First, an explanation. Second, a bitch session. Third, an album review. I'd skip to the music part if I were you.

Why have I only posted one thing since November? Why did I never complete my Best/Worst of 2001 series? Chief among the myriad of reasons is the fact that I've got a job that takes precedence over writing...sorry to say it, but as much I love music and writing, I love having money even more. Which brings me to weak justifications two and three...I just bought a new car and I just signed a lease on my first apartment, things I could not have done if I were still unemployed or collecting disability pay. Finally, I find myself in the midst of a search for a second job so that I can continue to live the lifestyle that I've grown accustomed to. Now, if you want to send me money every month, I might consider writing for alienated to be my second job and bust my ass to please as many people as possible. I'm kidding, of course...well, I'm kidding about the busting my ass part, at least. There ya go, the explanation for my lackadaisical writing schedule.

Now for the bitching. Last weekend was, without a shadow of a doubt, the shittiest weekend of the year. In all honesty, it was only Saturday that really sucked, but it only takes one rotten egg to ruin the whole lot for me. Saturday was supposed to be greatness. Saturday was supposed to be memorable, and it will be, but for all the wrong reasons. See, Thursday was playing an early, all ages show with The Movielife and Recover at the Gypsy Tea Room, and my friend and I had failed to get our tickets in advance, figuring that most people had no idea who the hell any of these bands were (admit it, you don't know any of them, do you?). Well, it was sold out. Do you know why? The scourge of mankind was lined up around the block for the show that's right, teenagers. The two of us being entirely disappointed, we decided it was time to hit the liquor store and buy alcohol so that we could get our drunk on at a party later that same day. All was going well by the time the party rolled around (of course, this was after we hit Virgin and found all kinds of things there that shouldn't have been...Alkaline Trio, Thursday, Thrice, Another Year On The Streets compilation, etc...)...one beer poured in my lap later, I was no longer in any mood to do anything, let alone hang out with people. Fuck weekends, I say, fuck them in their stupid asses. End 'bitch' transmission. Whiney mother fucker over and out. *static*

You skipped it all, didn't you? You're all sheep for being so susceptible to the power of suggestion, I hope you realize that. The good things about the aforementioned shitty weekend? A trip to Good Records, a chance encounter with a hauntingly familiar band, and two new cds! I got that sweet Brandtson EP, 'Trying To Figure Each Other Out'...the really good cd I got, though. Mazarin's , 'A Tall-Tale Storyline'. They were playing one of those always enjoyable Good Records mini-sets before their gig at Clearview later that evening. While they were up on the stage doing their thing, I asked my friend, "Dude, these guys sound familiar. Do you know who they are?" Amid the singing and the drumming and the guitar playing, the only response I was able to get was a head shake.

After their set was over, I asked another patron who they were and he said but one word...Mazarin (pronounced Mah-Zah-Reen, of course, I'm not very good at spelling things phonetically, so maybe I'm off). I decided then and there to purchase the most recent album GR had in stock and made ready to head on over to the liquor store; however, one thing was still plaguing me...what band(s) was I thinking of? There's really no better way to find these types of things out than to ask someone in the band, because they've probably gotten the same question a million times before, so they'll be quick with the response...the lead singer said just three words...Neutral Milk Hotel. Well, that made a lot of sense, given the high, semi-nasally singing and the instrument distortions and whatnot...but it still didn't quite fit. There were others that I was thinking of, but I Just couldn't place it. The answer would come to me at 2am as I sat listening to the tracks 'Suicide Will Make You Happy' and 'Limits of Language'...Belle & Sebastian and Wilco! Does an audio amalgamation like this work? You're damned right it works!

'Go Home' starts the album off, and it's an eight minute and some change synth-pop opus, musically one of the most impressive tracks on the disc, so much so that I've still not really heard the lyrics. 'Suicide Will Make You Happy' is not at all what you might expect of a song with such a sullen title...it's light, upbeat and sounds a bit like an ode to stability and sanity, particularly the line "You don't have to pretend that suicide will make you happy" '2.22.1' is one of two instrumental tracks on the album, and has earned a spot on a lyric-less mix-tape that I've been working on for a couple of months (you can't go wrong with strummed, spaced out numbers...never). The title track is the most honest homage to the late, great Neutral Milk Hotel, with it's simple, infectious instrumentation, and bittersweet, irony laden lyrics (ex: "it's a damn shame, it's a nightmare in a dream, dreaming in spite of knowing the ending of a tall-tall storyline"). These guys really don't fall into any rigidly defined genre, and the semi-rock out track, 'To Keep Things Moving' further blurs any distinct confining lines you might have thrown them into, with it's notably heavier guitar work and hook laced melody. 'Bend' is an interesting tune, replete with crunching forest floor under-growth, bird chirps and start/stop music...all creative background noise for a rather catchy little ditty (apparently, "everyone needs to find one to bend at the perfect time"...if you say so, Quentin). Oh, did I mention that they actually use a banjo throughout many of the songs? Well, the down-home country fun instrument is especially enjoyable on the gem of the album...'Limits of Language', a country-ish sounding track that reminds me of watching Hee-Haw as a child...it also really reminded me of more than a few Wilco songs, and that's pretty far from being a bad thing.

If only I had purchased this last year when it came out, maybe then it would earn a spot on a list of some sort (and yes, the article is finished, I'm just too lazy to post it, so NYAH!), oh well, at least I own it. You really can't go wrong with this album...it's got synthesizers, it's got twangy banjo work, it's indie-pop goodness...it's the best of three great bands all thrown in there to create a very unique, definition-defying sound that'll bring a sour smile to the face of any chronic-depressive. Highly recommending, especially if you're on (or should be on) anti-depressants.

I've got roughly 10 articles back-logged and proofed, now I just have to find a sucker to type and tag them all form me. Check back soon (Wednesday-ish) for my review of the Bad Religion show...yup, it's a month late.