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

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

"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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Fuzzy Musings

Jamie Lidell- Most overdue breakthrough

Thanks in part to Grey's Anatomy & iTunes, "Multiply" has gone on to be a very successful single. The album goes far beyond Otis Redding-influenced blue eyed-soul, however, as "Multiply" might suggest. The "Purple Haze"-esque "The City" and the equally addicting "What's the Use" prove that Lidell is anything but a fluke. Sometimes Lidell suffers from going a little too crazy on the production end, to the point that you're not sure if an epileptic seizure is going to ensue from merely listening to his more abstract songs, but on the whole Multiply is a really fun record. Why it's taken me over six months to mention him is beyond my personal comprehension, but better late than never as they say-- definitely pick up Multiply.

Multiply's rating 83

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Easily one of, if not the feel good story of the year, Lupe Fiasco's debut album is pure gold. Take Kanye West and erase the now abrasive bravado and you get the hottest rapper around right now. Exquisitely conscious much like Common's Be was last year and the recently released Game Theory from the Roots, Food & Liquor doesn't try to do too much, and contains no filler whatsoever. Singles "Kick, Push" and "I Gotcha" (which is easily my favorite Pharell collaboration in recent memory) are immediate standouts. "Real," "Sunshine" (which features Jill Scott) and the politically loaded "American Terrorist" are also incredibly accomplished songs. Fiasco's strength is that he does not try to act out any sense of vibrato, and truly speaks from his heart. His introspective and provocative lyrics make for yet another outstanding hip-hop release to come out this year.

Food & Liquor's rating 95

Other artists worth listening to-

Sound Team

Ever since I saw them at Lollapalooza, I haven't been able to stop listening to their Movie Monster release. "Born to Please" and "No More Birthdays" in particular paint incredibly dense yet beautiful soundscapes that are seldom heard in today's rock music, particularly when it comes to American bands.

Movie Monster's rating 89

Under The Influence of Giants

Take the BeeGees and ABBA and mix them up, throw them in a time machine to the 21st century and leave the result a little rough around the edges for good measure. That, in a nutshell, is what Under the Influence of Giants' sound is like. Granted, they're not as overtly pop-- so sweet that you get cavities just from listening to their songs-- but they do indeed seem to have a knack for making 70's pop rock music rather catchy. Take a listen to the opening "Ah Ha," "Got Nothing," or the surreally sweet "I Love You" to find evidence of such talent, as the band not only manages to make catchy pop music, but also meaningful pop.

Under the Influence of Giants' rating 90

The Village Green

Crank up your speakers and turn on "Wrap Your Love Around Me" and witness an incredibly underrated band at their best. If they had come out a few years ago they probably would've stolen some of the thunder from bands like JET and The Vines, both of which have faltered miserably since their debut albums. Instead of relying on raucous balls to the wall rock for kicks though, The Village Green know how to write good garage rock songs, as the single shows. Other highlights include "Bullet to the Head," "Country Road," and "Rosa Glynn." The album isn't perfect, but the band shows a ton of promise.

Feeling The Fall's rating 86

Random Covers

As all of you know (or should know) by now, I have a bit of a cover song fetish. The reason for that is long and complicated, but to put it in the most simplistic terms, cover songs generally find artists at their most vulnerable. It is their declaration of admiration for the artist they're covering, and consequentially, seeing that they know that inevitably their version of said song is going to be immediately compared to the original version, it provides an opportunity of personalization. Long story short, artists almost always show their true colors when they perform a cover. In honor of that, I have a few cover songs that I've recently come across for one reason or another that I'd like to share.

The White Stripes- "Walking With a Ghost" (originally by Tegan and Sara)

If you've ever listened to the original version of this song, you're probably already starting to unconsciously rub your ears in pain. No, Jack White's falsetto is never pretty I know, but this is an interesting cover regardless. I can't say I recommend it based on the quality of the performance, just for the fact that it's really interesting to hear.

The Flaming Lips- "Knives Out" (Radiohead cover)

It should be well noted that The Flaming Lips are really, really good at cover songs (take one listen to their version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" or countless others that they've performed to find that out), but taking on Radiohead-- especially note for note-- is a whole 'nother animal. Somehow, Wayne Coyne is able to put his Thom Yorke face on and pull off an outstanding cover, that's almost as haunting as the original-- that's pretty scary.

Nickel Creek- "Toxic" and "Just" (originally done by Britney Spears and Radiohead, respectively

I'm really going to miss Nickel Creek, although I was glad I did have a chance to see them live at Lollapalooza before they broke up. Despite that, they managed to perform a few of their ever famous covers when I saw them-- "The Weight" by The Band, "Toxic" by Britney Spears and "(Nice Dream)" by Radiohead. Obviously fans of The Bends album by Radiohead, it seems that Nickel Creek also do a smashing cover of "Just" which is one of my all-time favorite Radiohead songs, and actually do it justice without the crunching electric guitar solos. "Toxic," on the other hand, is just plain fun in the purest sense. Nevermind the fact that it's simply mindblowing that Chris Thile is able to sing high enough to even hit half the notes, but the fact that you've got a bluegrass trio with enough chops (and balls for that matter) to perform a production-based wonder like "Toxic" is amazing.

Nickel Creek- Just (Radiohead Cover)

Nickel Creek- Toxic (Britney Spears Cover)

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New Music Tuesday: September 12, 2006

Yes, it's that time again and there's lots to talk about. Yo La Tengo has released an epic cd that if nothing else has the best title of any other album to be released this year, I Am Not Afraid of You And I Will Beat Your Ass. John Mayer released his highly-anticipated Continuum LP which features some interesting talent backing him up (Roy Hargrove and Ben Harper anyone?). The Rapture pull off the surprise follow up of the year with Pieces of the People We Know. If all that isn't enough, Lupe Fiasco (finally!), Mos Def, Ben Kweller, Ambulance LTD, Sean Lennon, Ludacris, Beck, Trey Anastasio, DJ Shadow, The Dears, and Jet all have albums coming out within the next few weeks. Talk about a busy fall, and we're just getting started. Before all that though, here's a bit of news...

