Review: Weezer - Raditude

Weezer were once one of the most consistent, fun and engaging rock acts of their generation. However the youth and charm of their career has slowly decayed like a sick dog that needs to be euthanized. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Raditude is the worst album the band has ever made.

Weezer have long been the quintessential band for awkward skinny white guys who are insecure and totally content with it. Front man Rivers Cuomo has never shied away from wearing his heart on his sleeve and many of Weezer's tunes deal with striving for completion and happiness yet always coming up short (ie: "The Sweater Song", "Say It Ain't So" and "Pink Triangle")

The band used this tried and true formula throughout the 90s with their self titled debut andPinkerton. However the Bush years were feast or famine for this California quartet. While The Green Album and Maladroit were both excellent records, Make Believe and The Red Albumwere met with mixed reviews and reaction from fans.

Raditude is simply the continuation in the long suffering decline of Weezer. The only song that is worth mentioning in a positive light is the current single "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To". Cuomo's vocals are fun and catchy and find the aging icon more upbeat than anything he's recorded in years. The acoustic breakdown always make me smile.

The rest of the album is mired with mediocrity and blandness. A teenager could easily have written these piss poor lyrics. "When I walk down the street/ I've been tripping on my feet/ And my clothes they don't match / my blue jeans need a patch" is the opening verse on "Put Me Back Together". It seems as if Weezer gave up on trying before this record was even made.

Many of the songs have lyrics that are supposed to be funny or awkward (a white guy saying "Homie" and "Chillaxin" - never heard that before right?) This goal would be met if it was 1996 all over again. But in 2009 these tunes just come off as forgettable and/or laughably bad

Lil Wayne makes a stupid and pointless cameo on "Can't Stop Partying". "In the Mall" talks about the dangerous joy of - riding escalator up and down (WTF?). To top it all off members of the All American Rejects receive writing credits for a few songs on Raditude.

The band even tries to unsuccessfully channel their inner Lady Gaga on electro fuzz tune "I'm Your Daddy". They take a page from The Beatles on"Love is the Answer" which features the single most misplaced sitar and Indian vocal part of all time.Halfway through this album I stopped and wondered if anyone told Weezer just how blatantly retarded this album was.

However the answer becomes appallingly clear by the end - it was designed this way from the very beginning. Thanks Weezer. I'll see you in hell.

Grade: D

Rapper Debuts New Video Directed By Heath Ledger

Australian Rapper Forster-Jones just released a video that was directed by the late Heath Ledger.

The song "Cause An Effect" was shot in one day in the actor's garage shortly before his untimely death at the age of 28 in January 2008. Ledger and Jones had been friends since childhood.

Ledger also directed another music video for the band Modest Mouse. The song, "King Rat" appears on the latest b-side EP No One's First and Your Next out now.

Both videos can be seen below.

Forster - Jones "Cause An Effect"

Modest Mouse - King Rat

Lego Rock Band

Less than 2 months after the release of The Beatles: Rock Band, Harmonix is set to release another game in the successful Rock Band franchise with Lego Rock Band.

For all you metal heads out there that are looking for the next extreme challenge this game may not suit your brutal needs to shred. Lego Rock Band is aimed for more of a family friendly environment and features many radio friendly songs.

Lego Rock Band hits stores November 3 and will be available for the Xbox, PS3, Wii and DS.

Trailer and song list are below.

• A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
• Accidentally In Love - Counting Crows
• Aliens Exist - Blink-182
• Breakout - Foo Fighters
• Check Yes Juliet - We The Kings
• Crash - The Primitives
• Crocodile Rock - Elton John
• Dig - Incubus
• Dreaming Of You - The Coral
• Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
• The Final Countdown - Europe
• Fire -The Jim Hendrix Experience
• Free Fallin' - Tom Petty
• Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.
• Girls And Boys - Good Charlotte
• Grace - Super Grass
• I Want You Back - Jackson 5
• In Too Deep - Sum 41
• Kung Fu Fightings - Carl Douglas
• Let's Dance - David Bowie
• Life Is A Highway - Rascal Flats
• Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
• Monster - The Automatic
• Naive - The Kooks
• The Passenger - Iggy Pop
• Real Wild Child - Everlife
• Ride A White Swan - T. Rex
• Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast) - Lostprophets
• Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
• Short and Sweet - Spinal Tap
• So What - Pink
• Song 2 - Blur
• Stumble And Fall - Razorlight
• Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall
• Summer of 69 - Brian Adams
• Swing Swing - All American Rejects
• Thunder - Boys Like Girls
• Tick Tick Boom - The Hives
• Two Princes - Spin Doctors
• Valerie - The Zutons
• Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & the Waves
• We Are The Champions - Queen
• We Will Rock You - Quen
• Word Up - Korn
• You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi

