My 10 Favorite Album Covers

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's breakout album, Nevermind, I decided to dedicate a blog post on the 10 album covers that stand out above the rest, that cement themselves in your head, and give a face to the music you listen to.

10. The Upsides by The Wonder Years

This album may be under a year old, but few bands have captivated me as much as the pop punk sextet from Landsale, Pennsylvania. The cover depicts what has long been the band's symbol, a pigeon, which represents the feeling of not feeling wanted but sticking around despite what others want and making your mark. The band used it in their early days to represent themselves in the pop punk community but with their last two albums the symbol has been used by many of their fans. The Pigeon on the cover looks dejected and is carrying a cardboard sign containing the name of the album.


9. Where You Want to Be by Taking Back Sunday

I remember the first time I caught a glimpse of this album in a Target circular without knowing anything about the band and how this album stuck in my head. It took years until I finally listened to them and began liking them, but this remains my favorite of their albums and album covers. It fits perfectly with the name of the album, because deep down we all feel like naked babies reaching out for a horizon and hoping to end up where we want to be (in my opinion).

8. Rise or Die Trying by Four Year Strong

This cover doesn't have a profound meaning or symbolism like the last two. What it does have is plenty of kick ass factors. Let's just recount what we're seeing on this cover: There is a wizard riding an octopus on the moon while fighting off an army of mechanical sharks. Oh, and there's a monkey on the octopus. If that doesn't scream bad ass, then I don't know what does.

7. Revolutions Per Minute by Rise Against

This album isn't nearly as busy as the latter album on my list, but its simplicity in rebellion is what strikes me most. Rise Against, a band known for their political beliefs and social commentary, present the image of a grenade with headphones attached to them, painting the idea of music as a form of protest and speaking to the power that something as simple as music can have on the world. It also happens to be one of their all-time best albums.

6. Through Being Cool by Saves the Day

The pop punk masterpiece by one of the most famous bands of the genre features the members of the band sitting bored on a couch while others enjoy a party. The look of anxiety on lead singer Chris Conley's face is a great way to sum up their feelings that they spell out in the album title. And honestly, no album cover on earth defines my feelings towards everything better than this one.

5. Ramones by Ramones

To most people, there is nothing even remotely appealing about the cover of the debut album by pop punk legends The Ramones. All it features is the 4 members standing in front of a brick wall that is marked with graffiti. But in an era of glam rock, where big acts drew all the attention, this image conjured up the re-emergence of punk rock for what is was: basic three chords behind simple lyrics and harsh vocals. It was rebellion from the starry eyed view of rock music, and it succeeded in launching their career as punk pioneers.

4. Suffer by Bad Religion

Coming off a four year absence, Bad Religion made their triumphant return to punk rock with a blistering, 26 minute/15 track masterpiece that features the image of a child on fire, standing in front of his suburbia neighborhood. The album challenged social norms and the role of government in our lives, among other things. The boy on fire is sporting a Bad Religion "crossbuster" logo and came to become a symbol of the band's views.

3. American Idiot by Green Day

"She holding on my heart like a hand grenade" belts Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong on the track "She's a Rebel". The album cover depicts this image and stands as the symbol of the Green Day phenomenon V2.0, which took the world by storm in 2004. So many people know this image today and it's hard to disregard the significance of the album name, the album cover, and the album itself. It remains my favorite album of all time.

2. Nevermind by Nirvana

Nirvana, like Green Day, was less of a band and more of a cultural revolution when they hit the mainstream. Their first of two classic albums, which came out 1991, sold over 10 million in the U.S. alone and came to be defined by their daring album cover choice, which featured a naked baby swimming towards money on a fishing hook. Cobain with this cover is demonstrating the disdain he felt towards the mainstream culture. Chances are, if you see this album cover somewhere with no words on it, you know the name of the band and CD. That's an impact.

1. London Calling by The Clash

There is not a doubt in my mind that this is the best album cover I've ever seen. The photograph was taken at a Clash show in New York City on September 21, 1979 that was not going well. Bassist Paul Simonon, fed up with their difficulties, takes the liberty of smashing his bass guitar to pieces. The photograph was captured and immortalized one of the most famous punk albums of all times. It's worth noting that the typography is inspired by the debut Elvis Presley album. The raw anger and emotion of the cover is just so incredible.

Thoughts on the new Blink-182 album

Blink-182 was the first band to abandon me. At a time when I was first starting to develop an appreciation for the bands that released the music I heard on the radio, television, and various "Now That's What I Call Music" compilation albums (I admit it...), Blink-182 hit a snag due to overwhelming turmoil among the members and called it quits. I remember hearing the news, and I felt beat down. I was confused. After all, their self-titled/untitled effort was magnificent, a masterpiece and a huge step up from anything they've ever done, so why would they want to walk away from it all?

I was a huge supporter of the various Blink side projects, but none of them had the long term affect on me that Blink's music did. They were one of the first 5 bands that made me fall in love with rock music, and along with Green Day they are the only two that I still listen to with any consistency. When I heard Blink-182 was going to share the same stage at the Grammys two years ago, the kid inside of me was giddy, as was the young adult and future adult. When they announced they were coming back, I was thrilled. A part of myself was revived.

