Bracket A
#2 Tool 3 - #63 Nellie McKay 0 - The best metal act in the game shuts out one of the best and least known artists of indie music.
#31 Metallica 2 - #32 O.A.R. 1 - Even in their weakened, sucky state Metallica is still more than enough to knock down the band no one outside of college campuses cares about.
#50 Todd Snider 2 - #15 OK Go 1 - A tremendous upset all things considered, but the real question should be: "How the hell did Todd Snider end up a 50 seed?".
#18 Rancid 3 - #47 Fuel 0 - Rancid wins the battle of the artists who have been spending way too much time in the "recording studio".
#7 Eagles Of Death Metal 3 - #58 The Futureheads 0 - Eagles murder the Futureheads. The murder weapon? Sexy, of course.
#26 Bloc Party 3 - #39 Coheed And Cambria 0 - At least it's possible to figure out what the fuck Bloc Party songs are about.
#10 Big Timber 3 - #55 Everclear 0 - Sure, Everclear should hang it up, but I doubt that more than 1% of the music listening population even knows who Big Timber is. They should, though.
#23 Cake 3 - #42 Alanis Morissette 0 - Alanis fatigue gives a sweep to the average output of Cake.
#3 The Foo Fighters 3 - #62 The Vines 0 - You want to win in this tournament, you'd better have more than 1 good song per album.
#35 The Ataris 2 - #30 Megadeth 1 - Sure it's an upset, but really, anyone knocking off Megadeth can hardly be considered a surprise.
#14 Weezer 3 - #51 Gavin DeGraw 0 - Weezer's seen better days, but they're still much better than the radio friendly but timid DeGraw.
#19 Belle And Sebastian 3 - #46 Cold 0 - Anyone remember Cold? Anyone?
#6 U2 3 - #59 Three Doors Down 0 - Seen better days but still good trumps never had any good days any time.
#27 Buckcherry 2 - #38 Avenged Sevenfold 1 - Although the match-up nearly killed Ryan, he managed to vote for Avenged Sevenfold, to no avail as Guns N Roses clone #1 defeated Guns N Roses clone #2.
#11 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 3 - #54 Better Than Ezra 0 - BRMC may be right on the verge of their big breakthrough with a new album coming out soon, while Better Than Ezra is the definition of a band that's running on fumes.
#22 Bad Religion 3 - #43 Collective Soul 0 - Had this happened 10 years ago, Collective Soul might have won. These days? Not so much.
COMING SOON: Round 1 - Bracket B, Part 1
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Battle of the Bands 2007 Round 1 - Bracket A, Part 1
Bracket A
Round 1 - Bracket A Results:
#1 The White Stripes 3 - #64 The Duke Spirit 0 - #65 DragonForce 0 - No real surprise here, as the Stripes are the top seed in the whole tournament.
#33 30 Seconds To Mars 2 - #32 The All-American Rejects 1 - Technically an upset, but at this point, who the hell cares?
#16 Ministry 3 - #49 Lenny Kravitz 0 - Considering that Kravitz hasn't had a decent song in nearly 10 years, this was something of a given.
#17 The Deftones 3 - #48 Iron And Wine 0 - A blowout for the band that all 3 voters have at least heard of.
#8 Green Day 3 - #57 The Dresden Dolls 0 - Even Ryan voted for Green Day and Ryan hates Green Day in a way so passionate it can only be described as irrational.
#25 Pete Yorn 2 - #40 Lucinda Williams 1 - Do you remember Pete Yorn? Apparantly Ryan and Matt do.
#9 Neil Young 3 - #56 Saves The Day 0 - The aging rocker continues his comeback with a high ranking in the tournament and a sweep of Saves The Day.
#24 Hot Hot Heat 2 - #41 The Dave Matthews Band 1 - A result that's one part love of Hot Hot Heat and one part hatred of the Dave Matthews Band.
#4 Franz Ferdinand 3 - #61 Stellastarr 0 - An appropriate blowout.
#29 The Fray 2 - #36 The Cure 1 - The Fray aren't the trendiest of bands, but they've still done quite a bit more than the Cure lately.
#13 Snow Patrol 3 - #52 Matisyahu 0 - The hype around the Hasidic rapper has faded considerably over the past year, enabling an easy victory for the Coldplay sound-a-like.
#20 A.F.I. 2 - #45 Augustana 1 - Despite the insanity at Band Madness, I'm still giving A.F.I. a chance in this tournament. Seeing as how it can't be flooded, I wouldn't expect them to last past next round.
#5 Death Cab For Cutie 3 - #60 Louis XIV 0 - A handful of singles won't cut it against the best emo has to offer.
#37 The Dropkick Murphys 2 - #28 Taking Back Sunday 1 - The first upset of the tournament features pure rock n roll knocking off above average emo. If you're wondering about the Dropkick Murphys, keep one important rule in mind. As soon as the singing starts... the listening should end. Trust me.
#12 My Chemical Romance 2 - #53 Rooney 1 - One of the hottest bands of 2006 knocks off the band that Seth Cohen won't shut up about. His show isn't even on the air anymore and he's still going on about Rooney.
#44 The Sounds 2 - #21 Kanye West 1 - The biggest upset of Bracket A was brought about by an obscenely obscure band going up against an artist from a genre that Ryan will perhaps never vote for.
Coming Soon: Round 1, Bracket A, Part 2
Round 1 - Bracket A Results:
#1 The White Stripes 3 - #64 The Duke Spirit 0 - #65 DragonForce 0 - No real surprise here, as the Stripes are the top seed in the whole tournament.
#33 30 Seconds To Mars 2 - #32 The All-American Rejects 1 - Technically an upset, but at this point, who the hell cares?
#16 Ministry 3 - #49 Lenny Kravitz 0 - Considering that Kravitz hasn't had a decent song in nearly 10 years, this was something of a given.
#17 The Deftones 3 - #48 Iron And Wine 0 - A blowout for the band that all 3 voters have at least heard of.
#8 Green Day 3 - #57 The Dresden Dolls 0 - Even Ryan voted for Green Day and Ryan hates Green Day in a way so passionate it can only be described as irrational.
#25 Pete Yorn 2 - #40 Lucinda Williams 1 - Do you remember Pete Yorn? Apparantly Ryan and Matt do.
#9 Neil Young 3 - #56 Saves The Day 0 - The aging rocker continues his comeback with a high ranking in the tournament and a sweep of Saves The Day.
#24 Hot Hot Heat 2 - #41 The Dave Matthews Band 1 - A result that's one part love of Hot Hot Heat and one part hatred of the Dave Matthews Band.