Review: This Is It (Film)

Michael Jackson lived a life of brilliance, scandal and secrecy even until his last breath. This Is It is one of the few glimpses of the creative drive behind the music that made the King of Pop famous the world over.

2009 was supposed to be the year of Jackson's return to the public eye and the reclaiming of his status of the greatest entertainer of all time after a self imposed hibernation following his trial for child molestation. A set 50 shows was announced for the 02 arena in London last March where MJ made his final public appearance before a crowd of eager fans.

Many skeptics wondered if Jackson was up to the challenge of playing such a rigorous set of shows. The performer's health, mental status, age and talent level were all scrutinized and questioned in the months leading up to the performances. Could someone who had fallen so far from grace put together the mother of all comebacks? The world waited with baited breath to find out.

When Jackson tragically passed away of cardiac arrest on June 25, the tour was only 8 days removed from traveling from to London to begin the last set of rehearsals for the tour. This Is It is a collection of rehearsal footage pieced together after the singer's death.

Jackson claimed that he "wanted to take people to different wolds and show them things they've only seen in their dreams" - ya know, the usual things he'd always claimed he wanted to do. While this concert would not have been an out of body experience, This Is It definitely would have been an exciting concert performance.

With a stage show that included a giant robotic "mirror man" in which MJ would enter the arena, a cherry picker that would carry Jackson over the audience, a 3D "Thriller" sequence, made for Hollywood vignettes that introduced many of the songs, and a full size bulldozer (yes a bulldozer), nothing was too extravagant for this show (much like nothing was extravagant for Jackson's life).

At 50 years old, Jackson's dance skills and vocal capacity are surprisingly still in tact. The choreography by MJ is one of the highlights of This Is It as his moves still amaze and dazzle (especially this plane jane white boy). There is lip syncing (as is to be expected) on songs "They Don't Care About Us", "Thriller" and "Smooth Criminal" which takes the sparkle and the genuineness out of the performance.

However the majority of the tunes still sound as fresh as the year they were released. "Human Nature" is the gem of the film as Jackson perfectly balances grace and grit in both his body and his voice. His sultry falsetto sounds like 1982 all over again and really brings out the smoothness and longing in the song.

"The Way You Make Me Feel" sees a nice reworking that features a slow swing opening which eventually kicks into the upbeat groove the song is famous for. "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a surprisingly well performed duet with backup singer Judith Hill where Michael has some fun with his vocals and shows off, rather bashfully, for the cameras.

"Billie Jean" is simply a vehicle for Michael's unique dance skills as Jackson mimes his mouth to a backing track. He may not be as quick footed as he was at the peak of his fame, but that can be forgiven when you are half a century in age - not to mention incredibly frail and addicted to medications. "Beat It" still maintains its rock n roll crunch as guitarist Orianthi Panagaris destroys the guitar solo that was originally played by shred master Eddie Van Halen.

Aside from the obvious star of the film, This Is It does a fine job of going behind the scenes and showing the technical side of the show. Dancers, musicians, stage hands, directors and producers all receive screen time and their talents are on display as well. One of the more definitive scenes features Jackson discussing musical arrangement with the band director Michael Dearden. Here MJ is more than just a performer, he's an impeccable creator with a knack for perfection. No musical detail is too small to ignore. Whether it's harmonies for backing vocals or what kind of setting to use on the keyboard, everything is inspected with a fine tooth comb

However something feels like it's missing. Yes the movie goes beyond the performances and delves into what it takes to pull something of this size and scope off, but it never gets inside the head of Jackson himself. I suppose I shouldn't hold the film responsible for any misgivings simply because this movie was never even supposed to be made. The film footage was for Jackson's personal library instead of our viewing pleasure. Sadly This Is It is as close as we're ever going to get to experiencing what Jackson wanted to share with the world.

