Review of @100MonkeysMusic #liquidzoo Album

I just finished listening to the album start to finish... while, I got it the other day, I skipped around listening to tracks and parts of tracks here and there...

I know that my opinion means absolutely nothing, but I did want to share my thoughts with those who care to hear them.

The album was well worth the wait. I first heard from Jackson back at SBL August last year that they were recording new stuff... I did not know that it would take this long for them to get the album out, but believe me... it was worth it. :)

I am so entirely proud of them for this album. I know that they (and everyone involved) worked their asses off to get it out and to make it the best possible record they could. It definitely shows.

Now, I'm not just a blind follower - I did have a couple complaints about certain things... which, you can read about if you care to in the dissection of each track below. (Not so much "complaints" as "opinions"... remember that... these are my OPINIONS!!)

Or... you can just take my word for it that it's amazing and well worth the wait and your money. Check out where 100 Monkeys are going on their tour! Starts Tuesday! Album officially drops same day! <3

www.100MonkeysMusic.com

Album: 4/5 stars
Favorite *NEW* song: Time
Favorite *finally recorded* song: Prayer
Surprise favorite song: Devil Man


The Fair
My history with the song: Has never been my favorite, but it's definitely grown on me. I always enjoy the bass line and shouting "I'm a winner, I'm a winner, I'm a winnahhhh!"
Favorite lyric: *see above*
Standout instrument: Jerad's guitar solo.

As the first track on the album, I believe that it's a great way to kick off the record. As I mentioned, it hasn't always been one of my favorite songs... in fact, the two times they have played Birmingham, I have used this song as my bathroom break, if that's any indication... always making it back before Jerad's guitar solo...

On the album, I really appreciate the fact that it's very true to how you'll hear it live. I've grown accustomed to hearing the song this way and I am not a fan of change...


The Sound
My history with the song: None - brand new song.
Favorite lyric: "To my guitar of which I sing; I will give my diamond ring, if only this old piece of wood, would love me like a woman..."
Standout instrument: Saxaphone

Probably the most anticipated song on the new album... because of that, I listened to this song first before any others. I do not see the point of the rap in the middle of it, but I must admit, it's pretty freaking amazing. Who can argue with a reggae style song with a white boy rap in the middle of it?!! I surely can't.

I definitely love the chill of this song and am instantly in love with the tone of Jackson's voice on this track. Absolutely perfect. I have no complaints about this song...

And... ThWilla FTW. :)

Shy Water
My history with the song: Another one that was never my favorite, but I never avoided it. It's always a nice place to catch your breath in the show.
Favorite lyric: "If there's a moral here that's to be learned, it's not to let a good thing pass you by..."
Standout instrument: Bass/mandolin.

I know there are some very avid Shy Water fans out there who were desperate in getting this track on the album... I hope they are all sufficiently happy with this result! I am very happy with the recorded version of Shy Water... seeing as how I am pretty ambivalent on the song live, I feel like that in itself should be a huge compliment.

I'm really more anxious to hear what the diehard lovers of this song feel about it... YOUR thoughts?

Time
My history with the song: None, but it was talked up to me by a couple people.
Favorite lyric: "Get a knife; cut it out, I wanna hear them sing!"
Standout instrument: Check out the flute solo!!

This was the song I was most looking forward to hearing and as the album approached I was scared that it would not live up to the months and months of anticipation that I had placed on it... Fortunately... it was everything and more that I had hoped for!

This is the kind of song that I dreamed of hearing from 100 Monkeys on this album... something new, something with the amazing drums behind it... pressing guitar and then the flute solo... Jackson's voice on the track is textured; I can FEEL his voice.

My only complaint about the song is that it's not long enough. I could listen to 8 minutes of that. ;)

Wandering Mind
My history with the song: One of my absolute favorite songs live.
Favorite lyric: "You were so damn perfect; it was hard to understand..."
Standout instrument: Keyboard

I'm not fond of this song on the album. Something about the filter over Johnson's voice that blows my speakers out a little bit... This is a song that I love to just let go with and when I see it live I SCREAM every word like I mean it... thus, I really wish that I could blast it in my car or at my stereo at home without feeling like my speakers are going to rip. :-/

Just don't take it out of the set lizt and we'll be golden.

Prayer
My history with the song: It's not played live that much, though it's always a really big treat to hear!
Favorite lyric: "Suaviter et Fortiter my family prayer; I hope to see you there on the other side..."
Standout instrument: The drums...

