The radio is playing all the usual. And what's a wonderwall anyway.

The TV ads I've seen for 300 have just blown me away. Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, "300" concerns the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta led his army of 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians and other slave soldiers against the advancing 100,000 Persians; the battle is said to have inspired all of Greece to band together against the Persians, and helped usher in the world's first democracy. The battle lasted 3 days, after which all 300 Spartans were killed. The battle was a suicide mission, meant to buy time for the rest of the Greek forces to prepare for the invasion. However, that didn't stop the Spartans from taking as many Persians as possible with them. The film looks amazing, and is going to be showing at the Imax theater uptown. Directed by Zack Snyder, who is best known as the director of Dawn Of The Dead, he seems to have done a fantastic job. Just look at the trailer



Listening Pile:
fan9 favorite rodent, no, not the african pygmy, butModest Mouse, who have conquered the world since the release of their last album, are back with a new album, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank , due in stores March 20. Got to say, I'm digging on the new song "Dashboard".

Scottish group Travis is are also, back with the upcoming release of their new album, The Boy With No Name . Nigel Godrich, who was also at the helm of the band's best work, The Man Who and The Invisible Band. produced the follow-up to their '03 album, the sadly disappointing 12 Memories. The band posted the album title and tracklisting on their website , giving a UK release date of May 7. The record will be preceeded by the single "Closer," which will hit stores on April 23. Hopefully the US release information isn't slated for fall '07. Check out another new track, "Selfish Jean", which just so happens to be streaming on their Myspace page. It's not just a network for meeting people.

¿Qué debo hacer si resulto herido o lastimado durante el juego?

The walk to work was pretty intersting this morning. First step out the door of my building almost saw me wipe out. Then, I realized, the most dangerous walkways were the ones that had been recently cleaned off and only had a thin layer of ice on them. So, as most of the Midwest and Northeast are covered in snow, most MLB teams are gearing up for Spring Training. I suppose the big stories and questions around Yankee camp are
(aka my seven things i think i think about this season):
1. Will Bernabé Figueroa Williams show up to camp without a major league contract and hope he can somehow make the team, even though all indications are that he's a lame duck?

2. Will A-Rod find his lucky pink panties and have another MVP type season, and Jacksonesque post-season, then skip town via his well timed out clause in his contract?

3. Will Jeter and A-Rod make nice and hug after each rendition of the YMCA?

4. Will Phillip Hughes pitch an inning before the All-Star break?

5. Will Giambi break down before or after the All-Star break?

6. Who will be the first pitcher to go on the DL, Moose, Pettite or Carla Pavano?

7. Will this be the year the Yanks survive the post-season and win championship #27?

I have a couple other questions myself.

1. How much will a beer cost this year at the stadium, 9$ ?

2. Will the B train ever get to the stadium again?

3. Will Matsui do that safety ad in Spanish again?


Came across this story today on iLounge. Apparently those wacky, Chinese have already got an iPhone knock-off on the way. I'm sure this won't be the last either. In fact, I don't understand how Microsoft hasn't jumped on the bandwagon as well, after the disaster that was the brown turd, sorry...uh.... the Zune, hasn't tried to steal Apple's thunder by introducing a similiar product before the iPhone is released in June.

Chinese electronics maker Meizu is the first company to closely copy the look and feel of Apple’s iPhone. The Meizu miniOne, due out in the fourth quarter of 2007, is a GSM phone with numerous iPhone similarities, including a curved, black and polished steel design, touch-screen interface, and a nearly identical on-screen software icon layout.

And thanks to M1k3 for pointing me to thislink, which shows off the new Transformer Toys.

Listening Pile;
Been loving this Cale Parks album lately. He's better known as the drummer for Chicago outfit, Aloha, who put out an impressive album last year as well, Some Echoes. Parks is also the occasional drummer for Joan of Arc and Cex.
The album, Illuminated Manuscript has an intimate but intricate bedroom ambient electronic sound where keyboards and mallet instruments mix with sparse vocals and a television or the occasional cat meowing in the background. Check it out, it's good stuff.


And if you don't have anyone to hug today, you can always do what this guy is doing.
Tree hugger! I know, today sucks for the most part, whether you're alone, or shelling out a ton of loot on dinner, flowers, and chocolates. But just think about it this way, at least you're not this kid.

My Eyes Are Open, My Eyes Are Open Wide

I was just reading this article overe on the Metsblog. Pretty interesting read on the two new stadiums for the Mets and Yanks. From what I've read, I do agree that maybe the new Mets Stadium, Citi Field, might end up being a bit better, with the classic Ebbets Field look and all the modern amenities that you could ask for. Of course, I think the Mets made a huge mistake calling it Citi, Bankone, Of Americquest Field. They should have showed some class and called it Jackie Robinson Stadium. They could have really done something special, and honor one of the most important figures in sports history, but I guess that Citi Bank check trumps that.

From the artist rendering of the New Yankee Stadium, I feel like we're ending up a bit short on the actual look of the stadium, but improving on all the amenities as well. Of course, that's because Yankee Stadium needs to preserve a lot of the traits from the old stadium. But still, think both team's fans are getting something better than what currently exists. We all now how I feel about Shea. I can't take baseball seriously in a place that reminds me of a fun house, with that stupid apple popping up with every homer, or the ugly orange chairs. And while I love Yankee Stadium, history cannot help that place. It's old, falling apart and the interior has no redeeming qualities aside from the field. However, I did just hook up with my buddy on a 15 game season ticket plan. And if we're lucky, we'll do it again next year and the first year at the new stadium.

Listening Pile:
On the train yesterday from the City to Connecticut, I came across the Planes Mistaken For Stars EP Knife In The Marathon . It's a killer ep the band put out back in 2000. Knife in the Marathon is the second cd on Deep Elm, and rocks hard. Though the self titled disc from Deep Elm is a bit better, less screaming, but still manages to pack in a ton of emotion. The EP is super agressive, yet with a hint of melody and tons of emotion. The EP is capped with the bonus track, a cover of Unbroken's "Fall On Proverb" is heavy, angry and does the original justice. Check out touring info and new tunes at Myspace. These guys actually played on my birthday, back in 2000. Think it's a completely different line-up, aside from Gared. But they were nice guys and they partied hard.

Alright, I gotta roll. Got to get ready for some high-school wrestling and hot dogs. Too bad I can't bring beer. But I leave you with this.


