Also, What She Said. It made me feel better reading it because — yes, yes — I've been feeling exactly like this and this is exactly the case. Hell, this is actually saying what I've been wanting to say to 36% to 38% of the U.S. electorate. Thank god someone put it in words.
On a more selfish note: I discovered what I really care about it vis a vis my computer: my story files.
Yup. Opened The Acme Heartbreak Repair Kit last night only to discover that all the changes I had made to it the night before had disappeared. Gone. Kaput. Disappeared. I had to re-write the work I had lost, save the entire story to floppy, and then, in a fit of fear, saved all of my stories to CD-Backup. This was done in case whatever data-eating mouse is on my home computer gets to my files before I can rescue them and put them on my nifty new external hard drive.
Yup. My Saturday is gonna be fun. [Please note sarcasm.]
For people asking about the snazzy new "happy death" icon I've got: thank
As for today's music: Only one CD today. It's been busy at work.
Barenaked Ladies, Maroon Rating= $$$
[Support the Artist]
How I Got This CD: Bought new in Salem, MA.
I would've liked this outing from BNL better if it had come before Stunt. The sound of the two CDs are very similar, although Maroon has fewer rough patches on it than Stunt does. What I really like about this CD, however, is that the lyrics are sharper and not always just "fun." While I'm not huge on "message bands," BNL makes its point without beating you over the head (how very Canadian of them!). Like Stunt, Maroon is a portrait of a band in transition from its "serious fun" root to serious with a touch a fun. 'Sell, Sell, Sell' is the fun one. 'Helicopters' hits just a little too close to home.
Sample Songs Download: Sell, Sell, Sell; Helicopters
Read the index for previous thumbnail reviews.
Rating system:
None = Avoid at all cost. Worth cutting your ears off to avoid if someone threatens to play it for you. When faced with even the threat of its cellophane-wrapped presence, your best option is to RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!
$= If you stumble across it for cheap in a used bin, it might, maybe, perhaps could be worth the buy, but only if you need a cheap coaster for your cold drinks or a cool-looking frisbee.
$$= You might want to give this CD/artist a try, but only if the sample track tickles your fancy. Don't bother buying this one new because the good tunes you'd get out of this one ain't worth that kind of money.
$$$ = Worth looking for on a casual basis and maybe even buying new, but no big rush.
$$$$ = Definitely worth having in the ol' CD collection and definitely worth buying new, but don't re-arrange your personal "must have" list to get your hands on it.
$$$$$ = Why haven't you bought this CD yet? Go. This is a "Want. Take. Have." situation because you so want this.