The Relationship PSA

"What is this?" you ask? Check out the post below.

Brian Bell's newest musicial relationship

When people think of Weezer, the first figure that comes to mind is the first man of geek rock, Rivers Cuomo. But let’s look past the coke-bottle glasses, sweater vests, and pocket protectors for a brief moment and focus on another integral figure in the Weez, lead guitarist Brian Bell.

It’s a shame that more attention isn’t given to Bell. His axe playing is underrated, stage presence is respectable, and wardrobe rivals that of Lou Reed. And also lost in all of this is that fact that he’s had a side project, The Relationship, going for the past few years.

While it may have taken awhile, The Relationship finally has a debut LP coming out. It’s self-titled and is debuting tomorrow (11.29) via iTunes and Amazon.com. I’ve only heard a little bit of Bell’s band, and it’s style is definitely a detour from his Weezer work.

I would describe it as old-school bar rock, with influences from Tom Petty and the aforementioned Reed, among other similar acts. I’m not sure if this song made the LP, but here’s a number from The Relationship.

PS: Rumors are flying that Bell will be personally signing copies of the LP after both shows of Weezer’s upcoming Memories tour, December 14 and 15 in Boston.

The Black Pacific: Pennywise part 2?

To the chagrin of many punk fans, singer Jim Lindberg left Pennywise last summer to form his own band. Well that band has finally come to fruition in the form of The Black Pacific.

With Lindberg playing lead vocals and guitar, The Black Pacific is currently touring Europe with Sum 41 and the Riverboat Gamblers. While I (and many other Pennywise fans) was sad to see Lindberg leave his signature punk band behind, I have to say I’m pretty stoked about some of the material The Black Pacific has released thus far. It has lots of the high energy, political themes and aggressive guitars that punk rockers know and love.

My only gripe is that The Black Pacific’s stuff sounds eerily similar to Pennywise. Their first single “System” (check out the music video below) sounds like it could’ve easily been on the next Pennywise album.

And if Lindberg left Pennywise to release the exact same music with another band, it tells me that he must’ve had some kind of bad falling out with his old bandmates, and to me, that’s even more disheartening than hearing news of him leave Pennywise in the first place.

Song of the week: Pats get physical in victory over Steelers

So, for this week’s Song of the Week, I’m going the cheesy route. Sure, many know Olivia Newton John’s “Let’s Get Physical” as the ultra-peppy workout song that so many sweated to while burning calories back in the day.

But believe it or not, the tune is the perfect theme for describing the Patriots’ impressive 39-26 victory over the favored Steelers in Pittsburgh this past Sunday. The Steelers have always been known for being a physically imposing team, but not against the Pats.

To the surprise of many, the much-maligned Patriots defense came to play against Big Ben and company, making their physical presence felt throughout the game, especially when they knocked out WR Hines Ward from the game and when safety Patrick Chung delivered an especially-physical blow to WR Mike Wallace in the first half.

Not to be outdone, the Patriots offense got a little physical themselves. The unit had over 100 rushing yards against a Pittsburgh D that’s always stout against the run, and the offensive line kept Tom Brady upright all night. Their physical play was so impressive that the famous Blitzburgh defense didn’t register a single sack against Brady.

There’s no doubt that a big reason the Pats won on Sunday was their physicality, which was nice to see, given that the prior week they were “thunderstruck” by a physical Cleveland Browns offense.

And in today’s NFL chock-full of high-flying offense and scores that rival basketball games, it’s refreshing to know that you can still beat an opponent by flat out hitting them in the mouth.

Hold the salt: Followill judges on Iron Chef America

Can somebody please explain to me why Caleb Followill was recently a judge on “Iron Chef America”? I heard the Kings of Leon frontman liked to cook, so that was probably the biggest reason.

But so what? Lots of people like to cook. But lots of people aren’t the lead singer of one of the most popular rock bands on the planet, so it’s understandable why the Food Network went the celebrity judge route.

He actually did a pretty decent job judging the dishes of the two contestants, considering his culinary background (or lack thereof). He offered some pretty valid praises and criticisms of several of the dishes, although he seemed to have an obsession with salt on two of the highlighted meals.

Iron Chef Michael Symon tried his best to be respectful during Followill’s remarks, saying “I would never leave halfway through one of your shows.” Well, considering the mediocrity that runs rampant on KOL’s newest album Come Around Sundown, I wouldn’t blame Symon if he did.

Song of the Week: Hillis leaves Pats thunderstruck

I’ve decided to create a new blog segment called the Song of the Week. The song I choose will be based on either something going on in the world that has gotten my attention, or it will simply highlight a song that I can’t get out of my head at the moment. So without further ado, here’s the first song.

Going into this past Sunday’s game, the Patriots were riding high, and they had every right to be. After all, they had the NFL’s best record at 6-1. All that was standing in the way of 7-1 was the lowly Browns.

Little did the Pats know, the Browns had a secret weapon up their sleeves in the form of a 260-pound tank of a running back named Peyton Hillis. It’s safe to say he’s not a secret anymore after punishing the New England defense to the tune of over 180 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in a startling 34-14 butt-kicking.

Even as the Patriot defense was putting nine and 10 men in the box to try to stop Hillis, it was all for not. There’s nothing worse in football than knowing you can’t stop someone, no matter how hard you try. And there’s no doubt that the Pats defense had no answer for Hillis at all, as he left them thunderstruck.

