The Craziest Sh*t I Have Seen In A While!

Right before the Holidays I was able to catch Parisian DJ's Justice road documentary A Cross the Universe. Take a look at the trailer clip above, it is a documentary taped while the band was on the road in the U.S. and plays out like Scarface meets The Odd Couple. Featuring gun packing road managers, Evangelical bus drivers, cameos from Diplo, Anthony Keidis, Kanye West and of course sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Another Look at 2008

After taking a ton of great comments and some not so great ones from fans all around the globe, each year I also like to highlight other people's tastes in music and showcase their lists. After all music, like film is so subjective that also like people, no two lists or types are the same.

Here are five music buffs like yours truly, whose taste in music and knowledge of the art form and media I hold to high regard. Trust me I wouldn't give you lists of someone who does not know any better.

The first list comes from my long time musical companion, former writer of Good Times magazine and current writer for Skope and Editor of Playbill, Mr. Bill Reese.
1. Raconteurs Consulars of the Lonely
2. Dr. Dog Fate
3. The Hold Steady Stay Positive
4. TV on the Radio Dear Science,
5. R.E.M. Accellerate
6. Vampire Weekend
7. Death Cab for Cutie Narrow Stairs
8. Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago
9. Coldplay Viva La Vida or Death and All his Friends
10. Counting Crows Saturday Nights and Sunday Morningss


honors
Ryan Adams Cardinology
Girl Talk Feed the Animals
Conor Oberst
Okkervil River The Stand ins
Q-Tip The Renaissance
Santogold
Sigur Ros Med....
The Verve Forth
Weezer

The next list comes from premiere New York City DJ and one of New York's true Renaissance men, DJ Rich D Smoov. Richie's list is a tad different as is not broken down numerically but but superlatives...

1.mgmt:alternative album
2.vampire weekend:indie album
3.girl talk:mash album
4.cut chemist and dj shadow:the hard sell.turntablisim album
5.krallice:black metal album
6.king khan:rock album
7.metallica:thrash album
8.diplo vs santogold:dub/reggae mix cd
9.karl hector:afro latin funk album
10.jackson conti:brazilian album

honorable mentions:
11.boyznoise:electro album
12.justice:best live album
13.koushik:psycedelic album
14.awesome color:retro rock album
15.mad villian2:best remix album
16.droppin science:bluenote best jazz compilation
17.leviathan: usbm album
18.natchmysium:metal album
19.one day as a lion:best ep
20.stones throw:best podcast
21.black moth super rainbow: best leftfield album
22.does it offend you yeah?!: best new comers
23.kon and amir:best disco/soul comp
24.glasvegas: best uk act
25.mr.thing:best breakbeats comp
26.portishead:comeback of the year
27.tv on the radio:best bklyn band
28.coldplay:commercial album
29.united nations:hardcore album
30.santogold:best female act

The next list comes from fellow online blogger (Hindsighting) and former WQAQ DJ, Mike Clancey.

1. Bayside - Shutter
2. Murder by Death - Red of Tooth and Claw
3. Jaymay - Autumn Fallin'
4. Rise Against - Appeal to Reason
5. Connor Oberst
6. Thrice - Alchemy Index: Air and Earth
7. Atmosphere - Strickly Leakage
8. Flogging Molly - Float
9. The Used - Shallow Believer EP
10. Islands - Arm's Way

Honorable Mention:
Meaghan Smith - The Cricket's Quartet

The following list comes from another musical companion of mine and former WQAQ DJ, we call him Logo.

10. The Kooks-Konk!
9. She and Him-Volume 1
8. Kidz in the Hall- The In Crowd
7. Tokyo Police Club- Elephant Shell
6. Kings of Leon- Only by the Night
5. Coldplay- Viva La Vida or Death and all his Friends
4. The Hold Steady- Stay Positive
3. Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs
2. The Cool Kids- The Bake Sale EP
1. Vampire Weekend

...and last but not least another musical companion, Mr PJ Sievering

1. Lil Wayne- Tha Carter 3
2. TV on Radio- Dear Science
3. Coldplay- Viva la Vida
4. My Morning Jacket-Evil Urges
5. Deathcab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs
6.The Hold Steady- Stay Positive
7. Kings of Leon- Only by the Light
8. Fleet Foxes
9. Beck-Modern Guilt
10. Vampire Weekend

Honorable Mentions:

Best "I used to hate you but now your cool again": R.E.M. Accelerate
Best Dance: Hot Chip Made in the Dark Tied with Girl Talk Feed the Animals
Best Sophomore Album: Okkervil River The Stand-Ins

So there are five much different takes on this past year and now we look on to the road ahead...Happy 2009!

Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel cover Vampire Weekend!

Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel have teamed up to cover Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa." Gabriel who is named in the tune from the Columbia University band, adds the vocals while Hot Chip do what they do best, bring the noise. Check out the cover HERE

Quick News

Portishead have announced that fans will not have to wait another 11 years for their next record (thank God). The band spoke to the BBC about the follow up to one of the best albums of the year, Third...check out what they had to say HERE

In other new album news, The National will head back into the studio in April to work on the follow up to their most successful album to date, Boxer. The record will probably be out at some point late next year or early 2010.

Thursday have released the track listing to their latest record, Common Existence. The album is due out in February and check out the track listing below...
'Resuscitation of A Dead Man'
'Last Call'
'As He Climbed The Dark Mountain'
'Friends In the Armed Forces'
'Beyond the Visible Spectrum'
'Time's Arrow'
'Unintended Long Term Effects'
'Circuits Of Fever' 'Subway Funeral'
'Love Has Led Us Astray'
'You Were The Cancer'

U2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The greatest living band today, the coolest band to ever walk the face of the Earth, the greatest live band of all time, one of my favorite bands of all time....HAVE SET A DATE FOR THEIR NEW ALBUM!!!!!

U2's 12th Studio Record No Line on the Horizon is due March 3 in the States! March 2 in Europe and rest of the world! The band had written 50-60 songs for this album, however all of the sessions with Rick Rubin from late 2006 / early 2007 have been scrapped. Yet the band enlisted their longtime heavy hitter producers Daniel Lenois, Brian Eno and Steve Lillywhite to oversee the production of the album. No Line on the Horizon was written and recorded in Morocco, London, Dublin and New York.

Also in U2 news, the band was in London last week to shoot the video for the first single. We have no idea what the song is called, but I am sure it will be great!! 2009 is already shaping up to be a hell of a year!

Live Review-Oasis @ MSG

The first family of Manchester, England took the stage to sold out New York City audience last night and wowed and dazzled the crowd for 100 minutes. Oasis are without a doubt legends in their own country, they are one of my favorite bands of all time, however the criticism they receive in the U.S. has just been negative since day one. Back in the hay day of the second British invasion of the mid to late 90's Oasis led the pack, once the millennium hit many fans and critics here in this country began to lose interest. However, they lost interest just as Oasis became interesting, they stopped fighting and began working as a true rock band. It has been said time and time again from the brothers Gallagher that there are two places in the world that they will always try and out due their last performance, always play their best and that is New York City and Manchester. With that said, I was spoiled enough have floor seats for a second time to see Oasis tear it up at Madison Square Garden. Coming out to "Fucking in the Bushes," and stampeding into "Rock and Roll Star," to "Lyla," to "The Shock of the Lightening," Oasis showed why they are still a top band. At one point Liam asked the crowd, "Is there anybody here from England tonight? No wonder we sold out this show!" Proving once again to their critics here in the U.S. their followers will go around the world for a crack at seeing them. One of the many criticisms I have been reading from U.S. journalists on this tour is the lack of talking between songs from the Gallagher's to the fans, the issue is this...Oasis let the music do the talking. Noal talks with his hands, one of the finest guitar players around, Liam the ultimate front man, a guy with the swagger of Mick Jagger, the crass of Ian Brown (The Stone Roses) and the attitude of Pete Townshed. While the rest of the band guitarist Gem Archer, bassist Andy Bell and new drummer Chris Sharrock provide not only the energy but the musicianship to keep up with the brothers. Oasis love to play loud and the louder they get the better they play, at some points the crowd began to overpower the speakers and you could see Liam pointing to the sound tech to raise the volume of the speakers, however the louder the band got, the louder the fans did. Playing a majority of songs off the bands latest Dig Out Your Soul, they also played classics such as "Wonderwall," "Champagne Supernova," and a special acoustic version of "Don't Look Back in Anger," and closing out the night with a cover of The Beatles "I Am the Walrus." A fantastic night and performance and to those who still doubt the bands power and the bands performance, I have two words for you...piss off!
Opening the show was native New Yorker Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. Adams, a musician I have always admired and respected, blew my mind with his band after seeing them. Coming on stage with psychedelic lighting and resembling Bob Dylan and his electric band at the Newport Folk Festival in the 60's, wearing all black and having curly afro's, Adams and the Cardinals soared high in their hometown. Another artist who lets the music do the talking, they gained a bigger fan after seeing them..me.

