Saved Grains of Time

Because Something in Me Felt So Compelled

2010-12-05T17:17:00.003-06:00

Ten Things for Which I’m Thankful -- In Concern of John Rzeznik

10) Agreeing to be on the soundtrack for a rather meh film about my favorite Man-in-Tights. Had you not, I’d have had another year without your band's music in my life, and I might be writing this for Alexakis’ birthday instead.

9) Not being an asshole. Sure, we all have our moments, but in every interview, television or radio, at every awards show, and at all concerts, that I am aware of, you’re just a class-act (for the most part, some drunkenness, irreverence, and sardonic wit excluded), even when it’s obvious you’re under the weather or just plain tired. It’s always nice when someone you look up to is, well, genuinely nice.

8) Fulfilling one of my long term dreams of this combination: your band’s music + ice skating. Really, I was giddy for months from when I heard the news about Improv-Ice to when I saw it. And, yes, it was everything I hoped it would be.

7) Performing at the 2000 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. It gave me a slightly-more-mature reason to cling to my childhood a little bit longer: “But, the Dolls will be on it!”

6) Playing in Houston on three separate occasions in roughly one year’s time. In fact, that alone might be one of the irrational reasons as to why Gutterflower is one of my Top Three albums. Seriously, though, whenever I whine about not seeing y’all in Houston often enough, I take a breath, remember that year, and smile.

5) Always being there, or somewhere in some speaker, when I needed you. Because, yeah, I’ve needed you, and I’m always thankful you’re there.

4) Agreeing to do those songs for Treasure Planet. Sure, you probably did it with your nieces in mind, or you were happy with whatever Disney was offering, or you just liked how they were re-vamping Treasure Island. Whatever the reason, your music in that movie helped me to seal the door shut, somewhat, on my childhood. At the age of 15, it was the last animated movie (with the exception of Wall-E, which was just because everyone said we had to see it…) I saw with a group of friends at the cinema. Thanks for being a part of that.

3) Allowing that intro of that one song to exist. Really, if it didn’t I would have been too over-hyped and distracted by Extra Pale to calm down long enough to pay attention. Had I stayed in that over-excited state and just glossed over what song came after…God only knows. Well, I wouldn’t have a b(l)ack balloon, now would I?

2) Putting your arm around me and tugging me away from a major distraction so my second shot at it wouldn’t be quite a disaster. Really, the photo from the first time is gone, and all I’ve got is your name. Also, thank you for smiling, so it’d be “a good one.”

1) Putting your arm around me and tugging me away from security, so that I could stay in the picture. Oh, and for getting my goodle back after it was taken, after you had smiled and signed it. You made a wide-eyed, quiet girl in Texas feel like she was the most important little fan ever. Thank you for doing that and for effortlessly making all the other fans over the years feel that way, too.

Happy birthday, Mr. “Weznik”.
(Oh, and thanks for not giving me a look when I called you that.)

Tonic

2010-05-03T19:08:00.006-05:00

Okay, so it's been quite a while since Tonic's released a new album of material, so long, in fact, that in the interim front man Emerson Hart had released his own solo effort, Cigarettes and Gasoline, back in 2007. For whatever reasons, the band, since that time, has regrouped. More importantly, they've also recorded and released a fourth LP, which is simply called: Tonic. Am I a fan of self-titled releases? Not really, especially when it's NOT a band's first album, but.... Well, this could very well be a revival, so I'll take the bait and go with it. Let's see... Is Tonic still as wonderful as I remember?...

Album: Tonic
Artist: Tonic
Released: 2010
Label: 429 Records

Track One: Release Me
Okay, this is the song they've chosen as the opening single for the album. I've been told it's been released to radio, but I haven't heard it yet, even on the two stations here in Houston that would be most likely to play it -- Mix 96.5 and 103.7, the Adult Alternative station, which is the only station that's openly promoting Tonic's semi-Houston tour stop in support of The Bangles, which is a WTF pairing if there ever was one, in my opinion... Anyway.... Let's push play.
Okay, jangly guitar... Emerson kicks in soon... There's a slight twang to his voice... OHHH.... This band ALWAYS delivers on choruses... And, this is definitely no exception... The sound picks up; especially the ROCK to it, and the lyrics even seem... more complex, too, in an odd, inexplicable way... Whenever Emerson holds out a note, it's just gruff and lovely and gritty and real... God, I've forgotten how moving he is.... And, what a wonderful cyclical ending... Not some cheesy or trite distortion-end...
...This song should be doing better...
4/5

Track Two: Daffodil
Okay, not to be confused with Goo Goo Doll's Iris, Everclear's Sunflowers, or Tonic's own Roses... And, I'm done being snitty... :-)
Ohhhhhh... I like the country-feel to this one... So much!!.... And, oh, when Emerson says "here" and "clear"... Oh, just perfect... (Random Gooey tangent: He and Johnny need to hook up...) Oh, the bridge is nice... "I will not fall....." This is so damn catchy... This is really wonderful, and it just makes me think that, as I've said before... If Goo was from, I don't know, Nashville instead of Buffalo... this! is what they'd've been... And, yeah, that's a compliment.
Overall, I'd have to say the singing is more complex than in Release Me, and I totally dig this one.
4/5 (possibly 5/5 depending on mood...)

Track Three: I Want It to Be
Okay, this sounds like it's going to be a ballad.... and, yeah, I heard little 30-second snippets of all these songs way back, weeks ago, but I flat out don't remember... So, let's go...
Oh, I love this simplicity... And there's this subtle scratchiness coming up... OH WOW, powerful chorus. DO I HEAR BELLS? I do. I think I do!! Oh, wow. Oh, and some rumbly bass guitar... And, some lovely imagery in the lyrics... Everything sounds powerful and meaningful, without sounding too bombastic... Let's see how they handle the bridge.... Oh, wow, Emerson's hitting some HIGH NOTES.... OMG THE BACKING IS WONDERFUL.... Oh, wow.... Bells and backing.. Sounds like angels' chorus, and I am not kidding.
5/5

Track Four: Send a Message
I'm not sure how IWitB is going to be topped, or if it will, but I'll stay open-minded the best I can...
Oooh.... Nice guitar.... Though, I'm not quite... digging the lyrics yet.... There's a funk to this one... It actually kinda makes me think of latter Better than Ezra.... UNTIL!!! it gets to the chorus, then it's all Tonic. Oooh, nice reference to a past album, there, Emerson... I dig the verses and I dig the chorus, but it's almost jarring put together... So, I'm not sure about this one... Like, I can see myself skipping it, unless I just wanna listen to the whole album...
3/5

Track Five: Bigger than Both
Crunchy, echo-y guitar, some heavy bass... A nice, driven beat... Some synth'd distortion... I'm diggin'... A lot... I like bass-heavy pieces, which probably doesn't surprise anyone... This has a nice head-bobbing beat... There's some really well-crafted lyrics... OHHH WOW, THE PRE-CHORUS LEAD-IN... I love it! This is pretty rockin'! I'm so in heart... This is good. This is really good... I'm totally into this one.
5/5

Track Six: Nothing Is Everything
Emerson, John called... He wants his non-sensical dichotomies back... That said...
Oh, sounds like another balllllaaaad.... *swwwwoooon* Off to a bit of a slow start... Oh, there we go... Wow, it instantly makes me think of Love A Diamond, also by them... I like it; it seems very heartfelt, but it's almost too low-key for me... oddly, just like LaD... The chorus, I think, is easily my favorite part... And, well, the bridge is lovely... I guess it's just the verses that are falling flat for me...
3/5

Track Seven: Feel It Now
Hmm... Okay, let's see if we get a rocker...
Okay! Back to jangly pop-rock... kind of grindy, too... It's a little hectic... Well, hectic for Tonic.... This is just a jumbly, happy little song... Fun, but I doubt it's one I'll purposefully seek out on repeated listens... Unless I need a mood-boost....
3/5

Track Eight: Where Do I Fit
Ooohhhhhhhhhhh................................................... I like this.
It's a tad bit darker.... There seems to have some heavy strings attached... Oh, wow.... It all builds to a pretty solid and strong chorus that actually isn't too jarring or distracting from the somewhat simple verses... Like, that overall heaviness is still apparent.... I dig this... OH, GUITAR SOLO?! YESSSSS. Oh, I'm done for.
5/5

Track Nine: Resolve
Simple...... Whispery voice... Ohhh, simple lyrics..... But... so.... oh, wow.... Lyrically... It makes me think of his Green Hills Race for California, which I really love.... Oh, and the piano -- THE PIANO!.... ohhhh man... ohhh, no..... THE TEARS, Y'ALL, THEY'RE COMIN'... *sniffle* This is really effective.... OH LORD THE REST OF THE MUSIC'S KICKED IN.... OMG, THIS COULD BE BECOME IF BECOME HADN'T FUCKING SUCKED.... Oh, man... This is really great...
5/5

Track Ten: Precious Little Bird
Okay, going from what I remember from the 30-second snippets... I'm either gonna really enjoy or really NOT enjoy this one...
So far so good....... Love the thumpy-ness to it.... OH-OHOH!! Oh, I love it!!! OH YEAH THIS IS FUN AND AWESOME... I can just see some awesome crowd jamming to this one, like woah....
4/5

Track Eleven: Torn to Pieces
OH I LOVE THIS MUSIC!!!! It contrasts so well with Emerson's clear voice.... This is Americana rock done really well.... In fact... In my heart of hearts.... This is the sort of rock I *sometimes* wish other bands I really love would make...
5/5

Track Twelve: She Goes Down
Of course, let's end on a somber note....
The drawwwwlll on the guitar.... is nice.... Okay... I'm not digging this one... Which is a shame... to end on a low-note...
2/5

And that's that: a fine re-acquaintance with my #3 band... which, I hope, continues in this vein...
if i opened up my heart strings could you show me how to heal them

In a Different Light

2009-10-09T16:04:00.002-05:00

Okay, so in what seems like a strictly opportunistic, cash-grabbing sort of a situation... Everclear, my #2 band, has released a sort-of/kind-of Greatest Hits disc. Or, well, that's how some people are viewing their latest release, In a Different Light, as. I haven't yet pushed Play, but in my heart, I know Art Alexakis (and whoever he has backing him up these days) puts a lot more thought into this, his life and his love. He's basically called this disc, which houses nine EC favorites, which are re-recorded/re-interpreted, and two preciously semi-unreleased tracks, a fond look back and re-imagining of some classic EC tunes.

And, you know what? I'm all for it. This is a fantastic way, I think (on a marketable side), to get the band back out there before the supposed all-new release in March. Plus, I'm an EC fan, and I'm all for re-interpretations. Y'all know me, I'm the chick who scours youtube for covers of EC (and others') tunes! I loooooove re-dos!

Besides.. If I DID see a problem with this, if I DID think this was a cheap money-grab... How could I whine about it, when GGD has re-packaged things, using re-recordings of some songs as hooks? See? Pot calling kettle black....

So, without further adieu... Let's sway in and out of shadows with Alexakis and EC....

Album: In a Different Light
Artist: Everclear
Released: 2009
Label: 429 Records

Track One: Everything to Everyone
Okay, this used to be my favorite EC song, always tied with Heroin Girl, but in recent years, HG has knocked E2E1 down to a permanent second place, so... We'll just see how this goes!
Oooh, distortion.... Oh, wow! Much more guitars..... God, and there's his voice!!! Oh, that slightly whiny, pained.... Oh, that Alexakis [brand] voice! There's so much more energy this time around! Oh, this works!!!! it just sounds like they're having a frickin' blast... I like the slightly less-polished vibe to it... Like, the guitars... sound... almost more metallic... tin-y, and it's sooooo working!!!! The only mild complaint is the semi-annoying tongue-rolling yelp. It's a little too much.
4/5

Track Two: Wonderful
Okay, the first Wonderful was pretty amazing. It was a pretty big hit for them, too... In fact, it may have been their last major hit, so, once again, there's some stiff competition here...
....Guitars.... Oh, wow..... Piano...... It's stripped down, but, still.... Ooooh.... The voice-echo effect is great, too; not too overdone... Omg, the piano.... wow... Geeze... Almost a decade later, and this is still such a powerful song... and it all just builds and builds... and then... a die-down, for a breath of air... Oh, wow........ Better. than. the. first.
5/5

Track Three: At the End of the Day
EC.... I don't like gospel-esque backing in my songs.... Grrr.... Hmmm, okay, I haven't heard this... Beyond this... It works.... It's a love song... It's hopeful; it's Alexakis in love and in hope... Oh, it makes me smile.... It isn't their best ballad, but it's good... Oh, no, here's the turn... Lyrics have shifted, here's the reality check you'll almost NEVER get in a GGD ballad.... I like the breakdown for the bridge when Alexakis' voice is highlighted... This is a good non-regrets song... I like it... Rock on.
4/5

Track Four: Santa Monica
God, his voice is still so haunting singing these lyrics... The drums sound more like marching drums... like this is some pained dirge into the ocean.... Hmmm, more of those tin-y guitars... This is good... But, it doesn't have quite the same punch that the original had... Until about half way through!!!! OH YEAH!!!! And, for the record, whoever's got backing duties sounds GREAT with Alexakis...
5/5

Track Five: Summerland
Ooooh, something a little older... And, I love... Love this... Oh, wow.... Oh, he hasn't even started singing, and omg..... OH!!! WOW.... This... This.... This. is. amazing. God, the music.....
5/5, i'd give it a six, if i could

Track Six: Here Comes the Darkness
Oh, I've heard this, and I know I love it... God, I do.... It's just a great song... This should've been on Welcome to the Drama Club or Slow Motion Daydream... Yeah, Slow Motion Daydream... If it had been written then...
5/5, i'd give a six, if i could

Track Seven: Father of Mine
Okay, what 90's kid, whose parentals got divorced, DIDN'T use this song to get past it?! Ex-act-ly!! ...Ooooh, nice intro.... Less bass, it still works.... Oooh, there's clapping! I like clapping songs... This one seems the most similar to the original so far... It's darn good, but the original's a little bit better.
4/5

Track Eight: Fire Maple Song
Now we're going way back.... So, if any Goobers are reading this... It's almost the same as when GGD re-recorded 2DiF for EOAC... And, if I dare say.... This is better than the original, or, at least I like it more... It really rocks, and almost has a alt. country bent to it, which works for EC...
4/5

Track Nine: Rock Star
Okay, this is a rock song, and I'm curious to see it in a different.... To see what they do with it. ;-)
Okay, this still rocks without the OMG!polish to it... And, there's those EC [brand] keyboards... It sounds like, once again, they're just having a blast.
3/5

Track Ten: Learning How to Smile
Okay.... I loved this of SfaAM:V1.... Hmmmm.... It's good, but it's almost TOO much like the original.... It's good, don't get me wrong, but I think I was waiting for a little more... Still an amazing song, though.
3/5

Track Eleven: I Will Buy You a New Life
Oh, wow, neat opening..... Ooooh. This.... Is all taken down... It works... Oh, wow.... I approve, greatly, though the repetitious end is a little much.
4/5

And, well, there we have it.... It was a nice, jaunty trip down memory lane.... I loved it. Thank you, Art.... Come back to Houston... I need to see y'all.
i just want my life to be the same, just like it used to be

*Oh, and, okay, fine.... Songs I wish would've been on this: Heroin Girl, Here We Go Again, Overwhelming, and Pale Green Stars*

Artwork

2009-10-04T16:46:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I like The Used. I do, but I've been putting this album off. For one, it's made me a little uneasy just how much they've pushed it, and, two, Lies for Liars or whatever their last effort was did not impress me like their first two albums did, so I'm really cautious this time around, and it doesn't help that others have been saying it's underwhelming. Oh, well. I'll just judge for myself, as per usual.

