worked well sometimes.

Take that snow!

Hell yeah 65 degree weather in NJ in March. I didnt enjoy it too much aside from some playing with the dogs, but i've been listening to pop/punk with my windows down all day so its been a good Saturday. Specifically the new New Found Glory album which is a really good pop/punk album that makes up for the last two "mature" albums hah.

Also in music, the new Prodigy album is surprisingly fun to listen to. Its like if you mix "Fat of the Land" with like 90s Bad Religion or Billy Talent or something...its essentially a rocker, but has the Prodigy bass/drum headbanging Neo/Matrix etc etc feel to it.

I also really dig the new Lamb of God album and I HATE that band. Theyre channeling 80s Tallica and even Pantera a bit now and it really works for them.

Also, yes I realize I just gave reccomendations to a New Found Glory, Prodigy and Lamb of God album and might as well reccomend the new Kelly Clarkson album while im genre hopping....thats not gonna happen though.

I just spent $125 on a No Doubt ticket the other day and I dont care.

My Shop Rite bullshit job has hit a new low and the days are really numbered for me there til I just quit. Thats a heavy front runner for worst job of all time at the moment right next to my sint as a table cleaner at a restaurant...i forget what the title is for that....water boy? bell boy? something that sounds as shitty as the job is.

Seeing Watchmen tonight, I have a feeling Im not gonna like it. We'll see. If its worthy, i'll post about it.

My greatest enemy has returned,,,,

This time it attacked the entire east coast...damn you snow!

I rediscovered an album I used to fucking love while I was younger. It is Blindside-About A Burning Fire and really isnt a great album, but it strikes a chord in me. I bought it on itunes and spent alot of the snow day listening to it and pondering reading Watchmen before Friday....I didnt read anything today.

Also, good luck tonight Jimmy Fallon...I have a feeling youre gonna need it.

Up On The Downside aka Timabland f'n sucks pt. 2

I just listened to the new Chris Cornell album.......HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME????? WHAT A WORTHLESS PIECE OF GARBAGE. Timbaland you have done it again, this time you helped ruin the career of one of the most iconic rock vocalists of my generation. In case you didnt know, Chris Cornell's new album was produced by Timbaland and is basically a pop-dance album and all I can say is Rob Thomas did a better job. The "beats" are so amateur they could have been throw aways from the Brooke Hogan album. The single for this album wasnt terrible so I was a little intrigued to listen to the album, but the album just sounds like a bad remix album of the shitty Audioslave album(yes, i liked the first Audioslave album). All this being said, there are One Republic-sized hooks on this album that have radio potential and I really woudnt be surprised if this project was a success on pop radio for a single or two, but as a fan of Soundgarden, it only reeks of desperation and really is a giant disappointment. He should have gotten the memo saying that 80s and 90s band reunions have worked 100% of the time so far this decade.

Bed Risers and Apple Juice

So now that I found out I am keeping my gall bladder, I am going 100% on what the doctors told me to do post-endoscopy. This list of things includes:

No chocolate, carbonated beverages, no citrus juices or fruits, no caffinated beverages, tight fitting clothes(thank god I am not emo and used to be alot fatter), take Pepcid Complete after every meal, raise my bed 4-6 inches(its actually really comfortable) and not lay down for 3 hours after any meals (say goodbye to my post lunch nap?). Overall its nothing crazy and will probably just get me into better shape anyway.

Literally nothing good came out this week, but the new P.O.S. album didnt have plans on leaving my CD player this week anyway so its okay.

Stoked on Tinted Windows' album coming out. Guaranteed no one in 1997 predicted that in 12 years James Iha and Taylor Hanson would record a power pop album together!

Lost is tonight and I am a nerd so I am excited.

Cheers

Greetings....

Went to Asbury Park today. That town is so fucking different from the failed abyss it was when I discovered Convention Hall and the Stone Pony. The huge lobby of Convention Hall now has a consierge booth and stores lining the walls as opposed to nothing and a little stand that sold candy. Every space on the boardwalk now has a really nice restaurant or shop in there and not...well nothing. It really is incredible. Parking cost money too! Like...wow. It is really pleasant there now though and the change is welcome even if it isnt the place I can look at and think rock and roll anymore.

Props to the candyteria which is a candy store on the Asbury Park boardwalk and it is incredible. Think of any candy and they have it. They also make cotton candy on the spot and incredddddible fudge.

Cheers

We Burnin Gold!

I broke my first guitar string today so I feel musically accomplished. I then went to the music store to get new strings and realized I had no idea what to buy...musical accomplishment gone sadface.

Also, I went to Best Buy and Barnes and Noble today. I went to Best Buy first. After I got in my car when leaving Barnes I realized my fly was down..Embarrassment set in.

