Warped Tour 2004

 Warped Tour 2004

Tyler McHenry documents a day of walking back and forth at punk rock's traveling festival

Brett Gurewitz performs onstage with Bad Religion

After missing out on Millencolin in 1997, I knew it would be important to arrive at the fairgrounds before the noon start time of Warped Tour 2004. My veteran instinct led us to cut to the front of the line, wiping out the two hour wait which could have been fatal.

Gone are the days of the two stage setup; this musical circus brings seven stages with bands playing on any of four stages at any given time. The sets are even shorter now as each band--including the headliners--is allocated thirty minutes to perform their trick. Considering the doors opened at noon, I found it odd that Red West took the stage at 11:30.

The schedule looked pretty good for my tastes, the only major scheduling conflict was that Motion City Soundtrack played at 4:15, while The Alkaline Trio started at 3:30 and Bad Religion was slated to begin at 4:00. Thinking that the first big band didn't hit the stage until 12:45, I made my way around the venue. Arriving at the Volcom stage, a familiar voice rang in my ear. Pulley was already rocking out. Looking up at the schedule, it read Pulley 1:30. As I caught the last three songs of their set, I realized that I was one of the few onlookers who even knew who Pulley was. Scott Radinski belted out one of the great Epitaph classics "Cashed In," to end the set and I was a freshman in college all over again.

Rise Against seemed to have a large following, and looked to be one of the favorites on this year's tour. Ripping through their set with "Blood, Red, White, Blue," and "Like the Angel," Rise Against pleased the punk and the hardcorist alike. Making my way across the park, Story of the Year was ending their set with the radio hits. A lackluster performance was epitomized by the comment, "We are here to have fun, not fight. Godsmack is not here today, people." SOTY is the stereotypical band that kids listen to for about a year and then drop.

The show was still in its early stages, and the people kept filing in like the punk rock sheep they are. Back to the east side, Thursday was really getting the crowd going. They were playing really tight and sounded excellent. Impressive tracks included, "Understanding in a Car Crash," and "Autobiography of a Nation." Leaving their set a little early, I headed over to see the beloved Bouncing Souls. The band looked the same, except that Greg now has long hair with red patches scattered around his head. Warming up the crowd with "Ole'," the Souls seemed to be excited to be back in SLC. They followed that up with "Say Anything," "Hopeless Romantic," and "The Ballad of Johnny X." After busting out into "Kate is Great," the punk rocker in me couldn't hold back and I entered the circle pit. The Bouncing Souls continued to rock like it was 1998 all over again. The fun continued with "That Song," "Anchors Aweigh," and "True Believers." The set ended with a surprising rendition of "Night on Earth." The Bouncing Souls again proved that they are kings of the live performance.

Greg leads Bouncing Souls fans in a punk rock sing along

Another trek across the fairgrounds led me to the presence of Yellowcard. I had never seen them live, but was quite impressed. As expected, they had drawn the majority of the festival's crowd. Busting out all the hits, both soft and hard, the band mixed it up well and didn't disappoint.

As NOFX began their set, it was time to sit down and rest [EDITOR'S NOTE: NOFX and Rancid are bands that no matter how many times we've them, we've never watched their set]. Warped Tour provided a great sprinkler area to cool off in this year. A refreshing break from the warm sun was all I needed to gain my second wind. One of the major themes of this year's tour was an Anti-Bush sentiment. Almost all of the bands made known their disagreement with Bush's policy and direction during this time of conflict. NOFX even finished their set with a rousing number called, "Idiot Son of an Asshole," which is all about our current president. To nobody's surprise, Anti-Flag played some songs dedicated to the man in charge as well. At this point in the day, I decided to browse each band's tent and merchandise, which led me to miss out on Coheed and Cambria. This was okay because I had to get myself into perfecting listening position for The Alkaline Trio. Rumor has it that the Trio do not perform their best on the Warped Tour, and now I can attest to this. Coming out to play "We've Had Enough," the Trio said very little during their set. They were also playing with a mysterious fourth member. Alternating singers after each song, they continued with "Maybe I'll Catch Fire," the new song "Warbrain," and "Emma." Some of the tracks ending the performance included, "My Friend Peter," "Nose Over Tail," and "This Could be Love." Their performance was pretty poor and lacked a lot of energy. Sprinting away disappointed, I knew Greg Graffin and Co. were going to make things better.

Bad Religion started off with the new stuff by playing, "Sinister Rouge." To make things even nicer, Brett Gurewitz had joined his friends today. From then on, the band didn't stop playing. "Atomic Garden," "Supersonic," "American Jesus," "Infected," and "You" left all of us wanting more. Two more new songs followed "Let Them Eat War," and "God's Love." Graffin made an unnecessary comment about the Mormon garment as the set rolled forward. "Recipe for Hate," "21st Century Digital Boy," and "Sorrow" concluded another stellar performance by the ageless ones. Knowing that this would most likely be the last time seeing the legends, I cherished this moment.

The sun and the heat were finally taking their toll on my body. I knew I had to persevere. Senses Fail were already halfway through their set, but they were rivaling Bad Religion. Looks like Vagrant records have found themselves another gem. Stopping by the Epitaph tent, I realized something very upsetting to the stomach--Motion City Soundtrack had in fact played at 2:15 and not 4:15 as first posted at the entry. Knowing that during this time I was just resting made me upset because I was really hoping to see them. The newest problem with Warped Tour is that it has become too big. Wanting to see everything, and not being able to, is quite frustrating.