#4 Franz Ferdinand 3 - #61 Stellastarr 0 - An appropriate blowout.
#29 The Fray 2 - #36 The Cure 1 - The Fray aren't the trendiest of bands, but they've still done quite a bit more than the Cure lately.
#13 Snow Patrol 3 - #52 Matisyahu 0 - The hype around the Hasidic rapper has faded considerably over the past year, enabling an easy victory for the Coldplay sound-a-like.
#20 A.F.I. 2 - #45 Augustana 1 - Despite the insanity at Band Madness, I'm still giving A.F.I. a chance in this tournament. Seeing as how it can't be flooded, I wouldn't expect them to last past next round.
#5 Death Cab For Cutie 3 - #60 Louis XIV 0 - A handful of singles won't cut it against the best emo has to offer.
#37 The Dropkick Murphys 2 - #28 Taking Back Sunday 1 - The first upset of the tournament features pure rock n roll knocking off above average emo. If you're wondering about the Dropkick Murphys, keep one important rule in mind. As soon as the singing starts... the listening should end. Trust me.
#12 My Chemical Romance 2 - #53 Rooney 1 - One of the hottest bands of 2006 knocks off the band that Seth Cohen won't shut up about. His show isn't even on the air anymore and he's still going on about Rooney.
#44 The Sounds 2 - #21 Kanye West 1 - The biggest upset of Bracket A was brought about by an obscenely obscure band going up against an artist from a genre that Ryan will perhaps never vote for.
Coming Soon: Round 1, Bracket A, Part 2
Modern Rock Reviews
Archive of 2007 Modern Rock Reviews
Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race - B+
Another catchy rock song you can dance to from the reigning champs of pop punk.
Flyleaf - All Around Me - B+
This is what Evanescence might sound like if they were more consistent and not so damn gloomy. A great voice, solid lyrics and great hooks.
Faber Drive - Second Chance - B+
A pleasant pop-rock song from a new band that might have something of a future.
Fall Out Boy - Thnks Fr Th Mmrs - B
A step back for the pop-punk kings, but still a well-written and pleasant pop song.
Everclear - Shine - B
This escapee from 1995 manages to be the cotton candy of music, light, pleasant, but no substance whatsoever.
Dropping Daylight - Tell Me - B
A solid debut single, which is pleasant and shows great promise, but they aren't quite there yet.
Eighteen Visions - Broken Hearted - B-
A sweeping pop rock song, that sniffs a little too much of hair band, but is still alright for a single shot listening.
Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists - C+
More of the same from Disturbed, and it gets the same grade it'll always get, just south of Korn, just north of Mudvayne.
Finger Eleven - Paralyzer - C+
I think I liked this song better when it was called "Take Me Out", and when it was better written, had better hooks and a more talented lead singer.
Evanescence - Sweet Sacrifice - C+
This song isn't much better than "Lithium", but at least it's not completely boring. Still, I would never say it was "good".
Framing Hanley - Hear Me Now - C+
Yet another unoriginal, but not entirely bad sludge metal song.
Daughtry - What I Want - C+
A vast improvement over "It's Not Over" is enhanced by great guitar work by guest Slash. It still doesn't rise above the average for metal songs though.
Evanescence - Lithium - C
I guess Evanescence is good for one good single per album. This song is boring as hell.
Diecast - Nothing I Could Say - C-
Do bands even try to sound original anymore, or is imitation the only way to get on the radiO? This one is pretty much Disturbed meets Mudvayne, but slowed down. In other words, crap.
Fair To Midland - Dance Of The Manatees - C-
Damn near nothing happens in this song. Ever. It frequently seems like something will. It doesn't.
Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race - B+
Another catchy rock song you can dance to from the reigning champs of pop punk.
Flyleaf - All Around Me - B+
This is what Evanescence might sound like if they were more consistent and not so damn gloomy. A great voice, solid lyrics and great hooks.
Faber Drive - Second Chance - B+
A pleasant pop-rock song from a new band that might have something of a future.
Fall Out Boy - Thnks Fr Th Mmrs - B
A step back for the pop-punk kings, but still a well-written and pleasant pop song.
Everclear - Shine - B
This escapee from 1995 manages to be the cotton candy of music, light, pleasant, but no substance whatsoever.
Dropping Daylight - Tell Me - B
A solid debut single, which is pleasant and shows great promise, but they aren't quite there yet.
Eighteen Visions - Broken Hearted - B-
A sweeping pop rock song, that sniffs a little too much of hair band, but is still alright for a single shot listening.
Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists - C+
More of the same from Disturbed, and it gets the same grade it'll always get, just south of Korn, just north of Mudvayne.
Finger Eleven - Paralyzer - C+
I think I liked this song better when it was called "Take Me Out", and when it was better written, had better hooks and a more talented lead singer.
Evanescence - Sweet Sacrifice - C+
This song isn't much better than "Lithium", but at least it's not completely boring. Still, I would never say it was "good".
Framing Hanley - Hear Me Now - C+
Yet another unoriginal, but not entirely bad sludge metal song.
Daughtry - What I Want - C+
A vast improvement over "It's Not Over" is enhanced by great guitar work by guest Slash. It still doesn't rise above the average for metal songs though.
Evanescence - Lithium - C
I guess Evanescence is good for one good single per album. This song is boring as hell.
Diecast - Nothing I Could Say - C-
Do bands even try to sound original anymore, or is imitation the only way to get on the radiO? This one is pretty much Disturbed meets Mudvayne, but slowed down. In other words, crap.
Fair To Midland - Dance Of The Manatees - C-
Damn near nothing happens in this song. Ever. It frequently seems like something will. It doesn't.
New Movies This Week
Hollywood isn't even bothering to put out quality content this week, knowing fully well that it will all be consumed by Spiderman 3 next weekend. 4 new movies were released... 3 weren't screened for critics.
The Invisible - This week's obligatory horror film is sort of a goth twist on the invisible man story. This is the most interesting movie of the week, and it sounds and looks lousy.
Verdict: Rent it.
Next - Nick Cage continues to dunk his Oscar in shit with this sci fi movie that not only ruins his legacy as an actor, but Philip K. Dick's legacy as a writer. The movie cost 70 million to make and it was held back from critics. What does that tell you?
Verdict: Skip it.
The Condemned - An action movie starring Stone Cold Steve Austin as a convict who must fight to the death to win a pardon. Can you believe that this is the movie that was screened for critics?
Verdict: Avoid it.