Oasis Setlist 12/17/08 MSG
Fucking in the Bushes
Rock 'n' Roll Star
Lyla
The Shock Of The Lightning
Cigarettes & Alcohol
The Meaning Of Soul
To Be Where There's Life
Waiting For The Rapture
The Masterplan
Songbird
Slide Away
Morning Glory
Ain't Got Nothin'
The Importance Of Being Idle
I'm Outta Time
Wonderwall
Supersonic
Encore:
Don't Look Back In Anger
Falling Down
Champagne Supernova
I Am The Walrus

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals Setlist:
Cobwebs
Crossed Out Name
Everybody Knows
Fix It
Off Broadway
Go Easy
Sink Ships
Natural Ghost
Come Pick Me Up
Magick

2008 The Albums-Top 10

So here it is, the annual Top 10 list for the Best Albums of 2008. I hope you enjoyed my picks thus far for Honorable Mentions and League of Their Own. Now here are (in my opinion) the cream of the crop, best records of the last 12 months. The list is broken down in short then long form with explanations. Enjoy!

In Short:
10- Forth - The Verve
9 - Tales of Love, Loss and Desperation - The Wombats
8 - You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into - Does it Offend You, Yeah?
7- Dear Science - TV on the Radio
6 - Third - Portishead
5 - Stay Positive - The Hold Steady
4 - Glasvegas
3 - Made in the Dark - Hot Chip
2 - Viva La Vida or Death and All of His Friends - Coldplay
1 - Accelerate - REM

Now in Long Form...

10 - The Verve - Forth

This was the record no one would have thought would ever happen. One of the biggest bands of the second British Invasion breaking up at the height of their career in 1998. A decade later, the band put themselves back together and created a fine blend of psychedelic rock, modern alternative and British jam. The Verve put a little bit of everything that has made them popular around the world into Forth. The title a pun, being the fourth record from the band but also showing they are going forth with their career together. I look forward to more music from one of my favorite acts.

KEY TRACKS : Love is Noise, Noise Epic

9 - The Wombats - A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation
A small trio from Liverpool that made a big post-punk sound on their debut. The Wombats picked up the bar style power trio rock that the Fratellis made popular last year with Costello Music and brought it to new levels. The Wombats were not afraid to put their hearts on their sleeves in creating one of the most fun, energetic and cleaver records of the year.
Key Tracks: Let's Dance to Joy Division, My First Wedding


8- Does it Offend You, Yeah? -You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into
A band that tries not to take themselves too seriously, but by doing that they really show they know how to have a great time. The word boring would cease to exist when listening to this record, Does it Offend You, Yeah fuses punk-electro-disco and pop into a non-stop dance party that will have you moving for hours.
Key Tracks: With a Heavy Heart (I Regret to Inform You), Epic Last Song

7- TV on the Radio - Dear Science
This Brooklyn band's last record was all about the Apocalypse and the end of the world as we know it and they did not feel fine. Their follow up however is a rebirth of the world around them in a full out hipster-hop dance party. This is one hell of a record and probably the band's best, TV on the Radio never stop impressing me on their musical abilities and style. One of the few band's that keep pushing the creative envelope and always have us wondering what they will do next.
Key Tracks: Family Tree, Red Dress

6 - Portishead - Third
Technically Portishead never broke up, they were just on hiatus for 11 years. Yet, it may have been worth the wait, they returned with Third, the album that could very well be the English trio's very best. Singer Beth Gibbons beautifully haunting voice penetrates right into your body, while the band hypnotizes you with their music. Third is a must own and one record that will leave you breathless.
Key Tracks: Nylon Smile, Magic Doors

