Well this was supposed to be in last weeks paper, but it wasnt, so here it is for anyone who cares.

Hot Summer CDs

By: Ben Young

Well summer is upon and so are the top albums of the summer.  This week Pearl Jam has released their self titled album featuring the single World Wide Suicide.  This album is not as good as their early albums (VS., Vitology, Ten), but better than most albums being put out these days

This week Maynard is releasing Tools first new album in five years, 10,000 Days.  This album opens with the single Vicarious and makes the five years of waiting worth it.  The combination of Lost Keys and Rosetta Stoned are the best tune you will ever here about a man post-alien abduction.

Next week the Red Hot Chili Peppers release their double album Stadium Arcadium.  At one point the band had planned on releasing three individual albums throughout the summer, but the eventual cut it down to 28 tracks for a double disc release.  Jupiter (Disc 1) shines brightest on the single Dani California and Shes only 18.  Mars (Disc 2) offers a stunning ending with Death of a Martian.

Gnarls Barkley brings soul and hip hop closer than ever next week with the release of their first album St. Elsewhere.  Cee-Lo (Goodie Mob member) and DJ Danger Mouse (producer of the internet hit Grey Album) each bring their own style of music to the table and push the frontier of rap just a little further past Kanye West. The first single Crazy has been the top of the charts for over a month already in the UK and is predicted by many to be this years Hey Ya single of the summer.

Jack White is finally moving beyond his two piece group (The White Stripes) and playing with his new full band The Raconteurs.  On their debut album, Broken Boy Soldier, Jack is joined by his hometown friend Brendan Benson and backed by members of The Greenhornes.  With both guys sharing vocals it allows for Jack to grow even more with his guitar and leads to beautiful like Hands.  All ten tracks are stand alone hits, but make sure and check out Intimate Secretary and Blue Veins which are my personnel favorites.

Then on the 23^rd Tom DeLonge (Blink-182) brings out his new band Angels and Airwaves.  This album sounds very similar to the Blinks self titled album in that it progresses further away from their pop punk roots and comes out as more of a progressive rock album.  The Adventure is the first single off the album, but plans are in works to make a video for every song.

Other releases this summer include Radioheads new album which is currently being recorded.  TV on the Radio will be releasing their sophomore album.  Rick Rubin has produced the Dixie Chicks latest album, Take the Long Way, where they stray from the country roots and play a little more rock and roll.  Johnny Cashs final recordings, American Recordings V:  A Hundred Highways (also produced by Rick), are to be released this summer with the final songs he wrote after the death of his wife June.  Sufjan Stevens is releasing Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois late in the summer.

so I wanted this to be in this weeks paper but it didnt make in in time.  well you guys will get to read it first then (let me know if I should change anything, since I know have a week to fix it)

Death By Sexy

By: Ben Young

            Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, The Desert Sessions, and Kyuss) is always a busy man is back with The Eagles of Death Metals sophomore release, Death by Sexy.  While Death by Sexy has the instrumental sound of any of Joshs previous bands, the singing could only be compared to that of Justin Hawkins of The Darkness.  His high school buddy, Jesse Hughes is back with his falsetto voice to take the lead again in the follow up to Peace Love and Death Metal.

            They start the album right off with their single I Want You So Hard (Boys Bad News) and a little laugh.  Friends of the band, Dave Grohl and Jack Black, make cameos in the song and video warning you that though Jesse can blow your clothes off with his guitar maybe you should try and keep your clothes on around him.  They then go right into I Gotta Feeling (Just Nineteen), where as you could guess any rock singer sporting a big ol mustache would go, for a hot Nineteen year old.  The lyrics are much cleaner than Jr. High Love (a previous collaboration these guys did for The Desert vol. 3), but these guys sure havent matured any since then.

            In The Ballad of Queen Bee and Baby Duck Joshs new wife, Brody Dalle (of the Distillers) helps out on their loves song.  With Dont Speak they band calls for help of completely different kind, The Bikini Bandits, who leap in showing what they can to help out a band they love.

            While the Eagles of Death Metal are a very lighthearted band that has a little joke hidden in every line, they dont want you to take them as a joke band.  They defiantly poke fun at metal and even goth music (Eagles Goth) but they arent the new Spinal Tap.  So if you dont like metal, big mustaches or guys who can stand to laugh about themselves dont buy this album, but if you like to head bang in your car Waynes World style, this is the album for you.

A Night Out with the Motorcycle Club

By: Ben Young

            The line stretched the length of the building and the opening band had already played; now everyone was waiting for the main event.  While the buzz outside for Mardi Gras was loud and flashy, the calm crowd inside was all waiting for the lights to dim and for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club to come out.  The lights dimmed.  Peter Hayes walked out.  He started the night off with a wonderful solo acoustic performance of Fault Line.  It was just one man, his guitar, and a harmonica; the crowd loved it.  He followed this with Restless Sinner, also from the groups latest album Howl.

