The Collection: Ep. 11 – Wrap-Up April 2024

I can’t believe it is time for another monthly wrap-up of what we added to The Collection. This time around, it is April 2024 and we added a ton of stuff. Somethings we added were actually in their own episode like the Record Store Day purchases and some Kiss Bootlegs. The rest of what we added are on here.

We hit up the local record stores here in Charlotte and even down in Wilmington, North Carolina when we were on our Spring Break trip. We picked up stuff from Discogs, eBay and even from Amazon as well. It is a lot of stuff and so much in fact, there are things still unopened and haven’t been listened to yet. I think that is a sign I bought too much. But like traffic signs, I’m ignoring it too!!

So go check it out as it is live now on April 29, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

And for those that wanted the BIG picture we used to put at the bottom of the post with everything in it, here you go…it is back as requested…

Friday New Releases – April 12, 2024

Welcome to another Friday New Releases. This week we might not have a ton of releases but there are some good ones I am wanting to hear. First for me this week is Will Hoge’s new album ‘Tenderhearted Boys’. I am a huge fan of this talented singer/songwriter. One of my favorites. I can’t wait to hear what is in store this time around. Next is is the greatest hits compilation from Linkin Park with 20 of their biggest hits. Then, I want to check out the new Mark Knopfler and the new Blue Oyster Cult. You country fans might be excited by Ernest and maybe Tyler Hubbard. Take a look through the list and let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend.

  • Will Hoge – Tenderhearted Boys – (EDLO Records / Soundly Music)
  • Linkin Park – Papercuts – (Warner Records)
  •  Mark Knopfler – One Deep River – (British Grove Records / EMI / Will D. Side Ltd / Universal)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – April 12, 2024”

Friday New Releases – November 24, 2023

It is the after Thanksgiving in the States and it is known as Black Friday. Because of that, there are not many new releases unless you are being released on Record Store Day – Black Friday…that list is at the bottom of the regular album releases. And for the regular releases there is nothing for me, but for Black Friday Record Store Day I would like the Collective Soul and my daughter wants the Olivia Rodrigo one. I also wouldn’t mind getting the Limp Bizkit one on CD but don’t tell anyone. Let me know what you want to pick up this week or what we may have missed. Thanks and have a great weekend.

  • Take That – This Life – (EMI / Universal Music)
  • Busta Rhymes – BlockBusta – (Conglomerate Ent. / Epic Records)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – November 24, 2023”

Friday New Releases – April 7, 2023

Happy Friday! So glad you stopped by. We have a handful of releases for you this week. Not as many as most weeks, but, HEY!, any releases makes it a great Friday!! Right!?!? There are a couple I want to hear, most especially Kiss’ new Off the Soundboard from Poughkeepsie with Mark St. John…totally cool. And there is Linkin Park’s 20th Anniversary Edition of Meteora and the new Paul Gilbert (the guy can play a guitar!!) as well. Other than that, there isn’t really anything else. What are you interested in hearing this week and what we may have missed as it does happen (more than I’d like to admit). Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you all have a great weekend!!

  • Kiss – Off the Sounboard: Poughkeepise, NY, Mid-Hudson Civic Arena, November 28, 1984 – (UMe)
  • 71aL2vxJP5L._AC_UY436_FMwebp_QL65_  Linkin Park – Meteora: 20th Anniversary Edition – (Warner Records)
  • 71vaisbqIlL._AC_UY436_FMwebp_QL65_  Paul Gilbert – The Dio Album – (Mascot Label Group / Music Theories Recordings)
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – April 7, 2023”

Friday New Releases – October 9, 2020

October started out with a bang last week and no signs of slowing down this week either. This seems to be the week of some massive Deluxe Box Sets with Linking Park, Tears for Fears and John Lennon each issuing one. There is a also a wide variety of artists from metal, to rock, to pop, to classical crossover, to country, to gospel and on and on. I hope there is something for you. My choices are highlighted in Blue as usual. Let me know what you want to hear and what I may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!

  • images-2  Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory 20th Anniversary Edition – (Warner Records): 20 years, that seems crazy. One of my favorite Linkin Park albums so I am anxious to hear all the rarities and anything else they have never released. This looks massive and awesome.
  • 71MEqNhRJhL._SS500_  Smith & Myers – Volume 1 – (Atlantic Recordings): Brent Smith from Shinedown and musician Zach Myers have their first full length acoustic album. It has 5 new songs and 5 covers. As their previous work has been exceptional, I expect no difference here.
Continue reading “Friday New Releases – October 9, 2020”

My Sunday Song – “Numb” by Linkin Park

For My Sunday Song #84, I am going with “Numb” by Linkin Park.  The song is the third single and the final track on their second album ‘Meteora’. The song only reached #31 on the Top 40 charts which is okay because it reached #1 on the Alternative Songs chart where it stayed for a mere 12 weeks.

This song to me was one of the band’s most powerful songs they had ever done up to that point.  It was a very dark song and I love dark songs.  The subject matter was about kids having to live up to their parent’s expectations and failing. Living as outcasts from their parents and from the world around them.  They are smothered and aren’t allowed to be themselves.  I have a feeling that more people feel that way then don’t.  With Chester Bennington’s death last year, it makes me think how personal this song might have been for him as he sang it with such emotion and feeling.

