I wanted to do this, then gave up, but changed my mind again -- so here we go with a track by track review of Death Cab for Cutie's "Narrow Stairs".
Track 1 - Bixby Canyon Ridge: This one starts off a little rough, but gets better as it winds along. This is definitely the type of track that needs a little time to grow on you before it hits that typical Death Cab place of floating around your head for days on end. I always pay particular attention to the opening track of any album because it sets the tone. Death Cab has done a mostly good job in choosing these songs...."Title Track", "The New Year" and "Marching Bands of Manhattan" are among my favorite songs by the band, and I doubt that its any accident that these are from the albums I count as my 3 favorite by the band.
Track 2 - I Will Possess Your Heart: This is a fantastic song. This isn't a band that excels at the extended jam, and rather than try here, they simply let the song build to the verse and chorus. Brilliant, and it will stick in your mind (I had to fight the urge to use "possess your..." there). Lyrically, this might be the creepiest song I've heard since "Every Breath You Take" by the Police.
Track 3 - No Sunshine: Didn't like it at first. Too bouncy, too cheesy. Saw the video the other day, and it's a rare glimpse into the sense of humor of a band that doesn't display it on record all that much. Since seeing the video, the song's been stuck in my head. So not an all time classic or anything, but a great pop song with some darker-than-you'd expect lyrics.
Track 4 - Cath....: One reason I was curious to hear this song...my wife is Katherine, goes by Kate, and HATES to be called Kathy and nears violence when she hears Kath. The opening guitar riff drew me in, and this became my favorite song on the album. There is always at least one song on each Death Cab album that compels you to dissect the lyrics and understand the story behind them. "Title and Registration", "What Sarah Said...", "Styrofoam Plates"....This one belongs with all of them. It's also the first Death Cab song I can think of that would sound just as much at home on another album as it does on it's own album. This one would fit perfectly on "We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes." That's a good thing if you don't know that album.
Track 5 - Talking Bird: Another thing every Death Cab album has featured is a song that just never clicks with me. So far, I skip this one every time through. Sometimes, these songs come back around, but I don't think this one will.
Track 6 - You Can Do Better Than Me: Prototypical Death Cab lyrics and song title. Musically, it sounds like an old Beach Boys song. A good track, but not one that transcends that "I'm in the mood to listen to DCFC" thing, so would be skipworthy in some cases.
Track 7 - Grapevine Fires: This might not make much sense, I suppose, but while "Cath..." is my favorite track on the album, "Grapevine Fires" is the best song. The lyrics are about the wildfires in California, but what makes this a great song is that you can dive into the lyrics and be rewarded, but musically, it's laid back piano shuffle is just as great. This belongs among the best of Death Cab, without a doubt.
Track 8 - Your New Twin Size Bed: Another prototypical Death Cab affair, but I like this one better than track 6. Nothing all that special about it, aside from that.
Track 9 - Long Division: Another standout. This is the closest they come to rocking out. The opening drums/bass rhythm suggest this might be a retread of "We Laugh Indoors", but from there it reminds me more of "Company Calls" than "Indoors"....that is also a good thing. This one will stick in your head, too.
Track 10 - Pity and Fear: It is not often that Death Cab reminds me of the Dave Matthews Band -- OK, never is a better word -- but this one does. DMB's "Before These Crowded Streets" featured several songs that had a middle eastern vibe to them, and that was the band's big departure from the norm at the time. That's immediately what I thought of when I first listened to this song. It's easily the most different Death Cab song I can think of, and for that alone it's a standout. Having said that, it's not a song that would have a place in your mind when taken outside of the album.
Track 11 - The Ice is Getting Thinner: Not bad, but this sounds like another version of "The Stable Song", which of course was a reworking of "Stableness". Fitting closer to the album, but not a strong track on its own.