Hoping to avoid New Found Glory as much as possible, I waited patiently at one of the smaller stages for Hidden in Plain View. This was a bold move on my part, but it paid great dividends. HIPV were one of the top acts of the day. I'd be happy to support them on their next visit to the Lake town. Apparently on the other side, Flogging Molly was entertaining everybody with their Irish jigs and drinking songs as well. I really don't think I missed out.

The day was coming to a close as we prepared to see Taking Back Sunday. Right before they come out, the rain started to come down. TBS proved to be strong as well, as the music rang true through the downpour. It was one of those times that you'd like to see a full set from a band, rather than the 30 minute tease which is offered at the yearly festival. As the rain began to fall harder, it was time to go home. Few people would stick around to watch The Vandals this day.

Cake - Pressure Chief

 Cake

Pressure Chief

Finally, a new album from an established band that doesn't disappoint. Pressure Chief offers all that you would expect from Cake--a mixture of country, rock, alternative, lone trumpeter and the signature talk/sing style of John McCrea. This album also adds a heavier dose of electronic and deeper melodies than the band's previous works.

As usual, Cake serves up a great radio hit with the keyboard driven "No Phone." This single is ably backed by a nice blend of great tunes and background yelps and hahs. That's not to say the album is perfect. "Baskets" and "Waiting" are a bit dull.

Pressure Chief is one of those records that you listen to and just feel good. The upbeat, disco tune "Carbon Monoxide" may cause you to get out of your chair and shake your money maker. My choice for best song, however, is "The End of the Movie" a quiet little banjo number. The accordeon solo makes me sit back and happily sigh. Pop music needs more accordeon.

The Prodigy--Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned

The Prodigy--Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned

This country has never really been able to fully accept techno music. It's mostly reserved for gay bars and car commercials. But in 1997 the music world was abuzz with the anticipation that all of that was going to change, thanks to a British act known as The Prodigy.

Liam Howlett and his band of dancers had been setting London dancefloors and music charts on fire since 1992. The Prodigy had managed to present itself more as a rock group than a geek behind a pair of turntables and with 1997's The Fat of the Land they were hoped to be the crossover act that would bring techno into the mainstream.

Thanks to the over-the-top image of creepy "Firestarter" Keith Flynt, The Prodigy became an MTV staple and brought along groups like The Chemical Brothers and The Crystal Method.

America's interest in "electronica" (a term coined so people didn't have to admit they listened to techno) was fleeting and Liam Howlett quietly fell off the face of the earth.

He's back, and to prove he means business, the new LP is titled Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned. With a title like that, it would seem that America would finally be conquered by the techno army. Not so.

Howlett has ditched the rest of the band, apparently to get back to his roots and to lose the hype. There is no doubt that all that is cool about The Prodigy is Howlett, so that in-and-of itself is not a problem. The letdown, however, is that Howlett just flat out fails to bring it--"it" meaning anything at all.

The album starts in attack mode with "Spitfire," the only decent track on the album. The rest of the record repetitively grinds along, headed nowhere. Howlett fails with a remake of "Lovebuzz" (made popular by early Nirvana) and even dares to take on Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Big mistake.

It's sad that we had to wait seven years for this record, I don't know who will be willing to wait another seven.

Green Day--American Idiot

 Green Day--American Idiot

Sometime around 1998 Green Day decided to become adults. Singer Billie Joe Armstrong was now a daddy and went through a phase where he thought maybe you can't be a punk forever. The band then released Warning, a toned-down, grown-up version of themselves.

After four adult years, Green Day has returned with something completely different. American Idiot is a full-on rock opera with tracks separated into movements.

Though the format has changed, the substance of the music has stayed the same. The bulk of the album is sneering, Green Day punk. By combining the punk with Warning-esque song writing and muscianship, Billie Joe and the boys are able to give the tunes a very theatrical feel.

Standout Tunes: Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, and Wake Me Up When September Ends

THE SKINNY: If you like Green Day and if you like rock operas, this one's for you, my friend. 

Jimmy Eat World--Futures

 Jimmy Eat World--Futures

It's been three long years since Jimmy Eat World hit the mainstream crowd with Bleed American. Though Futures is the band's fourth record, the popularity of Bleed American forced the band to face the challenge of overcoming the sophmore album slump. The band took their time on this record and it was worth the wait.

Futures is nothing new for Jimmy Eat World. The album does what their previous releases have already done--make you feel like you're floating somewhere, enjoying the wonders and heartaches of the teenage love that you may or may not have ever even had.

The album begins with the title track, a weak attempt at being political: "I hope for better in November," and "My darling, now's the time to disagree."

From that point forward, however, the album does not miss a beat--delivering the perfectly sweet harmonies and sing-along choruses. Mixed with the heartstring-tuggers is a rocker "Nothing Wrong" and a joyous "Jen." Without even listening, you find yourself singing along and getting lost in the music.

The tracks on this album are a bit longer, a la Clarity, but still sound just as tight as any track on Bleed American. It's a solid record from start to finish.

THE SKINNY: Good to the very last drop.

Taking Back Sunday--Where You Want to Be

 Taking Back Sunday--Where You Want to Be

By Tyler McHenry

Taking Back Sunday swept the emo world by storm with its debut “Tell All Your Friends” in 2002.  The band’s angry yet melodic style was a unique injection of creativity in an otherwise mundane genre.  Two years later, and with half of the band members replaced, one could only wonder how their latest album “Where You Want to Be” would turn out.  After one listen to the new album, it was apparent that TBS had written 11 more great tracks.