The video for the song was amazing in that it depicted that very theme with a girl struggling to fit in and having issues with her peers at school and her parents.  She ends up cutting herself and the marks spell out Numb on her arm.  A real tragic story.  The video also intersperses shots of the band performing in a church and I wonder what they were wanting to conveying with that imagery.

Continue reading “My Sunday Song – “Numb” by Linkin Park”

Friday New Releases – December 15th

This is the last Friday New Releases for the rest of this year.  I don’t have anything for the next two weeks. If you haven’t released by this date, you will miss the Christmas rush so you might as well wait until January or be lost the hubbub.  Not much out this week.  The only one I am interested in is the live Linkin Park album and it is highlighted in Blue.  Let me know if there is anything for you.

  • 814YHlOdhFL._SX522_  Linkin Park – One More Light Live – (Warner Bros):  This was recorded off their most recent tour and just months prior to Chester Bennington’s death.  This for me is a must have for any Linkin Park fan to get one of Chester’s final performances.  I have heard the song “Crawling” from this show and it is outstanding. I am sure the rest will be as well.

  • 51ERsLlYB-L  Asking Alexandria – Asking Alexandria – (Sumerian Records)
  • 51Ya6AzwKsL._AC_US218_   John Williams – Star Wars: The Last Jedi – (Walt Disney Records)
  • 71GhXjjrIML._SX522_  G-Eazy – The Beautiful & The Damned – (RCA)
  • 61CoYwpB0GL._SX120_SY120_  N.E.R.D. – No One Ever Really Dies – (Columbia/Sony)

Chester Bennington – R.I.P. (Singer for Linkin Park)

Another shocking death this week.  First David Z on Saturday, and now Chester Bennington from Linkin Park has died.  Apparently the cause of death is hanging by suicide which is completely tragic to me.  He has battled addiction in the past and apparently had many more demons.

My wife told me that she read that Chester was really good friends with Chris Cornell and today would have been Chris’ Birthday.  Chester even went out the same way as Chris Cornell which makes this death even sadder.

I have followed the band since the beginning and this death saddens me greatly.  I loved when Chester did some work with Stone Temple Pilots and hated he left that side project, but still glad Linkin Park was still going strong.  They were schedule to come here to Charlotte in August and I hate to think that won’t happen now.

The band had recently released a new album while receiving a lot of criticism from fans for the change in their sound.  Chester was very outspoken about the bands new direction and whole-heartedly stood behind that change.  I recently reviewed the new Linkin Park album and agreed with the fans as the change was a little too drastic for me although there were a few really good songs on the album.

I will leave with one of my favorite Linkin Park songs called “Numb”.  Rest in Peace Chester Bennington!!

photo by: Stefan Brending / , via Wikimedia Commons

Linkin Park – One More Light – Album Review

Linkin Park goes 180º in direction with ‘One More Light’.  The heaviness from ‘The Hunting Party’ and anything else they have done is thrown out the window.  Instead, Linkin Park goes entirely POP!!  No heavy guitars, very little in the realm of rap and overall full on aggressiveness is gone.

The closest you get to old school Linkin Park is “Good Goodbye (feat. Pusha T & Stormzy)”. This is one of the few songs I do like despite the dumbest lyric in history brought to us by Pusha T…

“Goodbye, good riddance
A period is after every sentence”

Really!!  A period is after every sentence???  That is the best you could come up with to rhyme with good riddance. Suckish!

The first single, “Heavy”, is great, but only because of Kiiara’s voice.  She brings an elegance to the song that is needed. A few other songs I did end up enjoying included “Talking to Myself”, “Invisible” and “Sharp Edges”.  They were catchy even if unoriginal.  The remainder of the album meandered along and was completely forgettable.

‘One More Light’ is not worth your time. I might have liked it if I didn’t know it was Linkin Park.

5 keepers out 10 songs – 50% (2.5 out 5 stars)

#200WordChallenge

Friday New Releases – May 19th

Another Friday has arrived and as school starts to wind down for some and Summer is coming, there are a bunch of new albums for you to choose from.  Anything strike your fancy???  There are a few for me and they are highlighted in Blue.  There are more I want to hear, but these three are the ones I will attack first. Enjoy!

  • 170x170bb-34  Linkin Park – One More Light – (Warner Bros):  Their new song “Heavy” is doing well on the charts and features Kilara.  My kids love this song and it doesn’t sound like the Linkin Park of old.  I am interested in seeing what the rest has to offer.  I haven’t been thrilled with their current releases and hoping for some return to greatness with this one.

  • 170x170bb-2  Papa Roach – Crooked Teeth – (Eleven Seven Music):  Big fan of Papa Roach and so glad they are back with some more hard rock.  The Deluxe Edition of this gives you a live concert from The Fillmore in Detroit.  That means the Deluxe is a must grab for me.

Continue reading “Friday New Releases – May 19th”