Well, my mood hasn't changed much. I've been listening to Alice Cooper's "Brutal Planet" CD for two days. Lollipops and sunshine it is not. But there is a relief in it. Because although, in this CD, Alice is singing about the terrible reality and gravity of our falleness, he does so through some amazing and kick-butt songs! The quality (or beauty) of the music (in my opinion) is the redemption. Plus, I consider that he is singing from his new Christian viewpoint, and therefore a quiet hope underscores the CD. He uses the language of morality too much (plus he mentions God and Satan too much, even outlining the story of the fall in the title track) for it to be simple nihilism. And dang, those songs have power! . . . hey, when did this become an album review?

Anyway, given this mood, it is probably a good thing that "A Feast for Crows" by George R. R. Martin didn't come out today like it was supposed-to. I'm a glutton for pain when it is brilliantly written.