Out of my nearly fifty 100 Monkeys shows that I've attended I've probably only seen Prayer performed six times or so... One of those times left a lasting impression on me as they performed it in Nashville at the NewCon event in 2009... it was the first time that I saw Jackson perform with 100 Monkeys and I remember feeling like there was too much talent, too much passion, too much energy in that body of his. I listened to the rip of Prayer from NewCon for months and months after that.

I had actually forgotten that Prayer was supposed to be on Liquid Zoo, in all honestly... but I am pleased to say that it exceeds what I expected of it. I actually don't have the words in my vocabulary to explain how much I love this track... It's wow, for me... it rivals that first performance that I saw of it... which, is amazing.

Black Diamond
My history with the song: I was at the first performance of this song... a good one to hear live; love the energy it embodies.
Favorite lyric: "Just don't talk..."
Standout instrument: The guitar intro and solo... Ben's messy keyboard skills. <3

The first time that I listened to this song on the album I was unsure on if I would like it or not... I wasn't sure about how deep Jackson's voice is in the beginning or the backup singers... and while I'm still not so sure on those things, I will say that listening to it the whole way through again, I got very into it about half way through.

I definitely don't hate it... of course, I prefer everything live and in person, though. ;)

I think that this song was executed very well on the album...

Modern Times
My history with the song: None - brand new song
Favorite lyric: "Don't mind about the forethought cause no one really cares and you'll see as it comes to light as it does in life..."
Standout instrument: Keyboard.

Love this song... reminds me so much of each week that I spent in Baton Rouge. I really have no complaints about this song. I love the breakdown towards the end of the song. Very awesome. I really can't wait to see it live!

Made Of Gold
My history with the song: I've seen it performed live many times... I try to avoid it.
Favorite lyric: "He was one of the Lost, the first to be found..."
Standout instrument: Keyboard, of course.

Before you can take my opinion on this song... you have to know my history with it. Most people love and adore it - which, I think I understand and "get"... but at the same time... I don't. Please don't get me wrong... Jackson is an incredible poet... he's an incredible singer/songwriter... and yes, I love Spencer... but this song is just too close to his person.

I suppose I should love the fact that he's comfortable performing a part of his bare soul like that. For me, it's too much.

Anyhow... swiftly moving on... I did listen to the track in it's entirety and I can tell you that it's done very well... I really like it. I won't be listening to it much (if ever, at all...) but, I think it's actually so much better than hearing it live.

I hope that all of those who listen to the track and like it try and find the origin of it's birth by looking for and learning about Spencer Bell.

Invisible Monsters
My history with the song: First saw it performed in Tulsa in March 2010 (back then Jackson sang the vocals...) ... one of my favorites to see live.
Favorite lyric: "Call the number on the TV to see if I can be saved..."
Standout instrument: Drums.

While a lot of people were pulling for Shy Water to get put on an album, I was voting for this one. Invisible Monsters was a rare sight to see at a 100 Monkeys show for the longest, longest time... slowly it made it's way into the shows more frequently and I believe that's how it's popularity grew.

It was actually Scott who suggested that Uncle sing the song instead of Jackson... to which, works absolutely perfectly. I love that Jackson still sings the bridge though... that's one of my favorite parts of the song.

I think that I love this song so much because it reminds me so much of my own personal experiences.

It's a real treat to see it performed live and there's absolutely nothing that I want to complain about with the track. <3 I love it and I'm so happy that it made it to the album!!

Devil Man
My history with the song: Saw it almost every week that I was in Baton Rouge... love it.
Favorite lyric: "Give you all the money and the girls that you please: you'll spend eternity on your knees..."
Standout instrument: Ben's voice sounds like red velvet cupcakes.

I also didn't remember that this track was going to be on the album...

There's something about this recording and I can't put my finger on it... I love it entirely. It's definitely in my top three favorite tracks... it sounds perfect. I love it.

Life Moves Pretty Fast...

"You come over to say hello in the brightest of the lights, 
I'm so impressed, you look your best, without an ounce of trying, 
I make light of a picture, and you're leaving with your friends, 
And I've no doubt I'll never see you again... 
Cause you may deceive me... but you made me try to make believe in 
That there's something more, we can't ignore, but nothing we can do..." 