Overall opinion -- Even with the benefit of some time to really digest the album, this one falls just short of my expectations. To be fair, my expectations were pretty high, so that's not to suggest that this isn't a very good album. "Transatlanticism" was my first exposure to DCFC, and remains my favorite. From there, I worked backwards and found that all of their work was solid, and often great. "Plans" stuck with me instantly -- I remember that just after buying that album, I felt like I had to listen to it at least once a day, which is a practice I haven't fallen into since high school when I couldn't afford a new album every couple of weeks. "Narrow Stairs" isn't sticking with me quite the same way. What I do really like about the album is that it's a proper album, much like all of Death Cab's outings besides "The Photo Album". The tracks each have their own merits, but are much better as part of a whole than most could possibly be on their own. That is something that is becoming more and more rare in today's music world. Another thing that I've liked about all of Death Cab's albums, and it's especially true here....There's room for 14 or 15 tracks on a CD, but Death Cab keeps things to 11 songs. While there is that one track that I don't like, it's a stronger album for keeping the skip-worthy fair to a minimum. If you're a fan of this band, you will like what you hear (you probably also have had this album for several weeks). If you're new to the band, this isn't a bad place to start, but there are better choices.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Death Cab, Coldplay and REM Live
It's been a long time since I've had something to say (obviously), so lot's to catch up on. First things first.....Please send your thoughts and best wishes to all of the people in the midwest dealing with the flood waters. If you can do more, you should.
Ok, on to the trivial stuff.
***Saw REM at the United Center on 6/6. 4th time I've seen the band, and it immediately leap frogged the preceeding two shows to be my second favorite REM show that I've seen. For grins, I've been reading some old reviews of REM's last couple of albums, and I find it funny to read that Reveal, Around the Sun and Accelerate were all reviewed as "return to form" efforts by several reviewers. Now, Accelerate is the closest to that mark, but you can read my thoughts on that in a previous post. Anyway, the show was fantastic. The National and Modest Mouse formed a great 1-2 punch as openers, and REM seemed to be having more fun playing live than I've seen since the Green tour. After opening with Living Well is the Best Revenge, we went 5 or 6 songs without hearing another from the new disc. That's mining your catalog. A few that I wish I could have heard (Driver 8, Auctioneer), a few I was thrilled to hear (These Days, Pretty Persuasion, Fall on Me with Mr. Johnny Marr) and a couple I wish they'd have skipped (Animal, Walk Unafraid), but all in all a fantastic show.
***I've been meaning to tackle Death Cab for Cutie's "Narrow Stairs" with the same track-by-track review as I did for Acclerate. I won't go into that much detail. It doesn't quite resonate with me the same way Plans and Transatlanticism did, but still is a VERY good album. There are some classic tracks, and the song "Cath...." would fit nicely on any of their discs, which is saying something when you consider that they haven't made a bad record yet.
***The real thing that has my brain spinning today is the new Coldplay. I am tempted to wait a month or so to say anything about it. When X&Y came out, I immediately told people that it was fantastic. But over time -- not that much time in fact -- it put me in a place where I was almost done with Coldplay altogether. For all the great moments on that disc, I could never shake the feeling that it was a big band feeling like they needed to make their big record, and while they succeeded more than failed, what I was left with was an album that didn't feel like a band effort. Slick production is fine, but sometimes a simple approach serves a song better, and nothing on X&Y sounded like that was the case.
Something I really hate about the CD era and now the digital download era is that the music industry seems to be compelled to always fill up the extra space allowed by the formats. More often than not, I come away from albums thinking that it would be a classic if only it weren't for those two songs in the middle that just suck. "Viva La Vida" shows this as well as any big new album does (Accelerate, at just over 1/2 an hour proves the point as well). This record feels like something the 4 band members did together. It has a unified feeling, and if you're an iTunes nerd like me, you'll actually be treated to that rare bonus track that is actually better than the album version (the song Lost).
The album is a bit of a stretch for the band, but doesn't stray so far that it doesn't sound like Coldplay. Thankfully, Brian Eno seems to have told Chris Martin that the falsetto is more effective when he DOESN'T use it on every song. It shows up, but feels much more in tune with the moment of the song where he busts it out. There are some departures -- Lovers in Japan is nice mid-tempo number that has a piano riff that would have been at home on any alterna-pop record that came out in the early 90's. Viva La Vida has an epic sound, and the phrase "That was when I ruled the world" will swirl in your mind long after you listen (if it's not already after seeing it in iTunes commercials). Violet Hill is as close to brooding rocker as these guys have ever churned out. There are also two hidden tracks that are nice diversions from the normal Coldplay formula.
