Been a bit, so I thought I write some short briefs on what I’ve been listening to over the last month or so. By the way, I moved to Raleigh this week from Boston. I’m starting a fulltime MBA program next week at UNC, Chapel Hill. We’ll see if the southern influence has any affect on my music tastes…
Red Hot Chili Peppers 
- Stadium Arcadium 
- Purchased @ iTunes on May 12, 2006
OK. So this was from May but the disc definitely deserves a mention. Its amazing how balanced this “double” album stays through its 28 songs. For those of you that gave up on the Chilis after One Hot Minute, it’s definitely time to catch up. Stadium Arcadium continues in the vein of Californication and By The Way and the first single, “Dani California,” is far from the best track. Maybe more like the 7th or 8th best. Rating: *****
Dixie Chicks - Taking the Long Way - Purchased @ iTunes on June 2, 2006
Some has to listen to them since country fans won’t anymore. I’m not a country music guy, but this Rick Rubin produced romp is really a pop album anyhow, right? With co-writing credits from Neil Finn, Sheryl Crow, Heartbreaker Mike Campbell, the Jayhawks’ Gary Louris, Semisonic’s Dan Wilson, and Keb’ Mo’, there are a lot of different influences on the album. This purchase did pre-date my southern migration, so I can blame my interest on locale. Rating: ****
Gnarls Barkley - “Crazy” (Single) - Purchased @ iTunes on June 2, 2006
So this song simply kicks fanny. The album is selling like hot cakes but I’ve listened to a few of tracks and haven’t found the same magic anywhere else. Too bad. Rating: “Crazy” (Single) *****, St. Elsewhere (Full Album) **
Taylor Hicks - “Do I Make You Proud” / “Takin’ It to the Streets” - Purchased @ iTunes on June 14, 2006
As mentioned before, I’m an American Idol junkie. I do enjoy these new tracks from Taylor Hicks, but I think Catherine will have more commercial success in the long run. Idol is built for creating pop stars and Taylor is not pop. The guy can sing and perform though so he definitely has a shot to make it. However, I suggest he put the millions he must be getting from Ford in the bank somewhere. Rating: ***
Bonus Review: I got Bo Bice’s The Real Thing from BMG in March and it beat all my expectations. I thought Bo was great on Idol, but I figured they screw up the album. Rating: ****
Counting Crows - New Amsterdam - Live At Heineken Music Hall February 6, 2003 - Purchase @ iTunes on June 20. 2006
Counting Crows are an amazing band that are even better in person. I’ve been spoiled though having gotten to see them twice now from the front of the stage. Basically this is a solid cross section of live performances from their 4 studio albums, plus 2 new songs. Doesn’t quite compare to the Across a Wire VH-1 Storyteller’s performances though. Rating: ****
Guster - Ganging Up On the Sun - Purchased @ iTunes on June 20, 2006
Guster’s fifth studio album continues the bands progression from the raw three-man acoustic magnificence of Goldfly to refined tightly-orchestrated pop/rock. The album isn’t bad, it just doesn’t live up to past efforts. Or maybe this is just the sour grapes of a fan who stuck in the past. Ganging Up On the Sun just slogs along at a semi-slow pace though. I wish they would just really rock it out for a track or to. I just want another “Airport Song.” Highlight of the album has got to be the folky “The Captain”, though. Rating: ***
Keane - Under the Iron Sea - Purchased @ iTunes on June 20, 2006
I can’t say I’ve been able to give this disk my full attention. Keane is one those groups whose songs are all VERY similar sounding, but a few of them take that sound and just nail it. You can listen to the whole album easily enough, but there’s probably only 4 songs you’ll remember distinctly. And you’ll find yourself craving those 4 songs. (The 4 songs are “Leaving So Soon, “Nothing In My Way,” “Let It Slide”, and “Is It Any Wonder”) Rating: ***.5
Tool - 10,000 Days - Purchased @ Target on June 28, 2006
I told you I have an eclectic taste for music. Yes I did buy Tool and Dixie Chicks this month. This album wasn’t available on iTunes, but I’m glad I got a hard copy because the artwork is amazing. It’s got these glasses and it works like an old-fashion spectrograph with each page of the booklet offering a different 3-D picture. I’ve only taken a couple of passes through the disc, but I have yet to find a single song that sticks out of the pack. Still it is Tool with the thick bass, the sharp guitars, and the haunting vocals. Unfortunately, I think these guys peaked on Aenima. Rating: ***