Recent Purchases

Killing a little time in America's second-favorite mass-retailer, Target, I decided to buy a few CDs. Yes, I know, I should've bought 'em at an indie shop, but the indie shops around here are mediocre at best. Anyway, here are the spoils:

• Tool, 10,000 Days - I never wanted to like Tool, but after watching them perform back in 1998, and being subjected to some forced exposure by my friends, I eventually had to acknowledge that despite their creepy and sophomoric imagery, they do make some damn good music. And really, progressive metal is a hard concept to disagree with - I do like my Opeth, after all... On this latest album, they deliver what is to be expected - lean, sprawling prog-metal of high quality, and laughably bad artwork that only a 15-year-old metalhead could dig. Buy the CD, ignore the packaging.
• Wolfmother, Wolfmother - I bought this CD based on its overwhelmingly good press, a brief listening on the band's MySpace page, and the $10 price-tag. So far I'm pleased. Garaged-out Sabbath - quite a fun formula. And the Frazetta-ish artwork warms my heart.

There were also some non-music purchases. For the purpose of facilitating a spelunking trip this summer (a repeat of '04's most enjoyable outing), a quick jaunt to REI yeilded the following:

• Black Diamond "Spot" headlamp - If you've never used a headlamp, you can't possibly conceive of how wonderful they are. They make spelunking infinitely more enjoyable, easier, and safer.
• Some generic "multisport" gloves - Just some regular, synthetic-fiber gloves, with a slightly rubberized palm. They should hold up to the lava rock. And I was elated to find some XL gloves - it's amazing what a proper fit can do.