Snobbin: Beautiful Trash in the Pop Culture Gutter

Cardinology takes a little time to appreciate. At first listen, it seems all too familiar, yet unsatisfying. Not dissimilar from Easy Tiger , the songs are pure pop songs yet they are more complex than those found on Easy Tiger incorporating more of Adam's love for the Grateful Dead with more dead-influenced guitar work. The power of Easy Tiger lay in its familiarity coupled with Adam's seemingly newfound direction and lauded consistency, yet after ten or so songs each song began to blend together leaving the listener appreciating the album, but remembering little of it. A few songs stood out, particularly the personal call-to-arms song, “Halloweenhead,” but overall the surprise element, the where will he go next element so integral to Adams varied songwriting, was missing. Cardinology may not be as consistent an album (there are a few misses, particularly the arena rock U2-aping song, “Magick”), but it does an amazing job showcasing Adam's songwriting, and more imp...

Although today is sunny, the last few have been filled with thunderstorms, downpours, and mere sprinklings. The rain has always been special to me. While others love sunny days, I often hope for rain, even when there is no drought. Standing in an open field as the hard, cold rain splashes in your face is life-affirming. Sitting inside while raindrops hit the roof can't be beat either. We tend to take these situations for granted, remaining in our bubbles, unaware of how important the rain really is. It revitalizes the earth. It revitalizes our spirits, perhaps promising escape from our daily lives. When the sun finally comes out, we are refreshed. We are ready to open our eyes. In honor of the rain that never comes (or comes too often, depending on your opinion), I compiled a short list of my favorite rain songs. I hope to expand and revise this list, as I discover new songs, and as I come to terms with my conflicting feelings about the rain. 1). Whiskeytown  "Sit and Li...

  From the first notes of "The Corner" on his new record, Mutt, one is drawn into a contagious world of revery, booze, and fun, filtered through Cory Branan's personal vision that makes even his saddest songs joyful. Branan has been road testing many of these songs for years. His last album, 12 Songs , came out in 2006 and a split with Jon Snodgrass appeared in 2009, but most of these songs have been in his live set for years, and they are readily available on various bootlegs, including an excellent showing with Ben Nichols of Lucero. These are the songs that make Mutt essential for any music collection in 2012, yet it will be interesting to see how he transforms his new songs in a live setting. On first listen, Mutt doesn't seem as exuberant as Branan's live show. He seems a tad subdued and his odd sense of humor that bubbles up during song breaks is all but missing. The songs are tighter here and his sense of humor comes through loud and clear in the lyri...