Reviews Supplemental

11 Jun 2012: "Give Us a Wink" by The Sweet
Happy birthday, me.
This album is the follow-up to last month's Desolation Boulevard, which i gave a 4.5/5. It features Action, a song I love. Buy it for Rock Band today.
This is another great effort. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Highlights: Action, Keep it In
Lowlights:
In relation to other albums:
Barely not as good.

BONUS REVIEW: "Last Night on Earth" by Green Day
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/serated-by-ba.html
This is a live EP (recorded in Tokyo), consisting of mostly songs from 21st Century Breakdown. The two non-21CB songs are Basket Case (big surprise), and Geek Stink Breath.
Every song here is performed well.

12 Jun 2012: "Mercury Falling" by Sting
I bought this yesterday for $2. Let's hope it's better than the last Sting album I bought.
This album features I'm so Happy I Can't Stop Crying, which you may remember as the video where Sting gets lifted to the heavens off of his horse, and his clothes are warped to another dimension and replaced with a cowboy outfit. Also known as the best music video.
If you listen to the French song on Ghost in the Machine, then the French song here, you can really tell how much Sting has changed. I miss when Sting was a rock musician.
Highlights:
Lowlights: I Was Brought to My Senses
In relation to other albums:
This is actually the best of the three Sting solo albums I've listened to.

BONUS REVIEW: "Good Charlotte" by Good Charlotte
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/philidelphia-by-probable-spelling.html
Another $2 album. From the beginning of the first track, I regret this already.
Yeah this shit is awful
Which makes Good Charlotte
The best punk rock band ever
Okay maybe not awful
These songs are pretty okay
You know

13 Jun 2012: "The Great Radio Controversy" by Tesla
Welp.
This album is pretty good/great.
Highlights: Yesterday's Gone, Lazy Days Crazy Nights, Be a Man
Lowlights:
In relation to other albums:
Not as good

BONUS REVIEW: "Futuristic Dragon" by T.Rex
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-miss-having-legs-by.html
Ugh. Why do I do this to myself?
I actually had the opportunity to buy this at one point, and passed it up. Time to see if that was a good move. Also to note is that Purple said to avoid this.
Right off the bat, I like how this album is less glossy than the last two, which makes it better.
These songs would all be MUCH better if it were just Marc on vocals. But I've been saying this a lot.
Actually, this album is pretty good. It's a semi-return to form. Side A, anyway.
Highlights: Calling All Destroyers
Lowlights: Ride My Wheels, Dreamy Lady, Life's an Elevator
In relation to other albums:
Better than Bolan's Zip Gun, and Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Whatevers of Who Cares.
ducks

14 Jun 2012: "Crush" by Bon Jovi
This album marked the end of Bon Jovi's transition from glam metal to rock. Also, there was a five-year hiatus or something. They were fully out of their original movement.
This album was pretty good. There was nothing special, but I didn't dislike any of it. It's a good album, but it's not a great album.

BONUS REVIEW: "Skyscraper" by David Lee Roth
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/too-dead-to-care-by-men-of-it.html
This album is also pretty okay, but nothing to write home about. Shame.
It's still better than most Van Halen albums.
ALSO THE VERSION I HAVE IS REALLY LOUD AND COMPRESSED
Highlights: Knucklebones, Hot Dog and Shake
Lowlights: Just Like Paradise, Stand Up
In relation to other albums:
Worse.

15 Jun 2012: "Purple Rain" by Prince
Remember when I reviewed albums off the essentials list? That's what's happening now.
If this album had a subtitle, it would be called "Purple Rain: So Much Filler, so Little Time".
But the title track's still great.

BONUS REVIEW: "Montrose" by Montrose
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/monkeys-by-monkmen.html
For those who don't know, Montrose was Sammy Hagar's band in the 1970s.
This album is about what you'd expect.

16 Jun 2012: "Point of Know Return" by Kansas
Last month, we established that I love Kansas. This month, we confirm that belief.
Even the instrumental, The Spider, is really cool.
And, well, Dust in the Wind is here. It's as decent as ever. Shame it's thrown in after Lightning's Hand, which was fucking awesome. And then it's followed by Sparks of the Tempest, which is also fucking awesome.
Nobody's Home is like what Dust in the Wind would be like if it were better in every way.
Overall, this album is super-great. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Highlights: Lightning's Hand, Sparks of the Tempest, Paradox, Point of Know Return
Lowlights: Dust in the Wind
In relation to other albums:
On-par with the other two; if I had to call one the best, I'd say Masque, then this, then Leftoverture.

BONUS REVIEWS: "A Real Live One"/"A Real Dead One" by Iron Maiden
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/all-things-must-be-okay-by-men-of.html
These two albums were released right near eachother. Both are live albums; the former focusing on their "new" material (Seventh Son to Fear of the Dark), and the latter being from Powerslave back. Nothing from Somewhere in Time, which is still my favourite of the Dickinson albums. Fuck.
A Real Live One starts with a live performance of Be Quick or be Dead, which features a very tired-sounding Dickinson. That's the theme of the album, really.
Can I Play with Madness? starts off really oddly. I'm not sure if it's funny or just bad. Also, Dickinson tells a joke in French?
It gets a lot better in the second half, but the first is kind of a slog.
A Real Dead One starts with The Number of the Beast, which sounds really strained, like Dickinson is really reaching for those notes. It's followed by The Trooper, which sounds... off.
Dickinson singing Di'Anno songs has always been great. Oh wait, no it hasn't.
Run to the Hills sounds emotionless.
Yeah. These were decent.

