Best Music of 2006: Part II (The Top 25 Albums of the Year)

25. Sound Team "Movie Monster"
This is an album that will most likely require a few listens before it all finally comes together, but when it does, it's really quite an experience. They definitely have more of a swagger live (not to mention rock harder than this album would leave you to believe), but that's not really the point of this particular album-- it's all in the subtleties. While it will take another solid release for me to make an official announcement, Sound Team is well on their way to being the next big Austin-based indie rock sensation.


24. Murs & 9th Wonder Murray's Revenge
Unfortunately, this album will probably be overlooked by most, but this is yet another great collaboration between Murs and 9th Wonder. While certainly not as good as 2004's 3:16 The 9th Edition, Murs & 9th Wonder are still tight as ever. If this album suffers from anything, it's that it's too short, clocking in at just over a half hour. Even if you're not necessarily a hip-hop fan, this is an album well worth checking out.


23. J Dilla/Jay Dee Donuts
If nothing else, J Dilla certainly went out on a high note with his posthumous release Donuts solidifying his status as being one of the best DJ's/producers around. It's a shame though that he would only be so widely publicized after his untimely death earlier this year, because J Dilla was a true talent in every sense.


22. Herbert Scale
Scale emerges as being one of the most provocative listens in quite awhile, particularly in the electronic genre. From beginning to end Herbert presents something that is truly unique while staying true to his eclectic trademarks. Particular highlights are the well-orchestrated opener "Something Isn't Right" and "Moving Like a Train." It may not be the best pick for a dance party, but Scale is definitely the album to get for your chillout moments.


21. Pearl Jam Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is the perfect example of what a highly talented veteran band can accomplish once they're completely refreshed and motivated to complete a project. This is the most inspired sound Pearl Jam has produced in years and somehow, they avoid any kind of formula on this album. If nothing else, Pearl Jam is solid through and through and offers up some of the best rock moments of 2006.


20. M. Ward Post-War
While M. Ward has been making quality albums on his own for some time now, Post-War is surely his most assured album yet, which can be seen particularly on songs like "Chinese Translation," and the title track. Moreover, M. Ward also throws in anthemic tunes like "To Go Home" and the ridiculously addicting "Magic Trick" (which features My Morning Jacket's frontman Jim James). Whether quiet or loud, M. Ward's latest is good at the very least no matter what.


19. Wolfmother Wolfmother
Like the opening shriek on their eponymous album, Wolfmother came to America with a bang-- and just in case you didn't hear them the first couple times via the festival stops and the "Love Train" iPod ads, they've been hard at work touring since. Nothing on here is particularly original (but these days, what is?), but they perform with a bravado that hasn't been seen since five plus years ago-- at least not this convincingly. At the very least that you'll get a huge kick out of listening to this album, especially when it comes to tunes like "Dimension," "Woman," and "Apple Tree."


18. Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit
Belle & Sebastian has been making catchy albums like this for so long, it's difficult to remember when these guys weren't good. Effortlessly delivering songs such as "The Blues are Still Blue" and the Motown-tinged "Funny Little Frog," The Life Pursuit manages to be all over the place without ever coming off as being totally unfocused or overwhelming. Instead it plays into the band's strength of their musical dexterity. It's not their best album, but it's definitely one that should be in heavy rotation.


17. Ghostface Killah Fishscale
Easily one of the best hip-hop albums of the year, and at its best, shows exactly why Ghostface Killah should be considered one of the best artists around right now, if not the most consistent. The only thing that prevented me from putting this album any higher is the fact that there's a bit too much filler that bog down an otherwise outstanding hip-hop album. That being said, there are too many highlights to mention, as Ghostface definitely kicks the energy up a few notches when he really does put out like on "Shakey Dog" and "Be Easy." Highly recommended.


16. Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium
As much as I loved both Californication and to a lesser extent By The Way, I really missed the rowdy Red Hot Chili Peppers of old. Here, on their two-disc effort, they combine the best of both worlds, providing lots of funky rollicking tunes that would satisfy any older Chili Pepper fan, while also having a number of ballads that have become the standard for newer albums. Yes, it's a mess like nearly all double-albums, but there are way too many good tracks on this album for it to be ignored.


15. Lupe Fiasco Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
If it isn't difficult enough to have as much hype going into your debut as Lupe did, imagine having to overcome various internet leaks of your works to boot. Frustrated, Fiasco then retooled the album, wanting to provide his audience with a fresh perspective that would also lessen the demand for bootlegs. What turned into an incredibly tedious waiting period for all fans quickly turned into one of the few albums in recent memory that was well worth the delayed waiting time. As his hit single "Kick, Push" (which is centered around the life of skateboarding) would indicate, Lupe is hardly your typical rapper, and that's a very good thing. Careful narratives and thought-provoking works are the name of the game here, and there's lots of inspiration to go with it.


14. Beth Orton Comfort of Strangers
Beth Orton's latest is surely the best album of her career. She's always displayed immense
talent, but not until this album had she showed such consistency. Centered around the summery single "Conceived." Orton's Comfort of Strangers is folky pop at it's absolute finest-- and for the die-hard Orton fan, be sure to opt for the special edition of this release which features a bonus disc full of worthwhile b-sides and demos.


