Six Hundred And Fourteen Ways To Break Hearts And Save The World. (Or At Least Have A Good Holiday Break.)

First of all, anyone who knows me knows one thing. I'm a Texas fan. I have been for 23 years. And that's because for the first year, I had no idea what football was. I have nothing against Ohio State. I grew up in Columbus, I love Jim T. (Next to Mack Brown, I don't know if I like any other coach more in the country...), and have loved many Buckeyes. But I'm also not the guy who put Texas in this situation. So, was excited to see Colt McCoy come through. I hope that doesn't lose my RHT blogging privilege. This blog is an update, an album review, and my usual rambling. Keep up if you can?

I am back in Virginia after spending about 2.5 weeks in Columbus. Though, the good news is, I will be moving back to Columbus in Mid February, thanks to my job sending me back. Which is what I always wanted. I've got nothing against VA, but it's not Columbus. I hate driving through West Virginia. I always have. I don't know why...but it's not a solid or comforting drive in any way. But, it has to be done. Along the way, I broke out some solid road trip music. I think you've got to go with some Gin Blossoms when you're on the road. Only the 'New Miserable Experience' album though. Of course, yeah, it has Hey Jealousy on it...but there's some other gems there that make the road more enjoyable. Be it Allison Road, or Hold Me Down. I've got the "Up and Crumbling" EP, but it was a gift. I don't even acknowledge it as a real album. And "Major Lodge Victory"? doesn't even exist. I feel like the suicide of (guitarist/songwriter) Doug Hopkins is one of the more under appreciated deaths in music history. The band just hasn't been anywhere close to the same since. The GB's got me through Virginia, but then comes the daunting task of West Virginia.

Look, I've got nothing against West Virginia. Except for the fact that I hate driving through West Virginia. The speed limit is 70....but who REALLY goes 70? I mean, I get it. It's a curvy, tricky road to go 70 on. But knocking it down to 55? I live by one rule, and one rule only in life (at least when driving through WV). W.W.B.H.D. (What Would Bob Huggins Do?) And I don't think Huggins would drive 55. All Sammy Hagar jokes aside, that's just not my thing. The music for this occasion was tricky. MGMT's (Oracular Spectacular) new album started me out, and proved to be solid road trip music (here's an interesting link.....don't like Katy Perry? well, me either. But she's got a KILLER cover of MGMT's "Electric Feel" check it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH3nMxXcETs) And I FINALLY did it. I got like 3 copies of Chinese Democracy when it came out. Not to mention, I have to now follow through on a number of things (Come on...am I the only one who said something like "If this album EVER comes out, I'll go to a nursing home and kiss EVERYONE in that place. Chicks, dudes, pets, etc."....Hopefully I'm not the only person. I need someone to go with me to take care of that this weekend.), so I'm kind of shocked that it's not terrible. It's not Guns N' Roses to me though. It's just Axl with a stable of musicians (That does include Tommy Stinson....so I'm good with this stable already.) I think that this album was doomed from the start, because it just took so long to make, that if it was anything short of perfect, then it's not good enough. And it is short of perfect, it's just not bad. Not to mention, if you have been up on the making of this album, you've heard most of these tracks before, just in poorer quality. I'd give it 3.5/5, but no more. I may take the .5 away because I can't stand Axl Rose. But then give it back, because Tommy Stinson was my favorite Replacement. Lastly, in WV, I went for the new Killers record (Day & Age)...I had given up on the Killers, and I'm not sure that this album helped. It was just decent. I mean, the standout 2 tracks were the first 2 singles ("Human", "Spaceman")...although "Neon Tiger" wasn't bad. I just think the Killers, for me, will be that band that had a stellar debut album, but may never be the same again. And Brandon Flowers irks me. But, I am starting to come around to bands from Vegas (More on that later. If I remember.)....Entering Ohio...

