Some Thoughts About Music/Musicians/Bands

Listen to "Burning in the Sun" by Blue Merle and tell me the lead singer has listened to anything but Coldplay in the last two years.

I haven't given the Johnny Cash resurgence a chance. Whether that's fair or not I don't know because, well, I haven't given it a chance.

Eminem manages to make a song I absolutley love on each album.

I need to get back into the jazz scene, and I think my first task will be to dive into James Carter.

The hyping of Norah Jones is moderately excessive, while the hyping of Alicia Keys is only minimally excessive.

We need to look back on the J. Lo era and wonder how it became an era in the first place.

Three words for Epic Records: Free. Fiona. Apple.

Say what you will about Top 40 music, but every once in a while it brings out legitimately good music, and it's doing so at a better rate now than it was a few years ago.

You could tell Dashboard Confessional would break out and lose the intimacy that made him unique in the process. Neither will happen with Bright Eyes.

The praise is overblown for U2, The Arcade Fire, and Wilco.

The praise is on par for The Strokes, Radiohead, and Coldplay.

The praise is not enough for The Shins, Sam Roberts, and Rufus Wainwright.

Dividing Nelly's 2004 tracks into two separate albums was dumb.

The Mars Volta have something special going on.

This will be the final Backstreet Boys album. What was your favorite Backstreet moment?

Though he has the image, charisma, and beats to be a star, 50 Cent is not Tupac, and anyone who thinks he is deserves a Tupac in the chest.

The Tender Crisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch song is growing on me, but Hootie, what are you doing? Seeing you in that Cowboy Gill outfit is like finding out the guy under Albert the Alligator is Danny Wuerffel: it's just too sad a fall.