The Most Overrated Rock Musicians

So after watching the Super Bowl (GO STEELERS!), I came up with an idea for a post. The halftime show with Bruce Springsteen inspired me to make a list of the rock musicians that I feel are the most overrated. I look forward to the angry responses and debates that this is sure to bring on...

(in no particular order)

-Bruce Springsteen. Let me start with "The Boss." His rediculously silly halftime show aside ("I'm going to Disneyland!" ????), Springsteen has really only had a few good songs. I'm not a fan, but I can appreciate "Born to Run" and "Born in the USA." I don't think the guy can sing at all. His stage antics have become stale and stereotypical (like the slide toward the camera). The E Street Band are the only thing keeping him afloat. He disguises his lack of musical talent by surrounding himself with some of the best musicians he can find. Not a terrible songwriter, but "The Boss" needs to quit.

-Led Zeppelin. I argue with people about this one probably more than any other band. Yes, Zeppelin are great musicians who paved the way for many bands after them. But come on, you cannot tell me that Robert Plant didn't sound like he was masterbating while singing. His voice is annoying and screechy, and he moans and "oohs" into the mic like he's trying to get us into bed. Sure, they have a number of great songs, but in my opinion, they get WAY too much credit for being forefathers of rock/metal while bands like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and Steppenwolf get shafted.

-The Doors. A poet Jim Morrison was. A great singer he was not. He sounded so trashed all the time that his words came out incoherent. He sounded bored when he wasn't trashed. I think this band is a prime example of excess destroying what could have been a great band. Too much drugs and booze. Don't believe me? Listen to the vocal range (or lack there of) in "Light My Fire." Besides the emphasis on "fire" on the chorus, his voice shows no emotion in a song that is all about emotion.

-U2. Okay, I like U2, but they are getting rediculous. "One, two, three, catorce! (sp?)" ??? What the hell is that? Their new album is sounding terrible, and in my opinion, they haven't released a solid album in awhile. Their 80's stuff is amazing, with "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "One", and "With or Without You" being highlights. But they have yet to be able to recapture that magic. I had high hopes when I heard that song they released for the "Batman Forever" soundtrack called "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" but they haven't put out a song that was like that one since. Bono needs to stop focusing on saving the world and try to focus on saving his band from falling into mediocrity.

-Nirvana. Another band that I'm a big fan of, but these guys are definitely overrated. Kurt Cobain was not a great songwriter, no matter what anyone tells me. His voice fit the music, but was not spectacular by any means. They are a prime example of great timing. If Nirvana came out today, they would not be nearly as big as they are. Other grunge bands are far superior, such as Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and most importantly, Alice in Chains. I would even venture to say that Dave Grohl's spinoff band The Foo Fighters are better than Nirvana. More range musically and vocally, and better lyrics. I love Nirvana, having grown up a grunge kid, but they get way too much credit for being a great band.

-Prince. I don't even really consider him rock, but I had to mention Prince. Talk about ego for no reason. Yes, I've heard "Purple Rain" and most of his other hits, and I am not impressed at all. He's not a bad guitar player, but his singing is average and he tries way too hard to be David Bowie (who's also quite overrated btw). His songs are not really memorable and he's a complete dick from everything I've read and heard. I will never understand why Prince is popular and continues to sell albums. So overrated.

-Radiohead. Very original and ground-breaking, but very overrated. They had a great thing going with their early albums. "Creep" and "High and Dry" were great songs, but I was not impressed with "Kid A" or "OK Computer". A friend of mine tried to convince me that they were phenomenal, and I was left very underwhelmed. They aren't horrible by any means, but I think they are trying so hard to be different that they are becoming weird. You pretty much have to be on some type of drug to really appreciate most of Radiohead's work.


I'm sure there are more that I am forgetting, but these stuck out to me. Maybe I'll eventually do an Underrated list, but that's gonna take some thought. Let the debates begin.

Metallica- "DEATH MAGNETIC"

After literally being away from this thing for almost a year, I think it's appropriate that I start with a review of my favorite band's new album, Metallica's "Death Magnetic."

After all the shit I had to hear about how Metallica had sold out because of the whole Napster ordeal and that their last album, "St. Anger," was terrible, I was so nervous about the new album's sound and direction. I really wanted my favorite band to get back on track and become a monster band again. The anxiety that I felt sounds a little silly, but I was really worried that St. Anger had signaled the end of Metallica. From what the documentary "Some Kind of Monster" showed, I was on the right track.