Their new album hit many snags, and so many on absolutepunk.net and other internet music sites lost faith that it would ever come out. But here we are on September 27th, and the new Blink-182 album is in stores and on music sites everywhere. All the anticipation, the talk, the cancelled tour dates and dreaming has led to the release of Neighborhoods, the sixth studio effort from the veteran pop punkers. On first listen, the most startling thing I can point out about the new CD is that it sounds like Blink-182. That is putting it simply, but as best I could.

Everyone complained about how "Up All Night" sounds like Angels and Airwaves and Boxcar Racer or how other songs sound like +44. That's because those bands were formed by members of Blink-182. That criticism is unnecessary. Had the new Blink album come out without any break-up or side projects, every fan would have praised this album as the logical progression from their self-titled effort. Had Blink-182 called it quits after "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket", formed side projects, and reformed to write self-titled, people would be criticizing that album as sound too much like said projects. In the end, all roads point to Blink-182.

So with all that said, my thoughts on the music that comprises Neighborhoods: The opener is solid, though the synthesizer is a little off-putting and sounds a little out of place for a Blink song. What I do love from Ghost on the Dance Floor is the verses, which bring up images of "There Is" by Boxcar Racer. The fast track Natives precedes Up All Night, a song which many were weary about at first but will enjoy a lot more within the confines of this album. Up All Night fits so much better with the sound this CD establishes.

Snake Charmer is a stand out track which starts with the recognizable base lines and drum beats of Mark and Travis, respectively, and give away to a heavy, dark guitar riff mixed in with a hypnotic piano over Tom's familiar whine. Tom sings "she creeps up like a spider, and wants you deep inside her/she turns you into stone, a twisted little stone", which embody the darkness Blink has embodied with their newest lyrics. The song leads well into an interlude that opens for the Bad Religion-sounding "Heart's All Gone", the fastest track on the new album that may remind many of old favorites like "Josie".

Tom and Mark's dynamic on the new album is as solid as its ever been, as they both share the spotlight on many songs, giving way for an interest back-and-forth on tracks like Kaleidoscope, where Mark discusses the long road and deadlines missed leading up to the new album's release. This song has single written all over it and may get some heavy play in future Blink-182 circles.

The song "Love is Dangerous" highlights the spacy overtones that are familiar to Angels and Airwaves fans, while MH 4.18.2011 is more pop punk influenced with a dance factor that is reminiscent of +44. In the end though, it's because of the progression Mark and Tom have faced post-break up that this album takes the shape it does and it's what ultimately makes this a fantastic Blink album.

10, 20, 50 years from now we won't look back at this album as a classic and in the end it might not even be a top 10 or 20 album of 2011 because of the high quality of releases from this year. But what we will take away from this album is that Blink-182 is back and still capable of writing catchy, danceable punk music that makes you want to sing along to with the windows down. It's just that this time, they've had some difficulties to overcome that have added a more real element to what they're talking about. The hardships were overcome and helped give them another dimension to their music, something fans should appreciate.

Blink-182 is back. For how long we won't know, but we should enjoy them while we have them. They will continue to tour and churn out hit songs. Welcome back boys.

Five Fall Tours That I'm Dying For

My nose is stuffed, my throat is sore, and I feel miserable. There is no better indication that fall is approaching than the rapid changing of weather for sweltering hot to the brisk, bitter chills of fall in the matter of 24 hours. Though summer still has another week or so of life, Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer. With summer ending, we say goodbye to all the amazing summer tours and bands that released those tunes we blasted on a highway drive with the windows ruled down. No more Warped Tour, no more shows in shorts and a white t-shirt.

But the fall also brings an abundance of fantastic and interesting tours with it. Every genre is well represented in shows over the next four months, but for me the rock, punk, and indie genres are especially packed with amazing shows. While many great shows are already planned, there are a plethora of tours with 3 or more fantastic bands gracing the bill. This is a direct result of all the talented artists releasing new albums in the next few months.

5. Thrice with La Dispute, Moving Mountains, and O'Brother

Coming off their wildly loved and softer album Beggars, Thrice promised a return to their roots with their latest effort Major/Minor. If the first three songs are any indication, Thrice is well on their way but without sacrificing the progression they've made on their latest works from Vheissu on. This tour hits Irving Plaza on Sunday, October 16th. Thrice brings along experimental post-hardcore outfit La Dispute, who release their sophomore album "Wildfire" in 2011, and Moving Mountains, who are fresh off performing on the Nintendo 3DS stage on the Van's Warped Tour. These two bands bring along emotional catharsis that will nicely complement Dustin Kensrue of Thrice. O'Brother is the opener as they're set to release their debut. They recently played New York with Manchester Orchestra and Cage the Elephant.
4. Kevin Devine with An Horse and The Front Bottoms

My choice for indie tour of the year, which also take places right in the middle of CMJ festivities in New York City. Hitting the big apple on Saturday, October 22nd, attendees of this show will witness a man who brings all the life experiences and emotions he has ever experienced with him onto the stage in a release of energy lyrical mastery. Kevin's newest album "Between the Concrete & Clouds" was released earlier this week and features more melodic humming guitars and beautiful poetry wrapped in a 40 minute package. An Horse, a two piece indie rock group reminiscent of Tegan and Sara, support the release of their sophomore album "Walls". The Front Bottoms are putting out their Bar/None Records debut, a self-titled effort.