All in all the film is a splendid display for Jackson's vision for his music. Some may walk away disappointed if their expectations are set too high. This is not a pop version of The Kids Are Alright or a light hearted parody of Some Kind Of Monster, however This Is It is still a worthy rockumentary if not spectacular.

Bullet Points - John Lennon, The Who... and Adam Lambert?

The trailer for the film Nowhere Boy, based on John Lennon's teenage years, hit the web today.

The movie was based on the book Imagine This: Growing Up With My Brother John Lennon written by Lennon's half sister Julia Baird.

The film will debut at the London Film Festival this week and will hit the big screen on Christmas Day in the U.K. There is no release date for the film set in the U.S. at this time.

You can watch the trailer below.

* * *

Iconic Who front man Roger Daltrey may or may not have given away plans for The Who: Rock Band in a recent interview with MassLive.com

"The game, yeah, yeah, they're going to be doing a Who one next year," Daltrey said when asked his thoughts on the latest Beatles: Rock Band, "There is one planned".

The Who released a track pack for Rock Band last summer which featured classic songs such as "Who Are You" and "Baba O Riley". Perhaps Roger, who is currently on a solo tour, mistook plans for another track pack to be a full on Who game.

It wouldn't be too surprising to see a Who video game given the fact that Pete Townshend recently announced a new Who album and tour for sometime next year.

* * *

The ultimate American Idol tool Adam Lambert just released the album art work for his debut solo LP For Your Entertainment in stores November 23.

I could write an entire post on how ridiculous this dude looks, but I'll just let you judge for yourself. LOLRUS

Them Crooked Vultures Announce Debut Record

Rock's latest super group Them Crooked Vultures have announced November 17th as the release date for their debut self titled LP.

The band's website is already offering pre-orders for both a CD and a vinyl package that comes along with a T-Shirt for $25-$30.

TCV have also announced the first single from the album as "New Fang" and will hit radio stations everywhere October 26th. You can hear it below.

Track Listing is confirmed as:

• No One Loves Me & Neither Do I
• Mind Eraser, No Chaser
• New Fang
  
• Dead End Friends
• Elephants
• Scumbag Blues
• Bandoliers
• Reptiles
• Interlude With Ludes
• Warsaw or The First Breath You Take After You Give Up
• Caligulove
• Gunman
• Spinning In Daffodils

Lil' Wayne Acts A Foo', Pleads Guilty

Grammy Award winning rapper Lil' Wayne pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a weapon in a New York City court today and faces up to a year in prison.

This all stems from an incident in July of 2007 where Wayne was playing a show at the Beacon Theater in NY. Police smelled the certain smell of something that smelled smelly (weed) coming from the rapper's tour bus and decided to investigate (or get high as well).

When cops approached Wayne tossed a Louis Vuitton bag with a .40 caliber handgun inside. Needless to say that's a big no-no.

The rapper had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, and a January 2010 trial date was set. However if convicted, his year long prison term would have become 3 1/2 years.

Weezy is expected to serve 8-12 months in prison.

He also faces more charges in Arizona where his tour bus was again investigated by police in 2008. 105 grams of pot, 29 grams of cocaine, 41 grams of ecstasy and a handgun were found.

At Wayn'e court date this morning Kanye West suddenly interrupted the proceeding.

"Hold up! Ima let chu finish, but I thought T.I. had one of the sickest weapons convictions of all time!" he said before running out in a drunken stupor.

Bullet Points - The Beatles, Guns N Roses, The Deadweather

The Beatles conquered Britain, America, rock n roll, set sales records the world over, and did it all over again upon the re-release of their entire catalog. However the fab four find themselves atop a new chart - the video game chart.

The Beatles: Rock Band has sold a staggering 595,000 copies since it's September 9th release outselling Guitar Hero 5 which moved 499,000 units since it's release on September 1st. Those numbers are very impressive considering the economy and once again proves just how recession proof The Beatles are.

