Bowling For Soup - Fishin' For Woos

I'm all giddy and excited and bouncing off my seat as I listen to the new BFS album. This band just hits the perfect chord for me. I admit to having some issues with their last record not being up to snuff but Fishin' For Woos is a winner all the way through. The first three cuts are all stellar and some of the bands best. The song "Here's Your Freakin' Song" is a home-run and hopefully will be another hit for them.

The boys have matured in some ways but still retain all the things I love about them. More so in the production and musicianship is the growth area. I never want them to become serious because the sense of humor is what makes them great. I didn't have a clue this was coming so it came as a complete surprise for me and just made my day, hell month! So much to love so little to not and with that said go get the album and make yourself happy.

Song Highlights: Smiley Face, Here's Your Freakin' Song, Girls In America, Friends Chicks Guitars, S-S-S-Saturday, I've Never Done Anything Like This & Let's Pretend We're Not In Love

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Saxon - Call To Arms

Holy thunder Batman! Saxon's new material finds it way to my ears and I'm excited to hear what the boys have been up to since the poorly constructed Into The Labyrinth. This time around what you get is more focused aggression with an improvement on the lyrics and melodies. Even a classic from the band in the form of "Surviving Against The Odds" that is one of the best songs this band has ever written. Call To Arms does what the last two records didn't and work as complete albums.

Biff Byford's singing is still powerful and pleasant to hear, I didn't find him lacking on delivery at anytime. The wicked "Misfits Of Avalon" is nearly perfect as far as NWOBHM songs come. This is almost worth the entire cost of the album alone. They drop the tempo for a grinder which takes its name from the album. The song isn't one of the highlights but hey it is not a tosser either. I love the intro of "Chasing The Bullet" so much that banging my head isn't voluntary it just happens automatically without thought. Another smoking tune from what is the bands best album in a very long time.

When Nigel Glockler blasts off on "Afterburner" you have well been rewarded for buying this record. Biff just rips on the lead vocals and he's proving once again why he's such a great metal singer. The stomping master class of "No Rest For The Wicked" is one of those songs that should be a part of all future heavy metal song writers doctrine. I can't believe my ears while I listened to this album because nobody could have seen this coming. Saxon have completely blown me away with Call To Arms. I'm very impressed to hear a band this long into their career sound as good as they do releasing new material 35 years of travelling down the heavy metal highway.

Song Highlights: Chasing The Bullet, Balls Of The Working Man, No Rest For The Wicked, Afterburner, Misfits Of Avalon & Surviving Against The Odds.

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Status Quo - Quid Pro Quo

Hallelujah for the eponymous boogie rock band has returned with a new album. This was a bit of a surprise as I was sure they had retired after their last album In Search Of The Fourth Chord. The album didn't get much in the way of positive press and seemed as if the bands best days were long gone but here we are in 2011 and they are back with a very good album. The first single is "Rock N' Roll N' You" which is a great treat from the boys. They are straddling the boundaries of rock and country with the song but it works.

As the album plays through you can identify the more classic sounding stuff and the ever present fluff easily. There are some tunes which just pale and others like "Two Way Traffic" or "Reality Cheque" that make the volume dial seem unable to get your stereo loud enough. At their senior citizen status and long past typical rock star age this band kicks ass more so than artists less than half their age and most closer to their age. Proof is in the pudding and one listen to "It's All About You" is all it will take. This song has that groovy pulsing boogie beat that we as fans never get tired of no matter how many times we hear it. The album closes with "My Old Ways" which could have been something from the glory days with the Quo march ever present.

I completely love this band with all my heart and I'm a rarity over here in North America because they never really broke on this continent in their 44 years of rocking all over the world. Yeah I went there...If you can get a copy do so if you can't you aren't trying hard enough. Status Quo is the quintessential boogie rock band and do so better than ZZ Top which is the counterpart on these shores.

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Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Make A Scene

The ridiculously delicious opening cut "Revolution" tweaked my interest huge. The album unfolds as a fairly paint by numbers dance record for the most part. It doesn't have enough good material to rival the overrated and over hyped Lady GaGa record. Sophie is very much trying to walk in the shoes of Robyn and GaGa with her 2011 record. The songs aren't as good as Robyn's material from the E.P. releases of last year. What she does achieve is an album that should finally make her a successful artist in the mainstream dance clubs of North America.

The excellent club tune "Not Giving Up On Love" could be her moment as far as dance chart success goes. Another of the better tunes is "Can't Fight This Feeling" that harkens melodies from early era New Order. It's wrapped up in a very 1977 disco flavor but if you listen close you can find its heart pulsing along to that New Order groove. There is nothing on this album after the opener of great interest but for the dance kids out there and girls who like vanilla house music this will suit their undeveloped musical tastes just fine.