Black Thought + Danger Mouse= Dangerous Thoughts

The long talked about Black Thought and Danger Mouse project will be called Dangerous Thoughts. I suppose neither party wanted to name themselves after a celebrity for the sake of confusion (if you still haven't gotten it yet, it's Gnarls Barkley not Charles). That being said, they have apperently laid down a few tracks already. Here's hoping this project works out and doesn't go the way of Black Thought's previous attempt at a solo album (which ended up as the Roots' Phrenology LP).

The Roots Already Working on Next Album

As if coming out with the best hip-hop album of the year wasn't enough, The Roots have started work on their next album, which has the rumored title of The Long Count. Interestingly, the album is slated to come out next year (talk about quick work).

Jay-Z Going Back to Rapping

While rumors continue to fly as to whether or not Jay-Z is leaving (on his own or by force) his post as President of Def Jam Records, there is some relatively solid information about his upcoming album. Yes, the man that supposedly was retiring for good has decided to pull a Michael Jordan and will be dropping a single next month entitled "Show Me What You Got," and his new album, rumored to be titled Presidential Gala is said to be released November 21.

Now with that bit over and done with, here are the reviews:

John Mayer Continuum

Although not nearly as daring as I think he intended it to be, especially in comparison to Try!, Continuum is still a very good album.

Musical progression is a funny thing, and sometimes the harder you try to get away from what you're used to, the easier it is to fall into certain traps. It happens to almost any artist, sure, but with a platform like Try! I have to admit I was expecting a hell of a lot more out of Mayer. All that talk of him wanting to play the blues and playing his guitar have resulted in an album that while really good anyway, is hardly a stones throw away from Heavier Things. That's not to say it's bad, John Mayer is still and always has been a very good songwriter, but between the incessant ballads and slicker-than-satin-sheets production, a lot is lost in the translation to the point that it sounds like nothing more than muzak. The first three tracks of this album prove that point marvelously, particularly with the absolutely sickening "Waiting For The World To Change", a song so horribly ripped off that I'm sure Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye simultaneously roll in their respective graves every time the song is played. "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)" and "Belief" are also very generic and despite Mayer's sharp as ever guitar solos, they're void of any real emotions thanks to the production. Mercifully, Mayer flips the switch and puts out on the rest of the tracks. "Gravity" and "Vultures," both from the Trio's Try! album are just as outstanding on this album as they were live. "The Heart of Life" and "Stop This Train" could be two of the most beautiful songs Mayer's ever written, and truly show how far Mayer has come as a songwriter both lyrically and musically. Where Mayer finally shows his chops is on his cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Bold As Love," which is ridiculously good to the point of being scary. What is particularly interesting is how Mayer manages to somehow walk along the line of blues-rock and straight pop, not to mention he rips a great guitar solo. Finally, the closer "I'm Gonna Find Another You" is a really great take on the slower motown-generation of music with just a dash of blues. This album certainly is not Try! and for anyone that might've been hoping Continuum would be the quantum leap everyone was claiming it'd be, I'd say wait for the next album. Otherwise, prepare yourself for some very well-developed songs that only get better as the album progresses. It's just unfortunate that some of the songs lose their luster due to too slick of production which weigh down the overall quality and character of some of the songs-- and particularly hurt at the beginning.

Overall Rating: 85

Yo La Tengo I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

Nevermind the old cliche, I Am Not Afraid... is as much fun as it's title would have you believe.

Believe it or not, Yo La Tengo has now been around for 22 years. Even more incredible, is that this album is just as good as their best early works, if not better. The album begins with the absolutely insane 11-minute epic "Pass The Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind" which centers around a basic yet effective bass hook, while guitarist Ira Kaplan is essentially given the green light to run wild on the guitar. The result is a surprisingly engaging and atmospheric groundwork on which the band builds on with its following tracks. The radio-friendly "Beanbag Chair" is a very well-executed pop song that makes bopping along hard to resist. Another lighthearted highlight is the incredibly fun "Mr. Tough" with its one-off salsa percussions, horns and falsetto vocals it'll immediately put a smile on your face. "Sometimes I Don't Get You" is another outstanding free-flowing piece, while "Watch Out Ronnie" is a rollicking blast that at some points seems like a lost outtake from an old episode of American Bandstand. On the slower side Yo La Tengo doesn't disappoint either with the hauntingly beautiful "Song For Mahila," the somber "I Feel Like Going Home," and the incredible 9-minute "Daphnia." Appropriately, the album closes with yet another song of epic proportions (so you get one for the beginning, one for the middle, and another for the end) entitled "The Story of Yo La Tengo." The noisy rocker makes for a fitting ending of the album, as like the rest of the album, it may sound messy at first but once it all comes together it's quite a beautiful mess. An outstanding effort, it's too bad that these guys will more than likely be overshadowed most notably by Bob Dylan when it comes down to award time.

Overall Rating: 100

The Rapture Pieces of People We Love

So they weren't a fluke after all.

"Well, maybe I overshot a little, because I was aiming at just enough to keep you from walking out." Yes, apparently Echoes wasn't As Good As It Gets for The Rapture. Pieces of People We Love is not only better than its predecessor, but it's light years away from anything they've done previously. From the opening "Don Gon Do It" it's apparent that these guys have taken their approach much more seriously. Going beyond the simple mash-up of seemingly ungodly sounds and throwing in enough beats to make it danceable, everything on this album feels much more focused, not to mention structured-- which is a good thing. Inherently, The Rapture change from being a very good dance group to a rock group that is easy to dance to-- case in point being the lead single "Get Myself Into It," which is just as good if not better than "House of Jealous Lovers" (possibly for it's addictive hook alone). Other goodies are "The Devil" and the wickedly smart and fun "Whoo! Alright Yeah... Uh Huh," which has a superbly snide ending of "People don't dance no more, they just stand there like this. They cross their arms and stare you down and drink and moan and diss." Surprisingly enough, even though there were two camps of producers working on different tracks (Paul Epworth and Ewan Pearson did eight tracks, while producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse did the remaining two), the songs are very consistent and there's a great sense of cohesion throughout. So mark me as being one of the many people that are eating their own words for thinking that The Rapture wouldn't be able to go anywhere after their previous release and that "House of Jealous Lovers" would be as good as it gets. Not only can these guys make you groove ("Gotta Get Myself Into It," "Whoo! Alright Yeah... Uh Huh") but they can also rock out quite a bit too ("Calling Me" and "The Devil"). This will surely be somewhere in the top 25 by years end.