Kickin' It Old School - Jamie Kennedy stars as a break-dancer who falls into a coma and wakes up 20 years later when break-dancing is no longer cool. I have no interest in this movie, but fortunately it doesn't look like anyone else does either, so maybe Jamie can finally but this stupid bullshit character to rest for good.
Verdict: Avoid it. Like the plague.
The Invisible - This week's obligatory horror film is sort of a goth twist on the invisible man story. This is the most interesting movie of the week, and it sounds and looks lousy.
Verdict: Rent it.
Next - Nick Cage continues to dunk his Oscar in shit with this sci fi movie that not only ruins his legacy as an actor, but Philip K. Dick's legacy as a writer. The movie cost 70 million to make and it was held back from critics. What does that tell you?
Verdict: Skip it.
The Condemned - An action movie starring Stone Cold Steve Austin as a convict who must fight to the death to win a pardon. Can you believe that this is the movie that was screened for critics?
Verdict: Avoid it.
Kickin' It Old School - Jamie Kennedy stars as a break-dancer who falls into a coma and wakes up 20 years later when break-dancing is no longer cool. I have no interest in this movie, but fortunately it doesn't look like anyone else does either, so maybe Jamie can finally but this stupid bullshit character to rest for good.
Verdict: Avoid it. Like the plague.
Billboard Rock Charts Review
Albums - Avril Lavigne debuted at #1, topping Year Zero by Nine Inch Nails for some reason. There were no other notable debuts, though Bright Eyes did plummet all the way to #33.
On the Modern Rock charts, Linkin Park stayed at #1 for the 3rd straight week with "What I've Done". Also, the Plain White T's continue to charge up the charts with"Hey There Delilah", up 5 to #6. Debuting on the Modern Rock Top 20 this week are The Used with "The Bird And The Worm" and #18 and yet another future #1 for the Red Hot Chili Peppers with "Hump De Bump" at #19.
Over on the short bus (Mainstream Rock) charts, Breaking Benjamin's "Breath" remained at #1 for the 7th consecutive week. Ozzy Osbourne returned to the charts with "I Don't Wanna Stop", which debuts this week at #5.
On the Modern Rock charts, Linkin Park stayed at #1 for the 3rd straight week with "What I've Done". Also, the Plain White T's continue to charge up the charts with"Hey There Delilah", up 5 to #6. Debuting on the Modern Rock Top 20 this week are The Used with "The Bird And The Worm" and #18 and yet another future #1 for the Red Hot Chili Peppers with "Hump De Bump" at #19.
Over on the short bus (Mainstream Rock) charts, Breaking Benjamin's "Breath" remained at #1 for the 7th consecutive week. Ozzy Osbourne returned to the charts with "I Don't Wanna Stop", which debuts this week at #5.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
New Shit Tuesday
New CDs:
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare - The music headliner of the week is clearly the follow-up to 2006's justifiably super-hyped indie dance rock group Arctic Monkeys. From what I've heard, the cd is excellent and I plan to buy it as soon as I can find it (which is actually an issue where I live...).
Verdict: Buy it, as soon as possible.
The Nightwatchman - One Man Revolution - I haven't heard much about this cd, but it's Tom Morello, guitar god from Rage Against The Machine, singing acoustic protest songs. Yeah, I'm there.
Verdict: Buy it, if it's cheap.
Patti Smith - Twelve - Ah, the cover album. No, not a Joe Cocker album or a regular album by a band that only plays covers. Rather, the cover album I'm referring to is when a respected artist gives their take on hits that inspired them over the years. Sometimes it's good (Rage Against The Machine), sometimes it's bad (Def Leppard is the obvious choice, but Tori Amos' wasn't very good either). Patti Smith isn't exactly in the prime of her career, but you never know what you're going to get from her. Based on the Hall of Fame inductions, her voice hasn't changed much over the years. It's just as ragged as ever.
Verdict: Borrow it.
Mando Diao - Ode To Ochrasy - I've heard their single and it's not bad. Still, I'll have to hear more before I recommend it.
Verdict: Borrow it.
Yoko Ono - Open Your Box (remixes) - REMIXES!?! OF YOKO ONO SONGS?!? AWESOME! It'll be like puncturing my own eardrums with a rusty screwdriver while someone messes around with a turntable! SWEET.
Verdict: Could cause spontaneous combustion and anal discharge. RUN! FASTER!
DVDs:
The Queen - The most critically acclaimed movie of 2006 comes to DVD. I've never had the chance to see it, but the buzz on it is so good that it's worth the purchase.
Verdict: Buy it.
Night At The Museum - A family comedy that was actually interesting enough to be worth seeing in theaters, but not worth a purchase on DVD.
Verdict: Rent it.
Deja Vu - A Tony Scott - Denzel Washington vehicle. Generally, this means that the film will be alright, but instantly forgettable. I remember seeing Man On Fire, but that's the only thing I remember about it.
Verdict: Rent it.
Thr3e - A sad serial killer thriller that only got made because it had a "Christian theme". By "Christian theme", I mean that exactly one element of this film has anything to do with Christianity and somehow that was enough to justify Fox Faith's production of an otherwise brutal slasher film rip-off of every successful brutal slasher film of the last 20 years.
Verdict: Buy a copy and burn it. Even the score.
Code Name: The Cleaner - Cedric the Entertainer used to be respected as an edgy comedian, right? I'm not just remembering that wrong, am I? This movie disappeared out of theaters faster than his variety show on Fox.
Verdict: Avoid it with a passion.
Summary: A couple of solid CDs, one great movie and a potentially good ones. Oh, and a lot of crap, too.
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare - The music headliner of the week is clearly the follow-up to 2006's justifiably super-hyped indie dance rock group Arctic Monkeys. From what I've heard, the cd is excellent and I plan to buy it as soon as I can find it (which is actually an issue where I live...).
Verdict: Buy it, as soon as possible.
The Nightwatchman - One Man Revolution - I haven't heard much about this cd, but it's Tom Morello, guitar god from Rage Against The Machine, singing acoustic protest songs. Yeah, I'm there.
Verdict: Buy it, if it's cheap.
Patti Smith - Twelve - Ah, the cover album. No, not a Joe Cocker album or a regular album by a band that only plays covers. Rather, the cover album I'm referring to is when a respected artist gives their take on hits that inspired them over the years. Sometimes it's good (Rage Against The Machine), sometimes it's bad (Def Leppard is the obvious choice, but Tori Amos' wasn't very good either). Patti Smith isn't exactly in the prime of her career, but you never know what you're going to get from her. Based on the Hall of Fame inductions, her voice hasn't changed much over the years. It's just as ragged as ever.
Verdict: Borrow it.
