My friend John has written a fantastic piece about Michael Jackson’s death and it’s relation to art here.I urge you to read it.And here are my thoughts on the whole thing. When was the last time you listened to a Michael Jackson record? When was the last time you put Continue Reading
Allen Lulu
Listening Post: U2 – No Line on the Horizon
The very first Listening Post finally concludes with a new one from the band that started it all. U2 – No Line on the Horizon – 2009 (iTunes – Amazon) I started the Listening Post because I realized that, while I knew all of U2’s singles I didn’t really know Continue Reading
Reflecting Pool: Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown
Green Day gives us another Rock Opera. But is it any good? Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown – 2009 (iTunes – Amazon) “My generation is zero. I never made it as a working class hero.” It’s a great line. It follows a bit about being born into Nixon and Continue Reading
Reflecting Pool: Green Day – Kerplunk!
One of best selling Indie records would pave the way for superstardom Green Day – Kerplunk! – 1992 (iTunes – Amazon) You know what you notice on Kerplunk? Mike Dirnt. Yeah, I forgot about him completely on the band’s first album. But, he’s right there, all prominent and shit on Continue Reading
Reflecting Pool: Green Day – 1039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours
Right in the middle of the Reflecting Pool, we jump in the wayback machine to cast a glance at the earliest GD had to offer. Green Day – 1039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours – 1990 (iTunes – Amazon) So this is early Green Day. Before Tre Cool. When John Kiffmeyer Continue Reading
Reflecting Pool: Foxboro Hot Tubs – Stop Drop and Roll!!!
Hey, is that Green Day….? Green Day as Foxboro Hot Tubs – Stop Drop And Roll! – 2008 (iTunes – Amazon) The old axiom goes: bands spend their whole loves writing and performing their first album and then they have on year to write another one. That’s why the sophomore Continue Reading
Reflecting Pool: Green Day – American Idiot
After Liz died I couldn’t listen to this record, let alone any other Green Day, since it was her favorite band. Time heals a lot. Let’s see if it’s as good as I recall… Green Day – American Idiot – 2004 (iTunes – Amazon) “…while the moms and Brads are Continue Reading
Listening Post: Judas Priest – Nostradamus
The end is nigh. And it’s sooooo boring…… Judas Priest – Nostradamus – 2008 (iTunes – Amazon) I’m not sure what to make of this. The first track of Nostradamus, “Dawn of Creation”, opens with strings, pianos, moody wind effects and then a keyboard track that reminds of the soundtrack Continue Reading
Listening Post: Judas Priest – Angel of Retribution
21st Century Priest. Judas Priest – Angel of Retribution – 2005 (iTunes – Amazon) Well, this is more like it. From the opening harbinger of doom track Judas Rising, right through the next track Deal with the Devil, we know that we are back in familiar territory. I’m not sure Continue Reading
Listening Post: Judas Priest – Demolition
Rap? Judas Priest and….rap????? Judas Priest – Demolition – 2001 (iTunes – Amazon) Okay, yes. There is a nu-metal rapcore song on this album. It is the last. It’s called Metal Messiah and it serves to remind me of a terrible time when it seemed that Limp Bizkit would never Continue Reading