3. Polar Bear Club with Fireworks, Balance & Composure, and Such Gold

Polar Bear Club returns to the city that never sleeps just four months after performing here with Bayside and Silverstein. Their new album "Clash Battle Guilt Pride" is their best sounding effort to date, a melodic punk head banger with vocal prowess and intensity that conjures up thoughts of an old school Tim McIlrath circa "Revolutions Per Minute". Their energetic live shows will be heightened by the fans of pop punk band Fireworks, whose new album "Gospel" broadened their sound with softer melodies, cleaner guitars, and lyrics that centered on first person encounters of their every day lives, much like recent works from The Wonder Years. Balance & Composure continue to tour for their stellar debut "Seperation", while Such Gold bring their melodic hardcore sound in what proves to be a solid opening slot. If you want to catch this show, hit up the Knitting Factory on Wednesday, October 12th for a steal of only $12 ($14 at the door).


2. Saves the Day & Bayside with I am the Avalanche and Transit

There is no shortage of great stories on this tour. After scaring their fanbases by withholding New York City dates for about four weeks, the show hits the big apple's Irving Plaza to end the tour on November 15 and 16. Bayside have toured extensively for their Wind-Up Records debut, Killing Time, playing with the likes of Senses Fail, Silverstein, Polar Bear Club, The Swellers, and now this. The Queens boys sound better than ever with quality production values bringing out the best in Jack O'Shea's guitar and Anthony's crisp, at times bitter and sarcastic vocals. In what is a dream show for them, Bayside brings along pop punk legends Saves the Day, whose newer works has drifted into the realms of emo and indie but continues to churn out quality album after quality album. Their latest work, Daybreak, comes out after years of delays and member changes but ends their 3 album trilogy (Sound the Alarm, Under the Boards) on a positive note. Conley's lyrics offer a small glimmer of hope after relaying the pain and anguish he's faced in his life. I am the Avalanche, another New York based punk rock band, release their long awaited sophomore album after six longs years. "Avalanche United" sports songs like "Brooklyn Dodgers" which many fans are familiar with. Pop Punk band Transit have been tabbed as openers and are supporting their newest CD "Listen & Forgive", out on October 11.



1. New Found Glory with Set Your Goals, The Wonder Years, Man Overboard, and This Time Next Year (Pop Punk's Not Dead Tour).

There is nothing more annoying than a show that features one prominent headliner, a decent supporting act, and two openers no ones heard off. The awkward stares and head nods the audience gives as the first couple bands rush through their 30 minute sets is unfortunate and provides a less than ideal atmosphere for the show. That's what makes this show so unbelievable. If you love one band, you probably love them all. The audience will be into all five bands, which will create a sweaty mess of crowd surfers and moshers that will bring the energy to new high. Legends New Found Glory return with "Radiosurgery", an album that many have already been calling one of their best works. The guitar riff on the lead single off the album is reminiscent of old Green Day mixed with classic New Found Glory goodness. They bring along Set Your Goals, whose debut "Mutiny" is a pop punk classic of our time and turned many kids back into the genre, which has seen a re-emergence with these type of bands. The Wonder Years, arguably the most popular band in the genre today (and with good reason) are riding high with their conceptual masterpiece, "Suburbia I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing", an album with feeds off lead singer Soupy's real life account of growing up in a Philadelphia suburb and mixes it with catchy, high energy punk music. Openers Man Overboard and This Time Next Year are each gaining popularity on their own with catchy choruses and head banging verses that have made them forces in the pop punk world. The tour hits the Best Buy Theater in the heart of New York on Friday, October 28th.

The "Full Album Show" trend

Last Friday, I and over 1,000 other people had the pleasure of being in Irving Plaza to see Motion City Soundtrack perform their first two albums, "I am the Movie" and "Commit this to Memory", back-to-back. The next night, I returned to see their two latest albums, "Even if it Kills Me" and "My Dinosaur Life". It was a unique experience that the band decided to bestow upon their fan base in 7 different cities. The difficulty of learning and remembering over 50 songs to be played over two nights is something that the band enjoyed with a wild enthusiasm that showed on stage in their live performance, which was spot on. Even if the occasional lyric was forgotten here and there, their devoted fans were there to pick them up.

The "full album show" has become a trend over the past few years in the music scene, and let me go on record of showing my full support and appreciation for them. It gained steam as more of a "10 year anniversary" deal. My first full album show was New Found Glory performing their stellar self-titled album back in 2010 with Saves the Day and Hellogoodbye. A year earlier, emo rock legends The Get Up Kids and Jimmy Eat World performed their beloved album "Something to Write Home About" and "Clarity", respectively in New York and various other cities in order to honor what many fans consider the work that got them recognized and built their fan base.

As an avid music fan, I love the idea of an "album". I'm not a fan of individual tracks, and for me to truly devote myself to a band, they have to be able to write a stellar album that has a narrative and a feel that keeps me listening from the first track to the last. Albums like "American Idiot" hits me harder than Green Day's other works because of the story it tells. I've always appreciated Say Anything and their ability to write solid albums from front to back. A great opening and closing track is vital for the album to hold its own weight. So if a band has an album that shows all the signs of a great CD, it's even more fun seeing the band perform it live.

