But last night wasn't one of them. After a slightly crazy work day due to me trying to tie up loose ends before leaving the world of Academic Administration, I returned home and settled into a night of work with Law & Order as background music. Until 10pm I sat all cozy like on the couch with a computer in my lap. Then the evening pulled a 180. Shannon called and said she was on her way to Stanton Social to meet some folks. I snapped into action and by 10:30pm Warren handed me the first of many margaritas. Smitty, Emily, Nic(holas), Enzo, Sam, Shannon and I got comfortable by the bar while drinking away the collective case of the Monday's. Once Tuesday unfairly ushered itself in, I was lit up and decided to stop the bleeding. I stumbled home and continued to email well into the night. I think it's a sickness.

Album Issues ::

The first issue is with Wolfmother. Since last week's Mercury Lounge show, Kyle and I had a few conversations in regards to their sound. We can agree that the voice behind the band rips straight from the Bible of Ozzy, but at the same time, the sound is a welcomed rehash. Over some burritos at Juanita's, Kyle told me about a Black Sabbath album that was required listening for any Wolfmother fan. Now I have to be honest; during my impressionable years my mom fed me a steady diet of The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath. Think of these as the basic food groups. The only Sabbath record we really rocked was Paranoid. Yes, it's a classic and I hold it near and dear, but as I developed my own taste I tried to stay away from what my parents rocked which means I also turned my back on Motown. Anyway, on Sunday, Kyle totally destroyed my previous notion of Sabbath when he played me Vol. 4. Holy shit - that record is like sex. Though the record finds it root in the sound that brought Black Sabbath fame, they manage to branch out a bit and drop some psychedelic on your ass. It also sounds like the band spent some time with the Detroit sound that hit full stride around the time of recording. Bottom line remains: call your best drug dealer, buy a pile of grass, lock yourself in a room and blare this record at unsafe volumes. If "Supernaut" doesn't blow you mind, then we just shouldn't be friends.

Issue numero two comes at the hand of Dana's latest love child - Tapes 'n Tapes. Now everyone in the blog community already shit various houses about this band, and if it hasn't been very clear, I didn't really give a shit. Sure, they have a couple great songs. Yes, they seem to be very nice gentlemen. This coupled with the massive support of various tastemakers has proven enough to put them on the map. Now their debut full-length, The Loon has gone through the Pitchfork test and came out with a score of 8.3. Now I'll give PFM credit for dropping the Wire influence on us, but I can't get behind this album and it's for the same reason they love it. All these loose ends bother me. It feels rushed or incomplete. Now someone who knows the history of the band could tell you better, but for me it sounds like four guys came together and slapped together a shoebox full of ideas. I'm not looking for a concept record, but a record that makes sense as whole body of work. When they finally produce that, I might jump on the train, but for now I'll just keep using my 8-Track.

My third issue comes at the hands of Two Gallants. Now I love this band and have since the first time I laid ears on them. I've got no time to dive into this issue, but on their new album What the Toll Tells one question seems to pop up; do you have a problem with brevity? I think it was Jerry who first brought this up, and after giving the record a couple listens - I have to agree.