Marilyn Manson - The High End Of Low

While his last album showed Manson getting out the boo-hoos of a failed relationship, this one sees him return somewhat to form of just generally hating shit, although he's still bitter. "Devour" kicks it off and could actually be a hold-over from Eat Me, Drink Me, but then Manson jumps right back into his old "controversial" self, with "Pretty As A Swastika". It's barely even a song, and only exists so that Manson can put the phrase on his fucking album. Manson has apparently not learned that "shocking" stopped being shocking after the millennium started. Not we just you to show your vagina on the Internet.

"Four Rusted Horses" is a step away from the norm, as Twiggy plays the main riff on an acoustic, but the song has little value otherwise.

Now, I can deride the first couple of singles for having an obnoxious lyrics and for being obvious "Beautiful People"-type of crowd pleasing screamers. But in the end, they're just fun songs. "We're From America" is like an angry bouncy version of Kim Wilde's "Kids In America". Lyrically, it paints the anti-America picture using the most egregious images that Manson can dream up. "We don't like to kill our unborn. We need them to grow up and fight our wars."
Similarly, "Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon" has that trashy big-beat like Jay-Z produced it. Like "Crazy In Love" except Beyoncé would be singing:

First you try to fuck it, then you try to eat it
If it hasn't learned your name
You better kill it before they see it

"Blank And White" has a great minimalist blues riff and a great bridge which altogether gets wasted with the rest of the song full of Manson's clichés. He even talks about "shooting up the school". "Running to the Edge of the World" also treads some new ground as a full on power ballad love song. Although Manson-ized, with the lyric, "We don't want death, we want destruction", this would be perfect for my teenage neice.

The capper is the last song, and after 72 minutes, it was a difficult ride, but as you will hear below, "15" shows a thought-provoked Manson coming to terms with renewing his sense-of-self after losing a love. He says, "Yesterday everything I thought I believed in died, but today is my birthday." You really get a different Manson here. One that's not painted and evil, but someone who can commit to a relationship and can be just as traumatized as the rest of us when that commitment is disrupted.

Overall, these surprising moments are outweighed by the clichés. There's promise here, but with 15 songs, it's littered with the simple. (2.5 of 5 stars)

15 - Marilyn Manson

Tori Amos - Abnormally Attracted To Sin

The first point to make is that while this album is supposed to be a scaled-back effort in comparison to a couple of high concept albums in the past, I did not listen to those albums- so I won't be making any comparisons. The 2nd item of note is that this album is 70 minutes long! Note to recording artists: Just because science gives us that much room, it doesn't mean we're supposed to take it. i.e., save the double album, none of Led Zeppelin's studio output cracks the 45 minute mark. I know that this is going to be key to my enjoyment level before I even get started...

It kicks off well though, with an understated dirge trip-hop thing called "Give", a style which is echoed on "Police Me" and a couple of others. Unfortunately, I was not able to take in all of the "visuallettes" that are supposedly included in the album release. Only a handful are posted to youtube, which shows that Tori is apparently channeling Björk.

There seems to be a common theme here though about mankind's relationship with God and how the repairs by womankind are needed. "You must pick a side / Who's God is God? They all want jurisdiction" and "Boy, I can save you from that evil faith."

"Not Dying Today" may be the most organic Dave Matthews-like track on the album, which sounds weird but it still fits. Also organic, and not un-fitting on a Fiona Apple record, would be "That Guy", which is among the best of this collection. Here, Tori lets some strings guide you along her decision-making fork-in-the-road about - you guessed it - THAT guy. The one who can love like no other when he wants to, but still brings his wars home.

Unfortunately, the inclusion of a song called, "Mary Jane" is not a Rick James cover, which would have been PHat, but a song about her teenage son getting stoned(?) I don't know. She's hot in this video, though.