If you've ever attended a full album show, you know the atmosphere is unreal. The audience knows what they've come to see and they come prepared to sing every verse and mosh or crowd surf at the appropriate moments. There's no surprises, but there are often interesting tidbits and stories the band provides to take the listening public back to the time they were writing the album. The dynamic of fans who've been with the band since the beginning who were there when the album came out and newer fans who may have just heard the album for the first time a few weeks back is a fascinating one to observe, but in the end the fans love the music just the same.

In the recent months, many bands have tried out a new trend: playing all their albums over the course of several nights. Along with Motion City Soundtrack, punk legends The Bouncing Souls recently took it upon themselves to play all eight of their CDs over a four night span at Highline Ballroom in NYC, among other cities. Lead singer Greg Attonito wore a special tie which bore the number "one, two, three, four" on the specific night that the number corresponded to. Indie folk band The Weakerthans will perform the feat of playing their four albums over four nights at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC.

Perhaps the only downside to attending the full album show is the lack of spontaneity and surprise. One of the fun aspects of a show is the setlist and seeing which songs are played at which points in the set. The roar of the crowd when a classic song comes up unexpectedly is always a high point of the experience of a show. But if you love the album enough, the lack of surprise is something that can be overlooked.

There is nothing gimmicky about a band taking the time to perform one or all of their albums over the course of one or several nights. It is merely a way of connecting to an old part of them and even giving people the chance to track their progression which seeing why they love their favorite bands so much. It can take the audience back to the time they first heard the album and awaken feelings in each person that they had when they first discovered their favorite band. It is truly a special moment shared between musician and fan.

I never though I'd hear the Motion City Soundtrack songs "Boombox Generation", "Hangman" or "Antonia" live. After these past 2 shows I can marvel at the fact that such deep cuts off their albums were performed in front of me. I can now say I've heard one of my top 20 favorite albums of all time (Commit This to Memory) performed in its entirety, and I will forever love Motion City Soundtrack for doing it. Hopefully this is a trend that more bands take advantage of, as it gives their fans a rare treat that they will surely remember for a long, long time.

Thoughts on Mike Pelfrey's Thoughtless Comments

If you had asked any "realistic" Mets fan going into the 2011 season, they would have told you there was a slim chance of the Mets making a run at the postseason, let alone making it. After all, the Braves were coming off a strong season last year and the Phillies stocked up on arms in the form of Halladay, Oswalt, Lee, and Hamels. On top of that, the Mets were expected to miss Santana for at least half the season (which has since turned to almost all of 2011) and Mets owner Fred Wilpon was ensnarled in deep financial troubles that many believed would hinder future club transactions. To expect the Mets to finish anything higher than third would have required divine intervention.

But it's alright for a fan to predict failure. After all, one of the top characteristics of a Mets fan is cautious optimism that is really covering up negativity and low expectations. Year in and year out most Mets fans would never admit to thinking this team has much of a shot, and in fact many fans who believe so are labeled "kool-aid drinkers", which is to say any Mets fan who thinks they have a shot is delusional and blindly following believing in the team despite "common sense".

All that aside, it is never ok for a player to admit to not believing in the team's performance. That is what makes Mike Pelfrey's latest comments to Mike Puma of the New York Post so damning. If you missed them...

“It’s unrealistic for anybody at the end of last year to come in and say, ‘The Mets, this is a one-year thing, next year we’re going to win it all…It’s unrealistic.”

One anonymous Mets player angrily responded with...

“He’s cutting his own throat…What’s his record, six and nine? He’s supposed to be the ace of the [bleeping] staff. Why don’t you go and win 12 or 13 games?”

With Pelfrey going through a rough year (6-9, 4.53 ERA) in his first test as the Mets ace in the absence of Johan Santana, this quote will not win him any support from his teammates and may result to him being ostracized by the veteran presences of the club. The comments were on the minds of every fan going into the season, but at no point should have ever been on the mind of any players. It's as if you said you said you thought you were fat, and then someone else said they thought you were fat. Even though you agree with their comments (as you just said so), chances are you would be furious with that person.

Mets fans, who have been given all the reason to be furious with Pelfrey on account of his inconsistency, now have a reason to hate the youngster. He stuck his foot too deep in his mouth to pull it out any time soon. Time will tell if these comments are the final nail in Pelfrey's Met coffin.

For Big Pelf to win back the fans, he'll have to start performing far more consistently that he has at any point in his Met career. He also needs to keep his mouth closed to avoid letting comments like this slip out and understand that statements like these are unacceptable. As the anonymous Met stated, his performance this season has been a direct contributor to why the Mets have not been winning. The best thing for Pelf to do would be to shut his mouth and win some ball games. That's your job.

Carlos Beltran: A Mets Life Remembered

I remember it was 2004. I was 16 years old, burned out from the last three seasons, which were all equally terrible for different reasons. Despite the irrelevance it seemed the Mets were falling in to, a couple of bright spots did rise up in the names of Jose Reyes and David Wright, youngsters who were supposed to ring in a new era in Flushing, though one that still seemed a considerable way away.

Half way across the country, one Carlos Beltran, Center Fielder for the Houston Astros, just finished up putting a historic postseason, the likes of which we had never seen before and have not seen since. He tied the record with 8 home runs, set the record with 21 runs scored, and had an OPS of 1.557, all while hitting over .400. All of this was done in just two rounds, as his Astros were eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS.

