A Modern (Classic?) Rock Classic

Artist: Pearl Jam                 Album: Ten
Rating: 5.0


On August 27, 1991 Epic records released one of the most important albums in modern rock. They didn't know it at the time. Not even Pearl Jam knew it. Especially that was the attitude in 1991 because the album didn't sell great at the start. But once 1992 rolled around it was sitting at #2 atop the Billboard 200 chart. Now it is considered an epic and giant moment in rock history. Does it deserve such high praise?
Indeed it does. Eddie Vedder's lyrics and vocals fit perfectly with the music. While compared to Nirvana often since they are both Seattle bands, Pearl Jam were more of a straight up rock group then grunge. When one thinks of grunge, I personally think of grinding guitars and punk rock sensibilities. Think Nirvana and Alice in Chains. Or even Godsmack know still uses a grunge tone. And while those bands have made some amazing music, Pearl Jam was a little more complex than just a grunge sound. The album is technically (I mean musically) a gem. Stone Gossard's guitar work is very evident on the album and Mike McCready is in top form. I agree with the other reviewers that you can definitely hear Led Zeppelin and other classic rock influences on the record.
Lyrically the cd is very dark. Vedder talks about things such as loneliness, depression, suicide and even murder. At the same time, it has a sort of unflagging optimism that the future will be brighter.
The songs "Alive," and "Once" are part of a trilogy of songs which tell a story. (The third song is "Footsteps" but isn't on "Ten." It was included on the "Jeremy" single B-Side.) It follows the story of a young man learning his father has already died without his knowledge. He is subsequently brought into a sexual relationship instigated by his mother and even becomes a murderer. He is captured in the final song and executed. Ironically many people considered "Alive" a optimistic song full of hope. Easy to make that mistake....Obviously not a cd that is great for kids. But if you are old enough to handle it, a great rock album.

Yes the record is now over 20 years old. But it still remains just as powerful today. Grunge may not rule the radio anymore, but this gold nugget has stood the test of time. Two thumbs way up.

The Toadies Are Back...With a Vengeance!

Artist:  Toadies    Album:  No deliverance    Genre:  Rock/ Southern Rock

The Toadies rock. There is no better way to start a review of their new cd then by saying that. When their first album came out in 1994, they rocked. But now they are even better if thats possible.
The Toadies first cd was a tour de force of rock licks, catchy lyrics, and pure Texas attitude. With a dirty guitar and a almost ZZ Top feel. Then when Hell Below/Stars Above came out they almost completely abandoned their style. The album was more muted. Gone was a lot of the fire they made the debut such a gem. It seemed like the Toadies were done. But not so...
Not only are they back with No Deliverance, they are back with a vengeance! This is arguably the best album they have ever done. The licks are stronger, the rythum tighter, the vocals perfect, this is their defining cd.

Such songs prove this as the opener "Such Long Lovey Eyes" and the straight up southern rocker "I Am a Man of Stone". And the songs "Flower" and " Song I Hate" prove that not only are the Toadies back, but they are better than they were 14 years ago. Rock on!

Rating:  4.5 out of 5

And The Singer is Good

Artist:  Brendan James        Album: The Day is Brave          Genre: Piano pop.

Carly Simon has been quoted as giving Brendan James 2 thumbs up. (My words not her's.) And when you put the cd on you immediately agree with her. He has a voice that seems like it would be right at home on a country album but also equally comfortable with a jazz band too. But he thankfully has chosen neither. Instead we have a cd with 11 soulful tracks.
Now this is honestly not my style of music. I am more of a Rock and Roll guy. But at the same time I recognize a good artist when I see one, and Brendan James is going places. If you are going to do piano pop music this is what it should sound like......

Rating 4.3 out of 5

It's All Been Done Before

Artist: Amy McDonald       Album: This is the Life   Genre: Pop.  Folk.

Amy McDonald is a fresh faced new talent trying to make a name for herself. She has a couple things to help her out in this. 1. She has a great voice. This girl is quite talented and shows she does have some range. 2. She can play the guitar. Come on. Admit it. You're already more interested. Alright, to this point we have covered the only good things about this album. Unfortunately there is more wrong with it than right.

The thing that will grab you immediately is how every song sounds exactly the same. I'm not joking. They all start with a bit of jangly guitar and move into this really annoying up tempo beat. Think Brittney Spears trying to do an unplugged cd. Each song bleeds into the next and I found myself getting bored very quickly with this cd. Some songs started cool and then just fell apart under the same annoying beat. Hannah Montana would be proud. But for the rest of us who like real music this isn't just going to cut it. Do yourself a favor, avoid this one. And be sad, because here sits tons of potential...squandered.