I can't believe I forgot about this one. Fun times I tell ya.

I'm trying to be heroic.

I forgot to put this in my last post. Doh!

Listening Pile:
I like this new Bloc Party album a lot. It's not quite as thrilling as their debut, but still offers quite a few good songs. I think many will view this as a disappointing sophomore effort, as it's quite ambitious and often finds itself lost in overproduction and gloss. Songwriting is mediocre at best, losing the urgency and brashness that made the first album so memorable. Kele's vocals are often strained, distant and lyrics border on the mundane or ridiculous. And let us not forget, he's the whitest sounding black dude, since Phil Lynott. But songs like, "Song For Clay (Disappear Here)", "The Prayer" and "Where Is Home?" are reminiscent of the earlier work, with pulsating rhythms and angular guitars. Even the quieter moments on the album lack that vulnerability that made Silent Alarm so special. Overall it's a good listen, and despite all it's faults, is a good direction for the band to go in. They could have made the same album, and they didn't, so you have to give them a lot of credit for that.

Be one of the first 1000 people to pre-order the new Bloc Party album, A Weekend In The City, and receive a FREE LIMITED EDITION 7". This INSOUND EXCLUSIVE vinyl features two tracks, 'I Still Remember' and an unreleased B-side, 'We Were Lovers'! order up

Super Lame

So, it's now two days after the Super Bowl , and we've come to find out that this year's edition, was the 3rd highest rated TV program of all time with 93.2 Million Viewers. 3rd! Yeah, you read that right. Behind only the top of the list, Mash finale, and the 1996 Super Bowl. Peyton and Co. trying to erase the notion that he can't win the big game and put the exclamation point on his fantastic career and win his first Super Bowl, makes for TV. Who'd of thunk it.

So, for the first time in a long time, here are the seven things I think I think, or otherwise known as my other thoughts on the Super Bowl:

1. It was a fantastic game, with lots of great subplots. Can Manning win his first and maybe only shot at a Super Bowl. Can the Colts D shut down the potent Bears running attack and stifle Rex Grossman. How many times will we hear that it's the first time two black coaches are in the Super Bowl. Blah, blah, blah. How many times will Phil Simms say he could've made that pass. Why is Bruce Willis stalking Demi and Ashton, awkward...

2. What was up with the awful camera lenses. I mean, we weren't watching a Sunday afternoon game between the Jets and the Raiders here, we were watching the biggest game of the year! They knew it was going to rain. And no, I'm not talking about Prince. You're telling me a multi-billion dollar corporation like CBS, doesn't have a fog proof lens somewhere? Uh, HD cameras? Nothing? Horrible camera work. I was expecting one of the camera operators to start wiping down the lens only to have Jim Nantz throw in a funny little remark about how you'd think we're watching the new season of Survivor.

3. When did Rupaul hook up with Prince? OK, not really Rupaul, or maybe not even a man, but did anyone see that back-up dancer? Whoa. Long gone are the days of Vanity, Sheila E. or Sheena Easton I suppose. And now there's that whole controversy about how some see guitar as phallic imagery in Prince's Super Bowl performance. Come on, you want to talk about malfunction, does anyone remember the ass-less pants? And while we're at it, where were the hits? Maybe it's just me, but I wanted a "Little Red Corvette" or "Raspberry Beret".

4. What was up with that National Anthem? I know it's a tough song, but seriously, they couldn't get Katharine McPhee or something? Someone give the poor Piano Man a drink and let him sing!

5. What was up with all the Norbit product placements and ads. I somehow feel like I now need to see that movie and drink a Coca-Cola. "I must kill the Queen."

6. Why is it every time something happens in Miami, Gloria Estefan needs to be invited. I mean, she didn't even sing! CBS brought her out to introduce Cirque De Soleil. You'd think she was pulling a Guiliani and running for President or something.

7. Maybe it was just me, but the commercials, well, not as funny as in years past. Aside from the K-Fed commercial, which I must say was genius, and the GM Robot, the Carlos Mencia and Dalmation Budweiser spots, I can't even remember any other ad that I thought was great.

Someone Has a Case of the Mondays

Goodmorning Jan. 3, 2007. Honestly, I didn't know I had to work yesterday, until about 5pm on Monday. Fun times I tell ya. So, my tops of 2006 list, will not be ready until this weekend. I'm gonna keep things short, so I can feature more albums, as well as movies, tv shows, food and books. Yeah, I can read. Funny huh! Hooked on Phonics really works!


Came across this story this morning though. Toyota is developing a system that detects drunken drivers and automatically shuts the vehicle down if sensors pick up signs of excessive alcohol. Cars fitted with the system will not start if sweat sensors in the steering wheel detect high levels of alcohol in the driver's blood, Now, what happens if you've say, cut your hand and have some rubbing alcohol on them. Or if you were making a wine reduction sauce and you realize you need to head to the store for some garlic. Hmmmmm?

Randy Johnson is still a Yankee, and Roger Clemens is still a free agent. Not that I like either one of them very much, but the Big Useless really needs to go back to Arizona. Too bad we can't get Javier Vasquez back. Replacement Level Yankees Weblog comes up with an interesting note on the Useless and how he may not actually be as bad as he was last year, and how in reality, losing a guy who could pitch 200 innings may hurt the bullpen, and ultimately, the team. Plus, we came to realize, he might have played hurt all year long. Gimme Clemens and some decent minor league prospects, and I'm sold.

Playboy Magazine says Mercury Lounge & Cake Shop are two of America's 10 best rock clubs. Uh... I"m not sure what the criteria for their selections were. Not that I disagree with the Mercury Lounge selection. They book great bands. It's a great place to see a show, and the sound is always great. But the Cake Shop?! Aside from feeling like the ceiling in the basement is going to fall on your head, the lack of being able to see the stage and the way the venue sweats during warm days, I can't imagine why people would like the place. The only semi-redeeming quality is the booking is occasionally solid. The Cake shop has become one of the prerequisite first stops for many bands both foreign and domestic playing NYC.

Macworld Expo is coming. iLounge gives a big rundown of what to watch out for. Could the much speculated iPhone finally be unveiled. Or how about a new video iPod with a larger screen. Damn you Steve Jobs. All this speculation. I blame this on you.

"Over 60 exhibitors are expected to formally show iPod-related products at this year’s Expo, with additional exhibitors likely to make smaller appearences at private meetings. Our detailed list of exhibitors below allows you to click on virtually any company’s name to see additional details on the company and all of the products that have been featured on iLounge."

