Ursa Major [Excelence]

Now that it has actually been released, I'm going to talk about fourth and latest album from Third Eye Blind, "Ursa Major". As I said in my Summer Albums. post, I've been waiting for this album for about six years. Overall, I think that this is an excellent album. I don't think it is as good as 2003's "Out of the Vein", but definitely better than their first two releases in the 90's. I do think, like their previous albums, it loses strength towards the later tracks, but that could be just because the earlier ones are so good. Now for the individual track reviews.

1. "Can You Take Me". Wow. What a way to kick off your first Album in over 6 years. I think it is better than "Faster" was kicking it off in 2003, and is probably one of the band's best songs overall. Its great to hear a band like Third Eye Blind get angry and sing about things like rioting, shows they're more than just that college-rock oriented band they were known for 10 years ago. If you liked "Danger", than you'll love this song.
2. "Don't Believe A Word". Another great track. Like "Non-Dairy Creamer" did, the band showcases their ability to sing about more serious topics. Plus it provides my favorite lines from the whole album "Rap stars brag about shooting each other? What ever happened to 'Brotha, Brotha'? We like thugs when they attack, and we like crime when its black-on-black".
3. "Bonfire". Good song. I don't have too much to say about it, besides that it is really enjoyable.
4. "Sharp Knife". It starts out quiet and slow, but then the chorus hits in and things really pick up. A great, hard song.
5. "One in Ten". A nice, sweet, slower song. I really like their use of piano and brass on the song, it comes out really really well.
6. "About to Break". Another song that starts out slowly and picks up very nicely.
7. "Summer Town". Starts out very fun, but kind of slows down at towards the end and goes on a little long.
8. "Why Can't You Be?" A really sweet slower song that first showed up last fall on the "Red Star EP". Except this time the song sounds much more professional and the instrumentals have come out much nicer. Another great line, "Sometimes a blow job is not enough".
9. "Water Landing". Not the greatest song, but still a good, slow, quiet one.
10. "Dao of St. Paul". Another one I'm not really a fan of, but I'll admit this one is better than I've given it credit for. I don't know what it is, just doesn't really stand out to me.
11. "Monotov's Private Opera". Probably my least favorite actual track on the album. Again, one that just doesn't quite float my boat.
12. "Carnival Barker (Instrumental)" Just an instrumental track to carry out the album, not really one to comment on even.

Overall, it is a great and highly recommended album. Third Eye Blind has done a great job over the course of their last two albums to really stand out to me. They're not the type of band I'd usually enjoy, but "Out of the Vein" (Specifically "Danger") really made me want to stick with them and their ability to get angry and make their music carry out a message. I got really excited with the release of their EP in the fall, specifically the way their voice their feelings in "Non-Dairy Creamer", which didn't make it to the album but I HIGHLY suggest you listen to it regardless.

Long story short, it was worth the wait. Great job, 3eb

Bosstones at the Beach

Sunday I went down the shore to Asbury Park to see a great show (once again, with Tommy and Shannon of course). We missed all but one of the Local Bands (Explosive sheep, not bad), but made sure we were there for the headliners, The Pietasters, Catch-22, and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

Before I get into them, I first need to express my love for the Stone Pony Summer Stage. Inside of the club is nothing short of pure NJ rock history. The walls have posters from previous shows advertising those who have played in the past from legends like Billy Idol, to Jersey icons past an present of both the mainstream and the underground scenes (Bruce, Bon Jovi, Bouncing Souls, Gaslight Anthem, Streetlight Manifesto). Also around the walls include autographed guitars and drums from all the huge rock legends who have played over the years, really just rich with history.

Outside at the "Summer Stage", it is just an amazing environment. The stage faces north, towards the back door of the club (prior to this year it faced east towards the ocean). I love outdoor shows, there is always room to breath despite the size of the crowd. At the Stone Pony, its just great. You're literally across the street from the Asbury Park Boardwalk, and you can clearly see the Atlantic Ocean from where you stand. In the skyline around you can see the hotels, the shell of the Casino and the Carousel, and even at the other end of the boardwalk the Convention Center.

Now for the show, wow. First up was Virginia's The Pietasters. They weren't as good as the last time i saw them down in Baltimore, but still really good. They played mostly songs wasn't familiar with, but they did play "Out All Night", "I Don't Want To Know", and "Freakshow". Their set felt off, probably because of the lack of the keyboard and trumpet players that they had recorded all the songs with, but that's what happens with ska bands. Also, Chris from the Bosstones came out for 2 songs on Trombone.

