Unyielding Commissioning has Fatigue

Everything out on 7/10. Previously mentioned in this space is the fact that Interpol and Smashing Pumpkins are both releasing new albums on July 10. You can add Bad Religion to the list. They have two of the new tracks available for streaming on their myspace page. The first one, Honest Goodbye, is probably the lousiest BR song I've ever heard. I mean it's awful. Way worse than the previous leader, My Computer. It sounds like they're trying to make a 1996 pop song. Candlebox and Collective Soul would be proud. I imagine the band has listened to what they've created and should know better. But don't take my word for it, listen for yourself. The other song sounds like a pretty standard BR track - nothing special. I never picked up their 2004 release, The Empire Strikes First, but the two albums previous to that one had marked a surprising and welcome resurgence. The New America (2000) stands as one of their three best albums, but it's pretty clear that New Maps of Hell will not measure up to that standard. So, in the great July 10 shopping spree, NMoH is currently residing in third place, pending news of other more attractive releases...

Penguin Fatigue, too. I swear I saw a commercial for the new animated penguin movie, Surf's Up, that said a critic called it "Unique" or something to that effect. It's another new penguin movie for kids. I'm not condemning it at this point, but forgive me if I find that review specious. We just got over enduring Happy Feet after enduring all the hype over the vacant March of the Penguins and now this is supposed to be unique? Oh, he's a surfer. I get it. How unique. They're also calling it "the incredible true story of Cody Maverick." I don't think I need to elaborate on why that's unacceptable.

Here there be growling, notsafeforwork tygers!