Between the Buried and... Creed?

Greetings Lobsters a la Rock, I hope you have picked out your costumes and are prepped for an awesome Halloween '09 this weekend. But if there is still a little something missing as you prepare to get dressed up and messed up, perhaps it is some new licks worth rocking out to while you rage on through week 8 stress (just so you can make it to the weekend, of course).

If so, you are in luck, there are some pretty good metal releases this week, including the latest Between The Buried And Me album, The Great Misdirect. Taking cues from 2007's Colors, this album also goes off into a few odd spirals with musical style (remember that ode to polka on Colors? Yeah, there's a similar thing going on in the new one that almost sounds Vaudevillian) and off-handed lyricism, but certainly for the better.

Another anticipated metal release is the new Pelican, What We All Come To Need, as well as a brand-spankin' new album from the hard rock band Creed. Yeah, I said it. Creed. It is called Full Circle and let's hope it comes full circle from their past music or it may not fare very well...

There are also a few classic artists releasing albums this week, including the recently deceased Michael Jackson with the soundtrack for his documentary, "This Is It," which is guaranteed to garner some decent sales as MJ fans new and old add it to their collections. You can also look for releases from Carly Simon with her album Never Been Gone as well as R.E.M.'s new live album, Live At The Olympia. Sting is another artist not leaving On A Winter's Night.

Speaking of the winter, it is getting to be that time of year when the air gets cold and music heats up... even music with a classical tone. Yes, I'm talking about the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They too are releasing a new album this week that is sure to be as promising as those of the past, entitled Night Castle.

But if you are looking for something a little less intense, there are some good indie rock releases too, especially Devendra Banhart with What Will We Be, Wolfmother's Cosmic Egg and Tegan And Sara with Sainthood. If that album is anywhere near as good as The Con, they certainly qualify for sainthood, in my opinion. The song of the same name still gives me chills every time I listen to it.

But last (and okay, kind of least) are releases by the good old '90s motowner Brian Mcknight as he croons out The Evolution of A Man and former '80s hair metallers Winger also crooning, but in a different, slightly more white trashy kind of way with their latest disc, Karma. But Winger is not the only band that will be affected by karma...we'll be able to see by next week's stats what karma does for all of these bands and their new albums, good or bad.

Well folks, time for me to sign off. But have a good weekend as you eat, drink, and be scary.

-Kelly Kettering, Features and Concerts Editor