Listening Pile:
On my recent holiday journeys, The Legends Up Against The Legends, kept coming up on the iPod. And I thought it a good time to go back and revisit an amazing album. Pitchporky even managed to give it an 8.0 ranking back in 2004. The Legends, a nine-piece Swedish band whose high-energy pop music makes its debut disc, Up Against the Legends, a fuzzy, feedback-drenched, lo-fi affair. Fronted by Johan Angersgard of the Acid House Kings and Club 8, channels the Velvet Underground and Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys. Up Against the Legends offers an even dozen well-crafted indie pop gems dressed up in reverb and feedback, twisting guitar lines, bouncy rhythm section, handclaps, and great girl backing vocals.

It's Christmas time in Hollis Queens Mom's cooking chicken and collard greens

Hello friends,
Today, on Christmas Eve, I wanted to give you all at nice little present. It's called "Christmas in Hollis" and it's a little treat from Run DMC from Christmas, 1987. Enjoy!



The Rev and his family are going through a rough time, so best wishes go out to them. It's always tough losing a child.

The Jazz June reunite for one night and a special cause next month in Philadelphia. They are playing a show for their old roadie who's been diagnosed with cancer. The Jazz June were a great band that put out some fantastic albums including, 2000's The Medicine, which to this day is still one of my favorite albums.

"Formed in 1996 in Kutztown, PA, the Jazz June have survived the mid-90's "emo" explosion, its inevitable backlash and current media notoriety - and emerged relatively unscathed. The only noticeable scars appear in the form of their music - which has taken leaps and bounds beyond the simplicity of the jangly pop present on their earliest work. They've grown up in the years since - if The Medicine was their Revolver, then Better Off Without Air is the Jazz June's White Album. A varied, mature slab of catchy and impassioned indie rock that finds the band jumping a few steps up their evolutionary ladder."

is an interview with the band's guitarist, Bryan Gassler who talks about Adam's (tour mgr) health, how they never thought their last show would be their last, and the band's future plants. Give it a read.

Came across this tidbit the other day. The Limelight, now known as the Avalon, will close it's doors early next month, and become a Mini-Mall. Yikes! To be honest, it was a horrible club, with horrible sound, staff and booking, but it's fate is even sadder. You won't be missed, but sucks to be you.

The other day, I heard about this photo exhibit “Enrique Metinides photographed his first dead body before he was 12,” Michael Kimmelman writes of the man known as Mexico ’s Weegee. Shooting for pulp magazines and the newspaper La Prensa, Mr. Metinides made “visual sense out of urban mayhem and life’s general unpredictability.” The exhibit on view at the Anton Kern gallery shows gory scenes of death, accidental and otherwise; the photos are so well composed they often look like film stills, with an artistry that’s “rough and plain as day.” Enrique Metinides’s photographs, through Jan. 13 at Anton Kern, 532 West 20th Street, (212) 367-9663. I've seen Weegee's work, and from the looks of Metinde's work, it seems to be pretty awesome. A gritty look at the macabre. Yeah, not what you shouuld be talking about on Xmas Eve, but, worth checking out if you're into cool photography.

Happy Holidays and to all a good night.

More than meets the eye!

If you've been following the Tara Conner story over the last few days, and I know you have, I mean you've seen her, right! You've no doubt heard about the just turned 21, Miss USA and her scandalous behavior. Well, looks like the Donald decided not to utter his famous catch phrase, "You're Fired!". While the lovely Miss USA hasn't done anything that any 20 year old girl that heads off to say, college hasn't done, she will check herself into rehab and will stay true to upholding the image of the pageant and her duties as the winner of the crown. Lets talk about the biggest case of blowing something out of proportion, since Ross and Rachel were on a "break". "She left a small town in Kentucky and she was telling me that she got caught up in the whirlwind of New York," Trump said. Yeah, you think. She's hot! Everyone knows who she is and she wants to party. Ya think it might be tough to get out to some bars. Like people were gonna turn her away! Come on. The whole thing is ridiculous. We didn't see Jenna Bush get carted off to rehab when she got busted for underage partying. (by the way, did anyone see what Matt Damon said about her and sister Babs, the other day?) . I kinda like the idea of a really naughty party girl Miss USA. Think about it. She could start a campaign for, "liquor before beer, you're in the clear" or "no one likes a floater", but seriously, just make her do some drinking and driving PSA's or something. Can't some good come out of a young girl acting crazy. I mean, how were there not cameras on this girl the whole time? They put everyone on TV these days. Jim and Tammy Faye's dumbass punk son has his own show. Hello! If she'd gotten booted, I'm sure she had a place to stay and a new gig.

I've just seen the trailer for the new Transformers movie. It looks pretty killer. I have to say, I was a bit skeptical about them making a live action Transformers movie. I envisioned it looking like that god awful Hulk movie from a couple years ago. I didn't think they could pull it off. But director, Michael Bay, from the looks of the trailer, did not disappoint. Don't know about the cast though. Shia LaBouf, Tyrese and Josh Duhamel, come on. Josh Hartnett and Freddi Prince Jr. weren't available? However, the lovely Megan Fox, better known as the elder, finer, daughter in Hope & Faith, seems to be the lead female. She has the acting ability of a bucket of rocks, but she is lovely. But really, who cares about the actors. Everyone just cares about the Transformers and the special effects. And from the trailer, it looks pretty good. I just hope they get Shockwave up in that piece.

Listening Pile
The one show I'm really bummed I missed out on this year, was the Juno reunion earlier this month in Seattle. I really thought about just getting on a plane and sleeping on some friend's couch to see this. They put out two of my favorite albums on the Desoto label, This is the Way it Goes and Goes and Goes (1999) and A Future Lived in Past Tense (2001), plus a split with the Dismemberment Plan. To this day, every time I get on a flight, I put one at least one of their songs. Dreamy soundscapes, with washy guitars, dense and complex rhythms. They were one of those bands that just reminds me of a time and a place.
I can still remember when and where I was listening to their first album and their second. Anyhows, check out this article in Seattle's, The Stranger. TIt gives a fascinating look back on the band, the time leading up to their reunion and what singer Arlie Carstens is up to with his new project, the Ghost Wars, a long-distance collaboration with producer/musician Eric Fisher (Damien Jurado), featuring contributions from almost 20 members of the extended Seattle music community, including Rosie Thomas, Nate Mendel of Foo Fighters, members of the Blood Brothers, and more. The duo has recorded basic tracks for 25 songs, and is slowly refining 11 of them, with an eye toward releasing an album sometime next year.

