The new Eminem CD is simply put: the shit. I think it's impossible for Eminem, being who he is, to make a bad record. I'll even admit that his last album ("The Eminem Show") wasn't his best work, but it still had some kick-ass songs on it and beat out everything else that was being released at the time (at least in the rap game). Seriously, go out and buy this album right now. Don't even bother shutting off your computer, just go. This CD will humor, offend, move, and question you and its worth every penny you'll spend on it at some over-priced record store (Tower). Or, you know, just download it off Kazaa (God knows I've done that with about a thousand albums), but be aware that even if you do download it, if you would've ended up buying it, you wouldn't have left the record store feeling sorry or pissed off that you just dropped $20 on a record like this.

"Feeling like a prize horse's ass" would just about sum up my current state. Jeez, I'm almost embarassed to write this down, but I just found out yesterday about the whole Coheed and Cambria comic book thing and now I'm just reeling from the shock of how genius and original the whole concept of the band and all their albums is. I just...man, how did I not know about this? I have to shamefully admit that I didn't listen to Coheed and Cambria at all until I saw the video for "A Favor House Atlantic" on MTV one morning last year (here's an opportunity for all you die-hard Co&Ca fans to chastise me and tell me what a poser I am). I've spent the better part of six months loving the CD and equally as much being puzzled by the lyrics. I just figured that Claudio's writing style was way beyond anything I'd ever be able to interpret (which, to be honest, I still figure, but I'm I little more in the know, now). Seriously, though, I don't know if I'm more amazed with Coheed and Cambria now as a fan of music or as a fan of comics. I've spent the last two days reading every message board thread I can to fill myself in on the story so far and I'm honestly just...knocked on my ass. This revalation has automatically made Coheed and Cambria my favorite band ever and I'm not rushing judgement on that, either. I don't think any other band has ever come with such an original concept; such creative lyrics; such raw and utter talent as Coheed and Cambria. The naysayers can throw in their meaningless two cents about Claudio sounding like a girl and the band falling into a simple "pop punk" genre, because I don't care and it doesn't matter. The fact is, this band is doing something that no other band is, or indeed, has ever done. With music being what it is this day and age, that's a pretty impressive feat, I think.