            The rest of the band walked out and kicked up the speed with their single Shuffle Your Feet.  The boys from B.R.M.C. kept the pace up flying through a couple other songs from the new album and then broke out with White Palms from their self-titled debut album.  Then they followed this with the slower song, Shade of Blue from their album Take Them On, On Your Own.  With guitar solos and a wonder blend from one song to the next, the audience almost did not believe when Robert Been (vocalist/guitars) said that he was not feeling good (over an hour into the show.)  This did not slow down the show though!  They continued with an alternate version of U.S. Government asking the crowd if they were being too controversial or not? 

            Do not let the name Black Rebel Motorcycle Club fool you, these guys are the best in new classic rock.  The trio of performers perfectly blended the rock vocals, guitars, and a drum with a mix of trombone, harmonica, piano, and even an accordion.  Back to the show, yes its still going with over an hour and a half of jamming when they finally play a Spread Your Love and walk off the stage.  Hold on though, all this talk of sickness doesnt keep them from coming back out for more.  Peter comes back out once again alone with his acoustic guitar to play Feel it Now.  Then the rest of the band came out and played for an hour long encore performance, finally ending with Open Invitation.

            Although the show didnt end till around midnight all the guys in the band were great enough to come out and talk to the crowd at Mississippi Nights.  While local celeb Beatle Bob got the majority of their attention, they also stopped to take photos and sign autographs for the fans and stalkers.  These nice Rebels did a great job pleasing the crowd all night long and I for one can not wait for more from them.

OK to catch up on the last few days... Saturday I went and saw The Strokes, great show.  The Eagles of Death Metal opened up for them and are definatly the coolest guys singing in falsetto right now (sorry Darkness).  After the show I did not get to meet any cool band members, they all went bowling, but i did get Josh Homme Drum head from the show, so thats pretty cool. 

Sunday night I went and watch Thank You For Smoking, which is definatly the funniest movie yet this year.  It is the best comedy that I have seen since Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (if you havent seen it {and you probably havent} then rent it as soon as it is available {F that jsut buy it [it is that good]}).

Today I got to go to the Cardinals Home Opener!  We Won!  I sat in the bleachers with my family, and those seats were made for people skinnier than me, I dont know how some people fit.  The new stadium is awesome, and I cant wait till i go back.

Well I thought I was giong to be on here all night righting a paper that I had postponed, but my teacher just emailed and postponed the due date, so now I can postpone doing it a little longer.

Well then I must get to bed before 2 (hopefully) once this week, so goodnight and goodluck.

-Ben

{p.s. I am working on some way to start haveing trivia and prizes on my myspace to get you suckers to read it all the time so keep checking and something should be coming soon}

Well Tuesday on the way to the Death Cab show, we got out of the car and saw that the line was way to long to wait and get in, so I decided to walk down to Vintage Vinyl.  I look around for a few minutes, and then start to walk back, when I decide to look at my tickets and see what time the show is supposed to start.  Guess what is no longer in my pocket!! Thats right my tickets disapeared!  So I am walking up and down delmar looking all over for them, asking people in vintage vinyl if anyone turned them in, and finally after about 30 minutes of running around like an idiot I check with the ticket window at the pageant and some one had turned them in!!!  So that almost sucked big time.

Well a few people responded to my blog so here are my answers.

01. What is your favorite word?  Stategery

02. What is your least favorite word? Vegetable

03. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Good Music.

04. What turns you off?  Country/ Bad pop Music

05. What is your favorite curse word? Cunt  (I dont care what it means, it just sounds funny)

06. What sound or noise do you love? The noise my back makes when i pop it, so relieving!

07. What sound or noise do you hate? Any noise that Vesper ( a girl at my work) makes, especially her burping...I just want to put a spike through her face.

08. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? A&R for any label would be awesome.

09. What profession would you not like to do? My job now.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Dude, you got to to see who is playing over there. -->

So last night I went to the Death Cab for Cutie show, and ... The first band SUCKED, never watch or listen to The Cribs.  Then Death cab show was alright, the begining wasnt that good, but then they started improvising and kickin with some other stuff that i Like (ben Gibbord playing a little drum set!).  Afterward I got to meet half the band, but Ben was too lazy to come off the bus and talk to the fans.  Well Saturday I am going to the Strokes show, and I think I am just about as excited to see the Eagle Of Death metal open up for them.  Well I will just have to let everyone know how that turns out.

Hey, i was just watching inside the actor's studio and I was wondering what everone else would answer to those questions he asks everyweek, so pease post back your answer.

01. What is your favorite word?

02. What is your least favorite word?

03. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

04. What turns you off?

05. What is your favorite curse word?

06. What sound or noise do you love?

07. What sound or noise do you hate?

08. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

09. What profession would you not like to do?

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

So answer these if you want... I am not going to answer them until at least three other people do though, so you better leave me some feed back.

Anywho, gotta go.

