Burning On, Just Like A Match You Strike To Incinerate...

The right combination of location, people, and emotion can alter the meaning of a song, and the effect that song has on the listener; for example, anyone who was there the first time Nirvana played "Smells Like Teen Spirit" live would have a different reaction to it than the person who randomly hears it come across the radio. And then there are the lovers who hear "their song" and remember fond memories. And for some a song can just bring back memories of being with friends, having no cares in the world, and just enjoying life. You wouldn't expect My Chemical Romance to bring about such enjoyable thoughts, but again, with the right people in the right place, it can happen.

Rewind to several summers ago, while I was still in my high school years. I'm with my friend Kevin, in his room, wasting time like usual. Also like usual, we were talking about music. There was a time when Kevin and I could hang out for hours on end and all we'd talk about was what music we were into that week, what we were eager to hear, and what we wish would just go away. The conversation turns to My Chemical Romance, who at this point were just beginning their ascent to stardom, with "Helena" rising the video charts. I had just picked up Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, while Kevin has been raving about it for a few weeks now. As soon as I bring up the topic, Kevin leaps up and puts the album into his stereo (whose volume is generally cranked up to 9 or 10). As "Helena" comes blasting through the speakers, Kevin and I are suddenly rock stars. Kevin does the best/worst air guitar he can, while he tosses me an empty Snapple bottle as I leap up from the imaginary drum kit in front of his bed and assume the role of a wannabe Gerard Way. The track (and us) barrels through two verses and choruses before we hit the bridge, a small breather before the final push to the end of the song. On the final line in the bridge (Will we meet again/When both our cars collide?) do our best 80s-rockstar jump in the air and finish out the track in a manner worthy of an unintentionally funny YouTube video.

Neither of us realized it at that point, but we caught lightning in a bottle during those 3 minutes. In various forms with various songs with various people, I've tried to recreate that experience, return to that feeling of raw energy flowing through the room, but it never came out quite the same. The closest I've come was in the radio station this past spring, rocking out to Sum 41's "Fat Lip" for passersby to see and gaze at in confused amazement. Perhaps it's for the better that it's never been perfectly recreated; some things are best when they are unique. It just makes me wonder if artists realize what they're doing when they do it. Did Bob Dylan intend for "Like A Rolling Stone" to become an entire generation's mantra? Did Led Zeppelin know that "Stairway to Heaven" would become one of the most played songs on the radio 30 years later? Probably not. But it does show how circumstance can alter the course of a song's meaning.

My Chemical Romance - Helena

==TJ==

VLM Makes A Triumphant Return!!

OK everybody, I'm back! The month off was pretty awesome, but let's just dive in to the music!

-The Foo is back! The Foo Fighters have set September 25th as the release date for their new album, Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace. A tentative tracklisting is on their myspace page, and early last week the first single "The Pretender" leaked onto the internet. The song isn't quite as good as "The Best of You", but as a sign of what's to come on the new album, I'll take it. In addition, the Foo Fighters have released a 10th anniversary edition of The Colour and the Shape with new bonus tracks. Normally this would suck and reek of corporate underpinnings, but since the bonus tracks are decent and they don't jack the price of the album up, it marks another classy move by the always awesome Dave Grohl.

Ruling on the Field: 6.5/10

Foo Fighters - The Pretender [via sendspace]

-Joining in on the fun is Jimmy Eat World, who slated October 16th as the release for Chase This Light, and also re-released Clarity and Static Prevails in anticipation. No single out yet, but look for one in the next few weeks.

Ruling on the Field: I want a single, dammit!

-A very large (and probably long overdue) "F--k you!" goes out to Chad Kroeger and the guys from Nickelback. The commercially angsty Canucks just reissued their 2005 smash All the Right Reasons with three pointless live tracks and a DVD of music videos. Since I'm pretty sure everyone who's going to buy All the Right Reasons already did so, this move just marks a cheap marketing ploy to scrounge another 30 bucks out of Nickelback's "hardcore" fans. Real smooth, guys...real smooth.

Ruling on the Field: Fuck you, Nickelback!!

-I Ruckused Sum 41's controversial new album Underclass Hero shortly after coming home, and damn it if it isn't a throwback to what punk rock is SUPPOSED to sound like! The title track is a ballbuster of the highest caliber, and nothing on the album is inherently bad, it just tends to lean into territory already walked by the likes of Blink 182. Regardless, Sum 41 comes through again with what might be the most underrated punk album of the year.

Ruling on the field: 7.5/10
Highlight Reel: "Underclass Hero", "Speak of the Devil", "March of the Dogs"

-My list of CDs I need to hear has expanded, now including Who We Are from Lifehouse (tentative ruling based on what I have heard: 8.5/10), Smashing Pumpkins' new album Zeitgeist, and the new one from Velvet Revolver. More on those when I sit down and hear them in full.

-Linkin Park released the video for their second single off Minutes to Midnight, "Bleed it Out". Love the camera work and the song's awesome, but didn't Coldplay already trademark the whole everything-in-reverse idea?



OK that's all. Back later

==TJ==