It's even better news for Harmonix, the makers of the Rock Band franchise who's Rock Band 2 only debuted selling 238,000 copies a little over a year ago.

Only Halo 3: ODST and Madden '10 outsold TB: RB last month.

Sales for TB: RB should see a sales boost after the release of the new Abbey Road album add on available for download.

* * *

Guns N Roses have announced tour dates for a Canadian tour set for early next year. It marks the first time the band will play live since the summer of 2007 in Mexico.

Axl Rose and Company have stayed relatively quite over the past year following the release of, arguably, one of the most anticipated albums of all time - Chinese Democracy.

The album was met with mixed reactions from critics and fans alike, and was seen as a disappointment even though it sold over a million copies.

Other tour dates in Asia are rumored as well. Stay tuned for updates when they come.

Canadian dares are:

»1/13 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
»1/16 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
»1/17 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
»1/19 - Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
»1/20 - Regina, SK @ Brandt Centre
»1/24 - Hamilton, ON @ Copps Coliseum
»1/25 - London, ON @ John Labatt Centre
»1/27 - Montreal, PQ @ Bell Centre
»1/28 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
»1/31 - Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place
»2/1 - Quebec City, PQ @ Colisee Pepsi
»2/3 - Moncton, NB @ Moncton Coliseum
»2/4 - Halifax, NS @ Metro Centre

* * *

Jack White's new band, The Dead Weather, released their excellent debut album Horehound in July and already there is word of a new album from the super group (also consisting of Jack Lawrence of The Raconteurs, Dean Ferrita of Queens of the Stone Age and Alison Mosshart of The Kills) sometime in the coming months.

In a recent interview with Spin Magazine Mosshart stated that the album would be finished later this year.

"In between now and Christmas I'm going to go back to (White's studio in) Nashville at some point," the singer said, "I think I'll spend most of December in America and finish the second record. So there will be more."

Rihanna Goes Butch And Grows Up (I Guess?)

It's good to see Rihanna get back on her feet after having the shit beat out of her by Douchebag Of The Year Chris Brown , but that doesn't mean I'm going to be standing in line when her next album, titled Rated R hits stores November 23.

Her new single, "Russian Roulette", as well as the album artwork was released today and I must say that I turned into a rotflcopter when first looking at it.

Apparently barbed wire tearing your nipples off and an eye patch that looks like a broken condom is the cool new hip hop look for the next decade.

"Roulette" marks her first new output of material since being attacked back in February on her way to the Grammys. Wonder the what song is about? Growing up? Moving on? Being strong and not getting down because Jesus loves you? All 3 of those options?

You can hear the song at Rihanna's official website .

Review: Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

Cosmic Egg, in stores October 27, is probably one of the worst album titles I've heard in quite sometime. Perhaps Coheed and Cambria's flawed 2005 classic Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Volume 1: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness holds the record simply because it's so audacious. However the music offered on Wolfmother's second LP isn't as bad as the title may suggest - even if it may become a little tiresome or boring.

The Australian quartet debuted in 2006 (as a trio) behind the monster rock anthem "Woman" and saw their popularity skyrocket when the song was featured in the Guitar Hero 2 video game. The band's self titled debut was a solid first outing and went gold in the United States.

The band returned to the studio in 2008 to record the anticipated follow up when bassist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett suddenly left the band citing "creative differences" thus leaving vocalist / guitarist Andrew Stockdale the only original member.

Stockdale vowed to carry on Wolfmother and brought in 3 new faces to help him finish the album. These new musicians are simply there in the background and do Stockdale's (who was always the main creative force in the band) bidding.

While 2005's Wolfmother was a more cohesive album from start to finish, Cosmic Egg is a mixed bag of sorts that finds the newly restructured band looking for a new direction musically yet still trying to use the same tricks.

The riffs that made the band famous are still here - even if they aren't the most original. Stockdale still impresses with his playful guitar work and his screeching vocals. The grooves built here are more akin to early White Stripes recordings where a fast tempo suddenly gives way to a slow sludgy breakdown. Wah Wah pedals and blistering guitar solos abound on almost every track it seems.

The opening track "California Queen" is a perfect example. The verses sound like a new age biker theme full of fist pumping rhythm and fuzzy guitar pulses. The chorus' slow down and build off of a groove made for rockers and rollers alike.