I just wanna know, what are you gonna do for me?

Did anyone catch the Lost Room on Sci-Fi Network. Man do I love Peter Krause, better known for playing Nate on Six Feet Under or the criminally underrated, Casey McCall on Sports Night.(when are we gonna see that on Trio's Brilliant But Cancelled?!?!) Julianna Margulies and Kevin Pollack were great in this Mini-Series too. It had this awesome creepy X-Files vibe to it. Krause plays a detective who loses his daughter in the otherwordly lost room and spends the rest of the series unlocking it's mystery and trying to find his daughter. It was good, really good. If anyone happened to see their crazy advertising in NYC, you know it was pretty cool. Random doors put all over the city with lost room written on them. A pretty creative marketing campaign.

I came across this story last week. If you are running around with a Nike+iPod device, you could be getting tracked by someone. A University Of Washington student had a hunch that his small RFID device that fits into the soles of Nike shoes could be used "an easy surveillance device." And apparently, with a little know-how and a computers, you can track someone. A little scary huh! Puts a whole new meaning to stalking. Neither Apple nor Nike had comments on the matter. Go figure! Mr. Jobs, you know who I'm putting the blame on.

Totally forgot about the Nike ID studio here in NYC. Came across it again yesterday walking around Soho. Studio 255, located at 255 Elizabeth St, lets you make an appointment where you can create a unique iD for your kicks. I remember when the iD option first came out. You can put almost anything on the sneakers, cept foul language and slave labor jargon. Ha, crazy huh! I wonder who actually makes these sneakers though.

This was in the Revelation Records email blast the other day. If you look in the lyric booklet to the "Together" 7"
compilation (Revelation Records' second release), you'll see this group photo on the Gorilla Biscuits page. No one knew it at the time, but the photo was not a Gorilla Biscuits photo. Haha, they totally put a picture of some random dudes on there. They don't even have a clue who it is. They are asking for friends to help them figure it out. You gotta love when stuff like this happens. Does anyone remember the Billy Ripken baseball card debacle? Did anyone hear about Jets rookie Leon Washington's mishap where he stuck up his middle fingers and it went unnoticed on his rookie card. I love when this stuff happens.

As I begin thinking about compiling my 2006 best of music list, I took a look back at my 2005 iMix and list, just to see if my tastes had changed. Well, glad to say, not much. Though just looking over 2006, I am noticing, it rocked a bit more, and there weren't quite as many strong records as in years past. Coming up with a top ten for year end lists, was way harder this year, never mind a top 30. I'm gonna have to reach for that. While We're at the year end stuff, has anyone seen the 100 reasons why Pitchfork sucks list , uh... I mean , their top 100 tracks of the year list. Are you guys serious? Is this for real? Apparently, it is.

Listening Pile:
The best thing to come across my desk lately, has been the new Sonic Youth disc. It's called The Destroyed Room and compiles tracks from their Geffen days, that have been previously available on vinyl, limited compilations and b-sides. After the solid, Rather Ripped , from earlier in the year, I wondered what more they could give us. The tracks were hand-picked by the band and even includes some previously unreleased material. Putting together an outtakes comp can be kinda rough, especially for a band like Sonic Youth, that probably has tons of unreleased gems. You gotta have some rockers that are interesting enough to be worth hearing, but not interesting enough that you're left wondering why they didn't make an album. And then I'm sure there are the tracks that simply should not be heard. There is a little of both on this release, but standouts include, "Campfire", a 1999 piece spontaneously composed at a recordings session on a Groovebox sampler. "Beautiful Plateau", "Loop Cat" and "Queen Anne Chair" play up the dreamy guitar wash that inspired many. Overall, a good listen, especially considering that I was expecting 20 minute jams of guitar feedback and tape noise. Nevermind, the 26-minute version of "The Diamond Sea" from Washing Machine. Overall, not a bad collection of songs. I'm sure it's a must for any serious SY fan.

This town was built on miles of hope and I dare you to give one reason to stay.

11/25 - Texas Is The Reason/Ian Love @ Irving Plaza
11/26 - Texas Is The Reason/Ian Love @ Irving Plaza

It's now three days later and I still cannot believe I had the chance to see Texas Is The Reason play in the year 2006. In a way, it's like for two nights I was able to go back in time. It's been 9 years since they played together. Numerous bands have come and gone for these young men, Solea, Jets To Brazil, New End Original, Walking Concert and New Rising Sons. Not a bad legacy to leave behind, huh!

Yet, none of that work equals the timeless 1996 classic, Do You Know Who You Are? . Considered by many as one of the pinnacle releases in the development of the "emo" scene, to us back in 96, it was simply one of the best records, post hardcore, emo, whatever you want to call it. The record and the band stood the test of time.

Coming on to the instrumental interlude and title track, they were accompanied by photos of the band during their hey-day. And then, just as on the album, they kicked into a thunderous version of, "Back and To the Left." The audience, comprised of mostly 25-35 year olds, sang along, and did not let up throughout the entire night. They played every song on both the album and the EP, even playing "Blue Boy" from their split with the Promise Ring. One of the most interesting things, was playing new songs, that they introduced as, "This is a new song, we wrote ten years ago." The slower track of the two is called "Every Little Girl's Dream." The more upbeat track of the two is called "When Rock 'N' Roll Was Just A Baby." We were treated to something that cannot simply be put into words. They were amazing, pure and simple. Tight musicianship, Daly is a machine behind the kit. Scott comes in with the rolling bass lines, and Norm busted out his best chops ever on lead guitar. Garrett's vocals sounded like he never missed a beat. This was without a doubt in my mind, the best show I've seen all year and quite possibly, one of the best ever. We were treated to two wonderful and special nights. For a momment I think a good part of that audience felt like it was 1996 all over again, and we're the better for it.

So, this leaves me with this. What other band out there would you like to see back together, if even for one night. That seemed to come up a bunch over the two nights. Quicksand, was high on the list, if not topping it. But who else would be on the list, Fugazi, Pavement, New Order(there is this nasty rumer), U2, oh wait, they are still together, you'd just think they stopped making music ten years ago. Whatever band it is, lets just hope it doesn't turn into the VH-1 show, Bands Reunited Especially, like their ill-fated attempt at trying to get the Smith's back together.