The band’s strength lies in lead and backup vocalists Adam Lazzara and Fred Mascherino respectively.  Mascherino has stepped right into the shoes of Shaun Cooper, whose presence isn’t even missed on the new production.  The new album also features a soft acoustic track entitled “New American Classic,” which goes to show that the band is more dynamic than first thought of.  While keeping their “sound” the same in essence, TBS has become tighter and more refined, which can be heard in “This Photograph is Proof” and “Little Devotional.”  Congratulations to TBS for creating another album whose songs will be sung in showers across America for the next two years. 

THE SKINNY: Music for showers

Stung Out - Exile in Oblivion

 Strung Out--Exile in Oblivion

First of all, Strung Out is the real deal. With their latest release, Exile in Oblivion, the So Cal veterans show the kids what punk music is all about. It's fast, hard, violent, political, angry.

Exile demonstrates that Strung Out are great at channeling their split personality, delivering melodic pop songs like "Swan Dive" one minute and then pulverizing listeners with hardcore rants like "Katatonia" the next.

While many early-90s punk units have disbanded (Face to Face) or have simply succumb to putting out sub-par records (Pennywise), Strung Out have taken a different approach. They don't tour endlessly and they taken a bit more time between releases. The result is songs that sound-if not exactly new-relevant, passionate and powerful.

Exile is strong from beginning to end, with less poppy tracks than the usual Strung Out record. However, "Anna Lee" and "The Misanthropic Effect" do fall into the sing-along category. "Analog" and "Blueprint of the Fall" give Strung Out fans everything they need.

Thank you, Strung Out, for again putting an album out that we can't listen to while our mother is in the car.

THE SKINNY: Hooray for Punk Rock Violence

Straylight Run

Straylight Run
Self-titled

Emo is all about broken hearts and love gone bad. Apparently in Taking Back Sunday’s case, the love went bad within the band as well. After the success of their first record Tell All Your Friends, band members John Noland and Shaun Cooper left after a bout of band members cheating on other band member’s sisters. (Be careful guys, this could turn into the emo version of Tupac vs. Biggie) Nolan and Cooper formed Straylight Run, which includes the sister in question on guitar and piano.

One would expect that Nolan’s songs with his new band would sound a lot like the material he co-wrote with TB but he takes a slightly different approach with Straylight. The overly dramatic, typical emo song titles are all there – “The Tension and the Terror,” “Existentialism on Prom Night” – but the screaming is not. Instead of shifting from pop/punk to screamo, Straylight heads the other direction – from pop/punk to super mellow.

This approach works for the most part. The album begins on a high point, the counter-intuitively titled opening track “The Perfect Ending.” At points the album gets a little boring, but if you like feeling like the world is falling apart you probably won't notice.

If Taking Back Sunday is the concert, Straylight Run is the music for the ride home.

Eminem - Encore

 Eminem

Encore

March 2006

All of the usual characters are back for Eminem’s latest full-length Encore– Kim, Hailie, Em’s mom Debbie, the dad he never knew and of course Dr. Dre.  New characters include his current or recent beefs – Benzino, Ja Rule and George Bush – and his guest appearances from his cash cow, 50 Cent.   

Eminem also brings back his apparently endless struggle between goofy Slim Shady and the overdramatic Marshal Mathers.  On Em’s last record The Eminem Show, he said, “People don’t want Marshal no more, they want Shady, I’m chopped liver.”  The success of 8 Mile and his grammy-winning “Just Lose Yourself” changed that.  Suddenly, Eminem wasn’t the foolish, sexist, homophobe that everyone loved to hate.  He was the media darling who was making serious music that everyone couldn’t help but love. 

He tries to change that on this record.  The ridiculous first single “Just Lose It” pokes fun at the easiest of all targets – Michael Jackson and Pee Wee Herman.   Eminem also goes to great lengths to prove he still is a homophobe.  The great disappointment of this album isn’t that Eminem refuses to grow up, it’s that the Slim Shady character’s immaturity bleeds over into possibly-really-good Marshal tracks such as “My First Single” and “Puke.” 

Eminem is at his best when he finds middle ground between the two characters.  Far and away the best track of the album “Encore,” combines catchy beats with a serious rap style.  It also proves that Dr. Dre still drops hits and that while featuring 50 Cent in a song gets airplay, it doesn’t really make the song much better. 

Only a few album tracks made it on to my iPod:

Evil Deeds, Yellowbrick Road, Like Toy Soldiers, One Shot Two Shot, Mockingbird, Encore

Raves: Kurt Cobain

 All in All is All We All Are:

Looking Back on Kurt Cobain

by Pat Barnum

Of all the things that can be said of Kurt Cobain, above all, he articulated the despair and anguish of his generation.  While everyone shies away from "generational spokesman" labels, there is no getting around that the essence of Nirvana's music was despair and that it struck a universal chord with America's youth.  Whether Kurt knew it or not (and he likely didn't), his band's 1991 arrival into the mainstream was huge because, as with the 1964 Beatles, it happened to be perfectly in tune with the national mood.   

Perhaps the greatest musical tribute that can be made to Kurt Cobain is that, like 9-11 and the Civil War, contemporary rock is now viewed in terms of before-Nirvana and after-Nirvana.  Their early-90's arrival was rock 'n' roll's watershed moment of today's generation.  Before Nirvana, alternative rock truly was the alternative; since Nirvana, "alternative" has become mainstream, and mainstream rock as we knew it ceased to exist. 

Kurt Cobain turned not only music, but pop culture itself, on its head.  Who can erase the image of the exasperated, blond-haired punk rocker ("Smells Like Teen Spirit" video) invading the high school basketball game; the band whose subversive, ominous drone had the effect of exposing Mr. Popular as the pretentious fraud he was.  Kurt Cobain held no secrets, and to listen to Nirvana was to hear a soul unveiled: rage, apology, tenderness, hopelessness, and no messing around.  Fans did not listen to Nirvana to "rock out." They listened to look into a mirror, to self-medicate.  Kurt was also the pioneer of self-deprecation with Radiohead's "Creep," Beck's "I'm a Loser Baby," and other pop icons following the lead. 