Rating 1 out of 5

Music To Your Ear Holes

Sometimes you need to take something in perspective to see how truly great it is.  Now with Linkin Park a completely different sounding band, many people have forgotten their original roots in rap and rock.  Now the album sounds like a lot of others.  But that's where perspective comes in.

What was on top of the charts in the year 2000?  BBMak.  Backstreet Boys.  N Sync.  Toni Braxton.  Jennifer Lopez.  Linkin Park's debut was a breath of fresh air.  And it still is honestly.  Yes a lot of the songs do sound the same.  But listen to tracks like One Step Closer and In The End.  Tell me that doesn't get you up and moving.

Great stuff.  Then and now.  A good addition to your collection.

Rating 4.7 out of 5.

Staind Zombie Their Way Back

Artist: Staind  Album:  V

Chapter V is not a big steaming pile of dog poo. There. I said it. And believe me after 4 Shades of Grey, it makes me extremely happy to say this. Just a few short years ago, I thought Staind was the greatest rock/heavy band known to man. Then they went pop on us. So when this new discc came out, I was worried. I'll admit it. I borrowed it from a friend before I decided to take the plunge and buy it. And happily it has been a good purchase.
On "14 Shades Of Grey", all the fire that made Staind = Staind, was gone. With the exception of "Price To Play" there was nothing with any zest at all. Now "V" has that in spades! From the hammering "Paper Jesus" to the in your face "Schizophrenic Conversations" this disc is a moving step in the right direction. The fire is partially back. Staind still do explore their new found pop sensibilities. For example "Falling" is enough rock to make you stand up and take notice. But still radio friendly.
So there you have it. Staind might never be the pure power house of rage and angst we so loved on "Tormented" or "Dysfunction". But you have to give kudos to Staind for every album being different. And cheers to them for finding their rock n roll voice again. Good cd. Worth buying.

PS:  I wrote this review before the last Staind album came out.  I'll admit I was wrong.  They did have some rage left!  But that review is for another time......

Rating 3.9 of 5

Indie Never Sounded So Good

Artist:  MGMT   Album: Oracular Spectacular


Take a base of alternative quirkiness. Add a slight techno beat. Then some high pitched vocals. Next mix with a dash of funk. And top it off with some power pop, and viola! You have MGMT. I cannot reccomend this album highly enough. This New York based indie rock band is set to hit the big time.
The cd starts off with a bang hiting hard with the great track "Time to Pretend." And this is could be argued for as the highlight of the disc. But if you stop there, you are selling yourself short. "Electric Feel" almost reminds of you of a 70s disco. And "Pieces of What" is a perfect merge of radio hooks and rock n roll. Also not to be overlooked would be "The Handshake" and "Kids."
Some people compare them to Muse, and you can see the influence there. But the more you listen you realize MGMT are striking out into a style all their own. Great, great cd. Do yourself a favor. Pick it up. You'll be glad you did....

Rating 4.3 of 5

Lush - Spooky (Music)

Welcome back to the Opinion Company.  Yes I'm well aware no one at all is probably following this anymore.  Oh well, I'm going to start sticking new reviews on here.  And by reviews I mean they can be anything at all.  Hopefully you guys will enjoy it.  So let's start it all up again.

Lush - Spooky (Music)

The debut album of Lush. The cd was weird for it's time. And it still sounds weird and out of place now. But I'm not actually in any way demeaning the cd. That's actually one of the things I love about it. It's in many ways a timeless album. Think about how much music you can easily class which decade it came from. Or figure out what style it is. Lush worked hard to defy that. Oh sure, you know it's pop. But not Britney Spears pop. It's rock, but not Guns N Roses rock. It stuck between genres. And now has come to be called "Shoegazing."

And in case you're wondering, Shoegazing means bands who came from the late eighties, and reached it's height in the mid nineties. They played a brand of alternative pop rock. It was heavily effects laden. Lush were at the forefront of the movement. While the style has mostly died out, it's not done yet with a new crop of "nu-gaze" bands like Autolux. But anyway, what about this album?

Solid cd. Lush were still growing into their sound like wearing a shirt a bit too big. So sometimes the sound gets away from them. A good example would be the song Tiny Smiles in my opinion. But other songs they were able to nail, such as Covert, For Love, Superblast!, and my personal favorite Untogether.
Yes the shoegazing era is gone. But Lush left us with some very memorable records. Such as this moody gem.

RATING: 3.8 of 5.