This one probably won't win over all the Coldplay haters, although my wife comments that she doesn't mind the song from the aforementioned iTunes ad (Coldplay makes her cringe and sometimes leads to migranes). But if you liked their first two albums, and especially if you, like me, found X&Y to be good but a little disappointing, I think you'll be happy when you hear the new album.
Ok, on to the trivial stuff.
***Saw REM at the United Center on 6/6. 4th time I've seen the band, and it immediately leap frogged the preceeding two shows to be my second favorite REM show that I've seen. For grins, I've been reading some old reviews of REM's last couple of albums, and I find it funny to read that Reveal, Around the Sun and Accelerate were all reviewed as "return to form" efforts by several reviewers. Now, Accelerate is the closest to that mark, but you can read my thoughts on that in a previous post. Anyway, the show was fantastic. The National and Modest Mouse formed a great 1-2 punch as openers, and REM seemed to be having more fun playing live than I've seen since the Green tour. After opening with Living Well is the Best Revenge, we went 5 or 6 songs without hearing another from the new disc. That's mining your catalog. A few that I wish I could have heard (Driver 8, Auctioneer), a few I was thrilled to hear (These Days, Pretty Persuasion, Fall on Me with Mr. Johnny Marr) and a couple I wish they'd have skipped (Animal, Walk Unafraid), but all in all a fantastic show.
***I've been meaning to tackle Death Cab for Cutie's "Narrow Stairs" with the same track-by-track review as I did for Acclerate. I won't go into that much detail. It doesn't quite resonate with me the same way Plans and Transatlanticism did, but still is a VERY good album. There are some classic tracks, and the song "Cath...." would fit nicely on any of their discs, which is saying something when you consider that they haven't made a bad record yet.
***The real thing that has my brain spinning today is the new Coldplay. I am tempted to wait a month or so to say anything about it. When X&Y came out, I immediately told people that it was fantastic. But over time -- not that much time in fact -- it put me in a place where I was almost done with Coldplay altogether. For all the great moments on that disc, I could never shake the feeling that it was a big band feeling like they needed to make their big record, and while they succeeded more than failed, what I was left with was an album that didn't feel like a band effort. Slick production is fine, but sometimes a simple approach serves a song better, and nothing on X&Y sounded like that was the case.
Something I really hate about the CD era and now the digital download era is that the music industry seems to be compelled to always fill up the extra space allowed by the formats. More often than not, I come away from albums thinking that it would be a classic if only it weren't for those two songs in the middle that just suck. "Viva La Vida" shows this as well as any big new album does (Accelerate, at just over 1/2 an hour proves the point as well). This record feels like something the 4 band members did together. It has a unified feeling, and if you're an iTunes nerd like me, you'll actually be treated to that rare bonus track that is actually better than the album version (the song Lost).
The album is a bit of a stretch for the band, but doesn't stray so far that it doesn't sound like Coldplay. Thankfully, Brian Eno seems to have told Chris Martin that the falsetto is more effective when he DOESN'T use it on every song. It shows up, but feels much more in tune with the moment of the song where he busts it out. There are some departures -- Lovers in Japan is nice mid-tempo number that has a piano riff that would have been at home on any alterna-pop record that came out in the early 90's. Viva La Vida has an epic sound, and the phrase "That was when I ruled the world" will swirl in your mind long after you listen (if it's not already after seeing it in iTunes commercials). Violet Hill is as close to brooding rocker as these guys have ever churned out. There are also two hidden tracks that are nice diversions from the normal Coldplay formula.
This one probably won't win over all the Coldplay haters, although my wife comments that she doesn't mind the song from the aforementioned iTunes ad (Coldplay makes her cringe and sometimes leads to migranes). But if you liked their first two albums, and especially if you, like me, found X&Y to be good but a little disappointing, I think you'll be happy when you hear the new album.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
New R.E.M. CD
I've been quiet for a while, which would be a problem if there was someone besides me who'd read any of these posts. But on the odd chance that there is one other soul out there that might stumble on this site, apologies. I guess I haven't had much happening lately that has inspired me to write a post, that is until April 1, 2008 came along.
For me, this is the day that REM returned from a LONG break. Between 1987 and 1996, I can honestly say that a cheesy statement like "REM helped write the soundtrack to my life" is true. The moment that I became an REM fan was a family vacation to Colorado during the summer of '88. I was a surly teenager, and had a walkman and two cassettes -- One was a copy of Warren Zevon's "Sentimental Hygiene" and the other had "Document" and "Life's Rich Pageant". (REM was basically Zevon's backing band on that album, so in my mind, it was kind of an REM album).