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Shinedown - Somewhere In The Stratosphere

As fas as live albums go they usually suck because most of the studio wizards twiddling the knobs make artists sound great which live they don't most of the time. Then there are those artists who really are great live like Three Days Grace, STP, Testament, Kiss, Iron Maiden and now Shinedown can be added to the list of good live acts. I've listened through the entire two disc package of the album and upon an unusual third listen threw for me of a live record I really like some of the bands songs a little better here than on the studio release. The early stuff really sound vibrant and full of life.

Overall this package in the extended version with the live DVD is the best choice to purchase. It's a pricey set but if your a fan of good hard rock music there is no reason for not owning "Somewhere In The Stratosphere". The second disc of acoustic performances is very strong which shows that this band has the chops live. I find myself going back for listens of "Hereos" on a regular basis over the studio one each time because it has much more emotion and energy than the album version. Now I will admit the acoustic version of "Devour" is not my favorite for sure but it has a certain theatrical charm but lacks during the chorus. Still a good package with plenty to be entertained by from one of the bands I've become a huge fan over the last few years.

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American Idol Ends For Another Season

This season of Idol had some decent singers and a slew of mistakes. The mistakes started from the judges not picking the right ones. There were at least six I can remember who should have been given a chance on the show. The attempt to further the black content and minorities blew up because America seemed to eliminate them one after another.

The inclusion of Naima was some sort of joke I think because that woman was terrible but consistent for sure. Then the length of time that absolutely awful waste of air time Jaccob Lusk was ridiculous. That kid has a voice that makes me feel nauseous when he sings. I never once heard him and thought he was good. Each week he would sing and he'd do that crying thing in the power spots that drove me crazy. He was truly the shows downfall all season but wasn't the only wasted slot on the stage the other was Haley. She is a pretty girl but she sings poorly and to have made the top three really makes me wonder about how much the show might work the votes to whatever they feel.

I have to admit the show had some cheese as well and it was called James Durbin. He more often than not was laughable after his first few performances. The garbage he pulled on Elton John week and then the rails came off quickly as he constantly pulled his one trick out on every song. He didn't have much to offer outside of his wail. I don't know what the future will hold for that kid but I honestly don't see him doing well as a solo artist. He might find success as the member of a band. The eviction of Pia was a highly debated one between myself and a couple of friends who more so enjoyed her physical form than noticing she couldn't sing anything but torch songs ala Celine Dion. Even though her voice was big and she could blow out some big notes she also was a one trick pony and that is why she went home. She was boring and lacked charisma which was proven when she attempted to sing an uptempo number.

The saving of Casey was the right decision because Casey is the most talented contestant on the show this season. He was outside the box from his look to his style to his voice and he in my opinion should have been in the top 3. No other contestant could pick songs better than Casey nor could they be as cool as him. He messed up with the Nirvana cover and it was a huge mistake. Otherwise he was fantastic but couldn't penetrate the mass of fourteen year old girls who sum up most of the voting public for the show. Still I am very convinced he will have a wonderful career as a musician and vocalist doing whatever he chooses.

The one thing about Idol this season is that the two most deserving of being American Idol winners were in the top two. I picked Lauren from audition night to win and Scotty was easily just as good. Those two almost flawless in their song choices and performances ended up where they belonged at the top of the heap. I knew Casey was too cool for mainstream America so I wasn't shocked he was voted off twice. Now Scotty and Lauren are tailor made for mainstream America and with how it all unfolded I'm not surprised. Scotty gets the title but in the end Lauren will outsell him. I know my stuff and Lauren is the far superior talent. She will be bigger than Carrie Underwood and might even rival Kelly Clarkson. Scotty will be a huge success as well and he should be the most successful winner since Underwood.

At this point my prediction of Lauren is right as she is outselling Scotty on I-Tunes so far today upon release. This will be a constant because as I stated previously she's the one. Overall a good season and the judges were pretty good this season. I hope that Tyler and Lopez are not there next season because they just didn't have the overall chops to slice and dice the performances and Randy had to always be the honest one and looked like the bad guy a lot. I think American Idol is in trouble considering that The Voice! and X-Factor are revving up to give them a run. I think that both shows are better concept wise and The Voice! has a really great cast of judges. X-Factor is sitting on Simon Cowell and will introduce the ever charming and beautiful Cheryl Cole to North America. This spells disaster for the show but if slotted right they can all have their space to find success.

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Top 20 Rod Stewart Songs Of All-Time

As far as rock n' roll goes the immortal Rod Stewart is it personified and one of the greatest vocalist in the history of music. There are very few to ever have sang that can tell a story with such grace and emotion that effects a listener at the deepest depth of the listeners soul.

20. The Motown Song
19. Broken Arrow
18. Mandolin Wind
17. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
16. Ain't Love A Bitch
15. Hadbags & Gladrags
14. Love Touch
13. I Don't Want To Talk About It
12. Hot Legs
11. Do Ya Think I'm Sexy
10. Maggie May
09. Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me)
08. What Am I Gonna Do
07. Some Guys Have All The Luck
06. You Wear It Well
05. Never Give Up On A Dream
04. Ooh La La
03. You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)
02. I Was Only Joking
01. Tonight's The Night

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