Cobain obliterated the rock scene as we knew it and enabled a whole new (and better, I might add) world to develop.  In this way, he did not simply change music, he changed the music market.  Virtually all important acts since then, from Weezer to Tool;  Smashing Pumpkinsto Linkin Park; and even The Dave Matthews Band to the "pop punk" movement, owe their success to the change Nirvana wrought on the musical landscape. 

Amazingly, Kurt Cobain brought about a rock 'n' roll philosophy which was the complete opposite of the one that preceded him.  As we all know, the 80's was the golden era of the macho-hedonistic-glutton rock championed by Motley Crue, Guns 'n' Roses and Bon Jovi.  Then comes this introspective, politically conscious, highly aggressive sound from Seattle, rendering the hair bands - quite literally overnight - as obsolete as the tape cassettes they made their millions with.   Nirvana, in the tradition of the Beatles, Led Zepplin, and Pink Floyd, made rock 'n' roll a thinking affair again.  They rescued us from the hair bands.

It seems to me we should regard Kurt Cobain as we would a favorite drink.  That drink is delectably good, full-spunk with flavor, and makes us feel so good inside.  But we know that if we get too close, too familiar with its magic, there is danger.  The problem with Kurt Cobain was that he meant what he said when he wrote the song "I Hate Myself and I Want to Die."  You can't listen to his music without hearing your own dangerous songs.  Unfortunately he got too close to his songs, and we are left to lament his loss. 

Su-Tang 3000 - Hover Low EP

Sutherland Manifesto
Hover Low EP

The first official review of the new EP. Not very objective since it's by my good friend Pat Barnum, but hey, I'll take it!

Spencer! Your debut release!! Congratulations on getting it wrapped up. Sorry I've been so slow in responding on it. More than any comments I might have on the songs, I want to tell you I'm inspired by your focus/passion in making it all happen. You are a genuine artist!

My basic reaction was that while you showcase an impressive variety of musical genres, your sound is original. That's why I say you're a genuine artist: good art unconsciously gathers the best of what's preceded it, only to assert its own voice. I hope I don't sound too cheezy in saying that, but I really mean it. I sense that it is so easy, as far as the music scene goes, to imitate a prevalant sound, to latch onto what's working. But it requires discipline and some bravery to ignore it all, and sing your song. So there's my soapbox.

My favorite is "Record Store." Playful, bouncy, slick, all the while with the sendimental catchiness underneath. I love the Ace of Base ref. And the 20 dollar bill. The windows down, aimless drives, and the CD's that never let down--a sendiment that strikes a chord with me!

And "Airport Song!" Maybe it is my favorite. Two things: it has the most personal, meaning-filled touch of all the tunes, and it captures your unique ability to combine elements of techno and punk. Spencer, that is what makes you you! How many people can melt punk and techno into an appealing sound of their own? I don't know of many. They are rather opposing

genres, and that you can pull it off is impressive.

Yeah, techno is an interesting thing for me...Traditionally I am slightly antagonistic toward it yet on the other hand I've recently found myself quite intrigued with it, at least as a component of a wider sound. It's grown on me more since Radiohead incorporated it in a significant way (via Kid A and Amnesiac).

That said, I enjoyed "fly high, hover low (or is it just the unnamed title track?)" and "mad mad city." For me, techno does something to your mind as opposed to being conventional listening material. And I would describe the effect of "hover low" as being warm. And massaging. Techno is very interesting. I'm curious as to what inspired "mad city," or which particular city it may be. But it has nice, sleek sound to it.

Well, I think that about does it for me. What can I say, su-tang 3-thou, but great job? Seriously Spencer, I am happy you've able to finish everything up, and I'm sure it feels good to have the big job done. It was "the bomb-diggitty" indeed!!

Iron & Wine - Woman King

 Iron & Wine

Woman King EP

Beautiful. Start to finish. This six song EP feels like a full album because every song is so incredibly good. Iron & Wine everything-man Sam Beane starts off with the haunting title track, a vision of a sword-wielding woman king and continues through the EP with the urgency of vigilante justice.

Things soften up for the pretty "Jezebel" and rainy-day "Gray Stables before the foot stomping, saloon rockin' "Freedom Hangs Like Heaven." It feels like the intro the old western, dusty dual about to take place outside the front door.

"My Lady's House" is the type of love song that makes your heart feel heavy and utterly worn out by the time it's over. No rest for the weary or for the lovelorn as Beane's last track is a battle hymn of dualing distorted guitars and angry violins.

Who needs an LP when you can say it all in six songs?

Styrofoam - Nothing's Lost

 Styrofoam

nothing's lost 

Apparently Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard can't get enough of working with electronic artists. After doing The Postal Service he co-wrote three songs for Styrofoam's (Belgian DJ Arne van Petegem) fourth album nothing's lost. Because The Postal Service was so good I decided I better check out Styrofoam. I am very happy that I did.

Nothing's Lost is 42 minutes of dreaming and floating. The real strength of the album is the seemlessness of the arrangements. Though there are different vocalists on almost each track, they are all similar enough that you don't even notice. More importantly, none of them try to steal the show. The vocals blend in so well that they became just another instrument in the mosaic of sound.

About half way through the record, Van Petegem reaches soaring altitude and never comes back down. He dips from the disco-love of Andrew Kenny's vocals on "Front to Back," down to the hypnotic "Safe + Broken" and back up again to the poppy "Anything."