Listening Pile
I still need to give it up for Texas Is The Reason. Check out four of the band's best songs at their Myspace page. Which includes the song, "Blue Boy" from the split with the Promise Ring, that somehow is out of print. Very strange. Plus get to view some pics and videos from their two nights at Irving Plaza.

Also, go to their site, Texas Is The Reason and check out their thoughts on the two nights, plus credits, info on the new songs and cover they played, where to get merch (got myself a snazy t-shirt) and more...
Roll The Credits
Now that it's over and we're all able to reflect, I think it's safe to say that this weekend's festivities were a complete success. There were a couple of mostly unnoticed mishaps and a few ideas that unfortunately didn't make it to the finish line, but by and large, we accomplished what we set out to do: We played these songs sincerely, among friends, in our hometown, to a sea of smiling faces. To say that these were the most important shows of our career would be an understatement.

And long before I knew you, I've got the scars to prove it.

So, as many of you know. I've taken up running again. It's beeen almost 10 years since I was a good athlete in high school. I ran cross country and track. It was time for a change. Figure I eat pretty healthy, but still have a problem gaining that extra weight up the middle. I've been running off and on for the past 6 months, but have really kicked it up a notch over the last 3 months. I discovered how much more fun running is with an iPod. I've never really been able to run with music in the past, as cd players tended to skip, and making cassette tapes always just seemed improbable. And mini-disc, never quite worked either. I found the unit would skip too much and wasn't quite conducive to the shaking involved. So, then came the iPod. I am not sure why I never tried this before. It seemed ideal really. You could even use the clock feature to time yourself. It changed the way I run. If you're going on a nice casual run, just load up some mid-tempo jams. If you're going on short timed runs, go with something faster paced. It totally revolutionized the way I run.

To top it off, I recently purchased one of those new iPod shuffle units. It's a featherlite item with a capacity of 1GB, or about 250 songs. 1000 if you're loading it up withy Misfits, Mclusky, NOFX or Descendents songs. It's great for those long runs and a good mix loaded up. The two things I really hate are no display feature showing songs or a clock. The other thing is the ability to only synch it up with one computer. Which sorta makes it worthless for taking it to and from work unless you want to keep loading it up at each place and then erasing when getting to the other location. But for $79, you can't really beat it's convenience and portability.

Here's a nice little iMix I made for a short 4 or 5 mile run. I think it works well it getting the heart rate up and keeping it pretty steady in the middle, and kicking it up right at the end, when I find I need it most. A good mix of bands and songs, including Bloc Party, Placebo, Editors, Mew, Muse, and some make sure to check out the first band, 78 Saab band. They kill and I love that song, "Saviour". Seemed like the best song to start off a good run with. I think their bio on myspace describes them most appropriately,
78 Saab are a beautiful rock and roll band like no other. Distinctively husky, yet lustrous vocals accompany psychedelic guitars and cruise effortlessly with the rhythm section across a soundscape of emotive and endearing songs that range from gently textured trippier moments to unrestrained rock.
The band are currently preparing to record their third album. I cannot wait to hear this. Maybe we'll get lucky and they will come to the US and play some shows for us. I have read some live reviews, and they are supposed to be great live.

Listening Pile
I've really been diggingJudah Johnson lately. He first came to my attention about 5 or 6 years ago, through his early demos, when the band was pretty much just known as frontman, Daniel Johnson. I always thought he seemed like a good singer with some interesting music and arrangements. Well, for obvious reasons, he went with the Judah moniker and has now released his 2nd full length, BE WHERE I BE I love the carefully constructed soundscapes, with tightly wound drum machines, deep bass grooves, washy guitar tones, sweeping melodies and gently layered vocals. It's a great treat, and while the band hasn't fully hit it's creative peak, there are some miscues here, this album touches on some serious promise for future releases. Check out some his of tunes at their myspacepage. Or go straight here and listen to "Little Sounds", possibly my favorite song right now. And I'm totally bummed I missed them live during CMJ, but it looks like they are touring a bit on this new release.

Am I Wry? No

OK, I know it's been a while. But... uh... the best is yet to come. Well, not reallly, but I need to come up w/ something to excuse my ass for being lame and inconsistent. So, lets get started. In the last two months, I've switched positions at work, yet am still doing my old job as they've yet to hire my replacement. And no, I'm not getting the pay of both jobs, just the stress of the two. Fun times ladies and gentlemen, fun times. Let's move along. There's nothing to watch here, keep moving.

So, in that time, I've been to this many shows: 24. Here are some of the highlights, with a slight description, if I can remember. A good chunk of it was during CMJ, and well, there were a few late nights, and lots of drinks had.

9/19 - Klaxons/Holy Hail @ Midway
Sadly, I didn't even get to see the Klaxons. The wonderful people throwing this party decided to have Holy Hail play at 12am, half hour after they should have been off stage. So thanks guys! You killed this night. All I know is some chicks w/ angular haircuts and cheesy outfits got on stage, sang some god-awful songs and made me leave. Somehow, there was a long, long line of people wanting to get into this show and they sadly waited and were subjected to this. Sad, very, very sad. It's like a Sunday evening when you're all ready to watch the Simpson's go on at 8:00 pm on Fox, only to still have some lame episode of Futurama on, making up for the lost time that a Jets/Bills game pre-empted everything for. Fun times, guys.

10/02 - Fields @ Mercury Lounge
First off, let me start by saying, this band spammed me on Myspace. Yet, they've been one of the best bands to ever politely say, "hey, thought you might like to check this out". One listen to the band's debut EP, 7 From the Village, is more than enough to justify the hype surrounding them. They are now on everyone's radar. But, to many nay-sayer's dismay, they actually hold their own. Sweet melodies, propulsive choruses and wonderful harmonizing, make this band quite a treat to listen to. Live, they add the extra oomph that makes them great live, yet makes other studio bands who lack that, out of place on a stage.

10/11 - Basment Jaxx @ Webster Hall
I didn't see this coming. But I don't think I've ever seen this many sweaty people dancing at Webster Hall. Then again, I've never been to the male-revue night. Basment Jaxx brought it, and then made everyone in the place shake it. It's like mardi-gras on stage. Big black women, lavish costume changes, surprise guests, surrounded by men in kilts, and dancing. I'm not sure, but I think I even saw beads strewn amongst the crowd. The place went nuts when they kicked into "Where's Your Head At".

