Rob Thomas, Def Leopard, Transformers Soundtrack and the Fray

For those of us stuck on 80's hair-bands, Ozzy Osbourne and a fondness for Nirvana but not every band that came after them finding an album worth downloading isn't always worth the trouble of following the music scene but right now there are a few things worth checking out.

1. The Transformers soundtrack is definitely worth looking into. The movie's theme song New Divide by Linkin Park is decent and everything else on the album holds its own. Cheap Trick offers a great Transformers update to the iconic theme lyrics "Transformers, more than meets the mets the eye". Green Day presents 21 Guns (sounds a bit like Young Dudes by Bruce Dickinson) and The Used contributes a great recycled version of Burning Down the House. The soundtrack also include Taking Back Sunday by Capital M-E, Real World by the all American Rejects, This Is It by Stained and Never Say Never by the Fray (perhaps better named "Don't let me go"). The jewel of the Transformers II soundtrack may be Haystack's I Don't Think That I Love You but the whole album it solid. It may not be the compliment these bands and the album's producers were going for but this is music I can wash dishes to!

2. Def Leopard, Cheap Trick and Poisonare on tour and setting the stage on fire. This is a terrific set of bands and the chance to see all of them on stage for one ticket price is true marketing wisdom. I'm sure that as many fans will turn out to see Cheap Trick who was excellent opening for Aerosmith a few years ago and has a new album and Poison who I haven't seen on stage since 1992!

3. The Fray is doing a concert circuit promoting their newest album "The Fray" released in February 2009. Tickets are on sale through Live Nation for no surcharge and huge props to them for supporting the Zune and not just being iPod happy. Their Today Show appearance was rescheduled because of Michael Jackson's abrupt passing but they are back on for a July 13th appearance.

4. Rob Thomas has a new solo album out (released June 26^th, 2009). "Cradle Song" should do well. Giving Rob Thomas's new album Cradle Song its first listen was reminiscent of hearing Bruce Dickinson compared to Iron Maiden. Cradle Song and Rob Thomas are what they are. Don't expect these solo tracks to be a total evolutionary change from what you have heard before and you will love Rob Thomas' new release. It has a slightly different edge that his Matchbox 20 music but doesn't break away from the sound that works. His lyrics and the music that supports them sound and feel familiar from the first time you hear them. We all identify with the phrase "I tried so hard to give you what you need it burned like gasoline" don't we?