This album is perfect for those times when you just want to check out of reality for a little while.

Hot Hot Heat - Elevator

 Hot Hot Heat

Elevator

When I got a hold of Hot Hot Heat's Make Up the Breakdown in 2002, I absolutely could not get enough. These Canucks were on the front-end of the Cure-influenced dance pop punk craze and their bouncy numbers literally forced me to get out of my seat and jump around, jump around.

Elevator just doesn't do that for me. On the surface, these new songs are similar to the old ones - dancy, guitar pop and Steve Bays unique vocal style - but are definitely missing some elements. Make Up was driven by incredibly creative guitar work, combined with rad organ solos and driving synthesizers. The guitar just doesn't have the same impact on this one (There must have been some issues there, since guitarist Dante DeCaro has now left the band), and where in the world is the organ?

This album is not a complete throw-away. There are a few very solid tracks - "Island of the Honest Man," "Dirty Mouth" and "Shame on You" are all very good. This album would have made a great 4-song EP.

Millencolin - Kingwood

Millencolin
Kingwood  Everyone has "their band" - you know, the band you say when someone asks you what kind of music you're into. Since 1997, mine has been Millencolin, everyone's favorite Swedish pop punks. When a band is that important to your own musical identity, it's scary when they stop putting out good music. Three years ago, I had a little panic attack when the band released its 5th album, Home from Home. While it wasn't a bad album, I didn't like the new "rock" direction I and started worrying that it was the beginning of the end. They're back with a new album and here's what they have to say about it: Kingwood is an album both looking forward and backwards; Forward in the sense that the band is continuing to develop the more rock-oriented side of the band, as heard on the latest album Home From Home…Backwards, as in hitting it harder, tougher and faster than in many years. I tore the shrink rap around Kingwood with trepidation, hoping that it wouldn't be a disappointment. Here's my thoughts: It is clear that the band is consciously trying to maintain a very punk rock intensity. The album starts off with the in-your-face "Farewell My Hell." The band even makes their first attempt at a gutter punk singalong "Cash or Clash" (Unfortunately, this is a not a good sound for them. It's too bad that they put this song so high on the tracklist.) Millencolin is at is best when combining fast, tough punk with big, undeniable harmonies. "Biftek Supernova" is a perfect example and by far the best Kingwood number. ("Biftek" and "Simple Twist of Hate" are the only really fast tracks on the album.) Their second-strongest move is the happy, poppy tune. "Ray" and "Mooseman's Jukebox" fill this niche nicely. The rest of the tracks fall into the slower, deliberate style that the band has been developing since Pennybridge Pioneers (think "Duckpond," "Penguins & Polar Bears). Though this isn't Millencolin's best record, it's solid. it's enough to make me feel that they can still rock and I can confidently keep them at top of the my "favorite bands" list.

Ben Folds - Songs for Silverman

Ben Folds
Songs For Silverman "The old bastard left his ties and a suit…Pretty soon you'll be an old bastard too." Well, an album can't start out much better than that. Unfortunately "Bastard," much like the the rest of Songs for Silverman, Ben Folds' second full album since the Ben Folds Five disbanded, can't quite hold the momentum. It's often hit and miss with Ben Folds. It seems like every-other record he puts out is good. The Unauthorized Biography was a dud, Rockin the Suburbs was a classic and Songs for Silverman struggles. The album alternates between beautiful quiet numbers like "Jesusland" (the records' best track) and b-side worthy 70s throwback numbers like "Give Judy My Notice" and "Sentimental Guy" that I swear I heard on that Sesame Street skit where the little boy learns to brush his teeth. The album is void of any solid upbeat tracks and all of the good soft tracks ("Trusted," "Late") seem to be sandwiched between songs better skipped over. My money's on Ben's next album being a knockout.

Weezer Make Believe

 Weezer

Make Believe

Weezer’s new record: a masterpiece or a piece of crap? The critics are divided!

It’s been interesting to read the different reactions and reviews about Make Believe. Rock dinosaurs Rolling Stone magazine gave the album 4 out of 5 stars (translation: basically the best thing out there) and hipster website Pitchfork gave it a rating of 0.4 out of 10 (translation: worse than the worst). Whom should we trust?

Let me take a stab at it. It’s easy for anyone who’s heard the first single, “Beverly Hills,” to know that the Rolling Stone review is still trying to make up for the fact that they gave Pinkerton such bad reviews when it first came out. “Beverly Hills” was a bad idea. You could hear Weezer fans everywhere were screaming, “We waited three years for this?” I think Pitchfork personally got their feelings hurt by the song’s crappiness.

However, if you can get past that song, and more importantly (and more difficult to do), you can get past what you think a Weezer album is supposed to sound like, you’ll be okay with this record. It’s mostly a collection of soft, mid-tempo songs about heartbreaks. It is most comparable to the Green Album in that on paper the lyrics may seem blue, but the sincerity and emotion seem to be missing. “The Damage in Your Heart” seems to be the closest thing to heartfelt.

At times however, it seems like Rivers Cuomo can’t even fake interest in the words. The chorus of “Best Friend"

“You are my best friend
And I love you, and I love you”
Yes I do”

From “Pardon me”

"I may not be a perfect soul
But I can learn self control"

After 12 years in the game, is this the best Rivers can do?

Despite a few slip-ups, (and since this album has 12 tracks instead of the usual 10, maybe that’s okay) this is a decent album. Between Pitchfork’s 0.4 and Rolling Stones 4, I'll give Make Believe 2.5 stars out of 5.