I don't really know why, but for some reason, I played the heck out of those two cassettes during that trip, and something just clicked with me. I'd actually had the Document/Pageant tape for several months, but had never really latched onto it until that summer. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place with "Green", which came out the next November, then a group of kids played "Driver 8" at the school talent show, many of my friends were jumping on the REM bandwagon -- so they were cool -- and I bought a copy of "Eponymous". From that point on, they were my favorite band, and I searched through the back catalog of albums and became more and more entranced. Their grip on my musical world started to loosen a bit with "Monster", which I loved at the time, but tired of quickly. "New Adventures in Hi Fi" has improved with time to reflect on it, but it just had a few too many tracks. Then Bill Berry left and the band sounded lost. He may have just been the drummer, but I think his other main role in the band was to be the glue between the different sensibilities that the other 3 guys brought to the band. Stipe does the weird stuff, Mills goes the bubble gum pop route and Buck just wants to rock. Berry, I think, was the guy that tempered all of that and streamlined it into what we all now consider the REM sound. "Up" and "Reveal" are albums that I liked, but never really loved no matter how much I wanted to. "Up" was too mellow to really stick with me, and with "Reveal", I just think they tried to hard to marry the classic REM sound with the electronic stuff they'd been exploring. "Around the Sun" isn't a bad album, either, and for the first couple of days after I first heard it, I kinda half remember thinking "They are back and this record is good". When I think about that record now, I think its more a case of I just don't care about it rather than dislike it. Now I've got my hands on "Accelerate", and I'm going to stop just a bit short of the whole "REM is back" thing. But, that said, this is a very good record, and easily the best record they've put out since Hi Fi, and maybe the best since Automatic. So, since I haven't had anything to say for such a long time, I am going to waste lots of time and space by reviewing the record track by track (too much time on my hands? Maybe.....)
1. Living Well Is the Best Revenge: One of the most "rocking" songs they've ever written. Its a tough to sit still when you listen to this one. Stipe sounds angry and pissed off, and I'm fairly certain this is basically a flip off to anything that has annoyed him in the days since "Around the Sun" came out -- people writing the band off, the war in Iraq, whatever. The thing that struck me immediately on this track was how good it sounds to have that classic Stipe/Mills vocal sound back.
2. Man Sized Wreath: Nice 2nd track. Not really anything Earth shattering, but it does get stuck in your head, and again emphasizes that the harmonies from Mills was an ingredient that was sorely missed over the last couple of albums.
3. Supernatural Superserious: Great choice for the first single. Its more REM-sounding than the first two tracks. It does seem a bit weird to hear guys in their late 40s singing about the "Teenage Station", but as you listen you kind get that they are trying to say you never lose that feeling completely no matter how old you get. If there is a track on this album that will be a hit song, this could easily be it.
4. Hollow Man: The first time I listened to this song, I cringed. After 3 up-tempo songs, here was a song that sounded all too much like the worst of Reveal and Around the Sun. But then the chorus kicks in and you relax. Its more of a classic REM song, too. Definitely one that will stay in your head after you hear it.
5. Houston: Yet another track that starts out like an REM classic. This one's about the evil government and the aftermath of Hurricaine Katrina. Its not a bad song. The keyboard they use takes a bit to get used to, and is the token "New REM meets old REM" facet to the song. I guess if you really want to split hairs you could say that this is a bit to obvious for REM given their history of political commentary, but its good to see they can still write a good, straightforward political tune.
6. Accelerate: I lump this one in with "I Took Your Name" from Monster and "Low Desert" from HiFi. Mid to up tempo minor key rocker, not bad in the context of an album, but kind of forgettable. Not bad, just nothing overly special. It sounds like the kind of song you've heard before from REM.
7. Until the Day is Done: This one, too, feels a bit like a retread. But a much more classic retread. You've got the 12 string acoustic, which leads into the jangly electric guitar. Typical Stipe lyrics. Again, its the kind of thing you feel like REM does without thinking by now, just like Imitation of Life on Reveal, most of Out of Time, etc. Not that its a bad thing.
