Top 10

Someone on the Noise board asked what people's top 10 alblums of 2006 were. Figured I'd repost my answer here:

In no particular order...

Silversun Pickups - Caravanas. This is my hip pick. Look at me, I'm hip. Took me a while to see the Smashing Pumpkins relationship that everyone seemed to mention, but now that I've reacquainted myself with Gish by the SP, I hear it. Either way the Silversun Pickups album is just pretty damn great start to finish.

The Black Crowes - Band. This was the album they were supposed to release after Amorica. But it was shelved (by the record company, I think) in favor of By Your Side. Well, that was a misatke, because Band is fricking awesome album. A logical follow-up to Amorica and yet plenty of damn accesible tunes on there.

Ty Tabor - Rock Garden. Yep, he's the guitar player for King's X. And while I like King's X, I'll admit that their albums over the past few years have started to decline in quality somewhat. However, conversely, Tabor's solo albums have been getting better. This is his third, not nearly depressing as it's "go kill yourself now because life sucks" predecessor, Safety. Just some, (for the most part), happier, upbeat pop rock.

Wolfmother - Wolfmother. Another hip pick. Where are my cool glasses. I probably don't have to describe this one to anybody. One note, however, I don't get the Led Zeppelin comparisons. I just don't hear it, not even in the vocals. If anything, based upon my rediscovery of Machine Head recently, I'd say they sound a hell of a lot more like Deep Purple.

Muse - Black Holes and Revelations. It's Muse. Being Muse. Sounds different than Absolution. But still, in a way, the same. Because it sounds like Muse.

Mastodon - Blood Mountain. Mastodon is really the only "new" metal band that I like. Beacuse they remind me more of the metal bands I used to like when I was more into metal. They don't have the ridiculously low, growly vocals. They're somewhat technical. But still interesting and catchy to my ear. Blood Mountain seems to ratchet up the technical a bit from Leviathan, but wasn't quite as catchy in the tunes department. Still a good disc though.

Drive By Truckers - A Blessing and A Curse. When I first listened to it, this album sounded more like Tom Petty to me than it did the DBT. Which is definitely not a bad thing, as Petty kicks ass. It just seemed that they were shooting for a little more accessability on this one. This one had to grow on me a bit, but there's some pretty sweet tunes on there, a la Feb. 14, Space City, Gravity's Gone, and World of Hurt

Damone - Out Here All Night. Kind of hard rock, kind of metal, topped off with a cutesy girl voice. Pretty nice. Extra points for the solo of Out of My Way being a thematic homage to C.C. Deville's solo in Poison's "Nothing But A Good Time"

Butch Walker - The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let's Go Out Tonites. Always catchy, always well written tunes, sounds like stuff that could be popular, but probably never will he break through to that real big mass appeal...that's our Butch Walker. That said, not his best effort in my mind. About half the album is killer, and the other half, not as much.

Pink - I'm Not Dead. Running about neck and neck with Try This as far as Pink awesomeness. The songs might be better on I'm Not Dead, but I think I like the production on Try This better. It's a tiny bit less slick, and oddly enough (in this case) that matters to me.

Honorable Mention:

Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood. I'm pretty sure I really like this album, but I couldn't tell you much about it. Like any of the song titles. Or what I can compare it to. Because I'm always listening to it at work, which means I've yet to really give it my full attention. But I do keep listening to it, so I obviously like it.

I'm jealous

Two bits of background.

1) In the course of working on a work related issue, it came up that a study was done (either by the 'B or the insurance industry) that something like 90% of people tended to live in the same basic area where they were born. Meaning that they might move a state or two away, but tended to remain in the same general area of the country.

2) A friend of mine is moving to Savannah in a couple of days. Well, maybe "friend" is a strong word. Friend of a friend, acquanitance, these work better. But still, I read her blog occasionally when I'm bored at work and think to check it. In the years I've known her I believe (if I'm remembering correctly) she's lived in Boston (twice), New York City, New Jersey, and soon Georgia.

I envy that kind of mindset that allows people to do that. Although I think a lot about moving, whether I'll actually do it is continuously in doubt. I tend to always feel tied down by having family, friends, and interests in this area. And the big one: a job. The biggest question always in the back of my mind concerns if I were to move somewhere, what if I couldn't find a job? How would I live? Oh, I'm sure I could, I'd get by. But when you reach a certain level of comfort, a certain level of paycheck, a certain level being able to do (for the most part) what you want to, you don't want to give that up. Or at least, I don't.

That's why I envy people that can just move about when they feel the need/desire. To some extent it is somewhat rootless, in that what there is to keep you in one place is obviously less of a factor than the reasons to go somewhere else. That'd be tough, I'm sure. But on the flip side, I think the experience of trying out different places, different areas, and the differing cultures/mindsets/environments that are available even within our own country (never mind others) is very cool. In theory.

Now, this may come across as a broken record "I should really leave" thought from me. God knows I've said (and blogged) it enough, but honestly I'm not even really in that place right now. I'm kind of digging this area at this point. I do like Boston. I have a good place to live, cool roommate, my job has been somewhat more interesting as of late, got a band in the works, winter hasn't sucked (yet). I'm pretty mellow on the moving thing right now. Of course, I know me, that could change in an instant. (That instant being the first real snowstorm, I bet.)

No, this blog is really just more about the fact that I envy people that can do that. I envy that mindset.
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In a semi related note, in the past few years I've visited most of the places I'd consider moving to, to various results. There's one real consideration left on the current list: Portland. And lo and behold, there was actually a good airfare out there for March. I may have to go check it out. And besides, I can visit my friend Sada out there and hopefully see her sing "Hot Blooded" at kareoke.

