"Ghost of a Dog" - Edie Brickell & New Bohemians

I have a strange love for Edie Brickell's music despite the fact the most illustrious of it was recorded . It started when I heard "What I Am" in a Life is Good store at the beach last year. I thought it was Sheryl Crow. A dear friend has a affection - some might call it a obsession - with Norah Jones, which made Ted even better for him. 

As for Edie, her voice is just as present, although it sounds like she's having more fun, especially on "Woyaho". The zenfire observations continue.

As far as this album goes, I think it is much more ambient than her last effort. There is less of the pop songcraft seen in "Circle." This album seems to follow the direction of "The Wheel" more. 

"Mama Help Me" was the only single I know of from this album, and it permeated the lower reaches of the rock charts. I think the band was going for something a little bit more exotic and distant with this one, which is reflected in the eerie title. It's a interesting concept,  given the controversy over whether animals have souls. It's a argument that you'd never think would happen, but I've been in it.

There is no "What I Am" on this album, but if you'd just as easily want to put a soft, velvet record where the guitars taste like midnight pomegranate juice, this continues the trend that Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars started.

Cage The Elephant Is Ready To Take The World

What I say in this post is either going to be seen as spot-on or exceedingly pretentious.

Every so often, a song comes on the radio that changes the music world. We've seen it before. Nirvana had one with "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Springsteen had one with "Born To Run." In both cases, the songs connected wtih the generations in a time when rock was seen as dead or comatose.

"In One Ear" by Cage The Elephant is slated to be the next. It's irreverent guitars and defiant lyrics simultaneously shred the speakers and the soul of the listener. It's the type of song that starts a revolution. I've been saying for months that rock needs a savior. This could very well be it, or as close as we can come to it. It's hard not to sway with Matt Schulz and the boys as they spit lyrics like "It's your tyranny that adds the fire to our flames."

Cage The Elephant, a quite interesting band from Kentucky, already has a couple decent sized hits with "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked" and "Back Against The Wall." However, look for this one to explode. It's already surging up the Modern Rock charts.

Rating: A+

Everyone's Favorite Tropical Troubadour Returns

Jack Johnson's new single "You and Your Heart" jangles with the typical Buffett-esque beach jam giddyup. It follows in the same vein of catchiness that most of his songs carry. The lyrical content favors the same trend of unrequited and misunderstood love as seen in "Upside Down," "Flake," and "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing."

I find it to be a great improvement upon his recent work. While many enjoyed Sleep Through The Static, I found it to seem unnatural. After 3 quite successful albums, it was quite apparent that Johnson wished to try something new with a slightly moodier undertone.

This single works quite well to reestablish Johnson and his niche: relaxing, angstless songs that everyone from frat boys to soccer moms can appreciate. I wouldn't be surprised to see this song be a mainstay on the Hot 100 long after its sales debut.

Rating: B+

The Most Annoying Song I Have Ever Heard

I happened to stumble across "Cousins" by Vampire Weekend through a friend. This friend is an aspiring film major and mentioned the music video because of the way it is filmed and various camera movements.

The music sounds equivalent to a sixth-grade band, while the lyrics claw the brain like those bugs in 'The Mummy'. It is not that Ezra Koenig, lead singer, has outsmarted us. The lyrics just don't mean anything.

Barenaked Ladies Rebound With New Single

Barenaked Ladies, also known as BNL, will release their new single, "You Run Away," on February 2. It is from their upcoming LP, "All in Good Time," which is currently set to come out in March. It is also the band's first release since the departure of band founder and frontman, Steven Page.

It is available for streaming on the band's website.

Having listened to it, I can say it is definitely the band's best effort since "Another Postcard," from 2003's Everything to Everyone. At first, I thought BNL couldn't hold their own without Page's easily recognized croon. I expect it to chart high on the Adult Top 40 and break onto mainstream stations this spring.

It touches well on the heartbreak and betrayal felt by the remaining band members with Page's exit. Ed Robertson, who most notably sang lead on the band's hit "Pinch Me" in 2001, sings lead as the anger of the guitars tear the room down in sorrow.
The band's previous hit singles mostly maintain a level of humor, while "You Run Away" stands alone as a fierce emotional release. All four remaining members have a chip on their shoulders. There's something romantic about the rest of the band having something to prove.

I have no doubt that the band can carry on without Page.

Rating: A-

A tribute to Billy Mays

Probably the funniest thing I've seen in a long time

The distant future

What is going to qualify as oldies 50 years from now? I don't really see myself listening to Fall Out Boy when I'm 70. Are we really going to be listening to Poker Face when we're too old to play poker.

How much of today's music is going to be slowly forgotten? And how much of it will always be remembered? And what will be remembered. I like to think, in a way, the music we listen to now is going to die. Otherwise, we'd still be listening to polka

But, however, keep in mind, this is the day & age of sampling. Rap and hip hop takes the music from other songs and paints over it and calls it. Flo Rida did nothing but help Dead or Alive pay for their kids' college when he took "You Spin Me Round" and made "Right Round." Everyone who listens to Flo Rida's version knows it is complete crap.

In an age where it's all been done, will everything continue to be redone?