Stone Temple Pilot's Debut Album

This is a review I wrote for Stone Temple Pilots excellent Core album.  http://www.amazon.com/Core-Stone-Temple-Pilots/dp/B000002IU3/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1   I gave it 5 stars out of 5.  Here's why:

Still one of my favorite albums of all time. In 1992 STP realeased this rock gem. It wasn't univerally aclaimed though that's for sure. While fans loved it enough to make it go 8 times platinum the critics dismissed it as just another grunge cd. Well, STP are still around making music, so what you got to say to that critics? Here's a song breakdown:

Dead and Bloated 5.0 Heck of a start to a cd. Scot Weiland's growling lyrics over a killer riff. Was never a radio single, but still gets a lot of airplay even today!
Sex Type Thing 4.9 A strong song condeming date rape. Pretty powerful stuff.  If you find the single for Plush ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000057W1V?SubscriptionId=0QCHRJVSKG6F3BRGBNG2&tag=pbs_00098-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000057W1V ) it contains a swing type version to the song.  Pretty epic...
No Memory 3.7 Cool interlude that leads into....
Wicked Garden 4.8 Strong rock song. Another classic.
Sin 4.7 A very underated song. Weiland is here raging against sin and religion.
Naked Sunday 4.2 Interesting beat. Love the production on this song.
Creep 5.0 STP go acoustic on this one, and it is amazing. You can feel the intensity in Scott's voice too!
Piece of Pie 4.5 Interesting song. Not really in love with it though.
Plush 5.0 It doesn't get any better than this! The music, the lyrics, the singing, the baseline. Everything comes together in this one! Worth buying the cd just for this song!
Wet My Bed 2.5 Throw away track in my opinion. Very short and could've been left off.
Crackerman 5.0 My favorite song on the record! I saw Velvet Revolver play one time and they did this song. So good!
Where the River Goes 4.9 Good long ending song!

54.2 out of 60.0. Pretty awesome. If you don't have this cd but love rock, then you need to get this.  Classic 90s rock at it's finest.

RATING: 5 of 5!

Pleasure For Your Ears

Artist: Rilo Kiley.  Album: More Adventurous.  Rating: (1 to 5 stars) 5

http://www.amazon.com/More-Adventurous-Rilo-Kiley/dp/B0002M5T7A/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top


It has been a long time for me. A long time since I popped a cd in my computer or car and was blown away. I have a lot of artists I like, but not necessarily in love with. My record was taken away by this cd. I put it in and listened to it three times straight. Yes, it's that good.
I won't add much to the biography of the band in this review. If you're familiar with Rilo Kiley or Jenny Lewis at all, then you know all about them, hers and Sennett's acting careers, their relationship, her solo career, etc. So let's just focus on the music. Probably the majority of people who were exposed to the band heard the song "Portions For Foxes" on Grey's Anatomy. But their music was used on The O.C. and Dawson's Creek as well. Uh oh, TV music. How good could it be?

Well, please don't let that throw you. This is a very talented band. Jenny Lewis' voice is amazing. She can belt it out, or croon. Either way she catches your attention and keeps you enthralled. Also Sennett's guitar work is fun as well. He's a talented musician and a good song writer to boot. The album moves along at a nice pace. The first song, "It's a Hit" is rocking and the second song, "Does He Love You" is truly heartbreaking. The third song "Portions For Foxes" is fun too.
Is this a perfect record? Not perfect. But pretty amazing for how it avoids duds. I mean there is not a weak track on it. Maybe "Ripcord"? And that's not even bad, just sticks out because the production sounds different. The music ranges from indie rock to a country sound. And by country sound, I don't mean Taylor Swift pop country. And I also don't mean bluegrass. More like the country sound Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot has attained. This album would never be mistaken for mainstream radio music. But maybe that's a shame all in itself.

 So there you go. If you've never had the chance to hear Rilo Kiley, now's the time. The music and production are great and the lyrics and musicianship are all top notch. I will go out on a limb and say this cd is going to be on my list of my favorite top 25 albums of all time. And this will be in the top 5 of that. Highly recommended!

The Very Best of the Doors

This review is for the cd: The Very Best of the Doors by The Doors.  Rating: 5 stars.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Very-Best-Doors-Version/dp/B000UCEJDC/ref=ntt_mus_dp_dpt_3

Lynyrd Skynyrd has Free Bird. The Eagles have Hotel California. And Led Zeppelin has Stairway to Heaven. It seems like every classic rock band has their over the top, get out the lighters, let's go to rock bliss, song. I submit Light My Fire as The Doors contribution to this list. Long, majestic, and heart wrenching. Oh, and it rocks hard. With a keyboard! But then again, when were The Doors ever conventional?

