I purchased the new White Stripes single, "Blue Orchid" last night from iTunes and right now I'm pretty disappointed with it. After four or five plays it hasn't grabbed me in the same way "Seven Nation Army" did. Yeah, it rawks out, but something is missing. Jack's guitars are bluntly metal; Meg's drumming is typically thunderous, but there's not much of a hook and at 2:35 it's over before it begins. Oh well. I still have hope for the album.

I also grabbed Coldplay's "Speed of Sound" from iTunes. As a U2 fan, I suppose I should really like it as it borrows nearly all of its tricks from Bono and the boys. But where U2 often injects real emotion into its bombast, this song just sounds big and hollow.

If I can find some extra cash floating around, I'd certainly like to drop it on seeing Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard at the Beacon Theater next week. With shows on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday there has to be some tickets floating around. In fact, a quick search on Craig's List reviews a number of deals. Too bad I'm so poor...

Jon Pareles reviewed Dylan's April 20 show in Newark for today's New York Times and found the bard in a pungent mood:

"Mr. Dylan's set had war, mortality, lost love and fierce electric blues on its mind. He started with "Tombstone Blues," snapping out its lyrics in gruff staccato bursts, and continued with some of his most baleful songs, from the apocalyptic nursery rhyme "Under the Red Sky" to "This Wheel's on Fire." Kindly moments were outnumbered, perhaps 10 to 1, by bitter ones."

The warm weather has me thinking about the Siren Festival out on Coney Island. It's scheduled for July 16 this year. The lineup hasn't been announced yet, but you should bookmark this link and check back often. Any guesses on who will perform?

From More Cowbell, almost always first with tour dates, comes the good news that Apostle of Hustle will stop at the Mercury Lounge on June 30, 2005. They were great at Tonic last November and Folkloric Feel was among my favorite albums of 2004.

Now, here's some downloads:

- U2: "Bad" Glendale, AZ, 4.15.05 (MP3)

- Pas/Cal: "What Happened to the Sands" (MP3)

- Broken Social Scene: Live on KVRX, 2003 (MP3)

- The Cars Are The Stars: "Helikopter" (MP3)