5- The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
What more can I say about a band that I just absolutely love. The Hold Steady's fourth album, Stay Positive is a true rock and roll record from one of the last true rock and roll bands. It takes the story of the band's central characters created by singer Craig Finn on the band's debut The Hold Steady Almost Killed Me, these characters have taken the form of all four records in telling their story, but we as fans still have no idea if Stay Positive is the conclusion. What we the fans do know is that this is a record about scenes, and how Religion is the biggest scene and everyone in America is part of a scene whether they like it or not. One of the most honest albums of the year.
Key Tracks: Constructive Summer, Lord, I am Discouraged

4- Glasvegas
My favorite debut of the year from one of my new favorite bands. Having not only the privilege this year of discovering them, but having the opportunity to interview them for the blog made my admiration for Glasvegas grow. Taking stories ripped from the pages of your life and making them beautiful songs is not an easy task, but Glasvegas make it seem so natural. Combining a 50's retro style mixed with 80's Goth mixed with 21 Century alternative, Glasvegas have certainly served up one fine album. Listen to this record, love it as much as I have and I promise you will not want to let it go.
Key Tracks: Geraldine, Go Square Go

3- Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
The most fun you will have listening to any record this year! The perfect party starter, Hot Chip have made an album that will not only having you moving and shaking for hours, but will having you begging for more. They are masters of production, beats and musicians with each member playing more than one at a time. Certainly the band's best record they have released, the sky is the limit for these guys.
Key Tracks: One Pure Thought, Shake a Fist

2- Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death and All of His Friends
The biggest selling record of the year from the biggest band of the decade. Just as people were about to write the band off, they answered with one of their best albums as well as their most epic and adventurous to date. Produced by the legendary Brian Eno, the band takes notes from all who have influenced them, from The Beatles to U2 to Radiohead to The Verve and created a masterpiece. Their is no denying how fantastic this album is.
Key Tracks: Viva La Vida, Lost


1- REM - Accelerate
Firing on all cylinders, the original college rockers shot back with their best record since 1994's Monster. Accelerate is REM's finest hour, after releasing a handful of mediocre and sometimes awful albums, REM cut out the problems and released a straight up rock, almost punk record. Showing their roots and not their age, REM shot songs from a cannon to show they still have it in them. Being a life long REM fan, I am so proud to see these guys back at the top!
Key Tracks: Living Well is the Best Revenge, Hollow Man


So there it is, my 10 picks of the year. I hope you enjoyed it and I encourage you to listen to each album and see what I am talking about. Now we usher in a new year to see what this list will look like 12 months from now.

SLUMDOG GETS 4 GLOBE NOMS!

The 66th Annual Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning and the best film of the year, Slumdog Millionaire got four nominations!!!! It was nominated for Best Picture (which it will win), Best Director Danny Boyle (which I hope he wins), Best Screenplay, and Best Score. If you have not seen this triumph work of art yet you must! This film displays every reason we go to the movies, I promise you will love it....To see a full list of nominees click HERE ... The Golden Globes will be broadcast January 11, 2009!

The Wombats Christmas Vid!

Check out The Wombats video for their Christmas single, "This is Christmas?" A very fun video and poppy jam!

Covers and News!

This week's issue of NME in the UK says it all....

That is right after eight long years, Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon are putting aside their differences and are reforming Blur for 2009! As I posted a few weeks ago it was a confirmed rumor by Albarn, yet that has been said so many times that seeing was more believing. Blur will play their first performance in nine years for London's Hyde Park festival in July. That issue of NME hits US stores in two weeks.

In other Cover news, Bruce Springsteen revealed the cover to his latest Working on a Dream, which is due in stores January 27! Take a look below...

Also, another of New Jersey's finest Thursday released the cover and release date to their latest, Common Existence. The album will be out February 17 under the band's new home at Epitaph records. See the cover below...

U2 CHRISTMAS VID!

Check out U2's latest Christmas single, "I Believe in Father Christmas," for the latest campaign venture for product (Red), Redwire.com.

