My Shortest Reviews Ever- You May Rejoice!

Coldplay- Viva La Vida

Yes, I had a bad attitude going into this, and nothing changed it. I found nothing of interest. It was pompous Muzak. The only song with any pop was “Death and His Friends”. (1.0)

TV and Science- Dear Science,

Fairly interesting but not as compelling as the critics raved. I felt it was monotonous. The same shtick over and over again. (2)

Pink Floyd- Saucerful of Secrets

There are songs I like, but I already had them on Relics. I like experimental but a few of these got a bit too disjointed and weird. (2)

BB King- Singin’ the Blues

Back when BB could sing. BB pioneered bringing blues, more specifically Chicago blues, to the masses. This disc is a great representation of his work. I never thought he was a great guitarist but instead a great performer- and I mean that in the highest regard. (3.5)

Dramarama- Best Of

Excellent representation of this very underrated band. Eastlake is one of the best satirical lyricists around. Not a bad cut on the disc and there is not a one I would add.

My Decade

I broke mine into two periods. I assumed re-issues do not count.

1/65 through 6/72

This era gives me my favorite Beatles, Stones and Early Dylan and Neil Young releases. I also get Sabbath, Velvet Underground, Zeppelin, Mott the Hoople, Creedence, my favorite Who “Who’s Next”, great Kinks, Chicago Transit Authority, the Woodstock recording and Cash’s Folsom Prison recording. I also get the end of John Coltrane and Miles Davis. I arguably consider this the most creative period of rock. Just before the corporate take over. A period when anything was okay. Garage rock. I would have a tough time not having this available to me.

9/90-4/93

This period is a mini renaissance of creativity. It gives me “Ragged Glory”, “Goo”, “Brick by Brick”, the genesis of Nirvana and the new grunge, some Pearl Jam, Social Distortion, the start of Matthew Sweet and Lemonheads, the middle of the Smithereens- basically the whole resurgence of power pop. I get the last of the good Prince, start of Cracker and Cure songs I love in live form as well as Stevie Ray Vaughan.

I sacrifice “Blood on the Tracks” my favorite all time recording, “Tonight’s the Night”, “Exile in Guyville”, the new wave and punk movements, most of the hair bands, the earliest rock and roll greats from the 50’s, early blues/jazz and all the bands since 1993 that I love today like Drive By Truckers, all but the earliest Southern Culture on the Skids and Okkervil River.