Brady vs. Manning: it never ends

Photos: bostonherald.com and indyposted.com

I was watching some of the NFL Network’s special series on the 100 greatest NFL players of all-time, and I’ve got a bit of a bone to pick with whoever selected Peyton Manning (#8) ahead of Tom Brady (#21) on this list. I have nothing against Manning, other than whenever he beats my Patriots in a big game. He definitely deserves to be in the top 10 of the list. I mean the guy’s won four league MVPs, a feat that no player has ever accomplished.
And being a Pats fan, I’m going to come across as really biased echoing the tired slogan of “Brady’s better.” But let’s just look at a few of his biggest accomplishments. Brady has one league MVP title, he broke Manning’s record for TD passes in a season (50 in 2007), has gone 4-1 in the AFC title game, and 3-1 in the Super Bowl. And for good measure, throw in the fact that he’s a two-time Super Bowl MVP.
But arguably the biggest stat Brady has working in his favor is 10-0. He won his first 10 playoff games before registering a loss. No QB before him did that, and maybe no QB after him will ever do that. By comparison, Manning has gone 2-1 in the AFC title game, 1-1 in the Super Bowl, and went a few playoff appearances before winning his first game. These stats alone put Brady ahead of Manning on the list, in my humble opinion.
Then again, both are still behind Joe Montana for the title of greatest QB ever. Montana went 4-for-4 in the Super Bowl, throwing 11 TDs and 0 interceptions. And he’s still the only three-time Super Bowl MVP. Brady’s winning may not be done yet, but he can’t say he’s never lost a Super Bowl; Cool Joe can.

Hold the brown M&M's, please

Music stars can be a little picky, especially when touring. A band’s tour rider is a great way to see the excess in all of its glory. Basically, a tour rider is a document detailing all of the on-stage and backstage demands of musicians the organizers must adhere to the day of the concert.

From taking a gander at some tour riders on the Backstage Rider section of The Smoking Gun’s website, viewers can see some pretty outrageous requests, including Van Halen’s infamous request that all brown M&M’s be removed from their dressing room candy dishes.

In all fairness to Van Halen, this request was just a test device used to measure how thoroughly concert organizers read through the band’s rider. Here are a few other tidbits I got by scanning through some of the site’s listed tour riders.

Aerosmith wanted their VIP guest room decorated in an “East Indian style.”
Backstage at her performance of the national anthem at the 2004 Super Bowl in Houston, Beyonce wanted baked chicken, with “fresh garlic, season salt, black pepper, and Cayenne pepper HEAVILY SEASONED!”
Blink 182 wanted an “X rated lesbian-themed magazine” and boxer shorts that were “J. CREW BRAND ONLY—NO SUBSTITUTES.”
For Mariah Carey’s tea, brewers “must use Poland Springs water.” She probably downed the tea with the box of bendy straws she requested.

Mark Hoppus: don't quit your day job

Photo: fitceleb.com
Mark Hoppus should be in the recording studio, not the TV studio.

During my pregame festivities for Thirsty Thursday, I kept myself entertained by watching Blink 182 bassist Mark Hoppus’s new talk show A Different Spin on Fuse. Hoppus should stop wasting his time in the television studio and get back in the recording studio to bang out the rest of the highly-anticipated next Blink album. A Different Spin is a show that would be hard-pressed to make it on the local high school cable access channel, yet it’s on Fuse in primetime. (I’m not guessing many people watch Fuse if this is one of their original shows).

For one, Hoppus struggles with his lines, and the forced banter between he and Amy Schumer (she was a contestant on one of the 69 seasons of Last Comic Standing) makes for a pretty awkward atmosphere. And the studio audience is dead; every time Hoppus or Schumer made a pretty decent joke, there was almost zero laughter from the deadpans. Either the jokes weren’t funny, or a Fuse producer stopped a bunch of teenage stoners on the streets of Manhattan, asking them “hey, you want to watch a tv show starring Mark Hoppus?!” I’m guessing the latter here.

To top it all off, Different Spin featured some awesome guests, including Nelly (he’s still around?), and musical guests Far East Movement performed their annoying song “Fly Like a G6.” A few weeks ago, a girl actually told me I was fly like a G6. I just nodded and walked away, guessing it was a compliment.

2010 Dallas Cowboys finished

Photo: mkrob.com
Surely this wasn't how Jerry Jones envisioned the season playing out for his Cowboys.

How ‘bout them Cowboys? Dallas owner Jerry Jones had aspirations that his team would end their season in the friendly home confines of his magnificent Cowboys Stadium, the home of Super Bowl XLV this February.

Well, he sort of gets his wish. But the problem for him is that the Cowboys’ season is ending after only six weeks. Thanks to a miserable 1-5 start, capped off by the Monday night loss to the rival Giants and losing star QB Tony Romo to a broken collar bone, it’s officially time to pronounce the much-hyped 2010 Dallas Cowboys DOA.

So what went wrong in this bust of a season for America’s Team? On paper they have arguably the most talent-laden roster in the game. Therefore, the onus lies solely on the broad shoulders of the coaching staff, led by the buffoon Wade Phillips.

Watching the Cowboys against the Giants tonight, I saw a team in disarray-especially on defense. On a few occasions, Big D’s D was caught with its pants down, as safeties were left to singlehandedly cover the lethal Giants receivers on a few of Eli Manning’s TD passes. All in all, the Giants torched Dallas for 500 yards of offense en route to the win. This is unacceptable coaching for a team that had such high hopes entering this season.

With this much talent, Jones has to realize that at the very least a competent coach would be all his squad needs to fulfill his Super Bowl hopes. But he doesn’t have to worry about the coaching situation until next year, because for a 1-5 Dallas team, this season is already over.

