TheAccountant

100% agree with you. I would be ok with taking a train to NYC to see them but I would rather see them in Albany. No shows in NYS other than NYC? I talked with some folks at the Judas Priest show I went to tonight and some of them had heard of The Warning- another sign they are getting bigger and bigger (plus for those who had not heard of The Warning I told them to check them out on Youtube).

Just listened to it and my initial reaction was "WTF is this? It sound like a blend of Symphonic Metal & Prog Metal with a few elements of folk metal tossed in" I 100% agree with what you said - it is incredible and yes, Floor is fantastic. This really has my interest.

Just saw Judas Priest with Sabaton opening for them in Albany NY. Good Lord - what a show. My goodness. First off - Sabaton. I saw them a number of years ago opening for Nightwish in a small venue in NYC on the opening night of the Endless Forms Most Beautiful tour. At that point I did not know anything about Sabaton and was shock at how good they were - they killed it. Strangly I never really got into their music. I have one CD but don't listen to it much. That is going to have to change. I should like them as I am very interested by history and power metal is my cup of tea. I really need to find the time to give them a deep dive - both because I should like them, how much I liked their show years ago and the show tonight. They killed it. Every song they did was excellent and they really worked the crowed. Note - I went to the show by myself but then talked to a bunch of folks on the way out (I always do that - if you go to a show in Albany and some tall guy with a beard and glasses just strikes up a conversation it might be me) and everybody I talked with agreed Sabaton killed it and was way, way better than Queensryche who opened for Priest the last time they played Albany. On to the mighty Priest. Give me a break. Geepers creepers - they were ridiculously good. Just insane. Way better than their last tour in 2022. Better than when I saw them opening for Deep Purple in support of Firepower. Before that the last time I had seen them was on the Painkiller tour and this was much, much better than that (mind you, I dislike Painkiller as an album). Only time I have seen a better Priest show was on the Ram it Down Tour in 1988 - and that, to this day, is the 2nd best show I have seen (surpassed only by Rush on the VT tour). The set list included a lot of songs you would expect - The Hellion, Electric Eye, The Green Manalishi, Turbo Lover, Victim of Changes, (those 3 were not on the set list the last time they played Albany and I really like them so that was a welcome inclusion) Breaking the Law, Liven After Midnight, You've Got Another thing Coming, Painkiller (which was also not on the set list last time but since I don't like it - o, well, most folks were happy), Hell Bent For Leather. They did not play a ton off the new album - Crown of Horns got the biggest response of their new material (which is fine with me as I enjoy it). BTW - the version of Victim of Changes just had folks both going nuts and shaking their heads. I heard one guy go "Not f'ing possible! How how old is Halford and he just did that?" Then their was Love Bites - I am ok with the song. No problems but it not amoung my elite Priest songs but this version was insane. Just fire - no, radioactively glowing it was so hot. Plus they did Devils Child which is a favorite of mine and Halford killed it It was crazy - how the f was Halford doing what he did vocally? That is not an easy song to do. He may not have been hitting all the notes from the album but he was close - and its not 1982 any more. Crazy. Multiple time during the show my jaw just dropped and I said to my self "Good lord!!! Thats insane! What the f am I hearing?" Halford vocals were just incredible / ridiculous. Additional note - Ritchie Faulkner on lead guitar is just the reincarnation of Randy Rhodes. Its been said before but I will say it again - I can't think of another band that has received such a late career reinvigoration from the addition of anybody. He really should have been indicted in the Hall of Fame with the group. Crazy good show. Obviously I enjoyed it and Priest clearly still has a lot left in the tank if they want to keep going.

Exactly my thought!!!!

Exactly my thoughts. Could not have said it better.