13. The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America
The world's greatest party band is at it again, and this time they've got even beefier lyrics to back up the riff-heavy instrumentals. No longer occupied with only sharing seemingly off-the-cuff observations about killer parties or shady friends, Craig Finn's vocals this time around are fully developed stories that often fringe upon becoming metaphor, and this album is a lot more fun to boot. The breakthrough album of The Hold Steady's short career, I'm betting their next album will be even better.


12. Mylo Destroy Rock & Roll
Who knew so much could be done on an old Mac computer? Mylo's Destroy Rock & Roll is this year's LCD Soundsystem, an electronic album that not only changes the way we think of the genre, but also remains accessible enough to those that fall outside of the core audience. Shamelessly blending 80's pop with more typical electronic beats, Destroy Rock & Roll feels a bit like a trip down memory lane. By far, this is the best electronic album to come out this year.


11. Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere
And I thought that DangerDoom would be as good as it gets. While "Crazy" is the song that gets all the attention, it's songs like "Go Go Gadget Gospel," "Smiley Faces," "The Last Time" and Violent Femmes' cover "Gone Daddy Gone" that really make St. Elsewhere shine. If I had to wish for anything on this album, it would've been interesting to see what would 've happened if Cee-Lo offered a bit more in the rap department besides the abbreviated "Feng Shui," but that just gives me something to look forward to when their second album comes out.


10. The Rapture Pieces of People We Love
"People don't dance no more, they just stand there like this. They fold their arms and stare you down and drink and moan and diss." These are the words spoken at the end of the delightful "Woo! Alright Yeah... Uh Huh," and reflect the consistent wry bravado that's exhibited by The Rapture throughout the album. Unlike Echoes, Pieces of People We Love is much more refined dance rock, and that's a very good thing. Songs like "Don Gon Do It," "Get Myself Into It" and "The Devil" are all examples at how far the Rapture have come sonically. Easily one of the most fun albums to come out this year.


9. Phoenix It's Never Been Like That
From the dance floor to the rock hall, Phoenix has finally come to releasing not only their most fully realized album, but also the first album that plays to all their strengths. As always, their singles are superb ("Consolation Prizes" and "Long Distance Call"), but it's on songs like "One Time Too Many," "Lost and Found," and most notably, "Sometimes in the Fall" that Phoenix shows that they are in fact a band capable of doing a lot more than noteworthy singles. It's Never Been Like That is easily one of my personal favorites of the year.


8. The Flaming Lips At War With the Mystics
Nothing can really prepare a person for a new Flaming Lips album. As a matter of fact, the only thing anyone can count on is that it will almost certainly be strange in one way or another. Perhaps it's excess, but At War With the Mystics is a beautiful album that takes time to allow for the band to develop each of the songs to the point that they all flow effortlessly within each other. While not the ideal concept album that Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots was, At War With the Mystics still offers a lot to love.


7. TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain
Much like their debut album, Return to Cookie Mountain is an acquired taste that takes a number of listens before you really begin to fully appreciate what these guys have done. While they probably just could've rehashed what they did last time around, they've seriously pushed the envelope and kicked their musical aspirations up another notch this time around, something that holds true even for their single "Wolf Like Me." Hauntingly beautiful, TV on the Radio proves to be among the best once again.


6. Yo La Tengo I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
Yo La Tengo's latest is such a sprawling masterpiece, that it's hard to know even where to begin. Both their eleven minute opening and closing tracks are outstanding, as are their addictive pop pieces like their Belle & Sebastian-esque "Mr. Tough," "Beanbag Chair," and the quieter "Sometimes I Don't Get You." Who knew Yo La Tengo could kick ass so effectively?


5. Spank Rock YoYoYoYoYoYo
From the moment I first heard "Backyard Betty," I knew this Baltimore-area duo was something special. Upping the ante from British acts such as the Streets and Dizzee Rascal, Spank Rock presents a hip-hop that is built around a mosh-posh production filled with video game effects and gritty beats to create a sound that is unmistakably original. To make it all the more effective, the witty humor of the rhymes, especially on "Sweet Talk," make the album even more fun to listen to. It's not all fun and games though, as "Bump" shows off the lyrical skills that Spank Rock provide.


4. My Chemical Romance The Black Parade
I'm still amazed to this day by the leap this band took from their previous effort. In addition, I'm still surprised by how good The Black Parade is from beginning to end-- whether it be quiet or loud, fast or slow, there is certainly no dead weight here. Songs like "Teenagers" and "Mama" shine as My Chemical Romance has really upped the ante this time around.


3. Muse Black Holes and Revelations
Muse has been one of those bands that has always had the pieces in place, but have never been able to click on all cylinders long enough to create the masterpiece they're capable of. Finally, on Black Holes and Revelations, they've done just that, and it just so happens to be good enough to easily be among the top albums of the year. The influence of 80's rock is a lot more heavy-handed on this album than it has been previously, but it helps in generating the darker tone that the album attains. Always having a flair for the dramatic, Muse now also has the musicality to back it up.