Bad Religion still on their game with Dissent of Man

Photo: metalwarez.com


It’s hard to believe, but chances are Bad Religion has been producing aggressively catchy punk rock tunes since before you were born. Together 30 years, the SoCal punk godfathers just released a staggering 15th studio album, The Dissent of Man on Epitaph Records (actually founded by BR guitarist Brett Gurewitz).
Artistically, it pales in comparison to the band’s classic albums like Suffer, Stranger than Fiction, and Recipe for Hate. But most of the songs on The Dissent of Man prove why Bad Religion is still musically relevant 30 years into their careers.
The album hits the ground running with “The Day That the Earth Stalled,” a 90-second work packed with a rapid tempo and complex drum beat, especially in the opening verse. Lead singer Greg Graffin speeds through the lines, pining for nostalgia: “Do you remember when we were young, adventure had no end? Those were the days, my friend.”
“The Resist Stance” has the makings of a quality single. It starts with a lethargic and heavily-distorted guitar riff, much along the lines of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.” This transitions into another rapid punk instrumental, but the riff is cleverly layered beneath, creating a pleasant contrast between punk-fast and heavy metal-slow.
Die-hard fans may be turned off by the first single “The Devil in Stitches.” It’s slower in tempo, and resonates a bit of a country feel. True, the song has an edgy sound echoing from the guitar trio of Gurewitz, Greg Hetson, and Brian Baker. But the guitars won’t overwhelm your eardrums like BR staples “Generator” and “American Jesus” can. “Devil” feels mature and maybe even a bit mellow, especially when arriving at the interlude before Gurewitz’s guitar solo.
The country influence takes full force with “Cyanide.” This number that feels like Hank Williams Jr. meets Gin Blossoms. Gurewitz uses a guitar tone that gives off a twangy effect, evident in his plucking notes at the end of the choruses. The solo is the simplest one on the album, with the guitar crying more than screaming.
This tone is coupled with lyrics that are an ode to those punch drunk love poems penned on napkins at the country diner: “The road to you is paved right through with bloody good intentions/And missing you is like kissing Cyanide.” These revelations may have punk enthusiasts crying “sellouts!”
But rest assured; this is only a detour through Nashville, not a permanent stop. And left turns like this prove why BR is still relevant in today’s music scene. If they’d played the exact same style throughout their discography, they probably wouldn’t have made it long enough to see record 15.
While there are some detours, themes of religion and evolution remain constant, a continuation from the last album, 2007’s New Maps of Hell. These themes appear throughout Dissent. Religion is the central theme of “Devil” (“And let the devil come join us dancing/Across the yellow sun/We’ll run/While the devil in stitches goes and has his fun.”). And hearing the oohs, aahs, and whoas from Gurewitz and bassist Jay Bentley on almost every BR praise chorus gives the impression they’re part of a church choir led by the baritone voice of reverend Graffin.
Evolution is taught by Graffin at UCLA, who recently published a book called Anarchy Evolution, depicting some of his thoughts on the matter. In “Won’t Somebody,” he gains a sense of urgency concerning higher powers, wondering: “Won’t somebody please come up with something/ Cuz’ Jesus just don’t seem to be impartially working.”
The dissent of man is discussed in-depth on “Wrong Way Kids.” Graffin dishes out some of his vintage social commentary, served with a side of sarcasm. Pertaining to the wrong way kids, he notes: “The kids today are gone away petitioning the dust/With nobody to look up to because they’re looking up to us.”
Not to be forgotten is the solid work of veteran Bentley and relatively new drummer Brooks Wackerman. Bentley’s bass lines flow seamlessly throughout the LP, with a nice mix of filler and bass riffs. Wackerman’s energy is a breath of fresh air. With his flawless execution of the intricate and intense percussion on Dissent, it’s tempting to wonder just how much more legendary Recipe For Hate and Stranger Than Fiction would’ve been had he appeared on them.
Still, Dissent lacks many of the catchy pop features and striking melodies that were free-flowing during the band’s heyday of the late 80’s/early 90’s. Today’s songs simply don’t hold a creative candle to classics like “21st Century Digital Boy,” “Infected,” “Struck a Nerve,” and “Atomic Garden.” And the intro to “Someone to Believe” is completely ripped off from the backing track to Green Day’s “American Idiot.”
But there are no real duds on Dissent; you’d be hard pressed to find one. This speaks for itself about any band that’s 30-years strong. And if they keep churning out this music, Bad Religion’s dissent may still be a while off.

NBC's Sunday Night Football asking to be sacked

Photo: typophile.com

In between catching up on my homework, I’ve been watching NBC’s coverage of the Sunday Night Football. I can’t believe it took me this long to realize just how much NBC’s NFL coverage is lacking.

For starters, the broadcasting duo of Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth was extremely biased towards the Colts as they faced off against the Redskins. They made no effort to hide their man crushes for Peyton Manning and Dwight Freeney, and declared that the Colts were a “machine” midway through the game; because after all, the Colts looked like such a machine in losses to the Texans and Jaguars and a near loss to the Chiefs.

Then you switch to the studio coverage, featuring analysts Tony Dungy (former Colts coach) and Rodney Harrison (former Patriots player). It’s always awkward watching these two interact in the studio. It’s no secret that they probably dislike each other, given they battled each other for years in the bitter Pats-Colts rivalry.

And do you really need two studio hosts? Sure, Dan Patrick is actually in the studio, while Bob Costas is on site at the weekly game. But Costas is useless here; all he really does is preach some oral essay at halftime on the happenings in the NFL. Just do us all a favor, NBC, and keep Costas in hiding until the next Olympics.

The icing on the cake is hearing Faith Hill’s annoying “I’ve Been Waiting All Day For Sunday Night,” a tired cover of Joan Jett’s “I Hate Myself For Loving You.” It was cute the first hearing this song at the beginning of the game the first 20 times. I even had to mute it when it came on tonight. I would’ve changed the channel completely, but Faith Hill is eye candy you don’t change the channel on.

Catching up with Jimmy Eat World

Photo: NME.com
Singer Jim Adkins and Jimmy Eat World rocked the House of Blues in Boston this past Friday night.

While some spent this past Friday night reuniting with the bottle, I spent it in Boston, reuniting with a musical friend that I had forgotten about over the past few years. I was at House of Blues for the Jimmy Eat World concert, and I had lost interested in the Arizona alt-rock veterans following their disappointing 2007 album Chase This Light. But their resurgence from a new album (Invented) and hit single (“My Best Theory”), coupled with the HOB show made me realize what I had been missing over the years.

