Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Stadium Arcadium"
Good album. The Chili Peppers, for being a band full of white guys, can lay down some serious funk grooves. Maybe two discs a little bit overkill, but great overall.
Paul Simon - "Surprise"
I gotta listen to this some more before weighing judgement. One listen while at work didn't really help. But from what I heard, it's a great album. Definitely sounds like a traditional Paul Simon album decorated with the sonic ticks and tweaks from Brian Eno. Manages to pull a standard Simon album into new territory, like Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints. (When I picked this CD up, my wife thought Paul had recorded an album full of nursery rhymes because of the baby on the cover).
Pearl Jam
A great return for this band. I managed to keep up with them through "Yield", but lost interest as the band starting getting more interested in their own sonic noodlings than in writing good songs. This album amps the rock and volume back up and has some good, solid songs. Not as good as Ten, or Vs., or Vitology, but the best one in a long time.
John Lennon - "Live Peace In Toronto"
This is one half good album and one half challenging album. The live tracks from Lennon (with a backup band that included Eric Clapton) are loose, raw, and fun. The live tracks from Yoko Ono are challenging. It definitely supports the argument that she was a trailblazer for the avant garde, but what in the hell made her think to caterwaul and shriek through a ten minute song??
Gerry Mulligan - "Gerry Mulligan Meets Scott Hamilton: Soft Lights & Sweet Music"
Good jazz. Nothing special. Nothing remarkable. But not bad either. Very straightforward, enjoyable session. Great addition for Mulligan fans.
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