"Sundial" is the best song on the album and features the most head bangable riff since "The Joker and the Thief". Here a new age Led Zeppelin riff meets subtle piano work and one of the more memorable melodies that Stockdale has ever concocted.

Some of the more toned down efforts such as "In The Morning" and "Far Away" surprise simply because it shows Wolfmother trying to reach beyond their self imposed rigid structure. Instead of epic solos and howling vocals being the focal point, slick songwriting and harmonies take center stage.

However Cosmic Egg tends to recycle too many ideas. Songs like "10,000 Feet", "In The Castle" and "Violence of the Sun" all come off as the band trying too hard to write the next "Kashmir" or "Stairway To Heaven". These tunes collapse under the weight of their own epicness and just become laughably bad. Instead of reaching for something new, Wolfmother simply copy cat what a million other bands have done a million other times.

And that is probably my biggest complaint I have with Cosmic Egg. While the beginning of the album starts out with good intentions and keeps you hooked and satisfied for the first few tunes, half way through the album all the riffs, solos and choruses about "Sun Kingdoms" start to bleed into one leaving the listener feeling exhausted.

What made songs like "Woman" so appealing was the fact that it only clocked in at 2:32 yet still managed to inject the right amount of adrenaline and not completely overwhelm you. When you got tired of the riff, the song ended. Cosmic Egg features 3 songs clocking in at over 5 minutes and has an average song time of 4:30.

Perhaps Wolfmother, and Stockdale in particular, would be better off if they learned that bigger is not always better.

Grade: C

(Note: not all the songs had links for you to hear them because this album ins't even out yet, and i was lucky to find what i did. sorry for the bad quality youtube videos. i'll post real links to the songs when i find them)

Review: Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement

Mayer Hawthorne is quite the new comer with quite the retro sound. Straight out of Detroit, this former DJ, multi instrumentalist, and white boy new-soul pioneer has made one of the freshest albums of the year with his debut LP A Strange Arrangement.

Listening to this album is like taking a trip back in time when Motown was king, acts like Marvin Gaye, The Temptations and The Supremes topped the charts, AM radio blasted through car stereos and everyone was a jive turkey.

Much of this album is filled with fairly low key groove ballads that find Mr. Hawthorne crooning to an unnamed lover. The opening title track sets the mood for the whole record. "I never thought you would decide the grass was greener on the other side of love's divide" he sings with a sorrowful smile on top of funky horns and a soulful keyboard full of heartbreak.

"Maybe So Maybe No" is another stand out tune that finds Hawthorne sounding like the best Otis Redding wannabe in history. Here a dreamy keyboard sequence gives way to one of the most upbeat songs on the album.

"The Ills" is also worth mentioning as it is the fastest paced song offered for your listening pleasure. It's also the second best tune on the record.

Hawthorne begs a certain lady friend to stop being such a damn sexy tease on "Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'", the best song on Arrangement. Smokey Robinson and Jackie Wilson should and would be proud of this kid because their finger prints are all over this track. The beat is akin to a toned down version of Wilson's "Higher & Higher" while the soul tinged falsettos are copyrighted by Mr. Robinson.

For all the praise this album deserves that's not to say that it's perfect. "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out" and "Make Her Mine" are both a tad too cheesy for their own good. However that doesn't mean that the groove isn't there. Mr. Hawthorne is just having a a little too much fun to the point of silliness.

Hawthorne plays about 90 percent of the instruments on Arrangement and also serves as producer. He succeeds tremendously at both roles. Each track has just enough ear candy to keep you hooked yet not overwhelm you. The production value is stellar as well. Hawthorne keeps all of his songs perfectly toned down so as to set the mood just right.

His falsetto can seem to be a bit forced from time to time and tend to become tiresome by the end of the album. However with the album coming in at a paltry 34 minutes, Hawthorne never really out lasts his welcome.

This up and comer has already performed with The Roots caught the attention of acts Justin Timberlake and John Mayer who proclaimed A Strange Arrangement as the best album of the year. He took the words right out of my mouth.

Grade: A-

KISS - Yes It's OK To Laugh.