8. Mr. Richards: Ok, we're back to the fuzzy guitars and a bit more angry. I like this song quite a bit. Its classic REM at points, but also sounds like a new direction for them. This is a dark horse to be a single if this ends up being a hit album and spawns more than the one single. But musically and lyrically, one of the best on the album.
9. Sing for the Submarine: This is the one track that still hasn't grown on me, so I'll call it this albums version of "Bang and Blame". The one thing that does stand out is that Stipe drops references to past songs such as Electron Blue and Feeling Gravity's Pull. This is the closest thing to a skip-worthy song that Accelerate has to offer.
10. Horse to Water: When Pearl Jam's "Vs." album came out many years ago, I remember reading that "Elderly Woman..." was one of the best REM songs of the year. Well, if PJ wrote a good REM tune, then to me this is REM returning the favor. Its got a very hard edge, and the song definitely rocks. This one should kill at a live show.
11. I'm Gonna DJ: The strangest song on the album, but a good closer. This one actually showed up on REM Live. It has also been stuck in my head since the day that I downloaded the album off of itunes. It's a bit unREM-like, but that's why I like it. A fitting closer to this album.
If you bought the album on iTunes, you may have the option to buy some extra tracks -- mainly live versions of a few of the better tracks on the CD, and a couple of b-sides: Redhead Walking and Airliner. The former is a 60's style number, while the latter is a wipe out like guitar romp. Neither are bad, but you can see why they didn't make the cut for the proper album. The live versions sound good, but not radically different from the single versions, so they are only really for the die hard fans like me who get a kick out of that kind of thing.
Overall impressions: I won't say their back, because this isn't in the same league as my favorites - Murmur and Life's Rich Pageant, or my next tier of discs like Automatic, Green and Out of Time. I'd put it as the logical continuation of the live set attitude from Hi Fi, a bit of the fuzz guitar mind set from Monster and the angry, political themed tunes from Document. Monster loses some luster the more time goes by, so I'd say they beat that one this time out, and bettered Hi Fi if only because at 34 minutes, its a very brief ride, and many of the songs struggle to get to 2 minutes.
If you were a fan back in the 80s and 90s when REM was on top of their game, this is a welcome addition to the catalog. I don't know that the "kids" will latch onto it. I think REM has become too uncool to ever have a U2 style resurgence, but if they've done a record since Berry left that could spawn a true hit single, this is it. It is a must have if you are a fan (even if you've been away for awhile), and worth a listen for non-fans. It will definitely be stuck on my playlist for a bit longer than the last few records.
For me, this is the day that REM returned from a LONG break. Between 1987 and 1996, I can honestly say that a cheesy statement like "REM helped write the soundtrack to my life" is true. The moment that I became an REM fan was a family vacation to Colorado during the summer of '88. I was a surly teenager, and had a walkman and two cassettes -- One was a copy of Warren Zevon's "Sentimental Hygiene" and the other had "Document" and "Life's Rich Pageant". (REM was basically Zevon's backing band on that album, so in my mind, it was kind of an REM album).
I don't really know why, but for some reason, I played the heck out of those two cassettes during that trip, and something just clicked with me. I'd actually had the Document/Pageant tape for several months, but had never really latched onto it until that summer. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place with "Green", which came out the next November, then a group of kids played "Driver 8" at the school talent show, many of my friends were jumping on the REM bandwagon -- so they were cool -- and I bought a copy of "Eponymous". From that point on, they were my favorite band, and I searched through the back catalog of albums and became more and more entranced. Their grip on my musical world started to loosen a bit with "Monster", which I loved at the time, but tired of quickly. "New Adventures in Hi Fi" has improved with time to reflect on it, but it just had a few too many tracks. Then Bill Berry left and the band sounded lost. He may have just been the drummer, but I think his other main role in the band was to be the glue between the different sensibilities that the other 3 guys brought to the band. Stipe does the weird stuff, Mills goes the bubble gum pop route and Buck just wants to rock. Berry, I think, was the guy that tempered all of that and streamlined it into what we all now consider the REM sound. "Up" and "Reveal" are albums that I liked, but never really loved no matter how much I wanted to. "Up" was too mellow to really stick with me, and with "Reveal", I just think they tried to hard to marry the classic REM sound with the electronic stuff they'd been exploring. "Around the Sun" isn't a bad album, either, and for the first couple of days after I first heard it, I kinda half remember thinking "They are back and this record is good". When I think about that record now, I think its more a case of I just don't care about it rather than dislike it. Now I've got my hands on "Accelerate", and I'm going to stop just a bit short of the whole "REM is back" thing. But, that said, this is a very good record, and easily the best record they've put out since Hi Fi, and maybe the best since Automatic. So, since I haven't had anything to say for such a long time, I am going to waste lots of time and space by reviewing the record track by track (too much time on my hands? Maybe.....)