Driving home from this excursion, I stumbled upon a new adventure. Two blocks from my house I noticed two dogs running around in the street....they were two of my dogs. I drove over to them and pulled my car over. They ran from me. I chased them by foot and soon realized they were running down the street I live on. They stopped running on the front stoop of my house. I couldnt believe it. I picked them both up and threw them in my neighbors house so that I could run all the way back to my car and drive home.


It was an overall weird day, but TV is good tonight so it'll all be okay. Also I got in some good cardio!

P.S. I also have been thinking that the internet is largely to blame for our recession. I feel like it provides entirely too much information on everything and people are too aware of things that would in other cases never involve them, but since they know about it due to the never-ending list of blogs and websites, people include themselves in new things and its creating a change in behavior. I realize this is all said in avery general way, but it is relative to so many things if said this way. Also, the amount of theft that takes place on the internet has been taking huge tolls on the entertainment industry for year and really has changed the way we view a movie or an album. It kind of sucks that literally every kid with no interest in music can have every album they want on their computer to say "hey yea, i have this album and its great" and never have even listened to it. Now I realize I am sounding a little bit like Lars Ulrich, but I have buddies who havent bought an album in years and have about 40gigabytes of music on their computer. Its just not right and says alot about why the musc business is dying. I think the country should try an internet embargo and see how we function. This was a very scrambled rant, but its late and my stomach is hurting. Maybe tomorrow I will clean it up with better points.

Cheers

$$$

So you know that funny commercials with the google eyes on the stack on money? And the ones with the cavemen? And the ones with the gecko with the funny british accent? They basically make up 1/3 of all the commercials I watch and theyre usually the funniest ones. Well today I realized that theyre all for Geico! So props to the writing and advertising geniuses who managed to create 3 themed commerical sets that can make a person not even realize theyre all for the same company even if you know they all end up with Geico at the end. Genius.

So I bought the new Morrissey and Trail of Dead CDs today. Theyre both incredible. Since when is Morrissey awesome anyway? I mean, The Smiths are an iconic band for that they did, but I wasn't born in the right era to really get them, plus when they made their "comeback", I had already found the kinds of sounds I liked from the 60s, 70s and 80s and The Smiths didnt really fit in there at all. But Moz brings it on this album as he did on his last two. Simple, yet complex songwriting and arrangements that seem perfect for each song.

The Trail of Dead album is really epic. They expanded on the sound of their last album and by alot. The album sounds HUUGE and considering theyre only a trio its a really impressive outing. There is alot to offer here from the opening track which sounds like it could open up a Pink Floyd album to the track "Isis Unveiled" which blasts an accordian "riff" that would blow Flogging Molly's kilts over their heads. Awesome stuff on this album.

I got the new Thursday album too, but they are gonna have to wait until tomorrow as these other two albums need a few more spins to get some more out of them.

Dinner Time, not sure what it is, but theres brown gravy on it so score!

Cheers

Endoscopys arent so bad

Just got home...throat is sore from the scope down the throat but feel fine other than that. I just fasted for17 hrs so I am currently eating my face off.

Great release day tomorrow...Moz, Trail of Dead, Thursday(NJ reppppp)

Will post reviews once i listen.

Boring post but felt the need to talk about my procedure.

Cheers

Attn Bands:

Lately, a lot of bands no longer have an official website. Rather, their myspace is their only webpage. I have a giant problem with this. While I do think it is very beneficial for every band to have a myspace for promotional reasons, I find it weird that bands would rather have a one page site plagued by advertisements for a TV show or some kind of deodorant than have their own identity on the internet as an official source for fans of the band to turn to for tour dates, pictures, news etc.

If you're in a band, dont let myspace control how you communicate with your fans. It makes you look bad.

Its Friday.

Cheers

Fall Out Boy is totally fucked..

At work today I came to a giant realization...Fall Out Boy doesnt stand a fucking chance when Blink and Green Day make their rounds this year. Sure they still have a loyal fanbase because they are huge at the moment, but I really cant see this band in the arena circuit past this year with these bands back. The resurgance of 90s pop punk is really going to do number on either a)how long all these shit ass emo bands out now last or b)what these bands sound like. Personally I would love another abundance of shitty 4-chords or less pop/punk bands circulating the airwaves because eventhough it was the flavor of the year dominating everything you listened to, it was at least a little more honest and fun and not paraded by synth and boring acoustic songs(that means you plain white t's).

And allthough I am not sure I want to admit it, i really think Blink is gonna have a much bigger impact on pop punk coming back this year and bands changing to sound more fun and "real" than Green Day will for sure. While Green Day will sell more albums and have a bigger tour(unless they tour together), they are more interested in U2 heights than Blinks "lets just get back out there and play to the fans we have now and more will follow" approach.

