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.

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.

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

"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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NMT Preview

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Adding a new wrinkle to the Fuzzy Thoughts webpage, I'm going to come up with previews of the album that will be released on Tuesday the day before, as well as use it as the time to serve up any other reviews/news I may have. That being said, I'm considering changing the format a bit of Fuzzy Thoughts. By that I mean, I'm considering adding on a Fuzzy Thoughts podcast. The podcast would feature all of the same news and reviews as before, with the webpage serving as more of a summarized version of what's covered on said webpage. The advantages of this switch would be that you could actually follow along with all the latest news/reviews on the go. Also, as a subscriber you'd get instantaneous updates on iTunes if you so choose, rather than having to check the RSS feed when you remember to. Of course, this is all up to you guys, the readers, so please send back your comments and let me know.

Jay-Z Officially Back

Jay-Z has officially announced that he is returning to the mic once again after a brief retirement. Despite my previous report, the new album will be entitled Kingdom Come. Look for an all-star backing as always (including a collaboration with Coldplay's Chris Martin [huh?]). A specific release date has not been given, but expect it to come out this fall.

Coming Tomorrow

The big release tomorrow is the long-awaited Food & Liquor from Chicago's own Lupe Fiasco. After several setbacks, months of waiting, and an almost complete overhaul by Lupe after having the original version pirated, the day has finally come. From the hit single "Kick Push" and his more recent release of "I Gotcha" with Pharell, I'm very confident that this will be the debut album of the year. Also coming out will be Fergie's The Dutchess, an album that should sell incredibly well based on the popularity of "London Bridge" alone. Shifting gears a bit, Ben Kweller will be releasing his latest eponymous album, and if the single "Sundress" is any indication whatsoever it should be a dandy. Kasabian will also be releasing their sophomore effort, Empire. I'm not really sure how this one will pan out-- drastically changing your sound after a first album usually doesn't work-- and the early reviews have been very lukewarm. Finally, Diana Krall will be releasing her latest album, From This Moment On.

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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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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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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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Fuzzy Bits: Damon Albarn forms new band

The lead singer of the band Blur and Gorillaz looks to have yet another project on his hands: The Good, The Bad, and The Queen. Clever name aside, it looks like Albarn has some serious talent (as always) on hand. He will be joined by bassist Paul Simonen (of the Clash), ex-Verve guitarist Simon Tong (who also played occasionally with Blur), and Tony Allen on drums (from Fela Kuti). Their debut isn't planned for release until October but of course, as new information crops up you'll be the first to know.

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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 Bits: Weezer breaking up? Future releases for the month...

Weezer break up rumors surfacing again

While it seems that this has been discussed almost after every release, it seems more and more like front-man Rivers Cuomo, along with the rest of his band, are ready to call it quits. Cuomo, who is now 36, had some really interesting news when he said that he had been writing a lot of songs, but doesn't see them being Weezer songs. At the same time, he said that he had no desire to pursue a solo career, so who knows what that means. My take on it is that I think fans would welcome a completely different Weezer album, especially if that means they don't have to put up with another Make Believe, so I don't really see what the big deal would be, but maybe they're just bored.

Upcoming Releases

July 25 is shaping up to be a busy Tuesday for new releases. Jurassic 5's heavily anticipated Feedback will be released as well as Tom Petty's Highway Companion, an album shaping up to be a real hit this summer. As far as more mainstream artists, Alien Ant Farm releases Up In The Attic, while Pharrell Williams releases his much discussed solo project, In My Mind.

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