So much has happened. It's insane that at times I have nothing to share and nothing to say and then other times I feel so full of randomness to spread that I can barely keep track of it all.

First of all, and most importantly... I have completely hot pink hair now. Yes. Photos soon. Also, tomorrow is tattoo day. Number 8. :)

Also, I have dyed Jennifer's hair blue...

Taken with my new lens that I bought for the 100 Monkeys tour. 10 days until the first show and the new Liquid Zoo album! Excited doesn't begin to cover it.

If you want to hear a preview of the album this Sunday be sure to head over to www.fender.com/100Monkeys - also, you should head over there since two of my live photos of 100 Monkeys are posted on the Fender site!!!

This is a beyond exciting moment for me. While my photos gained a lot of exposure from the Las Vegas radio station Mix 94.1 back in May, this is a huge mention and the completion of a personal goal of mine. (See the photos posted by Mix 94.1 here)

Another big something for this week is that I was interviewed by Hell Yeah! 100 Monkeys. It was pretty cool... you can read that here.

Here's two new photos that I've taken with the new lens. :)

One last thing before I go -- I have a new book coming out this fall. It will be all photos shot on the road between June 28th (first date of 100 Monkeys tour...) and August 28th (the last day of the 100 Monkeys tour...). While I'm not going to all 40-some-odd dates, I am going to a fair chunk of them and I wanted to showcase a point of view that is rarely seen. The loose and working title is "A Van With A View"... though, that might change. We'll see... ;)

I can't believe I'm about to make my 2nd book! Insane. This one will be available through direct order and will ship a helluva lot faster than the last one.

Thanks for reading this ramble...

[Worthy Title About Nothing]

"Feeling better now that we're through, 
Feeling better cuz I'm over you, 
I learned my lesson; it left a scar,
Now I see how you really are..." 

I suppose there'a been a lot of changes happening to me lately... some I am not ready to admit... some I can't hold inside for a moment longer.

When you're six and you've got your favorite long sleeved winter shirt... you love it... you want to live in it... you never want to wash it and you want to wear it to school every day... when you're seven you go back to that shirt that you loved so much the previous year -- you still love it just as much -- you're super excited to put it on and this year it doesn't quite fit the same as it did last year. Though it's a little small and a tad uncomfortable - you're not ready to give it up yet... so you wear it. Another year passes and you're eight now... the shirt no longer fits and though it's hard and it hurts - you give it up.

I'm seven right now. I know what's coming... but for right now, I'd like to wear my slightly-uncomfortable shirt and pretend like it still fits.

I feel like I'm starting to outgrow a lot of things in my life. It's painful to watch.

I also feel like a lot of things are starting to outgrow *me*.

Yesterday I cleaned the bathroom - I maaay have used too much bleach. I got a swimming headache afterwards, but that wasn't the strangest thing... What was really weird is that I got insanely hyper. More so than I had been since I was a teenager. I couldn't calm down at all. It was a little strange. I didn't know what to do with all of my energy. Crazy.

I'm insanely bored.

...

I think I'm getting excited for the Monkey tour. I think. 19 days or something like that until I go to see them. I am completely unprepared. I have nothing planned and no tickets bought... I don't know what I'm going to wear or who I'm seeing where. I do have a couple photoshoots planned, so that makes me happy-time... but other than that, nothing is really settled... though... I am really looking forward to going back to Kansas City for the show there!!

Insane how excited I am for that. :) Very excited. I haven't seen KC or my people there since September when I left... I am forcing my mama to come to the show with me... it looks like it may be my only time with her while I'm there...

Also excited for the California leg of the tour... but that's something I'll talk about later and closer to all of this...

Bored.

Bored.

I'm a bore.

Happy Birthday @Jerad_Anderson! @100MonkeysMusic

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY, JERAD!! 

Today on this most important of days, I wish for you a glass that is always full, a guitar always in hand, a constant buzz from your phone (how is that different from any other day?), and a perma-grin on your face.

Think of all the amazingness that you've accomplished in your thirty years on this planet. You've lived enough for three lifetimes, it would seem.

I am so fortunate to have you as a part of my life and so today I drink for you. (Just coffee now, but you know later I am shooting Jameson in your honor, dude.)

Have a fantastic birthday and make it one for the books, BFF!!!

Tons of love and high-fives today! EAT CAKE!!!

Happy birthday, rockstar! See you soonish.