So, here we go.

Title: Artwork
Artist: The Used
Label: Reprise Records
Release Date: 2009

Track One: Blood on my Hands
It's the lead-in single for the album, so it should be awesome... Okay, it's got a good beat... McCracken sounds good... Sadly, the chorus seems a little lacking... The filter on Bert's voice is alright... I don't know, this one seems pretty mediocre; just a decent effort that relies almost too much on the chorus... I don't know; I'm feeling it, but not too much.
2/5

Track Two: Empty with You
Alright, sounding a little space-age-y... This is building... Okay, I'm diggin'.... Ooh, a soft crescendo... And, I'm lovin' the opening lyric! Okay, this seems more like the Used I like. Hmmm, wait... don't 'empty' and 'hollow' mean the same thing? I think they do.. Oooh!!! A hark-back to Blue and Yellow?... I haven't wasted anything but time vs. I'd like to waste some time with you?... Hmmm, I like it... This is definitely a lot better than BomH... I like this one.
4/5

Track Three: Born to Quit
Neat lead-in from EwY... It seems a little too melodramatic... I don't know, this is a meh one for me, too... Like, it either needs to be harder, or softer, or darker, or more distorted, or something... Like, it needs to decide what it wants to me... The lyrics, to me, cry for some other sound... It's all right...
3/5

Track Four: Kissing You Goodbye
The Used + piano? I like it. I like it... You know what... I might like them as balladeers than rockers... Hmmm, we'll work on this supposition... If anything, this proves McCracken can do more than scream... I like it a lot, and the strings in the end work.
4/5

Track Five: Sold My Soul
Ooooooooh. ......*waits for vocals, music rocks so far*.... "My filthy mouth full of broken words....(?)" Hmmm.... I like this... It makes me think of Buried Myself Alive, a little bit.... I dig this one... The guitars rock... Oooh, PIANO PIECES IN THE BACKGROUND, AWESOME... And, heck, I'm a sucker for songs with angelic metaphors and randomly pretty endings.
5/5

Track Six: Watered Down
........I'm being sort-of drawn to the skip button, but... I'm finding myself hanging around... I'll go with a good solid, 'it's alright.'
3/5

Track Seven: On the Cross
Okay... No. Just too much for me...
1/5

Track Eight: Come Undone
Okie, can they bounce back after that misfire?.... No, not really. They can, just not so much... Really dislike the chorus...
2/5

Track Nine: Meant to Die
Okay, NOW we're back on track.... This one just rocks... Oh, and something about light and darkness?! I dig it!! (This would be a dangerous/good driving song...)
4/5

Track Ten: The Best of Me
(as opposed to Foo Fighters' Best of You) ....Starting off quiet... a bit funereal, even... Okay, I'm intrigued... And, it takes a full minute and a half to kick off.... Ugh, losing points for that... There's a lot of anger in this song, and you can feel it... It's alright, if you skip the intro.
3/5

Track Eleven: Men are all the Same
Neat opening lyric, won't lie... But, once again, it's just too much.
2/5

Final verdict: Hit or Miss album is a Hit or Miss album, at least for me. .....Yeah, and I think I'm washing my hands of the Used. Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted.
surprised to wake and follow the light

Sci-Fi Crimes

2009-09-01T20:58:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I'm not gonna lie... I'm pretty psyched for this one. So psyched, in fact, that I'm flatly ignoring the other album I got today, and probably will for a few good weeks, until I get THIS out of my system. See, the thing is... I like Chevelle a lot. They're probably my only "hard rock" band that I really, really dig. They're definitely in my Top 20, close to the Top 10. And, recently, I've been re-listening to Vena Sera and This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)... And, have come to the conclusion, especially in concern of the former, that Chevelle's got a LOT to live up to...

So, Peter, Sam, and Dean... Give it your best shot!

Title: Sci-Fi Crimes
Artist: Chevelle
Label: Epic
Release: 2009

Track One: Sleep Apnea
Guitars.... Crunchy bass0y sounds... I dig the music so far, y'all. THERE'S PETER'S VOCALS!! Allllright, here we go.... Oh, I love the slight echo.... This one has a really good, steady beat. Very head-bob-able... God, this just shows one of the kick-ass things about this band; the fantastic meeting of Peter's gorgeous vocals and their powerful music... It's great... OOOH, more of that awesome echo... That's a really good usage of an effect; I dig it. And, oh I'm in love with this bridge... This is a good start, you guys!
4/5

Track Two: Mexican Sun
Drumstick taps!!! Awesome. ...Oooh, Peter sounds so angry on this one. I like it! ...Some screaming? Sweeeet! Rock on! This one's, IDK, dirtier and grungier than Sleep Apnea... But, it's just as good.... Mmmm.... The way Peter's straining his vocals is so spot on... I love this, too... Oh, and the shift in the midst of it... Absolutely great.
4/5

Track Three: Shameful Metaphors
We slowing down? We taking a breather? Okay... I like it. I like the change of pace. Heck, I need a break, too. But, see, this is Chevelle... A break is just something that ROCKS!!!, just not quite as loudly. ;-)
5/5

Track Four: Jars
Ahhhh; here we are, the lead-in single. It rocks; pure and simple. This song, right here, should get Chevelle new fans...
5/5

Track Five: Fell Into Your Shoes
First off, what a cool title, no? I mean, really, what. a. cool. title. ...Anyway... Okay, starting off soft, with some effects... I'm digging..... OOOOOOH!!! Ooooh, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the pitch variances!!! And the overlaying!!! OMG. Yes, I approve.... "The skies are overwhelmed," neat lyric; randomly powerful... And the brief pause... Final choruses, with a guitar outro... I'm in heart... This is great, This is really darn good.
5/5

Track Six: Letter from a Thief
I'm, oddly, not quite digging the filter of Peter's voice... But, my God, the chorus and everything after makes up for it; the music of the chorus is pure win. ...Bridge is pure win, too... Guitar solo/ending is great... Good lord, this is good.
5/5

Track Seven: Highland's Apparition
A song about a ghost?... We'll see... Oh, acoustic... Wow... The slightly softer side of Chevelle, is it? I approve... OOOOOH...... His little..... IDK.... Drawn out sound... And the odd, harpsichord-y guitar... Oh, wow.... This is just as intense as their other music yet, unplugged....
5/5

Track Eight: Roswell's Spell
..........I was wondering when it'd happen.... *sigh* I knew the I LOVE IT ALL!! spell would break. Don't get me wrong, this one's good.... Just not as good. The verses are just... I don't approve... But, the choruses are fantastic... Oddness. And the music break's great, too... Hmph. I'm totally torn on this one.... It grows on me as it goes on...
3.5/5

Track Nine: Interlewd
PUN FTW.
Anyway.... I don't see the point of this little break, unless that's what it is... If it's a pausing point signifying that the last two songs are particularly out there... IDK. We'll see.
2/5

Track Ten: A New Momentum
I'm... Sort of digging... I like the semi-strianed screaming... It works well; and the crunchy, angry music... But, for some reason, I'm not quite... Okay, I feeling it more... And... feeling it... I don't know how I feel about this one....
2/5 (ask me again at some point in time from now and it could be a 4/5.. seriously)

Track Eleven: This Circus
....This is... This odd, amazing.... Combination... it switches a lot... There's pacing, and there's sounds, and there's voice effects... And, wow... This is just a neat ending; like one big amalgamation of the whole album... I approve.
4/5

Alright... There was a slight nose-dive toward the end... But, overall, this is a very good album. Sadly, it didn't beat out Starsailor for fav album of the year, but it's got the number Two spot! (Yay for Chevelle!)

Stylistically... It's not Vena Sera, and it isn't TToT (CDUI) or Wonder What's Next.... I'd say it's a natural, expected step forward... It is very, very good: an awesome rock album.
Good work, Chevelle. Come to H-Town again, please! I'm dying to see you.
let's let the panic bloom

Ursa Major

2009-08-21T23:32:00.004-05:00

Okay, so it's been quite some time since the last collection of new 3EB music dropped. Off the top of my head, and I'm probably a little off, it seems to me that '03 was the last time we'd heard from them, minus a best of collection/greatest hits they released at some point. This means that, besides the typical stress and expectations of a normal album, there's a whole slew of over-expected hopes and ideals just because it's been so long. I mean, the typical expectations of an album are surely stressful enough... But, after being on hiatus for so long?

Geeze, do the 3EB boys have their work cut out for them....

Well, let's see if 3EB could pull it off...
Back from being Out of the Vein, let's look up and count the stars in Ursa Major.

Title: Ursa Major
Artist: Third Eye Blind
Label: Mega Collider Records
Release: 2009

Track One: Can You Take Me
High pitched whining and crunchy guitars... Sound effects; oh yeah, this is 3EB... Jenkins is almost a little too drowned out... Sex, ideals, and excellent pop rock... Yep, 3EB land, indeed. And, you know what, maybe a riot IS overdue... It's nice to know his voice hasn't faltered in however many years it's been... Great opening track that, with all its styles, will quickly acquaint any newbies to what this band does.
4/5

Track Two: Don't Believe a Word
This is pretty much the leading single for the album, so let's see how it goes.....
Big rock music.... I like it..... Digresses into the semi-rap/quick lyrics that's Jenkins' style... It's catchy as all get out... Nice little lyrics there... "give me back my photos...." I love it.... But, yet, I can't help but to think that this is just Jenkins' outlet to complain about the times, and thus be relevant... Maybe taking hiatuses isn't such a good thing...
3/5

Track Three: Bonfire
I hear bongos? YES, I hear bongos... Or, some other sort of percussion thing... It strangely fits. This is really good; it's like proof that they can drop the hooks and effects, and still be a darn good and honest act... "if nothing else I am myself / it's all I have to give" I love it...
4/5

Track Four: Sharp Knife
Jenkins, slow down..... Oh, well, I should be used to your style by now. My bad, darling. Oh, well... When you do slow down, it's really effective. "At least you left a mark on me" -damn, doesn't everyone...? The slow-fast is really good on this... The music's fantastic... This is so honest and powerful; he's always singing from some pained, honest place... I wish other songwriters would drift there and sit a spell... "careful, you might hurt someone"
5/5

Track Five: One in Ten
I hear strings? Yes, maybe.. and piano?... Yes.... I dig. Oooh, and horns... Yes?... Hmmm, I like this a lot... The point is so simple, so powerful, and... so awfully easy to relate to, and the music's divine....
4/5

Track Six: About to Break
Wow, Jenkins, do you hate humanity that much? Are you sooooo misanthropic, love? "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's standing next to my fellow man" -geeze, man... You're starting to sound a little Art-ish here... I'm not digging this, but I am digging it, but I'm not, but I am...... It's another soapbox song, and the squeaky/whining guitar is a little too rough/jarring... *eyes narrow*
2.5/5

Track Seven: Summer Town
I really like this one a lot... A whole lot... "I told you everything I knew in a manic, rushing line" -god, who doesn't when they're in love.... This track is amazing. Makes me think of their first release... It's that good, y'all.
5/5

Track Eight: Why Can't You Be
Acoustic?... Okay...... Let's go, Jenkins, take me on a trip... I ain't gonna lie, I smiled at the first comparison, and then just nodded along with the rest... This is great.... A fantastic way to explain the hollow desires and hopeless, overly high expectations that love and lust brings... Good job, Jenkins. Good job.
4/5

Track Nine: Water Landing
Techno-y... But, a nice highlight of his voice and his words... These guys are a lot like 1,2,3Crows... It's more about the words... When this one breaks down, it kinda goes meh... But, oh, well, it's okay.
3/5

Track Ten: Dao of St. Paul
This is as great as Summer Town and Sharp Knife... The chaos in the middle is fabulous.
5/5

Track Eleven: Monotov's Private Opera
What the hell type of name?.... Oh, well, let's see how this goes... You know what, this is a really good one, too... Third Eye Blind's almost better slowed down.... Every time...
4/5

Track Twelve: Carnival Barker
Once again.... What sort of title?... It sounds dreamy/strained/filtered/disjointed/calming.... Nice instrumental finale.... wish it was a little bit longer...
5/5

Well, good job 3EB... You're still relevant, even when you seem to be trying really hard to do so, and you're just as honest and moving as y'all've always been... The hooks are still strong and work just as good as they did back in '97, '99.... And so on.

Wish I could've saw y'all on y'all's H-Town stop...
she shattered because no one loved her

On to the Next One

2009-06-01T14:32:00.002-05:00

Okay. So, as mentioned a few blogs back, I purchased some stuff from GCR. What did I purchase? Why, the 2004 effort from Last Conservative, On to the Next One, that's what! Why did I get this one? Well, because I'd been wanting it for a while (not quite the five years it's been out, but long enough), yet I'd just... Never had gotten it, y'all know? And, get this, it came with a sample of Klear's work, so... Two-fer-One! Woot.

Y'all know what this means! Time for another one of Jess' dirt cheap, .02 reviews!

Artist: Last Conservative
Album: On to the Next One
Released: 2004
All right. Very quickly, LC is an alt-rock band out of Buffalo, signed to GCR. Basically, they're one of Takac's babies. Their frontman, TJ, from what I've heard, is charismatic and quite a prolific songwriter. And, fun fact: ex-Gooey sideclowns and the one and only Miyoko are guest musicians on this disc.

So, without further adieu, LC's OttNO...

Song One: On to the Next One
Alright, so we're starting out with the title track? I can dig it. Rough, loud guitars, and a little scream? Cool start, and then it all drifts when the vocals kick in. Oooh, and what nice vocals... It's pained enough, but not weak... It's strongly vulnerable! (Shush, I know I'm throwing out contradictions...) I really like this song - it's a fantastic opener. My slight complaint is that... There seems to be these extra little... Sound effects that seem just a wee-bit distracting. But, it's all good, because this is great. If the rest of the album's like this, I'm gonna be very happy.
4/5

Song Two: Can't Get Away From You
Okay, the topic's tried and true - thematically, there's nothing new here, but in the delivery of said theme, there's some lyrical diamonds. And, this is probably gonna be an ongoing thing with this band... Awesome, soul-felt lyrics... Delivered from a talented and earnest song-writer, built up with good pop rock music... (Gee... Sounds like another Buffalonian band....) This song's pop-ier, but it's definitely hooky and catchy.
3/5

Song Three: Over My Head
This song is also called 'Come On'.... Okay, smart-ass-ness aside... Like the previous, we're continuing more into straight-up pop territory, and it's just as catchy, if not catchier... But, the lyrics are a bit meh. He seems to string along a few cliches, but it still somehow works. I know, I can't explain it... Shush. I just dig it. The music's awesome, and the little effect on his voice half-way through is just enough bite for this sugar-sweet song.
3/5

Song Four: FourFive
Okay, and we're rocking again! Yay. Okay, this one just rocks. I mean, that's really the only way I can put it. Sorry I'm being vague on this one.
4/5

Song Five: Anything But Goodbye
I'm sort of liking the keyboards... Oh, they go quickly, okay. His vocals sound a little clearer on this one... And... I really like it. I like the balance between good 'ol pop rock and... Pop... There's... ... There's an all-over-the-place feel to it, but IN A GOOD WAY. Like... there's... So much going on, but...Each and every little musical element shines through... I guess that's good mixing? (Remember, I'm a music-retard.)
5/5

Song Six: Hope and Pray
Once again.... Just more rock. ....It's that.... Fast/slow style the Dolls do so well, and these guys do it well, too. One again, lots of different noises coming into play, but each having their chance to shine... God...
Okay. BRUTAL HONESTY TIME. ....Every time I want to bitch about the possibility that this seems overproduced.... The mixing's awesomeness shuts me up. Amazing...
Oh, and despite what I just said.... Cool echoing.
4/5

Song Seven: Car Alarm
....starts off with a car beeping. Alright. Clever. But, then, thankfully, it drops the gimmicks and just ROCKS. Once again... It's all I can say, unless I just start repeating what I've been saying: his kickass voice, the great mixing, etc... Well, I can say that I think I've found a favorite song. :-)
5/5

Song Eight: Come Down
.............
I was wondering if there'd be a ballad on here, and sure enough, burried between massive amounts of ROCK, here it is.
And, it's impressive. (or I'm just a sucker for men that scream... or write about darkness/light metaphors.)
5/5

Song Nine: Keep Your Promises
Their music's really kick ass.... Sorry, just felt like reminding all of y'all of that.
Hmmm.... I really, really like the sound of this one... A whole lot.
That voice I'm really starting to love is a little drowned out on this one, but... Yet again.... Despite the loudness... I can hear it ALL, so clearly... WHO MIXED THIS?!
Oh, fuck me....
Um... Well, GOOD JOB, ROBBY! Mixing is fantastic....
Anyway..... *blink*
Uh... Where was I?
Oh, right..... Um, scratch what I said earlier.... THIS is my favorite.
5/5, easily.

