Category Archives: Music

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Feb 17

Sick Puppies: Hot Band of the Month

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I’m a consumer of music in the way that my rottweiler is a consumer of Kibbles ‘n Bits canned dog food: I devour it, keep just a little bit, and leave the rest of it in the front yard (typically right where guests walk when coming to the door, causing me to say things like “watch our for land mines”).

I consider it good fortune when I land upon a band whose nutritional value doesn’t land them in the yard, and right now I’m on cloud nine. That’s right, the Sick Puppies’ Dressed Up As Life gets it done for me. These guys – hailing from Australia – are/were big fans of Silverchair (the other token Australian superstar group)…which immediately makes them cool.

Give this album a few listens, and you’ll find yourself rocking your stockings. Here’s my breakdown, track by track:

  • My World – a great way to open the album, with a hard-hitting chorus and some uber-sensitive lyrics about loneliness
  • Pitiful – this chorus has some amazing falsetto thrown in the mix, and when coupled with the rocking, fuzzy nature elsewhere, is unstoppable
  • Cancer – my second favorite chorus on this album, and the best transitional guitar riff this side of the Great Choral Reff
  • What Are You Looking For – another catchy chorus, solid verses, well-crafted filler song
  • Deliverance – rock it; If you don’t like balls in your music, pass on this one.
  • All The Same – the token power anthem, and one hell of a song. I find myself belting out the words to this song at maximum volume, every time
  • Too Many Words – another solid filler song; good chorus, great intro riff, fun head bopping
  • Howard’s Tale – great bass riff, and a wonderful tempo change between the bridge and the chorus
  • Asshole Father – the song that will catch you off guard; it starts soft and beautiful, and catapults into an aggressive chorus that actually uses the word “asshole”…gasp
  • Issues – this is the low end of the album; I just can’t get into this…the main riff is a let down, and the song just doesn’t get going for me
  • Anywhere But Here – sing along in the beginning, then get ready to throw down; big hits, great transitions
  • The Bottom – here’s where the band messes around for a while; it’s fun to listen to, and will grow on you after the first two or three go arounds

If you’re bored, I’d encourage you to go check these guys out on YouTube. They’re fun to watch, their music is top notch, and they have a chick bassist. What could be cooler than that?

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Jan 28

Announcing Turnip Soup!

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I’ve been talking about starting up a podcast for far too long…and the time has come to make good on that promise.

So, it’s with great fanfare that I announce our new podcast: Turnip Soup. Turnip Soup is a weekly podcast where my buddies and I will talk about the sorts of things that show up here on Turnipville (and occasionally something you might find at Martini Geek). In other words, we’re going to put our usual hilarious spin on odd news stories, sports, tech, and whatever else might pop up during the show.

We’ve set up a command center, of sorts, over at Turnip Network. There, you’ll find subscription links for all of your favorite podcatchers, including iTunes and Odeo.

We’ve also thrown some flash-based players in the mix so that you can listen to the latest show without having to download anything.

For your convenience, here are some quick links to get you into the fray.

  • Apple computers: itunes 1click subscribe
  • Windows: iTunes 1-click subscribe
  • Add Turnip Soup to ODEO
  • Add to Google
  • Subscribe in podnova

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Jan 06

Dear KMart: Take my music!

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I had the unique pleasure of visiting our local KMart twice today: once for a small TV for my office, and again for a 6′ ladder. Both times that I visited the store, I heard either Paula Abdul or Debbie Gibson on the store radio system.

In today’s world, this is simply unacceptable.

Don’t get me wrong, I liked Paula Abdul when I was in fourth grade. We all did. We all wanted to the be the “Cold-Hearted Snake” that she sung/danced about. But those times are gone, and it bothers me when I see that sixty-something guy tapping his cart handle to “Forever Your Girl.”

Therefore, I offer KMart my entire music collection. If someone from Corporate will contact me, I’ll be happy to filter out the explicit albums, and provide you with several DVD’s full of music…so that we patrons don’t have to endure a flashback without booze and karaoke.

I can be reached via this website; please click Contact - in the top menu.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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Jan 02

Daughtry: I don’t care what you say, this rocks

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5 out of 5 Turnips

I know it’s not fashionable to like musicians from American Idol. I also know that my contemporaries would scold me for having playlists that contain Dropkick Murphys, Escape The Fate, Pinback and Daughtry…

..but I just don’t care. Chris Daughtry’s freshman effort after being prematurely booted from last season’s Idol is fantastic.

The internet’s been abuzz with accusations of Daughtry being a Nickelback/3 Doors Down clone, but that’s complete hogwash. As a self-admitted die-hard Nickelback fan, I can say that there are “moments” where Chris and Chad sound alike…but they’re few and far between. And while I like 3 Doors Down, they don’t compare: every song on the Daughtry album is hot.

Most impressive for me is what Chris Daughtry didn’t do with this album: sell out. Not being one to sling around the term “sell out” when a band becomes successful, I’m unable to restrain my usage of the term when referring to Bo Bice, Gwen Stefani and (sadly) Hoobastank. All three of them used to rock my socks (granted, Bo did it on Idol…but he was cool then), and all three of them are now owners of some seriously shitty radio-written albums. Daughtry didn’t do any of that jazz. He sings his ass off with four dudes who are clearly into rock.

I love it, and here are my highlights:

  • “There and Back Again” rocks my ass. The hook Chris busts out in the chorus sits just behind my frontal lobe all day long.
  • “Breakdown” beautifully displays why he should have been last year’s American Idol. His falsetto in the first chorus is top notch.
  • Prediction: “Home” will be the parting song on American Idol in future seasons: I’m goin’ home, to the place where I belong; where your love has always been enough for me. I’m runnin’ from, I think you got me all wrong; I don’t regret the life you chose for me. These places and these faces are growin’ old…I’m goin’ home.
  • Rolling Stone says his lyrics are too sappy, and they lambast the album on account of it. The lyrics are sappy, but you forget to notice that as you’re slamming the steering wheel and belting out on I15 south.

Without question, Daughtry has become the most-played album in my house. My wife, my daughter, my dogs, and our Christmas tree all love (or, loved – in the case of the tree) this album. Go get it.

Update: Check this video for some footage of Chris talking about the very sell out/success issue from above.

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