Overall Rating: 89

Pete Yorn Nightcrawler

A return to form and then some.

Nightcrawler is a very misleading album at first listen. The incredibly dark and haunting opener "Vampyre" is a disengaging opener that doesn't completely make sense until you get through the rest of the album. Truthfully, that can be said for many of the songs-- individually they seem inconsistent and, with it's incredibly large soundstage and slick production, is hardly anything a Pete Yorn could ever identify with. However, previously released "Undercover" is a definite highlight, as is "Policies" and "Maybe I'm Right." Once you get through the album and play it again, you actually get a better idea of the album as a whole. While it certainly isn't a concept album, it's more of an acquired taste. Once the album hits it stride with its incessant rockers this point becomes all the more clear. Unlike his previous effort, Day I Forgot, Pete Yorn doesn't fall into any shortfalls in attempting to recreate the magic he made on Musicforthemorningafter. Instead, he has carved out a new mark for himself and it works. With that it seems that thankfully Pete Yorn really hasn't lost his touch, and it's nice to see that not only is he doing something different but he (at least he seems to be going by this record) is also enjoying himself. A very solid effort indeed.

Overall Rating: 87

Coming up, I'll be previewing the aforementioned upcoming albums!

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Idlewild Review

Yes, it's a beautiful movie. Outside of that, there isn't much to go wild about.

Going from the small screen to the big screen is never easy. While there are guys like (most recently) Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry that'd be more than happy to disprove that, they had mastermind Charlie Kaufman to rely on for an outstanding starting point. With Idlewild, everything is up to the collaborative thoughts of Outkast and music video director Bryan Barber. Smell trouble yet? Let me put it this way, you've got a guy that hasn't had to worry about keeping an audiences attention for more than five minutes and two (granted, vastly talented, but still) rappers making a two hour movie. That being said, the movie is all style over substance in all the wrong ways. All of the atypical musical spectacle scenes are pretty much destroyed thanks to either poor editing, bad mixing or, in many cases, both. Even if you didn't like the film Chicago, you can at least admit that it had a flair about it that Idlewild often wishes it had. To make matters worse, the plotlines surrounding Big Boi and Andre 3000 never fully intersect. So what's left is a jumbled mess of a movie that doesn't even come close to living up to what it should be. On the positive side, there are some absolutely beautiful shots in this film, to the point where Barber seemed to spend more time in finding "the perfect shot" rather than developing any form of a storyline or plot. This movie is pretty much the blueprint of what can happen when a good idea goes terribly wrong and there's no one around to right the ship. What we're left with is a maddening mosh-posh of five minute interludes that hardly constitute as a movie. It may not the worst movie of the year, but it's certainly the most disappointing.

Overall Rating: 55

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Two of the most anticipated Hip-Hop albums reviewed

I wanted to get both of these reviews out earlier (Idlewild on Friday--hoping I'd get to review the album and movie at once-- and Game Theory yesterday), but unfortunately it's a case of better late than never. I still haven't been able to see the film Idlewild yet, but expect a review soon. Anyway, without further adieu I give you two albums that were well worth the wait.

The Roots Game Theory

Funny to think that a move to Def Jam Records would spark The Roots making their most eclectic and innovative album. With that said, if you haven't bought this album already, I don't know what you're waiting for.

After releasing back to back masterpieces with the releases of Things Fall Apart and Phrenology in 1999 and 2003, respectively, The Roots scratched a ton of heads when they released The Tipping Point. Any whispers from fans of how the group wasn't the same without Malik B. when Phrenology was released became roars after The Tipping Point. While Malik B. certainly brings the most out of both the band and fellow MC Black Thought, BT himself is no amateur. Certainly one of the most underrated MC's out there, I've yet to understand why everyone dogs him as being hardly more than mediocre just because he doesn't have the persona like many of the other more outspoken rappers possess. If the fans weren't talking about that, though, they were talking about which record label The Roots would end up with next. After news of signing to Def Jam, there was a noticeable split in public opinion-- did this mean that The Roots were going mainstream? Will they finally get the marketing support they've always deserved? There were so many questions that had yet to be answered, and given the disappointing Tipping Point, going to work on Game Theory had to have been one of the most challenging missions for the band.

Now, after finally getting my hands on Game Theory, I can say without a doubt, that this is The Roots at their absolute best. If it weren't for the masterpiece Things Fall Apart, this would be considered their best album ever, hands down. This album also happens to be their darkest album ever, which is apparent from the opening track "False Media," which really brings The Roots' oft-hidden social and political commentary to the forefront. The following title track, which marks the return of Malik B. (who also appears on a couple other tracks), is an immediate highlight as the interplay between Malik B. and Black Thought over ?uestlove's well-executed beats makes you forget that these guys ever spent time apart. "Don't Feel Right," "In the Music," and "Here I Come," all of which had been previously released on both the Pre-Game EP and through independent leaks are also highlights, as is the single "Long Time."

The main difference between the eclectic energy of Game Theory and Phrenology can be best exemplified on the tracks "Take It There," "Atonement," and the closing "Can't Stop This," which serves as an outstanding dedication to Jay Dee. "Take It There" starts off much like some of the other funkier Roots tracks before the music spins off into a heavily abstracted piano riff that works wonders with Black Thought's meticulous rhymes. The result is a very poignant piece despite clocking in at under three minutes-- compare this to some of the more meandering experimentation that occurred on Phrenology. "Atonement" is a real treat, as it uses a sample of Radiohead's "You and Whose Army?" as its foundation and churns out one of the most somber and effective hip-hop tracks I've heard in a very long while. Speaking of effective, the eight-minute closer "Can't Stop This" is an extremely touching tribute to J Dilla. The song samples "Time: The Donut of the Heart" from his Donuts album-- the last album that would be released during his lifetime-- and also includes commentaries about J Dilla in both the beginning and end from various artists.

While an incredibly dark and gritty affair, Game Theory is a beautiful masterpiece. Easily, the most gripping hip-hop album I've heard. It elevates the gene to yet another notch, and, as always, The Roots prove that their at least five years ahead of the game.

Overall Rating: 100

Outkast Idlewild

This might be the first album they've released since their debut that can't be considered great. Still, being really darn good isn't bad either.