Song Ten: Hey Hey
....Cover of a Neil Young song?.....
Nope.
Okay, well..... Let's see: A song about the effects of love... That sounds like a perfect pop summer song: a lot of fun, and very single-ish.
3/5

Song Eleven: Irish
.............................................................................................
I just don't like this one. Sorry, LC.....
1/5

Song Twelve: I Know You Know I Know
(or IKYKIK -prounounced: Icky Kick, hihi)
Yeah, this is much better than Irish... Awesome lyrics this time around, perhaps more metaphorical than the rest of the album, and he sounds just as good as ever, and IT ROCKS! like the rest of the album... Another solid song.
4/5

Song Thirteen: Mary
Alright. Last song... How's it gonna go down?
Static? Okay.... I get it, this band and their producer (oh....fuck, same Doll.) like sound effects. Okay. A little like EC does, too... I can finally go along with it and stop twitching. Congrats, y'all've won me over....
OH SHIT, THERE'S STRINGS.
aaaaand, I'm done for.
....Omg... So many different sounds... I swear I hear accordion and ... Some sort of brass, too. Well, rock on... It SO WORKS.
Man, this would be a great encore song.
5/5

....While I was listening to this, I was half-assed talking to another Goober, and we both had the same wondering: could you tell if something was produced by Rzez vs. Tak, and... Yeah, I think it could be differentiated, possibly pretty easily. I'm not sure why I'm bringing this up, but, there ya go.

Anyway... This album got better as it went on, except for the minor mistep toward the end with Irish. It's a great pop rock effort, and I can see it being my new driving cd when I'm going back and forth between H-Ville and H-Town. I'm diggin'.

And, I was going to review the Klear sampler, but I'll save that for later... Don't wanna burn through all my new music in one week, y'all know?
the kings and the queens are all powerless now

Paper Empire

2009-05-29T19:02:00.003-05:00

Okay. So, as y'all know, Better than Ezra's newest album, Paper Empire, came out a few weeks ago, and I didn't get mine right away, because I ordered it from the band. Well, it appeared in my mailbox, waiting for me, when I got back from my little vacation down in H-Town. Yay!

Truth be told, I haven't really heard anything one way or another about this album. Then again, I'm an Ezralite, but not to the extent that I'm a Goober, y'all know? So, it makes a sort of sense that I wouldn't have heard anything so far about it, good or bad.

So, I guess what I'm trying to also say, in a semi-subtle way, is that... Although I'm not a hardcore Ezralite, I'm not really a casual, either.
True, I've never seen them in concert, though that doesn't say I haven't tried to, and I've never met them, and I don't actually have all their albums... I'm missing their Greatest Hits, another album called Closer , and their live work... But, I know their songs beyond "Good", "Desperately Wanting", and "Lifetime", y'all know? I'm somewhere in between a casual and a hardcore is the key summation here.

My favorite song is probably "One More Murder" tied with "Under You", though I also love "Teenager" and "Happy Endings". Overall, my favorite album is probably How Does Your Garden Grow? And, I'm laying all this out in case any other Ezralite stumbles upon this review and wonders what sort of fan wrote it.

So, without further aideu, the newest album from >Ezra, wlecomming their new drummer: Paper Empire.

Song One: Absolutely Still
From what I know, this was chosen as the albums lead-in single, so it makes since that it's the first track. Overall, it's deffinitely keeping the poprock vibe of Before the Robots. In fact, it reminds me, somewhat, of "Lifetime". Griffin's vocals are great and clear... He sounds fantastic, and the lyrics are full of love and longing... Classic >Ezra content. The beat's good, the chorus is powerful enough... and I'm shocked this song hasn't done better as a single... It sounds like it'd be great on the radio.
3/5

Song Two: Turn Up the Bright Lights
This one starts out a little more.... Toned down than the first... And, stays that way. It seems to have this lovely undulating quality to it; like waves, not like a rollercoaster. And the lyrics are great: "She moves like music, but in a moment she'll be gone". Pure poetry. If there's anything Griffin does well... He's a great lyricist... Anyway... This song is great. I'm digging it more than AbStill, a lot more. It's a love letter to some lucky woman and some magical locale.
4/5

Song Three: Just One Day
Ooohhhh. I'm feeling some... HDYGG? vibes here, especially with the strings... And then Griffin's vocals come in, a little toned down, more like he's coaxing you than singing to you, and oh, it works..... And then the chorus kicks in, which is the right amount of uplifting and powerful. The song's got a classic theme: What would you do if you could change things, if everyone you love came back for one day, if you could just make your life better, etc... And, that's a tired theme, I know, but >Ezra pulls it off perfectly with this song: they leave it open and accessible, just presenting scenarios that are universal enough to illicit a response of self-reflection in their listeners. Good work. This could be a single.
4/5

Song Four: The Loveless
Judging by the title, I figured this would be some slow, sad ballad. It's not... It's just as up-beat *sounding* as the rest of the album so far. There's a good tempo, and accompanying strings... And, the lyrics aren't exactly bright and shiny, but... Well, they pull a GGD: it should depress you, but it doesn't! It's a good song. I especially love the music break, and, as always, strings.
3/5

Song Five: All In
Ooooh, okay.... Here's the jangly pop.... And crowd-singing! Oh, wow. This one's gonna just be fun... Yeah, this is fun... Almost as fun as, say, 3EB's "Non-Dairy Creamer". That's all I've got to say... Just fun pop rock. The opening verse is exceptionally great. And, this is just catchy as hell... "The bottom of the line is to have a bit of fun." Fuck, I love it. I'd give it a perfect, but the over-done, distorted synth is a little grating.
4/5

Song Six: Fit
I'm just curious as to what this is going to sound- Okay, it sounds... Really epic, and slow... Okay, with a title like this, I'd expect it to sound like the last song, but... After the somewhat bombastic intro... In come Griffin's heart-felt vocals, and... OH! It's a love song, about how people fit together... Wow, I'm an idiot. The lyrics are gorgeous, and Griffin totally delivers, as he always does, especially when he pours out his heart, but... The music's... Almost TOO MUCH.
3/5

Song Seven: Hell No!
Starting with organs?... Riffy guitars...? WOAH, WHAT IS UP WITH THE VOICE FILTER?! Oh, wow.... Peter Frampton would be proud... This rocks... It's about the apocalypse, and it couldn't be more upbeat. Rock on, >Ezra. This is great... Nice guitar work, especially.
4/5

Song Eight: Hey Love
Okay... I think I'm catching a re-occurring trend with this album... Beautiful, wonderful, heartfelt lyrics, delivered by Griffin's absolutely fantastic voice... But it's all *almost* drowned out by the music, especially when the chorus hits. I mena, I know the chorus is usually loud (duh), but... Man... Anyway, the lyrics completely bump this one's score, as does the bridge when you can pretty much JUST HEAR HIM.
4/5

Song Nine: Nightclubbing
....Okay. Techno in MY >Ezra?.... All right. Rock on. Okay, just like All In... I can't really say much except that it's awesome; just purely awesome... When >Ezra decides to POP, they pop. Man, this song is great.... His grating voice, out of nowhere, and SAXOPHONE! And, boy, is this album turning bi-polar...
5/5

Song Ten: Black Light
Hmmm... Okay, I'm not exactly digging this one... The quick speaking (rather than real singing) is kind of... Not working for me, and the music really isn't working.... Until the chorus kicks in, and that helps a little, but... Yeah, I'm not feeling this one. Even the cool synth noise that's in the background of the chorus isn't coaxing me.
2/5

Song Eleven: Wounded
Hey, 3EB has a song called this! Uh, anyway... ooh, I like the haunting-ish way this starts, and... The overall seriousness to it... It sounds almost eerie. Oooh... I really like this. Griffin's asking for answers, answers he'll never get, concerning the state of humanity; pleading for better days...... And, I'm hearing the pain in his vocals, and there's some sweet bass and synthed noises... And... Oh, man. I think I've found a favorite track!
5/5, easily.

Song Twelve: I Just Knew
Aaaand, I almost knew we'd finish with a slow song. I got very slight "Happy Endings" vibes... Guitar and piano... And his wonderful voice. It's a great one to follow "Wounded", lead us out of the trance-like state that one puts us in, and serenade us about the beauty of 'we're-meant-for-each-other' love... Fuck, this is gorgeous and sweet and so genuine. If Griffin's in love, or if he's gotten married, or whatever.... Then, THIS is how it should be done... Not... Not claiming songs are about something, when they're really about love... Not making a WHOLE ALBUM about love... Just a few love songs, and one truly beautiful one to top it off.
5/5

Okay. There you have it. Overall, as I mentioned a little bit earlier... The album seems a wee bit bi-polar, but it's okay, because it's >Ezra. And... If you're not already a fan... This could snag you, unless, of course, you don't dig Griffin's voice. It's very unique, and it's a deal-maker/breaker for attaining fans. So... Check "Absolutely Still" out on y_tube, and if you dig the vocals... That song's a decent representation of the pop rock side of the album, and find "Wounded" and/or "All In" to see representations of the rest.
As usual, it's a good, solid effort. It didn't overthrow HDYGG? as my favorite album, but I definitely prefer it over Before the Robots.
every dream came real

Swoon

2009-04-15T22:07:00.004-05:00

Okay. So, we all know I'm happily apart from people, yeah? Right, well, okay, so... Let's say that, for once, I actually want to talk to someone, anyone... Just someone who cares enough to listen to my unintelligible rants for just a little while until I pull it the fuck together and stop crying, okay? Right... Well, so I call, and I call, and no one answers... No one.
Not the guy who said he hoped to see me today, nor the best-friend, nor the other best-friend, nor the Goober who texted me twice with Gooey nonsense, while I'm supposed to be in the classroom... Not them. Not even parents... Except, for Dad. He answered....

And he heard it all...

In vastly more important news... Yesterday, the 14th, was the release of Silversun Pickups' sophomore album, Swoon. About two months ago, I pre-ordered it on Amazon. Also yesterday, I started the last fourth of my Honors seminar: Dance, and the release of that album was the only thing I was looking forward to the whole day. Imagine my extreme disappointment when it was NOT in my mailbox when I checked, two times. Thankfully, Michael saved me from the disappointment, while openly criticizing my music taste, as only he can. Then, my mother helped in her own way, letting me know that in July, we're going to go see Aerosmith and ZZ Top at the Woodlands. Oh, and I also joined Inner Machine, finally. It was actually a decent day.

Then today came and almost went, until a bright little blip of musical bliss pulled me out of the dregs. Swoon had appeared in my mailbox, when I half-expected emptiness. Moral of the story...? Always think the glass is half empty, that way happiness is more easily accessible if the glass gets filled up. Tahdah, easy road to happiness.

So, without further adieu, my review of Swoon:
Song 1: There's No Secrets This Year
Hooray for long titles... You know, I don't really remember Carnavas having titles like that, except for, WTOT.... That's about the only one that was longer and semi-awkwar- Oh! Right, the song... Okay, wow... Aubert's singing a little quicker than normal. It's unexpected, but it's a neat surprise that somehow works with the lyrics. It's a good, strong opener: a little rockier than the fare found on Carnavas.
However, one slight complaint, and yeah I know it's the chorus and all, but... It seems like the song relies on it a little too much, which isn't like them, imo... Oh, well, it's still solid, especially when it breaks down at roughly 4:30, and we're given a peak into the album's title.
4/5

Song 2: The Royal We
The guitars sound great with the slight strings... I love the combination of strings and rock; always have, always will. In fact, I think this combines the two as good as, say, GGD's Iris, or Black Balloon, but just in a different way.
Okay, this one seems more verse-based... I like it a lot so far; Aubert's vocals seem angrier and more urgent. But, still, they can slow down and pull you in without scaring you off. This one has a great driving beat to it... It really rocks, comparatively. And his vacillation between quiet and loud is really nice. I like that he's making a point to show off his volume and range, and Monninger's backing vocals are perfect.
5/5

Song 3: Growing Old is Getting Old
The first few notes, for whatever reason, make me think of Modest Mouse, which is good in my book. Anyway, loving the simple beat, and the ghostiness to his vocals at first. Oooh, it's nice how the guitars kick in, and the drums, about half-way, too, bringing us out of a haze... Hmm... I really like the bridge and chorus to this one, too: We sing, fight, we cry. / we slide, slide, we slide into the light / Maybe we're sealed in silence / And maybe we feel a guidance. This one is really good... Ends very strong.
5/5

Song 4: It's Nice to Know You Work Alone
Okay, first few notes, and I'm NOT DIGGING... But, this is SSPU, so I'll keep going. Okay, once those notes fade out, the song gets instantly better. I guess it's just a weak opening hook. The grinding, rough guitar is good, gives the sensitive-seeming song an edge. It's good, but I think it's the weakest track so far.
3/5

Song 5: Panic Switch
Well, this is the opening single for Swoon, so it should be awesome, right? Oh, it IS awesome... This, I think, might be their loudest song yet, and it's kickass. I think it's a fantastic pick for the lead single, and I think it'll do well. It gets played a lot on MTVU...
5/5

Song 6: Draining
Starting off soft, after such a loud song.... Makes sense. I'm digging this one a lot, a nice, dreamy trip through aether; a perfect relaxation after Panic Switch.
5/5

Song 7: Sort Of
This MIGHT be my favorite song on the album. Aubert's vocalization, going all up and down.... It's really hypnotizing. Plus, the psychadelic guitars as great... This is just a fantastic song... Like, it could have been a bonus on Carnavaz, I think.
5/5, easily.

Song 8: Substitution
This one seems to be the most straightforward rock song, not as dreamy/experimental/ambient as their typical work. It almost sounds surreal: that type of music with Aubert's vocals.... But, I really love this one, too.... It's a great follow-up to Sort Of.
5/5

Song 9: Catch and Release
A song about love and sex and romance.... It's very sexual, but it's very beautiful, too... I really love the strings, and the one line: "Who knows / how this feeling grows?" Super simple, but really poignant...
5/5

Song 10: Surrounded (or spiraling)
Back to the distortion and flatter vocals, and breathiness... I'm diggin', but not quite as much as some of the other songs. However, the lyrics are very strong, as usual. "Are you dancing / or stumbling beside me?" etc.... And, points for them ending with a 4:44 minute song...
4/5

Conclusion:
I'm assuming that they, perhaps, made a conscious decision to ROCK more on this album, so I don't want to say they should stick with surreal/dreamy music, because I feel that they're competent in both styles. Yet, and this is mostly just because of my personal taste, I think they're a little stronger with THAT style, versus rockier/heavier music. Aubert's vocals are beautiful, in a raspy, nasally, whiny sort of way, and I love them... And, I think they might fit a little more with the dreamy music, but they're still a wonderful addition to the heavier side. All in all, this was deffinitely worth the two and a half years since Carnavas, and I'm very happy with it. I'm not sure if it was as Earth-Shattering as Starsailor's All the Plans, but... It's damn good.