2. The Roots Game Theory
Game Theory is not only the darkest album the Roots have ever made, but it's also their most pertinent. Black Thoughts rhymes are as tight as ever, and Malik B. is finally back on a few tracks as well to provide even more hard-hitting lyrics. ?uestlove and the rest of the band are as tight as ever, collectively stirring the listener into a paranoid musical universe that hasn't been uncovered in quite some time (if ever). If you're one of the many that are tired of the trivialized cliché most hip-hop has become, do yourself the favor of at least buying this one album and immerse yourself in the smartest hip-hop act around.


1. Bob Dylan Modern Times
Accusations of plagiarism notwithstanding, Modern Times is yet another incredible achievement in Bob Dylan's epic career. Love him or hate him, there's no denying his ability as not only a songwriter, but a storyteller. Even with his raspier-than-ever voice there is still so much beauty to be had in his songs that you can easily forgive it and Dylan and his backing bands musicianship has certainly not lost a single step either over the course of time. It may not necessarily stand out as being the best album this year, but you'd be hard pressed to think of a good reason for it not to be.

Best Music of 2006: Part I

As usual, since it is coming up to the end of the year, I've finally come up with my top 25 albums of 2006, along with a few other lists for your enjoyment. If nothing else, it will give you Christmas gift ideas if you're the last minute-shopper type. Look for the top 25 list to pop up sometime tomorrow, but in the meantime there's plenty else to look over. Before getting to that though, here's a quick look at who made it to my top 25 last year (if you'd like to revisit the whole list please feel free to browse the archives):

25. Art Brut Bang Bang Rock & Roll
24. Erin McKeown We Will Become Like Birds
23. Atmosphere You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having
22. One Be Lo S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M
21. Of Montreal The Sunlandic Twins
20. Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
19. Nic Armstrong & The Thieves The Greatest White Liar
18. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Howl
17. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Cold Roses
16. Sleater-Kinney The Woods
15. Beck Guero
14. Common Be
13. Wolf Parade Apologies to Queen Mary
12. Dangerdoom The Mouse and the Mask
11. Stars Set Yourself on Fire
10. Gorillaz Demon Days
9. Andrew Bird The Mysterious Production of Eggs
8. The Go! Team Thunder, Lightning, Strike
7. Broken Social Scene Broken Social Scene
6. Bloc Party Silent Alarm
5. Kanye West Late Registration
4. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
3. Sufjan Stevens Illinois
2. Spoon Gimme Fiction
1. My Morning Jacket Z

After reviewing last year's list, it's pretty easy to see that 2005 can (and should be) remembered as being one of the better years music-wise in quite some time. The class of 2006 unfortunately isn't as strong as last year, although there are certainly a fair share of very noteworthy albums. That being said, here are my categorical winners and losers of the year 2006:

Best Rock Album

Muse Black Holes and Revelations
Honorable Mentions: The Flaming Lips At War With The Mystics, The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America


Best Indie Album
Yo La Tengo I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
Honorable Mentions: TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain, The Rapture Pieces of the People We Love, Phoenix It's Never Been Like That


Best Mainstream Album
My Chemical Romance The Black Parade
Honorable Mentions: Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere, John Mayer Continuum


Best Hip-Hop Album
The Roots Game Theory
Honorable Mentions: Spank Rock YoYoYoYoYoYo, Lupe Fiasco Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, Ghostface Killah Fishscale


Best Electronic Album
Mylo Destroy Rock & Roll
Honorable Mentions: Herbert Scale, Nightmares on Wax In a Space Outta Sound


Best Debut Album
Lupe Fiasco Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
Honorable Mentions: Corinne Bailey Rae Corinne Bailey Rae, Wolfmother Wolfmother, Kenn Starr Starr Status


Most Overrated Album
Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Honorable Mention: The Raconteurs Broken Boy Soldiers


Biggest Surprise
My Chemical Romance The Black Parade
Honorable Mention: Bob Dylan Modern Times


Biggest Disappointment
The Strokes First Impressions of Earth
Honorable Mention: The Streets The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living

There are two burning questions that I've had for the majority of this year that have still not been answered: First, what the hell were The Strokes thinking when they released First Impressions of Earth? Two, who managed to convince millions of people that the Arctic Monekys are any good? I suppose I can understand The Strokes move, you can only remake Is This It? so many times and they pulled a Radiohead and came out with the album that made every rock mag claiming these guys to be the savior of good music cry. For the record, I'm not comparing these guys to Radiohead,. Rather, they did what Radiohead did when they released Kid A after OK Computer (a move which served as a mindfuck to just about everyone, even those previously unfamiliar with Radiohead). The problem is that since The Strokes have far lesser talent (which isn't a slight to The Strokes, you could really take most of the music today and still not add up talent-wise) they were only able to come up with First Impressions of Earth. Still with me? Good. The Arctic Monkeys on the other hand seemed to be a case of the world (and by world, I mean England, which in turn effects the music snobs in America, which in turn effects... you get the idea) searching for a sign of life after watching The Libertine's frontman Pete Doherty singlehandedly destroy his band. Presumably finding the first set of blokes walking down the street, we were greeted with the Arctic Monkeys and forced to like them, whether we liked it or not. That's not to say that all hope is lost, as I've actually enjoyed a couple of their b-sides (the couple being "Chun Li's Spinning Bird Kick" and "Settle For a Draw"). Really though, any band that generates this much hype should be something more than what the listener is left with when listening to the Arctic Monkeys. Maybe that's why they named the title of their debut Whatever Everyone Says I Am, That's What I'm Not-- despite what everyone else said, they already knew they sucked.