10/31 - Amiina @ Joe's Pub 11:45
Better knows as the string section during Sigur Ros's live show these lovely ladies were so incredibly charming live. Dressed in their individualized colors, one red, one blue, one green, and one black with white flowers, they played an array of instruments, bells, electronic blips, wine glasses and traditional strings. It was beautiful and dreamy, but also had it's quirks. One of the finest shows I've seen in forever. And at Joe's Pub to boot, which only holds an intimate 150 people or so. Also, came across this.

American tour is FREE thanks to Iceland Naturally (27.Oct.06)

Amiina announced today on their MySpace page that the American tour will be free!

This is thanks to the kind sponsorship of Iceland Naturally.
Is it no wonder that other countries are more cultured and sophisticated than America. Their governments care about the arts and provide them with grants to let them create it. Meanwhile, those funds are always amongst the first to be cut in the US. And, lets not even get into education budgets. http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

11/01 - The Knife @ Webster Hall
So, was I really watching the Knife. Or could we have been watching anyone in their costumes? Did they lypsynch? Did they even play their intstruments? I have no clue. The visuals were pretty cool early on, but got kinda whack as the night went on. I thought they were OK, but I really wanted a bit more depth to the live show. I feel like it was all some sort of elaborate hoax.

11/02 - Stephen Brodsky Experience/Panthers @ Sin-e
Remember that guy from Cave-In? The band with soooooo much potential. Did they break up? Well, this was, uh.... weird, to say the least. I thought I'd be in store for some spacey floydesque jams w/ whimisical lyrics about falling in love in space or something. Nope, it's like these guys crawled out of some bar in the South End of Boston and showed up at CMJ and said, "Hey, we're hear to play. Can we get payed in beer?" WTF!?!?!?!

11/03 - Loney Dear @ 205 Bar
Definitely the best band no one has heard of yet. Beautiful, inventive, inspiring melodies, deep textures. Glad I got to see them live. Apparently the Swedish indie popsters have just signed to Sub Pop. Good for them.

11/03 - Mew/Fields @ Bowery Ballroom
Mew are awesome. They combine ethereal vocals with proggy Euro space jams, lavish touches of keyboards, soaring choruses and monstrous riffage. The played a good amount of selections from their most recent album, The Glass Handed Kite, but also played a good amount of songs from their debut full length, Frengers. However, as much as I enjoyed this, I could not help myself from being reminded of Europe. Yeah, the "Final Countdown" Europe. I think it was the posing, long haired European thing they had going on. But when they busted into the chorus of "Apocalypso". I was like holy snikes. "The Final Countdown!" And I am not the only person that thought this. I swear. Whatever though, I still love these guys.

11/07 - Placebo @ Nokia Theater
Who doesn't love these androginistic fools. They killed at the Nokia. Though, lets just for a moment ask, "Brian, what is up with that shaved head look?" Who didn't love his peasant boy locks? I think we can blame that on male pattern baldness. He used to look like a cross dresser, now he just looks like a kiddie toucher or something. Starting off with five straight songs from their recent disc, Meds, they played a rocking set. Going through classics, "Special K" , "Every You, Every Me", "Sleeping With Ghosts", "Taste In Men", and the rarely played, "Without You I'm Nothing", they were relentless. The encore left fans with more to be desired, but they did play the Kate Bush cover, "Running Up That Hill." They were a treat. It's been about 5 or 6 years since I've seen them(I missed them on the Sleeping With Ghost tour). It's been way too long my freaky Euro friends.

CMJ, came and went. It was fun, though I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the lack of quality bands. Aside from Mew, Fields, The Knife,TapesnTapes, and Amiina, it was pretty slim pickens.

I Want To Spock You Like An Animal.

Whoa, the new iTunes. I'm loving it. Definitely the best version yet. I love that jukebox view feature and man, you can now get video games on there. Nice! While I'm at it, the new iPod shuffle looks fantastic. I need to get one for my morning runs. Looks so compact, I swear, only the headphones will be the most annoying part of that now.

I came across this video the other day. Wow, this is some seriously disturbing stuff. Not that the original video for "Closer" wasn't strange itself, but I don't even understand how someone came up with this idea. Spock, Kirk, NIN and man love. I don't know, strange. How do you end up with that much time on your hands? How?

Oh man, we knew Jessica Simpson was dumb as rocks, but now she's topped herself. She's dating John Meyer! John Meyer! At least Nick Lachay could be considered somewhat of a good looking man and he did have that whole boy band thing going at the time. But John Meyer? Like for real! He must have signed the most incredible deal with the Devil. It's like he can keep making amendments or something.

"Hey Lucifer, I'm OK without the looks, my music can really suck, cancel my TV show... and you can have my soul, yeah, whatever... but this Jessica Simpson broad, she's hot, she's single, I'm single, make it happen."

Listening Pile:
Wow, never thought I would see the day. But Texas Is The Reason is getting back together for a one off show right after Thanksgiving. This is amazing. A highly influential band, (and certainly the best band named after a Misfit song) along w/ Lifetime and Sunny Day Real Estate, can be credited for all those cookie cutter emo bands out there now.Of course, these three bands were a cut above the rest. You can read the story here and even get a bit more band info. More info on the show can be found here . Pretty cool that they have former Rival Schools axeman, Ian Love opening up.

You know that brewery makes 10,000 bottles of beer a day. I drink 45 of them, and I'm the bad guy!

Finally saw what could be the best movie of the summer. From the men that brought you the classic, Super Troopers, Beerfest! Seriously funny. They trained by drinking! It had almost everything you'd want in a good comedy, beer, comraderie, the occasional boob shots and making gun of Germans. Amazing! Has anyone seen that preview for Artie Lang's Beer League? Why is anyone letting that guy make a movie? Does anyone not remember Dirty Work? Howard Stern, I blame this on you.

I don't get this According to Jim show, but damn if i couldn't help myself from watching it the other day, no not for the still lovely, Courtney Thorne-Smith or Kimberly Williams, but for the man himself, Erik Estrada. Yes, you heard that right, the Ponch himself, made a guest appearance on the show. Man, I love that guy. I mean, it's no CHiPs, but then again, what is?

