Moon Over My Hammy

Suicidal Tendencies - Institutionalized - A Blast From The Past

Man, this song was more or less my theme song in high school. But I never knew it had a video. Thanks to Mike Hixson for pointing this out. "All I wanted was a Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me. Just one Pepsi . . . .":

My Morning Jacket Is, By And Large, Boring And Overly Self-Absorbed

There, I said it.

Another 2009 Album That I left Off From My List . . .

Heartless Bastards - The Mountain.

I haven't had time to really let this one soak in yet, but I am really digging it so far.  If I was to redo this list in a few weeks I probably would have it up there.  Good rock album with a nice, haunting sort of feel to it.

My I-Tunes Is Kicking Ass Today

You never realize how many truly crappy songs are out there until you take almost 16,000 song/75 GB of music (look at me!) and put it on shuffle.  And sometimes my i-tunes just gets in a rut.

But man it has been totally kicking ass today.  Just awesome tune after tune.  Of course it probably has alot to do with me recently adding about 10 GB of good tunes, and deleting a corresponding 10 GB of crap.

By the way, maybe I just haven't been paying attention to music the last few years but 2009 has to be just a banner year for new music.  I have now purchased/acquired tons of 2009 music, and I can say that at least 15 albums worth of music I have gotten are very very good.

I Know I'm A Little Late To The Party Here, But I Am Old And I Have A Life

Now shut up and get on my horse:

Michael Jackson Burial Ticker

44 days and counting and his body has still not been buried. Well, no reason to rush this process!

New Music Review: The Decembrists - The Hazards Of Love; Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

In the past few weeks I have bought alot of 2009 albums, wanting to check out some new stuff.  I have a few albums I really like, and I'm going to be doing a review here every once in a while about some of the albums I have checked out.

The first is The Decembrists - The Hazards of Love.  Simply put, this album is a masterpiece.  Now, as is often the case with a masterpiece, it's not something you would just casually put on and enjoy anytime.  Just like you wouldn't throw on a DVD of Schindler's List out of the blue and sit down and enjoy it, so, too, with this album.  In fact, Schindler's List is a good example of a materpiece film you might watch just once and decide you were good for the rest of your life.  The Hazard's of Love isn't quite like that, but calling it the Schinderl's List of albums is not too far off.

The album is 17 tracks long.  Through the first 6 or so tracks, i was absolutely blown away.  Speechless.  The album is much in the vein of Pink Floyd - The Wall in that it tells a complete story.  A few of the middle tracks drag a bit, but it picks back up, and fizzles maybe a bit at the end.  Maybe it's more appropriate to say you are simply worn out by the end of this album.

I highly recommend checking out this album.  Again, like a fine whine or a braised lamb shank, this isn't something to be enjoyed all the time.  But in my opinion it is really an extraordinary album, and is worth checking out.  I give it 4 1/2 out of 5 *s.

The second album I am reviewing here is Green Day's new album 21st Century Breakdown.  I am not a big Green Day fan, but I have appreciated them much more ever since I saw them live in concert.  They put on a spectacular show, and are professionals through and through.  Anyway, while this new album isn't great by any stretch, it is a very solid album and one that is very listenable and accessible. 

It, too, is one that tells a story, but that is where the similrities between it and The Hazards of Love end.  Typical Green Day punk/rock sound, and out of 17 tracks there are maybe only a couple that I would say are not real strong.  I have listened to this one several times since I got it, and would recommend.

Journey's New Lead Singer Is Asian??

This blew my mind.

Ever since I discovered this, I can't stop singing Journey songs with a stereotypical Asian accent.

I know it's wrong but I can't help myself because it is so damn funny.

Black Sabbath with Dio - Just For You Mike Hixson

I know you're busy so I did the work for you. Enjoy the pure awsomeness.

Best Voices In Rock

The following is a list of the top 5 rock voices ever, in no particular order:

(1)    Dio

(2)    Robert Plant

(3)    Chirs Cornell

(4)    David Lee Roth

(5)    Steven Tyler

Just missing the top 5 were Brian Johnson and Bon Scott, Geddy Lee, and some others I'm sure I am missing.  On an expanded list, Kurt Cobain surely deserves a place, but he is certainly not top-5.

Feel free to weigh in with your own choices here, and I will explain why you are wrong.