I was disappointed that they opened the show with “Bleed American.” In my opinion, it’s undoubtedly their best single and arguably their best song. I like when bands save their best song for last, not for the open of the concert. I also think the HOB is a terrible venue for a concert. Everyone is standing of the floor, packed in like some kind of a pig pen. I had to stand in front of the bar to catch a good view of the show, and people were constantly bumping into me through the night en route to their next alcoholic beverage. But other than that, I (and thousand of other JEW fans) had a great time belting out all of the band’s incredible hits, including “The Middle,” “Pain,” “Sweetness,” and “A Praise Chorus.”

They even threw in a couple of lesser-known favorites like “Get It Faster” and “Blister” off of their legendary album Clarity, which was sung by guitarist-and former lead singer- Tom Linton. The reunion had a perfect ending when the rabid crowd obliged to singer Jim Adkins’s request to “sing it back” during the show’s finale of “Sweetness.” A sweet night had by all, indeed.

Hall of Shame irrelevant to music fans

Photo: yazmar.com
LL Cool J could be in the Rock and Roll HOF? Seriously!?

By Trevor Medeiros

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently came out with its annual nominations for its next class. Some of the nominations come with liits next class. Some of the nominations come with little surprise (Bon Jovi), feelings of being long overdue (Alice Cooper) and just plain headscratching (LL Cool J?).

While the artists nominated every year make news, the artists continually snubbed are the ones who always ignite the bigger debate about who should really be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We can talk all day about what artists really should be in (that’s you, Depeche Mode, the Smiths, Judas Priest, Rush, Roxy Music, Bad Religion, Van Halen, and on, and on, and on) until we’re blue in the face.

But honestly, who cares who’s in? With every LL Cool J that gets in, this Hall of Shame loses any credibility they have in deciding which artists really are the best at what they do. Maybe it’s a blessing that the previously-mentioned snubs aren’t in. Why would they want to be associated with such a joke of an institution?

Most reasonable music fans know who should really be regarded as the greatest musicians of all time. They don’t need the Hall of Shame to tell them.

Did Moss really force his way out?

Photo: Footballbabble.com

By Trevor Medeiros

Because everyone has beaten this subject of Randy Moss’s (not so) sudden departure to Minnesota into the ground since it happened a few days ago, I’ll only give one thought on the whole situation.

First off, after the deal went down, news came to light that Moss was becoming a real problem in the locker room. Apparently, he had a heated confrontation with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien during halftime of Monday night’s win in Miami. Then on the plane ride home when head coach Bill Belichick tried to confront Moss on the confrontation, he received the cold shoulder.

Look, if this is all true, then Moss had to go, and fast. The best way to defeat cancer is with early detection. Belichick got rid of that cancer that was Moss before he ended up killing a young Patriots locker room.

But I’m not sure what to believe here. For the past three years, all we heard about was how great of a teammate Moss was with the Pats, even from sources like Belichick. Now all of a sudden, he’s blowing up at halftime and is a locker room cancer? Sounds like a smear campaign by the Boston media to me.

All I’m saying is take what you’ve heard about Moss’s final days in New England with a grain of salt.

OMG! EVERYBODY READ MY ALBUM REVIEW OF WEEZER'S HURLEY!

Photo: www.hypetrack.com

To those diehard Weezer fans who are frustrated with the direction the band has taken recently: Rivers Cuomo hears you. Or maybe he doesn’t.

Whether consciously or not, a nostalgic Cuomo proclaims in the first song of Weezer’s eighth and newest album “Hurley,” that the “memories make me want to go back there.” The album was released last Tuesday (September 14). While it’s not exactly a return to the glory days of the blue album and “Pinkerton,” the band’s latest effort is at least on the right path, compared to the antics they’ve been pulling the last few years.

During this time, Cuomo and company covered Lady Gaga, jammed with Paramore’s Hayley Williams, penned an atrocious Indian-themed song, and if that’s not bad enough, the quartet even collaborated with Lil’ Wayne on its last studio album (2009’s “Raditude”).

Even before the release of “Hurley,” Weezer enthusiasts must’ve been pleased with the band’s return to its roots. That’s because Weezer left its longtime label Geffen over the summer to join forces with the legendary Indie label Epitaph records, which sparked the careers of The Offspring and Bad Religion.

The aforementioned opening song-and lead single-“Memories” brings back the good ol’ days of great Weezer pop rock. The chorus is very catchy, with a violin-tinged synthesizer riff matching its melody.

The song definitely isn’t short on Cuomo’s typically quirky lyrics, with lines like “Pissing in plastic cups, before we went on stage/ playing hacky sack back when Audioslave was still Rage.”

The album hits a high point with “Unspoken” and “Where’s My Sex?” Both songs would easily have a place on “Pinkerton.” The former begins with a simple acoustic guitar riff, backed by a psychedelic-sounding flute. This combination gives the song an awesome 60’s pop vibe.

Following the bridge, “Unspoken” explodes and releases all this boiling tension via electric guitars. The tension comes from the dark Cuomo’s dark lyrics. For one, he states in the chorus that “if you take this away from me, I’ll never forgive you, can’t you see/ our life will be broken, our hate will be unspoken.”

“Where’s My Sex?” is just a pure musical guilty pleasure. This number features heavy electric guitars, but in a pleasantly poppy style. And Cuomo’s play on words is genius. Throughout the song, he’s clearly describing socks, not sex.

“Mom made my sex, she knitted it with her hands…I can’t go outside without my sex, it’s cold outside and my toes get wet.”

Cuomo collaborated with many decorated songwriters on this album. These include pop star Ryan Adams; Desmond Child, co-writer of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer”; Linda Perry, writer of Pink’s “Get the Party Started”; and Mac Davis, who published songs for Elvis Presley.

The end result is mediocre songs like “Run Away,” “Time Flies,” and “Trainwrecks.” They’re not bad songs, but given the resumes, you would expect the works to be more impressive. That being said, there really isn’t any one song on “Hurley” that you can single out and say “wow, that’s dreadful.”

