And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Genesis Haters

Since I am relatively new to the group, I haven't been through a session where something (or someone) gets brutally savaged for a pick. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Hopkins' and Mr. Mongello's take on Genesis. And while I thought we were all relatively kind to Scarlet Johannsson (perhaps because of her other fine attributes), I look forward to a time when most of us REALLY don't like a pick. Now for my quite temporate reviews...

The Thermals – Now We Can See

There’s a lot to like in this CD. First, this is a band that has learned to bring melody into their punk attitude. It makes for the kind of music I like listen to most – energetic guitars, bass and drums with volume, power and hooks. Now usually, I’m not much of a lyric guy when it comes to punk/pop, but I appreciate the effort on CD delving into the questions of how we’ll see and be seen when we’re dead and gone. The title track is great, so is the ballad “At the Bottom of the Sea”. “When We Were Alive” and “Liquid In, Liquid Out” were among my other favorites. I haven’t listened to this band before, but now I’ll go back and get “The Body, The Blood and The Machine.” 3.5 stars.

Green Day – 21st Century Braeakdown

A great contrast to the Thermals…but I wasn’t as impressed with this effort. Now that may be because I remember how vital this band was when “Dookie” and “Nimrod” came out. This is just a slicked-up version of what they always were able to do and “Know Your Enemy” is a pretty boring song compared to “Basket Case”. All the edges have been smoothed out, and while this makes for OK power pop, it’s not something I will need to repeatedly listen to. This album, and Green Day as a group, reminds me of an uncle that was a very cool guy when he was 25 and you were 15, but now you’re both older 10 years older and he’s just another guy.
3 stars.

And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – So Divided

A very appropriate name for this album, since I am not only divided, but conflicted in my thoughts about it It has things about it that I detest in any CD…a senseless intro track, an even more senseless “Segue” and the type of production that adds sounds that, when listening in a car, make you double check whether you have a blown speaker or a mechanical problem. That said, it also has a really good mix of song styles, some excellent rock guitar, a great melodic rock song or three (“Stand in Silence”, “Eight Day Hell” and “Wasted State of Mind”), was good enough to listen to repeatedly and will encourage me to get their new CD, The Century of Self. 3 stars.

Van Halen - Women and Children First

As a rock fan, it’s hard not to like this, or any of the original line-up Van Halen records. The first two tracks were burned into my memory from years of rock radio, yet they were still fun to listen to when I put this CD in the player. The only negative on this album is the stupid and anachronistic sounding “Lost Control”. Otherwise, it’s a very good rock/metal CD that, had I never heard it before, would likely still be positively predisposed towards, and that says a lot since I was not a “VH” lover in the day. 4 stars.


Genesis – Greatest Hits
In reading from the Book of Genesis...and God said, “Let there be pretentious orchestral drivel that will resonate from the speakers…” And there was. It was Genesis. But seriously, other than Firth of Fifth, Keep It Dark and Follow You, Follow Me, I was both unfamiliar and unimpressed with this. I’m sure that if you like the band and the musical style, it’s fine, but it was all I could do to keep from going to the next track after 2 minutes or so of the track I had playing. Oh well, I guess it’s an acquired taste…like caviar or goose liver pate. Not for me.

Questions:

The Five Greatest Songs that didn’t get airplay.

Well…there is “didn’t get airplay” and didn’t get the airplay it deserved, meaning that it was out there a little, but I thought it was much better than the short-shrift it got. Both are included here. Here are my Five:

Back In The USA (Live) – Edgar Winter’s Roadwork. With Rick Derringer as a 19 year old shredder and some of the best horns to ever grace a live rock record.

Parchman Farm – Cactus. A ripping, energetic blues/rock masterpiece that never saw the light of day.

They Don’t Know – Tracey Ullman. I guess nobody took her seriously as a recording artist. This was a well produced, pop masterpiece that was ‘out there’ for only two weeks and then, gone.

Orbit – Thundermug. One of the great Who inspired pop/rock singles of the early 70’s that I found through a former bass player who had an unmarked acetate and didn’t know what it was. It was that good that we had to search it out. We found Thundermug.

Mad Ruth and the Babe – Danny O’Keefe. The only thing you’ve probably heard of his is “Good Time Charley’s Got The Blues”. This is the best song from an album called “Breezy Stories” which is great from beginning to end.

One Line Lyrics:

“All men wanna be rich, rich men wanna be king and a king ain’t satisfied until he rules everything.” – Bruce Springsteen (Badlands)

“They hurt you at home and they hit you at school. They hate you if you’re clever and they despise a fool”. – John Lennon (Working Class Hero)

“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you can get what you need. – Rolling Stones (YCAGWYW)