Welcome to the world of Idlewild: Big Boi and Andre 3000 still hardly work together on this album, but this time, the old-fashioned roots add a new dimension on Outkast's music, and that's really what separates this album from Stankonia/The Love Below. That's both a blessing and a curse, as it forces the ever-eclectic Dre to actually focus on a single idea, but it confines both artists to a certain extent, not to mention some tracks sound a bit like they might've been leftovers from their previous effort. All of these elements culminate into what is essentially a very good, but messy album. Both the lead single "Mighty O" and "Peaches" suffer from the familiarity factor. Sure, both are equally solid, but "Mighty O" has a few too many shades of "The Whole World" going for it, with the Cab Calloway based chorus to dress it up, while "Peaches" essentially blends in with everything that was on Speakerboxxx. It's from "Idlewild Blue (Don'tchu Worry 'Bout Me)" on that things really start to get interesting. Dre pulls off a relatively successful blues song on this track, and while he's certainly no Muddy Waters, it's an addicting and fun song nonetheless. Big Boi's best contributions come afterwards with the tracks "N2U" and the infectious college band-driven "Morris Brown." These are by far the best tracks on the album, and bring out the best aspect of the album, it's incredibly fun and always addicting. "The Train" is another standout, with its soulful horns and solid beat backing Big Boi's highly refined raps.

So what about Andre Benjamin you ask? Well his best moments besides "Idlewild Blue" come in the form of "PJ & Rooster," which gets an extra boost from Big Boi's rapping, and the cliched yet sweet "When I Look In Your Eyes." While it might be disappointing for most that Dre doesn't rap on any track outside of "Mighty O," both of the aforementioned standouts from him are a lot of fun and hold their own against Big Boi's best. These are clearly more directly related to Idlewild as well, with the sound heavily steeped in traditional ragtime, blues and depression-era musical genres. Another fun track from Dre is the ridiculously silly "Makes No Sense At All," which features PJ from the movie clearly improving a song for lack of having any music. As the title indicates, the song makes no sense at all, but it's a lot of fun and is something I think only Dre would be able to pull off. As per usual, Outkast's album ends with the epic "A Bad Note," which is also an appropriately titled song. Besides that it sonically comes out of left field, the song never really goes anywhere, taking about six minutes of a distorted electric guitar before the George Clinton vocals come in. This song easily hearkens back to Stankonia, unfortunately it's not as good, and really doesn't make for a good note to end the album on. Overall this is a good album, and if it weren't for the fact that Outkast had been spending the past ten years making perfect music, I don't think it would be considered as much of a blemish. Instead, as it is, Big Boi and Dre need to start figuring out a way to work together again, because you can only release so many two-disc solo projects as Outkast albums before people start figuring it out..

Overall Rating: 85

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Bob Dylan's Modern Times

Bob Dylan Modern Times

It's positively astonishing how good this album is. Outside of Johnny Cash, I can't think of an artist (at least in recent times) that has managed to not only maintain a prominent position in music, but also continuously release some of the most important music that can be heard for years to come.

For anyone that might've even had a passing thought that Bob Dylan has fallen off as of late, I dare you to listen to this record and not thoroughly enjoy every waking second of it. The voice may not be the same, but from the minute "Thunder on the Mountain" begins, you know this is Dylan at his very best. His lyrics are as poignant and clever as ever, and his band sounds just as inspired. Uptempo numbers like the aforementioned opener, "Rollin' and Tumblin'" and "Someday Baby" are all as good as ever. "Spirit on the Water" is another great love song that Dylan can add to his collection. Its bouncy beat matched with the airy electric guitar blend perfectly with Bob Dylan's sweetly sincere lyrics. While all of these songs are semi-familiar territory for Dylan (with somewhat of an exception going to "Spirit on the Water") it's on the slower songs and ballads where Dylan truly impresses. His dark, smoky vocals match his equally dark yet often-inspirational lyrics now more than ever, and songs like "Workingman's Blues #2" show just how pertinent Dylan can be for not just his followers but all audiences even today. This is a complete masterpiece from start to finish, and is an album that stacks up well to some of Dylan's finest early accomplishments and is superior to his last acclaimed album, Love and Theft. The real surprise is that Dylan is able to maintain focus for the entirety of the album, despite each song being over five minutes long. Finally, when you factor in his age, and how few artists are able to overwhelm expectations every time as their career goes on, this album should stand as a true testament to not only his ability but also his drive. Highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 100

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Movie Roundup: Talladega Nights, Little Miss Sunshine, and Snakes on a Plane

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

While certainly not as funny as Anchorman, the combination of Will Ferrell, Gary Cole, and John C. Reilly make for a very fun hour and a half.

Talladega Nights can attribute its success to its supporting cast, a statement that can't be as easily made about Anchorman. While Ferrell's antics (most notably the unfortunately overexposed scene in which his character, Ricky Bobby, thinks he's on fire), can and do mark great highlights in the film, it's the timely comedic acting of Gary Cole (as the father Reese Bobby), John C. Reilly (as friend Cal Noughton Jr.), and others that made the film as enjoyable as it was. Also a plus, all of the racing sequences were shot incredibly well, giving a surprising shot of adrenaline to the film. While the film suffers from a few slow points, it is quickly revived by the last half of the movie, which focuses on a much older Reese working with his son once again to regain his confidence in the only way he knows how (which leads to a few scenes of very humorous situational comedy) and, finally, the interaction between Ferrell and his rival within the film played by Sascha Baron Cohen. Oddly enough, this would have to be the most normal role to date for Cohen (of Da Ali G Show and Borat fame) as frenchman Terry Cheveaux. That's not to say he's tame, as he pushes the French stereotypes about as far as possible, but he's hardly an outlandish character. All in all, the unneveness slightly hurt what was an otherwise fun but semi-forgettable film, which is something that can't be said about any other Will Ferrell movie that I can think of. That being said, it's probably the most interesting a NASCAR-themed mainstream film can get.

Overall Rating: 81

Little Miss Sunshine

In a summer season where even decent films were hard to come by, Little Miss Sunshine finally gives us the great summer indie film we were hoping for.