New music 2009 continues, next time.... With >Ezra! Until then...... There'll be teasing snippets of in-progress Goo to tide me over! (Or not, if it all ends up vaguely reminding me of LLI.)
animate my body without my soul

Rzezkac

2009-04-10T22:36:00.004-05:00

Okay. So, this other Goober contacted me via PM over on Lucky Star. And, she's all on the topic of bromance - you know, that semi-new buzz word that over romanticizes deep, platonic love between dudes? Yeah, that affliction of, say, House and Wilson, JD and Turk, and Spongebob and Patrick, for example...

Well, wouldn't you know it, she PMs to discuss the Gooey bromance of Rzeznik and Takac, which I lazily, yet lovingly, refer to as: Rzezkac. (Doesn't that actually sound like it could be some random Polish/Hungarian surname...? Hell if I know.) And, well, I won't go into the specifics of the conversation, since I don't really have her permission to talk about it. However, I will say that it got me thinking.

This whole bromance thing is pretty new, right? I mean, it seems to be hitting its peak right around now, especially with I Love You, Man, but it's still relatively recent. As in, it wasn't a popular term, or may not have even existed, back in, say, 1998.

Why am I picking 1998?
Oh, why ever would I pick THAT year?...

The goober's PM got me thinking, because I realized that in my 12 years as a Goober, I never described Rzezkac as a bromance. Now, you could argue that I never did, because the term wasn't around. Sure, okay... But, see, here's the counter-argument to that: Even now, I don't describe Rzezkac as a bromance.

I call it what it is: love.
They're bestest buddies, pure and simple. They're like brothers, and they fight over stupid shit, but stand by each other through all the rain and all the sunshine, too. They gush on camera about how they couldn't do this without the other, and then, on the radio, they joke how they're just stuck with each other, like an old married couple that wouldn't stand a chance separately if they broke up.

That dynamic is partly what attracts me to the Dolls. It's not just the kickass music, the meaningful lyrics, or the good deeds they do: it's, literally, them. And, it goes beyond the two of them taken separately. It's more than how I was once an obzezzive, but I turned into a fanatak circa 2000; more than how they each have qualities that I idealize and pray to find in real mean; more than idolization (because I've moved beyond worshipping them).

It's them and their relationship. It, like other famous friendships (like Hawthorne and Melville's), just warms my heart. It really astounds me and makes me so happy, and hopeful, to see two people have such a wonderful connection with each other, especially in a world where I believe that, although we may seem so connected with each other, the technology that links us might do more harm than good in the long-run, as far as real relationships are concerned. (You can type your condolences to someone over AIM, and use all the emoticons you know, but it's never the same as holding someone when they're upset and making them feel better just by literally being there for them. That AIM conversation, or the exchange of Notes on f_book may seem real, but it's really superficial.)

And, yes, I'm aware of my hypocrisy, as I am fully aware that I'm typing all this out in a BLOG.

...Anyway, I haven't really responded to the other Goober. About what she's asking, I'm not quite sure. I thought I knew, but the more I think about it; I really don't, and it's not something that's been decided upon, let alone even discussed, within the fandom. And neither of us are brave enough to get the conversation started. Being an outcast wouldn't be fun.

Anyways, feel free to ignore all this whimsy: I just ramble about them, together or apart, sometimes. I can't help it; it's one of the things I really love about the band... Because, if it wasn't for that connection, that bond, there wouldn't be any by-products of it, like that amazing performance of Name from a few posts back: or this Black Balloon.

Their dedication to each other, their love, their... Bromance? (Sure, fine... What the hell, why not? Let's keep it timely...) It just... Makes me smile.
a thousand other boys could never reach you, how could i have been the one

The Same Harmonious Tune

2009-03-29T18:48:00.003-05:00

Okay, so, back when the Dolls' Vol. II came out, I played it, and I was so happy with having the Iris demo on it, I had to share it with my parents. (Don't judge me... They're Goobers, too.) And, so my step-dad, who's the Takac-fan of the two, asks if R's signing with J during the demo at points. To this very second, I don't really know, but... Hell, y'all know me, I'm all for them singing together, so I assume they are and I tell him so. Then, to my shock, he tells me, "Yeah.... Wow, they cannot harmonize together."

I KNOW!

My heart broke a little. Now, I know precisely SHIT about music and music theory etc.... But! I know what I like, and I like them together, all my gooey romanticism aside. (And, I meant that in a platonic sense.)

With that back-story fully in place, let me now tell a tale. So, I've kind of slipped away from Goo these last few days, as in I've been listening to a lot more other bands. Particularly, I've been playing the hell out of EC. In fact, I recently remembered that So Much for the Afterglow is their GF; i.e.: It's practically flawless.

Anyhow, today I've got my WinAmp on shuffle, as per usual, and I'm not really paying any heed to it. Yeah, sure, the Dolls are coming up every now and then, but it's stuff I've heard before -- Like, some performance of BB, or that January Friend from LiB... And, of course, there's other band's, too... And, I'm looking on-line for info about Thee Armada (they're writing for a full album!), and I'm updating my f_book, and checking on some people...

And, I guess I'm not really paying very good attention, because a performance of Name comes on. Now, let me explain for a second... Although I once decided (and semi-convinced another Goober) that Name's their best song, it's not a song I really... Play anymore, you know? I just don't think about it, because it's so ingrained into the fandom (for myself, definitely, and other Goobers, too, I'm sure), like Iris and Slide, etc.... I don't go out of my way to put it on, no matter what version/performance it is. (Honestly, I can't remember the last time I purposefully listened to either Name, or Slide... Iris, well, yeah...)

So, anyway... Name, performed live at the 1995 Summerfest is playing, and I hear that it's Name, and I just gloss over it, drift away back into what I'm doing. Then, out of nowhere, the song hits 2:42. And, well, it's like... Being brought back to life, or woken up after a long dreary nap, or...
It's like something mystical and beautiful just at the fringe of your periphery; just brilliant enough and alluring enough to catch your whole focus, and then, once you turn, maybe you catch a quick glimpse of the beautiful thing... then it's gone!

I'm talking about the moments at 2:42 and 2:56 where the bass infuses with the treble; where Takac's goose-bump-inspiring rumble is a sudden, yet unassuming and warm addition to Rzeznik's leading, that life's like a dream (so much so, that when I first heard it, I had to skip back a little to make sure I wasn't imagining anything...), and it's proved that, well...
They harmonize perfectly.

(Perfectly enough that I've been looping this performance for... God, I don't even know how long now.)

Or... At least they could. I have no idea, really, if they can now or not... Korel did a lot of Takac's backing on the LLI tour, and Rzeznik's voice has changed so... But, I like to dream that they still sound amazing together; as their partnership, their ability to be more together than they could ever be apart, is partly what attracts me to this band. (Amongst music, lyrics, general heart and soul, etc. ...And, yeah, y'all should know by now how much a romantic I am.)

So, if anyone in the Goo camp ever reads this blog... Please pass this thought along to either of The Two...

GIVE DUETS, OR (AT LEAST) OBVIOUS BACKING ANOTHER SHOT ON THE NEXT ALBUM, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS HOLY.
(I'd love y'all even more, and that's really saying something.)

In other news... Michael's birthday is tomorrow, and I got him a card. I hope he likes it. I see Stephen Lynch in less than a week, and Dad visited today. I got the 'drinking is bad' talk, which is fine with me.
i don't think i'll make it on my own

All the Plans

2009-03-17T21:55:00.007-05:00

And, so I'm finally listening to Starsailor's new one, All the Plans. My God, you guys... I know some of y'all don't exactly care for them, but... I still have to gush. This album is fantastic. So far this year, it's the best I've heard, from anyone. Hell... It's great, period... I haven't been this moved since... God, I don't know... SSPU's Carnavas. And, that was a while ago.

If Goo can blow me away half as much as SS has this time around... It'll be fantastic!

So, without further adieu...

Artist: Starsailor
Album: All the Plans, studio album
Release: 2009, Virgin

Song 1: Tell Me It's Not Over
Okay, this is definitely the single-song of the album. I like it. It's more pop-rocky than they usually are, so it's a nice change of pace. And, on another note: the video makes me think of the Dolls' video for Stay With You.
4/5

Song 2: Boy In Waiting
Okay, this is much more like typical SS. It's a simple low-key song. Good, solid music, and it just lets James Walsh's voice soar and sway.
4/5

Song 3: The Thames
It sounds a little country-ish, and I'm digging it. Especially, wow, the opening lines: "Is love just a big mistake/a risk we all take/in order to keep the blues away?" This band is a lyric-focused band. Always have been, always will be, I think. Oh, and the chorus is a nice swing in tempo.
5/5

Song 4: All the Plans
Title-track time! This one's a little rock-ier than the last few. Like, I'm finally hearing, music-wise, what Rolling Stone heard when they called them Britain's GGD... I'm also feeling a little Powerdfinger-vibes, too. And, I'm all for it. And, as always, the lyrics are just honest and powerful. "I want to win your heart"- God, perfect. And, my God... There's harmonica!
5/5

Song 5: Neon Sky
Slowing down a bit... All right, understandable coming from the last track. Ooooh, Walsh is hitting some gorgeous high notes! I dig. Oh, the chorus!!!! Oh, wow... The backing just completes it.
5/5

Song 6: You Never Get What You Deserve
Another amazing track... It's just great. The lyrics? Fallen angels and shining stars... That's all I need to say. I love the use of piano, while it still rocks... And the re-occurring theme of plans.
5/5

Song 7: Hurts Too Much
The repeating piano notes.... It's got me hooked. And the lyrics are just sooooo powerful, and there's backing vocals again... And, it's like all the amazing elements of the album so far rolled into this one song. "You're looking for something you already know"...
5/5

Song 8: Stars and Stripes
I'm sensing some political thoughts here, and it's okay... In fact, as much as I don't like obviously-loaded songs, like this one, the music is a good enough groove for me to almost ignore the lyrics. Almost.
3/5

Song 9: Change My Mind
I'm still in love with bar-room feel to the majority of their piano this time around, as a whole. And, this song is just another great example. It's bluesy and wonderful, and the up and down of Welsh's voice is perfect for it. Take note of the breakdown mid-song.
4/5

Song 10: Listen Up
Why don't you listen.... Why don't you listen tooooo meeeeeeeee....
Oh, wrong band.
Anyhow. The music is fan-fucking-tastic this time around. The thudding constant beat is great, and the dreamy random chimes half-hidden in the background are an interesting touch. And, I love Walsh's vocals, but it's somehow brilliant how he's nearly-swallowed by the music in the chorus.
5/5
(and possibly my favorite track on the album.)

Song 11: Safe at Home
The deep notes that almost echo; love 'em. It's a real simple song, and his vocals are great -- a little less Walsh-ish than normal. The slow simplicity is a great way to finish off their best album to date.
5/5

Artist: Starsailor
Album: All the Plans, acoustic bonus disc
Release: 2009, Virgin

Song 1: Listen Up
WOAH, WOAH, WOAH. It's the same song, with alternate lyrics... And it's done a complete 180... It was hopeful, but now is love-centered and complex. And, once again, Walsh's voice seems a little subdued, insomuch that it can be.
"There's just something from your heart I just might not ever understand."
5/5

Song 2: Tell Me It's Not Over
This song is so much more powerful with the amps turned down.
5/5

Song 3: All the Plans
Walsh just sings so well... I mean, you love him or hate him... And, well, I clearly love him, and this is just a great example of his talent.
5/5

Song 4: Merry Go Round
I just went on about Walsh's voice... it's all th emore impressive when it's backed-up. And, those high notes? Woah.
4/5

Song 5: The Thames
This song is somehow sadder, and I didn't think it could be. Maybe it's the strings-like sound in the background that's all th emore apparent?
5/5

Song 6: Change My Mind
This is the only song I *almost* dislike as an acoustic... His vocal stylings in the middle of this version are a little jolting.
3/5

Song 7: Stars and Stripes
Still my least favorite song. It's less flattering acoustically.
2/5

Artist: Starsailor
Album: Boy In Waiting EP
Release: 2009, Virgin

Song 1: Boy In Waiting
Same as the album one.
4/5

Song 2: Do You Believe in Love
A little more rockin'. Everything grinds a little more on this one. I dig, and I can see how I might not have fit with the rest of the album.
5/5

Song 3: Black Limosuine
Same thing with this one... Except, not precisely bluesy, just harder rock (for them).
5/5

Song 4: Darling Be Home Soon
Pretty strings... Somewhat dreamy. And he used 'dawddled' and made it rhyme.
4/5

In other news, now that Tim Palmer's been announced as the producer for the new Goo album, I'm officially excited. That's right; I've broken my own spell of apathy (which was a defense mechanism) and I care again.
i wanna write the one that cuts just like it should

Life, the Universe and Everything

2009-03-13T14:45:00.004-05:00

Okay. So, I got Amungus' '05 ambient piece, Life, the Universe and Everything earlier than I expected. That's because it was delivered here, to H-Town, whereas I thought it was going to be shipped to H-Ville. At first, this kind of sucked, because I had to explain to Mom that it only cost, like, ten bucks, as she went on to remind me that I'm a poor college student, etc...

But, then, things got better. I thought that, here, I wouldn't have the time to really sit and listen to it all. But, wait, you ask... You've done that with the Cure and Thursday, what's different this time around? Well, okay... I'll answer that, imaginary person.

See, this cd is a 42:42 ambient/mood piece that Amungus did to accompany (I'm assuming) Wendy Marvel's artwork, and others', at the '05 MiA/Rockin' at the Knox festival up in B_Lo. It's not just a collection of 12 or so songs, like the Cure and Thursday, and anything else I'll be listening to this year will be. It's one solid work, which means that to scribble about it properly, I'd have to be able to really listen to it -- all of it -- beforehand. I couldn't do what I did with the others and listen to a song here or there, if needed.

That explained; I'm on my fourth listen. I can't let it go.

And, no, I'm not the first Goober to talk about this. Rzeznik-Girl beat me to it, as she should have. And... I'm glad she did, because, as unintentional as I'm sure it is, she's giving me a springboard, as I'm not sure how to even start... So, here we go.

Okay, so Steph equated all of this to water, and I can totally see... Hear what she's getting at. She also suggested (and I might be misunderstanding...) that the purpose of this piece (accompanying artwork) might have effected its sound. I can see what she's meaning, if I'm understanding her. Though... I like to think that Schulmeister and Takac had these dreamscapes in their heads and were, perhaps, just waiting for a reason to unleash them; like this was just some nice coincidence. In the end, though, it doesn't really matter, as this can just be boiled down to a 'chicken vs. egg' debate.

What matters is the product, and this product is... Really amazing.

Before I do my best to try and tackle it, let me back up and explain something... I was a little iffy about their EP, as dance/elctronica/pop/club music is very hit or miss for me, and as y'all know I was pleasantly surprised. The Truth Is... kicked ass, and it's constantly in rotation in my car, as I loooooove Search Your Soul, Green Tea and Broken Love.

I'm re-hashing this to point out that... I assumed, going into LtUaE, that I'd like it. See, I'm one of those H-Town chicks who used to tune in every Saturday night at ten o'clock, to 88.7, the U of H station, in order to hear Hearts of Space, an hour-long, syndicated ambient program. I dig ambient music, even when it's just wtf-ish walls of sound. (All right, that, to an extent.) So, it was a safe bet that I'd like this piece.