In closing, a new Friday the 13th comes out tomorrow which rules, its windy as dick out, and I am getting better at guitar...hooorah

Cheers

Inglorious Basterds

Saw some footage of the movie with the above title on the intrawebz and it looks seriously incredible. I would have never thought a war movie starring Brad Pitt, BJ Novak and the little jewish kid from Freaks and Geeks would look so awesome, but thats Quentin for ya(I rocked the first name basis cuz i probably will spell his last name wrong).

I really liked "Umbrella" and i really do feel bad for Rihanna and hope that whole mess gets cleared up fast and she isn't hurt too badly. Shes gonna make a great comeback from it though.

I just read the new Alternative Press and their album reviews are laughable at this point. Their reivewers literally are emo "scene" fanboys so while Rolling Stone and Spin(not saying I dont doubt their credibility alot of the time) gave the new Thursday album 2 stars, Alt Press gave it 4.5. Its a really silly magazine. I remember getting that mag with NIN one month on the cover, then Outkast the next and Sum 41 the next and really getting a great chance to braoden my musical tastes by seeing a little bit of everything in their magazine. Sadly there is nothing alternative about it anymore as My Chemical Romance(whose album came out about 16 months ago) is still in the readers top 10 albums of the month section...i've made my point.

Big if fake job interview tomorrow, but I think I am really prepared so time to wind down and watch Lost and Top Chef(or Damages depending on what mood I am in)

Cheers

Prep

I feel like there have been way too many times where I will go to a store and buy clothing or something related to an interview or new job or something new thats relates to what my future will bring. So far all of those things I bought have been for events that were disappointments.

Today I went into a department store and bought a navy suit jacket, two ties, a white button-down shirt and a $90 pair of black wing-tip shoes to start going on informational job interviews and start going to meetings with the new job I have.......

Needless to say I'm feeling the pressure.

Green Day revealed the cover art for their new album "21st Century Breakdown"

Its kinda got a classic look, but its also kinda got a...what the fuck is with that cover? kinda look. Either way, I'm stoked theres actually a cover to a new Green Day album.

Not much came out this week, Lily Allen put out a pretty solid pop record, but it bugs me that she doesnt write any of her music. The Lonely Island album came out too and thats pretty fun, but I am having a hard time really enjoying it since i'm not in college anymore. That would be a pretty great Beer Pong playing cd to listen to.

I am really stoked on the new Matt and Kim album "Grand" and the new Animal Collective album(who isnt?). Also, the new John Frusciante album is really cool, that dude is deep with his music.

I wanted to post a video of Radioheads fucking INSANE performance of 15 Step with the USC marching band, but the RIAA took it down off the intrawebz. Look for it though and enjoy the shit out of it.

Cheers

I Love the 90's Part 9

I wanna start by talking about the best thing ever from the 90s. My family got my dog Buster in the summer of 1996 and he was the best friend I ever had. One year ago to the day we had to put him down because he got sick and he went into liver failure and it was one of the hardest/worst days of my life, but all the fun memories and pictures make it a little better. I miss you pal. I know it sounds funny if you arent a dog lover or even if you are, but he is one of the most inspirational things in my life. He was real sick soon before we put him down and the vets found that he had a tumor in his belly. He went into surgery and had it taken out...the tumor weighed 8 pounds! Buster got home from surgery and the next day was walking around just doing his normal business like nothing had happened. I am certain no person has ever had a tumor taken out of their bodies and went to work the next day like they had gotten a cavity filled or something routine the day before. It was kind of an amusing sight, but it opened my eyes to how strong it is possible to be in any situation. So heres to Buster, I miss the shit out of you!

And since Buster always made me happy, heres some amazing news about this year that really make me happy...

The things that I loved about the 90s that inspired me to play drums, listen to every band I could and spend every dollar I earned on music or concerts are all making huge moves this year.

1. Green Day is putting out their new album "21st Century Breakdown" in May and following it up with a world tour.

2. Blink-182 is releasing an album and touring this summer.

(I get the feeling they may tour together)

and 3. No Doubt is touring again this summer.

No Doubt was the first real rock concert I ever saw, Weezer opened for them and it was right as Pinkerton was coming out and Tragic Kingdom was at its height of fame...amazing amazing times.

Green Day was my second real rock concert and it took place at what would ultimately become my favorite place on this planet to see a concert.

Special times, special bands...this is going to be a special year.

P.S. I am 1110% aware of the corniness of this post, but its a meaningful one to me so im gonna shine it on with a smile.

P.P.S. I am also 1110% aware of how corny that P.S. was.

Cheers

I like surprises

The Grammys are tomorrow and this year I have reasons to give a shit. Green Day is presenting and so is a reunited Blink-182.

Green Day's official site is now buzzing of a surprise during the Grammys tomorrow....and theyre famous as shit so this surprise is probably pretty legit.

Theres also buzz that Blink is making a new album...will their presenting spots be related? Maybe.

Summer joint tour again? I hope so, but American Idiot came out over 4 years ago so I will take anything new album related.