You can say that about a handful of songs on the band’s last two albums, “Raditude,” and the red album. And this alone is enough to declare that Weezer is slowly but surely on its way back to the glory days.

And if that’s a stretch, then at the very least they’re back to producing quality pop rock.

late 2010/early 2011...great time for new music

Hey everyone,

I haven't been on here in awhile, so I just decided to check in. Been busy this summer with work, and whatnot. But I will be posting again soon with a flurry of new album reviews. With great alt acts like The Offspring, Weezer, Sum 41, Bad Religion, Jimmy Eat World, Blink 182, Franz Ferdinand, and a host of others coming out with new albums in the coming months, it should be enough material to keep me busy! I'll be back with my album review of Weezer's new album "Hurley" (Sept 14 on Epitaph). See ya then!

t med

My book review of Jasper Fforde's "Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron"

Who knew totalitarianism could be this vibrant? British fantasy author Jasper Fforde brings a colorful perspective to this normally drab and dreary world in his newest novel “Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron,” the first in a new series.

Here, Fforde has created a complex and elaborative futuristic society where social classes are determined solely by one’s ability to see primarily one color. The message the novel is trying to convey may not be original (think “1984” in living color). Nevertheless, “Shades of Grey” uses a unique setting to deliver this message, and Fforde creates plenty of intrigue and suspense through the plot and his writing.

The protagonist in this series is 20-year old Eddie Russett, a Red who lives in the futuristic society of Chromatacia. Simply put, he is a Red because he can only see the color red. Chromatacia’s social class is divided into colors: Yellows can only see yellow; Blues can only see blue, and so on.

Among these classes of color, Yellows are considered to be the highest and most powerful of the classes, while the lowest class is the Greys (those who can’t see color). Eddie and his father are sent to the distant town of East Carmine. Eddie’s father is a swatchman (aka doctor) who’s been sent there to replace a swatchman who has mysteriously died.

Eddie is sent there as a mundane punishment, and quickly wears out his welcome, especially after accusing the powerful Yellow Sally Gamboge and her son Courtland of murdering another Yellow. He digs himself so big a hole that the only way out is to volunteer to lead a deadly expedition to the abandoned town of High Saffron.

Meanwhile, Eddie also falls for a rebel Jane named Grey, who has a “retrousse” nose and a hostile attitude towards others, especially Eddie. She becomes attracted to Eddie for his questioning of the system and courage to lead the trip to High Saffron.

The two make the trip to High Saffron, where Eddie discovers that Jane is leading an underground resistance against the governing body of the Head Office and its late founder Munsell, and discovers firsthand just how far the organization is willing to go to protect its hold on Chromatacia.

Totalitarianism as a theme is nothing new in this genre. Classics like “1984” and “Farenheit 451” covered it long ago, although “Shades” has less emphasis on the topic. Fforde cleverly incorporates many complex storylines (most involving Eddie) that keep the reader enticed, and only at the end are some of them influenced by the emerging theme of totalitarianism.

Both Jane and readers gain a parallel attraction for Eddie as the novel progresses. Eddie goes from obedient citizen in the beginning to everyman science-fiction hero. He musters up the courage to stand up to the Gamboges, question the system, and lead a supposedly death-defying journey to High Saffron. Winston Smith would be proud.

Fforde also adds plenty of chilling suspense through constant mentioning of Chromatacia’s deadly dangers. These include killer swans, deadly lightning strikes, man-eating plants called yateveos, and a plague-like epidemic called Mildew, among others.

But the audience is left disappointed given the deadly hype and aura surrounding High Saffron. Eddie and Jane’s trip is pretty uneventful with (unfortunately) no killer swan attacks or lightning. Fforde’s humor in the text shines, as his characters use plenty of witty sarcasm throughout, reminding readers of dialogue typically heard in an episode of “Family Guy.”

Fforde also displays humor in the ridiculous rules he describes in the beginning of each of the small chapters, like Rule 9.3.88.32.025 on page 46, which states “To assist with the dietary requirements of vegetarians, on the first Tuesday of the month a chicken is officially a vegetable.”

One contradiction comes from the narrator, Eddie. How can someone who only sees red give such vivid descriptions of his surroundings throughout the text? Readers will also have to thrash their way through lots of technical language and RGB talk in the first half of the book, cumbersome descriptions even by science-fiction standards. But overall, the plot has few holes, and Fforde should be applauded for creating this complex world based on color and enticing readers to see what happens next in the series.

The Munsell Book of Wisdom warns that “Imaginative thought is to be discouraged. No good ever comes of it-don’t.” It will be interesting to see where Eddie’s imaginative thoughts lead him before Fforde’s newest literary series is complete.

CD Review of Alkaline Trio's "This Addiction"

Punk pop is a musical genre that has always had an unjustified reputation for producing mind-numbingly simple songs (although Blink 182’s discography perhaps validates this reputation). Nevertheless, punk pop songs need the same elements as any other genre (catchy hooks, singalong choruses, etc.) to be considered hits.

These universal elements are what separate the punk pop behemoths (like Green Day and The Offspring) from the one-hit wonders (like Lit). Chicago’s punk pop veterans Alkaline Trio recently released their seventh and latest studio album, “This Addiction.” Yes, the songs on this compilation are pretty simple by nature, but that doesn’t mean this album doesn’t have its fair share of quality and catchy punk pop songs.

Given the self-titled opening track and lead single, one can expect a good amount of references to narcotics throughout the album. Lead singer Matt Skiba wastes no time diving in, opening the song with the lines “Well you hit me just like heroin/I feel you coursing through my veins/I once tried to kick this addiction/I swear I’ll never kick again.”

Skiba’s piercing vocals in the chorus make him genuinely seem like he’s suffering through some kind of powerful addiction, whether it be drugs, love, or both. The second song, “Dine, Dine My Darling” continues the drug/love theme, with lines like “Get a couple more days, but the drugs are lame/So I’m looking for you to be/The very last thing I see before I up and fly away.”