Got the chance to listen to some music on youtube today. First up: Dream Theatre - Systematic Chaos Not really my cup of tea. Should be, but it just did not click for me. Parts were ok, parts just did not do anything for me. Next up on Youtube: Unleash The Archers - Phantoma Have been really looking forward to this album as I really like the group. Their last 2 albums (Apex & Abyss) were both killer. The first single off the album ("Green & Glass") did not impress me - at all. The next 3 singles they have released ("Ghost in the Mist", "Seeking Vengeance", & "Blood Empress") were progressively better. Turns out some of the best music on the album was not released as singles. Songs like "Buried in Code", "The Collective", "Gods in Decay" & "Give it up or Give it All" were all very good. "Give it up or Give it All" has a massive 1980's Heart vibe to it (odd for a power metal band that uses occasional death growls but hey, it works very well). Also, this is yet another concept album - similar to Apex & Abyss although not connected to that story line. As a result the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Plus their use of synths in some of the songs - which turned me off at first - actually works well with the storyline. Now that I understand what they are up to with the album I appreciate the singles much more. Gotta admit though that Green & Glass is still not really to my taste but it fits with the album. Give them credit - another concept album, Britany Slays amazing lead vocals, occasional death growls from one of the guitarists (normally I hate death growls but these work) and its clear they are working on expanding what they do and trying a few different things. Very good album. Totally worth listing to. As good as Apex & Abyss? Hmmm, not quite. But still very good. Will have to try to catch this group live at some point and keep following their music. Excellent group on the rise.

Exactly how I voted as well.

IMO to say that the last album was not even bad is not accurate - for me its terrible. I just can't listen to it. Just hoping that this is somewhat more in line with their earlier work. From what a guy I work with told me the first song on the album is 8+ minutes in length. Sigh. Lets hope for the best.

Its official - the new Nightwish album will be released September 20th with the first single being released May 21'st. Lets hope they can also recapture some of their past spitting like so many bands seem to have done this year (e.g. Priest, Saxon, Accept) and that its not a continuation of their last dud of an album

Was watching some news tonight on youtube and The Rational National (who I was watching at the time) started talking about some dude named Macklemore and a new song he put out titled "Hinds Hall". He went through the lyrics and it sounded very good so I decided to check it out. Normally I hate rap & hip - hop but this was EXCELLENT. Tremendous protest song. Worthy of the late 1960's / early 1970's - sum's up much of my thinking about certain events in the world right now. Must have listened to it and watched the video at least a half dozen times. Dam good.

For me its Rebel Yell. White Wedding is a relatively close second.

1. Iron Man 2. Paranoid 3. Sweet Leaf 4. Back Sabbath 5. War Pigs 6. NIB Hmmm after that I will have to think about it and get back to you. As I said elsewhere, not huge into their deep cuts.

Worked from home today so that gave me the chance yet again to open up the moving box and whatever was on top got listened to. Turned out to be a day of box sets. First vinyl out: Haydn - The Complete Symphonies of Haydn: Volume Two This was a box set containing Haydn's symphonies 57 - 64. Lot of good classical music there. Next out: Uriah Heep - Two Decades in Rock A 5 LP box set of Uriah Helps best work from 1970 - 1990. Good enjoy able stuff. I may not be wild about Uriah Heep but I do enjoy there work. Last out of the box: Black Sabbath - The Ozzy Osbourne Years Another 5 LP box set of work from the first 6 albums Sabbath did with Ozzy. I am not wild about Sabbath but I like them enough to have bought this back in the early 1990's and kept it. If you are an Ozzy era Sabbath fan it would not get much better than this for you. But not really my cup of tea. I like the big hits but the deeper cuts, eh, they are ok but I don't go wild for them. Best box set of the day? The Haydn classical music. Then the Uriah Heep. The Sabbath was the least appealing work for me.