When I heard the first single off "Death Magnetic," which was "The Day That Never Comes," I got really excited. I won't lie, the verse was a little weak for my tastes at first, but it has definitely grown on me. The song is really amazing because it has three very different parts that flow seemlessly into one another. The first part, which is more of a power ballad, eases the song in. Then the song kicks it up a notch with the "Love is a four-letter word" verse. The excitement builds and builds and then the band steamrolls into a 2 1/2 minute instrumental thrash fest. The last two minutes of the song are by far the best Metallica has sounded musically since The Black Album. The speed, breakdowns, and tempo changes combined with Kirk Hammett's amazing solos left me at a loss for words. At the end of the song, I literally just said out loud "Wow..." and tried desperately to catch my breath. A truly amazing song that bridges the gap from Metallica of the 1990s and the Metallica of the new millenium.

What's funny about the album is that "The Day That Never Comes" isn't even the best song on the album. While I think every song on the album is amazing (even the ten minute long instrumental), the three songs that stick out to me are "Cyanide," "Broken, Beat, and Scarred", and "All Nightmare Long." The chorus of "Cyanide" is so catchy that I find myself singing it when I'm not even listening to the song. "Broken, Beat, & Scarred" is probably the most autobiographical song the band could have put on the album. The theme of "show your scars" and "we die hard" is so perfect for a band trying to reinforce their stranglehold over the genre. The band is coming from one of the most tumultuous times in their history, and they come together again and make a great album. That song represents the entire album in my opinion.

"All Nightmare Long" is probably the best song on the album in my opinion. The way James Hetfield bends his voice on the chorus makes it so passionate and intense. The song is driving and fast, and is sure to be a hit for concerts for years to come. I absolutely love it. This song is by far the one I listen to the most.

I must admit I was a little disappointed in "The Unforgiven III." I love the first two parts of the "Unforgiven" saga, and I do enjoy this one, but I was expecting a little more. The familiar note that opens both 1 and 2 is not played in the third chapter. I kinda missed that. I was hoping for the same opening with a new direction. I love the verses and the lyrics, but it just seemed to me that the song didn't really need to be titled "Unforgiven III" because it really didn't connect to the first two. Not at all saying I disliked the song. It is definitely growing on me more and more.

I think it's obvious that I am a HUGE Metallica fan and enjoy anything they ever record. The bias I have is obvious, but I don't think anyone can deny that Metallica is back. The new album is ferocious and memorable, and I think it fits nicely in with previous Metallica classics such as The Black Album and Master of Puppets. Diehards will say that this record is not on that level, but I say give it time. Rolling Stone's reviewer put it best when they said that this album represents "a sleeping giant that has been awoken." Completely true. This monster lives.

The Return

Hello everyone, I'm back. I had pretty much decided to completely shut this blog down because I was getting zero feedback and it didn't seem like anyone really cared what I wrote. I had honestly completely forgotten about this thing until I got an email saying that someone had left a comment on a post I had done. This has inspired me to make an Ali return to the blog world, and I want to thank that person for reading my blog and taking the time to compliment what I wrote. It's very encouraging to know someone out there is reading this besides me. More posts to come...

grammys and the Idiots Who Think They are Relevent

If you read my blog frequently, or have at least read what i have wrote previously, you may have gotten the idea that I am not fond of the grammy awards. I find them to be a complete joke. Always have. Metallica being robbed of the inaugural Best Metal Group/Song whatever in the 80s is just the tip of the iceberg. Cutting off Frank Sinatra was another low point. So needless to say I don't think they are relevent or even really considering a part of music as a whole. However, with the 50th anniversary of the awards being this year, I thought it would be interesting to see who was nominated. Obviously, the choices pissed me off. Their ideas of rock music simply baffle me. But it was nice to see that I was not the only one who found this year's nominees to be a complete crock of shit. The two people who objected to the nominees are the subject of my rant.

The two people who have spoken out against the grammys and their pathetic excuses for nominees are Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor and Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz. Both of these guys had pretty legitimate points as to what they were complaining about. They essentially said the same thing, that their respective bands should have been nominated for at least one award. Now, if I held the grammys in any sort of respect, I might agree with both of these guys. If I believed in the grammys and their effect on the music business, I would agree that both Nine Inch Nails and Fall Out Boy were robbed. But I don't think like that. Fall Out Boy were only robbed in the sense that they being a Top 40, teenie-bopper, pathetic excuse for rock band are the type of group that is USUALLY nominated by the grammys. Hence why I hate the grammys. In any other year for the past 3 years, Fall Out Boy would have received numerous nominations, and would have probably been up for Album of the Year. But tough break dumbasses, the grammys might have finally realized that you suck. One can only hope.