Weezer Album Ranking (Best to worst)

1. Pinkerton
2. Blue Album
3. Green Album
4. Make Believe
5. Maladroit (Who ever listens to this record?)

Headphones The Velvet Room

 Headphones

The Velvet Room
June 9

“This is the night where the bar doesn’t make any money,”  Opening act Crystal Skulls welcomed the very small crowd – small meaning about a dozen people - to The Velvet Room on June 9. 

I was excited to see the headliner, Headphones, a Pedro the Lion side project composed of David Bazan and TW Walsh.  Only mildly impressed by their only full-length release, I was attracted by the novelty of seeing Headphones on what I figured may be their one and only tour. 

The show was short; the two bands combined didn’t play more than an hour.  Normally I would feel slighted by shelling out $12 to her a band play eight songs, but I left the Velvet Room feeling very content.   

They seemed to have a sense of humor about the small crowd, “We’re going to go on another tour in the Fall if we can open for a band that might draw more of a crowd,” said David Bazan with a smile.     

Despite the simplicity of the setup - David sitting behind the keyboard, singing and TW manning the drums – the songs sounded much better live than on the album.  Unlike the album, Bazan’s vocals weren’t lost in the mix and when the low-end of the organ kicked in it really filled up the sparsely populated room. 

The band played 8 of its 10 album tracks. The highlight was “Gas and Matches,” which shook both my chair and my chest.  “Slow Car Crash” was eerie and beautiful and the non-album track “5 Chord” was so good that I gave in and paid 99 cents to buy it from iTunes.   

My first exposure to the opening act, The Crystal Skulls, was also positive.  They had an interesting Maroon 5-covers-Frank Sinatra vibe.  One of the best opening bands I’ve heard in a while.   

Heater

Curtis at the plate, loading up for the pitch.

Mound Visit

I love when Tate and Juliano huddle up on the mound.

Rain Delay

How do you stay warm during a 90-minute torrential downpour? Huddle up in the dugout. #baseballlife

So Fresh and So Clean

Tate got baptized today. He giggled through the whole thing. 😂

11

11 years of Curt, Curd, Curb, and Curtis.

Beauty

My favorite dancing feather duster. Props to Paige for months of hard work and six great nights of Beauty and the Beast at her junior high. 🌹

The Bump

Baseball is back. This year, with Tate on the hill. ⚾️

Halloweeners

Winnie the Pooh, Charlie Blackmon, and the Ref.

Football guy

Too smoky outside for a flag football game, but you can never cancel picture day. 🏈

Despite all my rage

Twenty-two years since I last saw @smashingpumpkins. The three-hour set was probably an hour longer than I needed, but if that’s how you get Drown, Mayonaise, and Thirty Three, I won’t complain. And The visuals were flat out AMAZING. (Plus, I got to hang out with Kaleb and Tim.)

Rodeo (King and) Queen

Gettin’ our rodeo on.🐴

Buh-bye Lie-berry

After 20 years, this lady just completed her final shift at the Murray Library. Cheers to a great career!

High Times: The Sutherlands Go to Denver

The Sutherlands' love of baseball is at all-time high (the Sutherland boys at least. Paige and Traci both find baseball excruciatingly long and boring, which isn't exactly untrue). So I decided the best thing to do was to watch some more of it.

The day after school let out for the summer, we packed up the minivan and headed to Denver to go watch a couple of Colorado Rockies games.

Sixth Grade Graduate

Congrats to our 6th grade graduate! Paige has certainly made the most of her elementary school years. School musicals and plays, debate team, history fair, future problem solvers, student council, library crew (just like her mom). Let’s see if junior high can handle this talented pre-teen.

Swing Batter, Batter, Swing

Big game for Tater. Hit a triple. Stole home a few times. Got a runner out at first. ⚾️ #baseballlife #tatersgonnatate

Curtis Turns 10

Today’s the big day, the culmination of a what Curtis has dubbed “A decade of Curd.” Happy 10th to our Green Kangaroo.

Gone Afoul

No one believed me.  No one. But my confidence could not be shaken. 

I told the kids today was the day I would catch a foul ball. 

“You always say that, Dad.”

Well, I do always say that. But this time I meant it. 

It was a quintessential spring day in Utah. Ice cold in the morning — we just about froze to death during Curd’s 8:00 am soccer game — and gorgeous in the afternoon. 

A perfect day for a Utes baseball game with Grandma and Grandpa. 

At first pitch, there were only about 200 people in the 14,000-seat stadium. 

Which meant Curtis, Tate, and I could each sit in our own section, separated by hundreds of seats. 

To increase your chances of snagging a foul ball, it’s best to spread out. 

(To decrease the likelihood of your kids driving you nuts, it’s also a good idea to separate.)

In the second inning, I made good on my promise. 

O ye children of little faith. 

Only God Can Judge Me

Best thing about going to church? Rockin’ these Tupac socks, complete with tieable bandanas.

Thanks to my friend Liz for the fantastic gift. 

It's Good to be Seven

Our littlest guy isn't so little anymore. Tate just turned the big 0-7.

And I don't think he could have had a better day. 

He got a brand new bathrobe — the perfect gift for a kid who wears pajamas every minute that he's home.

He spent hours playing with his new Football Guys, lining up plastic linemen and defensive backs, repositioning running backs, and making sure the referee was where he needed to be.

He went out to a fancy a lunch at Arby's.

He went to Play it Again Sports and tried on umpire masks and hockey goalie sticks.

He found a $1 copy of Madden 2012 for the Xbox at the D.I.

And he spent his evening at his happy place: the Maverik Center, watching the Utah Grizzlies.