Mando Diao - Ode To Ochrasy - I've heard their single and it's not bad. Still, I'll have to hear more before I recommend it.
Verdict: Borrow it.
Yoko Ono - Open Your Box (remixes) - REMIXES!?! OF YOKO ONO SONGS?!? AWESOME! It'll be like puncturing my own eardrums with a rusty screwdriver while someone messes around with a turntable! SWEET.
Verdict: Could cause spontaneous combustion and anal discharge. RUN! FASTER!
DVDs:
The Queen - The most critically acclaimed movie of 2006 comes to DVD. I've never had the chance to see it, but the buzz on it is so good that it's worth the purchase.
Verdict: Buy it.
Night At The Museum - A family comedy that was actually interesting enough to be worth seeing in theaters, but not worth a purchase on DVD.
Verdict: Rent it.
Deja Vu - A Tony Scott - Denzel Washington vehicle. Generally, this means that the film will be alright, but instantly forgettable. I remember seeing Man On Fire, but that's the only thing I remember about it.
Verdict: Rent it.
Thr3e - A sad serial killer thriller that only got made because it had a "Christian theme". By "Christian theme", I mean that exactly one element of this film has anything to do with Christianity and somehow that was enough to justify Fox Faith's production of an otherwise brutal slasher film rip-off of every successful brutal slasher film of the last 20 years.
Verdict: Buy a copy and burn it. Even the score.
Code Name: The Cleaner - Cedric the Entertainer used to be respected as an edgy comedian, right? I'm not just remembering that wrong, am I? This movie disappeared out of theaters faster than his variety show on Fox.
Verdict: Avoid it with a passion.
Summary: A couple of solid CDs, one great movie and a potentially good ones. Oh, and a lot of crap, too.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Modern Rock Monday
15 more songs, 15 more reviews.
Modern Rock Review Archives
Bright Eyes - Four Winds A+
Yet another great emo song from the master of the genre. A pity it won't be played anywhere outside of college radio.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Weapon Of Choice A+
Possibly BRMC's most radio-friendly song, Weapon maintains the same indie credibility the band is known for while creating a potential crossover hit.
Buckcherry - Everything B-
Above average for a ballad, but the band is clearly struggling with this type of song.
Bloc Party - I Still Remember B-
Far from the best song off of their new album, this song isn't nearly as fun as a first single from a cool band should be.
Chevelle - Well Enough Alone B-
A below-average song for Chevelle, "Well Enough Alone" redeems itself a bit with an agressive build towards the end.
(+44) - Baby Come On B-
An average pop-punk song with a decent hook. Instantly forgettable.
Decyfer Down - Fight Like This C+
Dull, but not unpleasant. There's nothing really notable about this song.
Brand New - Jesus Christ C+
A nice but plodding pop rock song that would make for a great cure to insomnia, but little else.
Damien Rice - 9 Crimes C
A quiet and boring song that might be effective for putting children to sleep, but shouldn't be on the radio.
Black Stone Cherry - The Rain Wizard C
A well-structured song with lousy vocals and frickin' ridculous lyrics. If you're going to sing about wizards and shit, you REALLY have to sell it, not go halfway, like this song does.
Crossfade - Already Gone C
Not as unpleasant as their usual Incubus-if-they-really-sucked style, but that still doesn't make it worth listening to.
Bullet For My Valentine - All These Things I Hate C-
Sludgy pop-punk with almost nothing going for it. Not awful, but not something I'd want to hear again either.
Breaking Benjamin - Breath C-
Don't you guys get bored of re-recording the same track over and over again? I would think you would... Then again, this song is currently #1, so I guess there's no reason to change. *sigh*
Daughtry - It's Not Over D+
Take everything you hate about Nickelback and Creed and roll it up in a ball with everything you hate about American Idol and this is what you get. Ridiculously generic.
Blue October - Into The Ocean D
I think we all wish you were a bit more masculine, Blue October because your music is the lamest and wussiest of all emo music ever made. This song isn't as bad as "Hate Me", but that's only because it's shorter and a little bit less whiny.
Modern Rock Review Archives
Bright Eyes - Four Winds A+
Yet another great emo song from the master of the genre. A pity it won't be played anywhere outside of college radio.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Weapon Of Choice A+
Possibly BRMC's most radio-friendly song, Weapon maintains the same indie credibility the band is known for while creating a potential crossover hit.
Buckcherry - Everything B-
Above average for a ballad, but the band is clearly struggling with this type of song.
Bloc Party - I Still Remember B-
Far from the best song off of their new album, this song isn't nearly as fun as a first single from a cool band should be.
Chevelle - Well Enough Alone B-
A below-average song for Chevelle, "Well Enough Alone" redeems itself a bit with an agressive build towards the end.
(+44) - Baby Come On B-
An average pop-punk song with a decent hook. Instantly forgettable.
Decyfer Down - Fight Like This C+
Dull, but not unpleasant. There's nothing really notable about this song.
Brand New - Jesus Christ C+
A nice but plodding pop rock song that would make for a great cure to insomnia, but little else.
Damien Rice - 9 Crimes C
A quiet and boring song that might be effective for putting children to sleep, but shouldn't be on the radio.
Black Stone Cherry - The Rain Wizard C
A well-structured song with lousy vocals and frickin' ridculous lyrics. If you're going to sing about wizards and shit, you REALLY have to sell it, not go halfway, like this song does.
Crossfade - Already Gone C
Not as unpleasant as their usual Incubus-if-they-really-sucked style, but that still doesn't make it worth listening to.
Bullet For My Valentine - All These Things I Hate C-
Sludgy pop-punk with almost nothing going for it. Not awful, but not something I'd want to hear again either.
Breaking Benjamin - Breath C-
Don't you guys get bored of re-recording the same track over and over again? I would think you would... Then again, this song is currently #1, so I guess there's no reason to change. *sigh*
Daughtry - It's Not Over D+
Take everything you hate about Nickelback and Creed and roll it up in a ball with everything you hate about American Idol and this is what you get. Ridiculously generic.
Blue October - Into The Ocean D
I think we all wish you were a bit more masculine, Blue October because your music is the lamest and wussiest of all emo music ever made. This song isn't as bad as "Hate Me", but that's only because it's shorter and a little bit less whiny.
Rock N Roll Eligibility
2007 was another clean-up year for the rock n roll hall of fame as a lack of quality first-time nominees lead to previously snubbed artists like Grandmaster Flash, Patti Smith and Van Halen getting their inductions.
To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, 25 years has to have passed since the release of an artist's first album.
Here's a list of the most notably snubbed artists and here's a schedule for when notable artists become eligible for induction.