Interesting set list. I will limit my set list to 20 (mostly since Treeduck's challenge in the Priest thread was to limit the set list to 20 song). Churchill's Speech / Aces High 2 Minutes To Midnight Its easy (for me) to start the show with these songs. After that I can't tell you what the order of the set list would be - other than the last 2 songs of the night. Here we overlap set lists: The Number of the Beast Run to The Hills As for the 16 other songs, they would include the following: Paschendale (this is an easy one for me to include as its my favorite Maiden song by far - just listened to it before posting this and, as always, it almost reduced me to tears). Revelations The Trooper Die With Your Boots On Flight of Icarus Rime of the Ancient Mariner Powerslave Stranger in a Strange Land Wasted Years Can I Play With Madness? 7th Son of a 7th Son Runin Free Born in 58 (ok, I am cheating a bit here. This is a Bruce solo effort, not a Maiden song. But its on my list as its an excellent song & Bruce is the lead vocalist for Maiden). Fear of The Dark Alexander The Great The Prisoner A lot of overlap between our lists. Shocked we both had Alexander The Great though. Painful for me to leave a number of songs off but hey, thats what happens with a great band like Maiden - lots of great songs through the years.

Worked from home for part of the day (had to take dad to another dr. appointment during the other part of the day) so I got the chance to listen to some more vinyl. First out of the box: Hymns Triumphant: Volume II - National Philharmonic Orchestra More traditional Hymns. Good, but not as good as volume I. Next out of the box: Pavarotti - O Holy Night A collection of popular sacred songs performed by Pavarotti. Decent. Next out of the box: Annie - The musical with the original cast Good stuff. I remember mom got this when it came out in the 1970's and we played it a ton. Still enjoy it. Last out of the box: The Beatles - Abby Road My favorite song on the album is "Here Comes The Sun". Overall though the album is not as good as I remembered. I would say the music I enjoyed the most today was the soundtrack to Annie.

That a good list. I looked at your list, Treeduck's list and mine and their is obvious overlap (e.g Beyond The Realms of Death) but then there are songs where their is no overlap (e.g - you have Nostradamus both Treeduck & I passed on, Treeduck has Riding on The Wind which neither of us has and I have Devils Child which the 2 of you passed on). Says a lot about Priest that you can have 3 different lists with some overlap but a lot of differences and they would all be excellent set lists. Might be more overlap but I stuck to the 20 song Treeduck proposed originally. Would be interested what you Maiden list would be like.

My list would include: Dog Years Virtuality All of the original mix of VT. Peaceable Kingdom and Ghost Rider are the possible exceptions - they are sort of ok songs (the lyrics are good, the music not so good) but even they are negatively impacted by the mix Most of the re-mix of VT. Since the re-mix is much better I would not include the 2 songs I mentioned above, plus perhaps a few other songs. Even though the re-mix is much better its still a poor album. Not one I listen to often All of CA until Halo Effect. With that song the album takes off - it decent after that. Nothing supper special but decent. But prior to that I find it to be a waste of my time to listen to. BU2B2 The Necromancer. I used to include The Fountain of Lamneth in the category as well but over the last year its moved up and I can tolerate it now. YYZ

Worked from home today for parts of the day (had to take part off to take mom to a dr.'s appointment) so that gave me another chance to pull out more vinyl while I worked. First album out: Historical Anthology of Music - Processional & Ceremonial Music A collection of works by Giovanni Gabrielle (1557 - 1612). Enjoyable classical music. Next out of the box: Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture One of my very favorite works of classical music. We got this when I was a young child and I listened to it a ton. Still is excellent. Next out of the box: Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker Suite Very enjoyable. Next out of the box: Reds - The Soundtrack to the movie Saw this movie in the theater when it came out in 1981. I recall it being a long movie - so long it had a break during it. I was not crazy about it but my parents liked it and may dad loved the music so my mom bought him the soundtrack. Many years latter they gave it to me. Its ok. Nothing I am crazy about though. Kind of filler for me. Next out of the box: Franz Lehr - The Merry Widow An operetta written in 1905. This recording was done in 1978. My parents saw it live when they lived in England in 1958 & 1959. They both liked it, esp. my dad. For me though its mostly filler. Nothing that thrills me. Next out of the box: Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Sound of Music The soundtrack to the movie starring Julie Andrews & Christopher Plummer. I enjoy the movie and we bought the soundtrack when I was a kid and we listened to it a ton back then. Still very good. Next out of the box: Hymns Triumphant Volume I A collection of traditional hymns by the London Philharmonic Choir. Good stuff - I can recall mom singing some of them to me when I was a very little kid and she was putting me to bed- esp. "Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow". Clearly it was classical music day. Best work? 1812 Overture.