And, I love it. I really, really do. I love how it reminds me of water, in all ways imagineable: floating in it, sinking in it, watching it rain, drip by drop, down and up; seeing it freeze over and shatter, or just feeling it run and trickle over you, or collect all stagnant in puddles. (And, no, that wasn't some half-assed refference to the Dolls' video for Real.) I also love how, on my fifth listen now, I still don't know where it'll go next. I thought I might have it down, but no! I don't. It's a dynamic piece...
...That I have no idea how to write about.

So... This is my solution... I can't go through it, minute by minute... So... Here are some highlights to this aqueous work. (all times are approximate, but you'll know it when you hear it.)

30 seconds and onward: Droplets... drip, dri-dri-drip, drip; a foundation, and it builds.

2 and a half minutes: breathing underwater (isn't that how long Yuna can hold her breath in FFx-2?...)

3 minutes and forty seconds: addition of piano-ish synth notes (y'all know I'm a sucker for piano... Hell, I love Slaughterhouse...)

4 minutes and forty-five seconds: little knife-like sound, like a sword being drawn

5 and a half minutes: everything's just building and becoming more complex

6 minutes and 11 seconds: HERE'S OUR MOTIF. (nice crackle-ing, too)

7 minutes and five seconds: more of that nice piano

8 minutes and forty seconds: that effectual sound of something being ripped away, like time slipping backwards

9 minutes and twenty seconds: it's all dies down; absoultely gorgeous

10 minutes and forty-five seconds: that deeper, wavering sounds that's thrown in

11 minutes and twenty-five seconds: see above, just uitlized more (omg, love it.)

12 minutes: those little metallic notes that seem to bounce around the space

12 minutes and 15 seconds: those mechanic/technological noises that seem static-y

13 minutes and thirty-two seconds: everything climaxes after a unique build

14 minutes and twenty-five seconds: more of that awesome wire-y, harder sound

15 minutes and eleven seconds: the motif comes back, to provide us with some ground

16 minutes and nine seconds: melody.

17 minutes and forty seconds: MORE PIANO!!!!!! and it's beautiful.

18 minutes and seventeen seconds: background noise that becomes prevalent, like something being spirited away

19 minutes and twenty-six seconds: everything's getting heavy again

20 minutes and twenty-two seconds: a hint of some structure, in the background, for those who might want it

20 minutes and forty seconds : there's our motif again, but disconnected... almost like it's under water

21 minutes and forty-four seconds: a small background noise that makes me think of a siren, a la Kill Bill, almost

23 minutes: things start to get a little sci-fi ish, and i'm all for it.

23 minutes and fifty-seven seconds: little soft twinkle of notes

25 minutes and ten seconds: still deep in sci-fi land

27 minutes and twenty-five seconds: our motif, in yet another form

30 minutes and twelve seconds: some more low melody, in the background

30 minutes and forty-six seconds: GREG FUCKING SURAN on guitar. that is all.

34 minutes and twenty seconds: it's all getting hard and heavy again

35 minutes: there's that motif, amidst the staic and grit

35 minutes and fifty-three seconds: piano added, like it's all coming together

38 minutes and forty-two seconds: it's all mixing in and out of each other, and there's some wind chimes

39 minutes and forty seconds: birds?... in the background, faintly?

40 minutes and twenty seconds: another breath? are we coming up for air? out of the water, and about to dry off?

41 minutes and on: everything's flickering in and out, like something fluttering, or dying

41 minutes and fifty-five seconds: wind

And, you should be blown away by then. (Oh, and it appears that I did a minute-by-minute anyway... Ooops. My bad... It's just that good, I guess.)

In other news: I saw Watchmen today, and I don't know what everyone's bitching about, but I thought it was excellent. Then again, I had no issues with V for Vendetta, either... And, it seems like people who were meh on that one are meh on this one, too. And, some people are bitching about Snyder directing, and I love what he did. Then again, I loved 300, too.... Hmmm, perhaps I have shitty taste.

Also, apparently the Dolls have picked a producer: Tim Palmer.
.....Fuck, I have been trying so hard NOT to be excited about this album, but now... FUCK, NOW I SO AM, OMG!!!!!! Just go check out what Palmer's helped with, and get back to me. You'll see what I'm dying over. (Hints: Kajagoogoo and Cure...)

Oh, and new music continues for me. Today I got Deluxe from >Ezra. I used to have a copy, but it up and went missing years ago. I also got Yellowcard's Lights and Sounds, and Cure's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me; because I need to work on building my discographies of, well, all three.

I'm hanging with Delmy tomorrow, and we might see the remake of Last House on the Left. Hooray for Spring Break.

Oh, and happy Friday 13th. Mine was wonderful. (Isn't this the second one we had in a row?)
i've been up all night writing books about heroes and crooks

Common Existence

2009-03-12T19:15:00.003-05:00

Okay. So, Spring Break continues tomorrow with a trip to the noodle house and then a venture down to Rave to see The Watchmen. I've heard up and down reviews, and I'm trying my best to be open minded, so y'all'll hear my thoughts later.

New Music 2009 continues! I just found out last night that Better than Ezra is going to drop an album this year, too. And, they'll be hitting up H-Town's House of Blues in June! I'm actually going to try to go... I've wanted to see them for a while, and this might be one of my last times for awhile, so...

Anyway. To continue with new music... Let's look at Thursday's fourth major label release, shall we?

Band: Thursday
Album: Common Existence
Release: 2009, Epitaph

Song 1: Resucitation of a Dead Man
Not to dis on Thursday, because I really like them, or anything, but... Man, is this song much more powerful WITHOUT a video accompanying it. Let me explain. This is the only song I'd heard before purchasing the album, and it was only because I saw the video, with an interview, on Fuse. Sure, it was really cool, and pretty... But... It somehow took away from the song. At least, it did for me. Anyhow... In auditory-only land, this song rocks, and it's a great opener.
Approve.

Song 2: Last Call
Okay, digging the crazy drums. And, I love how it's about a wedding... About how we're all thinking about a last-second escape route at these things. It's a soft subject, hidden under such hard music.... I'm digging it.
Totally approve.

Song 3: As He Climbed the Dark Mountain
I dig lyrics that are rich in poetic devices. Like symbolism and metaphor... Like this song, that even questions itself as to what it all means. I like that, too... It's almost tongue-in-cheek, doing that, but everything's so powerful... It's utterly wrenching, and I'm in love with the fast-slow pacing...
Totally approve.

Song 4: Friends in the Armed Forces
Meh....... I don't dig the subject matter, but the music's pretty rockin'; I really like the sound so... I could totally let this play if I just put the whole album on, you know, and kind of fade out on the lyrics... However, I wouldn't single this one out, you know?
Not quite so much approval.

Song 5: Beyond the Visible Spectrum
What is it with this band and the song names? A little EB-ish... Though.... EB came out after..... Uhm, anyway... The vocals are a little too swallowed during some of it, but it works out well, in the end. Geoff Rickly's vocals are soaring in this one, and carrying me away, and I'm all for it.
Totally approve.

Song 6: Time's Arrow
I fucking love this one. That. Is. All. (Take notice of the backwards theme manifested by the sound effects mid-song.)
EPICLY APPROVE.

Song 7: Unintended Long Term Effects
For some reason, the start of this makes me think of RHCP's "Can't Stop"..... Anyway, after that slowed-down time-trip, we jump back into what Thursday does best: delivering well thought out lyrics in the midst of hard and fast alt. rock. It rocks, and it's quick; clocking in at barely over two minutes.
Approve.

Song 8: Circuits of Fever
I'm loving the siren-ish guitars. Of course, Rickly's delivering spot-on vocals, as he always does. And, this time around... They're a little softer, a little whisper-y, and it totally works. The music break is good, and then elongated wail is nice, with 2 minutes to go. And, then we switch to the yelling, and then there's some cool twinkle-y effects, and it all works.
Approve.

Song 9: Subway Funeral
Eight leads directly into nine, and that's cool. There seems to be a little more bass, or the bass is... Singled out some, and I'm all for that. (gee, really?) The bass is what's keeping me going this time, because... I'm not quite feeling this one. Oh, well. It'll play if I play the whole thing.
Meh approval.

Song 10: Love Has Led Us Astray
Starting out very low-key? Okay. I dig. I'm also digging the simplicity and relative quietness. It's just cool for them to prove they can turn down the energy, and still succeed. It's also a good chance for Rickly to show off just how well he sings. The filters and effects on him are also a nice, poignant touch. The upswell in the end is also a nice climax.
Totally approve.

Song 11: You Were the Cancer
Ok.... Starting out really slow.... Oh, some whispers/spoken lyrics? Okay, I'm following. And, then, some killer guitar jumps in, and I'm hooked, not to mention the nezt layering and effects they use. Hell, how can I not be hooked with a title like this? ...And, to sum it up, this is just another good solid Thursday effort. Great way to end the album: making me want more.
Totally approve.

Final thoughts? Once again.... Just like the Cure.... This album, I'd say, surpasses Thursday's last effort. And, A City by the Light Divided, was good, too.... I'm just enjoying this one more, and I can't wait to see what they do next!
the clocks turn back in retreat

4:13 Dream

2009-03-11T15:56:00.003-05:00

Okay. So, I spent the last day and a half with Dad, and it was a good visit. He got a new couch, so I don't have to sleep on an air mattress anymore! It's brown, and courdoroy-ish. (My spelling suck, etc.) We wanted to go see The Reader, but time wasn't on our side. Oh, well.

In other news... It seems like the trip to San Antonio has been cancelled, due to rain. Oh, well; no Alamo this year. Maybe next. It's not a big deal. There's some other things I can do to get my field trip credit for my Crossroads course, so... It'll all work out. I just wanted to go.

So, let's move on to the poi- Oh, wait.... Let's continue with listing off all the bands who have had, or will, or maybe will have albums drop this year: Silversun Pickups, Thursday, Starsailor, Dave Matthews Band, Chevelle, Default, Chris Cornell, Third Eye Blind, Evans Blue, Blue October, Weezer, Incubus, Goo Goo Dolls, Our Lady Peace, Lifehouse, The Fray, and Aerosmith.
I'm sure there's more.

Anyhow, now to the point. I don't know how this happened, but... Last Fall, I completely forgot to pick up the new album from the Cure. I know! I can't believe myself, either. And, it's funny, because I remember knowing about it... Knowing how they were making a big deal out of systematically releasing singles up until the drop-date... And, yet... I completely flaked when the time came. (If I pull this shit with, say, 3EB... Someone remind me, okay?)

Well, I've made up for lost time by finally getting it today, along with the amungus album I was missing (life, the universe, and everything), and the latest from Thursday, Common Existence. So, what does that mean? IT MEANS IT'S REVIEW TIME!!!

Artist: The Cure
Album: 4:13 Dream
Release: 2008, Geffen Records

Song 1: Underneath the Stars
4:13 opens with a six-minute lead-in, and it's a harken back to the Cure we all know and love. The music is moody and entrancing. There's heavy, emotive guitars, and Cure-ish windchimes. Then there's some drums, but not too many, and that's only when we're getting to the two-minute mark, perhaps to wake you up. After which, Robert Smith's voice... That angelic, tortured, whiney, painful swell of auditorial emotion... Rumbles in from beneath distortion and echoes that you'd expect from Cure. It perfects the mood of sinking into a comforting abyss, with those chimes acting as a lifeline, keeping you grounded so you don't go careening off into the darkness of entrenching love.
I love this opening... This opening, that you'd expect to be a closing.
I greatly approve.

Song 2: The Only One
Oooh! This is upbeat! It's an about-face from u_t_Stars, that's for sure. In more ways than one, in fact. Sure, it's upbeat, and full of happy synthesized noises, but the lyrics are also a change... To a point. Because, yes, this is another song about love. How could it not be? This is the Cure! Anyhow... Where the previous was all about the power of heart-wrenching love, how it soothes and hypnotizes and holds you down... This one is how falling in love will lift you up...
How it's all "like a dream". ...I'm getting Mint Car vibes, personally.
Totally approve.

Song 3: The Reasons Why
So, I'm expecting another song about love. Why not, right? But, Smith throws me a curve, with the opening line: "I won't try to bring you down about my suicide." ...All right, okay. We're delving into the moody Cure. I'm ready!
The beat's kick ass. Before he even starts singing, and I'm thrown, I'm already nodding along. There's low guitars and bass to drive the beat, with some simple drumming, and there's those chimes! Always there, adding a bit of the ethereal. Smith's voice drawls wonderfully on the titular lines, and swells and rises over the low music throughout.
The lyrics are wonderful, and I sense a theme... "I'm falling through the stars," he confesses, and I'm falling, too. Three songs in, and this album is kick the last's ass. Hands down.
Greatly approve.
(p.s. to my Goober friends: This makes me think of that story about Rzeznik phoning Takac in the middle of the night, all guilt-ridden and neurotic...)

Song 4: Freakshow
You know... I should have known that this streak of awesome wouldn't last for the whole album. Granted, the lyrics are interesting, but it's just too pop-y for me... I'm not feeling this one. Oh, well. At least it's only 2 and a half minutes.
Don't approve.

Song 5: Siren Song
Do I hear the distorted twangs of country mixing with the typical keyboards of the Cure? Yeah, yeah I do. Add to that interesting mix Smith singing a tale of a beautiful girl putting him under som spell, and mix it all together with a distorted chorus that folds in and under itself, and you've got this one all wrapped up.
I approve.

Song 6: The Real Snow White
I've got you want? Really, Smith, do I? Nice way of opening with a clear invocation; I dig it. I also dig the use of the typical dreamy groove that accompanies most of their work. And, I'm totally loving how the vocals are falling in and out of being swallowed by that groove. It's interesting: I want to listen to the words, but I get too caught in with the music, and just when I start to close my eyes and get caught up in the notes, I'm back hanging on each and every one of Smith's lyrics. Fantastic.
I greatly approve.

Song 7: The Hungry Ghost
Hmmmmmmm. I can't believe I'm saying this, but, musically...? The first minute, at least, makes me think of a whole other band... Like, maybe something Rzeznik would do. No joke. Then the distorted synths kick in, and the elongated, drowning vocals, and it's straight back to Cure-land, and I'm all good with it. I love their synth work, always have. It's really easy to snap along with this one. And, don't ask me what the title means: I have no idea... Just enjoy it, get lost in the piercing guitars, and the haunting sounds.
I greatly approve.

Song 8: Switch
....It's a switch, indeed. The guitars are more distorted, and the tempo's picked up. It's almost a little too grainy for my ears, and Smith's vocals are a little too quick for me to really dig. But, there's still some bass in there to keep the toes sort of tapping. Sort of. For this one, I think they may be should have kept it without vocals... They get too lost in everything else.
Don't really approve.

Song 9: The Perfect Boy
Oooh, I like these lyrics painting a literal-dream romance. I love this... This one's a little simpler in the music department, but the vocals wonderfully swoon and expand in just the right places, "on the edge[s] of beautiful thing[s]." And, everything quiets, slows, and dives right back in, for the right amount of effect, the set-up for an abrupt end.
I greatly approve.

Song 10: This. Here and Now. With You
A few whispers, and we're off into ambient, typical Cure-music. Then back into the fast delivery of vocals, but it totally works this time, as the music sounds so under water. It's hard to understand Smith on this one, but it still sort of works when everything gets louder and more complex, until it dies down as he breathes the titular lines. From then on out, it's a little easier to access, for the better, I think. Still digging the under water feel.
I approve.

