via//chicago

np: "sad" - pearl jam

remember when i said i would be more regular with the updates? shit, me too. that was cool. i wonder what ever happened with that. oh yeah, right. anyway, i'm still alive and kicking... barely after battling off a 102 degree fever earlier this week. but now i'm back in full form and ready to write a little something. November is out to break me, fo' real tho. The Two Towers Extended Edition, new Jigga, new G-Unit, new Kid Rock (yeah, i'm serious), two new Ryan Adams releases, GBV's greatest hits, and the big purchases of this week - Pearl Jam-related. first things first, Pearl motherfucking Jam. i've managed to stay a huge fan of this band over the years... in fact Ten is still the only album of theirs that hasn't been bought at either a midnight sale or first thing the day it was released. naysayers abound for this band these days, but as i've mentioned before Riot Act is another in a string of solid rock albums. PJ has pretty much found it's niche with the cult audience it has and really doesn't seem to care about breaking out into the mainstream anymore. and why should they? consistent sell-outs in arenas and outdoor amphitheaters, a rabid fanbase, and pretty solid album sales. what more could a band want? TRL? shiiiiit. but this week saw the release of a long-awaited B-sides and rarities compilation, Lost Dogs, and the brand spankin' new Live at the Garden DVD. and both are fucking excellent. sure i had been one of those guys scrambling to get the singles for the always quality B-sides the Jam put out, but having them in one nice package with a plethora of unreleased stuff is aweome. except the damn harmonica solo they added on "Footsteps". wack. seriously, if you are one of those people that preferred the first two or three album era, check this set out. lots of songs from the early years and some of the newer ones that wouldn't have sounded out of place on Ten or Vs. i've only watched bits and pieces of the DVD, but this weekend i plan to sit and soak in the whole thing. and check it - the easter egg with "Hungerstrike" live in Mexico City featuring Corrin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney doing the Chris Cornell part is crucial. fo' sheazy. and she's so damned cute too.

GBV? what can i say about this band that hasn't been said? to be honest, i've never really been a huge huge fan of thiers, but i've always been struck in the head by a lot of the songs over the past decade - "Official Ironman Rally Song", "Chasing Heather Crazy", "My Valuable Hunting Knife" and "The Best of Jill Hives" to drop a few names. for me the new best of collection is fucking unbelievable. from start to finish it's packed with gem after gem after gem. i'm not gonna nitpick over what songs should have been included like many GBV fans have been doing, i love the damn thing. in fact, i'm gonna go ahead and say it's the most solid poptastic hits collection since 1 by those four shaggy lads from across the pond. for real, this band deserves mass respect. if you've wondered what the hype is all about - get this album. now.

Kid Rock. i hear you snickering out there. but damn, i've always had a soft spot for the long-haired redneck Son of Detroit. not the Bullgod, rap-rock spoutin' son of a bitch, but the raspy voiced country-blues singin' Rock. "Only God Knows Why", "Lonely Road of Faith", and even "Picture". this new disc dumps the rap-rock shenanigans and jumps full on into Skynyrd/ZZ Top/country mode, bringing Hank Williams III, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and the Mr. Gibbons from ZZ along for the ride. it's decent stuff. it sure as hell ain't breaking any new ground... but if you like to let your hidden mullet fly and pound some PBRs while listening to a country boy rock out under the southern sun and cry his heart over the girl who done him wrong, this is it. and sad to say, but this disc is closer to "country music" than you are gonna hear on your local Nashville sponsored station. one more thing on the topic of Kid Rock... one reason i've always liked him is his honesty. he's never been ashamed to show his redneck roots, and he's always been upfront about wanting to be successful and merging all his tastes in music. i'll always give him more respect for keeping it real than an asshole like Fred Durst who's trying to pretend there's actual depth behind his songwriting.

alright, that's enough rambling on for tonight. i know this hasn't exactly been a post on the hipster trend, maybe i should be droppin' some knowledge on the excellent new Shins album or whoever the NYC flavor of the minute is, but sometimes i just gotta give some rep to the bands and artists out there who aren't getting the props they deserve right now. and if you think i'm a loser for liking Pearl Jam or Kid Rock, fuck it. that's me.