Continuing with lowlights before I get to the highlights, I would like to say that the other band (or I suppose pseudo-supergroup in this case) that people need to get over is The Raconteurs. Yes, I love Jack White and nothing makes me happier than hearing him shred a guitar until your ears aren't sure if they should bleed or orgasm. Yes, I've even heard of and love Brendan Benson, a man that not only has a knack for, but actually seems comfortable with the idea of, writing good pop songs. Somehow amongst all that talent, including a couple of members from the Greenhornes to boot, Broken Boy Soldiers felt like an awkward demo tape that perhaps would've been better left an EP. Speaking of supergroups, Gnarls Barkley was originally going to make it to my overrated list, and judging by how many times these guys have already appeared on top 10 of 2006 charts, I probably wouldn't be far off in that assessment. After all, having one hit song (one hit song I should note that was played so many times by so many different bands that if it weren't for the fact that it's actually good would be frowned upon in a few years the same way the "Macarena" and "Who Let The Dogs Out?" are today) doesn't mean squat for an album. However, I look at Gnarls Barkley as being the way in which both of these guys (that being Napoleon Dy-- I mean, Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo) finally get their due. Danger Mouse has easily been one of the hottest producers around, and Cee-Lo has finally broken into the spotlight after making two really solid solo albums and previously spending time with the Goodie Mob.

Speaking of guys getting their due, I'm not sure how much longer it's going to take before The Roots get theirs-- but I hope it's soon. Outkast finally broke through bigtime when they released Stankonia, and many others have followed suit, but the Roots are still stuck in the shadows. Game Theory is not only one of the best albums to come out of 2006, but also next to Things Fall Apart is the best album of their career. It's about time more people take notice because these guys are making some serious music. Other artists/bands that are surprisingly being looked over this year are Mylo, M. Ward and Wolfmother, all of whom churned out exceptional albums this year and were initially very well received.

Getting off of my high horse, I will say that this has been one of the more interesting years in recent memory of music. While the big stories last year involved a lot of DIY indie-rock fairy tales come true and hip-hop artists proving their worth, this year involves a lot of veterans kicking ass once again-- whether it be The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Roots, Bob Dylan or Yo La Tengo. Even more interesting however, is that this is probably the first year where there was really no definitive #1 album-- I've honestly reshuffled my top 5 about five or six times before coming to a decision, and that's something I've never had to do before. All in all though, this has been a very good year for music, and I can't wait to see what 2007 has to offer. Once again, be sure to check back tomorrow for the full list of my top 25 albums of 2006.

My Morning Jacket live

My Morning Jacket
Opening Acts: Catfish Haven and The Slip
The Riviera- 11.24.06

Setlist
One Big Holiday
What A Wonderful Man
The Way He Sings
Off The Record
The Dark
It Beats 4 U
Wordless Chorus
Phone Went West
Lay Low
Lowdown
Golden
Dondante
Run Thru
They Ran
--------------
Bermuda Highway*
At Dawn*
Just One Thing*
Gideon*
Mahgeeta
Anytime

*performed with Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra


Well, My Morning Jacket had already won me over when they released Z, an album that was selected as the #1 release to come out last year, and they continued to impress me when I had the opportunity to see them at Lollapalooza this past August. Now, after seeing them for a full two hour show, I have to say that if you still haven't hopped on the bandwagon, do join in now because you're about to witness something special. My Morning Jacket's performance was astounding to say the least, the band's energy was there from the beginning and Jim James' stage presence was as large as his skeleton platform boots. The band started off with my personal favorite song of theirs "One Big Holiday" and kept the pace throughout, with highlights including "Off the Record," "Wordless Chorus," "Phone Went West." and "Dondante." Performing the first half of the encore with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra was also a treat, although the Riviera's shoddy acoustics at times rendered the orchestra inaudible. Also interesting was how well the band performed all of their old songs. On album, some of the material doesn't stand out at all, but in hearing them live, they're performed with such confidence that new life is brought to each of those songs-- most notably with the aforementioned "Phone Went West." Where this is most apparent is with frontman Jim James, whose tin-can vocals on each of the pre-Z albums are hardly representative of what he can do live. On each song that he performed, his voice was just as good if not better than what it was on album, and his passionate falsettos are simply chilling. After seeing their continuing growth and maturity in just these past two years alone, it's exciting to think what lies ahead for the Kentucky-based group. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and purchase their concert tickets while they're still cheap, or at least buy their latest album.

