Your nothing special..just a skeleton key.

Well this week hasn't been too terribly exciting, amazon has been having crazy sales on their site and one of them has been five MP3 albums everyday for $1.99 each for that day. Unfortunately I either had the album or just wasn't really that interested in the album even for that price. I did manage to pick up two albums though that peaked my interest. The first one was Weezer's new album Hurley and I have to say it makes me sad. The album is okay, there are some decent songs, but they don't even sound like Weezer anymore. Ever since albums like Maladroit, Rattitude, and now this I just feel like Weezer has become very inaccessible to me. They went to a very strange experimental place that doesn't really suit my taste and makes me avoid their new albums and go back to the old ones like Blue and Green albums. It just seems like Rivers Como has gone of the damn deep end and sadly those that enjoy original Weezer are just left behind.

Another band that suddenly jumped back into rotation is Margot and the Nuclear So and So's. Specifically I've been listening to The Dust of Retreat album as honestly it is their strongest album in my opinion. It's one of those albums where their elements just seem to come together and is actually one of my favorite albums of all time. A lot of songs about lost love, betrayal, and all the feelings that can come between couples with some genuinely thoughtful lyrics. It also reinforces the fact that I tend to like the first album a band puts out, there are many exceptions to this rule but i would say a good 65% of the bands i listen to I tend to like their first album the best.

Got around to listening to another album bought through Amazon's daily MP3 deal Minotaur by The Clientele. They are a indie folkish band that are okay but honestly kind of washed over me and wasn't remembered very well. They aren't a bad band but there is nothing that really stands out about them. Their music just kinda happens, you enjoy it, and then your done. I am satisfied with paying $2.99 for them as i wouldn't have checked them out otherwise. If you need more folk music in your collection you could do worse.

The last music i've really listened to is the other album i picked up during the Black Friday week album sale which was Kaliedoscope Heart by Sara Bareilles. It's a decent sophomore effort though again it's a singer with who I prefer her first album over this second one. The thing about her is I like her voice and she can have pretty catchy songs. In this second album i feel like she went a little more mainstream pop and kinda lost me somewhat, i was more into her jazzy vocals and slow songs than her sugary sweet pop songs. It's not a bad album either though, she can still definitely sing, it's just her lyrics and a direction have gone downhill to me. Oh well $1.99 makes this an easier pill to swallow for sure.

And that is pretty much it for this week, other than that it's mostly been the Screened.com podcast and of course The Giant Bombcast as well. Until Next week...

Change in direction

Woah I realized i haven't written here for quite some time, heck another Warped Tour has come and gone even. I realized i'm not quite cut out to be a reviewer, at least a serious one as I don't have the money nor am I timely enough. I'm going to try to commit to once a week though and update on Sundays. I'm gonna keep this blog about music but now it's gonna more about what i'm listening to and general thoughts. I may still give reviews and such but they will be sporadic and heck might even be for albums that came out quite some time ago.

As far as the music listening goes I've been absorbing a lot of music though mostly it's been a lot of Manchester Orchestra and Right Away, Great Captain. Andy Hull is amazing musician with some very deep and thought-provoking lyrics. I am honestly not sure which band of his I enjoy more but i can say that with both i tend to like their first album better then their subsequent stuff in the end. But their entire catalogue is great stuff and I heartily recommend both bands.

Also been checking out some Evergreen Terrace which I've been meaning to get my hands on for some time now. Definitely an awesome melodic metal band that hits pretty hard. They have some alright solos but it's mostly just the main riffs and scream/sing dynamic that really gets in my head. They have some great hooks and I recommend the album "Wolfbiker" to sink your teeth into and see if you enjoy their style.

Been getting into Amazon's daily MP3 deals and sometimes they release good or new albums for mad cheap and it would be ridiculous not to buy at that price. Picked up the new Underoath album Disambiguation which i gotta say is the weakest album they have made in awhile. It's still them and it has it's moments but it definitely doesn't stick with me as well as They Are Only Chasing Safety and Define the Great Line do. It's the kind of album i recommend to Underoath fans but new kids should try an older album to see if they would like the music.

Another band i've been listening to is 10 years, picked up more of their stuff and remember why i like them so much. It's pretty much if Shinedown was good is the best way i can put it. They have a good old school alternative sound with some pretty deep lyrics that touch on some heady subjects. Worth checking out if you like bands like A Perfect Circle, Shinedown, or Crossfade.

The rest has been a smattering of Barenaked Ladies, The Receiving End of Sirens, Coheed and Cambria, and Soasin. Again rediscovering my love for bands i used to listen to a lot but kinda got lost in my music library and then rediscovered. I think that is all for now, until next week!