The simple joys of being seven. 

Photographing the Photographer

Spring Training

Tate. Getting ready for the new season. Let the games begin. ⚾️

The Sutherlands go to Disney World

The last time we went to Disneyland, I told Traci it would be probably be the last time we went to Disneyland.

Not only is it incredibly expensive, but you only get so many family vacations. Why would you want to spend all of them in the same place?

But then I got invited to speak at a social media conference at Disney World.

Sooo….

Here are some thoughts on our first (and probably last) trip to Disney World.

On getting through TSA with three kids

You know what’s kinda stressful? Buying plane tickets for your wife and kids with credit card points. You save money on the flight but your seats aren’t assigned until you check in the day before.

And then you find out that your wife and kids are scattered all across the plane for a four-hour flight. So you get to the airport early so you can get to the gate early and pray that they’ll be able to move you around so you can at least sit by your six-year-old.

But then the check-in lines are mega long and the TSA lines are even longer. And when you get to the front of the TSA line, with millions of people behind you, and your wife’s Delta app with her boarding pass and all of the kids’ boarding passes crashes and won’t reopen, and you have to leave the line to go print out physical boarding passes, and then you sneak back through the handicapped aisle so you don’t have to wait in line again, and then you get back to the TSA person, and you realize you left one of the boarding passes on the printer, and you have to go back AGAIN, and come back AGAIN — all before you actually go through the horror that is the TSA screening — that’s kinda stressful.

But we made it through.

On miracles

The flight was full, but the angel gate attendant was able to get me moved by Tate. Traci was a row in front of Curtis and Paige was an aisle and a few seats away from Traci. But Curtis, our anxious Curtis, was not very happy about sitting on his own row — even if Mom was within reaching distance. He was very nervous.

And then the miracle. Right as we were about to step off the jetway and into the plane, that same gate attendant scooted past everyone in line and told us they were able to move some things around and get Traci right next to Curtis.

Crisis averted.

On epic meltdowns



We survived the airport, we survived the flight, we made it to the hotel. Everyone was in good spirits. One more sleep and then it was time for Epcot.

And that’s when the wheels came off.

The plan was to get up and get going early — me to my presentation, Traci to Epcot with the kids. But plans were no match for Tate. He got up, got dressed and then flatly refused to go to Epcot. He would not budge.

There was kicking and hitting and screaming. And lots of crying (by just about everyone in the family). But there was no moving.

“I’M. NOT. GOING. TO DISNEY WORLD!!!”

And no amount of bribery, threats, pleading or shouting was going to change that. So there we were, 2,300 miles from home — and a four-minute walk from Epcot — and we were stuck in the hotel, held hostage by a six year old.

“Well, I’ve gotta go give my presentation,” I said to Traci. “Good luck.”

(Worst father/husband ever.)

On negotiations

I went to my conference early to make sure all of the A/V was set up and running right. After I got that all locked down, I texted Traci.

“Did you make it to the park?”

“No. Still in the hotel.”

No bueno.

I texted her again a half hour later.

“Any luck?”

“We’re walking there now.”

“How’d you get him to change his mind?”

“I told him that if he didn’t leave the room, I would call hotel security and they would take him away.”

Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.

“And he said he’d only go if he didn’t have to wear socks.”

Tate. The master negotiator.

On speaking at a social media conference 

.@ThinkBluePR - if anyone at our #ragandisney lunch table joined me at @Spencer_CHG’s presentation, they wouldn’t be disappointed. Lots of 80s and 90s music references. pic.twitter.com/7bNpPITgmQ

— Jeremy Warnick (@jaywarnick) March 15, 2018

Knowing the family was happily in the park made it easier to concentrate on my presentation.

Despite my usual pre-show nerves, things went smoothly. The videos worked. People laughed at my jokes and tweeted nice things about me.

They liked the prizes I gave away. The anime Backstreet Boys toys from the Burger King kids’ meal were a hit. The Ariana Grande perfume was well received and, despite some troubles with the batteries, the stuffed alligator danced and sang to Flo Rida’s Low, just like it was supposed to.

This little guy is excited to make an appearance at my social media presentation at #RaganDisney next week! @RaganComms @CHGHealthcare pic.twitter.com/MoAPTvdSzX

— Spencer Sutherland (@Spencer_CHG) March 9, 2018

On Disneyland vs. Disney World



In California, you’ve got two parks — Disneyland and California Adventure. You can get through all of Disneyland in a day — maybe a day-and-a-half if you want to hit everything and ride some of your favorites a second time. California Adventure, though cooler in my opinion, can easily be done in a day or less. If you hustle, you can knock out your California trip in two days. Three is perfect. Four seems like overkill.

There are four parks in Disney World — Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios , Epcot, and Animal Kingdom. Our plan was to spend one day in each.

Magic Kingdom is a slightly smaller version of Disneyland. You’ve got Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Railroad, Small World, etc., but no Indiana Jones ride or Star Tours (which is at Hollywood Studios). It also has the Hall of Presidents — which, for some reason, Curtis was really excited about. Rating: Pretty Good.

Hollywood Studios is like a smaller California Adventure. It’s got Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, and the Aerosmith Rock’n’ Rollercoaster (which is like California Screamin, except it’s all inside and filled with Aerosmith stuff.) No Cars Land, which is a real bummer. We did everything we wanted to do by noon. Rating: Okay.



I only spent a few hours at Epcot after my conference. They have Test Track, which is a different spin on Radiator Springs and a Frozen Ride that means nothing to six and nine-year-old boys. They have lots of beers, which means nothing to Mormon parents. Rating: Could easily be skipped all together.



