SOUNDTRACK: KING’S X-Black Like Sunday (2003).
This is a collection of old and rare tracks that King’s X decided to record anew, rather than releasing older versions. This makes for an unusual scenario of a band recording songs that the wrote some twenty years earlier. It’s a weird collection of songs to me, as some of them, the ones that I assume are early songs, really sound like they’re early songs: without all of the interesting aspects that later King’s X became known for (musical complexity, meaningful lyrics). I can’t help but wonder if they thought about “updating” the songs more than just by re-recording them.
And, I have mixed reactions to this disc. It’s not King’s X as I like them, yet there are moments that are really great. And, there are even a couple of songs that I don’t think are very good, yet which I can’t get out of my head (“Danger Zone” comes to mind…it sounds like an 80s metal ballad, and yet it’s been in my head for 3 days). Some other tracks are really good, and must be B-sides, rather than old songs: “Black Like Sunday” is great and “Screamer” is a wonderfully dark song, even if the chorus is pretty much just Doug screaming. There’s also a good chance for Ty to get a soloing workout on “Johnny,” an 11 minute song that is mostly guitar noodling.
Overall this disc feels like something of a stopgap. And, when you combine it with the live album Live All Over the Place (2004) which came next, it really seemed like King’s X were winding down their career.
[READ: October 22, 2008] Nation
Terry Pratchett has a new book out and — NEWSFLASH — it’s NOT set on Discworld. There’s no mention of Discworld, and Pratchett’s character-in-every-book Death does not show up (although there is a Death-like character, and there are voices in the main character’s head that are in all caps, just like Death).
I’ve not read anything about why he set this book on earth (or, as the epilogue notes…a parallel universe earth), so I’m not sure if there’s something more to it than just wanting a change.
And so, no speculating from me, just a review of the book. (more…)
SOUNDTRACK: COHEED & CAMBRIA-
one would tend to think that deep dark heavy metal is contained within. In fact, I was pretty sure that I was in for a heavier sort of Dream Theater. The imagery of this collection is very dark/scary/spooky, and I was told many times that the band was quite prog-rockish, often sounding like Rush. Oh, and the singer sounds like a woman.
SOUNDTRACK: NIRVANA-Sliver: The Best of the Box (2005).
So, my $1.50 copy of this came in today and I listened to the three unavailable tracks. The first was a track called “Spank Thru,” which was totally new to me. The other two were demos of: “Sappy” (also known as “Verse Chorus Verse” on the NoAlternative compilation) and “Come as You Are” from Nevermind.
On the 
SOUNDTRACK: INVERSE ROOM: Pieces for the Left Hand (2005).
Inverse Room
I Just read 
SOUNDTRACK: CHAVEZ-Better Days Will Haunt You (2006).
I first fell in love with Chavez when I saw a video for their song “Break Up Your Band.” I loved the video, and loved the music. And, I basically became of fan of them because of this video, which I think I must have seen on 120 Minutes, way back when. Turns out that my memory of this video is the equivalent of my memory of Good Omens (cf. Good Omens). The video is on the DVD that comes with this collection, and wow, I don’t recall the video looking like that at all! Huh, clearly I am an unreliable narrator.
SOUNDTRACK: MY MORNING JACKET-Okonokos (2006).
I Just Read About That... 