Second was New Jersey's own Catch-22. Now it should be noted that I and NOT a Catch-22 fan. I only like one post-Keasbey Nights album, their following release, "Alone in a Crowd". I don't even like "Keasbey" much anymore now that Tomas and Streetlight have re-recorded it, so I was not looking forward to them playing anything off that live. Their set was very tolerable. No "Keasbey" songs, a decent amount of "Alone in a Crowd" songs, and the rest i was either not familiar with or don't like (which they for the most part went hand in hand). Overall, I didn't mind them. They seamed a little off, but the trumpet player was a fill-in, which made me more tolerable of the performance. Their singer did I think a great job of balancing both singing and playing sax, not favoring vocals over horns (Like Obi in Westbound Train has been doing recently). But I can't complain about no songs off "Keasbey Nights" and they did play "Bloomfield Ave.", a shout out to my local stomping grounds.

Then....THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES. Oh wow they were great. I was in the front-ish for most of the set. The crowd was great and very friendly. Being outside in the sunset down the shore was just such a good feeling. They, like always, had an amazing performance. Here is what I remember of the set (in order of which they show up on my iTunes)

1. Howwhywuz, Howwhyam
2. The Cave
3. Rudie Can't Fail (Clash Cover)
4. Last Dead Mouse
5. Don't Know How to Party
6. Someday I Suppose
7. Holy Smoke
8. Tin Soldiers (Closed set with, did tribute to all the Soldiers, and did band intros)
9. Mr. Moran
10. Everybody's Better
11. Noise Brigade (Opening song)
12. The Rascal King
13. Royal Oil
14. The Impression That I Get
15. 1-2-8 (Second song of the night)
16. Don't Worry Desmond Dekker (Encore song)
17. Where'd You Go?
18. All Things Considered
19. So Sad To Say
20. Toxic Toast
21. New Song (New Album due out this year!!!!)

I wish they played "Doctor D", "Awfully Quiet", "Devil's Night Out", "Old School Off the Bright", but with 110 songs on my iTunes by them, I can't really expect them to play all the songs I want. Plus they did "The Cave", can't expect more when they do that.

Really just a great set and show overall.

Pie for Pie, Ranting, and anticipation

So I went to Loyola this past weekend (well, Friday and Saturday) to start to move in because I don't like waiting to do it all at once. The visit was a lot of fun, however there was a lot of things (mostly driving related) that pissed me off. Out of respect, I'll start with the good things

1. Seeing Speca, Tony, and Dylan (before he leaves us for a year!)
2. Seeing Jess and Glenn
3. Seeing the Orioles beat up the Angels
4. Felix Pie (If you don't know who he is, it is because he isn't good) of the Orioles hit for the cycle! Very rare! And he got a pie in the face for that
5. Oriole Park at Camden Yards Fireworks, included with a 6$ student ticket
6. 3$ 24-oz cans of Budweiser outside of Sliders
7. Swallows
8. Swallows with alumni
9. Seeing this commercial hammered at 3 am http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR5mnhR44I0
10. Chipotle
11. Getting 265.5 miles on 11.71 gallons of gas, much of which was in traffic

Now for the old-man style angry ranting. These are the things on my trip that REALLY pissed me off

1. Traffic
2. Heat
3. The Orioles scoring a lot of runs against one of my fantasy pitchers
4. My swipe not working at Chipotle
5. Traffic in the heat
6. People who don't signal when changing lanes at 93mph
7. People who ride right on my ass when I'm going 78 in a 65
8. The piss-poor job Delaware tax dollars do to accomplish any remote form of progress on construction that has been going on for years
9. The piss-poor excuse of a state, Delaware. Those 10 miles of road are the biggest pain in the ass
10. Police escorted funeral procession on the Turnpike that include over 15 motorcycles, 6 cars, and a Military Truck with NJ plates that simply said AWOL
11. Random traffic not caused by an accident nor the shore, just people who suck at driving I'm sure
12. The bird who shit on my car
13. Loyola......University.......
14. Moe's thinking they have the right to get rid of Salsa Ricos....who do you think you are?
15. People who do the wave at a baseball game. If you're so bored, GO THE FUCK HOME
16. Stupid flat-brim hats
17. People who now think Felix Pie is good
18. The Sliders security staff for not carding but throwing a huge hissy fit if, god forbid, you step off of the curb.
19. Traffic in the EZ Pass express lanes
20. People who drive 65 in the left lane in a 65

I'm sure there are more, but I'm tapped out at the moment. Now for something fun, all the different license plates I remember seeing!