To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, 25 years has to have passed since the release of an artist's first album.
Here's a list of the most notably snubbed artists and here's a schedule for when notable artists become eligible for induction.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
New Movies Friday
For the most part, Hollywood releases movies on Fridays in an effort to maximize the amount that they can make in the first few days where they:
A. Get to keep the largest percentage of the box office due to their contracts with theaters.
and
B. Make as much money as possible before word gets out that the movie is a steaming pile of shit (to this effect, more and more movies aren't even being screened for critics, which should indicate to anyone with a brain cell that these movies aren't any good)
Here are the new releases coming to theaters near you today:
Hot Fuzz - Personally, this is far and away the highlight of the weekend. Hot Fuzz is a buddy cop parody form the creators of Shaun Of The Dead, one of the funniest movies in recent memory. The buzz on this one is great, the trailer is awesome and I will see it as soon as I can.
Fracture - April is a time when a lot of forgettable crap gets sent out to theaters in the hopes that someone will like it. The studios have all but given up on hyping the lesser movies released this time of year in an effort to maximize whatever profits they can turn and this movie is a prime example of this strategy. Fracture has something to do with Anthony Hopkins playing a game of cat and mouse with Ryan Gosling. I think Hannibal is playing a murderer. That's about all I can gather from the trailer and frankly that's all I care to know about the film, since I won't be seeing it any time soon. It's a shame that two of the most talented actors in film today got lumped into a film almost no one will see.
Vacancy - Horror movies make tons of money because they are cheap to make and have a built in audience who rush to see the films the day they come out, thus increasing the profits for the studios. For the most part, these movies are pure CRAP though, and there's a new one every week, so if you do want to see one you'll never be lacking for an opportunity. This one deals with a killer who runs a hotel. In my opinion, if there's no waterfall of blood coming down the stairs or at the very least a room full of water with a fuckin' shark in it (an episode of Gargoyles), I can't be moved to care about a psycho who runs a hotel, unless the movie is actually called Psycho (and no, I do NOT mean the re-make).
In The Land Of Women - Again, this movie hasn't gotten a lot of publicity so I don't know much about it. It seems to be a Garden State knock-off about a young man dealing with a quarter-life crisis by dating a whole bunch of women or something. This one stars Adam "Seth Cohen" Brody and Meg "Back from the foxhole she's been hiding in for the past 3 years" Ryan. It probably could be pretty good, but I'm sure I'll have to wait until it's on DVD to know for sure.
New in Pierre this weekend are Shooter, Disturbia, and Are We Done Yet. Supposedly, Disturbia is pretty good, so I'll go check that out, but Shooter looks too formula for my tastes and I would need to be paid to sit through Are We Done Yet. Remember when Ice Cube was a bad-ass rapper with unquestionable skills and street cred? Remember when he would occasionally do a John Singleton movie about life in the inner city or at a university? Remember when you had to take him seriously because he's "crazy as fuck"? Yeah, me neither. I do remember the guy who turned down all the roles that Tim Allen thought were too "edgy", though.
A. Get to keep the largest percentage of the box office due to their contracts with theaters.
and
B. Make as much money as possible before word gets out that the movie is a steaming pile of shit (to this effect, more and more movies aren't even being screened for critics, which should indicate to anyone with a brain cell that these movies aren't any good)
Here are the new releases coming to theaters near you today:
Hot Fuzz - Personally, this is far and away the highlight of the weekend. Hot Fuzz is a buddy cop parody form the creators of Shaun Of The Dead, one of the funniest movies in recent memory. The buzz on this one is great, the trailer is awesome and I will see it as soon as I can.
Fracture - April is a time when a lot of forgettable crap gets sent out to theaters in the hopes that someone will like it. The studios have all but given up on hyping the lesser movies released this time of year in an effort to maximize whatever profits they can turn and this movie is a prime example of this strategy. Fracture has something to do with Anthony Hopkins playing a game of cat and mouse with Ryan Gosling. I think Hannibal is playing a murderer. That's about all I can gather from the trailer and frankly that's all I care to know about the film, since I won't be seeing it any time soon. It's a shame that two of the most talented actors in film today got lumped into a film almost no one will see.
Vacancy - Horror movies make tons of money because they are cheap to make and have a built in audience who rush to see the films the day they come out, thus increasing the profits for the studios. For the most part, these movies are pure CRAP though, and there's a new one every week, so if you do want to see one you'll never be lacking for an opportunity. This one deals with a killer who runs a hotel. In my opinion, if there's no waterfall of blood coming down the stairs or at the very least a room full of water with a fuckin' shark in it (an episode of Gargoyles), I can't be moved to care about a psycho who runs a hotel, unless the movie is actually called Psycho (and no, I do NOT mean the re-make).
In The Land Of Women - Again, this movie hasn't gotten a lot of publicity so I don't know much about it. It seems to be a Garden State knock-off about a young man dealing with a quarter-life crisis by dating a whole bunch of women or something. This one stars Adam "Seth Cohen" Brody and Meg "Back from the foxhole she's been hiding in for the past 3 years" Ryan. It probably could be pretty good, but I'm sure I'll have to wait until it's on DVD to know for sure.
New in Pierre this weekend are Shooter, Disturbia, and Are We Done Yet. Supposedly, Disturbia is pretty good, so I'll go check that out, but Shooter looks too formula for my tastes and I would need to be paid to sit through Are We Done Yet. Remember when Ice Cube was a bad-ass rapper with unquestionable skills and street cred? Remember when he would occasionally do a John Singleton movie about life in the inner city or at a university? Remember when you had to take him seriously because he's "crazy as fuck"? Yeah, me neither. I do remember the guy who turned down all the roles that Tim Allen thought were too "edgy", though.
Billboard Rock Update
Now That's What I Call Turning On The Fucking Radio remained on the top of the sales chart this week, although indie rock superstar Bright Eyes' new album Cassadega did manage to debut at #4, continuing indie rock's surprisingly strong presence on the album sales charts in 2007.
Also debuting highly on the charts this week was the self-titled album by Hellyeah, which features former members of Pantera.
Over on the Modern Rock Charts, Linkin Park spent their second week on the chart with their second week at #1 with "What I've Done", so I guess we're gonna have to put up with their music being EVERYWHERE for at least the next year.
Nine Inch Nails' "Survivalism" drops from #2 down to #6... just in time for the release of the album it's supporting...
Also on Modern, The Bravery make their return to the charts after a nearly 2 year absence with "Time Won't Let Me Go" debuting in the top 20.