So, if you’re comparing California to these three parks in Florida, California wins hands down.

But when you throw in Animal Kingdom...

On Animal Kingdom



Animal Kingdom is rad. It’s not just a rehash of the other parks. It’s a completely different park altogether.



We loved seeing all the animals on the Kilimanjaro Safari and the zoo was great, too. The kids loved Primeval Whirl (it was too spinny for my taste) and the Dinosaur ride was pretty good.



Our favorite was Expedition Everest. We rode it FIVE TIMES. On our first ride, Tate and I were in the front seat and I probably screamed louder than anyone. It was scary awesome.

If we were to come back to Florida, we’d start with Animal Kingdom (and skip Epcot entirely).

Rating: Best of the bunch.

On standing in line



All of our Disneyland trips have been in October or November when the park’s a little less crowded. Disney World in March is not ideal, especially when half the country is on spring break.

If we got to the park right when it opened — which isn’t easy when your body is still on pre-daylight savings Mountain time — we could do few rides without much waiting. But by about noon, just about every ride had a 60-90 wait. Thanks to fastpasses, we were able avoid a lot of the lines but sometimes the waiting was inevitable.

Like when we wanted to go on Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom.

We couldn’t get a fastpass, and no matter the time of day it was a two-and-a-half hour wait.

It couldn’t really take that long, could it? It could. And it did.

Two hours, walking and standing in room after room after room. But we had to keep going because 1) Everyone told us it was the best ride in all of Disney World 2) It probably would have taken us a half hour just to get back out.

So we played the charades game on the iPhone. We ate treats. I imagined what it would happen if there was a natural disaster and we were stuck inside that infernal place.

But somehow we eventually made it to the front of the three-minute ride. Was it worth the wait?

It was a virtual reality ride, where you move back and forth as you stare at the enormous screen. It was supposed to make you feel like you were flying. Mostly it made me feel like I was going to throw up. The kids all said it was their favorite ride, so I guess it was worth it.

But all that waiting gets to you. Tate generally thought the best place to rest was on top of his sister. She was not amused.

On eating at Disney World

Because the conference was at the Disney Yacht Club, we stayed at a Disney hotel for our first time.
The Disney shuttle took us to the hotel and the Disney bus (or boat) took us to the parks, so there was no need for a car.

Ditching a car takes away so much stress. No waiting in line for a rental car. No forgetting to fill it up before bringing it back. No fretting that when you drop it off they’re going to discover some imaginary defect that they’re going to charge you for.

The only problem was when it came to eating. Whether you’re in the park or at the resort, the food has one thing in common: the cost. The exorbitant, excruciating cost. And since the resort is basically it’s own world, you would have to walk miles to find a non-Disney restaurant.

Enter UberEats. For a $5 surcharge plus a tip, we were able to bring in lukewarm dinner from the outside world. It felt like smuggling. But it was a lifesaver after eating hamburgers and chicken nuggets for four nights in row.

On Cicis Pizza

I’m always intrigued by fast food joints that don’t exist in Utah. I’ve seen ads for Cicis Pizza for years (I always wonder who’s managing their ad spend. Clearly they shouldn’t be advertising in the Beehive State, when they don’t have stores here) and now was chance to finally try it! Thanks to UberEats, I now know that Cicis costs about as much as Li’l Caesars but is more flimsy and soggy.

On Ponchos

Curtis is very particular. He’ll wear flip flops but doesn’t ever want them to get wet. He doesn’t like the beach because he doesn’t like sand touching his feet. And he’s scared of pretty much everything. This combination has resulted in a number of challenges, including his refusal to go on any water-based amusement park rides.

But we really wanted to go on Splash Mountain.

The solution to this quandary? Incredibly (or rather, gouging-ly) expensive ponchos. How much does it cost to buy Disney World ponchos for a family of five? $20? Higher. $25? Higher. $50? Ding, ding, ding. But they’re not price gouging. An adult poncho is $10. But, thanks to the kind hearts at the Disney corporation, you can get a kid-sized poncho for just $9. The only problem is that kid-sized really means infant-sized — they’re recommended for ages 5 and under.

But it did the trick. Curtis put on the poncho and we got in line. In solidarity (and to get my money’s worth), I put mine on, too.



The irony was that we didn’t really need them. Traci’s face took the brunt of the splash — leaving Curtis and me bone dry. (She didn’t think she’d need a poncho.)

But these were not one-time use ponchos. We took them to the Animal Kingdom Kali River Rapids ride as well — where we were planning to get really wet.  We got in the raft, fully encased in our plastic curtains, ready to laugh in the face of the oncoming water.

Oh, but nature had the last laugh.

The first splash went right past Traci’s poncho, straight down her socks and into shoes. The same splash hit me like a guided missile, dodging my poncho and finding its way down the back of my shorts. Paige was equally drenched. (The boys, somehow, remained dry.)

I felt just like Radioactive Man, when he was trapped in the river of acid. “The goggles poncho, it does nothing!”

On flying back home



Despite the rough beginning, we had a really good trip. And getting home was much easier than getting there — the flight had more empty seats and we all got to sit together. Paige got to watch Wonder Woman. I got to watch the Simpsons. Curtis ate an enormous bag of Skittles. Traci read a book and Tate fell asleep.

Tate fell asleep? Uh-oh. When Tate falls asleep on a bumpy flight or windy trip in the car, he tends to barf when he wakes up.

And this time was no different. Right as we touched down, he threw up. Luckily, Curtis happened to be   playing with the barf bag, so Traci was able to catch most of it with the bag. The rest she caught with herself. Ah, motherhood.

It feels good to be back home.