Fall Out Boy's latest (Folie A Deux) dropped the day I hit the road, and I held out to pop it in. I was alternating between underwhelmed, and hooked on the first single ("I Don't Care"), and was feeling like this was the album that would finally have me out grow FOB, and sadly bury all of my college memories. I must say that did not happen. I'm forgiving of the fact that Pete Wentz is possibly the worst bass player to ever be famous (yep...you're off the hook Sid Vicious), is a horrific attention whore, and generally is not the talent of the band (Patrick Stump)....because his lyrics hold up so well. The standout of the album (And it's a shame that it's now a single, because all of the 13 year old girls will miss the best parts of it...) is "What A Catch, Donnie" which is a tribute to Donnie Hathaway. And Roberta Flack. And Features Elvis Costello. Yes. It has Elvis Costello in it (As well as Brendan Urie, Travis McCoy, Doug Does, William Beckett, Alex DeLeon, and Gabe Saporta), and it's probably my new favorite FOB song of all time (edging out the former "G.I.N.A.S.F.S."). There's some big misses as well. I mean "Tiffany Blews" features Lil' Wayne, and just doesn't work. On any level. "27" is a bit overblown and just sounds like there's too much going on. But the hits are bigger and better than the misses. The Kanye West (finally helping out his fellow Chicagoans), and Brenden Urie aided "20 Dollar Nose Bleed" stands out. And Lyrically, Wentz has probably developed. Dealing less with over the top, dark, angst filled lyrics, they're tackling being more of an adult, being married, and being famous. Which seems boring, but he does a good job with it. Some of the lyrics are even funny ("The only thing suicidal these days is my doors", "I've got a lot of friends who are stars, but most are just black holes", and my favorite, "Throw your cameras in the air, and wave them 'cause I just don't care")...which is refreshing. I didn't dislike their last album (Infinity On High), but I just got the sense that they were going to be a 3-3.5 star band from then on. But, I enjoyed the evolution on this record. I'd still give it like 3.5, maybe 4. But it's a better 3.5 or 4...because it's one with potential for growth. Although, next to Paramore, they're my "Band most likely to not make it through 2009"....

Columbus was fun. Made, and received, a bunch of mix CD's (Even one for the almighty Shoe), went on a date that I didn't know was a date until a week later (hilarity ensued), fed more into my shoe obsession (bought 3 new pairs. For shame.), bought more vinyl than any man should, read the art of war, drove to get tampons for a girl at 3 a.m. on new years (the story there will hold up for years.), learned to play "Stay Together For The Kids" on guitar, played it at least 80 times, wrote a song for my friends band, people liked said song, fell in love with Lily Allen, got 2 copies of the new Common album, fell in love with Chicago, saw Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist at a dollar theater (on what I thought was a date this time, but actually was not....), did the robot on High Street, bought a DVD of Mike Jackson videos, and proceeded to watch the video for "Beat It" 25 times.

Overall, a good trip.

2009 looks to have some promising releases. A new Paramore is due out late this year, but I'm thinking they won't make it through the summer. Mark my bold prediciton for this year: There is no way that Paramore doesn't break up. NO way. Panic At The Disco in September (by the way, has anyone seen recent pictures of the Panic guys? It's like Ryan Ross, dude, we get it. You just discovered, and now love, the Beatles....but you are NOT a Beatle. The Beatles are no longer a band, and Halloween is over. I don't even know which one you're trying to look like, because you've got Paul's hair, with John's glasses, and George's wardrobe. I mean, "Pretty. Odd." was cool and all, but please, for the love of God....learn from Gerard Way's mistakes. He's just now figuring out that he's not Freddie Mercury.)....which will be interesting. There's no doubt that Critical Acclaim has gotten to Ryan Ross, Brendan Urie, and etc. So, it'll be fun to see this next album no doubt fail due to them trying to top themselves by adding all kinds of string orchestras, and etc. Jay-Z releases his EPIC. No DOUBT EPIC "Blueprint 3" in February. He pushed it back so that (in his words) "Kanye's album could live". I'm so excited. He's turning down beats from the best producers in the game (Except for, of course, the aforementioned West), just so that he can show everyone that he can release a classic album without production help. Appetite for destruction...usually. Hip-hop wise, there's also a new Outkast, a new Mos Def, and Rhymefest's 2 years in the making "El Che" is finally slated. Slash has a solo slated, Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen (how awesome is "It's Not Me, It's You"?), Taking Back Sunday is slated to let me down again in February, I am not a U2 fan (GASP!)....but they're due out, Of Montreal....the list goes on. Great year in music slated. Enjoy it.