Worked from home again today so that gave me another chance to open up the moving box. First vinyl out: The Firm - Mean Business Of the 2 albums The Firm did I like this one slightly more. It has the best song The Firm did ("All The Kings Horses") plus it just feel more complete as an album. Other than All The Kings Horses (which is a good song) the album does not have anything that really stands out however. Next out of the box: Waysted - Save Your Prayers Pete Way of UFO was the big name in this group and as far as I know its the only album the group ever did. Its certainly the only album by them I have. Side 1 is rather enjoyable - I don't skip anything on it. Nothing that is really awesome but I enjoy all the songs. Side 2 has "Heaven Tonight" which I recall getting some airplay and which I think is the best song on the record. The next song ("How The West Was Won") is decent as well - about on par with the material on side 1. The rest of side 2 stinks IMO. Still, with all of side 1 being decent and 2 good songs on side 2 its enjoyable to listen that material at least. Note - I got to see this group live on my 21'st birthday in 1987 when I saw them opening for Iron Maiden on the Somewhere In Time tour in Rochester NY. Weirdly, I enjoyed this group more. I think it was something to do with the sound system. It was an indoor show and the volume was turned up so much for Maiden I could not really enjoy their songs. Anyway, next out of the box: Yes - Relayer Yes in 1974 with Steve Howe, Jon Anderson, Chris Squire etc. Side 1 is 21:55 in length and its one song. Side 2 has only 2 songs and they are both over 9 minutes in length. Major prog rock going on here. Enjoyable. Next out of the box: The Beers Family - Introducing The Beers Family This was followed by: The Beers Family - Dumbartons Drums So who (or what) is this group you may be asking. They were part of the folk music revival in the 1960's and 1970's. A 3 piece band (husband, his wife and their daughter). The parents were from Wisconsin & Montana - how they met I have no idea but they married in 1943. I also know the band basically came to an end in the late 1970's when the hubby was killed in a car crash. After that his widow and daughter no longer toured or recorded. I don't know when the albums were recorded but the notes mention a festival they played at for the first time when the daughter was in her early teens in 1966 - so it was clearly a few years after that. I recall I saw them in concert (my parents took me) in the early 1970's - I would guess 1971 or 1972. Good fun time out doors listening to traditional folk music when I was 5 or 6. They make some comments in the notes on the albums about commercialized country music - its clear they don't like it and I totally agree. But folk music is another kettle of fish. I enjoy that. Here you get all kinds of fiddle's, banjo's, dulcimer's an other traditional instruments. In the liner notes the hubby explains that he started to play the fiddle when he was about 7 years old - so that would be what, 1930 or so? One of the songs they play on the albums he learned the summer he first started to play the fiddle was taught to him by a guy who was 97 years old at that point and that guy told the hubby that he learned it when he was about 7 years old and also first starting to fiddle. So, if you do the math, that would mean he learned it about 1840. He had learned it from his father who had learned it from his father. So now you are talking about a song that had not been written down but just passed down since at least 1820 or so - likely earlier. Talk about the power of family / oral traditions!!! Yes, I have a real soft spot in my heart for these 2 albums. Next out of the box: Historical Anthology of Music - The Virtuoso Guitar A collection of classical music including the Concerto in A Major for Guitar and Strings by Vivaldi and the Concerto in C Major for Guitar and Strings - also by Vivaldi. Good stuff. Last out of the box: Historical Anthology of Music - William Boyce: The 8 Symphonies Symphonies 1 - 8 by William Boyce (in English composer who lived 1710 - 1779). Good stuff. The best stuff was clearly the classical / folk music today. Obviously I liked the Beers Family the most but all the classical / folk music was good.