1. New Jersey
2. New York
3. Conneticut
4. Massachusets
5. Vermont
6. New Hampsire
7. Pennsylvania
8. Maryland
9. Virginia
10. West Virginia
11. Washington, DC
12. North Carolina
13. South Carolina
14. Georgia
15. Florida
16. Missouri
17. Utah
18. California
19. Onterio
20. Quebeck
21. Tenessee
22. Indianna
23. Ohio
24. (I forgot Delaware...must be because its a piss-pre excuse for a state)
25. ....I know I'm missing at least one

Now for the anticipation part! Tomorrow I'll be in Asbury Park to see The Mighty Mighty Bosstones play at the Stone Pony with Catch-22 and the Pietasters!!!! Also tomorrow, the Man Men season 3 premier! Tomorrow should be a good day.

Scrubs, Season "9"/"The Next Generation"

For anyone wondering about the future of Scrubs this winter on ABC, Allen Sepinwall of the Star Ledger posted his thoughts and transcript from his interview with creator, Bill Lawrence.

http://sepinwall.blogspot.com/2009/08/scrubs-creator-previews-next-season.html

I can give my thoughts on it now, but its still early.

Embrace the deception, learn how to bend, Your worst inhibitions......

......gonna Psych! you out in the end (This post is long overdue). Yes, Psych! started its fourth season on Friday, and I would be out of my mind if I wasn't going to share my thoughts about both the episode and the series in general.

Since I started watching in 2007 (show started in 2006), Psych has shot its way into my heart and become my third favorite TV show of all time (Behind "Arrested Development" and "Scrubs" and slightly ahead of "The Office" and "Futurama"). No matter what, the show is just fun to watch. I kind of want to list all the running jokes I love about the show, but there are way too many running through my head.

If you've never seen the show, I'll catch you up. Shawn Spencer was raised by his cop father to be ultra-perceptive and, with the help of his best friend Gus, has convinced the cops that he is a psychic to help the solve crimes. If you need a better explanation, I'll just quote the season premier from Friday

Shawn: You've seen the Mentalist, right?
Cop: Yes.
Shawn: It's like that.
Gus: Except that guy's a fake.
Shawn: Right, if I was a fake psychic it would be eerily similar.
Gus: Exactly.
Shawn: A virtual carbon copy

If you want to get into the show, these are the episodes I recommend:

• Pilot (Season 1)


• 9 lives (S 1)


• Weekend Warriors (S 1)


• Shawn vs. The Red Phantom (S 1)


• From the Earth to the Starbucks (S 1)


• Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast (S 1)


• 65 Million Years Off (S 2)


• Psy vs Psy (S 2)


• Gus' Dad May Have Killed an Old Man (S 2)


• Dislodged (S 2)


• Shawn (and Gus) of the Dead (S 2)


• Murder?...Anyone?...Anyone?....Bueller? (S 3)


• Gus Walks Into a Bank (S 3)


• Six Feet Under the Sea (S 3)


• Tuesday the 17th (S 3)


• An Evening with Mr. Yang (S 3)

Now for Friday night's season premier, "Extradition: British Columbia". The episode was worth the wait, but not one of the greatest I've ever seen. The best part was mentioned above, in "The Mentalist" reference ("Psych" started in 2006, "The Mentalist" in 2008), except the rest of episode was still enjoyable. I wasn't crazy that you knew who the thief was the whole time, despite there being more of a story to it. That worked well in "An Evening with Mr. Yang", but that was also a very intense episode. The one thing very much missing from this episode was without question, Rachel Leigh Cook, who looks oh, so good while on the show. Seems like she'll be back soon, so that is something to look forward to.

I'll end with my favorite quote from season 3

Lassiter: A dead body changes things
Shawn: That's his email signature

(Also, check out Andrew's "Blasting Off With the Jets" at http://blastingoffnyj.blogspot.com/ . I also added him to the blogs I like at the top right)