Over on the shortbus, I mean the Mainstream Rock charts, Breaking Benjamin's "Breath" remains at #1 for yet another week, though it's doubtful they'll be able to hold off the Linkin Park juggernaut for another week.
You have to go all the way down to #8 to find a decent song on Mainstream this week, as Tool's "Jambi" is up 2 spots from #10.
Debuting in the top 20 this week is "Side Of A Bullet" by Nickelback. "Bullet" is the 47th song to be released from their latest album, which was so great the Rolling Stone opined that they're almost glad Kurt Cobain didn't leave to hear it.
Interesting trivia, did you know that Nickelback was the best selling contemporary rock act of 2006? Also, did you know that everything they've ever done sucks? Why, America, why? Why Nickelback? Why Three Days Grace? Why Breaking Benjamin? Why Hinder or Crossfade or Trapt? Didn't the early 90s teach you ANYTHING? Music can be good AND acceptable to the masses, it doesn't have to be one or the other! Oh what's the point? I'll let you get back to Linkin Park now.
Also debuting highly on the charts this week was the self-titled album by Hellyeah, which features former members of Pantera.
Over on the Modern Rock Charts, Linkin Park spent their second week on the chart with their second week at #1 with "What I've Done", so I guess we're gonna have to put up with their music being EVERYWHERE for at least the next year.
Nine Inch Nails' "Survivalism" drops from #2 down to #6... just in time for the release of the album it's supporting...
Also on Modern, The Bravery make their return to the charts after a nearly 2 year absence with "Time Won't Let Me Go" debuting in the top 20.
Over on the shortbus, I mean the Mainstream Rock charts, Breaking Benjamin's "Breath" remains at #1 for yet another week, though it's doubtful they'll be able to hold off the Linkin Park juggernaut for another week.
You have to go all the way down to #8 to find a decent song on Mainstream this week, as Tool's "Jambi" is up 2 spots from #10.
Debuting in the top 20 this week is "Side Of A Bullet" by Nickelback. "Bullet" is the 47th song to be released from their latest album, which was so great the Rolling Stone opined that they're almost glad Kurt Cobain didn't leave to hear it.
Interesting trivia, did you know that Nickelback was the best selling contemporary rock act of 2006? Also, did you know that everything they've ever done sucks? Why, America, why? Why Nickelback? Why Three Days Grace? Why Breaking Benjamin? Why Hinder or Crossfade or Trapt? Didn't the early 90s teach you ANYTHING? Music can be good AND acceptable to the masses, it doesn't have to be one or the other! Oh what's the point? I'll let you get back to Linkin Park now.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
New Shit Tuesday
Tuesday's the day when stores begin selling the new DVDs and CDs each week. Here's what's new today:
CDs:
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero - The long-awaited... ok, short-awaited by NIN standards, follow-up to With Teeth is a sci-fi concept album that is a throwback of sorts to NIN's early days.
VERDICT: Buy it.
Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing - Cuz, like, this is totally what punk rock sounds like. Like, totally. Expect more pop music hiding behind dark eye shadow and the phoniest attitude ever to be pushed on the masses.
VERDICT: Avoid it.
DVDs:
The Last King Of Scotland - Forrest Whitaker easily won Best Actor for his role as Idi Amin in this movie. Aside from his character, however, the rest of the movie is hit or miss. James McAvoy provides a solid performance, but the story glazes over a lot of Amin's history in order to tell a more plausible story... than what really happened.
VERDICT: Rent it. ASAP.
Notes On A Scandal - I haven't seen this movie yet, but it's gotten a lot of acclaim for it's powerhouse performances by Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett. I can only assume it's pretty good.
VERDICT: Rent it. ASAP.
Smokin' Aces - I haven't seen this one yet either. It looks like it could go either way, really. A friend of mine told me it was pretty good and he's extremely picky, so I'll give it a chance.
VERDICT: Rent it. No rush.
Freedom Writers - Hillary Swank needs a more consistent agent. Sure, she has two Oscars, but other than those roles, she has a track record almost as bad as Halle Berry or Mira Sorvino. This movie looks like yet another retread in the "Dangerous Minds" / "Stand And Deliver" genre. I'm sure it's an alright movie, but like so many other genre pictures (for example all the damn sports movies that come out each year), this movie doesn't interest me in the least.
VERDICT: Skip it.
So there you have it, Nine Inch Nails and a couple of Oscar favorites you might have missed in theaters. Not bad for one week, but not great.
CDs:
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero - The long-awaited... ok, short-awaited by NIN standards, follow-up to With Teeth is a sci-fi concept album that is a throwback of sorts to NIN's early days.
VERDICT: Buy it.
Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing - Cuz, like, this is totally what punk rock sounds like. Like, totally. Expect more pop music hiding behind dark eye shadow and the phoniest attitude ever to be pushed on the masses.
VERDICT: Avoid it.
DVDs:
The Last King Of Scotland - Forrest Whitaker easily won Best Actor for his role as Idi Amin in this movie. Aside from his character, however, the rest of the movie is hit or miss. James McAvoy provides a solid performance, but the story glazes over a lot of Amin's history in order to tell a more plausible story... than what really happened.
VERDICT: Rent it. ASAP.
Notes On A Scandal - I haven't seen this movie yet, but it's gotten a lot of acclaim for it's powerhouse performances by Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett. I can only assume it's pretty good.
VERDICT: Rent it. ASAP.
Smokin' Aces - I haven't seen this one yet either. It looks like it could go either way, really. A friend of mine told me it was pretty good and he's extremely picky, so I'll give it a chance.
VERDICT: Rent it. No rush.
Freedom Writers - Hillary Swank needs a more consistent agent. Sure, she has two Oscars, but other than those roles, she has a track record almost as bad as Halle Berry or Mira Sorvino. This movie looks like yet another retread in the "Dangerous Minds" / "Stand And Deliver" genre. I'm sure it's an alright movie, but like so many other genre pictures (for example all the damn sports movies that come out each year), this movie doesn't interest me in the least.
VERDICT: Skip it.
So there you have it, Nine Inch Nails and a couple of Oscar favorites you might have missed in theaters. Not bad for one week, but not great.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Modern Rock Monday (cont.)
The first set of modern rock reviews for 2007:
1. Beck - Think I'm In Love A+
Yet another brilliant single from one of the most reliable artists in modern rock. Best of all, it doesn't really sound much like any of his previous songs.
2. Albert Hammond, Jr. - 101 A
The debut single from the guitarist of the Strokes is better than the majority of the singles off of the band's last two albums.