2008 The Albums-League of Their Own

This is probably my favorite superlative to give out at the end of each year. It is given to the artist who is the most forward thinking, open minded, revolutionary musician out there today. Their accomplishments in the past 12 months have either resurrected a sound, broke down walls and created new frontiers or have totally reinvented a genre all together. In the past winners have included:

2000- Radiohead - Kid A
2001- The Strokes - Is This It?
2002- NERD - In Search of...
2003- The White Stripes - Elephant
2004- The Killers - Hot Fuss
2005- The Mars Volta - Francis the Mute
2006- TV On The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
2007- Kanye West - Graduation

... now to add to this list is 2008's biggest breakout star, someone who has seen the highs and lows of the music industry from behind the mixer and in front, and now can enjoy a great success. Brooklyn make some noise for....
Santogold

I first came to hear Santogold in the fall of 2007 as she was hand selected by Bjork to open for her at Madison Square Garden. Santo at the time, an unknown, came on stage as if she was the headliner and from that moment on I knew she would be the next big thing. After putting out her self-titled debut this past year and finding time to hook up with DJ Diplo to release one of the best mixtapes of the year, Santogold has become music's hottest commodities. A former A&R executive turned producer she linked up with her friends Spank Rock to produce her first record which sounds like a fierce Cindy Lauper meets MIA. Now everyone from Jay-Z to NERD to Julian Casablancas has worked with her and music not only has a new rising star, but an artist with a vision. Santo is able to combine hip-hop, dub, reggae, rock and electronica and is not afraid to broaden her horizon's even more. She is poppy but artistic, she is humble but bold, she is energetic...she is Santogold.
Key Tracks - L.E.S. Artist, I'm A Lady (feat. Trouble Andrew)

Holiday Playlist 2.0

It is that time of year again. So break out the egg nog, wool sweater and of course a record player. The holiday's will never sound so good after spinning these classics by today's artists and new songs to add to the holiday season.

Glasvegas - "A Snowflake Fell (and it Felt like A Kiss)
The Wombats - "Is This Christmas?"
The Killers and Elton John - "Joseph, Better You Than Me"
U2- "I Believe in Father Christmas"
Jimmy Eat World - "If You Were Born Today"
The Who - "Christmas"
Dave Matthews Band - "Christmas Song"
Jimmy Eat World - "Last Christmas"
Rogue Wave - "Christmas"
Run DMC - "Christmas in Hollis"
Bruce Springsteen - "Merry Xmas Baby"
Squirrel Nut Zippers - "Indian Giver"
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "Christmas All Over Again"
Death Cab for Cutie - "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
Dennis Leary - "Merry Fucking Christmas"
Stevie Wonder - "One Little Christmas Tree"
The Vandals - "C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S"
Eels - "Christmas is Going to the Dogs"


For more songs to add to the collection take a look at last years Playlist HERE

THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR!!

Indeed I present my Best Films of the Year list right before the Oscars, but I promise you there will be nothing this year that tops Slumdog Millionaire. One of my favorite Directors of all time, Danny Boyle has created a film that fills up every positive adjective in the English language, calling it amazing is an understatement. This film exemplifies all the reasons we go to the movies....

Rising Artist EXCLUSIVE! Blue Knives

When I first herd the UK's Blue Knives the first and only thing that came to my mind was "Wow!" This is a small band with a big, epic swelling sound that just sucks you in and refuses to let go. The sound resembles the layering of Coldplay meets The Editors meets Snow Patrol. They are truly a contemporary band for our modern times, however they stand apart from those they take influence from. Blue Knives lyrics and sound strike you right where it counts, your heart. Originally a cover band going under the name Liquid Dogs, they ditched the cover idea and took the name Blue Knives. I had the opportunity to interview bassist Nathan Bayley who mentioned "If I had to try to define its meaning for the band, I'd say that the "blue" represents the sometimes-melancholy, emotional sound of our music, and the "knives" represents the contemporary drive & energy that we always put into our songs." This is a band who is hard at work mastering and mixing their first record and I promise, you will fall in love with them as much as I have. For more info and to hear the music of Blue Knives check out their Myspace HERE. For more of my interview with Nathan see below:

You come from England, a place that is seeing a musical Renaissance, do you find it hard to get your music heard in your own country?
NB: If a band puts a lot of effort into the promotion and marketing side of the industry, and if the music is genuinely good then it will get heard by the right people, and by the right type of fans, and the band will progress. In my experience if a band hasn't been heard by enough of the right people, then they've been too lazy.

