In Between

Mute USA

Close your eyes. Imagine you are at a swank trendy nightclub. Drinking a cosmopolitan with Lindsay Lohan. This is the soundtrack.

www.paulvandyk.de/

What I have to Give, Let It Be Enough

Blue Duck Records

You need to listen to this album. The diversity is amazing. From power pop to etherial meandering drones, After the Sirens have created an uncategorizable masterpiece.

http://www.afterthesirens.com

Tighten the Noose

Mt. Fuji Records

Heartbreakingly sincere. Lyricist/vocalist Landon Hedges sounds like he’s 12, but writes like he’s 52 and been through the ringer. Lyrically wonderful and musically decent.

http://www.littlebrazil.net

Land of Sea

No label

This is a folky hipster’s delight. Soft, light and perfect for the coffeehouse.

http://www.chrisandthomas.com

Pop Manifesto

Scruffsville Records

Stephen Burns has rocked the Scruffs name and made it his own for the past 30 years. This is the one album that makes you wish he would hang it up.

http://www.thescruffs.com

Starring; Someone Like You

Eyeball Records

This is the type of music that Bjork’s children will eventually make. Strange, etherial, and brilliant.

http://www.thetiny.net

Vs. The Hornet

HEYOU! Records

This is an assult on the eardrums that harkens back to the 70’s punk scene. Unadulterated in-your-face f— it-all punk rock.

http://www.thesapiens.com

I Finally Know What’s Good For Me

No label

It’s like they took the keyboard theme from Taxi and meshed 90’s alternative rock to it. It’s not bad, but unremarkable.

http://www.myspace.com/thesingularmusic

Acts of Insanity

Escapi Music
What happens with you cross Overkill with Slayer and mix in a little groove? Speed Kill Hate is what happens. Loving the metal like I do, I wanted to like it, I was excited to first listen to it but, then reality set in. Nothing new, nothing innovative, nothing original. Same old faux deep lyrics as every other 90’s metal band.

Now I’m sad. I have to find something to lift my spirits. Perhaps Savatage and Biohazard will get together and make a record…… Savahazard? Biotage?

http://www.speedkillhate.com/

Baseball

What you know: One of the greatest sports records of all time is going to be broken by an admited steroid user. Barry Bonds will have passed 755 home runs (set by Henry “Hank” Aaron) and the backlash is like the humidity in New Orleans: Overbearing. Bonds said to a grand jury that he had taken a substance called “The Clear,” but he didn’t know what it was. Hmmm, I don’t know what this lotiony stuff is, but I’ll go ahead and rub it all over my upper body because it’s supposed to help me on the field. Anyone who knows Bonds personally (which I don’t, but have read interviews with some who do) knows that he knows everything that he puts in and on his body. He still won’t admit to using steroids, but it’s virtually impossible to go from a slender speedy outfielder with power to a slow monsterous home run pounding machine in a matter of a couple of years. Bonds may never admit that he used, but the circumstantial evidence in the court of public opinion is overwhelming.

What you should be hearing about: I’m not the biggest baseball fan, but this has been the year for milestones. Two of my all-time favorite players have reached or are about to reach career milestones. Frank Thomas hit his 500th home run and Ken Griffey Jr. is approaching his 600th. Sammy Sosa (another alleged ‘roider) hit his 600th homer and Alex Rodriquez is about to become the youngest player in MLB history to hit 500 homers, and he’s only 31. Tom Glavine is approaching 300 wins (which almost guarantees a Hall of Fame induction) and Yankees could very well be out of the playoffs for the first time in forever, which will make New Yorkers cry and every one else rejoice. I may not be a big baseball fan, but I sure have found a lot to love about the game this year.