Stranger Than Fiction

As sweet as it is thought-provoking, Stranger Than Fiction is the sleeper hit of the year.

There have been plenty of movies like this before, sure. One could even look at Stranger Than Fiction as being a mix of many of the "big question" art-house romantic comedies that have been invariably making their respective marks for the past five years straight. However, what none of these films were able to accomplish, and perhaps this is most a credit to the cast (or, at least the writer Zach Helm), is the ability to take these complexities and package them in such a way that they're not dumbed down, per se, but rather perfectly abbreviated to the point that no filler remains. Will Ferrell hardly overpowers the screen, his notoriously aloof character has been reined back to the point that he is almost dwarfed on occasions by Maggie Gyllenhaal's presence. Ferrell has already shown once that he can be a formidable actor (he single-handedly saved Woody Allen's Melinda & Melinda), and he's leaps and bounds better here. Similarly, Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson, and Dustin Hoffman all put out their best efforts as they seemingly embrace their respective characters despite not being the main character of the film. With added chemistry amongst the cast to boot, in addition to the stellar writing, the movie immediately clicks. That being said, and what probably works best about the movie, is how, as Crick's sense of self is tested and fate questioned, the film makes note of the same exact questions that are always asked by us in our own daily lives-- are each of our acts pre-destined or do we get to choose our own fate? These questions coincide with the film suturing the audience into the world of Crick. Seeing these ideologies unraveled in front of our very eyes as written through Emma Thompson's character (writer Kay Eiffel), constantly plays with our emotions and fantastically puts those fears of who and what we are in life on display and toys with the very fabric of those insecurities. Will Ferrell might be the first comedian in some time that comfortably pulls off the transition to serious acting (Jim Carrey notwithstanding), and if nothing else, to see him play this role is well worth the price of admission. If you're up for it though, there is so much more than that to enjoy, and that's what makes Stranger Than Fiction all the better.

Overall Rating: 95

Damien Rice and Trail of Dead reviewed

Damien Rice 9

Damien Rice's follow-up to the outstanding O, is unsurprisingly disappointing, but still has its strong points.

Somehow, Damien Rice created the longest three-year wait for fans and critics who wanted more after hearing Rice's debut album O-- easily one of, if not the best album of 2003. Unfortunately, Rice does suffer the notorious sophomore slump. While the first two songs are absolutely gorgeous, especially with the heavenly strings on "The Animals Were Gone," there are too many songs on this album that lack any sort of artistic progression from O and, at times, feel like b-sides. While "Elephant" brings the prototypical heartwrenching storytelling that can be expected from Rice, it is little more than a rehash of "The Blower's Daughter Part 2." "Rootless Tree," despite its intentions, has little to offer with Rice's melodramatic curse-ridden chorus. There are other highlights though, most notably "Grey Room" and "Accidental Babies," but the problem with this album (like all other sophomore slumps) is that it is too similar to his debut, and as such the songs are automatically are going to be compared. As such, this album is the weaker effort of the two, and while that may not serve as a fair comparison (a nearly perfect album to a simply good album), there's very little way of getting around it.

Overall Rating: 82

...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead So Divided

A tad all over the place, but still thoroughly enjoyable

Trail of Dead's follow up to their lukewarm Let It Dive, is an interesting experience to say the least. A much sleeker production has erased much of the excess noise (for better or worse) that was on their earlier albums, and to replace that is a new level of strangeness that hasn't been seen from these guys since their debut album. Sometimes it works, and when it does, it works really well like on "Stand in Silence" and "Naked Sun." However there are moments like "Life" where a seemingly well-executed song (at least in concept) appears to lose it's way, meander, trudge, and meander some more before finally ending. That being said though, I do give them credit for pushing boundaries, if nothing else. Also, it isn't readily apparent that the band is trying too hard either, so none of the songs feel trite or forced. All in all, this is a very strong effort, that at times equals Source Tags and Codes, but the moments where the album indulges a bit too much drag down the overall experience.


Overall Rating: 88

Kings of Leon/Bob Dylan at the Sears Centre and more

New Look!
In case you haven't noticed, the website has undergone a bit of a change cosmetically. Look even closer and you'll notice a few other changes. First and foremost, all posts from the past few weeks on have labels, so that way if you wanted to go to any specific category (i.e. "News") you can click on that tab and you'll find a full list of posts related to that category. Also, the new sidebar makes it a lot easier to backtrack to older posts if you need to. I hope you like the new changes, and I will continue to tweak things on the site (per usual) as needed.

Bob Dylan
Opening Act: Kings of Leon
Sears Centre- 10.27.06

Although it was far from a sellout crowd, those that were on hand had a chance to appreciate an almost totally satisfying experience with Bob Dylan. While much of the crowd was too old to appreciate what the Kings of Leon had to offer, and consequentially spent the opening set time discussing whatever sense of nostalgia being at a Dylan concert did for them, the younger counterparts used their time to dance along as the Kings of Leon thrashed out a solid 45-minute set. Playing a relatively tight set that centered around their singles (namely "Molly's Chambers," "The Bucket," and "Four Kicks"), Kings of Leon may not have scored high for risk-taking, but as an opening act, they more than held their own, and gave a good taste of what they bring to the table for those that aren't familiar with them.