3. Audioslave - Revelations A
Audioslave just seems to keep getting better and better and when you start out as one of the best singers in modern rock backed by one of the finest bands, it's surprising when you can improve this much this quickly. "Revelations" is their second best single so far (after "Doesn't Remind Me").
4. Army Of Anyone - Goodbye A-
Army of Anyone is comprised of members of STP and the lead singer of Filter. While this song isn't quite on the level of the Pilots, it's certainly better than every Filter song ever made save one ("Hey Man, Nice Shot"). If you listen carefully, you could easily hear many of the best elements of some of the best bands of the 90s, including Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and most obviously, STP.
5. Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good A-
One of the more unique songs to make it onto the modern rock charts in recent years. The song is kind of a throwback to old R&B styles with a bit of an edge to it.
6. Bayside - Duality B+
A solid pop-punk song from an up-and-coming band. Good hooks and decent lyrics.
7. Bjork - Earth Intruders B
A surpisingly tolerable song from the Icelandic vocal nightmare whose usually so reliably screechy. Heavy distortion helps a lot.
8. (+44) - When Your Heart Stops Beating B
A pleasant pop-punk song from former members of Blink 182. Nothing special, but better than their previous band at least.
9. A.F.I. - The Missing Frame B
A decent song from a decent band, but nothing special on either account.
10. 30 Seconds To Mars - From Yesterday B-
A dull heavy-Incubus, light-Tool song that mysteriously hit #1 on the Modern Rock charts. Does anyone know why? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
11. Augustana - Stars And Boulevards B-
An average pop rock song that does nothing exciting.
12. Angels & Airwaves The War C+
A boring but otherwise alright song from yet another band featuring former members of Blink 182, who only had 3 members but seems to have several dozen side projects each.
13. Black Light Burns - Lie C
Mediocre sludge metal that hides behind NIN-esque lyrics only to blow it's cover with a sludgy Disturbed style chorus.
14. Amity Lane - Drown You Out C
Dull, predictable screamo that sounds like pretty much everything else on the radio.
15. Badly Drawn Boy - Nothing's Gonna Change Your Mind D
A fatally dull piece of adult contemporary…zzzzzzzzzzzzz
1. Beck - Think I'm In Love A+
Yet another brilliant single from one of the most reliable artists in modern rock. Best of all, it doesn't really sound much like any of his previous songs.
2. Albert Hammond, Jr. - 101 A
The debut single from the guitarist of the Strokes is better than the majority of the singles off of the band's last two albums.
3. Audioslave - Revelations A
Audioslave just seems to keep getting better and better and when you start out as one of the best singers in modern rock backed by one of the finest bands, it's surprising when you can improve this much this quickly. "Revelations" is their second best single so far (after "Doesn't Remind Me").
4. Army Of Anyone - Goodbye A-
Army of Anyone is comprised of members of STP and the lead singer of Filter. While this song isn't quite on the level of the Pilots, it's certainly better than every Filter song ever made save one ("Hey Man, Nice Shot"). If you listen carefully, you could easily hear many of the best elements of some of the best bands of the 90s, including Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and most obviously, STP.
5. Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good A-
One of the more unique songs to make it onto the modern rock charts in recent years. The song is kind of a throwback to old R&B styles with a bit of an edge to it.
6. Bayside - Duality B+
A solid pop-punk song from an up-and-coming band. Good hooks and decent lyrics.
7. Bjork - Earth Intruders B
A surpisingly tolerable song from the Icelandic vocal nightmare whose usually so reliably screechy. Heavy distortion helps a lot.
8. (+44) - When Your Heart Stops Beating B
A pleasant pop-punk song from former members of Blink 182. Nothing special, but better than their previous band at least.
9. A.F.I. - The Missing Frame B
A decent song from a decent band, but nothing special on either account.
10. 30 Seconds To Mars - From Yesterday B-
A dull heavy-Incubus, light-Tool song that mysteriously hit #1 on the Modern Rock charts. Does anyone know why? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
11. Augustana - Stars And Boulevards B-
An average pop rock song that does nothing exciting.
12. Angels & Airwaves The War C+
A boring but otherwise alright song from yet another band featuring former members of Blink 182, who only had 3 members but seems to have several dozen side projects each.
13. Black Light Burns - Lie C
Mediocre sludge metal that hides behind NIN-esque lyrics only to blow it's cover with a sludgy Disturbed style chorus.
14. Amity Lane - Drown You Out C
Dull, predictable screamo that sounds like pretty much everything else on the radio.
15. Badly Drawn Boy - Nothing's Gonna Change Your Mind D
A fatally dull piece of adult contemporary…zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Modern Rock Monday
One thing I've done over the years is review singles that are released to modern rock radio. There have been a lot of really mediocre positive reviews over the years, but let's face it, the really fun ones to write are the slams of terrible songs, and since I also review music from mainstream rock radio, there are many.
Since I have a lot of catching up to do for 2007, I'll be posting 15 reviews per week, hopefully on Mondays. Once I'm caught up I'll post new reviews weekly as they come in.
First of all, here are the archives of old reviews:
2004
2005
2006
2007
I'll post the first set or reviews in my next post.
Since I have a lot of catching up to do for 2007, I'll be posting 15 reviews per week, hopefully on Mondays. Once I'm caught up I'll post new reviews weekly as they come in.
First of all, here are the archives of old reviews:
2004
2005
2006
2007
I'll post the first set or reviews in my next post.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
My Favorite Bands
I've kept a running list of my favorite bands for the past few years.
The lastest version begins here:
My Favorite Bands
The lastest version begins here:
My Favorite Bands
Battle Of The Bands 2007
If you've visited my old site you might have seen a battle of the bands that I conducted with my brother and one of my friends to determine the best artist of the moment. Well, two years have passed and a lot has changed, so we've decided to do it again. This time there'll be 256 bands and we'll be using a bracket formula rather than a best vs. the worst formula. Also, I'll be the only one doing commentary on the results.
Here are the initial brackets. I don't know when the round results will be ready, but I will post when they are:
BRACKET A
BRACKET B
BRACKET C
BRACKET D
Here are the initial brackets. I don't know when the round results will be ready, but I will post when they are:
BRACKET A
BRACKET B
BRACKET C
BRACKET D
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
My Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame Update - April Inductees
The votes are in and the following bands were inducted into my Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame for the month of April:
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
AC/DC
The Pixies
R.E.M.
John Lennon
For my information, click here.
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
AC/DC
The Pixies
R.E.M.
John Lennon
For my information, click here.