Music stuff

Whenever I read Chuck Klosterman, I always want to write about music. Of course, I'm nowhere near as good at it as he is, probably be cause I lack his apparently encyclopedic memory and I defnitely don't have his years of experience. And let's face it, I'm nowhere near smart (or warped) enough to compare all the important women in my life to the individual members of KISS.

But I was thinking about this. One of the differences, at least for me, between listening to music now, and listening to it when I was younger, is context. Back then, I listened to music, just to listen to it. I would sit in my room and listen to an album, doing nothing else. Or in my driveway with my boombox. I have plenty of great memories of just sitting out there listening to albums, like when my neighbor brought down the new Guns N' Roses EP "Lies" for us to hear. That was a great day, especially since I didn't know it had been released. (This was back before the internet when new albums were largely a surprise; you didn't know months in advance when a new record was coming out. Back in 1988, I would stop by the local record music store on my way home from school every Tuesday just to find out what the new releases were.) Back then, listening to music was largely it's own activity.

Nowadays, that happens much less often. Now it seems like music is something I listen to while I'm driving to work, while I'm at work, while I'm reading a book, while I'm writing a blog, etc. Which is not to say I enjoy it any less, but I do feel like I don't enjoy it as completely as I used to. If that makes sense. Occasionally I will sit in my room and just listen to something, but it often seems that there is just no time for that anymore, which is a shame.
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Song I'm currently obsessed with: "The Bluest Eyes In Texas". Not the original, but the Nina Persson (formerly of the Cardigans) version from the movie Boys Don't Cry. I've listened to it 4 or 5 times already while just writing this blog.
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I had a weird dream the other night. Someone had convinced me that Siamese Dream was a much better Smashing Pumpkins album than Gish. This is just not true, and even if it were, technically, I would never agree with it, simply becuse Siamese Dream has got the worst and most distracting guitar sound ever. Have you ever watched a movie where something so jarring and illogical happens that it "takes you out of the film"? That's what the guitar sound on Siamese Dreamis like for me.

But the important part of that dream was that it really just made me want to listen to Gish again. I haven't heard it in forever. And actually, I did mean to download it from my bit torrent last night, but forgot and downloaded only High 'N' Dry by Def Leppard instead.

Which I'm going to go listen to now. Let it rock. Let it roll. Let it go.

My Christmas List

Dear Santa,

Here is what I want for Christmas:

- A bass player. Preferably one who plays fingerstyle, but I'm not picky. (Whoa, upon rereading, nice pun.)
- A permanent rehearsal space for Whiskey Dick. And while you're at it, if you could provide a better band name than our current joke name, that would be cool, too.
- A $25,000 winning scratch ticket. I'm not greedy. I just want enough to pay off my car, with maybe a little left over. Hell, a $15,000 winning scratch ticket should cover it.
- A special lady friend that doesn't get paid by the hour for sexy time love explosions.
- No snow this winter.
- Oh yeah, and world peace.

Sincerely and thank you,
Chris

Good music this weekend

Earlier this week, I had recorded (I love me some DVR) the making of Def Leppard's "Hysteria" on VH1 Classic. Just an hour long special about the making of the album. Lot's of cool info about the writing of the songs and such, but the parts that were the coolest were when they'd play bits of the actual recording, with parts soloed out. Man, there were some seriously sweet production ideas there. Not that I'm particularly surprised, but to actually hear them singled out was really cool.

Then, after some sweet Leppard, I followed with some awesome metal. Went over to the Linwood for the Motherboar CD release. Despite (or maybe because of) their daunting beer menu, I sreally like the Linwood as a place to see shows, and I'm really glad they are getting back to local bands. Anyway, Motherboar brought the metal. Now, here's the thing, with metal, loud, in a club, it's often difficult to tell what's going on musically (except for the fact that Benny kicks ass on the drums). So, hence, the CD. And man, does that thing sound....what's a good word here?....massive. Yeah, that'll do. Massive. And besides, the opening to the first song, "Ode To Swine" sounds a lot like "Slaves and Bulldozers" by Soundgarden, and that a pretty nice way to start an album.

Sunday was rehearsal for the as yet unamed band currently featuring myself (guitar), Matt (vocals), Kevin (more guitar), and Jon (drums), and this was probably the first rehearsal where it really sounded like it was gelling. Makes sense, Jon's only been on board about a month and Kevin maybe two weeks. But when the tunes come together they sound damn good. But it was one of those rehearsals where I was psyched afterwards. Now if we can just get some bass in there. And a new, more permanent, rehearsal room, and not have to carry all our gear in and out every time we practice. That'd be sweet.

Good things about work. Wait....what?

Today's been a pretty good work day. I've gotten a free lunch, free cupcake, won a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble, and got my bonus (which was bigger this year than the past few, for whatever reason.) All courtesy of the 'B.

So, I'm currently not hungry, and I plan to do 90% of my Christmas shopping tonight after work with my most excellent bonus. And since the entirety of my family's gifts can be acquired via Amazon I won't even need to leave the house to do it.

Once I've taken care of that, I'm figuring I might even have a little left over to buy a little something for myself. I do need a new bottle of scotch. And some new sneakers. And socks from Target.

Plus, tomorrow I'm getting my sweet check, since I worked both Thanksgiving and the day after. So for a brief period I won't be feeling poor.

But work has also been good in a strange other way. The past couple of weeks I've been really busy working on a pretty huge issue for MetLife. Yeah, typically "swamped with work" doesn't typically equal a good thing with me. But in this case it is. Because, let me be honest, I've been kicking ass all over this problem, and it's a very fortuitous time of year for me to be doing so because we are in my review period. So, not only have I been kicking ass, but people, including most importantly my boss, have seen me kicking ass. Now, if this translates to anything more than the usual 3% raise they dole out year after year, that remains to be seen. But it certainly is not going to hurt. I know that much.