A brief break between sets gave everyone a chance to check out the brand new Sears Centre, which held its first event only a few days prior, and, at least for concerts, this place is great. Something like a miniature-Allstate Arena, the Sears Centre offers incredibly intimate seating for an arena, and there really isn't a bad seat in the house.

Once the house lights went back off, the crowd went nuts-- something that would only exist to greet Dylan, as much of the older audience spent most of their time seated afterwards. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to hear Bob Dylan play the guitar due to his arthritis, so instead his band was forced to do their best to fill in for him. That in itself is a bit of a tall order, but they did make due by sticking to the basics and letting Dylan get his solo kicks via the harmonica. While anyone with a pair of ears knows that Dylan's voice has been pretty much shot for some time now, what's amazing is how much of a presence and command he has despite (or maybe even because of) that. Sometimes, it made song identification a messy venture, but besides that, hearing Dylan even performing hits like "All Along the Watchtower" and "Like a Rolling Stone" was thoroughly inspiring as it sounded just as fresh and new as ever. While some, as one woman pointed out behind me after the show, may feel that Dylan's best year are behind him because "he sounds nothing like he did [when she was younger]," I think they're missing the point. The fact is that a 65-year old legend is still able to perform everyday at a caliber that may very well not be what it was when he was at his peak, but is certainly an enlightened experience that could come from very few other artists, past or present.

Kanye West MTV follow-up
For those of you that didn't have a chance to catch Kanye making a fool of himself at the MTV European Music Awards, I thought I would post the video for it. I know there are people claiming that it was a joke on Kanye's part, but even if it was (which I know isn't true anyway), it was still a classless move on Kanye's part.




New Music Tuesday
There really isn't much to talk about this week. For you casual Dave Matthews Band fans out there, or perhaps the people that have yet to really be exposed to any of their work, their first installment of their greatest hits collection, aptly named, The Best of What's Around was released today. The tracklisting was more or less chosen by fans, and has one disc dedicated to the DMB's studio efforts and one disc dedicated to their live performances. While it's hard to recommend this to any die-hard fan (there are no extra-perks involved that you wouldn't be able to access otherwise a la The Roots' most recent hits collection), it's a great starter kit for a newbie, if you will, to gain some exposure to the band. Also out today is The Road to Escondido by JJ Cale and Eric Clapton. Eric Clapton has always had great admiration for JJ Cale, so it is fitting for them to be featured together on this album. While in an adult contemporary setting, the album seems to be relatively good, there is really nothing here that sets it apart, unfortunately. If you're a fan, however, especially with Clapton's more staid work, you will probably have a lot of fun listening to this album.

"High Five!" Borat shocks it's way to #1!

Borat has nothing to fear this week, his movie is #1 in all the US & A.

Yes, there is justice in the world of Hollywood on occasions. Despite showing on only a fourth as many screens as The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, Borat still beat out the final installment of the kiddie trilogy by a solid $6.4M margin. Posting a mightily impressive $31,511 per-screen average, it'll be intersting to see how the movie does as it begins to be released in more theatres and also gains the ever-valuable word of mouth publicity. As if that isn't enough, Sascha Baron Cohen's brainchild film has made it's way to #167 on IMDB's top 250 movies already. As Borat would say, "NICE!"

Full weekend results posted below:

Movie             Revenue   Screens  Wks  Average/  Pct     Total
             (Millions)                 Screen    Chg      Mln
1. Borat          $26.4     837      1   $31,511    --      $26.4
2. Santa Clause 3  20.0     3,458    1     5,784    --       20.0
3. Flushed Away    19.1     3,707    1     5,152    --       19.1
4. Saw III         15.5     3,167    2     4,894    -54      60.1
5. The Departed     8.0     2,785    5     2,873    -19     102.3
6. The Prestige     7.8     2,305    3     3,377    -19      39.4
7. Flags/Father     4.5     2,375    3     1,895    -29      26.6
8. Man Of The Year  3.8     2,388    4     1,600    -19      34.0
9. Open Season      3.1     2,458    6     1,261    -47      81.4
10. The Queen       3.0     387      6     7,778     58      10.1

The Good, The Bad and The Queen and other News

The Good, The Bad and The Queen on tour in UK, release "Herculean" single

I suppose having Blur and Gorillaz and a formidable solo career isn't enough for Damon Albarn. As mentioned a little while ago, The Good, The Bad and The Queen are Albarn's latest side project, and they're well underway with their new album, as they've been performing the songs that will be featured on next-years release in the UK with very positive results. In addition, their single "Herculean" can be heard on their MySpace page. While the single is very, very impressive, it'll be interesting to see what the rest of the album will be like as the song alone doesn't seem to be a huge departure from anything that Albarn has done previously.