Still one of my favorite bands of the 1960s. They were loud, rude, and rocking. And Jim Morrison (Vocals) had the charisma of 5 people. He not only had a great voice, but his lyrics truly are poetry. They are dark to be sure. But they also cherish a sliver of optimism somewhere in each line.

This is a great CD to get if you have never really had much to do with The Doors. All of their hits are here, with a good mix of some songs that might have been lesser known. And my favorite Door's song of all time is on here too. People Are Strange. Indeed they are. Excellent set and it needs to be in every rock fans collection.  

Greatest Hits Lives Up To It's Name

Bryan Adams - So Far So Good

I wasn't too old when this cd came out. My brother was really into country at the time, but I was looking for something more exciting. I found this. And it was enjoyable back then and I still own it today. Bryan Adams is a pretty talented musician. He crafts good soft rock tunes. And I personally prefer him to Rod Stewart. The only problem he runs into is that starting his career in the late 70s/ early 80s, his sound on some of his tunes is very dated.

This cd avoids it pretty well though. Summer of '69 is a classic tune. Heaven and Please Forgive Me (recorded in 1993 for this album) are stirring love ballads that we have come to except from Mr. Adams. Granted there is a newer version to his greatest hits that has been released, The Best Of Me. And there is also Anthology. So this is a bit obsolete. But still a good addition to your collection, especially if you can find it cheap.

STP's Self Titled Album

Stone Temple pilots have never been able to please everyone. From their first album "Core" in 1992 when the critics bashed them (but the fans got it!) to their groundbreaking "Tiny Music.." and the style change, STP have been naturally progressing as a band.
I submit that this new record is an awesome next phase in their development as a band. Do I long for the harder edge sound from Core, Purple, and No. 4? Sure, I love the tunes from those cds. But at the same time it's not like I disliked Tiny Music... or Shangri-La Dee Da. Still there is something brave about the guys doing a 70s rock inspired record. It's bold. It's loud, and it's fresh.
Let's break it down:

Between the Lines (5/5) Excellent lead single from the record. Lyrics are meaningful if you know what kind of past Scott has had. Video is cool too.

Take a Load Off (5/5) Another fun 70s rock tune amd the second single. The chorus is jangly and poppy. By this time in the record you realize they are going to have a theme going...

Huckleberry Crumble (4/5) I can see Aerosmith writing this song. Has a dirty southern rock vibe. Excellent song.

Hickory Dichotomy (5/5) Another great bluesy rock tune. I agree with the other reviewer, could have easily been a single.

Dare If You Dare (3/5) A bit forgettable in my opinion. Not that it's bad or anything. Just a bit of a letdown after the first four tracks. Still a great chorus though.

Cinnamon (4/5) The third single off the record. People are split on this song, and rightfully so. On one hand it is a masterfully crafted sugary, poppy sounding song. Some people hate it, and would say this is why STP isn't very good anymore. I don't agree with that camp. While I don't normally like songs like this, it completely works. Sounds like a tune STP would have written if they had been a band in the 60s. And it's so darn catchy too! I give it two thumbs up myself.

Hazy Daze (5/5) Another dirty rock song in the vein of Huckleberry and Hickory. Love the sound of the guitar in this one. One of my favorite tracks on the album.

Bagman (4/5) It would surprise me if this song doesn't become a concert staple. I love the swagger in this song.

Peacoat (5/5) This song could easily have been a hard rocking song. The guitar riff that opens the song sounds so menacing. The chorus is a bit poppy, but I think it is a solid rock tune. Worth listening to 50 or more times.

Fast As I Can (3/5) One of the weakest tunes on the cd in my opinion. It's just a rock tune. Slightly boring even.

First Kiss On Mars (5/5) Love Weiland's vocals on this one. Another heavily inspired classic rock sounding song.

Maver (4/5) Solid song. Slower.

BONUS TRACKS from the deluxe edition:

Samba Nova (1/5) Ugh. I know why this song didn't make the regular edition of the album. In my opinion it might be the weakest song STP have ever made. Trippy sounding, and yet boring.

Vasoline - Live (5/5) I'm normally not a huge fan of live tracks. But it's such a good song, and the band sounds spot on. Good addition.

Hickory Dichotomy - Live (5/5) Being live only adds to how awesome this tune is!

Between the Lines - Live (5/5) They hit this song hard! Sounds great.

OVER ALL SCORE: 68/80. Pretty good. Definitely a 5 star cd. Don't listen to all the haters. They are the people who hate when a band evolves. And if you hate a band's sound evolving, it makes me wonder why you would be a Stone Temple Pilot fan anyway. Worth picking up.
For the next record I do hope they add a little more punch to it. But even if they made another just like this one, I would still love it. Good job guys. Thanks for the new album.