Perfect from beginning to end, Little Miss Sunshine is the kind of movie that only comes along once every few years. The film features a perfect mix of acting and writing, along with stellar performances from the entire cast, most notably Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette and Steve Carell. While the movie surrounds the story of Olive, played wonderfully by Abigail Breslin, the road movie shows an uncompromising depth in that it allows for each of the family members a great amount of freedom to individually grow and avoid the many pitfalls that most ensemble comedies fall into-- most notably one-dimensionalism. Instead, the backstories for the most part are well-developed and while the family originally comes off as being one more bad seed away from a possible Springer show guest appearance, their heart and own individual warmth that they shared (especially at the end) really speaks volumes about not only the ensemble casting but also the outstanding writing job by Michael Arndt. Top it off with a couple of completely unexpected turns and you've got by far the best film of the summer, and possibly the best of the year so far. Highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 100

Snakes on a Plane

For better or worse, I can pretty much guarantee that-- barring a severe case of amnesia-- Snakes on a Plane is a movie experience I will never forget. While the box office numbers may not show it, Snakes on a Plane will probably go down as one of the most noteworthy cult films in recent history.

I walked in knowing what to expect: snakes on a plane, Samuel L. Jackson yelling ("No I can't stop yelling, 'cause that's how I talk!" As the joke goes) and kicking ass, bad acting, worse dialogue, and, of course, a rowdy crowd. What I didn't expect, however, is just how much I would actually enjoy the movie, not to mention how much of an intense gross-out fest it would be. While I color myself surprised, I'd like to check whatever credibility I may have and say that Snakes on a Plane represents what should be at the core of every blockbuster movie, and once upon a time, was at the core of every blockbuster-- and that is the simple fact that Snakes is a fantastically fun movie. The movie doesn't make any sense at all, and has plot holes the size of many large countries, and of course the acting is bad, but just like Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series, all of these "mistakes" are so obviously intentional given the large number of self-referential material (how many movies add lines and scenes based on comical blog responses?) that as long as you check your brain at the door, you'll enjoy every waking minute of the movie. That's not to say that it's all fun and games with Snakes on a Plane as it does carry a bit of (no pun intended) bite as well, and does hold its own as a horror/thriller movie in the crudest form. The snakes are definitely cool, and the death scenes are about as painful and/or gross as possible, which adds to the perpetual tension that continues throughout. As icing on the cake, it's obvious that Samuel L. Jackson is loving every single minute of being in this movie, and you have fun being a part of the magic with him. The supporting cast adds enough flare through their ridiculous quirks that the movie is just about as entertaining and ridiculous as it can get on all sides. I can't shake the feeling that this movie is going to be something that's talked about for a very long time, for better or worse. Between its absolutely genius marketing and unforgettable moviegoing experience, Snakes on a Plane, at the very least, will be known as the first great cult classic of this decade.

Overall Rating: 90

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Dirty Pretty Things reviewed

Dirty Pretty Things Waterloo to Anywhere

A very significant album, Dirty Pretty Things are almost good enough on this album to make you forget about the Libertines. (Key word though, is almost.)

While Pete Doherty has ridden his Babyshambles project, not to mention his own life, into the ground and then even further, ex-Libertine bandmates have released a commendable album under the name Dirty Pretty Things. The band is as vibrant and tight as ever before, with Barat filling in superbly on vocals. The single "Bang Bang You're Dead" is easily the highlight of the album, showing what great potential the group has-- something that should be easier to reach without Doherty's antics to hold them back. That's not to say there aren't other very good tracks though. "Gin and Milk," "The Enemy," "You Fucking Love It," and "Wondering" are all also very well done. "You Fucking Love It" in particular can be attributed as being the sharpest and rowdiest the band has sounded in a very long time. If nothing else, this album should prove that the Libertines aren't dead after all, and that Carl Barat certainly knew what he was doing when he decided to form his own group. While Libertine fans will almost instinctively compare this album for better or for worse to all previous Babyshambles/Libertines work, relative newcomers that are looking for a dose of addicting british punk rock music should be satisfied with Waterloo to Anywhere.

Overall Rating: 83

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Lollapalooza 2006: In review

Jeff Tweedy (Wilco frontman), in all his shaggy glory, was very happy to play in front of his hometown crowd.

Going into Lollapalooza this year, there were two things almost everyone in attendance were sure of: One is that Lollapalooza would be much bigger than last year and two being that there should be three days of incredible live music. What wasn't expected though was everyone's decision to do a cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," a song that was played at least five times-- including Gnarls' own performance. Also unexpected was the genuinely nice weather that lasted all weekend long. All and all, it was an oustanding showing this year, and using Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy to sum it up, "I'm very proud of you, Chicago." With that said, here is an in-depth look at Lollapalooza 2006.

Surprises

The Go! Team got the crowd going on day 2.

Two of the biggest surprises this year came from The Go! Team and The Hold Steady, a couple of groups that I was pretty familiar with before, but had no idea what I was in for when it came to live performances. The Hold Steady really translates well live, and I was disappointed that they weren't offered a shot at getting an afterset at the House of Blues-- they're pretty much the ultimate late night party band. Between Craig Finn's incredibly witty lyrics while performing, and even funnier stories and musings in between songs (many of which were either religion or baseball related), he had the audience drawn to him in a way that's very difficult to do in such a large setting. For my money, these guys were among the highlights of the show. The Go! Team has carried quite a reputation for being an amazing live show with their unrelenting energy and crowd interaction. Yet, even knowing that going in, I still wasn't ready for what would be one of the most fun performances of the weekend. Sure, there were other bands that were better, but in terms of fun, The Go! Team were about as good as it gets, with lead vocalist Ninja mustering up more dance moves than I thought would be possible given the humidity. Another surprise was from the Austin, TX group Sound Team. While I have been a fan of many other Austin, TX groups (Spoon and perhaps lesser-known Fastball come to mind), I still wasn't expecting these guys to be as good as they were. They certainly weren't flashy, but their atmospheric wall-to-wall sound of guitar matched to solid lyrics and musicianship made for a very entertaining one-hour set. The final surprise goes to bluegrass group Nickel Creek (pictured left).