Iremember the night the Mets all but acquired Beltran. I sat anxiously clutching my radio, listening to WFAN. If Beltran was not signed by the Astros by midnight, he could not resign with them until May 1, all but assuring he would come to the Mets, the team that was vigorously courting him. And then the announcement came that Beltran was free to sign with other teams. That team ended up being the Mets, the start of a new era that included Pedro Martinez and the two bright young stars. 7 years, $119 million.

Six and a half years later, the inevitable has finally arrived. Carlos Beltran's days as a Met are finished, off to the Golden City to begin a serious playoff push. In my lifetime, no Met career has been more hotly contested than that of Mr. Beltran. He has been a hero and a goat, a favorite and a favorite target. He's experienced the best of times and the worst of times, sometimes unfairly, sometimes with good reason. To call it a roller coaster would be far too simplistic and an understatement.

Beltran may be the most misunderstood player in recent Mets memory. Labeled by many as "soft" for his almost constant battles with injuries, it seems Mets fans could never forgive him for many things, and most certainly could never forget. To the rational fan, he was beloved. He put up some great numbers, especially in 2006 and 2007, and provided a solid presence in the middle of the lineup with the Mets needed it and he's been a good clubhouse guy. To the message board fan, he was torn apart, labeled as the almost singular cause of our loss in 2006 and the one who would have rather gone to the Yankees.

In the end, that is what Beltran's career was. The rumor he wanted to sign with the cross town rivals for less money hung over his head like an ominous dark cloud. At the slightest bit of turmoil, that fact was brought out, like in any relationship. The Mets fan in this case was the angry girlfriend, and Beltran was the boyfriend who occasionally looked at the girl's hot friend, and the girlfriend never let him forget it. I don't hold this against Beltran, because all players would rather be Yankees. The money's good, and the postseason chances are great. He ended up in Flushing, and that's all that ever mattered to me.

The other thing that will forever hang over Beltran's head and define his 6 plus years in Queens is one pitch, one curveball, one called striked, one lost NLCS. The only real chance the Mets have had at a World Series win since 2000 lies squarely and unfairly on the shoulders of Mr. Beltran. The pitch, thrown by Adam Wainwright, was simply un-hittable. Had he swung, he most likely would have missed. At best, it would have been a weak ground ball. The prospects of a Mets win would not have improved with a swing, but as John Sterling would say, "You just can't predict baseball, Suzyn."

From Mets fan friends of mine, I've heard they wished Beltran had swung because it would have shown he cared. Somehow, taking that un-hittable curveball showed a lack of interest in the outcome of that game, no doubt the most important in his career. I say that I don't care about that, I care about results. Had he swung and missed or gotten out I would feel no better today than I do now. But that's the Mets fan, the most illogical creature on this planet. And they've never let Beltran forget it.

It's sad to know that Beltran's career here did not produce any record of greatness like it could have. Injuries did their part to slow him down, along with the team, and the pieces never quite fit right enough to bring a title to Shea Stadium and now Citi Field. This is no fault of Carlos Beltran. Carlos Beltran, like David Wright and Jose Reyes, is only one man and can only do so much to help the team win. The overall pieces never came into the place the way they could have.

I will always look back fondly on his time with the Mets. I do no see him as the man who cashed in and whose softness got in the way of his performance. When I think of Carlos Beltran, I will think of the diving catch he attempted in San Diego back in 2005, leading to the collision with Mike Cameron, and I will remember how he valiantly played through the broken bones in his face. Maybe it's just me, but that doesn't sound like a soft player. Carlos Beltran was not a soft player, he was not a prima donna.

If he's guilty of anything, it's signing with the New York Mets. He gave this team his all, and I'll always remember him for that. Thank You Carlos Beltran. "El Esta Aqui" no more.

The New York Mets: Halfway Through 2011

If there's one thing the 2011 New York Mets have done consistently, it's confuse us and entertain us. Truth be told, this team has been as fun to watch as they've been frustrating. At times they've looked like they could break through and make a run, while at other times they look like they don't have enough talent to win a game.

I've complained for the past year about how much less I care about this specific incarnation of the Mets because I know going into the season that they wouldn't make a run and that many of the players I care about are only playing out their times with this team. The truth is, though, that I've had as much fun watching this team as I've had watching any Mets team over the past 10 years, with the exception of 2006.

What this team lacks in talent they make up for in pure guts and determination. If you ignore the high payroll, this team really exemplifies the young, misfit, scrappy teams you see the movies. Guys like Justin Turner and Daniel Murphy have provided more than you could possibly have considered before the year began. Without David Wright, Johan Santana, Ike Davis and Jose Reyes for a decent amount of the season, this team has remained over .500, which many people didn't think was possible even without considering injuries.

But the most infuriating thing about this team is that, as fun as they are to watch and even with the idea of "anything is possible" in sports, we won't get a chance to see this team make a serious run. The Mets are in one of the two toughest divisions in baseball (the other being the AL East). As improbable as this ride has been, the Mets will not make it to the promised land. That's not negativity about the team, because for once I love the way they're playing. But right now the Phillies are untouchable (from our standpoint). The Braves are on pace for around 90 wins, and as fun as the Mets have been to watch it's not fair to think this team can win 90 games. I think this team can peak at about 84 wins, which will not be enough the way the two top NL teams are playing, which is a shame.