Song 11: Sleep When I'm Dead
More vocal effects... Up-tempo groove, almost dance-ish. I'm wondering how this will balance with the seemingly heavy lyrics. It's a sort of failure. I think there's a major thematic point to the lyrics, but the vocals are buried, so you'd have to read 'em to see what Smith has to say. In fact, I'm going to just read it later ans skip the rest of it now.
Not really approving.

Song 12: The Scream
Barely audible lyrics start us off. Okay. I can dig it. Heavy distorted synth noises, as per usual. All right. Pained, echoing, disconnected lyrics. Check. The vocal delivery is too sparse to keep my interest, and the music is oddly unpleasing this time around, and I find myself not really caring where the song goes.......... Until.......... 2 minutes in.... A long not drawn out, a pause, and then a dive back into it all... And, it's too much of an attempt to save it, so... No.
Do not approve.

Song 13: It's Over
Well, it starts out like a rock song. Like... Like what I'd expect and opening song to sound like. (I see what y'all did there, Cure.) Over a minute in and there's no vocals... I think this one might be the instrumental of the track... With some faint background wails. Nope, almost two minutes in and there's a little more from Smith... But, not enough. Okay, this is... Oh! There it is. Now we've got lyrics. And, I'd complain that it's too late, but the music was rocking enough to keep me interested, so now I wanna hear all of it, all the way through to the end. Rock on, Cure.
I totally approve.

All right. Ending thoughts? I like this album much, much better than their last self-titled release... That one was actually quite disappointing, imo. (Seriously, only two songs stick out in my mind from that one... "End of the World" and "Before Three"...) So, this one is a kickass reminder that the Cure can rock as much and as well as they can emote.

Expect amungus and Thursday to be reviewed soon.
you'll lose the need of certainty, and make-believe eternity to find the true reality in beautiful infinity

Music. It's Coming.

2009-03-01T18:34:00.005-06:00

Okay. So, I'm going to take Sam's advice and just keep on swimming. To do that I'm, more or less, going to copy off Erica, and report in on this year in New Music: i.e., what's to come. Listing it all out, and pondering about it, will pick me up. So, here we go.

Let's start off with confirmed releases:
"Swoon" - Silversun Pickups
"All the Plans" - Starsailor
"Ursa Major" - 3EB
Untitled - Aerosmith
Untitled - Dave Matthews Band
I've already pre-ordered SSPU's and 'Sailor's new albums, so they're in the bag. 3EB's album has been confirmed for awhile. Aerosmith and DMB seem solid, too. After all, Aerosmith is planning tour dates as I type.

Now, let's go onto unconfirmed releases:
Untitled - GGD
Untitled - LH
Still Standing - Default
Untitled - Chevelle
I'm starting to really wonder about LH and GGD. I mean, I could see LH making it out, because it always seems like they get their shit done quickly. GGD... I could see it being either late this year, or pushed to next. Default seems very probable, as does Chevelle, since they're doing small touring (including a stop in Houston, which I'll miss!) this April.

So, it looks like Music's gonna rock this year. We'll follow this story as it develops.

EDIT: I can't believe I forgot to mention that The Clark Brothers might finally have their album out this year, too! So, yeah. Them, too. Oh, and it's rumored Natalie Imbruglia might also have a release. So, rock on!
i'll wait for you when saturday's a memory

There's New Music Amoung Us

2009-01-13T11:14:00.005-06:00

Okay, so school's back in session, but there really ain't much to say, you know? I won't start being in the classroom at H-Ville HS (Go Hornets!) until the 26th, thanks to Martin Luther King Jr. day. I haven't had my Texas Crossroads course with Young yet, that's Thursday night. Art's going to be the first fourth of my Honors Seminar, and my books were frickin' cheap compared to last semester, and that's really about all there is for that topic.

So, here's the real point.

Actually, wait, before I dive into the meat of this post... Everclear has a new single! It's on my sidebar, Jesus Was a Democrat. And, it's typical hard pop/angry pop, with all the EC trappings I've come to endear over the years. (How many years? A LOT OF YEARS... As in 14 years, which, consequently, brings about the point that they were, in fact, my Number One first, before a certain trio from B_Lo...) You can download it for free over at their website. Hopefully this means that 2009 will bring new music from BOTH them and the Dolls.

Moving on... Not like it's any real news or anything, but each third of 2/3 of the Dolls has a side-project. Malinin has 40 Marshas, this really interesting, eclectic experimental take on spoken word and musical expression. On the other hand, Takac has amungus, this electronica/techno pop-ish take on clubby music. Neither musical act could be further from the Dolls. (Which makes me wonder, but that's another rant for another day...)

So, being the Goober that I am... I purchased amungus' ep, the truth is..., with some Christmas money. (Yeah, I'm late to the dance party, I know...) And, see, here's the thing... I highly doubt I'd enjoy 40 Marshas' work. Nothing against Malinin, of course, but... I just have a feeling it's a SERIOUS acquired taste, you know? But, the thing is, even though I enjoy techno/dance/trance music, and I'd already heard three of amungus' pieces, I was still concerned about them, too. I mean, what if it sucked? I'd just have to sigh and be, like, "Awww, Robby, hunny... You and Brian tried! Now, go back and play bass s'more," I guess, right? But, if it was awesome... Would I end up being all, "Robby! This is kickass. You and Brian need to make more now!!!! Screw that Dolls album that's in the works; just let John finish it!" (All right, you got me... I'd never be like *that*.)

In the end, I decided to just clear my head of my preconceptions, and go into the album with a clear head and as little expectations as possible, thinking, for a second there, that I probably would have liked the last Dolls album a LOT more if I'd done the same... And, you know what? It totally paid off.

amungus is an interesting and alluring marriage of thought and creative expression between Takac and web design company SlenderFungus' founder, Brian Schulmeister. SF seems to have been handling the visual aspect of the Dolls' web-presence since, I'd say, the GF days, so perhaps that's how Takac and Schulmeister met. I don't know, and it doesn't matter. All that matters is the SOLID, KICKASS MUSIC they've made. Seriously. The music they've written is overall hooky, pop beats; infectuous and energizing. The lyrics, which they have writing credits for (at LEAST they do on all songs, with one or more others helping) are straightforward, but still pack emotion in their simplicity.

Of course, the emotion in question is Love. It's either long-distance love, empty sexualized love, love that's evolving, or, just the plain 'ol catch-all of Love fluorishing or in trouble. Simply? It's an album about love that doesn't suck. (Yeah. I went there.)

Bad Kitty - Prrrrr! Rawwwr! Hissss!!! [and more kitty-cat noises here]. And, man, what a way this is to start out an album. It's sexy. It's hip. It's awesome.

Green Tea - My favorite, right here. The beat of it is just... Man, I wanna strip down and shake my ass. For serious (but I won't, b/c no one wants to see that).

Search Your Soul - I HAVE MY THEORIES ABOUT THIS. But, I won't bore anyone with 'em. This is another favorite, right here. It's pop. It's catchy. The message is great. IT'S A DUET! And we all know how much I love those... It just rocks. I could really hear this one on the radio.

Man Up - Nikki Hicks has a hell of a voice. This proves it; this, being a song about a man who needs to get off the fence and MARRY his (assumed) long-term girlfriend.

Serious Chemistry - You ever been trollin' through MySpace of Facebook, see that one pic of that one hot dude? Started talking to him, and found out that, hey, y'all actually click? Well, apparently so has the heroine of this song, more or less. It's still a song about love.

Broken Love - I also have my theories about this one, too, but that's for another day... My third favorite, right here. It's just refreshing to hear the word 'concubines' in a song. Plus, the idea of love being, well, fixable is endearing. If two people are really meant to be together, then they will be, blahblahblah.

Untouchable - Just a cool groove. And, no, this is not Cuz You're Gone II.

And the DC Mix of Man Up is cool, but... Well, it's not the highlight of this ep.

love lasts forever, like, infinite

Year End Wrap-Up: Movies and TV

2009-01-01T01:22:00.004-06:00

So, I'm gonna take a moment to reflect on 2008.

...

Yeah, okay. It's been reflected upon, and it's still one of the worst years of my life so far. But, who cares? So what? I still have my health, my loved ones, my friends, a roof over my head, and so on. It was just a lot of little things over the year that just... Picked and picked at me, tearing me down, you know? Yeah, you know. Of course you know. It got to you, too, didn't it, this year? Yeah, it's okay... I think it got to everyone, for different reasons, but we all felt the same in the end: breathing in gun-powder-laced smoke, and exhaling one Hell of a sigh of relief that 2008, the fucker, is over.

Long live 2009. 2008 is a year's worth of grains of time I'd definitely sift through before saving.

In other news, Helen's made a resolution, and I applaud her. I'll help her as much as I can. I'll be her little encourager! I'm a good sidekick, like that.

A number of Gooey acquaintances of mine were in Atlantic City tonight, at the Dolls' NYE gig, and I can't wait to hear how it went. An early report from Steph is saying it was pretty good.

Also, since I covered music in my last wrap-up, I figured I'd do Movies and TV. So... Here we go.
(in the run-on sentence style, no less.)

Movies: The Dark Knight was amazing, surpassing Batman Begins as the best Batman movie, which was a surprise in and of itself; X-Files: I Want to Believe was good for what it was, and it gave me the Mulder/Scully closure I needed; The Strangers was the scariest horror film I've seen since The Descent, and I'm actually proud of Liv Tyler for taking a chance and doing a totally different genre; The Day the Earth Stood Still was meh, as I knew it would be; Wall-E was prop(agandishly)erly adorable; Prince Caspian wasn't as good as The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe; Bolt didn't re-invent the wheel, but it was fun and precious; The Other Boleyn Girl had some delicious Eric Bana in it, but that didn't save this eye-brow-raising take on Henry the VIII and Anne Boleyn; Pride and Glory was another cop drama, but was raised above mediocre thanks to Edward Norton; and The Happening was just bad.

TV: Fringe delivered. I was expecting a new X-Files, and that's what I got, with King Denethor (John Noble) to boot! House, so far, hasn't been delivering in its fifth season, but... Hopefully the rest of the season will pick up the slack. The Shield ended, and I dedicated a whole entry to it. And, I don't have much else to say... South Park was as good as always, and I'm still enjoying Family Guy and American Dad. Oh, I am sorry that this next year will be the end for King of the Hill; that one's grown on me. I can't wait for Lie to Me, Tim Roth's new show. Oh, and I think I might, this coming Summer, rent some DVDs and give Heroes another shot. I might. I may also start watching Supernatural. And, an edit, because I forgot... Testees is fucking hilarious, and I hope it gets renewed for a second season.

And, that's it. *raises glass* Here's to moving past where we've been, onward to where we should be, with whomever may be with us, along for the ride, or already there, waiting.

we were all in love, and we all got hurt.

Frontmen, man.

2008-12-28T21:56:00.003-06:00

Ok, so, I figure, what the hell, right? We did this Inspirational Robby Pullstring Doll thing, Erica, and me, and Sam, too... And, I figure... Why not do a set of phrases for a John Doll, too? Yeah? I mean, Robby does his own.....

Ugh.

Takac does his own thing so much, I doubt he'd need Rzeznik's help with it, and if my memory serves... Rzeznik once pretty much said he makes an effort NOT to say anything when Takac comes to him with a song... So, this sort of idea is REALLY ridiculous, but... Screw it, why not?

Therefore, I (proudly?) present my list of Ten Things a Rzeznik Pullstring Doll would say to Takac, in no particular order, and with no particular purpose.

Damn it, this is our dream, and it can't happen without you here! So... Yeah, you know.
You know, even when no one else seems to be... I'm always listening.
I *want* to come see Amungus, I really do... I promise I'll make it to the next show!
I wish I could be more like you sometimes. ....All outgoing... Infectuous... Everyone loves you, you know.
I am so... Proud of our studio. I always knew we'd make good parents. *pause* HEY, STOP GIGGLING, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!
You're right. If we could survive the guyliner phase, we CAN do anything... Though, you looked sort of handsome... Well, not handsome... You... Uhm... YOU'D STILL MAKE AN UGLY WOMAN! ...Yeah.
What?! You're in shape! Round is a shape.
Ok, I know this is gonna sound weird, but I was thinking that maybe, next time, we could sing together... Sound good?
I'm sorry.
You're the brother I never wanted, but the one I've always needed.

Well, these all sound bromance-y enough, so I think my work is done. (funny how most of these turn upon validations of worth.)

a thousand other boys could never reach you, how could I have been the one?

Sidekicks, man.

2008-12-27T23:14:00.004-06:00

Okay, so, just like the Ten Best Goo Songs assignment... I gave my Goo friends another dumbass task. See, Erica and I were talking about Rzeznik (gee, imagine that), and we were kinda goin' on about how he's supposedly so neurotic and so hard on himself, and how he's said time and time again that writing songs, especially lyrics, is the hardest thing for him.

Well, all right, so this somehow lead to... This cutesy/stupid idea that, maybe, just maybe, Rzeznik actually has a Goo Goo Doll. And, no, not a real Goo Goo Doll, because, really, those things are weird as Hell. We meant... Like.. A little pocket-sized Takac-esque Doll that, when you pull its string, says little inspirational phrases, which Rzeznik needs in order to encourage him to finish songs for albums, like their forthcoming album, for instance. (Imagine, like if Rzeznik had a doll like Woody from Toy Story, except, it's a little Takac. After all, Takac's the glue that's held this band together for so long... He's the little sidekick-character in this bromance.)

Thus, this is to prove that I haven't forgotten this task! (In fact, I'll hopefully have a goodle ready to post on DA when I get back to H-Ville.) So, I'm gonna post my Ten Inspirational/Comforting/Bromantic/FINISH-THE-ALBUM Phrases, which a little Takac-doll might, theoretically, say, if owned by Rzeznik. (and, yes, there is some sarcasm interwoven through most of these... and a few that are semi-based off of shit actually said.)

"Don't give up! You won the coveted Hal David Starlight Award for Songwriting. They don't just give those away! Really!"
"Screw that cow! The song you're working on now will get us that Grammy! I know it!"
"John, man, you've gotta finish your songs. I've purposefully sung less and less on our albums to leave you and your brilliance more room!"
"Look, Melina already knows you love her... Maybe write about something else?"
[to be played in sequence after the fourth phrase] "Or, write about SOMEONE else... You know, it doesn't always have to be about a boy and a girl."
"Okay, seriously, you have to finish some songs... I'm having trouble with mine this time!"
"Thomas, Kroeger, Alexakis, Wade, Levine... They've got nothing on you!"
"You write the hits. It's what you do. And you do it well."
"The critics haven't liked us since the public has. That's just the way it is, so don't worry about them. Our fans are loyal, too, so don't worry about them either. Or Mike. Or me. Just write until you're happy. Then, I'll be happy, too."
"Truthfully, it pisses me off how good you are at this. Your songs reach into a heart, grab it, and don't let go. You always manage to really touch something inside. Always. And, it's just the way you are, so don't fight it. Just keep writing."

One has some of my typical sarcasm in it. Two is a reference to Rzeznik bitching about Celine Dion beating them at the Grammys, back in the day. Three is also riddled with my typical Gooey sarcasm, which means: take it with a grain of salt. Four is pretty much the same... I'm just lightly bitching about the half of LLI I didn't like, and running loose with fan-rumors that the whole album is inspired by her. Five leeches off of Four, but also references some interview where that really was said, I believe, by Takac. Six is me expressing my wishes for greater collaboration... Granted, I think it's the other way around, as of late, truth be told. Plus, it's probably some realism leaking into this. Seven is just sweetness and honesty. Pure and simple. Eight is an actual quote, for the most part. Nine is made up, but sounds like Takac-esque rationalization. Last, Ten is inspired by an actual quote of Takac's about Rzeznik's songwriting skills.