1. Living Well Is the Best Revenge: One of the most "rocking" songs they've ever written. Its a tough to sit still when you listen to this one. Stipe sounds angry and pissed off, and I'm fairly certain this is basically a flip off to anything that has annoyed him in the days since "Around the Sun" came out -- people writing the band off, the war in Iraq, whatever. The thing that struck me immediately on this track was how good it sounds to have that classic Stipe/Mills vocal sound back.
2. Man Sized Wreath: Nice 2nd track. Not really anything Earth shattering, but it does get stuck in your head, and again emphasizes that the harmonies from Mills was an ingredient that was sorely missed over the last couple of albums.
3. Supernatural Superserious: Great choice for the first single. Its more REM-sounding than the first two tracks. It does seem a bit weird to hear guys in their late 40s singing about the "Teenage Station", but as you listen you kind get that they are trying to say you never lose that feeling completely no matter how old you get. If there is a track on this album that will be a hit song, this could easily be it.
4. Hollow Man: The first time I listened to this song, I cringed. After 3 up-tempo songs, here was a song that sounded all too much like the worst of Reveal and Around the Sun. But then the chorus kicks in and you relax. Its more of a classic REM song, too. Definitely one that will stay in your head after you hear it.
5. Houston: Yet another track that starts out like an REM classic. This one's about the evil government and the aftermath of Hurricaine Katrina. Its not a bad song. The keyboard they use takes a bit to get used to, and is the token "New REM meets old REM" facet to the song. I guess if you really want to split hairs you could say that this is a bit to obvious for REM given their history of political commentary, but its good to see they can still write a good, straightforward political tune.
6. Accelerate: I lump this one in with "I Took Your Name" from Monster and "Low Desert" from HiFi. Mid to up tempo minor key rocker, not bad in the context of an album, but kind of forgettable. Not bad, just nothing overly special. It sounds like the kind of song you've heard before from REM.
7. Until the Day is Done: This one, too, feels a bit like a retread. But a much more classic retread. You've got the 12 string acoustic, which leads into the jangly electric guitar. Typical Stipe lyrics. Again, its the kind of thing you feel like REM does without thinking by now, just like Imitation of Life on Reveal, most of Out of Time, etc. Not that its a bad thing.
8. Mr. Richards: Ok, we're back to the fuzzy guitars and a bit more angry. I like this song quite a bit. Its classic REM at points, but also sounds like a new direction for them. This is a dark horse to be a single if this ends up being a hit album and spawns more than the one single. But musically and lyrically, one of the best on the album.
9. Sing for the Submarine: This is the one track that still hasn't grown on me, so I'll call it this albums version of "Bang and Blame". The one thing that does stand out is that Stipe drops references to past songs such as Electron Blue and Feeling Gravity's Pull. This is the closest thing to a skip-worthy song that Accelerate has to offer.
10. Horse to Water: When Pearl Jam's "Vs." album came out many years ago, I remember reading that "Elderly Woman..." was one of the best REM songs of the year. Well, if PJ wrote a good REM tune, then to me this is REM returning the favor. Its got a very hard edge, and the song definitely rocks. This one should kill at a live show.
11. I'm Gonna DJ: The strangest song on the album, but a good closer. This one actually showed up on REM Live. It has also been stuck in my head since the day that I downloaded the album off of itunes. It's a bit unREM-like, but that's why I like it. A fitting closer to this album.
If you bought the album on iTunes, you may have the option to buy some extra tracks -- mainly live versions of a few of the better tracks on the CD, and a couple of b-sides: Redhead Walking and Airliner. The former is a 60's style number, while the latter is a wipe out like guitar romp. Neither are bad, but you can see why they didn't make the cut for the proper album. The live versions sound good, but not radically different from the single versions, so they are only really for the die hard fans like me who get a kick out of that kind of thing.