KISS is a band that I really can't take seriously. I know the whole point with a band like KISS is to not take anything remotely serious with them and just groove, but maybe that's just not my thing. I suppose the best way to describe them is Tenacious D minus the funny plus make up divided by fake blood multiplied by the power of Gene Simmon's tongue.

However KISS were nothing to sneeze at during the height of their fame. "Detroit Rock City" and "Rock and Roll All Nite" were, and continue to be, radio mainstays. From 1976-1979 the band had a streak of 4 platinum records (meaning each album sold 1 million copies). Throughout their entire career the band has sold well over 20 million albums in the U.S. alone. The KISS Army was strong.

Fast Forward to 2009 and KISS has simply turned into a nostalgia act. Sure old school KISS fans still show up and rock out to their childhood idols, but surely the gimmick of 4 middle aged men dressing up in ridiculous costumes has to have turned stale and rotten.

The band has slowly neutered the KISS "mystique" they have spent most of their early career building up leading up to the impotence that exists today. And what a long slippery slope it's been.

First there was the 1978 made for TV movie KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park which sees the band obtain super powers and fight an evil inventor who works for... a theme park. Critics, fans and the band themselves know this was a joke and even the band members tend to omit the film from their career.

The following year saw disco and KISS make a baby called Dynasty that churned out the ultra slick and cheesy single "I Was Made For Loving You". You think that guitars in the shape of battle axes and fake blood goes well with Saturday Night Fever? This song goes from bad to laughably bad after vocalist Paul Stanley starts to sing in his ultra high falsetto during the bridge.

The 80s saw the band take off their make up and fall into every Regan era rock n roll cliche imaginable. Big hair? Check. Chest Hair? Check. Obnoxious music? Check. You pull a LOLRUS every time you hear the song? Check. The best example is the retard-tastic "Lick It Up".

Now KISS have finally admitted that their career really is over. The band sold their latest album Sonic Boom exclusively through Wal-Mart. Other high profile irrelevant bands such as The Eagles, Journey and AC/DC have already done so I just think KISS is funnier.

The best part of the whole thing is that KISS was beat out on the Billboard Charts by... Michael Buble. One of the biggest tools to come out of the music industry in the past decade sold more albums than rock icons. I suppose the devoted Oprah Housewife Army is more powerful than the KISS Army.

And I suppose that just gives me another reason to snicker whenever I hear the name KISS.

New Michael Jackson Song Is Released

"This Is It", the newly released Michael Jackson tune has debuted on MichaelJackson.com.

The song is the first unreleased material that has seen the light of day since the late singer's death in June at the age of 50.

The track was recorded for the 1991 album Dangerous but was left off the final cut. I don't really see why because "This Is It" is probably better than almost half of the songs off of that very hit or miss LP.

Jackson's older brothers were brought in to re record backing vocals after his death.

"This Is It" will also be heard during the closing credits for Jackson's new documentary of the same name, in theaters for two weeks only starting October 28, that takes a behind the scenes look at the making of what would have been Jackson's comeback tour in London.

The song will also be on the film's two disc soundtrack, due October 27, that serves mainly as a greatest hits collection along with 5 new unreleased songs.

You can listen to the new song below as well as view the trailer for the "This Is It" docu-pic below.

Announcing Something Awesome For Next Year...

Beginning next year, I'm going to undertake one of the most ambitious things that I've ever done.

Those of you that know me have been there when I listened to my entire iTunes collection in ABC order. And some of you know that every year I've ranked the ten best albums at the end of every year. Well I guess that wasn't ambitious enough for me.

So starting sometime in January, I will be conducting a countdown of the 100 best albums of the past decade (2000-2009). I'm slowly in the process of going through all the music that I have collected over the past 10 years. From there I will rank which ones are better than others ultimately leading up to the best album from the previous decade.

Here's how the posts are going to work, every week starting January 4th I will post 10 albums at a time starting with 100-91. I will write a little bit about each album and why it rocks so hard and deserves to be included on the list. Spots 100-21 will get about 1-2 paragraphs written about it. Spots 20-6 will get about 4-5 paragraphs while the top 5 spots will receive their own post dedicated to them.