Arctic Monkeys take you to the Dancefloor

By: Ben Young

Anticipation has a habit to set you up, for disappointment.  While these are the first words on the new Artic Monkeys album Whatever People Say I Am, Thats What Im Not; this is not an album that will disappoint you in anyway.  From all the early hype coming from the UK, their performance on Saturday Night Live, and a sold out tour of America these Monkeys have already grabbed quiet a bit a press with their new indie garage album.                   

I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, is their debut single which went straight to the top of the charts in England.  While previously I probably wouldnt want to dance like a robot from 1984, Alex Turners howls, over a perfect guitar rhythm that is definitely making me think about trying.  While the songs have a similar guitar sound of The Strokes debut album, and a beat the Franz Ferdinand would be proud of, the Arctic Monkeys hurl through these two things with a punk like speed, making a new blend all of their own.

My favorite track Riot Van, knocks the speed down from an eleven to about five.  Here the boys talk of their troubles with the police while they are out just trying to kick it.  However, the band doesnt stay that slow for long, and kicks the speed right back up on the next song.  With over pounding vocals in Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But... and a guitar riff that screams of its Kinks influence, they set up for their next sure to be single:  When the Sun goes Down.  Here they mix their slow melodies, a roaring chorus, and beat that has already sent this song to be mixed on several dance floors.  (Look for a remix called Scumbody Told Me where they get a little help from The Killers.)

With the UK already declaring them Our Generations Most Important Band, this debut album will definitely be infecting the USA with its beats.  So if you love your British rock, whether its the Beatles, Oasis, The Sex Pistols, or The Libertines, then you will find Whatever People Say I Am, Thats What Im Not quickly climbing to the top of your iPod's play list.

Here you go a new article, that wont even be in the newspaper till Wed.  So its like from the future....

Time to Dance

By: Ben Young

Well on the cool March night that the Truckstops and Statelines Tour pulled into St. Louis Hellogoodbye did not arrive with the rest of the pack and had to sit for the evening, however Acceptance did show up in full force.  The Seattle based group played a few songs from the debut CD, Phantoms that the sold out crowd seemed to enjoy as they waited for the band they all really came to see.      

The biggest thing to come from Las Vegas since The Killers, Panic! At the Disco was clearly the band the crowd had been waiting for.  Signed by Fall Out Boys front man Pete Wentz, before ever playing a live show Panic! has not been a disappointment.  With no needed introduction the band jumped right into the only difference between martyrdom and suicide is press coverage and the teenage fan club was on their feet dancing the rest of the night.  The band, just out of high school themselves, often spoke of the hookers, strippers, and gambling that inspired the album.  With their over dressed motif intact, the boys beat right through the first half of their set before coming to their TRL bound single I write Sins no Tragedies.  Then lead singer, Brendon Urie, got on his all white piano and played through Intermission with a passion that could only be by Andrew W.K.  While the biggest new kids on the block did play a few more songs, and where pleaded by all the little girls to play more, they werent the headliners, so their show had to come to a close.

The Academy is were the boys to headline the show, even if a noticeable portion of the crowd had left already after seeing Panic and probably to get home before curfew.  These boys who have been touring with their album Almost Here for awhile and had a clean smooth show laid out.  Starting right in with the single Checkmarks you knew these boys were not going to hold anything back.  Whether it was the whole band getting into Black Mamba or lead singer William Beckett playing a solo of his new material it all seemed like a perfect mix that the band had thought out like a well [played chess game.  The Academy is even showed off its new number Pour Yourself a Drink that had previously only been available on MySpace. 

While The Academy Is was head lining the show it was easy to say from the merch lines and shirts in the crowd Panic! At the Disco was the crowd favorite, and maybe next time the lineup will have a reverse order when they come pulling up to Mississippi Nights.

Well it has been about a month since I wrote this, But I thought I would start putting my articles on here and see if anyone even cared.

How to win a Grammy

By: Ben Young

            Well now that U2 have won over twenty Grammy Awards lets see what their formula was for their newest album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," which has won 7 Grammy Awards now.

            Step 1:  Start off with a Billboard #1 track.  "Vertigo" should fit that perfectly, for the first song and single off the album.  U2 kicks off the album with a full speed rock song made to be played over and over.  Bono's multilingual hit gives everyone a song that they can feel pulsing in a way only Bono can cause.

            Step 2:  Have a deep, meaningful, reflective song.  "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own", is the perfect way for these guys to slow it down a bit. This is Bono's love letter to his late father.  This is a great song to remind us that our past is still with us and we don't need to go it alone.  Bono's cries sound as if he is singing right to his dad.  In this song Bono does show that he can still make it.

            Step 3:  Kick it back up and keep it rocking!  Their third single "All Because Of You" does just that.  The Edge blares at his guitar and Bono gets back to howling and you still have five more tracks to go on the CD.  From here you get a love song, a drunken chant, and the bands search for God.

            Step 14:  Make sure everyone knows who you are.  With an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Time Magazine's Man of the Year award, the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine, a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, and the largest tour of the year Bono and his boys stayed on top of the world.  After twenty-five years of jamming together, these guys have made fourteen albums and don't seem to be slowing down yet.