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After so many albums artists tend to announce an album that is a "return to form" or "back to our roots". The first couple times I heard this I got excited. I mean, if I liked a band's first couple albums "back to our roots" sounds like like a good thing right? Well over the years these words have taken on a different meanings. Now when I hear about a "return to form" album I wonder, "did they really run out of ideas?" or "I guess they're not making enough money any more". Basically it's not positive. This is because when the albums of this nature come out, they never actually sound like earlier albums to me. They sound like the band had no where to go but sideways. They're not necessarily bad albums but they're rarely great albums.

Local favorites Johnny Booth are now streaming their album "Connections" http://​johnnybooth.bandcamp.com/

So far it makes me want to punch things. In a good way.

According to their Twitter page iwrestledabearonce is recording a new album. I was begining to think they were just a t-shirt distributor. They toured forever, and re-released It's All Happening about half a dozen times it seems like.

I'm looking forward to hearing new music from them, but at the same time I'm worried that I might not like it. From their interviews, and from talking to them myself they seem like really easy going fun people that just want to write what they like. Now that they've gained a considerable following and it's been a few years since any real new material, I wonder if they feel any pressure. The pressure to impress current fans, as well as improve upon a previous (an in my humble opinion, great) release is easily enough to crush creative spirit.

6 years after its release, I discover AFI's Sing the Sorrow, and I'm totally loving it. It was played in the car on the way home from the Warped tour when I was traveling with friends. It will totally remind me of the great time we had, and this summer in general. I like it when an album is not only great, but it brings back great memories.

Horse The Band's Shapeshift came in the mail today. Hooray for limited edition clear vinyl! Boo for shitty record players that play everything slower than normal... Even so, I'm digging the new song. The remix b-side is killer. I can hardly wait for the new album.

Abnormally Attracted To Sin Has yet to impress me. I've only listened to it two or three times so far. In a word, I would describe it as bland. There are some great songs on it, but not enough to hold up the album. My hopes were high after falling in love with American Doll Posse. Maybe I just need to find the right mood. It's not like ADP at all, and perhaps I'm still too stuck on that album.

things i'm looking forward to:

Priestess
Boy Hits Car
Therapy?
Enter The Haggis
KMFDM
Spineshank (!)
Mastodon
Green Day
Tori Amos

I ordered the new Dalek album today, so I'm looking forward to that.

I was looking forward to the new Sepultura, but after a couple listens on Last.fm, I don't think I'm going to invest in it. The same thing happened with Testament. Some songs are great, but overall either the bands or myself are just not feeling it any more. I did like Death Magnetic though. That was a pleasant surprise to be sure. I'm curious to see what Anthrax does with their new vocalist, though I have not been impressed with the live clips I've heard so far.

Spineshank is back together, which I'm pretty amped about. I think Tommy is a great front man, but I wasn't that in to Silent Civilian.

I was thinking that ever time I pre-order an album, I should also order something from an artist I don't have in my collection, and order something I just never got around to purchasing before. I'll also try to keep the purchasing to around 3 CDs a month.

yes yes! I love doing this. Here are the 2007 releases I picked up:

Tori Amos - American Doll Posse
Bad Religion - New Maps of Hell
Between The Buried and Me - Colors
Big D and The Kids Table - Strictly Rude
Bloodsimple - Red Harvest
Dalek - Abandoned Language
Electric Six - I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me From Being The Master
Gaylord - Respendent Locution
Horse The Band - A Natural Death
Karnivool - Themata
Kemuri - Our PMA
KMFDM - Tohuvabohu
Machine Head - The Blackening
Megadeth - United Abominations
Melt Banana - Bambi's Dilema
Michale Graves - Illusions
The Mighty Mighty Bostones - Medium Rare
Ministry - The Last Sucker
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Nonpoint - Vengence
The Red Chord - Prey For Eyes
Ruby Throat - The Ventriloquist
Skindred - Roots Rock Riot
Spoiler NYC - Grease Fire In Hell's Kitchen
They Might Be Giants - The Else / Cast Your Pod To The Wind
Type O Negative - Dead Agagin

10. Skindred - Roots Rock Riot
- This is a good follow-up to their "Babylon" album. It's got amazingly catchy songs for rockin' out to.

9. Spoiler NYC - Grease Fire In Hell's Kitchen
- Alan Robert's punk side project is a total surprise. Just about every song is fast, raw and easy to sing along to. I can hardly wait to see these guys next week.

8. Big D and The Kids Table - Strictly Rude
- While the music is simply fantastic, the lyrics are just as great. Did I say I liked the lyrics? Oh yes indeed. It's not often I find lyrics I enjoy.

7. Type O Negative - Dead Again
- I'm not sure what to think of this album. I do these lists a year behind so albums can sink in, but this one still feels like it needs to sink in more. It's really good. It's one of those things where I never think I want to listen to it, but when I do I'm always impressed.

6. Gaylord - Resplendent Locution
- I've seen Gaylord a few times. They've always impressed me, but their music never quite took off in my mind until this album. They really seem to have found the right... something. I dunno. Hooray for Rochester's own (now Atlanta's own) Gaylord.

5. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
- worlds better than "with Teeth". Loads of easy to get in to songs, combined with less accessable stuff that's still really enjoyable. One of my favorite NIN albums I think.

4. Kemuri - Our PMA
- HOLY CRAP what a way to go. This album just makes me sing, dance, and feel good. The whole thing is just pure ear candy.

3. Horse The Band - A Natural Death
- This is an album album. A recording that's just so well put together that it has to be taken in as a whole, from start to finish. I really lose myself in this one.

2. Tori Amos - American Doll Posse
- I was really losing interest in what Tori was doing. "Scarlet's Walk" was good, but not great and I really couldn't bring myself to buy "The Beekeeper" so I was begining to lose hope until I heard songs off of ADP. This thing is a powerhouse. 23 songs, (24 if you count the extra bonus on the DVD), almost an hour and 20 minutes of greatness. I really enjoy how the art plays an important part of her albums and this is no exception. She takes on different personalities and different songs are performed through eyes of different personalities. Each personality has a look which was beautifully photographed. To top it all off, she would open her live set as one of the different personalities. So, to anyone that was doubting Tori, I recomend this album.

1. Between The Buried And Me - Colors
- Well duh. I've been trying to make every third post about this album. It's pretty much one 64 minute piece of music. I've described it this way before, but it's like they found a way to stitch together emotions and burn them to a CD so that when played, you just feel them. It's melodic, heavy, a bit experimental, technical, wonderful. They released a live CD/DVD of them performing the whole thing live, with no breaks which I have yet to see, but I will. No doubt. I don't have a huge collection of music, but "Colors" is probably the best albums I own.


runner up
Electric Six - I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me From Being The Master
This was almost number 10. It probably still could be. pretty much a coin flip. The title rocks.

best "new to me" band
Australia's Karnivool
They opened for Nonpoint. A bit mainstreamish, but whatever. The singer can really Sing! That's hard to find these days. I was really impressed. I hope their next album is as good as "Themata"

I just want to write about The Red Chord's "Prey For Eyes"
"Prey For Eyes" is a good album, but TRC is just kinda hard for me to listen to. I love seeing them live. They're really great guys, and their shows a super intense. I have to be in the mood to just listen to a recording though. "Prey For Eyes" is a bit easier to take than their previous album, and i think it a lot better. I think they may still be finding the sweet spot, but even if I'm wrong I'm looking forward to more music from them.