Blog Posts by Dave DiMartino

Apologies to those who sought out this blog and noticed it missing last week: I forgot to write it!

But for those who keep track, I probably would've said nice things about the latest album by Jamey Johnson, paid half-hearted lip service to Benjamin Gibbard's newest, yawned at the Ben Harper compilation, made a joke that would involve driving on the 405 freeway about Brandy's new album, completely tore into Scotty McCreery's Christmas disc, wondered aloud what the new albums by Mika and A Fine Frenzy sound like, since their labels don't seem to want to promote them, and devoted a witless, large paragraph to the new set by Bobby V in which I would mistakenly pretend he was the early '60s pop singer and give it a rave review!

For kicks, I would end it all by asking you to follow me on Twitter!

These things don't write themselves, but sometimes they get awfully close!

Taylor Swift: Red (Big Machine)  I have two things to say about Taylor Swift! Just saw her in Las Vegas at the iHeartRadio Festival and, watching her image on the televised stage feed, was struck by the absolute certainty that this is one babe who has spent way too much

It's a great day in the world of new album releases when this week's highlights include new entries from such bold newcomers as Barbra Streisand, the Velvet Underground's John Cale, Kiss, The Beach Boys, ELO's Jeff Lynne, Motown legend David Ruffin and baby band Gary Lewis & The Playboys!

No need to worry, though: old favorites like the Wallflowers have returned with warm and reassuring sounds more than likely to calm troubled souls who find today's music scene jarring in its adventurousness and would like a dash of something familiar!

Further new releases by punk rocker Rick Springfield and artful instrumentalist James Bond—who has cleverly titled his debut album Best Of James Bond 50th Anniversary—might merit inclusion here if this much-loved 10-albums-only format permitted!

But like most of us, I find all these baby bands…well…confusing! And who among us doesn't need some stability in his or her life?

Barbra Streisand: Release Me (Columbia)  They say that sometimes albums take on

In a world in which new albums by Grammy winners like Nelly Furtado can sell a horrifyingly small percentage of her past work—perhaps because she took a six-year break—and much less radio-friendly artists such as Mumford & Sons can set new sales records, all bets are off.

Nothing matters whatsoever.

And that's why, in short, the words of music writers such as myself have taken on an cultural importance that is heretofore unprecedented.

What we say goes!

Sadly, I kind of like everything!

Muse: The 2nd Law (Warner Bros.) On one hand one of the most powerful live bands in existence, on the other a bombastic, also-ran version of Radiohead, Jr., with an even dopier name, Muse is nothing if not a rock band! Still, following their worldwide exposure via the Olympics and a pop music scene hungering for deep

It's an exciting time! New albums by fabulous bands! Presidential elections right around the corner! Massive amounts of media coverage about both!

But just between you and me, while music is OK, I'm spending more and more time following this election stuff! Why? Well, I'm not exactly a political dude, but I get a kick out of listening to all the candidates give interviews! I'm a writer, and I like they way they always try to stay on message! And I like the way they answer questions no one even asks!

Do I think asking a question and answering it is a great way to communicate? You bet! Does change for a quarter include two dimes and a nickel? Absolutely! Should this question be punctuated with a question mark? Of course! Is it entirely possible that space beings are headed to this planet with every intent of spray-painting all of Earth's inhabitants blue? Er…I guess so! Am I the sort of guy who'd think nothing of buying a loaf of bread, taking out two slices and buttering them and applying them to both sides of my head? Heck no! Why would you even ask?

And does the above point have any relevance whatsoever to this week's new album releases?

Five turtles!

No Doubt: Push And Shove (Interscope)  I would imagine to people of certain age, a No Doubt reunion—which strictly speaking this isn't, since they never officially went away—would be the height of happy happy good times, and you know what? It's not a bad thing at all! Ecstatic, bouncy pop, highlighted by the

A day later than usual in posting this week's new releases blog, true—but can I be blamed for losing sleep over this week's past excitement?

First came the exciting news that both Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban would be accepting slots as judges on the fantastic television show American Idol!

Then came the even better news that Shakira and Usher would be filling in for Voice judges Christina Aguilera and Cee-Lo Green during its next season!

Then came the climactic news that my local Jo-Ann Fabrics is now offering an even larger assortment of fabric, sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, knitting, crochet, jewelry and craft items!

Oh yeah! Then I fell out of my car and passed out for two days!

P!nk: The Truth About Love (RCA) I've decided that despite all my misgivings about what P!nk represents—a colorful mouthpiece who essentially functions as a semi-front person for an admirable batch of plugged-in contemporary producers,

It struck me late last week, upon hearing who would be the artists making an appearance on the sad, tired, and now more dismal than ever MTV Music Video Awards, that I cared about absolutely none of them.

I realize that's not a bold statement. I mean, really, aside from the few people who still care about the sort of music that MTV was honoring—most of it not only forgettable, but fascinating for the inevitable, record-setting brevity of the celebrity it will enjoy—who really thinks Nicki Minaj will even be remembered in 10 years?

If she had any inkling of the astounding number of young people of music-buying age who have absolutely no idea of what she actually sounds like—not looks like, but sounds like—I believe it would depress the hell out of her.

I mention this only because this week's album releases feature a surprisingly diverse, rich array of artists—all of whom are musicians, rather than television celebrities, and all of whom, despite the inevitable dwindling record sales

I'm so torn! Between last weekend's great Budweiser Made In America Festival, featuring Jay-Z, Pearl Jam, and lots of beer, and this week's coming Music Video awards, from prize-winning music video channel MTV, who has time to actually listen to this week's hot new releases?

I've got to figure out what to wear!

But don't get the wrong idea! I'm not going anywhere—certainly not to the award show itself! I just like to dress up when I watch TV! In case anybody, you know, stops by to say hello!

Of course…that hasn't happened for a few months now! But with this new Matchbox Twenty album blaring through the speakers I've put up in front of my house, and these great new pants I just got at Costco, it's got to be just a matter of time!

And guests willing to stop by and discuss the week's great new albums can also enjoy a heady serving of croissants, muffins, and sheet cake, all courtesy of the fabulous Costco bakery!

I'll be the tall guy sitting in the back yard with the cat on my lap!

Speaking purely as a writer, I find it interesting that, after all these years of blathering about music, I need a certain…oomph…to begin the actual process of writing!

And so it is that tonight, only moments ago, I grabbed an unmarked CD—I have a lot of them—put it in my player, pressed "play," and, with no idea of what I was about to hear, heard what appeared to be a live audience, fading in and loudly chanting the word "Horslips!"

The CD was a reissue by the Irish rock band of the same name, mind you, from their 1980 live album The Belfast Gigs—but not really knowing that upon first listen, I must say that hearing an enthusiastic crowd chanting what appeared to be the words "horse lips" was stimulating in a very strange way!

Bummer that it was that it was an actual band name instead of the horrifyingly confrontational album opener I'd been hoping for—I was envisioning about 4 or 5 potential less-than-attractive artists, to be polite, about to start their respective sets—for 20