I know this is a very lofty idea. But I think it will be fun for me to make it and it will be fun for you to tell me how wrong you think I am when it comes to my opinion. Just keep your eyes peeled.

Bullet Points - Foo Fighters, Kanye West & Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson

The Foo Fighters are set to release a greatest hits collection on November 3 that will feature two new songs produced by Garbage guitarist / Nirvana producer Butch Vig. The tunes are titled "Wheels" and "Word For Word" (the video for "Wheels" can be seen here).The confirmed track listing is:

• All My LIfe
• Best Of You
• Everlong
• The Pretender
• My Hero
• Learn To Fly
• Times Like These
• Monkeywrench
• Big Me
• Breakout
• Long Road To Ruin
• This is a Call
• Skin and Bones
• Wheels
• Word For Word
• Everlong (acoustic)

* * *

Kanye West's and Lady Gaga's joint tour has been cancelled. There is no confirmed reason for the cancellation yet many close to the situation have blamed extremely poor ticket sales. Choreographers for the tour have stated that it was "creative differences" that drove plans into the ground.

West plans on laying low for a while after the fall out from his infamous VMA outburst involving Taylor Swift.

Lady Gaga will continue on a solo tour with date being announced in the coming weeks.

* * *

Michael Jackson will get a new song released on October 12 entitled "This Is It". That song, along with 4 other unnamed tracks will appear on the upcoming 2 disc greatest hits collection also called This Is It which is due in stores October 27.

The song, which features Jackson's brothers singing backing vocals, was recorded in 1991 for the album Dangerous but it was considered a b-side at the time and never saw the light of day.

Track listing for the album has yet to be confirmed

Them Crooked Vultures - Time To Get Hyped

Supergroups are often experiments that always tend to be a bit underwhelming. The lofty expectations set by a band filled with pre-established rock stars never seem to be met. The best analogy I could use to describe such an outing would be like strapping a rocket ship to an elephant - it may go far, but not really far enough. That's why many fans get stuck wondering why something so "awesome" leaves such a bad taste in their mouth.

Sure there have been a few supergroups worth mentioning for reasons other than lameness. Cream, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Blind Faith and Temple of the Dog are all good examples of how to be a band full of talent and not have that talent go to waste.

However the list for lame supergroups is considerably longer. Journey, Asia, Damn Yankees, The Highwaymen, The Traveling Wilburys, The Transplants, Audioslave (save for their first album), Alter Bridge, Velvet Revolver and Chickenfoot are just some of the bands that come to mind when you think of overblown, unimportant rock that really doesn't justify itself for anything other than a good laugh with your friends.

But the term supergroup has been redefined. I suppose you could call it a super supergroup. Ladies and gentlemen - prepare to be shaken from your very musical core by Them Crooked Vultures. TCV consists of Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Nirvana, as well as John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.

Never before has such an incredi-band's individual talents come together and gelled into one cohesive unit so well. I suppose much of the credit is due to the close friendship that Homme and Grohl share. Dave played drums for QOTSA on 2002's critically acclaimed Songs For The Deaf as well as the subsequent tour. That chemistry was already there. Adding a musical giant such as John Paul Jones (who has appeared live with the Foo Fighters and played on the band's 2005 double album In Your Honor) only serves to sweeten the deal.

The Homme, Grohl, Jones experiment has long been in the works. As far back as 2005 Grohl was quoted as saying, "Myself, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones. That's the next album. That would not suck."

However things didn't really get the necessary jump start until about a year ago when Grohl initiated a meeting between Homme and Jones at his 40th birthday part last year. Over the past 8 months the trio has been hard at work cooking up grooves and funktastic jams. Although no official music has been leaked at all, live videos of the group have made their way onto You Tube on top of the selected clips released by the bands themselves (look for those videos at the end of this blog).

No release date has been set the band's self titled debut. However it will be released on QOTSA's label Interscope.

Them Crooked Vultures have already kicked off a small nation wide tour in Austin, TX and will eventually play shows in the UK, Australia and Germany. I will be going with my good friend Luke on Tuesday to see the band in Columbus, Ohio. Expect a full report (review?) later next week.

In the mean time, enjoy the available clips of the band below and get pumped for whatever is coming from Them Crooked Vultures.