While I was already familiar with their exceptional abilities as musician, seeing them live gave a completely new perspective on them as a group-- as by setlists end they were easily one of the most laid-back groups to perform out of the three days. They threw in a few surprising covers as they did Radiohead's "Nice Dream," which came complete with a mini-rant compliments of frontman Chris Thile of how much they like Radiohead and how incredible Thom Yorke is,
and the shockingly good cover of Britney
Spears' "Toxic." Another nice touch was the band throwing in a cover of The Band's "The Weight" during their performance of "The Fox." Add in a two minute tap dancing session by bassist Mark Schatz, and you've got yet another highlight from the California-based band.

Dissapointments

Gnarls Barkley and their backup band, all adorned in Wimbledon gear, unfortunately left many disappointed.

Unfortunately, these come with the territory of having such large scale music festivals. The biggest disappointment though, and most easily preventable, was the terrible sound. While most of the sound leakage was fixed-- a problem that plagued last year's Lollapalooza-- there were far too many performances ruined by bad sound. The most infamous of these problems was during Kanye West's performance to which even he said "someone might be getting fired tonight."

"Can you hear me now?" Kanye's sound problems left many fans in the dark for the first half of the show.

Besides that, Gnarls Barkley, or more specifically Cee-Lo, dissapointed-- his voice was so shot that at times the background singers were more audible. It didn't help things that 99% of the people that were there were only there to hear "Crazy"-- a song that had already been covered by everyone from Mates of State to The Raconteurs.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers perhaps gave the crowd a bit too much Stadium Arcadium and not enough BloodSugarSexMagik

The final disappointment was the Red Hot Chili Peppers' setlist. The performance itself was incredible, even if it was the Flea and Frusciante talent show more often than not, but since the setlist only included a couple songs from before the album Californication, it was hard to be completely satisfied. Sleater-Kinney and Death Cab for Cutie round out the last two disappointments of the night. Sleater-Kinney, despite performing their second to last concert, really seemed to lack energy, and even though they went 15 minutes over in their set, they only seemed to be going through the motions. Death Cab for Cutie, after performing a marvelous headliner last year, disappointed with a fairly mediocre setlist-- leaving the majority of casual fans in the cold and even driving away a few of the die-hards.

Highlights

Mike James (frontman of My Morning Jacket) and company completely rocked out during their one hour set.

While the headliners were all quite fine and good, the band that really made the most of their hour was My Morning Jacket. They were already my pick to be one of the best bets this year, despite playing at the same time as The Raconteurs, and certainly didn't disappoint. While ordinarily it'd be a bad thing that the majority of songs were from their latest two albums, considering that they're the two most acclaimed in their collection, it seemed to be the most logical. Jim James' howling vocals were even more chill inducing live than they were on album and each of the solos were incredibly crisp as well. In addition to possibly setting the record for most props used on a Lollapalooza stage, The Flaming Lips were in top form as well, with lead singer Wayne Coyne encouraging sing alongs and fan participation all through the set. Adding a touch of nostalgia, the Flaming Lips introduced "She Don't Use Jelly" using a clip from an old Chicago performance. All in all it was a great show, with the extra flare of Wayne Coyne walking on the audience in his inflated bubble, the hundreds of extras dancing on stage, and inflatable santas and aliens all adding to the flare.

The Flaming Lips put on quite the spectacle, pulling out all the stops possible during their hour long set.

Kanye West, technical difficulties aside, put on a great show that will surely be remembered for many years to come, as it marked his first grand-scale homecoming. Similarly, Wilco, also put on an outstanding showing in front of lead singer Jeff Tweedy's hometown, and performed a number of new songs for the crowd on hand. Eels definitely put on one of the stranger shows, which was to be expected, but what wasn't expected (at least from me) was how they managed to rock from beginning to end without any hesitation, including closing out with a cover of "I Put a Spell on You" and, finally, "That's Life."

Wolfmother (bottom right)put on an outstanding show that the crowd really got into, as seen through the numerous body surfers and the giant mosh pit that took place towards the front of the stage. Each of the band members, particularly lead singer Andrew Stockdale, had a stage presence rarely seen from such a relatively new band.

Between the great crowd, relatively nice weather, and good performances all-around, I have to say that this year's Lollapalooza was even better than I was anticipating. Hopefully next year, Perry Farrell and company will look to improve both the sound as well as the number of food booths next year. As far as lineup predictions are concerned, maybe next summer will finally be the year we see a Smashing Pumpkins reunion, or maybe even a Radiohead apperance. Time will tell, but as always, I will release any info as it becomes available.

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New Music Tuesday (Jurassic 5, Tom Petty, and more)

Today marked the release of a few heavily anticipated albums, chief among them Jurassic 5's long awaited release of Feedback, Tom Petty's return with Highway Companion, and finally Pharrell's long talked about solo release of In My Mind.

Stinker Alert!

Looking at the last album first, Pharrell's album, in a word, is awful. Whether or not you'd like to consider him to be an innovator in the hip-hop world as a producer is one thing, but setting mediocre rhymes and worse vocals to videogame music is hardly anything groundbreaking, much less worthwhile. Even if you're a fan of Pharrell/NERD/Neptunes, do yourself a favor and make a trip to a listening booth before you put down any money on this album.

Jurassic 5 Feedback

As always, you can expect feedback to be mixed on this effort.

Thankfully, the increasingly unbearable wait of Jurassic 5's album came out much better than Pharrell's. However, it's hard to argue that Feedback was indeed worth the wait. The opener "Back 4 U" gives the album a great start before it stumbles out of the blocks with the bland "Radio" and "Brown Girl (Suga Plum)." From "Gotta Understand" until the end of the album though, J5 punches through with very well done old-school hip-hop that at the best moments certainly outdo their previous effort, and sometimes come close to matching the finer moments on Quality Control. The single "Work It Out" featuring Dave Matthews Band is a fun, laid-back summer jam, while "Baby Please" takes its inverted Al Green backdrop and matches it perfectly with well-timed rhymes. Another mentionable is "End Up Like This," which is really the tragic romantic storytelling rap that "Thin Line" should've been, and is a perfect endnote for the album. Overall, this is sometimes among J5's strongest work, but it suffers from the same thing that all previous albums have suffered from, inconsistency. Beyond that, there's a lot for fans new and old alike, and with all the touring that Jurassic 5 has been doing with bands such as DMB, maybe they're hoping to reach a new audience.

Overall Rating: 81

Tom Petty Highway Companion

It may not be the grand return to form everyone was hoping for, but it's not bad.

