The Black Crowes - Lions 2001

The Black Crowes have always been able to produce a very clean sounding album but still keep the music lively and melodic at the same time. Crazy stuff but one of the best bands I have ever came across. I have been a fan of the Crowes for some time now, from friends playing the albums and then the release of the cover "Hard To Handle".

When I first played the CD I must admit the sound was different from the other albums but it interested me, not due to the difference but the actual style. Some of the songs sound a little disjointed, not really as melodic as previous tracks but at the same time it sounded good. There are a few songs on Lions, which revert to the well-known Crowes style.

"Cosmic Friend" is one such song, how do I describe it, it's one of those songs best listened to on a sunny Friday/Saturday evening in your back garden with a cold alcoholic beverage of your choice, just so relaxing and uplifting. Some of the tracks bare resemblance to tracks from Amorica.

In short : Very good album, only get it though if you are a real fan, it's not the usual rock music. The most under estimated bands.

Weezer - The Green Album 2001

Okay so we have been waiting a while for the next Weezer release and it's finally here, well worth the wait. It's been almost 5 years since the release of pinkerton. The same Guitar fuelled music makes up a refreshing new album that has been released at a time when the populous needs it the most. With the over welling amount of boy bands, girl bands, girl power, boy's leaving boy bands to do single material and all the other stuff, it's just too much. You really do need a good band from time to time to help music along.

The first single "Hash Pipe" has been played on "T4" Channel 4's Sunday variety show, the Basic walk on stage and mime, can't blame them, they only got off the plane. Hash pipe is one of those rough and big guitar songs, full of energy and probably the best song from the album to release as first single.

There are no more tunes like "The Sweater Song" or "Say It Ain't So ", there is a definite change in style, not enough for you to hate or even just dislike, the main flavour of Weezer still exists and I thing the change actually works really well. The only down side to the album is the length, it's too short for the five year wait.

In short : Tthe songs are great , brilliant even but I want more.

Live - Mental Jewelry 1991

I know, I know, it was released in 91 not yesterday, I only got around to buying it yesterday though.

This was the first album released by Live and set the standard to come, they built apon this and brought out another three albums, to date. Looking back on the album after experiencing the other albums you can tell where they started and which songs they built apon. Some of the strongest songs on this album, 1000 Years and Mirror Song show the range of Kowalczyk's vocal's and the style of music to come.

Now I've praised it enough, the real thoughts. I like the album, I've listened to it a few times the whole way through and yes as always there are a few songs that just keep coming back. Even though Mental Jewellery is a good album at times it sounds a little too weak. Some bands are able to produce a well-formed first album, Rage against the Machine for one but Live didn't make it that far. Now I'm not saying that the albums not good just a little weak on the production and experience.

Most people would say, "The second album should define their style" and for Live it did, Throwing Copper was a great album.

In short : Not a bad album no real dud's on the record so I would recommend you get the record but don't stop there, the later material just gets better.

D12 -Purple Pills- Devils Night 2001

Now MTV are playing this to death at the moment, but I have a funny feeling that the Single release and the album version have completely different lyrics.

The Album versions talks about talking Uppers, Downers a variety of coloured pills oh and don't forget the mushrooms, very nice indeed, notice the sarcasm ??? Now I'm not a big fan of the subject areas groups like these like to sing about but I have to say the song, no make that music grows on you after a while for some strange reason. I can only really take so much of this type of music but while it's on the first and up until thr fifth time, it's actually okay.

In short : Like a lot of the material from Puffy, Eminem, Dr Dre etc.... it's good music in small doses and without the lyrics, doesn't really leave much..

More to Come....