Bring on the tunes

If I don't have the radio on, music going on the computer, cd's playing in the car or my iPod stuck in my ear, I am probably dead.

I was raised around varied music and I was even a self-taught band fag once upon a time. Maybe music is in my blood-I have an ear for that plus I can read music. I am even teaching myself how to play the acoustic guitar. Singing not so much!

To say I have one favorite band, song, artist or otherwise would be untrue. There is no way I could narrow down to one with all the broad genres out there. Besides, it probably depends greatly on my mood. I might kick back with Tom Petty or party with Kid Rock.

I have to say, I am slightly disappointed by today's country sound. Most country music teeters on the edge of depressing, and I since I can only tolerate a miniscule percentage of the women performers in that spectrum, my choices are limited. Men (and lesbians perhaps) might enjoy the eye candy but I want something good to listen to, whether or not the girl is half-naked with a banging bod. Then again, it is sex that sells, right? This is not to say I am totally closing the door on country music. I actually like Diamond Rio, Montgomery Gentry, and of course, George Strait (to name a few). George could make a crappy song sound good plus he's been going strong for umpteen years now. And, to think, George doesn't have to be nearly naked to display his sex-appeal.

On a different spectrum, there's Metallica. Maybe it's their killer guitar riffs that relaxes me. I have to say I still have mixed views on their current music even though there are quite a few similarites between the old stuff and the new. At one point in time, Metallica even tried their hand at S&M (orchestral metal), compiling efforts with The San Francisco Symphony. You might have heard "The Ecstasy of Gold", the themesong to "The Good The Bad and The Ugly". Now that's heavy stuff right there.

Very few bands or artists have come back strong after a long hibernation. Anyone else think AC/DC seems to be coming back better than before? I have been wearing out one of their latest tracks, "Rock and Roll Train" and I've never even been a real big fan of AC/DC. About three songs into one of their CD's and I would normally have to hear something else. It's the "if you've heard one you've heard them all" kind of thing. I shall see if that still holds true.

The new and (supposed to be) improved GNR (Guns 'N Roses) is what would happen if Nickleback melted with Disturbed. It sounds slightly like GNR is trying to match some of the new rock sound. I mean, if you can really call the new stuff rock. Where's your soulful sound, Axle?

Speaking of Nickleback, toss in Hinder and it would be tough to differentiate between the two. Both would be better if they didn't sing so much. It's not the voice or the sound, but the lyrics and the non-stop singing that are a bit on the annoying side. Then again, that is how I feel about most of the new rock.

I wouldn't be a typical mom if I didn't shake my head about some of the rap or hip hop, or whatever you want to call it. The sound is good, especially in a club, but it's this type of music that a majority of our youth listens to and imitates. I look back at some of the music I listened to in High School and I think about the way I used to act. Did I really like all of that stuff? Now, if only people would pull their sagging pants up!