And, while we're on this subject... Granted, I don't catch every single print/audio interview they do, but... It seems like this subject, as a whole, is something they almost avoid discussing. I mean, the (kind and endearing) quotes I'm maligning for this stupid idea come from the DUTG era, as far as my memory serves. Beyond that era, I can't really recall EITHER ONE talking about the other's songwriting with any praise, or at all, for that matter. I mean, yeah, they've randomly gone on about their (gasp!) joint writing on LLI (Listen), but I think that's about it. Even when Rzeznik won that award, I don't recall Takac ever lauding him. Of course, I'm sure he did privately, but... Still. Unless it's been one big secret, or I just didn't realize Takac was there... He didn't even go to the awards presentation, nor was he (or Mike, while we're making note of this) thanked by Rzeznik in his acceptance speech.

And, yeah, they're not little 20-somethings who need the constant camaraderie anymore, but... *pause, sigh*

I guess... Whatever... It's just fun to embellish the Gooey Mythology by imagining up this stupid little scenario... And, thereby building-up their friendship, most likely beyond what it really is at this point.

That's all. (and, two Goobers got bored; it's as simple as that.... and, if any Goobers read this and wanna contribute... Just put your phrases in your comments! I'd love to read some!)

think about the tender things that we're working on

Year End Wrap-Ups: Music

2008-12-27T00:27:00.005-06:00

Okay, so Christmas is over. It was great. I had a blast with my family, and I got what I wanted. I hope everyone else had a happy, loving time. And, news flash, I'm not going to Odessa. My mom finally made her decision, listened to me, and said we'd go next year after I graduate. So, this time next year, I'll be hanging out in the big O-D.

So, tonight we watched The Dark Knight. We rented it from Blockbuster, because I'm stubborn and I refuse to buy it now, and miss out when some awesome Collector's Edition of the Trilogy comes out in three-four years from now. I missed out on LOTR, PotC, X-Files, and Millennium because I was impatient. Not this time, dammit. I will stick by my guns! (Although, damn... Tonight, I believe, was my 8th viewing of TDK and it's STILL a great movie, and Dudley loved it. It was his first time to see it. He liked it so much, in fact, that he said he's see it in theatres if the rumor that they're re-releasing it is true.)

Speaking of TDK, the Golden Globe nominees for this year have been released, and Ledger is up for Best Supporting Actor in a Dramatic Film. I think it's fantastic he got a nomination, and I hope he wins. Though, if he does, I hope it's for the right reason.

Back to Christmas for a second. I got a digital camera, and I love it so much. So much. So, if anyone wants any, there'll be pictur- Oh, wait, no one wants any? All right, rock on.

Since I'm not going to Odessa, tomorrow mom and Dudley and I are going to see The Day the Earth Stood Still. And, before I leave, Mom and I are gonna see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. And, when I go see Dad next week (Tuesday night), we're going to see Valkyrie, which, sadly, seems to be getting mediocre reviews so far. Oh, well.

And, while we're on the subject of reviews... I guess it's time for me to start weighing-in on 2008. Not from a personal standpoint, mind you, but from an entertainment stance. I mean, NOW is the time most people start making those 10 Best lists...

So, I'll finish this post with a truncated rant about music: Simply, I really didn't listen to all that much this year. Being in H-Ville, I'm cut-off from radio, which is my main source of music. MTV has sucked for years, and half the time that I'm up late enough to watch music videos on VH1, I'm finishing an assignment, or they're playing some lame singer-songwriter bullshit. On-line? I listen to Pandora, which I've sadly tailored to the point where I hear the same bands over and over.

So, what does all this boil down to? It means that I've been happily stuck in my musical corner this year, like I was last year. Like I'll be until I move back to H-Town permanently. In my corner, I just paid attention to what I'm used to, my normal bands. So... Here's what I loved and didn't quite love so much about this year in my music:

First off, of course, is Goo Goo Dolls. Their Greatest Hits: Volume Two came out this Summer, and it was fantastic. My only slight beef was that it didn't have quite the video content that the band wanted on there, but that was probably due to legal issues, so it's not their fault, and not really a fault of the album. This issue of legality and copyright, somehow, is probably the reason why my favorite cover, Nothing Can Change You, wasn't included, either. Regardless, the collection is worth it for *any* fan, die-hard or casual.
Keane had a new album, called Perfect Symmetry, and it was their Viva la Vida. It was the representation of a new musical direction for the band. Sadly, though, unlike Coldplay's VlV, I don't think it was well-received in the U.S. It may have been better-received in their native country, the U.K., and I hope it was, but I don't know. I liked it a lot. I'm not sure where'd I rank it in comparison to the rest of their catalogue, but I know I liked it. In fact, I'm still using it in my car.
Since I've already used it in an analogy... Coldplay came out with Viva la Vida, or Death and All His Friends this year. As already alluded to, it was Coldplay's most adventurous and experimental album to date. I loved it. In fact, I think there's only one and half songs off of it that I didn't like, and that's good for me and them. I won't be surprised if they sweep the Grammys.
Augustana had Can't Love, Can't Hurt this year. Overall, I'd say it's a solid sophomore effort. Probably, thought I'd have to listen to both to be sure, but... I think I'd say it's a better album than their first. Sweet and Low is a great song, and it should have done better, I think, as a single. (In personal news... I've had, like, three chances in the last two years to see them, and I've missed it each time... Grrrr.)
Even though I've only heard the one single, Dancer, I'm sure The Killers' new album is amazing. They're always reliable for good music.
Sarah McLachlan also released a Greatest Hits compilation this year. I got it, since I've lost all my albums of hers. I'm happy with the compilation. It's all her hits, so how could I not be? Well, I do wish she had made an excecutive decision and put Fear on it... Oh, and I can honestly say that, unless you're a die-hard McLachlan fan, the deluxe version isn't worth it. Sorry, Sarah.
Even though it came out in 2007, I just got Emerson Hart's solo album, Cigarettes and Gasoline. He was the lead singer of Tonic, but they split up, and now he's doing his own thing. It's good, if a little on the country-side in places, but I would have to say that, overall, I think I prefer Tonic's work over his solo effort. Green Hills Race for California, however, is a damn good song.
Supposed to have come out in 2007, but released this year was Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings by Counting Crows. To be Gooey for a second... This was the Crows' LLI. No, it wasn't filled to the brim with saccharine-sweet ballads, but it was under-whleming. However, compared to a lot of what comes out lately that falls into the same generalized category of pop-rock, BOTH ALBUMS are good. BUT!! Compared separately to the rest of their respective bands' catalogues... Meh, not anything amazing, on either account. However, two songs on SNaSM really stand out to me: 1492 and Cowboys. Give those a chance, and the rest of the dichotic album might grow on you, slowly.
One last compilation, and this one's from my #2 band, Everclear. They released, back in April, their collection of covers, called The Vegas Years. The only one I didn't enjoy was their cover of Neil Young's Pocahontas. I just don't think it was a good song for them to cover. However, the Speed Racer theme and Tom Petty's American Girl were both fantastic. Plus, from a Gooey standpoint, it was interesting to hear another band, my #2 no less, cover American Girl. Apparently, and I wouldn't know this of course, EC's been using it to close their live-shows since, like, 2004. Anyways, it's a must-have for any die-hard EC fan. God knows I had mine when it came out.
Last is my rave for Panic at the Disco's sophomore album, Pretty. Odd. It's absolutely amazing compared to their debut, and I loved their debut. This is just better, because it proves, in my opinion, that they're more than a flash-in-the-pan, that they have staying-power, and that's hard to come by in this day and age. Even if you didn't like their first album, I recommend this one, at least to listen to 30-second previews before you make your decision.

Looking ahead to 2009: Silversun Pickups is supposed to drop their sophomore effort, Wikipedia already has info up about a supposed April-release for Lifehouse, which I'm really not all that excited about (unless Bryce really is going to sing on this one...), rumor has it that Aerosmith will drop something, which means they'll tour; maybe EC will have an album of NEW material, since 2006 was their last release of original work; it's been confirmed that Starsailor's dropping their fourth album in March, and, last but certainly not least... Goo Goo Dolls are rumored to have a new album next year, which I think won't drop until 2010, but that's just my pessimism.

(Last-minute/final note: Amungus released an album, but I have not yet got it.)

that's what we learned about flyin'

When You Hear It...

2008-12-19T00:33:00.007-06:00

Okay, so finals are done. This semester is over. This semester, this seemingly endless hell, has, well, ended. (Not quite, I still have two independent projects to work on over the break and hand off to profs in January, actually.) And, it's ended on a high note. I think I pulled through. I could have done better (Film and Lit, man...) but I could have done a lot worse, and believe you me, I sure as hell wanted to do worse...

This was the fist time I truly wanted to just give up. This semester. There was so much reading, so much writing... So many all-nighters, and all-dayers... And some of the acquaintances I had made previous disappeared on me, and I was wonderfully alone in another way (until recently, of course, but... that....). Bits and pieces of other random drama (family, friends, school, Gooey, and otherwise) cropped up, sifted out, or simply remained, held over from last year, and plagued me and everyone else. Some things fell apart; some people were lost in the shuffle, and some were found.

I can honestly say 2008 has been one of the worst years of my life.

But, whatever. It's okay. It's fine. January is so close, a new year and better days, and all those Gooey puns I pull out to make myself smile. And, Christmas is just around the corner, which brings me to my point..

I drove down to my parents' today. It rained most of the way, and a number of the roads were being half-assed-ly re-paved, so rain + uneven roads + fog + me = scary. And anxiety. Lots of that. Y'all know how I am... So, on top of the comatose-like mental state I'm in, and the exhaustion, and the head-aching and heart-breaking depression over... him ...Nothing important; on top of it all, there's this shitty two-hour drive.

And, once I had reached H-Town's radio reach, I had shut-off Silversun Pickups and had started station surfing: alt rock, hot hits, Adult Top 40. Back and forth, rinse and repeat. And, in an odd coincidence, I was hearing shit. Usually, I'm welcomed home to H-Town with my bands, and, best yet, I (a number of times) hear Name or Iris, or whatever's the newest Dolls song. (Last time, I actually heard Before It's Too Late, randomly.) This time, though? Nothing. And, that's not helping anything.

And he calls while I'm driving, and I can't answer, so I call him back at a red light, and just hearing his voice makes me miss him.
(but I shouldn't.)

And the inner space, right behind the section between my eyebrows... A sinus cavity?... Is killing me, and my hands ache from gripping the wheel, having to hold Celes on the road, because she veers pretty bad, and she shakes, which sends my charms into fits of epilepsy.

But, when I pull into my mother's driveway, I hear it: the intro that I'll hear, in my mind, on my deathbed, and I park the car, and I'm so happy, I can't even scream. I just tremble. Once those nominal opening lyrics pass, and I get my wits, I call Dudley, so he can hear it, and verify it, because there's a damn good chance that I've finally lost it. (And how fitting! That Polish bard will sing the songs of my madness.) But, I'm not going crazy; it's really happening.

If I had saved the grains of time since the last time this had happened; oh, I'd have a beach.

And, I know it doesn't matter, or it shouldn't. It is just another love song, but...

Just last night, he asked me about my b(l)ack balloon, and when he quickly saw through my bullshit, saying that I'm "not that cool chick who has a tattoo of a balloon for no reason," and I couldn't explain beyond the fact that it's my favorite song, even when he prodded... I was just reminded, as I was today, just how much it means to me. And, try as I might, I don't think I could ever effectively articulate that. Ever.

And, before I sound any more obsessive, which is fucking embarassing, I'll just end this.

*sigh* tl;dr: I heard Black Balloon today. On the radio, which is always special. For the first time in... I can't even remember how long, and it made everything better, for 4:09 minutes.

yeah, we're gonna let it slide.

Greatness of Goo

2008-12-11T21:23:00.008-06:00

So, like a moron, I gave this stupid assignment to my Goo friends, asking them to make a list of the Ten Songs they would have a casual/non-fan listen to in order to try and convince them of the Dolls' greatness. Basically, to prove how kickass they are, which Ten Songs, from your own personal collection, would you use? And, I gave this to them, thinking, for a second there, that I'd somehow escape having to do it myself, since I'm usually much more interested in others' opinions than my own.

But, no. Here I am, and here's the list, in no order whatsoever. (Mind you, I did this while listening to anything BUT the Dolls... I figured that the songs that I could clearly think about were probably the ones I felt showcased them the best) And, here we go...

Black Balloon - Okay, we all knew this song would make my list. Is really anyone surprised? No? I didn't think so. I would say "favoritism aside," but this has EVERYTHING to do with favoritism, because this song must have been my favorite for ten years for a reason. And, I think I know why.
See, we've been studying Whitman a lot this semester, which is fine with me, and lately it's hit me how similar I think Rzeznik and Whitman are. They're both artistic bards, struggling with the crowd and isolation at the same time. With both often preoccupied, or inspired, with the singular, Whitman's poetry and Rzeznik's songs end up written in such a way that the universal takes hold. As much as I poke fun at Rzeznik for his "vague" lyrics, I know it's truly a gift he has and uses to bring us all closer, further into that tiny little space he, or his hauntings, occupy. It's a beautiful thing, and I think it's done exceptionally well and beatifully with Black Balloon.
We all know it's about Tammy, Takac's ex-wife, so the root of the song, and the instances within, are either true or closely based-on fact. Regardless of that preciseness, Rzeznik still manages to tackle the universal, and craft a semi-personal tragedy into what, I think, is one of their greatest love songs. That's his lyrical gift, I'd say.
So, to wrap it up, because goddamn, I cannot write this much about each of the Ten songs, Black Balloon is on my list because I think it's their best love-song and is one of the best representations of Rzeznik's particular lyrical-style, amongst the more generality that's it's just a good song.

So Far Away (instrumental) - I think, as far as Gooey instrumentals go, this is the best (with Kevin's Song and String of Lies (instrumental) not too far behind). In fact, this song has two sets of lyrics: what's heard on the album (ie.: SFA) and a demo-rarity, Dancing in Your Blood, and I sometimes wish that they would have chosen DiYB, but that's beside the point... The point is, they liked this music so much, instead of starting over, they tried like hell to write lyrics for it, and we know how much Rzeznik bitches about lyric-writing... Anyhow, just to show off the band's kickass music, I would use this selection. And, that's all there really is to say about this one.

Here Is Gone (acoustic) - To tone it down, get the amps off of 11, and go all acoustic and intimate, hands-down, the HiG acoustic is the top choice. For starters, the plugged-in album version of this song is fantastic: in fact, HiG is one of those Goo singles that probably should have done better (and, maybe Gutterflower would have done better, and LLI would have never happened, or would have been different, at least...). And the song just gets even better when the electricity's zapped off. The powerful lyrics burn through on the raspy and torn wings of Rzeznik's vocal chords, and you can hear his heart bleeding, as yours will, too, by the end.

I Don't Wanna Know (Fleetwood Mac cover) - While not my favorite cover (that goes to Nothing Can Change You and/or Don't Fear the Reaper), this is on the list because of what Rzeznik and co. did to make it so awesome. Essentially, they re-wrote the song. Fleetwood's version, no offense, is border-line cheesy, in the vein of Captain and Tennille. The Dolls took it and changed it into an amazing alt rock song that should have got radioplay when it was tacked-on to that tribute album. In short: they Gooified it.