Instrumentally, the album explores sounds not typically heard on a punk pop album. “Lead Poisoning” has a pleasant trumpet solo that may have listeners mistaking Alkaline Trio for The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones or Reel Big Fish. The guitar tone in the intro to “Dead on the Floor” sounds just like the intro to Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire.”

“Eating Me Alive” is arguably the catchiest song on the album. It’s incorporation of a poppy synthesizer makes this song feel like it could be on The Killers’ next album. Despite this deviation, “Addiction” still has plenty of the stuff Trio fans have come to love with Skiba’s heavy guitar riffs and Derek Grant’s aggressive and complex percussion, a staple of a genre known for simple, yet entertaining, music.

One disappointment is the inconsistency of bassist Dan Andriano’s sounds. Some songs have the bass lines pulsating with great tone and reverb, and other songs have the bass barely audible. Producer Matt Allison could be to blame here, although it could be a number of different reasons.

Along with drugs and love, another prevalent theme is the tug of war waged between hope and hopelessness. No more is this evident than in the closer “Fine.” This song produces the brightest sounds, featuring a mixture of clean and acoustic guitars throughout. This combination gives one an optimistic feeling upon listening.

Skiba contradicts himself, declaring “It’s gonna rain like this for days/I’m gonna drown in my old ways/But I’m fine, I’m fine; It’s gonna hurt like hell/When you pull back the hammer and fire/But I’m fine, I’m fine.”

Dreary lyrics in many of the songs, combined with poppy rhythms have Alkaline Trio directly under the influence of Depeche Mode, circa 1986. Maybe “This Addiction” is the punk pop “Black Celebration” that fans have been looking for.

Whether this influence is intentional or not is debatable; but there’s no doubt that Alkaline Trio is further evidence that simple songs can be great, too. “This Addiction” proves that.

EVERYBODY, LOOK OVER HERE! IT'S MY RESTAURANT REVIEW OF STONEFORGE!!!!!!

For those foodies in the area sick of the alarming number of national chain restaurants that have emerged in Dartmouth, Stoneforge on Route 6 offers a refreshing deviation from the usual cookie-cutter menu and obnoxious restaurant décor of places like Applebee’s and TGI Friday’s.
With a relaxed atmosphere and diverse selection of both traditional and innovative entrees, Stoneforge is the culinary change of pace that Dartmouth has been in dire need of. Located next to Cardoza’s wine and spirits on Route 6 (the former home of Ixtapa Cantina), Stoneforge is the fourth and newest location for the restaurant, the other three residing in Raynham, Easton, and Foxborough.
My two guests and I made a late-night dinner trip to the establishment very recently (10 p.m., Friday), and easily found a table in the nearly-empty dining room. The restaurant oozed a rustic, casual feel from the inside, with hardwood floors, wooden tables, and simple (yet attractive) wallpaper.
A gigantic square bar takes up the center of the dining room, stocked with an extensive amount of alcohol, and a smattering of flat-screen televisions giving extensive coverage of the night’s sporting events. Of course, the most important aspect of any restaurant is its food, and the cuisine I indulged in left me satisfied, with the exception of my appetizer.
I ordered the stuffed mushrooms for a starter, intrigued by its “lemon pepper aioli.” While most appetizers allow diners to dip their toes in the water of the pool that is their meal to come, the stuffed mushrooms threw me in against my will.
The dish was pretty ambitious for a main course, never mind a starter. The combination of melted feta cheese, bacon bits, and cooked spinach saturated in the aioli was very salty, and the large portabella caps didn’t cut through that saltiness. Add a pool of mushroom and spinach water at the bottom, and this starter had too many awkward elements on the plate to be considered satisfactory. (Although I pawned it off on my friend, and he thought it was delicious).
Luckily, my entrée of chicken marsala I ordered made up for my disappointment. The dish came with a Caesar salad, and Stoneforge’s version was done right. It had the proper amount of tangy dressing to coat the crisp and vibrant romaine lettuce. The croutons and parmesan cheese left me feeling better and ready for my chicken marsala.
This dish was cooked well, as the marsala sauce had the right amount of sweetness. There were plenty of pieces of chicken that were moist and tender for the most part (with the exception of one of two dry pieces). Finally, the mushrooms tasted fresh, the linguini was thick and hearty, and the parmesan cheese topping added another pleasant layer of flavor.
The portions were very generous, although I enjoyed my meal so much that I finished in one sitting. My brother ordered a giant piece of salmon, with plenty of broccoli and asparagus to boot. He said the fish was cooked perfectly, although I found it a little dry when I tried it. And my friend had to take the other half of his burger home with him.
The service was average at best. Our waiter forgot to separate our bills like we had asked for prior to ordering. But overall, the experience was enjoyable. And with a diverse menu containing burgers, grilled pizzas, steaks, beer and wine, and seafood, Stoneforge’s attractive options will have me making a return appearance very soon.
Stoneforge is located at 466 State Road in Dartmouth. Visit stoneforge.net for restaurant hours.

OMG!! IT'S THE REVIEW FOR THE NEW PLAY 'SEQUEL'!!!