This Mets team reminds me a lot of the 2005 squad. They hung around a lot longer than anybody thought possible, and until September they barely hung around, giving everyone hope that they could sneak into the playoffs. That team was also fun to watch, and until the Cameron/Beltran collision they seemed like they could contend. Unfortunately, that team fell short but finished above .500 (83-78) and led the way for the return of the team.

I definitely do not think next year will be another 2006, even though I could dream. But I do love the direction this team has taken. Their attitude displays urgency. They have shown that they care and they will fight for Terry Collins. Collins and Alderson have done a fantastic job of changing the dynamic and atmosphere around this franchise amid terrible circumstances with the Wilpons in their financial problems. With all the problems this team has faced it's amazing how impressive they've been this year.

Maybe if Wright, Reyes, and Santana return healthy and the Mets can secure them all for next year the team can begin to build towards a potential solid team that can use its scrappy attitude to put together an improbable playoff berth. It's so hard to ever get a solid read on this team, but all I hope that the Wilpons do not get in the way of where this team looks to be heading, because the Mets are actually enjoyable, albeit frustrating, again.

The Wilpons Must Sell The New York Mets

The Wilpons must sell the New York Mets.

I can be no more blunt than that. For the record, I have pleaded with the Mets ownership to sell the team for quite some time. However, I want to make it clear that for once, my stance does not come from a place of contempt but from a pure sense of concern for my beloved franchise.

I am no financial expert, and the idea of business is very foreign to me, so maybe I'm not the best person to try and understand the troubles the Wilpon family are going through. I have read as much as I can on the Madoff/Wilpons situation to try and grasp what's going on, and the more I read, the more clear it becomes that this endeavor will end with the Wilpons selling the team. It seems like a matter of when, not if, so what's the hold-up? If that is the case, selling the team sooner rather than later is in the best interest of the franchise for future success.

The article that really sealed the deal for me was a fantastic one written by Joel Sherman in today's NY POST (Ashes to Ashes: Wilpons may need all-out fire sale to keep Amazin's, 3-06-11). In the story, Sherman quotes two NL financial analysts who believe the Mets may need to lower their payroll to as little as $70 million by as early as 2012 in order for the Wilpons to keep the team and for their finances to balance out. Considering that their payroll is around $140 million this year, that would include a drastic overhaul of the team. This task is slightly easier because of the expiring contracts of Oliver Perez ($12 million), Luis Castillo ($6 million), Francisco Rodriguez ($11.5 million) and Carlos Beltran ($17 million). However, Mets fans looked forward to these expiring contracts as a time when the organization would finally be afforded more room to add talent and build a contender. In reality, this money will see no productive purpose for a franchise with little hope of a serious playoff run in the near future.

I have always supported a salary cap in baseball, as well as a player salary cap, so this isn't me complaining about the Mets shedding money. I've always wanted the Mets to have a payroll around $110 and to learn to win by building a solid farm system and making smart, economically sound trades and signings. What outrages me about this, though, is the fact that the team will be shedding money without adding or doing anything helpful to the franchise. Unless GM Sandy Alderson can make some brilliant trades and add solid value for the expiring contracts, not much with this team will change, and that's unacceptable.

The article brings up a fire sale, a concept that is though to sell in the New York market and one the Wilpons and Mets team has never successfully committed to fully. Many of the names the article bring sup are predictable: Beltran, Rodriguez, and even Reyes. But the name that really took me off guard is David Wright. The fact that the financial troubles of the Wilpons would force a trade of the team's prodigal son is shocking and saddening. It should never get to that point where the money troubles are going to take over the team. The article mentions that even an under-achieving team with a $70 million payroll will draw at least 2 million fans, enough to appease the Wilpons and encourage a low payroll. Again, the money is now driving the franchise instead of the goal of winning a championship, another reason the Wilpons are now becoming bigger than the team.

The fact is, no matter how much it hurts me as a fan, sports teams are a business. While we assign more meaning to them and let them affect our lives, the truth is most teams are no more than trophies for rich businessmen that gives them more things to parade and show off. But what bothers me is that to the Wilpons, this whole ordeal is no more than a conquest for them to defiantly defend their name and their power. They are holding on to the team because of their arrogance, trying to show everyone that they can and ignoring the best interest of the team, which right now is a new owner with a new vision and no financial limitations.

Are the Wilpons still invested in bringing the Mets a championship or merely surviving and holding onto another busines of theirs? If it's the latter, then it's time they sell the team. Remove the dark cloud hanging over Flushing or the team will suffer.

Patrick Stump Debut EP "Truant Wave"

The last time we heard from Fall Out Boy, they were playing their last ever show at Madison Square Garden in support of Blink-182, and Pete Wentz was getting his ridiculous emo hairdo whacked off by Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus. Since then, Joe Trohman (guitar) and Andy Hurley (drums) have teamed up with members of Anthrax and Every Time I Die to form the metal supergroup The Damned Things (who recently appeared on Hoppus on Music on FUSE-TV). Pete Wentz formed a band of his own called Black Cards, an electropop/experimental band that features a female vocalist.

And then there's lead singer Patrick Stump. The man has been involved in numerous hardcore and punk bands, but is known for his vocal range and style that distinguishes him from many in the genre. On his solo effort, he ditched the long hair and goofy trucker hat and slimmed down to complete his metamorphosis. Those who liked Fall Out Boy might not even recognize the new, suave Stump with a new hairstyle and new style. To further give fans an idea of what he was going for in his post-Fall Out Boy career, Stump posted videos of himself singing Grammy song medlys and Michael Jackson songs dressed in a tuxedo and done up for the cameras in a way you wouldn't have pictured.