Ran a few errands today so that gave me a chance to stop in the best local record store (which doubles as a comic book store as well). While looking through their stock in the hopes I found something I would like (once in a while that happens) I got really luck and found something that I never expected to get . Finishing listing to it now. It is: Gloryhammer - Return to the Kingdom fo Fife I liked their first 2 albums when I listened to them on Youtube. Then they fired their original lead singer (big mistake IMO) and brought in a new singer. I had never listen to this album (their 3rd). Figured I would never see it again if I did not grab it so gave it a shot. I really enjoyed it. Great? Please. Not close. But cheesy fun. Liked everything on it. The record also came with a 2nd LP which is an orchestral version of the 1st record. This is ok and has its moments but could do without it. Still, glad I got it. Just wish they had not changed singers although the new one is good - just not as good as the original.

Totally agree that time and distance from an overplayed song will warm it up again for me. So hard for me to say even an overplayed song like Spirit of Radio would qualify for this. I don't hate it - its just overplayed. I will pick one that, although not a "hit", is still sort of big song for Rush that I really do dislike. That song is YYZ. When I first bought and listened to all MP I was like "What were they thinking? They had 2 excellent songs, then they ruined all the albums momentum with this stinker. Then they had to get started again with another excellent song. But all them flow of the album was messed up." Over time I got to tolerate the song for a while but then it just slowly went down for me. Now I find it unlistenable - it feels like a jackhammer is being operated next to my head when I try to listen to it. Plus I stand by what I though originally in that it really wrecks the flow of MP. Rush were masters of having an album mesh together so one song flowed into the next. Consequently their albums were almost always much greater than the (excellent) sum of their parts. Not so with MP. It does not mesh together for me. Consequently, despite the presence of Red Barchetta, Limelight and Tom Sawyer (my 5th, 6th and 7th favorite Rush songs) I rank the album much lower than I suspect most would on TRF. For me it basically a mid tear album. Worse than 2112, Power Windows, HYF, Presto, FBN, AFTK, S & A and perhaps Counterparts. About on par with Signals, Hemispheres and Grace Under Pressure.. A bit hard to pick between those last 4 and MP. So that puts it solidly middle of the pack - slightly ahead of Permanent Waves. So I dislike the song but also it damages the flow of the album - additional reason to dislike it for me. Not a hit but a song that many do like so its my contribution to the conversation.

Worked from home today for part of the day (had to take some time off to take dad to another dr. appointment) so I had the chance to pull out some more vinyl. First out: Dio - Volkshaus Nov. 27, 1983 This is a Dio boot. One record so its clearly not the entire sho but its still enjoyable. Set list consists of: Intro to Stargazer Heaven & Hell (inc. a long guitar solo by Vivian Campbell) Rainbow in the Dark Man on the Silver Mountain Evil Eyes Don't Talk to Strangers Good stuff. Next out of the box: The Who - Dr Jimmy This is a Who boot recorded at a show in Toronto on 12/17/82. Its not the entire show - I actually think I have the entire show on something they officially released. But a Who boot of the same show will still be fine to listen to. Hard to get to much live Who. The set list consists of: Dr. Jimmy Boris the Spider Drowned Cry if You Want Who Are You Pinball Wizard See Me, Feel Me Love Ain't For Keeping 5:15 Good stuff. Last out of the box: The Who - Long Live Rock Another Who boot from the same show Dr. Jimmy was recorded at. The set list consists of: Love Reign Over Me Long Live Rock Won't Get Fooled Again Naked Eye Squeeze Box Young Man Blude Twist & Shout Again, good stuff

