Sometimes things don’t live up to the hype. But sometimes they do, and in this case, even better than.

Everyone’s talking about Queen and glam-rock, but there are so many other influences obvious here as well. 90s anthem rock (Boston/REO), with a dose of punk thrown in, and several songs that bring Smashing Pumpkins to mind. It’s loud and sassy and upbeat and fun. And the hidden track has a real Morrissey/Smiths feel to it.

Balme, you will love this. And Michelle, I think you would as well.

Recommended by my good friend Evan, paparazzo extraordinaire and music lover, I recently got this EP off iTunes.

• “Jenny, Don’t Be Hasty” – Old-Stones type of sassy. Gravely edge to his voice here. Has an old time rock/blues swing to it.
  
• “Last Request” – Big thick vocals. This skinny scottish boy is not what you picture when you listen to this song with your eyes closed. And you don’t picture a 19 year old either! Bittersweet melancholy, begging for just one last time…
  
• “These Streets” – Folky/pop acoustic background, with an almost Reggae-like rhythm to the vocals.
  
• “New Shoes” – Rockabilly. A zippa-de-do-dah, chase the blues away tune.
  

There are moments that are way, way, way too Oasis-like and anthem-stereotypic.

But then there are songs like ‘Eleanor” with its Beatles-esque sweetness and light and the harmonies on “All You Have to Do” especially that slow descending “Ah…ah.” And I forget all about the Oasis crap that was bugging me earlier.

I really like Badly Drawn Boy, a couple of his albums have done serious rotation time on my stereo. But after a halfhearted attempt at listening to the new album at Reckless the other day, and reading lots of mediocre reviews like this one, I just can’t commit. But I feel guilty. What if it’s really good? Or better than people say? What if I miss the boat on an album by someone I used to like? Should I get it just in case? Yes, these are things I think about. My mind = ALWAYS able to waste time! This explains why I own some CDs I don’t listen to. As do we all, I assume.

The major albums. Approximate dates. Random thoughts.

• 1994 Mellow Gold – never bought this album. Love “Loser”. Have no clue about the rest of it!
• 1996 Odelay – Fun, Jazzy, Hyper, Goofy.
• 1998 Mutations – Melancholy and melodic. Lovely lyrics.
• 1999 Midnight Vultures – Sexsexsex. Techno.
• 2002 Sea Change – Sad. Heartbreak. Orchestral. Thick.
• 2005 Guero – My least favorite. Rock. Punk. About as “metal” as Beck gets.
• 2006 The Information – Pop. Ramblin’ Rhythms. Little bit of everything. Some Stones moments.

When happy, I prefer Odelay and The Information or listening to “Loser” over and over again on repeat.

When I wanna dance, I prefer Midnight Vultures mixed with Odelay, The Information, and maybe a little bit of Guero thrown in.

When sensing possibility or just plain horny, I prefer Midnight Vultures.

When sad, quiet, contemplative or lonely, I prefer Mutations and Sea Change.

Y’all know which of those I most often am.

Fun. Hyper happy hoopla. As enervating as their previous effort. Part Elton John, part Bee Gees, part ’70s dancehall mirror ball. If that floats your boat, this is for you. (Balme: you will LOVE this album.)

No ups vs. downs: it’s all ups.

Fickle girl, changes mind.

A couple days ago I told someone not to buy this album (and buy Joseph Arthur’s new one instead). Now I’m not sure.

I like the first 3-4 songs. And I love “Splendid Isolation” (song 9) which has a real Traveling Wilbury’s feel to it, oddly enough.

I’m still in consideration on this one.

Have listened to this at least 25 times in the past two days. I guess I like it! Fits right into my Melancholy Boys for Mondays playlist. Introspective. “The days when I would die for you are now gone…” Has a very 60’s Stones sound on the chorus of “When I Was Running Out of Time”.

Only song I can’t really listen to is “Don’t Tell Your Eyes” with the “Jesus loves you more than you know” repetition in the chorus. I once got yelled at for recommending Joseph Arthur: “why’d you tell me to buy this bible music?” Yes, the chorus of “In the Sun” repeats “may God’s love be with you” and one album is called “Redemption’s Son” and has some biblical imagery…but until the yelling, I hadn’t really noticed. I’ve been assured by someone that they know someone who knows him (or someone who knows someone who knows him) and he’s not a bible banger….but the topic does keep rearin’ its head.

Not as blatantly as with Jenny Lewis, but it’s still always there in the back of my mind.

Betsy, if you’re reading, I’d say buy this instead of the new Pete Yorn. It’s much more satisfying.

Sweet (mostly). Melodic. Very singalong-able. Occasionally quirky but not overwhelmingly so. Solid. Enjoyable.

If you’re a BNL fan already, well worth it. If if you are NOT a BNL fan, man, you are NO FUN, is what I have to say to you.

Or is this latest Snow Patrol album just really, really fucking sad? I just calmly decided to listen to it a little while ago and now I’m almost in tears over the lyrics and the melancholy moody music… Not recommended for the suicidal among you.

It’s a good album. It’s just a bit of a downer.