17 Jun 2012: "The Grand Illusion" by Styx
The big draw here is the best Styx song, Come Sail Away.
This album was okay; the only highlight was Come Sail Away.

BONUS REVIEW: "Bayou Country" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/checkered-shirt-dance-by.html
Should have done that Journey album.
The album starts with Born on the Bayou, which somehow didn't make it onto the greatest hits I own. It did make it into Rock Band, though, so it's cool. I still can't get over how 2010's Black Friday deals on Xbox Live were so fucking amazing, then 2011's were so shitty.
And did I ever mention how I'm not a fan of eight-minute slow jams?
So, after four amazing songs (I have a soft spot for Proud Mary, even if Tina Turner's makes me want to die), the just okay Bootleg, and the boring-but-just-interesting-enough-to-not-be-awful Graveyard Train, I'm going to say this: The last song, Keep on Chooglin', will determine this album's rating. If it's great, the album gets a 4.5. If it's just okay, the album gets a 4. If it's especially bad, I might even bust the album down to a 3.5. The title doesn't give me much hope. It's also seven-and-a-half minutes.
This album hits 4.5. Barely.
Highlights: Good Golly Miss Molly, Born on the Bayou, Proud Mary, Penthouse Pauper
Lowlights: Graveyard Train
In relation to other albums:
Better than Green River.

18 Jun 2012: "Eagles" by Eagles
This album's draws are Take it Easy and Witchy Woman.
Witchy Woman is the worst song ever, because they rhymed "lips" with "fingertips". Fucking HATE that shit.
Earlybird is the most annoying song ever. I hate birds.
At least the album ends on its best song.
This album is incredibly average.

BONUS REVIEW: "Piano Man" by Billy Joel
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/slavery-is-so-bad-even-badder-than.html
Traveling Prayer goes on for way too long. Three minutes too long.
Piano Man should have opened or closed the album. Sticking it in second was a bad choice.
As far as the whole album goes, it's rather average.
Highlights: Piano Man, Ain't No Crime, Captain Jack
Lowlights: Traveling Prayer
In relation to other albums:
On-par with The Stranger.

19 Jun 2012: "Thunder and Lightning" by Thin Lizzy
I found this album to be rather okay. I don't have ANYTHING to say about it, though.
Highlights: Cold Sweat, This is the One
Lowlights: The Sun Goes Down
In relation to other albums:
On-par with the other two.

BONUS REVIEW: "Sonic Firestorm" by DragonForce
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/alienage-slavery-blues-by-elves.html
19 June: International METAL Day
This is a DragonForce album. It is not Valley of the Damned, so it sounds exactly like Inhuman Rampage, but with less carrying on and less fire + flames. They're still rather far away, though.
Highlights: Above the Winter Moonlight, Soldiers of the Wasteland, Prepare for War
Lowlights:
In relation to other albums:
IT'S DRAGONFORCE

20 Jun 2012: "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" by Rainbow
This album starts with Man on the Silver Mountain. You know, that one song.
This album was very okay. The okayest shit ever, in fact.
Highlights:
Lowlights:
In relation to other albums:
Worse.

BONUS REVIEW: "In it for the Money" by Supergrass
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/girls-that-get-lost-by-you-are.html
What's there to say? It's Supergrass's best album I've heard. Well, tied with Life on Other Planets, anyway.

21 Jun 2012: "Vol. 3" by Traveling Wilburys
After Roy Orbison's death, they somehow decided to make a second album, and call it the third. How wacky.
Bob Dylan sounds old and dying. Yay.
Seven Deadly Sins is probably one of the most boring songs I've ever heard. Fucking great.
Highlights: She's My Baby
Lowlights: Seven Deadly Sins
In relation to other albums:
Worse.

BONUS REVIEW: "Louder Than Bombs" by The Smiths
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/jesus-in-house-by-green-orchestra.html
Twenty-four tracks. These reviews, man.
There's sort of a reason a lot of these songs never made actual albums. Most are very mediocre.

22 Jun 2012: "Spectres" by Blue Oyster Cult
I had to sign up for a 4shared account to get this. It's worth it for Godzilla alone.
If I had to pick a favourite Blue Oyster Cult song, I'd pick Godzilla. It's not even close.
As a side note, this album marks the fifth Blue Oyster Cult album I've listened to, and the fifth I've given a 3.5 to. There is a song here that describes the album perfectly. It's called "Goin' Through the Motions".
Highlights: Godzilla
Lowlights:
In relation to other albums:
Eh. Probably worst.

BONUS REVIEW: "All-American Boy" by Rick Derringer
http://musiccouldbebetter.blogspot.com/2011/07/romance-by-friends.html
This album has Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo, so it must be great, right?
Only if by "great", you mean "mediocre".

23 Jun 2012: "Adore" by Smashing Pumpkins
I actually really enjoy this album. It's kind of like if Smashing Pumpkins did In Rainbows.
Highlights: Apples and Oranges, Pug, Blank Page, 17
Lowlights: Shame, To Sheila
In relation to other albums:
Best.
p.s. last.fm really needs to auto-correct either "smashing pumpkins" or "the smashing pumpkins"
i don't care which