The 25 Best Artists Who Missed Band Madness 2007
In case you didn't know, one of the coolest sites on the net is back for 2007. That site is Band Madness The site is a massive battle of the bands featuring 512 of the best artists in rock history. It's in the 4th round right now, so if you're reading this, check it out.
Anyway, while the guys behind the site did a great job of getting most of the 512 best artists, some really great bands missed the cut. In my opinion, here are the 25 Best Artists Who Missed Band Madness 2007 (please note, Nine Inch Nails would be #1 on this list, but they were disqualified as last year's winner):
1. Frank Black (solo) - The former lead singer of the Pixies. This includes all of his post-Pixies projects.
2. The Thermals - One of the best political punk bands around these days.
3. The Ponys - A great but little-known indie rock band.
4. At The Drive-In - A legendary indie punk band that broke up right before becoming huge.
5. Sparta - At The Drive-In split into The Mars Volta and Sparta, whose sound is much closer to Drive-In's.
6. The Screaming Trees - The lost grunge band of the 90s.
7. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Devotees of Jesus and Mary Chain, BRMC isn't well known, but they're consistently great.
8. White Zombie - Most likely they weren't included because Rob Zombie (solo) was.
9. Hole - It's fun to hate Courney Love, but she's actually a talented musician and this is by far her best band.
10. The 88 - An unsigned indie rock band that gets featured in a lot of tv shows and movies.
11. A Perfect Circle - Maynard James Keenan's (Tool) other band. Not as good as Tool, but still pretty good.
12. The Sounds - Hard to describe, but a cool band with a great style.
13. Our Lady Peace - An underrated mid-90s grunge-ish band that produced a lot of great songs, but are most well-known for "Superman's Dead".
14. DMX - One of my favorite rappers.
15. Buckcherry - Hip? Trendy? Nope. I like them though. Sorta for the same reasons I like Guns N Roses.
16. L7 - Yet another overlooked grunge band.
17. Kings Of Leon - A hip indie rock band with great hooks.
18. Rise Against - Another great political punk band. They had a breakthrough hit in 2005 with "Swing Life Away".
19. Fountains Of Wayne - An indie pop band with quirky lyrics. Kinda like Bowling for Soup without all the suck.
20. The Guess Who - An overlooked classic rock band (Rolling Stone, get on this pronto!).
21. The Drive-By Truckers - The best purely southern rock band of the 21st century.
22. Phantom Planet - Early 21st century indie pop band.
23. Velvet Revolver - STP's Scott Weiland on lead vocals with members of Guns N Roses backing him up. It didn't work as well as you'd think it would, but it was still pretty good.
24. The Soviettes - A Minneapolis punk band that was kinda like a nearly all-girl version of the Ramones.
25. Eagles Of Death Metal - A quirky indie rock band that is also QOTSA's Josh Homme's side project.
Honorable Mention:
X
Bikini Kill
The Duke Spirit
David Byrne (solo)
Nellie McKay
Lucinda Williams
Keane
The Wallflowers
Ryan Adams
Todd Snider
Joan Osborne
The Rollins Band
Thursday
Social Distortion
The Old 97's
Big Timber
Anyway, while the guys behind the site did a great job of getting most of the 512 best artists, some really great bands missed the cut. In my opinion, here are the 25 Best Artists Who Missed Band Madness 2007 (please note, Nine Inch Nails would be #1 on this list, but they were disqualified as last year's winner):
1. Frank Black (solo) - The former lead singer of the Pixies. This includes all of his post-Pixies projects.
2. The Thermals - One of the best political punk bands around these days.
3. The Ponys - A great but little-known indie rock band.
4. At The Drive-In - A legendary indie punk band that broke up right before becoming huge.
5. Sparta - At The Drive-In split into The Mars Volta and Sparta, whose sound is much closer to Drive-In's.
6. The Screaming Trees - The lost grunge band of the 90s.
7. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Devotees of Jesus and Mary Chain, BRMC isn't well known, but they're consistently great.
8. White Zombie - Most likely they weren't included because Rob Zombie (solo) was.
9. Hole - It's fun to hate Courney Love, but she's actually a talented musician and this is by far her best band.
10. The 88 - An unsigned indie rock band that gets featured in a lot of tv shows and movies.
11. A Perfect Circle - Maynard James Keenan's (Tool) other band. Not as good as Tool, but still pretty good.
12. The Sounds - Hard to describe, but a cool band with a great style.
13. Our Lady Peace - An underrated mid-90s grunge-ish band that produced a lot of great songs, but are most well-known for "Superman's Dead".
14. DMX - One of my favorite rappers.
15. Buckcherry - Hip? Trendy? Nope. I like them though. Sorta for the same reasons I like Guns N Roses.
16. L7 - Yet another overlooked grunge band.
17. Kings Of Leon - A hip indie rock band with great hooks.
18. Rise Against - Another great political punk band. They had a breakthrough hit in 2005 with "Swing Life Away".
19. Fountains Of Wayne - An indie pop band with quirky lyrics. Kinda like Bowling for Soup without all the suck.
20. The Guess Who - An overlooked classic rock band (Rolling Stone, get on this pronto!).
21. The Drive-By Truckers - The best purely southern rock band of the 21st century.
22. Phantom Planet - Early 21st century indie pop band.
23. Velvet Revolver - STP's Scott Weiland on lead vocals with members of Guns N Roses backing him up. It didn't work as well as you'd think it would, but it was still pretty good.
24. The Soviettes - A Minneapolis punk band that was kinda like a nearly all-girl version of the Ramones.
25. Eagles Of Death Metal - A quirky indie rock band that is also QOTSA's Josh Homme's side project.
Honorable Mention:
X
Bikini Kill
The Duke Spirit
David Byrne (solo)
Nellie McKay
Lucinda Williams
Keane
The Wallflowers
Ryan Adams
Todd Snider
Joan Osborne
The Rollins Band
Thursday
Social Distortion
The Old 97's
Big Timber
Newbie
This being my first blog (I've put together websites before), it'll probably be pretty clunky at first, so bear with me.
My name is Darren. I'm a 26 year old computer programmer from South Dakota. I watch a lot of movies, listen to a shitload of music and play a lot of video games, but I'll get into all that at a later time.
The last album I listened to was Cassadega by Bright Eyes, the last movie I saw was Grindhouse and I'm playing Okami and Motorstorm at the moment.
My name is Darren. I'm a 26 year old computer programmer from South Dakota. I watch a lot of movies, listen to a shitload of music and play a lot of video games, but I'll get into all that at a later time.
The last album I listened to was Cassadega by Bright Eyes, the last movie I saw was Grindhouse and I'm playing Okami and Motorstorm at the moment.
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