So This is Christmas......

December 25, 2005. Christmas has officially arrived and will continue to hang around for about 4 more hours. This Christmas, however, was not as typical as one would have expected. Anyway....so Christmas brought a lot of interesting revelations, but it also brought some really good times. Staying up till 5:00 am with the home town crowd, buying decent Christmas presents for my family, and just seeing my family for a while are things I wouldn't trade for the world. But enough about the holidays, I'm really backed up on my music reviews.....

Bo Bice, "The Real Thing"

~A self-proclaimed southern rocker of American Idol fame, Bo Bice enters the world of music with one of the more anticipated albums of winter 2005. And while it was debatedly one of the most anticipated of 2005, it was without a doubt, the biggest dissapointment of the year. Let me put it to you this way: If Ronnie Van Zant, the long time king of Southern Rock, shit into a porcelain toilet, it would come out sounding more like Southern Rock than what this overproduced, under-written, pop influenced piece of music waste. Now don't get me wrong. Bice did a great job on Idol. If he began a cover band, I would pay as much as $2.50 to see him perform (as long as that included at least 1 beer). Sorry Mr. Bice, but you sold out.

0 Stars

Neil Young, "Prarie Wind"

~Neil Young? Isn't he dead? To those of you who were asking yourself this question, I would like to answer it very simply. No, he is not dead. Nor is his music. Nor is his passion for making it. For many of the younger generation of Rock and Roll fans, Young falls into that group of artists that are known by name, but not by their musical accomplishments. Perhaps you've hummed 'Southern Man' or 'Heart of Gold' in the shower as it came on the radio, not knowing the words, but recognizing the tune. Or perhaps you've sang along with your favorite band in concert as they churn out the classic 'Keep on Rockin' In The Free World.' Yes, that is a Neil Young song as well. With "Prarie Wind," Young returns to the world of music with a soulfoul collection of acoustic, electric, and even some big band rock and roll. The most appealing thing about this album is that it is not an attempt, of any kind, to impress anyone. Young wrote this album for himself, and it speaks to everyone. The first single from the album, 'The Painter,' is an acoustic narrative, lyrically and musically simple, yet brilliant. This track serves not only as the first single, but also as the opening track on the album. Rarely does one find an album that can be anticipated by the first track, but here we find just that.

"It's a long road Behind me

It's a long road Ahead

If you follow every dream

You might get lost

If you follow every dream

You might Get Lost."

The chorus of this ballad serves as a warning to all of the young dreamers in the world, but it also serves as a chronicle of Young's life. For Young, the road ahead of him looks just as promising as the road behind, yet his shaky, un-nerving voice begs both the listener, as well as Young himself to take life as it comes, and to beware of dreams that will lead you nowhere. Further into the album, we find Young's tribute to the guitar. On 'This Old Guitar,' he likens the guitar to a figure that has led him throughout his life, almost to the point of making it a Christ figure. He notes that

"This old guitar ain't mine to keepI

t's mine to play for a while

This old guitar ain't mine to keep

It's only mine for a while"

The deep language Young uses on the track, create a hopefullness in the listener. Perhaps he is begging us to respect life as he has respected the guitar, understanding that it will not be ours forever, and that we should respect what we have, and appreciate the time that we have. This album should be in your collection. If you're too cheap to purchase this album, then you're too cheap to appreciate music. God help you.

5 Stars