Tom Petty's latest perhaps should've been called "Sleepy Hollow" as Petty spends almost the entirety of the album on cruise control, methodically running through each americana-tinged track with varying degrees of success. At its best, Petty comes up with such great songs as "Saving Grace," "Flirting With Time," and "Big Weekend," which aren't great in terms of their creativity-- many of these songs feel like displaced B-sides from Petty's earlier works-- but within their simple frameworks they are impressive for both Petty's presence as well as his unrelenting knack for making even the most mundane song accessible. On the other hand, tracks like "Ankle Deep" and "Turn This Car Around," really make you want to turn your car around and return the album. They're not bad or offending in any way, especially within the context of an already laid-back album, these tracks suffer from a coma-inducing monotony that few other artists outside of Yanni can take pride in causing. With the seven remaining tracks, they are all resigned to Petty's own reclusive musings and can really only be designated as typical. There's nothing new or groundbreaking here, although, for anyone that has paid attention to Tom Petty's music for the last few years, that's to be expected. In addition, given Tom Petty's last release was the atrocious Last DJ, it's probably just as well that Petty decided not to stray too far from his most familiar path after all.

Overall Rating: 80

The Roots Pre-Game EP

I've been trying to refrain from making this statement for a few months now, but I can't hold it in any longer: The Roots' Game Theory will be, hands down, the best album of the year. Proof of this should come in the form of this Ep, appropriately named Pre-Game. The first track is the lead single "Don't Feel Right," which has been my favorite track for some time now since ?uestlove released a special mix version on the Okayplayer website. While definitely a bit of a slow burn compared to the singles the Roots have released lately-- it's more "Next Movement" than "Boom!"-- Black Thought and the crew are just as solid as ever. Where they really step it up is on the next track, "Here I Come." Malik B. gives a huge boost on this track, his intensity matching one the most dense tracks that the Roots have ever done and, frankly, makes the stuff off of Phrenology look tame. "In the Music" is yet another dark track, and while it isn't the heavy-hitter that the two previous tracks were, it's just as engaging. The last track is "Bread & Butter," yet another track out of left field (or, more appropriately, the Delta), which features a handclap-laden blues/gospel-tinged backdrop (complete with muffled wailing). From each of these four tracks, four complete differentiating sides of the Roots come through, each of them equally creative and somewhat groundbreaking. While many (including myself) would say that The Tipping Point was little more than an intriguing failure, it was already apparent that its purpose was to serve, in addition to allowing the group to move on to Def Jam, as a platform for their next great undertaking-- the upcoming release of Game Theory.

Overall Rating: 100

There will be more reviews/news coming tomorrow and after the air finally clears I'll be able to get back to the Lollapalooza preview just in time for the start of the festival.

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Fuzzy Thoughts Profiles Lollapalooza 2006: The Main Acts Pt I

Here's the first of the Lollapalooza profiles, and to quote (roughly) Reservoir Dogs, we'll be going "first thing last." That being said, it'll be main acts (everyone performing post 6:30pm) first and then the other guys afterwards. Since I'll be in Vegas next week, I can't promise that I'll be churning out posts as quickly as I usually can, but I'll put some new posts up whenever possible.

Blues Traveler August 6 adidas-Champs Stage (7:30-8:30)

Alongside the now-defunct Phish, Blues Traveler carried on the jamband torch most notably started by the Grateful Dead for a new era of fans. With the big hit of "But Anyway" from their 1990 debut, Blues Travelers made it big and haven't really looked back since. Although inconsistency and tragedy plagued the band in the mid 90's, two factors which have still hurt the band to this day, they are still mildly popular though pale in comparison to fellow mates Dave Matthews Band. Despite that, Blues Traveler still knows how to perform live, so look for them to make the most of their one hour set. Besides the aforementioned "But Anyway," some other hits of theirs includes: "Hook," "Run Around," "The Mountains Win Again," "Girl Inside My Head," "Let Her and Let Go," and most recently "Amber Awaits."

Recommended Albums

Bastardos! (2005)

Truth Be Told (2003)

Four (1994)

Blues Traveler (1990)

Broken Social Scene August 6 Q101 Stage (7:30-8:30)

Indie rock group Broken Social Scene is likely one of the most critically acclaimed bands around at the moment, and that acclaim is very well deserved. Their debut album Feel Good Lost was an all instrumental effort that showed loads of potential, which they fulfilled on their follow-up You Forgot It In People. Most recently, Broken Social Scene released an arguably even better eponymous album this past year, which was listed very highly on my top albums of 2005.

Recommended Albums

Broken Social Scene (2005)

You Forgot It In People (2002)

Common August 5 AT&T Stage (6:30-7:30)

Still flying high from his most recent album BE, Common is well-regarded as being one of the better underground hip-hop artists of the past half-decade. From his frequent work with such respected artists like The Roots, Erykah Badu, Roy Hargrove, and most recently Kanye West, Common is as diverse as they come. Reflecting that, Common's audience is as varied as Common's own music, so even if you aren't necessarily a fan of most hip-hop, you might find that you like Common regardless. Most notable singles for Common include "Go," "The Corner," "Come Close," and "The Light."

Recommended Albums

Be (2005)

Like Water For Chocolate (2000)

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Concert Review: Damien Rice/Fiona Apple

Just so you know, Lollapalooza mini-profiles will be on their way throughout the weekend. Due to both a busy schedule and downtime in the server, I've been unable to get them out beforehand so I'm just going to bump them back a bit and instead do this review. Sorry for the inconvenience (didn't want you to think I'd forgotten about them).

Damien Rice/Fiona Apple Live at Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island (7/13/06)

First off, I have to say that the Charter One Pavilion is an absolutely gorgeous venue, I do sincerely hope that it stays a part of the city's lakefront permanently. The space is relatively intimate, housing a crowd of about 5,000. Unfortunately, tonight's show was not sold out-- a real shame considering both of their performances.

Damien Rice opened the show with The Blower's Daughter Part II and once he started, he never lost his form. Consistently delivering exorbitantly passionate vocals and guitar solos-- especially on "Volcano", "Woman Like a Man" and "Delicate"-- Rice had much of the crowd standing on their feet by the end of his set. Fulfilling a request by the crowd, his encore entailed an absolutely superb performance of "The Professor & La Fille Danse" to which he really worked his magic by looping his vocals and guitar over and over until it finally swirled amongst the crowd.

