Welcome to my cobwebby and dustcovered blog!

I was driving to work this morning when the urge to listen to something new hit me. I must admit a certain immature fascination with the Free Beer and Hotwings Radio show which happens in Grand Rapids in the mornings on 97.9 WGRD. They were picking on Brian Wilson and during the snippets of music they played I realized that I was ready for my AARP card. The music of The Beach Boys was by far better than any of the actual music that has played on WGRD this year. After they played a snippet of the Sloop John B I decided to change the channel and after hitting the search button I came upon an oldies station which I had never previously settled on in Grand Rapids. After three absolutely well produced sixties pop songs in a row, I have decided to give up trying to be current and just be OLD... Sorry Linkin Park Red Hot Chili peppers, but the Beach Boys stuff just sounds full and awesome. I don't know if it is digital recording or what, but no body is doing complex beautiful and well received popular music today. Some would argue that Jessica Simpson or Avril Lavigne are the Beach Boys of Today. But the Beach Boys were really controversial and out there when they were popular. Everything that I have heard in the last five years is disposible, and does not seem to have the ability to stand the test of time. Even the underground seems dry. Every artist that has been recommended to me lately has not had the ability to hold me ear when I go out and get the CD. A friend of mine recommended Amy Winehouse to me; fun record, but not truly an artistic stretch. I think that is why country music has help peoples interest lately. Artists like Kenny Chesney seem to be able to write a hook, and the music is pleasing to the ear if not completely able to survive the years and become classic. Lest you think I am a complete curmudgeon, I really enjoy the records from Sugarland, I did a show with them a few years ago (see next post), and they are really good song writers. I also liked Kristian Bush, who before Sugarland had a great band (which as I write I can't remember, I may edit this later). The songwriting is good with lots of friendly music to go with it. They could be great if they did not come off as so damn calculated, and kinda manufactured.... So go buy Sugarland if you like fun pop than leans country. And Buy Kenny Chesney if you love Jimmy Buffet and drinking Cruzan and Cokes or if your fridge is full of Corona. It is not even Christmas and I am getting that "need to see a reggae show" mid winter feeling.
As I am finishing this post (and listening to the radio) I gotta wonder what happened to the New Radicals, they had one great song which WGRD plays occassionally. At the time three years ago, I thought that they were heirs to the cool jazzy, well produced, pop kingdom...