How does your music differ from every other unsigned act in the UK?
NB: Each band-member's own individual musical background is completely different to the next. We have backgrounds in fields like jazz, commercial music and music technology, and genres such as electronica, heavy metal and post-punk. From the extended chords and harmonies that are placed subtly into the songs, to the electronic and synthesized elements, it all seems to come together to form this atmospheric and layered final sound. It's a very British sound according to most people's views, we won't argue with that, but it's unique enough we hope.

The songs are very epic in sound, do you think that strikes more of an emotional chord with audiences? Especially Global audiences?
NB: I personally adore many bands that use layering, melody, harmony and ambient effects to create a huge, epic sound. If it's done correctly, adding more melodies and making the overall song denser can really have an emotional impact on people. As for global audiences, we do seem to have attracted a lot of European and North American interest online, perhaps it's just chance, I don't think British music fans are less keen on "epic" music haha!

Will the band ever make a trip to the US soon?
NB: Sadly I think a US trip will have to wait for another year or two, that's the kind of venture that needs a lot of financial and professional backing, both of which we're working on acquiring at the moment :) We've already had numerous requests by fans to play all over the US, but both the band and the fans will have to be patient a little while longer.

When will an EP / LP be released?
NB: Very soon!! We've been working on our first full-length album for the past couple of months, it's been very hard work sometimes, but that's just part of the beauty of creating something to be truly proud of. We're currently at the mixing and editing stage, we recorded so many instruments, and so many vocal parts that it's relatively slow progress to mix the entire thing, but seeing as this is our first release we wanted it to be something special, emotional and complete, not a rushed "collection of our songs". The finished product should hopefully be available to buy in the next two months.

How do you measure success?
NB: "Success" means different things to different people, for us it means a steady progression up the musical ladder. The first time I think we'll be able to call ourselves a successful band will be when we have finished our first album, we've put so much effort and love into creating something we're proud of that when it's complete we will have reached the first important rung on the ladder, even if it's initially just a personal success.

Where would you like that success to take you?
NB: After finishing the album we want to reach the point where we can viably share our music to the whole of the UK, I think we should reach that before we start spending too much energy planning anything global or pan-European. For most bands it's always a slow and steady progression, only a few groups are lucky enough to have a global fan base and audience from very early in their career, but of course we're not ruling out that possibility for us either haha :)

Special thanks to Nath and Blue Knives, keep up the great work!

Movie of the Month-A Midnight Clear

Did anyone catch the second to last episode of this season of Entourage a few weeks ago? The one with the Peter Berg cameo, yeah that one. Hollywood of course is intertwined with each other, and this is the film that struck up a career long friendship with Peter Berg and Kevin "Johnny Drama" Dillon. The set in which they met would be 1992's A Midnight Clear, of course Berg would later go on to direct films such as The Kingdom with Jeramy Piven and the two would then star in Smokin' Aces. A Midnight Clear is a fantastic anti-war film set in France World War II that echos the Christmas Truce of World War I when two fighting sides put their differences aside to celebrate Christmas together before the fighting resumes in bloody battle the next morning. The film features a great ensemble cast of a young Ethan Hawke, Gary Sinise and Frank Whaley. This humbling film is a great independent flick with a great story that is certainly very unknown but if you are looking for a great Christmas film this Holiday season, A Midnight Clear should be added to the top of your list, I promise you will love it.

Underrated Classic-Mike Ness "Cheating at Solitare"

One of the biggest voices of the SoCal rockabilly-punk movement of the late 80's, Social Distortion's Mike Ness put his claim to fame on hold to pursue one of the most notable solo debuts of the 90's. 1999's Cheating at Solitaire showed Ness at his most vulnerable but also showed support of some heavy hitters on a stripped down more roots-rock inspired album. Leaving the punk basics to Social D, Ness took his signature raspy voice, a voice that sounds like he smoked three packs and downed a bottle of Jack Daniel's before hitting the studio to pour his heart out without his band mates. The cover shows a hard edged man (Ness) clutching his guitar and almost weeping. The cover to me symbolizes a man at his end, but getting this out was just what he needed. Yet, Ness was not alone the album featured cameo's from Bruce Springsteen, Brian Setzer and the Royal Crown Revue, however it also showed one his biggest hits, a cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright." The radio friendly anthem got the album attention, but the record only peaked at #81 on the Billboard 200 when it was released in April of '99. This is certainly one of the finest records of the late 90's, if not the decade, and if you have not go and check it out. I promise you will be pleased.