The result is good. This project Stump has taken on is centered around his voice, so fans of Fall Out Boy like myself may not immediately find the music to be within our style. Despite that, Patrick Stump's voice is really good. The music mixes elements of techno/electronica and indie pop which fits well with Stump's vocal range as the highs and lows intermingle elegantly from song to song.

From the moment the first song begins the music will sound unfamiliar to the punk roots of Stump's past. "Porcelain" could easily be heard in a dance club with strobe lights and people dancing left and right and even features a rap verse from Alph-A-Bit.

The EP features a couple really strong numbers, most notably "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia). Stump released two versions of this song, and this was definitely my favorite as it struck closer to his roots and vocally Stump nails ever aspect of this song. The tune contains an indie element to it and the chorus of "you could be your own spotlight, (a-yo a-yo!)" is sure to get stuck in your head after just one listen. When Stump sings with just the piano backing him, the song excels.

Look no further than "Cute Girls" to see how drastically Stump's voice has improved. His voice mirrors a young Michael Jackson, which took me off guard the first time I heard the song). To imagine Stump writing a Jackson-esque song is almost unbelievable, but at times the voice reverberations tend to trip up what is an otherwise solid track.

Coming in with six tracks, Truant Wave is sure to separate Stump from his Fall Out Boy days as he prepares for his first big musical project, Soul Punk. If nothing else, this EP will raise more interest in him, as people will have a better idea of what to expect. If you don't like Fall Out Boy, don't worry, although if you don't like electro-pop then this won't be your style either.Even though this CD isn't the type of thing I would normally listen to, I can get behind Stump's wonderful vocals. If you are willing to give this EP a try, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Bayside "Killing Time" Review

Two summers ago, I went to my first Warped Tour and saw many great bands, including Bayside. I also met two of my favorites on that tour, Anti-Flag and TAT. But the thing I always remember from that day is that Anti-Flag's bassist and TAT's drummer, before even saying hi to me, complimented me on my "Bayside" shirt, saying they loved that band. TAT's drummer especially loved them, as we talked about Bayside for a couple minutes for the girl in front of me on line.

That's the kind of respect Bayside has been afforded. Over their 10 year career, their hard work and knack for producing consistently good music has won over everyone who has listened to them, starting with small crowds from their early beginning and through word of mouth, internet promotion and catchy punk music have gone on to headline big tours with other household bands in the scene. The result is a cult following, four solid records, and a signing to their first major label, Wind-Up Records.

It was a huge step for the local boys from Queens that gave them the chance to work with famed producer Gil Norton, responsible for hit albums from Jimmy Eat World (Futures), Dashboard Confessional (A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar), and what I consider to be the greatest alternative rock album ever made, The Colour and the Shape by the Foo Fighters. Bayside lead singer Anthony Raneri said in an interview the first time he heard that Foo Fighters album, he told his band mates one day Gil would produce a Bayside album, and this whole ride has been a dream come true.

Expectations were already very high for the Queens quartet. The band has labeled "Killing Time" the best work they've done because they had one thing they've never had before: TIME. This band took over a year to record the album, making sure ever song was perfect. Anthony mentioned that lead single "Sick, Sick, Sick" was re-recorded and changed seven times in the recording process.

The result may be Bayside's best effort yet. What's striking about this album is that it sounds like Bayside. The label emphasized their distinct music and make sure not to tamper with what won Bayside the huge fanbase that recently sold out The Crazy Donkey for their 10 year anniversary and the Looney Tunes signing day. Killing Time was able to build on Bayside's past success without reinventing the wheel.

Their music has a recognizable originality. That begins with Anthony Raneri's raw, passionate vocals which are as powerful as ever on this album. His lyrics are as scathing and vitriolic as they've been on Bayside's earliest work, as he tackles issues like his ex-wife in "Sick, Sick, Sick" (Your sex capades deliver checks/but can't afford you self-respect), growing troubles in "It's Not a Bad Little War" (I had a place to live in/I had a job worth quitting, I had some things I had to chase) and trying to make something of life on Long Island in "Sinking and Swimming on Long Island" (I've become a rock these days/And I swim like one, alone again/Barely surviving the tidal wave). This album cemented Anthony as my favorite lyricist for his ability to capture the dire situations of life, no matter how small, and making it both easily to relate to but with with a sense of hope for survival in the end. The song that sticks out through multiple listens is "It's Not a Bad Little War", which includes the line "We Are Our Chance in the world/So stand for something, cause something's overdue"

The music is some of Bayside's heaviest, starting right off the bat with the blistering drum roll on "Already Gone". Guitarist Jack O'Shea wins this album from the get-go, turning in his absolute best work. The guitarists are monstrous, and every song from "Seeing Sound" to "It's Not a Bad Little War" will imprint themselves on your memory. The solo on the Bad Religion-esque "The Wrong Way" is above anything that's been recorded on a Bayside song. Jack O'Shea is the consummate professional, providing Bayside with guitar tracks that separate them from other bands of their genre. Above all, Gil Norton turns in the same great production work he's done on past work. The sound is flawless. Everything from the drums to Nick's bass to the guitars and vocals are crisp and clean.

