Lunar Boulevard

It's finally here. After five and a half years of waiting (along with numerous false starts and delays) U2's new album is finally upon us. Add to that the surprise marketing and free iTunes download and it's clear that the band is changing up their game plan. With Songs of Innocence  we see the next phase of U2 emerge and it happens in the most unlikely of ways: by going back to the beginning and those Dublin streets where it all started back in 1976. This album follows a loose narrative of the band's beginnings and their upbringing in Dublin. Even the album cover, complete with Larry Mullen, Jr. holding onto his son, invoke images of lost innocence and a desire to hang on to your youth. Right out of the gate "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" sets the stage, a barrage of fuzzy guitars, pounding drums, and Bono's trademark vocals. The tribute to the late Joey Ramone and his band's incredible influence is touching and joyful, a celebration o...

Weezer is back. After a four year wait we finally have new music from Weezer and let's get one thing straight: it's great. No, it isn't the second coming of the Blue Album or Pinkerton  but it certainly draws from those earlier works. I'm not one to pine for the band's past work to be recreated but I can't deny their last few records were....embarrassing and strange. Make Believe and Hurley were hit or miss, the Red Album was   pretty good for the most part and the less said about Raditude  the better. The point is that Weezer has a tough sell with this record and the odds aren't exactly in their favor. I'm relieved to say this is album we've been waiting for and it's a triumphant return for a group that many believed had long passed their prime. What really stands out is the classic sound that permeates this album. The playing is tight, the guitar solos epic, and the melodies sweet and consistent. Tunes like "Back to the Shack...