Here is the tracklist for their upcoming album:
1. History Song
2. '80s Life
3. Northern Whale
4. Kingdom Of Doom
5. Herculean
6. Behind The Sun
7. The Bunting Song
8. Nature Springs
9. A Soldier's Tale
10. Three Changes
11. Green Fields
12. The Good, The Bad & The Queen

Once again, the album will be released in early 2007.

Kanye West anything but a class act at EMA's

Kanye West is probably in my list of top three celebrities that I never ever want to meet. The reason for this is because I know if I ever did, I would despise him, and this is precisely why. I'm not sure what it will take for him to get off his high horse, but he needs for it to happen now before it gets any worse. After losing to Justice and Simian for Best Video in MTV Europe Music Awards, Kanye West crashed the stage, furious that he didn't win. If it wasn't bad enough for him to say that if he doesn't win "the awards show loses credibility," he also threw in that he should've won because it "cost a million dollars, Pamela Anderson was in it" and that he "was jumping across canyons." Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. In other news, Evel Knievel decided to protest MTV as well stating that his stunts were worthy of a lifetime achievement award. Maybe West's accountant should recommend that he spend his next million on a Louis Vuitton muzzle.

Everyone Wants More Gnarls

Is your regular version of St. Elswhere just not doing it for you anymore? Have you listened to "Crazy" so many times that you can sing it backwards without even blinking? Or could you possibly be one of the people that (gasp) hasn't even bought St. Elswhere already? Well, you're in luck because you're going to get even more Gnarls Barkley for the holiday season. In addition to the regular CD, you'll also get all-new packaging, a 92-page booklet (I'm pretty sure when you get to that many pages it's just a book) featuring all new artwork, and a DVD featuring all of your favorite Gnarls Barkley music videos. Still not enough? Well, you also get an alternate version of "Crazy" and a live performance of The Violent Femmes' "Gone Daddy Gone." The deluxe version will be available this upcoming Tuesday, the 7th of November.

Nas releases single for highly anticipated Def Jam debut

Nas' Hip-Hop is Dead (which comes out December 19 if you've forgotten), now has a single that can be heard and downloaded here. Entitled "Where Y'all At," I'm hoping that this is possibly one of those songs that has to be heard in context of the rest of the album, because as of right now it seems to be lacking. As if the fact that it's Nas' Def Jam debut isn't enough pressure, with backing talent like Damian Marley, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and more, you would hope that Nas can finally reclaim his form, but only time will tell.

My Chemical Romance and John Legend Reviewed

I've been wanting to post these two reviews for quite some time now, as both albums have created much excitement in similar ways. My Chemical Romance announced well before the release of their latest album, The Black Parade that the release would be a departure from everything they've done previously, and not only have they accomplished that much, but I think they might've even outdone themselves. John Legend, after successfully winning over darn near everyone a few years ago with his debut album and singles like "Ordinary People" and "Used to Love U," is back with a sophomore release that isn't so much a departure as much as a supreme maturation over what he'd done previously. So, with that in mind, here are the reviews:

My Chemical Romance The Black Parade

Hands down, the most surprising album I've heard all year.

Color me impressed. I've never been a My Chemical Romance fan (and that's really an understatement), and truthfully, despite all of the great reviews, I still didn't think that this album would be anything special. Not only is this album special, but this thing is so good that they managed to beat Green Day at their own game and made American Idiot look like crap in comparison. Cynics are probably thinking to themselves, "Most emo relies so heavily on overly-dramatic premises anyway that it was probably only a matter of time before a band was smart enough to channel that energy into a rock-opera album," and they're probably right. At the same time, these guys pull it off really well-- not only is there not a single weak link in the album, but at the best moments you would think you're listening to the 21st century Queen. From the minute the album begins with the enthralling "The End." you realize that this isn't your typical concept album, and that if you didn't take them seriously before, you probably should start doing that now. From "Dead!" on, it's pretty much non-stop rocking, and while the themes are incredibly dark (which can be assumed given the album title), each song is a lot of fun to listen to. Some of the highlights include the title track, the spectacular "House of Wolves," which at times seems to have a hint of White Stripes going for it, and the bizarre rocker "Mama." The true anthem song for the album however is the absurdly catchy "Teenagers," which will probably serve as the "Teen Angst" anthem for this decade if there's any justice in the world. My Chemical Romance impresses whether they're playing loud or soft, and they take more risks on this album than most of their contemporaries have made in their careers. Not only do I now know better than to sell these guys short, but I swear if they continue to make albums that are even remotely like this one I'll be their biggest fan.

Overall Rating: 100


John Legend Once Again

While it's a "two steps forward, one step back" type of effort, it's Legend's maturity that makes this release worthwhile.