If that weren't enough, there was still Fiona who had yet to come on stage. With Apple's performance there was a bit of a build-up, as it seemed like either her voice was shot from the night before or she just didn't quite get into it yet, but once she got there, she really made sure that everyone got their money's worth and thensome. Between her on-stage antics that would make Janis Joplin look calm, and the undeniable talent showcased by her band, Fiona Apple had a ever present connection between herself in the crowd. As such, she sung her heart out on every piece, and was especially good on "I Know," "Slow Like Honey," and "Love Ridden." On her higher energy tracks, Apple adjusted herself accordingly-- and really seemed to be energized by the end. Apple herself (as well as the crowd) was going well enough that she could've performed for an additional hour had she been able to. Instead, after her semi-intentionally funny story about bugs (in which she confesses her fear of killing them but justifies it by saying "the little f****** should move"), she performed "Paper Bag" before streaming into her other hit songs. After a five minute encore break, she returned to do a really lovely acoustic version of "Extraordinary Machine" as well as others.

This concert (and tour for that matter) is quite interesting because both Fiona Apple and Damien Rice are incredibly emotionally raw artists to the point that you can not only see or hear their emotions, but also feel them. While Rice's anger, hurt and frustration was placed solely in the form of his music, Fiona really does let it all unfold the way she wants it to, and that's pretty admirable. While some (and these people were in attendance too) were completely thrown by her antics, others embraced it-- it's hard to be in between. That being said, this is one of the finer concerts I've been to, and I look forward to seeing them whenever they may stop by the Windy City again.

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Fuzzy Thoughts: Lollapalooza Day Three

So we've come to the conclusion of the Lollapalooza preview. While day three may not have the big names that day two featured, there is a lot of top talent here, so it should be arguably the most interesting of the three day set. First though, I offer the following tips for the first-timers that aren't really sure what to expect out of Lollapalooza:

1. More than likely, it will be really hot. Last year it was well over 100 and humid, so get to know the concessions stands really well. You can bring your own water and camelback backpacks so that is also a good plan for the thrift-minded.


2. There is lots of food to choose from at Lollapalooza, but if you'd like to, you can venture off elsewhere and find somewhere else to eat (and perhaps some AC in the process). While there's more than enough available for you to be able to walk around and just find something, you can always check out Metromix to find something specific.


3. Don't forget about the autograph tent! There's almost always someone good over there after performances, so be sure to check out their schedule, and get there early.


4. Stay alert for secret performances, aftershows, etc. as they're almost a certainty.


5. Yes, it'll be crowded, but everyone's there just to have some fun. For a first-year run event, Lollapalooza was run extremely well last year, and despite the massive growth in size this year, I'm thinking that Perry & Co. are going to pull through once again in running a great operation.

Hopefully that will clear up some of the questions and concerns and, if not, feel free to post a comment. With that in mind, I'll move right along to my picks for the grand finale that is day three of Lollapalooza.

From Opening until 2:30

Surprisingly enough, the opening set is one of my "must-see" picks, as Jim Noir is performing (appropriately enough) at the adidas-Champs stage at 11:45. For those of you that aren't familiar with Noir, his single "Eanie Meany" has served as the background music for the outstanding adidas World Cup commercials that you might've seen (I'm still upset that France lost, ridiculous head butt aside). Noir has also attained an incredible amount of hype with his full length album titled Tower of Love, which was already released overseas and will be here August 8-- making the timing of his performance at Lollapalooza all the better. Following that should be yet another great show from local band (Highland Park to be exact) The Redwalls. They absolutely blew away the crowd (myself included) last year and have been riding a high horse ever since. From one hot band to another, look for The Hold Steady to put on a very solid show for their hour-long set.

From 2:30 until 6:30

I was a bit surprised that Ben Kweller was selected once again as he hasn't released anything new since his so-so release On My Way. On the other hand there is the pop/country/bluegrass group Nickel Creek, that also knows how to put on a show. I'm picking Nickel Creek easily over Ben, as much as I like the guy, because I'm betting that Nickel Creek really puts on a big-time show. If you're looking for something under the radar, check out The Benevento-Russo Duo. Though they're only performing for 45 minutes, they're a very intriguing avant-garde jazz duo (think of a poor man's Medeski, Martin & Wood). At 3:30, Andrew Bird will be performing, and there's really no contest if you're wondering who you should see then. Bird is just about as good as it gets, and he should definitely let everyone else know that much with his performance. Coming in at 4:30 are Matisyahu and The Shins. My personal pick goes to The Shins, I can't really take Matisyahu all that seriously (bad reggae is bad reggae, period), although I might leave early to check out Of Montreal who performs (for some strange reason) from 5:00-6:00pm. It seems to me that it'd make much more sense to have them paired off against Poi Dog Pondering and She Wants Revenge (which is a little bit like choosing whether you'd like to poke your left or right eye out), but oh well.

From 6:30 until Close

Once again, I'm torn with the 6:30 performances. If it were almost any other act, I would go with Queens of the Stone Age and never look back. If you're looking to rock out and really get hyped about the Chili Peppers performance, QOTSA would be the band to see. However, seeing that this is Chicago's own Wilco that is performing at the same time, there's no way I can go against them. I've been waiting to see Wilco far too long to let the opportunity pass by, and if the heavy stuff isn't for you anyway you would more than appreciate their wonderful sound. Afterwards, I'll head over to check out Broken Social Scene, because I can't really see Blues Traveler doing all that much in a one hour set-- they fare much better when they're able to jam out. To make up for missing them, I do plan on possibly seeing their HOB aftershow, which I think would probably be more fun anyway, but I may change my mind. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the last set of the day, so you don't really have much of a choice to see anything else. Given how incredibly happy I was with Stadium Arcadium though, I'm really excited to see how those songs transfer over live.

Aftersets?

There are none that have been officially listed surprisingly, but I'm pretty sure that will change, I'll keep you posted.

Well that's the conclusion of day three and thus also the preview of Lollapalooza. In the next coming days I'll be throwing up profiles of some of the artist to give you some information on them without having to scour the internet. Here's a breakdown of my picks for day three:

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