RATING:
5 = Excellent. One of the best songs this year! I'll rave about it and crave for it.
4 = Good stuff. I'll get it on CD and put it on REPEAT.
3 = Average. I'll tape it off the radio and consider buying it on CD.
2 = Tolerable. I'll listen to it on radio and probably will get sick of it in no time.
1 = CRAP. I'll turn the radio off as soon as I hear it. Already on my shitlist.

N E W - R E L E A S E S

Everlast "What It's Like"
Rating: 5
Everlast has done the seemingly impossible. He was a hip hop artist and now he has a huge alternative and rock smash to his name. It's "What It's Like", one of the most deserving songs this year. At first, it may not seem like any big deal. The song is simple and relaxed. But behind that are intense lyrics, presenting images of lives many of us can not imagine. "I've seen a rich man beg, I've seen a tough man cry, I've seen an honest man lie". The track presents three stories: a beggar being called a "fucking slob" in a grocery store, a pregnant woman exacting revenge upon her jerk boyfriend and paying the consequences and a man named Max who is killed and leaves behind a wife and kid. The lyrics are incredibly powerful but even more amazing is the way it fits so well with the song and naturally flows. Genius.

The Offspring "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)"
Rating: 4.5
It's so annoying that it's genius. The Offspring are making fun of white boys trying to be black. The whole song is clever, presenting hilarious and ridiculous images. To top it all off, the Offspring give the song the energy they are known for. It is instantly catchy and you'll be singing along, trying to figure out the lyrics, soon enough.

New Radicals "You Get What You Give"
Rating: 3.5
It's guaranteed to make you feel good. The song sounds very 80's but it's got the punk energy to make it accessible to many formats. The New Radicals also get to diss Courtney Love, Marilyn Manson, Beck and Hanson towards the end of the song, threatening to kick their asses. Cool stuff.

Better Than Ezra "At The Stars"
Rating: 4
Definitely more accessible than the cool trippy electronic "One More Murder", the second single from the new Better Than Ezra album presents the same trademark emotive vocals, the power of the group. It is also a fresh new sound, different from their older stuff. This track should find major success on alternative and rock radio.

Barenaked Ladies "It's All Been Done"
Rating: 3
Another catchy pop single from the Barenaked Ladies. It's all about having fun and this song is a lot more pop than "One Week" and we know how overplayed "One Week" got. Similar to "One Week", the new single operates on interesting lyrics, but it puts more emphasis on the melody. It's almost Fastball.

A - S E C O N D - L O O K

Creed "What's This Life For"
Rating: 5
What a great year for Creed. And this was their first #1 hit on hard rock radio. It's still doing well, months after its release. The track is a powerful statement against suicide. Scott Stapp of Creed certainly knows how to put emotion in the song. It is obvious in the live version of the track as well.

Previous Reviews
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