Hot August Reviews

Whiskeytown – Strangers Almanac - 2.5
I have to say that I kept waiting for an exciting song, finally “Waiting to Derail” came on. This was the pace that I felt worked best for the band. I did enjoy the music for the most part. I could have don’t without the slide guitar. It’s not a bad cd for having in the background music while cooking dinner, but otherwise nothing about the album really blew me away.

The Hold Steady – Stay Positive - 2
At first I thought this was an old Springsteen album. The I thought it was Randy Newman, and then Elvis Costello and lastly Jakob Dylan. It’s not that I didn’t like the band, I just didn’t hear anything too original. I don’t like thinking of other bands when I listen to a cd.

The Duke Spirit – Neptune – 4
Now here’s an original cd. I thought that every song offered something exciting. I like bands with female vocalists and this one is more than capable of belting one out. She had a little Johnette Napolitano but with a little better range. There wasn’t one song on this that I didn’t like for one reason or another.

Neil Diamond – Hot August Nights – 3
I’m a Red Sox fan and if I never hear Sweet Caroline again it would be okay, but in general and with few other exceptions, Neil Diamond is a really talented guy. A lot of the song remind me of when I was a kid, but “Play Me” and “I am I Said” are just really cool songs, now or thirty years ago. Neil Diamond is a classic.

Slobberbone – The Best of Slobberbone – 2
I thought this band was creative at least lyrically, but beyond that they just didn’t do it for me. I guess I wanted to hear more than just a straight forward borderline country bar band. I bet they’d be a really good REM cover band.


List your five favorite lyricists and give a brief explanation as to why they're on your list. Note that the question is YOUR FAVORITE, not necessarily the “best”.

Tom Waits – Off the wall lyrics that speak to me and make me laugh aloud. I don’t think I’m alone.
Maynard James Keenen – Creepy metaphors about aliens and religion, does it get any better?
Roger Waters – Issues from this guy’s past I think helped make some of the most creatively written songs yet. Dark and honest, he doesn’t even seem to care if he makes a hit or not.
Peter Gabriel – He’s written about Flies on a windshield and Giant Hogweed and Stephen Biko. He’s not only creative he’s a showman.
Jack White – I know there are a lot of unique writers out there but when I heard The Hardest Button to Button, I was hooked on his lyrics.