No Line On The Horizon

It's officially. No Line On the Horizon came out and I'm listening to it as we speak. It's the most amazing U2 Album I've heard, ever. I don't get why Time was so anti-U2. This is amazing, so new and fresh and totally relives rock. In a world where rock has essentially been abandoned for pop princesses like Britney and Miley, this has totally broken through as something beautiful. It had better win Best Album of the Year. So most people hate St. Bono. Okay, he's kind of annoying and everything, but still. Edge and Larry totally make that up. Larry was in the famous trouble-child band, Artane Boys' Band. And the band wouldn't be the band without all of Bono's goodness. Yeah, I like the original ballads, With or Without You, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and the always famous Sunday Bloody Sunday, but if U2 only did those, they'd never get popular. Changing to keep up with the times, but never losing their voice. That's what No Line On The Horizon really is.

Understanding Music

For the first time, I understand where those angry "emo" punk bands are coming from. At first, I thought it was just trying to be different, to be a rebel, which it sort of is, I guess. And it is a comment on how horrible our society is and how we need change, but that's not all. Mostly, I think, it's out of anger and desperation, being pushed around too much, blown off by our "betters" not being active but being passive. No, I'm not advocating for violence or anything, since I sort of like peace. But today, something happened and I don't like being passive anymore. Sure, if you're active, something could happen to you, there are consequences, and all that, but it's better than doing nothing. I'd die nobly for a cause instead of living humbly. It's sort of worthless to not do anything. Maybe I'm wrong. Who knows? the best rebels are those who have reason and aren't afraid and while I might not be dream rebel material, I'm willing to do what needs doing for those I love.

Flobots

I don't like rap. I'm sorry if you do, but I just can't stand the stuff. It's loud, annoying, and a waste of time. However, I don't hate a rap group trying to be alternative. I embrace you, hug you, listen to you. Yes, flobots, this is you. I don't care if people say Flobots are not real rap or they suck. It doesnt matter. Mostly, they are trying to spread their views of the world, best expressed in Rise and Stand up. Good for you, using music as propaganda! I approve. Afterall, that is what, according to George Orwell, art is for. Another reason I love the Flobots? Music videos. Handlebars, which everyone knows, I'm sure, has a boss music video. You know the credits in Juno? That's the style of the Handlebars video. And in the Rise one, it's just people with American flag scarves. Cool, no? Okay, so they may kind of suck on their real attempts at rap, but aside from that, Flobots rock. Especially if you are a liberal from California, boarderline radical, for equal rights for all. For all. Got that, Rick Warren?

MCR Blog

The world is officially okay, even though the Beatles broke up and Joe Strummer and Sid Vicious died. Why, you may ask, am I so optimistic, for once? My Chemical Romance has a blog! I kid you not. Here is the link: http://www.mychemicalromance.com/ I hope it actually works as a link, since stuff tends to not like working for me, tech wise. Anyway, this has got to be the most enlightening blog of my life, aside from GFY. Here's the link for that one as well, for your own enjoyment: http://gofugyourself.celebuzz.com/
It's about fashion, but is unimportant compared to this MCR blog. The mysteries of the universe are explained in this blog, such as Bob's obsession with Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, which is amazing, and what ray likes to do on the weekend (sleep, play video games, not leaving the house, shower/ shave). Anyway, check it out. Everyone, even Mikey the loser, posts on in regularly. Of course, Gerard and Frank have the best comments, since they are coolest, but Ray is just behind them. So read the blog. It is awesome and will be life-changing. I promise you that much.

Rise Against

With the iTunes money kindly bestowed to me, I went out and bought Rise Against. Who is Rise Against? Only the most hardcore punk band ever. Like, they are apparently banned in some southern and midwest states. How much more cool can you get? I'm sort of sad I didn't discover them earlier/ go to their concert. I heard it rocked. Anyway, Collapse is a great song, as is Roadside. if you like fast, angry music, listen to them. If not, don't. They sort of remind me of DKm and Flogging Molly, with the heavy guitar and fast music. I really like them. In all their albums, they include books to be read and movies to see in order to understand them. The phrase "when injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty" really fits them. There's nothing much more to use to describe them, except they are totally boss and I could sort of see their stuff in a movie about an underground group in, like, communist Russia, with Viggo Mortensen as the leader and maybe Adrian Brody or Daniel craig as second in command and Marc Warren just randomly thrown in for good measure. That would be a great movie that I would totally see... Just a hint, Peter Jackson/ Martin Scorsese/other cool, award winning director. Just a thought.

U2's New Album

U2 is coming out with a new album, the first one in five years. According to Wikipedia, that's the longest wait between albums for them. Anyway, I'm psyched. It's called No Line on the Horizon and they claim it to be different from everything else they've done, which they say each time. Still, U2 is always excellent, like the Beatles or Stones. Seriously, can you ever go wrong with U2? I challenge somebody to name one bad song by them. Well, they have, like, 50-60 songs, but the album is going to only have 15 or so. Perhaps more albums in the future? Anyway, the thing is due out on March 3rd in the US, but February 27 in Ireland. That is a pity, but my parents won't let me go to Ireland for the release. We shall just stay here and wait. Also, they will be going on world tour, with a stop in the Bay Area. I've got to start saving up, since the cheap seats will probably be way more than I have. I still can't wait.

iPod

As many of you probably know, my iPod broke in November, much to my despair. However, for Hannakah (I'm half reform Jew, half liberal Protestant, which I guess makes me atheist) my parents got my one of those new nanos, in silver. Never before have I been so overjoyed at an 8 gig piece of metal. Thing was, with my old iPod, there was only two gig, so I couldn't even fit ten or so albums. Now, all the bands I like can go on my iPod, plus some artists I'm not so huge on, like Lily Allen. Sorry, Amy. I just don't get her, but would love to go to her concert with you, just because it's a concert and I love concerts. Speaking of which, I'm in Italy when DKM is playing San Francisco, which sort of sucks, because I've wanted to see them live. Oh well. I'll just get Tuna or Noelle to go for me. Or watch clips on Youtube. Or their music video, which includes a clip of them preforming at a steelworker strike in Dublin, which is on my brand new iPod!