Broadway (Live) - Let me set the record straight, I don't like the album version of this song. I never have, and I probably never will. That said, even when I'm not at an actual concert, and I just have this song pop up on my Winamp's shuffle, I'm IMMEDIATELY THERE, with the Dolls, in the front row, cheering and rocking out. And, it doesn't matter which concert it's from, either. It could be a Broadway from a '99 concert, or one from '07, and it'd STILL be amazing. Time does not damage the live performances of this song, which is a blessing not all of the Dolls' songs have been fortunate enough to receive (*cough*: Iris). This song is just perfect to showcase how the Dolls are, contrary to popular myth, one of America's best rock bands.

We'll Be Here When You're Gone (remix) - OMG, something from LLI (sort of) makes the list?!, you ask. Shut up, I reply. *smirk* This is on the list because of its epic trancey beauty, and because it shows a whole other side of Goo that was barely hinted at with the GF gem, Truth is a Whisper. In fact, if they decided to go all Silversun Pickups/Interpol/Keane/The Cure-ish on us, and get all electronicy, I'd be totally cool with it. But, anyway, this makes the list because it shows, and shows very well, yet another side of this multi-faceted band; and, not only that, but I think it also proves the Dolls' staying power -- evidence of their ability to constantly re-invent and evolve and mature as a band.

Lucky Star - I'm sure you were wondering when I'd get to Takac. Well, here we are. God, I don't know where to start... All right, I'll sum it up for you. This song is Takac's Black Balloon. Lyrically, it's absolutely Takac's best song. And, just like Black Balloon, it's a love song, but in only the way Takac could write one. It showcases his polar-opposite style, how he's buried in the speficifics, and leaves the universals to Rzeznik.
Besides developing the (delicious) way they complement each other, the lyrics still carry feeling. Maybe you don't weep like you do when you hear Iris or Become, but you're heartless if your ears don't perk up at least a little on the "But I remember" line -- the raw emotion in Takac's voice is unavoidable.
The music is up to par against (but not necessarily better than) anything else of Takac's: rockier and punkier, overall, when compared to Rzeznik's stuff (especially the recent stuff), so it's really the whole package that puts this song on the list. And, as a final note, I'll eat my hat when Takac tops this song.

String of Lies - Here's, possibly, the surpise! entry. Why? Because, when I first thought about this list, and I thought about which duet I would use (and there's not very many to choose from), my knee-jerk choice was Tell Me (Something I Don't Know), a demo-rarity. Then I thought of this, and then I thought of Hey. So, I pulled them all out and listened to them, and decided on this one.
I chose this one because of a number of reasons:
First, I wanted to shine a light on the core of the band; Rzeznik and Takac, their chemistry and talent wonderfully blended together, which is what the band is, despite how the equality has shifted from Takac, to the two, to Rzeznik, over their 20+ years together. (Also, if I'm trying to impress a casual or non-fan, I'd like to point out that the Dolls are, actually, a dual-singer band, which is often by-passed as of late...)
Second, musically this is a great alt rock song: I think one of their best. It's powerful and it makes you just want to rock along. (Be careful playing it in the car, you might get pulled over for speeding...) The guitar solo in it shows off Rzeznik's skills, while the overall song (which is SO CLEARLY Takac-ish, and almost makes me wonder if he wrote the majority of the music and then opened the rest up to Rzeznik) is just a fantasic representation of the blending of their punk roots with their alt rock styaing power.
Third, the lyrics seem born from something specific (Takacism) but in the end, reach out to a universal (Rzeznikism) theme of mistrust plagueing a relationship. Maybe Rzeznik and Laurie had a fight, or maybe Takac's letting off steam regarding the faltering friendship between Rzeznik and Tutuska ("always compromise..."). I have no idea. Either way, these are their best duet-lyrics. You can even note how it seems highly particular who sings which line (ie: it's not a simple trade-off, Rzeznik sings line 1, Takac sings line 2, rinse and repeat). Some serious thought went into this one.
Overall, SoL is their best duet, and maybe their best song, holistically. It shows off both singers' voices and musical talents (the overall song and the solo). It presents both their lyric-styles. It, even, highlights a key theme of a number of their songs. It embraces their punkier roots and anticipates their current pop rock ways.
And, in short, it embodies the heart of this band: the two of them, and how perfectly they work together.

Big Machine - This makes the list because, until I'm proven wrong with the new album, this is the best rock song, courtesy of Rzeznik, of the Dolls' modern era (and this list, I know, has been somewhat in-balanced as far as time is concerned). It's adult pop rock at its finest, really. The sound is huge, but not overwhelming, and the lyrics are accessible. It's just a great rock package, and I wanted something to showcase their modern pop rock sound. (Long Way Down, Lazy Eye were considered, until I made this decision; which then lead to thoughts of What A Scene, Dizzy, this one, and Stay With You).

Tucked Away - And, we'll put this list to bed with, what I think is, Takac's best modern era song. And while we're thinking about the now; if Big Machine is Rzeznik's best, then this is Takac's, and funny how they both come from GF. The music is powerful, especially the driving beat, and emotion just oozes from Takac's vocals, and maybe that's because this is another song supposedly about Tammy. Regardless, the song is simply kickass, and proves, like Big Machine, that there's rock and passion still there, beneath the adult rock ballads.

And, there you have it. (be sure to click song titles to download the song)
Am I heart-broken that this list isn't 50/50 between the two? A little, but, let's face it... If you're trying to hook someone on Goo, which means they'll jump on the fan bandwagon NOW, why have a Takac-heavy list? The equality has shifted, for whatever reason, as of late... It's just how they do things. Same goes for having nothing on there prior to SSCW. It's just not representative of the band they are now, and I'm cool with it.

Oh, and there's this for a laugh: The Dolls supposedly need a bail-out.

and all the stars you see are on dirty sidewalks

Goo Goo Dolls: Greatest Hits, Volume II

2008-08-21T18:47:00.002-05:00

(prepare for a Wall of Text.)

So, back in July, or whenever, I pre-ordered Goo Goo Dolls: Greatest Hits, Volume II. That's the official name of the latest compilation Goo has done, under the guiding hand, I'm sure, of WBR, but it will be referred to as Vol II, by me at least. (Some Goobers vacillate on this, but I think I'm pretty consistent.)

I pre-ordered it, because by doing so you were guaranteed a deluxe edition/special edition of the album. This version was the normal/regular/standard version -a CD containing 22 songs, such as overlooked album tracks and covers spanning their career and a DVD with 17 of their music videos and five cuts from a concert- which is now available in stores (not sure what the MSRP is on it...), with the additional ENTIRETY of their sold-out 2007 Red Rocks performance, shot in super-pretty High-Def, originally aired on the HDNet channel, as a music special, whereas the regular version only had five cuts from that show.

In addition, you also received a small, (idk...) 4'' by 4'' lithograph of the cover-art. Along with this came the possibility, I assumed in a lottery-like fashion (though I may be wrong), of having it signed by the band.

So, basically, you're paying more for the complete concert, and a possibly-signed lithograph. Being the Goober that I am, I jumped at the chance. I received mine the day before it came out in stores, and yes, my Litho is signed, as is a number of Goobers'. For the record, these were hand-signed, since Goo is very dedicated and only re-produce-sign some CDs. (Any Goober reading this can think back to the autographed GF cds on sale during THAT major tour - the one with Vanessa Carlton and Third Eye Blind opening.)

And now, as I promised two-or-three particular Goobers, here's my review. (Yeah, I'm gonna semi-copy what Steph did... Meh, she beat me to it! LOL)

Before I start, let me say that this WHOLE collection, I believe in my heart of hearts, was NOT the idea of the Dolls. I think this WHOLE thing was masterminded, primarily at least, by WBR. No, I don't have any real evidence to back up this Goo theory, save for a time when Rzeznik practically admitted in an interview that it's the idea of the record label to release a Greatest Hits with a part-two containing rarities, later. Something along those lines. This makes complete sense to me, since I, personally, often associate Greatest Hits packages/releases with the Swan Songs of bands. It's posing a curtain call; in this case, far too early, in my opinion, because Goo is at work on new material, right now, as I type, and who knows? Perhaps their best/greatest is still yet to come.

Then again, the music industry is, indeed, an industry, and the purpose is profit. Capitol records did the same thing to my #2 band, Everclear: rushed out a Best Of collection once EC cut ties with them, and eventually themselves (only to return, later, reconfigured). And, although I've always seen EC as cousins, or as Elseworld versions of the Dolls, that West-Coast band is a topic for another rant.

Regardless, Vol I was always knowingly going to be a simple collection of the hits. No one had any reservations against that. It was not advertised or hinted at being anything more. So, when it came out back in November of 07, Goobers were fine with it. It was soon after that talk began of what Vol II WOULD BE.

And, thus, here's the first rub. To an extent, the fans and possibly the band were mislead/given false hope/possibly even entirely misinformed about what Vol II would be. From day one this set was blown out of proportion, raised from the balconies of a mere CD/DVD set to the lofty precipices of a box-set. From the mouths of WBR, the Goo Camp, various fan boards, fan clubs, normal fans, and even Rzeznik and Takac came the following itemization: ALL videos, some with commentary, the entire Red Rocks concert, possibly with commentary just as LiB had commentary, all or nearly all covers, including new covers, rare archived footage from public access television, original songs posed as B-Sides from soundtracks, vintage concert footage, demos of songs, remixes, instrumentals, and/or possibly even a few new songs. In one way or another, that is what Goobers began to believe Vol II would be.

After surviving a fake tracklist, Goobers became aware of what Vol II *is* and, possibly, had always been in the minds of those involved. What is it? It is a cross between LiB (though not nearly as epic, despite whatever the commercial for Vol II says) and an overlooked-album-tracks collection they released back in 2000 called What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art, and Commerce (EOAC), originally geared toward international fans. Vol II, as much as I love it, and I do, despite however the tone of this may seem, is a simple CD/DVD set that is awarding *enough*... Then again, it had one hell of a reputation preceding it, for nearly nine anticipatory months.

I won't go track by track like Steph did, because I don't really see the point (although she's damn good at it), since, *really* the CD, despite Iris-demo and We'll Be Here When You're Gone-remix, is a collection I could have made on my own, which means that the hardcore Goobers bothering to read this, could probably have made it themselves, too. That said, I'll just be hitting on what I feel to be the major peaks and valleys of the cd.

First off, I've got to commend the packaging and art work. The teal/olive scheme of this edition is gorgeous. Wendy's photography skills shine inside the insert, and the art direction is different and edgy, with a vague throw-back feel, while still seeming perfectly Gooey with the familiar presence of circles on the actual discs. It all works well with the concept of this compilation. I was, however, a little jarred by there being NO thank-yous. I scoured, expecting Melina, Miyoko, and Krista to pop up, amongst others... Or, hell, even random reminiscences concerning Laurie or Tammy, which is near-impossible, or even George, but... There was nothing. I was really surprised. Of course, it's not a big deal. It doesn't matter. I'm not bitching that there's no thank-yous, just pointing it out, because I thought they'd be there.

The biggest flaw, despite sheer song-selection, which is a complete matter of personal choice, so I won't even *go there*, the CD has is its sequencing. The similar compilation, EOAC, had a simple sequencing idea: drifting back in time. It started with the most recent works, at the time being from DUTG, and worked its way back to a track from their first album. In theory, it worked, and, you know what, it worked in execution as well.
It's not what they did, at all, with Vol II. Now, I'm not saying they should have copied EOAC, because then some Goobers could complain about *that*. I'm just saying, it might have worked better, all around, if they had gone in that direction, or in the other direction (a la earliest to latest). Instead, the album, as awesome as it is, comes off a bit jumbled, or seemingly-poorly planned, sequencing wise, of course. We start in 1998, jump back to 1993, then to 1995, then to a live 2007 recording of a '98 song, back to '97, a torn apart demo of a '98 song, way back to '91 or '92 and here we stay for a few songs... In the older eras. Well, we jump back to '87, then to '89, back to '93, an '08 remix of an '06 song, '06, '95, and then a double stop in '02. (And, on a personal note, that dead-end almost breaks my heart, because it is either a tribute to GF by giving the last two tracks of this section to that album, or it's a last-minute 'Oh, shit, we forgot about GF' instance. I refuse to think the latter.)
And, that is just the first 15 songs: the EOAC-ish overlooked-album-tracks. (The covers are a bit more in the same range, mid-90s, minus the ending '01 performance of American Girl.)
But, one can guess, without even knowing the song-titles, how odd it must sound. And, I'll be honest, it sort-of flows, but sort-of doesn't all at the same time. I don't know if Goo were trying to do this back and forth (hell... I'll just call it...) attempt at Time Compression to prove the sell-out-accusers wrong by trying to show that: 'HEY! Listen to all of it, all at once, in one sitting, and you'll hear that the melodic nature, the familiar chords and tunings, and the vague accessible lyrics have, really, always been there, in varying degrees' *or* if it was, truly, just poor planning. I don't know. I don't pretend to know, but... I will believe the former, since according to interviews, the Dolls are very hands-on with the sequencing of their albums, like EOAC for instance.

I adore all the special tracks, except American Girl, but that's just because I've never been the biggest American Girl fan. And that applies to Petty's original, Goo, and EC, who has also covered it for years, before Goo did. Of course, I'm not saying I hate it! That's not the case at all. I'm just a little tired of it.
Iris-demo is amazing, if for anything else, the ability to show how a song can grow and change and become finished and polished. Some Goobers don't like the demo and only see the merit of it as what I've just described: they don't *like* it as a stand-alone song. I do. I really do. Now, do I think that it, finished as it had been, in this demo-state, released like that and just merely finalized... Do I think it would have been the stellar hit as the Iris we all know was? No. I think it would have gotten some airplay, in the vein of Jewel's Foolish Games or Counting Crows' Colorblind. It's *that* sort of somber and under-hyped, yet still touched by a studio.
WBHWYG-remix made my jaw drop. I haven't had this happen, to this *degree*, by any of Rzeznik's songs since - you guessed it - Black Balloon (both the album and LIA versions, of course). Yeah, that's right, I went there. I just sort-of compared WBHWYG-remix to BB. I ain't taking it back. But, here's the catch: Goobers seemed really torn over it. Simply: you'll love it, or you'll hate it. There's in-betweens with the Iris-demo, but with this one?... Oh, it's so polar.
And, if you like it, you'll like the live All Eyes On Me, which is just imported over, in audio form, from the RR concert. Hell, if you don't like WBHWYG-remix, you might still like AEOM-live.

Besides petty personal preferences, I don't have anything else to say-

OH WAIT; I FUCKING DO.

Takac has, including the covers, four songs, not including a Rzezkac. That's out of 22. He had six on EOAC. But, you know, whatever. I expect this; it's just how things are, and any Goober worth their salt, after searching their heart of hearts and swimming up the Denial river, will know this to be true.

The Red Rocks show I had seen before, shared (yes, I know, shush.) and viewed on my Lappy. Truth be told, it was much more overwhelming on the small screen. On a real TV, the glaring offenses show.
For one: I can, with a clear conscience, put aside favoritism and say that Takac's three songs/performances entertained me far more than Rzeznik's six-teen. And this comes from a show with a clearly-Rzeznik-centered audience, sold-out show or not. Rzeznik phoned-in the performance, more or less. He played it well, but he played it *safe*, and after being accustomed to balls-out shows like LIB and numerous times I've seen them myself... This was underwhelming, but still a good show. But, perhaps, it's wrong of me to compare...?

As far as the music videos are concerned, I nearly cried when I watched them all, so proud of how far they've come. (Sorry, MB20, I had to borrow that line.)

Casual fans need to buy this to see at least some representation of Goo that's been lost, the Goo that's tucked away in albums hard-to-find, or out of print, and long-time/hardcore fans need to add this to their collection in order to reminisce and remember why they love this band.

And, that's the end of this wall of text. If you read it: God. Bless. You.

it's not always about a boy and a girl.