This kid, is amazing. Wow, those are some moves. I don't know how I found this, but you gotta love the random stuff you can find on YouTube.

Listening Pile:
Been digging this As Tall As Lions album lately. Really great songs, lead by singer, Mike Nigro's falsetto the band chimes in w/ sweeping guitars, lush arrangements and flourishes of pianos, trumpet and trombone. Produced by Mike Watts and Steve Haigler the album is a fantastic 2nd disc from the Long Island band, and is on the Triple Crown label?!?

I am loving this new Basement Jaxx song, "Take Me Back To Your House". It's a great jam. The video is hot! They really outdid themselves on this one. They've got a sexy lead, and dancing Cossacks, dancing bears, plus a tank.

While we're at it, the new TV On The Radio album, kills. It's so freakin good. I really didn't think they could top themselves, but they did. Way more guitars on this album, insane beats capped off by the stellar, "I Was A Lover" and soulful harmonies. Check out the great video for "Wolf Like Me".

Listeners, fans and friends of WOXY.Com

WOXY.Com posted this message today on their website. This is a horrible blow to indie rock and online radio. This was a great station and will be sorely missed. With the conglomeration of radio and ever tightening playlists, WOXY provided a viable solution, with fresh and innovative music, a knowledgeable on-air staff and loyal listeners. Unfortunately, another one, and a great one at that, bites the dust. -fn


Listeners, fans and friends,

This sucks.

This is the moment all of us hoped would never come. After plugging away at this for the past two years, it’s become pretty clear that operating woxy.com as a stand-alone Internet "radio station" is not going to cut it. Our operating costs are higher than you might think, and the revenue we were able to generate from advertising isn’t close to supporting what we’re doing. Even membership revenue wasn’t enough to get us there. When your business doesn’t make money, you eventually go out of business.


With this in mind, we’ve been looking for either a significant partner – someone with a larger plan into which woxy.com could be plugged – or an outright buyer. That search hasn’t been fruitful. We’re still willing to entertain offers and explore possibilities (email bryan@woxy.com), but our time is short. We thought it was time to share our situation with you ... to give you a heads-up.

You might be saying, "What can I do to help?" Unfortunately, unless you have significant investment capital and a way to profit from the wonderful programming we create, you can’t. As of today, we will no longer be selling or renewing memberships or accepting contributions. Please don’t send us money ... it will just mean we have to send it back to you.

Now is a good time to say THANK YOU to our incredibly patient, generous and kind angel investors. Without them ... well, we wouldn’t have had the chance to even be in the game. They’ve enabled everything we’ve accomplished over the past two years, and for that, they are saints to indie rock lovers everywhere.

We did investigate an alternative: stripping our operations to the absolute bare minimum by cutting back to one staffer, no more DJs, no more Lounge Acts, etc. We decided it wasn’t worth it. It wouldn’t have been true to what woxy.com is, and it wouldn’t have honored the legacy of 97X.

While woxy.com may have failed in a business sense, we’re pretty proud that we managed to put out some of the most passionate, unique and interesting programming on the Internet and elsewhere. We showered love and airplay on countless bands who otherwise would have received none, garnered national press attention and hosted nearly 200 live Lounge Act performances. Not too bad for a little, four-person Internet radio station from Cincinnati.

A radio station is only as big as its listeners make it. We’re not BS-ing when we say that you guys, our supporters, are the most amazing people on the planet. THANK YOU. The dedication and enthusiasm you’ve shown for what we do is staggering and inspiring. Thank you to everyone who stepped up to become a member, generously made a contribution, emailed (spammed) your friends, spread the gospel of woxy.com and – most of all – listened.

Barring something exceptional happening in the next two weeks, we will silence our broadcasts on Friday, September 15th.

Sometimes no matter how hard you try and how special the thing you do, it simply isn’t enough to beat the odds. It’s the cold reality of business that not even we could escape. When September 15th comes, we’ll meet it proudly with heads held high and celebrate the past two years of woxy.com and the spirit of 97X. For those lucky enough to have been part of it, The Future of Rock and Roll will forever be in our minds and hearts.

So enjoy these last two weeks with us. Shall we rock?

Eternally yours,
Bryan Jay, Mike, Shiv, and Barb

Are You ready for some Football

Just finished my first Fantasy NFL Draft of the year. Got Rudi Johnson and Edgerin James in rounds 1 and 2. And how about Willis McGahee in round 3. My receivers and QB suck. But hey, 3 great backs could go a long way. While we're on the subject of football, I heard on TV this morning, that NBC has signed up Pink to sing the intro song for Sunday Night Football, which will be a remake of Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You". Um... very strange to say the least. I mean, they couldn't actually get Joan Jett to do it. I know she's on tour (she played CBGB's recently) and did some work on Peaches new album, but seriously, I'm sure she's available. And Pink? Are they trying to get this party started in the gayest way possible? I know Monday night football is moving to ESPN, but will they take the great intro song by Hank Williams Jr. with them, "All My Rowdy Friends Are Here for Monday Night". There's just nothing like that intro, "Are you ready for some Footballlllll"


So, has anyone seen that Osama Bin Laden has a thing for Whitney Houston. Going so far as to say he's thought of having Bobby Brown taken out of the picture to have her to himself. Yikes! I wonder who's perogative that is. Anyhow, I'm wondering if Osama would still love his Whitney if he saw this video. Also, which Whitney, the early cute innocent " I Wanna Dance With Somebody" or that crazy cracked out, singing to herself, Whitney, we saw on "Being Bobby Brown". By the way, has anyone seen this creepy video of Serge Gainsbourg telling Whitney he wants to bang her? Freaky stuff, I tell you. Though I love how he said, "You're Not Reagan, I'm Not Gorbachov. So don't try it. "


I am bummed, since my trip to Wyoming and Montana earlier this month, I'm just down on almost all beers. And it's all because of Fat Tire.

"Like the ageless delight of pedaling a bicycle, Fat Tire Amber Ale’s appeal is in its feat of balance: Toasty malt flavors (sorta like biscuits just pulled from the oven) coasting in equilibrium with crisp hoppiness. Delicious stability - in the world of sometimes-precarious beer flavors – is perhaps what prompted one consumer who wrote us to say, “this beer just makes you smile.”

It's a great beer made in Colorado. Sadly, you couldn't bring any back on the plane, with the new liquid restrictions on airlines. You also can't get it shipped, and it's not imported anywhere outside of like 4 or 5 states bordering Colorado.