Overall impressions: I won't say their back, because this isn't in the same league as my favorites - Murmur and Life's Rich Pageant, or my next tier of discs like Automatic, Green and Out of Time. I'd put it as the logical continuation of the live set attitude from Hi Fi, a bit of the fuzz guitar mind set from Monster and the angry, political themed tunes from Document. Monster loses some luster the more time goes by, so I'd say they beat that one this time out, and bettered Hi Fi if only because at 34 minutes, its a very brief ride, and many of the songs struggle to get to 2 minutes.
If you were a fan back in the 80s and 90s when REM was on top of their game, this is a welcome addition to the catalog. I don't know that the "kids" will latch onto it. I think REM has become too uncool to ever have a U2 style resurgence, but if they've done a record since Berry left that could spawn a true hit single, this is it. It is a must have if you are a fan (even if you've been away for awhile), and worth a listen for non-fans. It will definitely be stuck on my playlist for a bit longer than the last few records.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Ridiculous
Missed work with a flu bug on Wednesday. Since I was home, I decided to watch the Congressional hearing involving Roger Clemens, Brian McNamee and the Mitchell Report. As a huge baseball fan, not to mention a Yankees fan, all I can say is that this whole thing is just such a waste of time. Why is Congress involved in this? Don't they have more important things to do?
Look, the whole steroid era is questionable. We'll probably never really know the exact affect that the drugs have had and likely continue to have on the game. I don't mean to defend the users, because I think its a shame that they've done this to a game that I truly love. But is anyone really foolish enough to think that this problem is about the star players like Clemens and Bonds? They are the easy targets, but what about the two players with marginal talent that are about equal, and one gets a shot because he cheats? That's the bigger issue to me.
And that's just at the pro level....What about the kids who despite warnings from coaches and parents try to emulate their heroes by taking drugs. Worse yet, what about the kids that are encouraged to do so by their coaches and/or their parents. Its sickening when you think about it.
I heard someone say this morning that if Ryan Howard or Prince Fielder hit 60 home runs this season will anyone believe it. Its sad to me, because I have so many memories that have been tarnished by the scandal already -- The Sosa/McGwire HR chase in '98, the Yankees '98 team, Rick Ankiel last season...These are just a few, but any fan has the same list. It doesn't completely ruin all of it, but it does make you look at it in a whole new light. But to hold up one guy like Clemens ignores the fact that somewhere between 20% and 80% of the batters he faced were probably also guilty of using the same types of drugs. There are no easy answers to the problem, but dragging someone's name through the mud doesn't address the issue. It just leaves an even worse taste in your mouth.
Look, the whole steroid era is questionable. We'll probably never really know the exact affect that the drugs have had and likely continue to have on the game. I don't mean to defend the users, because I think its a shame that they've done this to a game that I truly love. But is anyone really foolish enough to think that this problem is about the star players like Clemens and Bonds? They are the easy targets, but what about the two players with marginal talent that are about equal, and one gets a shot because he cheats? That's the bigger issue to me.
And that's just at the pro level....What about the kids who despite warnings from coaches and parents try to emulate their heroes by taking drugs. Worse yet, what about the kids that are encouraged to do so by their coaches and/or their parents. Its sickening when you think about it.
I heard someone say this morning that if Ryan Howard or Prince Fielder hit 60 home runs this season will anyone believe it. Its sad to me, because I have so many memories that have been tarnished by the scandal already -- The Sosa/McGwire HR chase in '98, the Yankees '98 team, Rick Ankiel last season...These are just a few, but any fan has the same list. It doesn't completely ruin all of it, but it does make you look at it in a whole new light. But to hold up one guy like Clemens ignores the fact that somewhere between 20% and 80% of the batters he faced were probably also guilty of using the same types of drugs. There are no easy answers to the problem, but dragging someone's name through the mud doesn't address the issue. It just leaves an even worse taste in your mouth.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Lost is definitely back
I don't want to spoil anything for those of you that haven't seen the latest episode yet. So instead, I'll just say that the first two episodes have been so @#$!@#$ good, even though I don't really get what's going on. I am counting the minutes until next Thursday so I can see what they come up with next. I sat through the whole episode, didn't really completely understand what was going on, and wanted to watch it all again as soon it was over to see what I missed.