John Legend's debut studio effort, Get Lifted, despite it's finer moments had some serious issues. Firstly, I'm pretty sure there's an unwritten rule about how many times you can sing about cheating before it gets to be obnoxious (okay, I get the point), and secondly, Legend hardly ever mixed things up, causing a lot of tracks that weren't necessarily bad (although some certainly were), but simply got lost in the shuffle with everything else on the album. This time around, it seems as if he's expanded his horizons a bit, as indicated on the seemingly Sergio Mendes' influenced single, "Save Room." The one two punch of that track and the subsequent "Heaven" shows a formidable promise on the album that isn't entirely carried through on the rest of the tracks. When Legend is on, he's really on, between the aforementioned tracks, "Each Day Gets Better," and "P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care)," and there are many other moments where he uses the Motown-influenced productions to his advantage. However, there are other times where the album is so incredibly boring that it has very little purpose other than background music. As interesting as "Where Did My Baby Go" seems when the track begins, it becomes so dull and cliched as the song meanders on that you figure she probably just went into a deep sleep. That being said, Once Again is largely better than Get Lifted, it just still finds John Legend as a work in progress. Once he gains some consistency in his songwriting and takes more chances with his music, he'll be in the position to be one of the better talents in his genre.

Overall Rating: 79

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Easily the funniest movie of the year, and quite possibly the smartest comedy made this decade.

Is it offensive? You bet, but not in the way that everyone is making it out to be. Beyond being the most hilarious recently-made mockumentary that wasn't made by Christopher Guest, Borat is also a biting political satire. What really makes this film so truly brilliant is that Cohen and director Larry Charles managed to create a film that is accessible to all, despite these underlying political messages and general damnation of consequence. Sure, it happens frequently in the world of television, most notoriously within the world of South Park, but to have a non-animated 90-minute film dedicated to following a faux-Kazakhi as he experiences the often-hidden and dark underbelly that we all know exists in America, but would never admit it, is an incredible feat. When the film isn't making political statements, it's just as funny though, and there are many scenes in particular-- including an absolutely ridiculous wrestling scene-- that are so hysterical that I only stopped laughing because my body was too tired to go on laughing, not to mention I couldn't breathe. Lastly, and possibly most importantly, Borat is a film with a heart of gold, and that's truly the selling point of the film. It's easy to pull off a silly and crude comedy that exists for the sheer pleasure of being silly and crude, but when you're sutured into the life of an outsider that is trying to live out his own (albeit strange) version of the "American Dream," you genuinely care about the guy, and see him not as the cookie-cutter caricature that attackers of the film make him out to be, but rather a relatively sympathetic character. While this film surely isn't for everyone, it is bound to offend just about everyone in some way, but if you get beyond the surface of things, you'll understand why this is such a landmark film. Congratulations Sascha Baron Cohen, beyond being the only person in recent memory to single-handedly piss off an entire nation based on a stage character, you've also managed to create a landmark film-- who's been able to say that about a movie based on sketch character recently?

Overall Rating: 100

Blogger issues

Sorry for the delay in posting, I've actually been having technical issues with Blogger. Since transferring to their new Beta service, my usual blogging publisher hasn't allowed me to publish any new articles. Consequentially, I'm in the process of figuring out a way to either get it (or another product) to play nice with Blogger Beta, or finding a way to write directly in Blogger that will work well as far as formatting is concerned.

"For relaxing times, make it Santori time..."

There are a number of other music reviews that I'd like to get through today. The theme this time around are albums that are perfect for the nighttime. Though not necessarily depressing, they're certainly introspective and evoke a certain kind of solitude that make you want to curl up and have a hot chocolate.

Greg Laswell Through Toledo

From the moment I heard "Sing, Theresa Says," I knew I had to have this album. I don't think any song has made such a personal first impression upon me since I heard Elliott Smith for the first time. The song is seriously perfect, and if it weren't for the strength of the majority of the tracks that follow, it would certainly overpower the rest of the album. However, there are other strengths in the songs "Amazed," the bittersweet mid-tempo rocker "Worthwhile," and the sleepy title track. Unfortunately, Through Toledo starts to drag by the end of the album, but for a debut album it is rare to see something so incredibly emotional (the songs were written right after Laswell's divorce) and focused on a debut album.

Through Toledo's rating 86

The Whitest Boy Alive Dreams

Erlend Øye continues to impress with his chameleon-like musical flexibility. The Kings of Convenience front-man first churned out a successful solo electronic pop album Unrest and now has come up with this side project that is some of the most stripped down rock music you'll ever hear. Although simplistic, Dreams is hardly ever boring, with particular highlights being the opening "Burning," the beautiful "Don't Give Up," and the steady rocker "Golden Cage." While it won't be nearly as popular, The Whitest Boy Alive seems to accomplish for rock what The Postal Service did for the indie-pop genre. Strip the atypical sound to its bare essentials, and despite the seemingly electronic roots, manage to make it accessible for most audiences. Once again, Øye manages to impress, Dreams is a very worthwhile album indeed.

Dreams' rating 85

Floyd the Locsmif Divine Designz #1.2: Re-Discovered

An almost entirely instrumental hip-hop album, Floyd the Locsmif lays down some pretty impressive beats here, especially on "Still Luv' Huh," "Speechless" and "One for the Fam." The couple tracks that do have vocals are also very good, and show Floyd the Locsmif's potential as being a producer, especially on "Always Bless." Overall this is a great late-night album, and while it does suffer from a bit of monotony (hardly a surprise for this kind of album), there's a lot to like about Divine Designz.

Divine Designz #1.2: Re-Discovered's rating 82

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