Worked from home today (last time for a few days - likely won't again till Thursday this week) so that gave me another chance to pull more vinyl out of the moving box. First out: Patty Smyth - Never Enough After her success with Scandal and their "The Warrior" album Patty went solo and this was her first album. It's the only album by her I ever picked up. So you would think I did not care for it. Well, I have a complicated reaction to it. I was hoping for more songs like the title track to the Scandal album - that was a big hit. The first song (the title track) on this album is in that direction. After that it resembles most of the songs on The Warrior. So it did not quite go in the direction I wanted. That being said, I like The Warrior. Its an album that when I listen to it I never skip a song. And this album I rather enjoy - "Isn't It Enough & "Sue Lee" are the other standout songs on the album for me. In fact, I never skip a song on this album when I listen to it. So its a good album - did not go in the direction I wanted but I still like the entire album. Next out of the box: Journey - Evolution This starts with the very good "Majestic" & "Too Late". Then it has "Lovin, Touchin, Sqeezing" & "City of The Angles" which were hits but I don't care for them and generally will skip listening to them. There are some other ok songs and side 2 has the very good "Just The Same Way" which is (IMO) the best song on the record. A decent album and a sign Journey was going in the right direction. But other than the 3 songs I mentioned I like, nothing I am crazy for. Good album cover though. Next out: Journey - Escape First off, good album cover. Side 1 has the excellent "Don't Stop Believing" and the equally (IMO) excellent "Stone In Love". Then the very strong "Who's Crying Now", "Keep on Run-in'" & "Still They Ride". Side 2 starts out with 3 songs that did not impress me but then closes with the very strong "Mother, Father" and the excellent "Open Arms". IMO this is Journey's best album. Very good - but it does have 3 songs that don't do much for me on side 2. On the other had it has a bunch of very strong or excellent songs. Next out of the box: Twisted Sister - Stay Hungry An album I never skip a song on when I listen to it. Don't care for the art work - Dee Snider in make up etc does not thrill me. But the songs fit tougher well with 3 big hits ("We're Not Gonna Take It", I Wanna Rick" and "The Price") which deserved to be hits and everything else is very good. Like this album still. Next out of the box: Whitesnake - Whitsnake Excellent album. Another album I never skip a song on when I listen to it. Side 1 does have the over played "Here I go Again" but its still a good song. Plus it has the awesome "Still of The Night" and the very good "Cryin In The Rain" & "Bad Boys". Side 2 is not as good but like I said, I still don't skip anything there. Last out of the box: Def Leppard - Hysteria This is where DL went wrong. At the time I was disappointed in the album. I considered it a major drop off from their first 3 albums (esp their 2nd and 3rd albums). Like a huge drop off - and trust me I really tried listening to it. The first 3 albums had generated a lot of good will from me to the band. Their are some songs on it I liked and still find to be ok. The title track, "Armageddon It", "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Animal" & "Gods Of War" are all ok. But not close to anything on their 2nd and 3rd albums. Over all I was disappointed at the time and its not aged well. Best song of the day? Either "Don't Stop Believing", "Stone In Love" or "Still Of The Night". Worst album? Hysteria. Best album? Hard to pick - their are 3 albums I never skip a song on plus Journey's best album. Journey's best album however has a few weak songs on it so its down to the 3 albums I don't skip anything on. I guess Whitsnake gets the nod as the best album of the day. Good day musically though. Then I took part of the PM off to watch the eclipse. Where I live we got 90+ % of the eclipse. Very interesting and enjoyable.

Thought SC would win the ladies title. Was rooting for either UConn or Iowa though. Pitty they had to play each other in the semi's but it saved me from watching SC beat one in the semi's and then beat the other in the finals. UConn was lucky to be there. They had Beckers but (due to injury) not enough beyond her. Even healthy I don't think they had enough to beat SC. Iowa had Clark but not enough beyond her. Put Clark on UConn in addition to every thing else they had and yes, that team might have beaten SC. Perhaps. But thats practically an all star team. Give SC a lot of credit - down by 10 at the start and come back to win by double digits. As for the mans game I could frankly care less. Yawn. Won't watch it.