New playwright David Kucher offers a fresh perspective to the timeless story of lying and its devastating consequences with “Sequel,” a play that premiered at Your Theatre in New Bedford on April 8. While the story Kucher has penned may need some tweaking before it can be considered for a sequel, the solid acting on display may just make this show worthy of a second helping.
The contemporary play, Kucher’s first to make it to the stage, centers around Joe Lyman (Eric Paradis), a cunning and desperate Los Angeles screenplay writer who garners the help of his successful investigative journalist girlfriend, Harlequin “Harry” Anderson (Caroline Cuccia); the duo writes the sequel to “Palegas,” one of the highest-grossing Bulgarian films of all time. The only problem is that there is no high-grossing Bulgarian film titled “Palegas.”
Nevertheless, Joe is able to con the homosexual Hollywood producing couple of Kyle Bix (Eddie Camara) and Thom Thompson (Gil Cardona-Erazo) into backing the project. This begins both a comedic and dramatic sequence of events where the theme of lying rears its ugly head on the very small cast of only the four aforementioned characters.
As previously stated, this is Kucher’s first play to make it to a stage, and it shows. The second act of the two act play seems a little rushed in comparison with the first act. The unraveling of the characters’ lives in the second half happens too quickly, considering that it takes longer for the story to develop in the first act. Despite a serious and somber second act, one must sit through plenty of Hollywood-themed farce throughout (including multiple references to a reality TV show called “Cooking with Porn”), and also a cliché ending. The bare set (one room with wooden chairs and tables) is a given, considering Your Theatre’s frugal budget.
But Kucher’s story does deliver some strong points. He offers a stunning amount of parallel in the romantic/professional relationships of Joe and Harry and Kyle and Thom, both of which are significantly affected by the play’s theme of lying. There’s also a suitable amount of foreshadowing (mainly through Harry) in the first act- a good balance between subtle and obvious.
Director Edward J. Maguire has a positive impact on the show’s performance. Nearly all of the movements in the scenes are very natural, with minimal distractions. But the strongest element of the play comes from the quartet of actors. The star, Paradis, gives the most genuine performance as Joe. His witty insincerity towards Harry in some scenes and manipulations in others will have audience members thinking Jerry Seinfeld has made a seamless transition from television to the stage. Not to be outdone, Camara is hilarious as Kyle; he gracefully walks a fine line between flamboyant and obnoxious with his occasional gyrations and gestures, doing an excellent portrayal of a homosexual and egotistical Hollywood movie producer.
Cuccia and Cardona-Erazo provide a much-needed balance with their characters, both of whom are emotionally held hostage by the lies from their respective partners. However, Cuccia is more enthusiastic in showing this emotional distress than is Cardona-Erazo. Kucher adds a pleasant element as Cuccia and Cardona-Erazo’s characters form a nostalgic father-daughter relationship as the play progresses. One can really appreciate the affection and empathy they show each other in the second act.
It’s only natural that these two become close; after all, they’re the characters closest to honesty and reality when compared to Joe and Kyle. “Sequel” is now playing through April 18. Each show starts at 8pm, except the April 18th performance (3pm). Tickets are $14, $15 on Saturdays.

Weezer's "Raditude" CD Review

Weezer is a very polarizing band. There are legions of music fans that either idolize or detest the alt rock quartet fronted by the enigmatic Rivers Cuomo. And after listening to some of the songs on the group’s seventh and latest studio album, “Raditude,” it’s safe to say Weezer isn’t doing anything to please those haters.
That’s because “Raditude” is definitely the most pop-rock oriented album in the band’s discography, especially when compared to its first two breakthrough albums, 1994’s self-titled debut (aka the Blue Album) and 1996’s “Pinkerton.” This is an album that leans more towards the pop side than the rock side.
It isn’t surprising when you consider the production background of “Raditude.” Dr. Luke and Butch Walker co-produced the album along with Cuomo, while Jermaine Dupri and members of the All-American Rejects (Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler) contributed to the songwriting process.
All of these heavyweights combine for one dream team when it comes to composing pop music. However, this album has proven it’s more of a nightmare team.
That being said, it’s not like every song on “Raditude” will have you running for the earplugs. The opening song and first single, “(If You’re Wondering if I Want You to) I Want You to,” definitely has a name quirky and random enough to be a Weezer song.
Sure, the opening two-chord acoustic guitar riff is ripped off from the Jam’s “A Town Called Malice.” But make no mistake; this song oozes hit single. The acoustic riff is very catchy and is layered perfectly with a subtle electric guitar melody.
The song’s up tempo percussion is springing with high energy, a perfect match with its pleasant theme of boy meets girl. And the corny lyrics fit Weezer to a tee, with Cuomo singing lines like “Your mom cooked meat loaf, even though I don’t eat meat/ I dug you so much, I took some for the team.”
“I’m Your Daddy,” the second single, is arguably the album’s strongest piece. It’s another simple and upbeat instrumental, with a power chord-laden melody. And a pleasing curve ball is thrown via a synthesizer riff delivered during the song’s interlude.
Once again, Cuomo keeps the lyrics witty, declaring “I would like to give a demonstration of what it is I do/ I’ll take you out to dinner at Palermo’s, we’ll split a cheese fondue.”
But for every quality pop rock “I Want You to,” and “I’m Your Daddy,” there seems to be twice as many horrid works, like the dreadful “Can’t Stop Partying.”
Penned by the R & B star Dupri, this song could’ve possibly worked had it been given a guitar-driven instrumental. Instead, it was assigned a nauseating, overdubbed, hip-hop/electronic beat.
Add lyrics bragging about a lifestyle of excess and a verse rapped by none other than the notorious Lil’ Wayne himself, and you have one song that will find even the most hardcore of Weezer fans questioning his or her loyalty.
If I wanted some bad pop music like “Can’t Stop Partying,” I could just pump some Lady Gaga on my iPod. The horror doesn’t stop there, either.
Ritter and Wheeler’s “Put Me Back Together” has musically shallow instrumentals and lyrics more suited for their band than Weezer. And the Indian-themed “Love is the Answer” is an insult to even the most tone deaf of Bollywood movie soundtracks.
An album littered with poor pop-rock songs is a far cry from the Blue/Pinkerton days, when Cuomo was spilling his insecure guts and complex guitar solos over two of the most celebrated alternative albums of the 1990s. Say it ain’t so, Rivers.