This show is incredible.
This show is incredible.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
A Great Super Bowl
(With the Album "Barenaked Ladies are Men" playing....)
Each year, I sit down to watch the Super Bowl and hope for one thing (with the exception of 1986 and 2007, when my favorite team -- the Bears -- were playing in the game). For a stretch there, it seemed like a game where one team didn't jump out to a 20 point lead would be good. But over the last 10 to 12 years or so, it seems this game has gotten closer and closer. More often than not, we enter the 4th quarter with the losing team still having a shred of hope.
This year's game was fantastic. You had a team making a bid for an historic win, and another on an historic streak looking to shock the world. The Giants did just that. I will brag a bit and say that when these two teams met in week 17, I turned to my wife and said "I have a funny feeling the Giants will make it to the Super Bowl". I believed it at the time, but I also thought that same week 17 game would spell the end of the Giants should they meet the Patriots. Having seen them once, I thought the Patriots would steamroll them and march on to history. I am happy that I was wrong, though I do feel a little bit of sympathy for the Patriots. To be this close and come up short -- I can't imagine how tough that is. I'm sick of the Patriots and don't really like them, but I do respect what they've done over the years, and I'd take any of their players on my team in a heartbeat.
I've never really liked the Giants much, either. I think Coughlin is kind of annoying, I get tired of Strahan and I think Plaxico Burress is kind of a jerk. But, I do like Eli and have followed his career. I saw him play at Ole Miss, and though I never really thought he'd be Peyton II, I knew he'd be a good NFL quarterback. I desperately wanted the Bears to draft him, and as he's struggled in New York, I had hoped the Bears could deal for him. That won't happen now, but I am glad to see he has taken full advantage of his chance to silence all his critics. That last drive proved the kid has the heart of a champion, and while he might not be Peyton, he is worthy of a Super Bowl ring.
So I'm happy the Giants win. We've got at least one more year of the '72 Dolphins and their champagne toast when the last unbeaten falls. The only thing I wanted and we didn't get was for Eli to get up on that podium and say "Hey Tiki....Who's comical now?" He's got too much class for that, but it would have been a great moment.
Each year, I sit down to watch the Super Bowl and hope for one thing (with the exception of 1986 and 2007, when my favorite team -- the Bears -- were playing in the game). For a stretch there, it seemed like a game where one team didn't jump out to a 20 point lead would be good. But over the last 10 to 12 years or so, it seems this game has gotten closer and closer. More often than not, we enter the 4th quarter with the losing team still having a shred of hope.
This year's game was fantastic. You had a team making a bid for an historic win, and another on an historic streak looking to shock the world. The Giants did just that. I will brag a bit and say that when these two teams met in week 17, I turned to my wife and said "I have a funny feeling the Giants will make it to the Super Bowl". I believed it at the time, but I also thought that same week 17 game would spell the end of the Giants should they meet the Patriots. Having seen them once, I thought the Patriots would steamroll them and march on to history. I am happy that I was wrong, though I do feel a little bit of sympathy for the Patriots. To be this close and come up short -- I can't imagine how tough that is. I'm sick of the Patriots and don't really like them, but I do respect what they've done over the years, and I'd take any of their players on my team in a heartbeat.
I've never really liked the Giants much, either. I think Coughlin is kind of annoying, I get tired of Strahan and I think Plaxico Burress is kind of a jerk. But, I do like Eli and have followed his career. I saw him play at Ole Miss, and though I never really thought he'd be Peyton II, I knew he'd be a good NFL quarterback. I desperately wanted the Bears to draft him, and as he's struggled in New York, I had hoped the Bears could deal for him. That won't happen now, but I am glad to see he has taken full advantage of his chance to silence all his critics. That last drive proved the kid has the heart of a champion, and while he might not be Peyton, he is worthy of a Super Bowl ring.
So I'm happy the Giants win. We've got at least one more year of the '72 Dolphins and their champagne toast when the last unbeaten falls. The only thing I wanted and we didn't get was for Eli to get up on that podium and say "Hey Tiki....Who's comical now?" He's got too much class for that, but it would have been a great moment.
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