recent gets

Picked up some great stuff this weekend. Firstly, I found a nice vinyl reissue of Megadeth's 'Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?' at Hot Topic. Best part was, it was clearance priced, so they knocked 50% off, so I got it for $8. Yep, a brand new vinyl album for $8. Not bad any way you choose to slice it. Then I popped over to Target, since the Muse album just came out and was still on sale. I didn't get that one, however. I picked up Megadeth's newest CD, called 'Endgame.' Good news, everyone- Dave Mustaine is still pissed at people, can still really shred on the geeetar, and has surrounded himself with yet another lineup, I think it's the 1,086th lineup Megadeth has seen. Anyway, they are all pretty decent musicians, even if you figure that they're just session dudes and Dave is really Megadeth.
I also picked up a 7" single of Pearl Jam's 'The Fixer', which was weird. I haven't seen anything on vinyl at Target in almost 20 years, but when you consider that Backspacer is exclusive to Target, they probably just went for the jugular this time. If you care, it was a white vinyl version, and no, I'll probably never play it, just like the rest of my PJ 7".

I also got my copy of Backspacer from the Ten Club on Saturday. It's awesome. Pearl Jam finally has a spark, after spending all of this decade without one. Seriously, I haven't liked a PJ album this much since Yield, and that's my desert island album. I doubt Backspacer will ever take over that spot, but it's a good damn album that you should go buy at Target, the 10c, iTunes, or your local CIMS shop if you're lucky enough to have one in your city, since those are the only places it's available.

And I still have yet to pick up that new Muse album...

city of blinding lights

Finally got to see U2 at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday night. Where do I begin? It was without a doubt the best show I've ever been to. The light show alone would trump any show I've ever seen, but when you throw in U2's best songs in a 2 hour and 10 minute show, you have the biggest yet most intimate spectacle in rock.

Here's "the claw" at Soldier Field before the show:


Here is the stage in action during 'The Unforgettable Fire' and 'City of Blinding Lights', easily the highlight of the show, though the second encore (Ultraviolet, With or Without You, Moment of Surrender) with the mirror ball at the top of the spire glinting throughout the stadium is a very close second.


I had no idea that the screen was going to go down like that, which made it all the more awesome. To have it happen during a couple of my favorite U2 songs just made it all the more great.

I have never seen so many people in one place in my life. I figure there was 70,000 people there. There had to have been 20,000 in the field alone, never mind the seats in the stadium. Still, the sound from U2 and Snow Patrol (the opening act) was peerless, sounding better than pretty much any show I've ever been to. Of course, with the size of the PA and the 72 subwoofers that adorn this stage, it should be that way.

You're probably too late to get tickets now from anyone but a scalper for the rest of the shows, but man, if you can go when they get to your city, you should. I traveled five hours each way for this, and it was worth it.

the band from my region is vastly superior to the band from your region

Insane Clown Posse's 'Bang Pow Boom' debuts at No. 4 on Billboard chart

I can only think that it has something to do with kids in middle school who think they're badass by purchasing said record. Because, you know, they don't know better.

If you're over 12 and buying it, however, you're too stupid to even know you're already wallowing in your punishment, and this post where I'm gloating over my undoubtedly superior taste will never be seen by you, so why am I doing this again? Oh yeah, fuck you.

viva la vinyl

I went to Vegas this weekend for my brother's wedding (which was wonderful.)
Since I had a couple extra days that I didn't have to do wedding-related stuff, I decided to hit a record store I looked up on the internet before I left.

Record City is located on E. Sahara in Vegas. I only stopped at the 300 block one, but apparently, there's a second one there.

I spent about an hour there in vinyl paradise. I filled up my hands with some 80s Kiss LPs that I didn't have, but put them back when I found the Black Album from Metallica, which I've been searching for for months. (Screw ordering vinyl from Amazon- stuff always arrives fucked up.) Then I picked up the only two U2 LPs they had, which were The Unforgettable Fire and Wide Awake in America, which I had heard of, but never thought to acquire.

The stuff I didn't buy is the more interesting story. Imports and collectible vinyl from the UK, really obscure NWOBHM, Beatles stuff in the intended mono (which are extremely hard to find and very, very expensive), plus I found several copies of Metallica's $5.98 EP from 1987, which I do regret not buying right now. I have a Mexican import of it on a picture disc, but an American pressing, I lack. I found one for $30 and didn't get it, even though the sleeve was a little rough. Of course, I could have spent a grand there if I had it, and then I'd just have to go through airport security with all of them, or risk them being utterly destroyed in the check bag.

Despite that, it was great to see a independent store like that. They are sorely lacking in Iowa, at least for me. I have to go at least and hour to get to a decent one, and the only two places I've found in the town I live in have either new hipster stuff I'm not into (Hot Topic) or way too much crap (CDs Plus) though I will admit I have found quite a few gems at both.

Wilco (the post)

So I'm finally getting around to talking about this one. It only came out two months ago, and I bought it that same day. I just didn't really get into until this weekend, which was odd, since this has to be the most accessible (to overuse a phrase) Wilco has yet produced.

I'm guessing that I was expecting something similar to Sky Blue Sky or A Ghost is Born. While there's a bit of those albums here, it's clearer, more concise, and more joyful than those two albums. There's still great guitar work from virtuoso Nels Cline, if you're wondering.

As I said, this album finally clicked with me, and I'm glad it has. It's great stuff, and I'd recommend checking it out soon if you haven't already.