Fun with lists: Best Goo Goo Dolls Songs of All Time ... part 2

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So here I am, sitting out on my front porch the night before the big Goo Goo Dolls concert, finally delivering the second part of the bestof list I started earlier this week.

It should be noted that the sun has long since abandoned its post, and my porch light burned out many moons ago. Also, the area where I live has a strict anti-street lamp policy. Very strict. We don’t like to talk about just how strict it is, but trust me. Strict.

So I’m sitting here, blogging solely by the light of my laptop screen, just like our forefathers did, feverishly fighting off the endless swarm of moths drawn to the faint blue-ish glow.

You’d think these less than ideal circumstances would drive me inside, where there’s light and many fewer bugs, or at the very least watch my word count and move things along. But no. Here we are. Stalling for time. Talking about my neighborhood and bugs.

Some guy just laid on his horn one street over for a good 30 seconds. Wonder what that was about?

A different guy just walked by, talking to his dog. Did he not see me sitting here? Who doesn’t try to hide it when they talk to themselves or their pets? Maybe he thought I must be crazy too. After all, who sits on a porch in total darkness, pounding away at a laptop?  

                Alright, that bug that just dive-bombed my face was just too big for me to comprehend. I’ve had enough of this, let’s get into the list.

                You know him as the Goo Goo Dolls’ more famous lead singer and guitarist, the voice behind all of their biggest and smallest hits.

                In many ways this was a much tougher list to put together than my Best of Robby collection. Some tough choices had to be made. Some favorites had to be left off. But the top pretty much wrote itself.

Here they are: The Ten Best Johnny (John) Rzeznik Songs … of All Time!

Funs with lists: Best Goo Goo Dolls songs of all time ... pt. 1

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So on Sunday my ladyfriend and I have the honor and the privilege of attending the Goo Goo Dolls/Matchbox 20 (Twenty)/someone else show in the not-so-great state of New Jersey.

                This will be our second time seeing the Goo Goo Dolls live and in person. They’ve been one of our favorite bands for quite some time now and the first time around was quite good … even if it was a bit heavy on subpar “Let Love In” material.

                That show paired the Goos with the Counting Crows, who definitely seemed to have lost something over the years. Like most of their best and most beloved songs, as well as a hefty dose of energy, but hey, it happens. We all get old eventually.  

                Side note, this will also be my second time seeing Matchbox 20 (Twenty), and they were most enjoyable from what I remember of the first time I saw them. No, I wasn’t drunk, it was just many moons ago. I went with my parents. Soul Asylum opened and Semisonic was the second band.

                Anyway, with that concert looming on the horizon, I felt the time was right for a little “best of” listing action.

                But seeing as though the Goo Goo Dolls have a pair of lead singers with two different styles, one best of list just won’t cut it.

                So let’s start with the Goos’ reliable, yet shoe-less bassist, the band’s former main lead singer turned mostly afterthought singer. Well, at least as far as the general public is concerned. I’ve always loved me some Robby Takac tunes.

                For me, Robby’s raspy, grungy voice has always provided a nice little breather from Johnny’s more polished, radio-friendly style.  

                Here it is, the ten best Robby Takac songs … of all time!

The Goo Goo Dolls: An unexpected journey there and back again

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Apparently CDs are getting harder and harder to track down these days.

               My journey to purchase “Magnetic,” the tenth studio album from my beloved Goo Goo Dolls, took me through three stores (!).

               Admittedly, the first stop in my travels is mostly known as a book store and the second was Target, which can be a crap shoot, but still. Three!

               I realize the cool kids today are all getting their entertainment via the internet, but come on. Is there so little love for a guy looking for music from a classic 90’s band on a classic 90’s format?
               I’m a browser too, by nature, so shopping with me can be a bit of an ordeal. I’m not one of these get in and get the hell out male shoppers. I like to look around. Peruse the shelves.

               See, it’s all about the thrill of the hunt. Sure, I could just ask an employee if they have a certain product, but where’s the fun in that? I’ve got to look around, try to track it down myself. Corner it and stab it in the heart with a spear, sling it over my shoulder and carry it to the counter. Just like our forefathers shopped.

First Listen: Goo Goo Dolls' 'Magnetic' a fine and noble effort

              After one listen, I’d have to say “Magnetic” is a massive step up over the band’s most recent effort, 2010’s mostly unremarkable and unmemorable “Something for the Rest of Us.” It’s a peppier, catchier effort and one that I could see myself putting on in the background without feeling the urge to hover closely to the skip button.

                It’s not perfect. It’s still prone to some of the same problems that plagued “Something for the Rest of Us,” and prior to that “Let Love In.” There are too many love songs, some clunky lyrics here and there, and lead singer Johnny Rzeznik hits the occasional flat note.

    Also, at 11-tracks and under 40 minutes, it doesn’t quite feel substantial enough.

                Honestly though, I’m so attached to the 90’s alt rock sound the Goos perfected on their earlier albums that sometimes it’s hard for me to accept their transformation into a contemporary pop rock band.