Now Nine Inch Nails is a completely different story. I am a HUGE NIN fan and I personally think that just about everything Trent Reznor has ever done is brilliant. While I admit that being such a fan of the group makes me extremely biased, I can also admit that NIN's most recent album, Year Zero, was not that great. Trent has definitely pumped out better albums, and the closeness in release of With Teeth and Year Zero may have hurt both albums' effectiveness. Most NIN albums take some time to listen to, process, and really hit you. These two albums were I'm sure no different. But regardless, Year Zero definitely had some kick ass tracks. Trent continues to invent and distort notes to add to the dark ferocity of the album, making the apocolyptic theme of the album seep into you. The album was definitely interesting and rocking, while sticking to the industrial side of Trent. I would say it would be deserving of a damn nomination in at least ONE category.

Trent Reznor had every right to bitch and complain about not getting nominated. He is a true genius in the music industry, and just because he is edgy and not a radio cash whore does not warrant the album not getting nominated. Pete Wentz can go write another song about being sad and in love and make another million. He doesn't need a fuckin grammy. Shut up Wentz.

To summarize..... grammys suck... Fall Out Boy sucks... and NIN is still amazing

Where's your crown?

I realize that the dynamic of a band can be one of a few different general forms, the most popular of which is the band that features a memorable, often over-the-top, charismatic frontman and then a bunch of nobodies behind them. But I am sick of seeing the bands that feature that dynamic, but on top of it, the frontman is a total dick. He's arrogant, self-centered, and will probably eventually leave the band and release a shitty solo album. A couple of examples stick out to me:

Soundgarden was one of the grunge forefathers, along with Nirvana and Pearl Jam. They released some great music ("Black Hole Sun", "Spoonman", "Pretty Noose", "Rusty Cage", etc.), but then suddenly broke up. Chris Cornell soon released some pretty mediocre solo albums, and eventually joined Audioslave. Audioslave consisted of Cornell with the members of Rage Against the Machine (without lead singer Zach De La Rocha). They released 3 albums of radio-friendly rock with some great songs mixed in. Then, once again, Cornell leaves! Now he's releasing more solo albums. Okay, get the hint Chris, you're not very good solo. You're much better when you have a great band backing you up instead of a bunch of rented studio guys.

I just read an interview with Maroon 5 in Rolling Stone. I love that magazine and agree with almost everything they write. Therefore, I am not blaming the writer for portraying them in the way I saw them portrayed. I think they really are that way. The band (minus lead singer) was very down-to-earth sounding. They sounded like cool guys that you'd like to hang out with. I'm not a big fan of their music, but hey, I'm sure I wouldn't mind partying with them! Anyway, the lead singer, Adam Levine (i think thats his name at least), was a prick! Even his bandmates said that he had to be the center of attention and was very into himself. That's pretty sad. Your own band sees you that way. That guy is so rediculous. His band is really not that great and he thinks he's the next Paul McCartney or something. Here's my prediction: I think Maroon 5 will release maybe 2 more albums, then that guy's gonna leave the band and try to release some solo stuff. And it will suck. Horribly.

My point is that these two bands, and a number of others, have lead singers that think they are the greatest being to walk the earth. Then when they leave, those singers are shocked to find out their solo album has bombed and they eventually fade away. I hope Chris Cornell doesn't do that, but Levine can go ahead. The world can do without another guy who sounds like that (is it just me, or does he sound JUST LIKE the guy from Train?). If you're in a band, appreciate the other members. They worked their ass off to get that good too.

White Light, White Heat, White Trash

No, this entry is not a review of the great Social Distortion album called "White Light, White Heat, White Trash." In fact, I am briefly going to vent on something that has been in the news lately. It has a little to do with music, so here it goes...

As many of you probably heard/read/saw, Lindsey Lohan was arrested again this week. This time, it was for DUI and possibly cocaine possession. I'm going to leave my judgments about the substances out of this, so as to not cloud the issue. Lindsey Lohan has now officially joined the ranks of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. I think I speak for the majority of the world when I say that none of the three of these women have very much (if any) talent whatsoever. All three have done an album (if not more) which sucked worse than anything we could have expected. So here is my complaint. Why are these people popular? Why do people buy those TERRIBLE albums? Why are we subjected to hearing daily news stories about these people? No one respects Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, or Britney Spears. Everyone is just waiting to hear what pathetic excuse they come up with next. Lohan gets pulled over and blows a .13 or something on the breathalizer, and then releases an OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE saying that she is innocent. I dunno how the cop rigged that breathalizer to "get" Lohan, but he must've done a helluva job. Oh, and did you see Lohan's mug shot?! SHE'S UGLY AS SHIT!!! Everyone thinks she's so hot, yet when you chisel off the pounds of make-up and coke from under her nose, go figure, shes not all that hot. I'm convinced you could take the ugliest girl in the world and slather on the make-up and a boob-job and half the world would go buy her movies and albums. Are people really that blind? I really hope that parents are seeing this shit too. If you see your kids idolizing any of these drug-addicted, dumber-than-a-stick, anorexic bimbos, PLEASE stop them. Our society pushes enough negative images on people, don't buy into the hollywood bullshit and think that these people are talented, attractive, or worth more than a second of your time. These are the people that drag our society down, give women a terrible name, and ruin the thing I care a lot about, music. NO MORE PARIS HILTON ALBUMS! I sometimes wonder if the Hilton patriarchs (the actual millionaires) regret even having children. I would.