Worked from home for part of the day today (my 94 year old mom had a dr's appt - normally she could go with dad but he is about to turn 97 (yes, they both actually still drive a tiny bit) and is recovering from a fall and pneumonia so I had to take some time to take her). But while I worked it was back to the moving box's again. First vinyl out: Deep Purple - Deepest Purple: The Very Best of Deep Purple Good voter art. As for the music, its a Deep Purple greatest hits album. Nuff said. Moving on, next out of the box: Bon Jovi - 7800 Fahrenheit Not a big Bon Jovi fan and I only own the first 3 albums they did. This has "In and Out Of Love". Besides that I could not tell you any of the songs on it. Furthermore, "In and Out Of Love" is not (IMO) as good as Runaway from their first album and its not close to Wanted Dead Or Alive or Living On A Prayer from the 3rd album. Or even You Give Love A Bad Name from the 3rd album (I rank that as a considerably weaker song then the first 2 from the 3rd album I mentioned and it may not even be as good as Runaway). But somehow I find this to be the most satisfying of the 3 albums. Somehow this album fits together better than the other 2 albums. Basically I find all the songs on this album mesh together - that is not the case on the first or 3rd albums. BTW - Rush are the masters of making an album that is greater than the sum of its parts. Almost every Rush album was greater than the sum of its parts - and those parts were very, very, very good. Thats one of the reasons why Rush is so awesome (IMO). So this album was kind of enjoyable background music. Next out of the box: GTR - GTR Don't know if anybody remembers this group. Steve Howe of Yes and Asia & Steve Hackett of Genesis were the big names in the group. I think this is the only album this group ever did. I found it because I was in college in Rochester NY when the album came out and the local radio station played a couple of the songs. I heard them, liked them and picked up the album. Played it a lot back in the day (esp, side 1) but its been a long time since I played it a lot. Side 2 I remember I only played back in the 1980's. So what did I think? Side 1 is still very good. "When The Heart Rules The Mind", "The Hunter", "Here I Wait", "Sketches In The Sun" (an instrumental) and "Jekyll & Hyde" are all enjoyable - esp. the first 2. Those 2 songs are quite good. So side 1 is defiantly worth listening to. Side 2, well lets put this way, listening to it reminded me why I have not listed to it since the 1980's. It sounds sort of like 1980's techno pop all to often - at least to my ears. But like I said, side 1 is very good. Also, good album cover art. Next out of the box: Judas Priest - Priest...Live I first saw Priest on the Ram It Down tour and at that point I only owned Turbo. I mostly went to the show to see Cinderella who opened for Priest. BTW - Cinderella was amazing and Priest blew them off the stage. To this day its the 2nd best show I have seen (supposed only by Rush on the VT tour). So after this amazing show I went out and started to pick up Priest works. On of the first things I picked up was this album. I was just amazed at the time how good of a live album it was on top of the amazing live show I had recently seen. To this day this is still one of my very favorite live albums. I was sitting here answering EM's and going "oooooo yeah" with the crowd as Rob warned them up b4 "You've Got another thing Coming". Excellent album. Last out of the box: John Cougar Mellencamp - Scarecrow I only own 3 JCM albums (this, American Fool & Uh-Huh). After this one I lost interest in his work. But this is the best of the 3. It starts with the title track which is among my top 10 all time non-Rush songs. it got some airplay but I think it should have been a monster hit. Then it has "Small Town" which is very good and was a hit. Then their is "Minutes to Memories". Why this was never released as a single is beyond me. Its almost a good as the title track. It would not be in my top 10 all time non Rush songs but it would be some where between 11 - 20. Then you get "Lonely O'l Night" which is enjoyable and was a hit. The rest of the album is nothing special. It does have "R.O.C. K. In The USA" which was a hit and is decent but not close to the other songs I mentioned. Some of the other songs have good lyrics but they are just not good songs. But the title track and Minutes to Memories are just awesome. Can't say enough good things about them. BTW - if you want to know my top 10 non-Rush songs they would be: 10. Which Side are you On - Pete Seeger 9. Rocking In The Free World - Neil Young 8. Fortunate Son - CCR 7. Born In The USA - Bruce 6. Rain on the Scarecrow - JCM 5. Cult of Personality - Living Color 4. Balls to the Wall - Accept 3. The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot 2. Leaving On A Jet Plane - Peter Paul & Merry 1. Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire (all the way back to about 1967 for that one)