And here's something that almost never happens... After listening to 16 so-so tracks and writing the album off, something amazing happens in that last song. "Lady In Blue" is indeed the straight-up bluesiest thing that Tori has ever recorded. It's like a Prince b-side, with an ending reminiscent of The Beatles, "I Want You (She's So Heavy)". Included below is a performance sans jam band. Lyrically, Tori kind of turns the tables on her anti-manness of it all, telling the story of someone who "wronged the right man." I take comfort in the otherwise accusa-Tori (see that? I punned her name...) taking responsibility for some destructive activity. Even if she's not apologizing for it. She's not. It's more of a matter of fact about face. "Boys play well into midnight/Can I join you?" Looks like yes, Tori, you still can. (3/5 stars)

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

While not technically a sequel to "American Idiot", it is definitely the next step in the progression of Green Day. It's big arena rock that follows Idiot's political leanings. It starts with a pessimistic introduction to a bleak society and never really lightens up. Whereas Idiot was overtly political, this album appears to hover in pressures of modern society. In the same way that we may have done in the grunge era. And that's one of my complaints of the record. It's such a vague portrait of unhappiness, without any insight as to why. This is a concept record after all. What are you bitching about?

One thing that Green Day did get right, as usual, is the over the top pop melody sensibility. This thing is hook-abound. Take the punk riffage out of "Before The Labotomy", and you're damn near a late '80s Mötley Crüe tune. (That's a compliment.) "Last Night On Earth" is a complete re-write of Crüe's "Without You", and is clearly the worst song on this record. The best just may be the 2nd Act's "Peacemaker"; a jacked-up Spanish riot. Like DeVotchKa took some angry cocaine. But Act II's "Restless Heart Syndrome" (can't believe no one else has used that song title yet) ends its point with what I think is a contradiction. "You're a victim of the system/You're your own worst enemy". It doesn't resonate with me, but I'll push on to Act III, which kicks off with a great song, "Horseshoes and Handgrenades". Although, Green Day should really in all good faith, share a writing credit with The Hives. However, the end of the story ends like Act II, with some contradiction. "But it’s gone forever/But never too late" That doesn't really make any sense. Having said that, it actually is a good way to end the album. There's no redemption, there's no grand answer that ties these two kids together. I actually have no idea why Green Day felt the need to have two characters when the themes are the same, and there's no real love story. In the end, they simply "want to see the light" - but here, they never get to see it. I assume we've got a sequel set-up here. I just hope that the follow-up, if it's going to follow storyline style, has a more cohesive thought process. (3/5 stars)

Peacemaker - Green Day

Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band - Outer South

If I hadn't just listened to the new Bob Dylan record the week before, I may not have been so reminded of the band here. But in all actuality, this comparison is not far off. Think of the difference between Dylan's acoustic albums and his live shows with the Band or the Rolling Thunder Revue. That seems to be the difference between Bright Eyes and Conor's "solo" outings. I say "solo" because this really is a full band effort, where the other members are contributing as writers and even singers.

If you're mainly a fan of Conor's sincere acoustic wordy liltings, you still get that included. (see "White Shoes" below.) But some has also been replaced with lively hayseed jams. It's a valiant effort, and I'll bet it's great fun live, but I wonder if his audience doesn't want him to be anymore than their Donovan. (3/5 stars)

Bob Dylan - Together Through Life

Bob gets together with his last touring band and quickly records a deep blues party record. I would be surprised if this wasn't recorded completely live in the studio because it has that feeling that you're watching it at some outdoor salty-air arena. Especially the tracks that float the accordion in the middle. Reminds me of looking out over the levee in New Orleans.

This album is notable for a first time collaboration in Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. It's hard for me to tell what he contributed, because it all sounds like Bob's style. But I was hooked nonetheless, especially when he gets wistful and romantic. (See "This Dream Of You" below.)

But Bob's voice has all but left him. The wispy content sighs of "Love And Theft" is apparant here and there, the aforementioned song below for example. But more often than not, he's more growly and gruff than ever before. As live as as this album feels, I'm afraid of what Dylan singing is going to be in a live setting this time out. But I'm nitpicking. We don't come to Dylan records for the vocals. We've always come for the lyrics and, more often than you realize, we come for the exciting arrangements of the people around him. No disappointment on those ends. (4/5 stars)

This Dream Of You - Bob Dylan