Did we not learn anything from the debacle that was, From Justin To Kelly ? So, why are those damn TV execs. trying to fool us into thinking that any movie telling us the story of American Idol winner Fantasia, would be in the least bit interesting? Come on! That's like watching paint dry, but in the ghetto. Nothing good can come from this. If anything, they need to make a movie where Taylor Hicks gets beat down by some drunken Ford pickup truck owners. Or how about a scantly clad Katherine McPhee doing anything? I mean, anything, shoot, even beating the crap out of the aforementioned Hicks would be entertaining. Why?



I've been loving this Mew record, and I don't mean, the acronym of "Messaging in the Emacs World". I happened to find a copy on sale for $8.99 at the Virgin Megastore on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood on my recent trip. And man, what a great disc, which is actually not so new. A friend of mine turned me on to this band and this album And The Glass Handed Kites , last year. And though it's just been released here in the US, it's been available in their native Denmark for quite some time. From the opening "Circuitry Of The Wolf" and "Chinaberry Tree" this record pulses with a great loud soft dynamic, and ethereal vocals, sounding somewhat like what it's title sticker says, "Sounding like a mix of the Cocteau Twins and Sonic Youth. They will be back in the US to play some dates with Kasabian, who I may say, have utterly disapointed with their new single. I'm hoping that's just one bad song on a decent album. Mew good, Kasabian, eh!
September
17th: Boston, MA, Paradise Rock Club
20th: New York, NY, Webster Hall
21st: Philadelphia, PA, Theatre of Living Arts

Well, what would you prefer? Yellow spandex?

So I came across this great bit from Gennaro Filice's Inside Baseball article on SI.Com, and I laid out quite a chuckle.

Xavier Nady's life: Imagine this: You're cruising along in your dream job, working upper management in a top-notch operation while living large on the coast. Then, without warning, you're transferred to a futile, nickel-and-dime company located inland. And -- now that we're knee-deep in this analogy -- imagine that the only reason this demotion occurred was because a fellow employee went on sick leave. How would you feel? That's basically what happened to Nady. He was traded from the NL's best team (the Mets) to the NL's worst team (the Pirates) because Mets reliever Duaner Sanchez suffered a season-ending injury in a taxicab crash, forcing New York to move Nady for bullpen help. Say a prayer for the X-Man.

Sadly, I thought the same thing. Man, does that move to Pittsburgh suck. And we all know Lasting Milledge is so not ready to be the everyday rightfielder. And, man does Gennaro look young or what. Since when do they let interns write articles at SI.Com?

Um, in the weird file, and no, I'm not talking about Johnny Mar joining Modest Mouse?!? This story about former Lifetime bassist Linda Kay, who was arrested for having human body parts in her South Plainfield home. She performed on the original version of the band's album Background, but wasn't featured on the actual recording. Her photo does, however, appear in the disc's artwork. Man, that is some seriously screwed up stuff. Seriously! I'm thinking the guys who are on their reunion tour, don't want to comment on this. And man, was it weird to see all those kids that used to be straight-edge at the show last month, drinking beer!

Listening Pile:
Check out Fires These guys are great, featuring old friend's Arty Sheppard and Adam Marino of Errortype:11 and Instruction fame. Arty is one fantastic songwriter and I really like the slightly different sound he takes on these songs. A bit less aggro than Instruction, with more guitar dynamics and a little bit of shoegaze, plus Arty uses a slighly lower register when singing most stuff. Go here to check out a few tunes. Saw them a few weeks back at Pianos and they killed it live.

Cursive is about to release their new album, Happy Hollow on August 22nd. Just got my copy in the mail yesterday and have only listened to it once. Not sure how I feel about it yet. No cello on this one though. I've been a huge fan for some time, and I wasn't overly impressed by their last album, The Ugly Organ . I sorta get that this one is a bit more timid and not as choppy and discordant as the early stuff. Go here to check out two new songs, and a flamboyant band photo!

I'm Back...

OK, so I know it's been quite a long time since I've posted. Well, it's just way too much to go into. I've been crazy busy with work, weddings, traveling, rock shows and email disasters. I'm in the midst's of preparing for my trip to Wyoming next week. I cannot wait. Leaving the city for a week will be so nice.
Of course, while in Wyoming, we'll be visiting Yellowstone National Park and attending our friend's wedding in Cody. Should be a great time and quite the memorable trip.

Anyhows, here is a quick rundown of the shows I've been to over the last two months.
6/02 - Super Furry Animals @ Pier 12
6/06 - Tapes 'n Tapes @ Bowery Ballroom
6/09 - Cat Power @ Town Hall
6/14 - Radiohead @ Theater at MSG
6/19 - Walter Schreifels/Sorla @ Plan B
6/21 - Jennifer O' Connor @ Siñe
6/23 - Brightblack Morning Light @ Mercury Lounge
6/28 - Thom Yorke @ Bombshelter Studios - Henry Rollins Taping
6/28 - Cat Power @ John Anson Ford Amphitheater - Los Angeles
6/29 - Cat Power @ Village Studios - Los Angeles - KCRW Taping
6/29 - Radiohead @ Greek Theater Los Angeles
6/30 - Radiohead @ Greek Theater Los Angeles

7/05 - The Rakes @ Bowery Ballroom
7/06 - Fires @ Pianos
7/08 - Lifetime @ Bowery Ballroom
7/12 - North Atlantic/The King Left @ Siñe
7/19 - I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness/Asobi Seksu @ Bowery Ballroom

Listening Pile:
This new Muse album is just blowin me away. Reminiscent of the earlier records, more so than the last, Absolution, Black Holes and Revelations is way more proggy and features far down-tempo tunes and experimentation. "Starlight" has got to be this band's huge crossover hit. I swear, I think I can here this on top 40 radio. "Knights Of Cydonia" is the first single, and is epic to say the least, in all it's glory and clocking in at 6 plus minutes . "Super Massive Black Hole" is the funkiest thing on the album, sounding like Bellamy and Co. discovered a weird Thom Yorke meets Prince collaboration. "Assassin" and it's bombastic riffing, is the heaviest song on the album, yet the album does fine with just that one heay song. Really great album with interesting twists and turns, plus more than a few jabs at George Bush and Tony Blair to boot. Lastly, dunno if anyone else noticed this, but how about the similarities to the new Tom Petty album cover? Weird huh!