Linkin Park- "Minutes to Midnight"

In my opinion, Linkin Park are one of the most original bands of the last ten years. They burst onto the scene at the height of the rap/rock popularity, and then somehow managed to outlast most of their contemporaries from that time (Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, etc.). Now they have managed to amaze me again.

"Minutes to Midnight" is simply awesome. The majority of the rapping has been replaced with actual verses that are sung harmonically by Chester Bennington. There are a few songs where the rapping remains, such as the fucking incredible "Hands Held High," which has the most un-Linkin Park sounding chorus that will blow your mind. Like that song, the rest of the songs on the album seem to really showcase the band's musical talent. The rapping (the little there is at least) is smooth and aggressive, the screaming is intense (check out "Given Up" for the best scream in the last 20 years!!), and the beats are addictive. "Bleed It Out" has single written all over it. If you're looking for the same old Linkin Park album, you're not going to find it. This is a new direction for the band. They are breaking out of their niche (thank you Rick Rubin, as usual) and have probably made the best rock album of 2007 (so far).

Sweet Emotion

One of the main reasons I'm so addicted to music came at an early age. I realized very early on that songs have certain powers over us. Music touches us in every aspect of our lives. Odds are that at some point in your life, a song came to personify that time period which you first heard it. That's why I find music so interesting. It sticks with you for your whole life. You hear a song from times past and it immediately sends you back to that time in your head. Some songs conjur up happy memories, others bring sadness. Some songs make you angry, and others can cheer you up no matter how bad of a mood you're in.

I constantly experience this emotional roller coaster when I'm listening to my iPod. I often listen to it on "random" or "shuffle" or whatever the setting is called, so I get any of the thousands of songs I own at any given time. It can make me listen to Pantera, then all of a sudden it goes to Elton John or Chuck Berry. I was walking around today with my headphones in, listening to the iPod on shuffle. It played a song that brought up some very negative memories in my head. I won't get into specifics, but I'll say that at one point, a girl told me the song reminded her of me. That relationship ended very badly, so I'd never listened to the song since the break-up because it really depressed me and made me question what I thought of myself. But today was different. I don't know whether I was just lazy and didn't want to change the song, or if I subconsciously wanted to hear the song, but either way, I listened to the whole song for the first time in years.

I'm sure everyone who is reading this has had a similar situation like mine. I don't know about you, but for some reason, listening to that song today felt good. I won't lie, part of me was still saddened to hear the lyrics, but some other emotion was being felt. So here is why I wrote this entry... I have some advice. No matter how terrible of a time period you associate with a certain song or musician, at some point when you feel it's been long enough, listen to it again. It's very interesting what emotions one singular song by some crappy band from 2004 can bring out in you. You'll be amazed. I hope that you're experience is healing and a positive one, like mine was. But even if you get mad, start to cry, get depressed, punch the cat, whatever, you'll actually be doing yourself some good. Eventually, we need to let those emotions fade, or at least try to make them fade. Otherwise, they might just cause some major damage. So let those emotions out, and listen to the songs that you hate because they make you hurt. It really can do some good. Then, maybe, you'll be able to do what we should all do... LET IT BE (which, btw, is a great song to listen to if you need to cheer the hell up)!!!

The White Stripes- "Icky Thump"

The White Stripes always confused me. Prior to this new album, I liked maybe three of their songs. Honestly, Jack White's vocals always kind of bugged me. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but I just couldn't get into it any deeper than those three songs. Then about three months ago, I heard the new single from the re-united White Stripes, the title track of the album. That song blew me away. The bass drum was great, and Jack screaming/singing and playing solos over the crazy organ/synthesizer thing they had going on was mind-blowing. So I decided I would buy the album as soon as it was made available.

I was once again very pleased. The White Stripes excel at being a band that pretty much any of their fans could probably imitate with near perfection. The songs are simple, yet catchy as hell with great guitar riffs and solos. Its obvious that neither of the two members of the band are amazing musicians, but somehow, thats what makes the music brilliant. The simplicity is the key to the band and to the album. I especially like "Conquest," which is a mariachi band rocker, "Rag and Bone," a great song about garage sales, and of course the title track, "Icky Thump."

This album really is brilliant and really doesn't fit into one category. There are elements of rock, mariachi, Celtic, jazz, and even 50's Jerry Lee Lewis style. A great album if you are looking for something off-beat and crazy. Not the greatest album in the world, but just put this on while driving and you'll love it.