The Hazards of Love

During college, my musical interests have shifted quite a bit. My favorite album my senior year of high school was American Idiot. Of course, that's just an example. But then, the real constant loves have been R.E.M., Eisley, and Dido. Recently, I feel like I've found a new niche in folk rock, especially new stuff. Which is why The Decemberists have really got my attention right now.

They were just on the front cover of Paste Magazine, the only nonacademic magazine I currently subscribe to. As a result, I just had to listen to the album again from the beginning. I'm shocked to hear that The Rake is probably going to be the single that will be on the radio! I guess maybe it is a bit more radio ready than the other songs... but it's their most violent song ever, for certain. Very creepy. I don't think it will do that well. But then, this is not really much of a singlezy album. There's a story. Whenever one of the songs come up on random, I always want the context. Unlike American Idiot, the songs don't do too well when they aren't in order. But this album is way better than American Idiot ever was.

Wow... I just compared American Idiot and the Hazards of Love... what am I thinking?

Anyway, the Decemberists will be near Phili this summer at some point. I'm trying to decide whether to go. Bryan wants to go with me. It's not that I don't want to go (I really really want to see them do the whole album live), but that I am not sure when I am going to California to look for apartments and my brother and I will be going to Darien Lake at some point to ride the rides and see a concert (Coldplay with the incredible Pete Yorn maybe?) Lately, I've gone to quite a few concerts, more this year than in my whole life up to then, and I really really love them. Well, if I love the band...

In the last year, I've seen R.E.M., Colbie Calliat, Blue Oyster Cult, Hootie and the Blowfish, the Indigo Girls, and... less exciting... Tower of Power and some really famous jazz musician and his band. I saw those last two in Japan with Bryan's family. Not really my kind of music.

So, I'm really tempted to see some more stuff. But there's only so much time.

Bands I would love to see:
The Weepies
Pete Yorn
Coldplay
The Decemberists
Sixpence None the Richer (They're back!!!)
Eisley
Tristan Prettyman
Evanescence
John Mayer
KT Tunstall
Fleetwood Mac (Or at least Stevie Nicks... Hey, I can dream)