When Bayside released the first three tracks of this album, I was a little nervous that Bayside tipped their hand early. That worry was quickly eviscerated when you get into the heart of this album. Whether's it's the New Found Glory styled riff on "Sinking and Swimming on Long Island", or the beautiful acoustic song "On Love, on Life", Bayside makes it clear that they have a lot to offer. "On Love, On Life" is reminiscient of "Don't Call Me Peanut", as Anthony passionately belts "I've never felt as old and lonely/As when I was young and in love" behind a sparkling piano riff backing his acoustic guitar. Bayside ends Killing Time with a powerful message on "Killing Time", saying that you can't just wait for the right moment to come in life, or in the end you may find you've run out of time.

Before the album came out, many had compared it to a combination of their self-titled album and Shudder, while Anthony himself compared it to a more polished version of "The Walking Wounded". In the end, Killing Time is a cocktail of something from every one of their albums. It sports the raw tenacity of their debut, "Sirens and Condolences", the anthemic, classic feel reminiscent of Self-Titled, the complex structures and expanded quality of The Walking Wounded, and the simple punk aesthetic of Shudder. This album is Bayside in a blender, and the result is a concoction of brilliance, sure to cement Bayside's place as one of the best bands around today.

RIYL: New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio, The Smoking Popes, Bad Religion, real music, good music, honesty, not-Justin Bieber, not-Ke$ha, not-Brokencyde

Hellogoodbye Concert Review 2-09-11

Former MTV Darlings Hellogoodbye do indie-pop the right way

You probably recognize Hellogoodbye, the power-pop quintet hailing from California, from their hit song "Here (In Your Arms). Scratch that, you definitely recognize them from that song. If you're like me, you know them from their appearance on MTV's The Real World: Season 16 (Austin), where the roommates documented the band's experience at the SxSW Music Festival. The band presented itself as a goofy, have a good time band that wrote catchy music... and, well, goofed around a lot. MTV was definitely pushing this band on the roommates, realizing the marketability of the band to their audience.

Sevens years after the release of their debut EP, the band hit up Highline Ballroom in New York, bringing with it a more matured sound centered around the same good time feel with a more refined pop sound that ditches the gimmicks and focuses on the song writing more. Hellogoodbye's first album, "Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!", which came out in 2006, is as ridiculous as the name suggests, offering little serious substance. Their big hit, while catchy, has always been a sore spot for me, as I could never see past the cringe-worthy auto-tune and the lyrics. With their second album, the band ditched the auto-tune, at times overbearing synthesizer and the downright silly lyrics that made it impossible to take the band seriously.

Hellogoodbye also endured a huge lawsuit with Drive Thru Records that ended in the two parting ways and the new album, which the band worked tirelessly on, enduring long delays. The result of the band's toil was "Would it Kill You?", an album that was above all honest and true, conjuring up thoughts of well respected indie pop bands like Steel Train and fun. The album topped a lot of end-of-the-year lists, which surprised even the people who loved the album. That was a testament to the respect the band earned with their hard work on the album.

The band brought along three other pop acts to share the stage on the tour. First up, a band from Minnesota called "Now Now" (formerly known as "Now Now Every Children"). Led by two female singers, Cacie Dalager and Jess Abbott, the band definitely brought a "Tegan and Sara" vibe with them, which included the heartfelt pop music combined with the funny on-stage banter and emotional stage presence, which was slightly hindered by the band all having the flu. Next up was "You, Me, & Everyone We Know". For an opening act, the band definitely has a growing reputation and brought with it a few die hard fans.The 6 piece rock band hailing from Washington D.C. is led by Ben Liebsch, who along with his abundant stage energy was constantly trying to get the fans involved in the band's set. The final opener was Gold Motel, a fairly new band led by lead singer of The Hush Sound, Greta Morgan. Backed by a wooden block that had their name written in Gold Light Bulbs, the band continued the trend of danceable pop rock backed by Greta's confident vocals and piano playing.

After the openers warmed up the crowd, Hellogoodbye took the stage to a roaring ovation. There is something about this band that is automatically likable, and it takes no time at all to realize that. The band seems loose and care-free on stage, jumping right into the first track on their new album, "Finding Something to Do". That was the trend all night, as the band's 13 song set consisted of 9 songs from the new album, 2 from "Z!A!V!D!" and 2 from their EP. The band's on-stage banter was light-hearted, dorky and above all funny, led by lead singer Forrest Kline's amusing takes on things like the lights not working properly to the guitarist's looks distracting him on stage. The band had some good back-and-forth jokes going with "YM&EWK" as well as the show went on.

Without the auto-tune, Forrest's voice shined all night, save for a few moments where his voice was noticeably pitchy. suffered through pitch problems. But in the end, the music won out. The fans definitely responded well to the older songs, especially crowd favorite "Dear Jamie... Sincerely, Me", which had a large portion of the audience singing along. After some banter about the last song, the band left the stage, only to return to a more stripped down version of their beautiful song "The Thought That Gives Me the Creeps". Unsurprisingly, the band ended the set with "Here (In Your Arms)" which got the entire audience off their feet and jumping and singing. Ben from YM&EWK joined the band on stage to join in on the fun, and a fun night it was indeed. There was a definite calmness in the air as the fans walked out of Highline. With their new musical style, the young Hellogoodbye has set itself up for much future success.