A "Note" to Music Aficionados Everywhere

Happy Thursday everyone. Yes, happy Thursday.

It appears that every time I start one of these entries, it begins with the intent of stating a simple opinion or informing you of an interesting tidbit but then transforms into a commentary that is either tiring or deeper than I initially intended.

Is that good or bad…well your comments have been a good guide for whether it’s crap or not. So, anyhow, onto the purpose of today’s submission.

Yesterday, I originally wanted to comment on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. For X-mas I finally received one of their albums…it only took two X-mas requests and finally “Santa” purchasing it at the store for myself to make it happen. Yes. I occasionally purchase X-mas gifts for myself and slap one of the kid’s names on the From: section of the label. Shallow but effective.

Anyhow, I couldn’t be more satisfied with this purchase. I’m sure you can relate that sometimes you buy something but after you’ve gotten over that “honeymoon” period you begin to think “Why’d I bother buying this crap?” I have to admit that this happens more often than not to me. However, in this case, what a great buy. The album I picked up was Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “The Lost Christmas Eve”. This is the one with the track called “Wizards in Winter”. It’s played often on the radio in December and went viral across the internet when a guy in southern Ohio choreographed his X-mas lights to the pulsing beat and rhythm of the tune.

So, I’ll endorse this product. I suggest you pick it up either at the store or the library. Though the music has a Christmas bent to it, I really think it will go in my year long music collection.

Now, one last semi-endorsement. I admit that after my Sophomore Year at Kent State, I lost my desire to be a music aficionado and termed my BMG membership and stopped touring the music stores—just too much crap out there. That was about the time when Rush came out with “Counterparts” and Pearl Jam came out with their second album – like a jerk I waited with my roommate at the time outside the local music store until midnight to pick up a copy of each. I’ll just say one thing about those albums—not really their best work. Anyhow, I digress. (I tend to do that if you haven’t noticed.)

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to be watching Letterman and he had a little know duo as a musical guest. They are a pair of “kids” named Rodrigo and Gabriela who play acoustic guitar. Rodrigo is lead guitarist and Garbriela plays guitar but also keeps a percussionist beat by hitting the body and neck of her guitar to get the different tones. They play a hybrid of Irish and Spanish rock…if there is such a thing. The album they were promoting is called simply “Rodrigo y Gabriela”. The cover has a picture of an aligator’s eye with their silhouettes reflected in the pupil. Understated but cool…Anyhow, I’ve got a 32nd birthday coming up…sounds like one of the kids are buying daddy a gift without knowing it!