Witz Pickz: Eddie Vedder, Hating Kids, Noteworthy Books, and MORE!

Happy Halloween-- as a spooky super secret surprise...I didn't post until 9pm! Do I know how to celebrate an outdated holiday or what!?

Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild Soundtrack: I've just about had it with all these solo albums from rockers. Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music does a great solo album with a pseudo folk feel to it. Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine has a decent Americana Folk album out as The Nightwatchman. Bad Religion frontman Greg Graffin has a new solo album out. All of them are solo albums that are at least somewhat different from their full band's endeavors, so I accept them. But nothing annoys me more in music than when a frontman goes solo in order to produce an album EXACTLY like the band they usually play with. Tom Delange of Blink 182 went off to make Angels & Airwaves and Boxcar Racer in order to write songs identical to the more emo tracks by Blink 182. Just a few weeks ago, Serj Tankian put out an album that sounds exactly like System of a Down. Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie has written inumerable songs that sound exactly like Death Cab tracks. And most recently, Eddie Vedder has put out the soundtrack to Into the Wild, writing songs that would be very accessible in a Pearl Jam collection. So what gives? Why do these people keep shirking their bandmates to create songs that their band could totally play. I can understand if it's an acoustic, solo thing-- but most of these guys have full bands backing them. I guess primarily, it's the fact that the frontmen already have such distinctive and unique voices, that no matter who plays behind them it's going to sound like themselves. When Chris Cornell and Rage Against the Machine teamed up, Audioslave sounded like a variation on a Soundgarden album. If Michael Stipe sings with anyone else, it's going to sound like R.E.M. Bands that have changed their sound over the years aren't able to escape their former bands by making new ones, because no matter what they do (unless they create a LUTE ALBUM like Sting), their creation would have been acceptable to the old fans. I feel like the old bandmates MUST either hate the front guy who does his own thing, or HATE the music that they are going to be making. Otherwise, why would they split up for the new gig?

Regardless, Eddie Vedder's new solo album is incredibly good. It clocks in at just over 30 minutes, which is a bit weak, but each song flows perfectly into the next, creating the feeling of one long song, blending and merging, with various movements and moods. There are one or two obvious "hits" that are being played on the radio, but when put in the context of the full album, these songs are even better. "Hard Sun" is one of the longest and best songs on the album, and it's one of those songs where you KNOW Vedder hit on a rhythm and lyric that he liked and realized he could sing it over and over again while only making it better. I don't know if it's worth 10-15 bucks, but if you can get the mp3's or find a friend's copy, it's entirely worth checking out and listening to (I'd actually be willing to pay 10, but not 15). Check it out.

Hating Kids: I decided tonight that I really dislike children. Not in a specific sense, or an always sense, but in a "sporadically upon reflection" sense, i.e. when they ring your doorbell obnoxiously and demand candy, then take more candy than you said, even though you were allowing way more pieces than most other people. I mean, I get it, Halloween is fun, and I always got a lotta candy, but I didn't ring the doorbell a million times, or knock on the door like a jackass. Little kids are cute, they win. After that, they are annoying. They're either awkward or too cool or awkwardly uncool. They want to impress the kids they're with, and act like "the man" when they take a lotta candy despite what you say. Mark this as the day I sound MOST like Andy Rooney. It's not a proud day for me, but it's certainly a Wednesday.

New Books Worth Reading!(?): Nick Hornby has a new book out allegedly for teens, but according to Borders, bought mainly by adults who are enjoying it themselves since it's Nick Hornby. Michael Chabon has a new book out about some very specific niche literary, Jewish, satire/adventure something something. I'm guessing he's gone too far into his tiny realm of the world. JEFF LINDSAY has a new Dexter book out! Dexter In the Dark is the third book in the Dexter book series that the TV series is based on. The plots differ (at least through book two) so you don't have to worry about overlapping secrets, and the writing is quick and fun. I'm pumped to check it out....from the library....eventually....because I can't pay 25 bucks for a hardcover 6 hour mystery read....Tom Perotta, author of Little Children and Election has a new book out-- I got nothing else about that one except there's probably a lot of sex involved.

Fact: Curb Your Enthusiasm is KILLIN IT THIS YEAR! Watch it immediately.
Opinion: Seinfeld has gone too far with the HP ads and the Bee Movie promos.
Fact: VCR's are still useful for taping things and transporting them.
Action Item: Get a job.
Opinion: Friday Night Lights has some problems this season, but Explosions In the Sky still does a kickass soundtrack and other albums.
Cool Name: Chuck Sturges.
Best Sport This Weekend: SAT: New England vs. New York MLS playoffs. SUN: Pats vs. Colts.

I'm thinking about a tv lineup post tomorrow-- we'll see what happens. Happy Halloween and how are Milk Duds still in production?

The Fact/Opinion/Etc Portion Is Like If I Went Solo,
Witz