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  • The Top 100 Songs of the ’00s, #99: “If You’re Gone”

    matchbox

    I’m not entirely into sharing anecdotes about my personal life on this site, but this song has very special significance for me. It was late spring 2000 when I fell in love, really for the first time. It was also late spring 2000 when “Mad Season by matchbox twenty” came out. I can remember sitting on MetroNorth together the night I bought “Mad Season” (on cassette!). We listened to it together going home that night, on my Walkman, one headphone in each of our ears. I can remember the lyrics of “If You’re Gone” resonating deeply with me, as I found myself marvelling at this new relationship but also frightened half to death that I’d screw it up. As things turned out, the relationship was over by mid-autumn. I did indeed screw it up, and everything about that song reminded me of my gargantuan fuck-up, to the point where I was at a convention where a label rep was premiering the video, and I had to leave the room while the video played. The rawness is gone all these years later-I can actually listen to the song now without tearing up, and my memories of the relationship are focused more on the positive aspects, especially now that we’re friends again. Sometimes the most random songs speak to you-I’d never in a million years think that a matchbox twenty song would remind me of the greatest lost love of my life, but here we are, and here it is…

    Thanks Rob Thomas for writing a beautiful song. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program. Confession time’s over.

  • First Look: Asher Roth “Be By Myself”

    OK, I’ll admit it. I don’t hate Asher Roth. At the very least, I give him props for not trying to be something he isn’t (hear that, 2009-era Eminem?). Maybe it’s because I hang out with a bunch of college kids, but “I Love College” touched my guilty-pleasure nerve and led “Asleep in the Bread Aisle” into my record collection. The album’s not great (although I wouldn’t call it my most regrettable music purchase of 2009), but Asher makes a pretty decent bid to avoid one-hit-wonderdom with his new single “Be By Myself”, which features the Round Mound of Rap, Cee-Lo Green. Man, despite the fact that this is nominally Asher’s video, don’t you wanna hear Cee-Lo rap again? (yeah, we know he can sing, but he can rhyme better…seriously…he might be the most underrated emcee *ever*).

    Anyhow, check out the video and let us know what you think…

  • New Release of the Week: Eminem’s “Relapse”

    eminem

    After a lengthy build-up, it’s finally here. Eminem ends the half-decade break between albums with his new set, Relapse.    Despite the lukewarm reception the singles from it have received, all indications point to this album being a blockbuster. Somewhat surprisingly, given the quality of the singles, reviews I’ve read for the album have been overwhelmingly positive, but then again, it doesn’t appear that Eminem is capable of doing wrong in the eyes of most rock critics. Given the current state of the industry, it’ll be interesting to see how this album does. If Em catches a brick, it may be a sign that the music industry has officially reached a point of no return.

    Here’s what else you’ll find in stores this week.

    Busta Rhymes B.O.M.B. (Back on My B.S.)– Seems like just yesterday that Slim Shady and Bussa Bus were labelmates, now they have competing albums coming out the same day. Busta’s eighth solo album has been held up for the better part of the year, with three singles having entered the marketplace without taking off. Methinks his having gone gangsta on his last record left a bitter taste in many of his fans’ mouths. Will hip-hop’s official loudmouth be able to retain his once sizable audience, or is this the beginning of the end for the man who was once one of hip-hop’s sharpest emcees?

    Lenny Kravitz Let Love Rule: 20th Anniversary Edition– Remember when Lenny Kravitz first came out, people thought he was a joke because he was married to Lisa (Denise Huxtable) Bonet and he was a neo-hippie before it was really popular to be one? Well, he who laughs last laughs best. Two decades later, Lenny is a multi-millionaire Grammy winner with a lengthy string of hit albums, and his very first effort is getting the anniversary deluxe treatment by Virgin Records. In addition to a much-needed remaster of his debut, this special edition contains live tracks and demos.

    Tori Amos Abnormally Attracted to Sin– After a moderately successful stint on Epic Records, Tori Amos moves on to label #3 (Universal) with her latest album, “Abnormally Attracted to Sin”. The always-quirky singer/songwriter/pianist delivers yet another serving of her lyrically obtuse but passionately sung music on this album.

    Lionel Richie Just Go– Folks forget about Lionel Richie sometimes, but he still has a fairly large fanbase, after all his last album went Gold. This album’s title track has a little bit of the island flavor that made “All Night Long” such a smash back in ’83, and features guest vocals from Akon. Lionel’s familiar mix of R&B and adult contemporary is here, and “Just Go” should go a long way towards proving that the man has barely lost a step, even as he approaches 60 years of age. And what’s this I hear about a Commodores reunion? Is that even necessary?

    As usual, get your complete list of new releases here.