tv review of how i met your mother

The last time Neil Patrick Harris was relevant in American pop culture, Prince was encouraging people to party like it was 1999, and Ronald Reagan was ordering Mr. Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. Now, the artist formerly known as Doogie Howser, M.D. is back on network television, starring in the new CBS sitcom, “How I Met Your Mother,” that premiered last Monday night (9 p.m.).
In the show, Patrick Harris plays Barney Stinson, a cosmopolitan version of your typical college frat boy. His two biggest pieces of advice to his presumed best friend, architect, and the show’s main character, 27-year old Ted Mosby (played by Josh Radnor) are to always wear suits (“suits are cool”) and never fall in love and get married (comparing the two to death).
However, Ted develops a sense of urgency to settle down after hearing about the engagement of his real best friend Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel) and Marshall’s longtime girlfriend Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan of “American Pie” fame). We then think we find out how Ted met his babies’ mama in this first episode after becoming attracted to a television reporter named Robin Scherbatsky (Jacoba Smulders).
But given a twist in the plot at the end of the pilot, we’re led to believe that the show’s creators (Craig Thomas and Carter Bays of “Oliver Beene”) don’t want to reveal “how I met your mother” anytime soon.
Given the sitcom’s hip setting (New York City) and young ensemble of actors, it’s clear that CBS is targeting an audience they don’t usually cater to until they’re AARP eligible. The elder member of the cast is legendary sitcom dad Bob Saget. Once again, he’s returned to play a father, but with a twist. That’s because Saget is also Ted Mosby, only 25 years in the future. Saget is a narrator, using flashback to tell his two children the story of how he met their mother (where, of course, the title originates).
For a pilot episode, the acting in “Mother” is surprisingly polished. That may be more of a testament to Patrick Harris and Hannigan, the two actors in the show with preexisting exposure. Saget doesn’t count here because, again, he’s the unseen narrator.
Quite frankly, it’s a pleasure seeing Patrick Harris back in the saddle. He pulls of his new role of Stinson so effortlessly that it makes being a womanizer seem hilarious. And Segel’s role is adorable, Doogie Howser style; he’s as petrified of proposing to Hannigan as he is to pop the champagne bottle for their celebration after she says yes.
The plot is developed well, also. At the least, the budding relationship between Ted and Robin is intriguing enough to compel the viewer to watch the second episode. Another surprising element is the fact that “Mother” cracked the CBS primetime lineup.
Given the dry, sexually explicit humor that’s smattered in the teleplay (like Barney’s numerous confessions of his attraction to Lebanese girls), this type of program on CBS is a far cry from the dinosaur ages of “Matlock,” “the Price is Right,” “Murder, She Wrote,” and “Dallas” that had audiences consisting of viewers used to capping off their nights with a glass of warm milk.
With new, fresh shows like “CSI” and “Two and a Half Men” in its repertoire, it’s clear that the network has launched a campaign to target an audience that’s closer to grad school than old school, and a quality show like “How I Met Your Mother” will help make CBS appealing to even more gen Yers.

movie review of from paris with love

Yes, “From Paris with Love,” the newest movie starring John Travolta is lacking when it comes to certain cinematic elements, but that argument could be made for almost every action-adventure film. Very few ever make an impact at the Academy Awards. The larger question is whether or not the movie has enough action, explosions, and adrenaline to keep fans of the genre satisfied, and “From Paris with Love” doesn’t fall short in these categories.
Travolta plays Charlie Wax, an unorthodox secret agent sporting a hideous Q-Tip haircut and enough testosterone to make a locker room full of football players green with envy. He’s flown into the French capital to team with James Reece (played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a twenty-something US Ambassador aid just breaking into the business of American espionage.
The unlikely duo are paired with the intentions of breaking up a Chinese cocaine ring, only to have them stumble upon a Pakistani terrorist sect’s plans to wreak havoc on a G8 government summit. The acting leaves a lot to be desired for the most part.
Reece’s fiancée Caroline (played by Kasia Smutniak) may play a major role in the film, but she’s really nothing more than the token eye candy that’s expected in this type of movie. The strongest acting is that of the duo of Travolta and Rhys Meyers. The two characters are worlds apart, making for an action-adventure odd couple. They balance each other out quite well, with Reece’s sophisticated version of Felix Unger providing a much-needed contradiction to Wax’s Oscar Madison.
Saying Wax is an obscene character would be a brazen understatement. In between saving Paris from terrorists, he makes Reece walk around carrying a vase full of crack, hooks up with prostitutes, and throws an obscenity-laced tirade upon his arrival at a French airport over an energy drink. But it’s Travolta who has a surprisingly strong performance as the ever-brazen Wax. He certainly isn’t the first name that comes to mind when thinking about action stars, but Travolta’s performance made me believe he’s been in this line of work for many years.
The screenplay (Adi Hasak) and plot (Luc Besson) aren’t anything memorable. The movie’s filled with cheesy one-liners, and how we get a Pakistani terrorist sect out of a Chinese cocaine ring is beyond me. Luckily, we’re somewhat saved by the film’s director, Pierre Morel.
A rising star in the field, Morel also directed “Taken,” last year’s action flick starring Liam Neeson. The two films are very similar in the senses they both star a veteran actor who makes a seamless transition into the action hero role, and paint a picture that Paris is a very undesirable city once you wander five miles away from the Eifel Tower in any direction.
Morel’s work comes out strong in the action scenes that bombard the last two-thirds of the movie. One scene has Rhys-Meyers on his toes, avoiding raining bad guys, falling down a spiral staircase after being killed by Travolta. Another involving a car chase with Travolta and a terrorist on a busy Paris freeway ignites more thrills than any chase scene in “The Fast and the Furious” ever could. And the movie has plenty of explosions, enough to make even the pyromaniac film enthusiast satisfied.
One gripe with Morel is his obsession with slow-motion. It’s comes across superbly in an action movie if it’s used sparingly, but he uses it ad nauseum, to the point where I thought I was watching another “Matrix” sequel.
But the action scenes shine in “From Paris with Love,” and that alone will give moviegoers interested in this type of film the justification they need.

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