Also, its Saturday night and im blogging about pop-punk bands from the 90s so sucks for me :)

Never Thought I'd Be On A Boat

So it turns out Andy Samberg is pretty funny. Its too bad T-Pain thinks this song is actually good, but he's talentless so that explains that.



This is NSFW

Christian Bale, I respect that you are being a professional and want even the terminator movie you are in to turn out as good as possible, but you know, chill out brahh.

Sports Minute!

Basketball is good again, if you see great players play the Knicks at the Garden at least.

Barry Bonds is more fuckeder than ever...stupid fuckin juicehead tryin to steal the greatest record in baseball history. Bitch ass bitch.

Tomorrows Friday.

Thoughts On Live Music

Concerts cost a lot of money now. Ticket prices are inflated beyond belief, beer costs $10 per 12 ounces, parking is $30+gas and trains are $20+, T Shirts are $20+ at any concert now practically.

Before the ticket you are probably spending $50 minimum to go to a concert in most cases(I realize some shows are like $8 for the ticket, no shirt necessary, $2 for a water and $4 for gas or whatever, but those are shows, I am speaking of concerts)

My point here is, which bands are worth this kind of money? If you are going to a concert, the ticket ranges from $35-200+! So which bands are worth seeing?

Bands with arena sized hits right? The Who, The Stones, Bruce, Metallica, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, U2, McCartney,Billy Joel, Elton John, Green Day, Bon Jovi(let me make my point before you criticize), The Eagles, The Police, Genesis.....

My point here? All these bands are full of fucking old people! Granted they are legends, but name me one band in their prime selling out arenas like all these acts did who are in their 20s! And who even sound like they have potential to have serious staying power! Fall Out Boy? No. Jonas Brothers? Gimmick. Nickelback? No one knows their hits country-wide.

The only touring bands with hit songs that hit arenas are old people or fads at the moment.

Ozzy was in Sabbath in his early 20s, Green Day were barely 20 when Dookie came out, the Stones were pracitcally kids when they came out...50 years ago! They will sell out Giants Stadium in hours if a show goes on sale.

YOUNG BANDS STEP YOUR GAME UP THIS IS IMPORTANT

Bands that have the potential to sound different, but rock the same with an arsenal of honest good rock songs. I'm looking at you Kings of Leon, My Chemical Romance(yes, I have faith in them), and new bands signing to major labels as we speak, its not too late!

I realize that pop acts like Britney Spears and Beyonce are qualified for the task, but I am speaking of rock and roll here.

Old bands, play on.

P.S. Dave Grohl...Please Never Stop

Open Letter

Dear OneRepublic, Fall Out Boy, Cobra Starship, All Time Low, Gym Class Heroes, Flyleaf, Metro Station, Paramore, Linkin Park, Jack Johnson, Nickelback, Kid Rock, Buckcherry, Rise Against, Staind and every new band that comes out riding on the coat-tails of these bands,

STOP IT....STOP IT....ROCK MUSIC IS BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU

I realize this was harsh, but I refuse to let the remaining honest rock and roll bands' music be watered down by fakes and greedy genre hoppers.

Also, Timbaland....STOP IT, You are single-handedly ruining two of the defining genres of my generation and of music history at the same time. You are pure evil. You are the Dane Cook of music; a fake who knows how to get a cheap laugh to get paid off of. JUST STOP IT

Anyone on this list who I forgot, you know who you are...shame on you.

Sincerely,

Me

Also, Props to Magoo, I dont hate you...you knew when it was your time to fade.

My cousin already posted about this but....

Im from Jersey too and the E Street produced another album which came out today....its incredible. It really is a throwback to the "Born To Run" album when Bruce wasnt afraid to just add tons and tons of layers to each song in hopes of bringing out the best of every part and I think it really worked. Of course Rolling Stone gave it a perfect 5 star review, but I really think this is one of the best albums i've heard from Bruce in a long time. I was expecting b-sides from Magic and got an album I feel is much more accomplished as a songwriter and a rock record than Magic was. Outlaw Pete opens the album and clocks in around 7 minutes and its an arena rocker and a narrative along the lines of "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" that Mr. William Joel wrote years and years ago. Both songs capture you in a western tale and dont let up musically or lyrically. Good shit.

So working really does make it hard to find time to type other shit after you are home because I feel like I have been doing nothing but typing for the past 6 days...and Im ok with it...im not packing out groceries as much so I'll take it.

I ate Strawberry Cheese Danish Pop Tarts today expecing greatness and they just taste like regualar strawberry pop tarts...total let down.

TV Update: New Scrubs and Nip/Tuck tonight...score.

P.S. E Street tour dates came out today and hes playing the IZOD Center soon so score...too bad that arena sucks my balls.

Im gonna learn more guitar songs via internet+guitar playing now.

Cheers