New Things Review #4

Well, it's been over a month, but I thought that I would at least put in a few good words for some new things that I've tried recently. I've also got some not-so-good words too (thanks a lot, Post cereal products...)

First up, the new Reese's Whoppers.
I don't like whoppers. I should clarify, I don't like the chocolate whoppers. I love the strawberry shake whoppers though, so when I saw this little box, I thought that I would give them a whirl. That is, after they went on sale. I mean, c'mon... My opinion of these candies were already 50/50, so I didn't want to pay more for something that was already a gamble. We're talking at least a 50 cents savings here...
The first thing that hits you with these candies is not the peanut butter flavor, which is odd since the little balls are coated in the stuff. I call it stuff, because obviously it's not real peanut butter. In fact, I'm not sure what it is, but at least is tastes pretty good. The peanut butter flavor actually hits you second. First thing you get is the taste of malt, and then the smooth melting peanut buttery substance. Not too shabby for 88 cents at your local wal-mart.

Next up, the Dino-S'mores Pebbles cereal.
Not good. The first handful out of the box wasn't too bad, but then my better judgment caught up with me. They hardly have any flavor to them. That was before I even put them in any milk. Try soaking them down with skim milk, and you're definitely going to wish you were eating something else. Anything else. Including Pizza-Mia pizza from Pizza Hut. Ok, maybe not that, but pretty much anything else.
Eating cereal dry is really the best way to eat these sugary kinds of cereal. I never actually eat them as a meal, but more of a snack. I mean, the malt-o-meal blueberry muffin tops are made out of rice for crying out loud, so they aren't going to fill the stomach of grown person with just 1 to 8 servings. If you ate the whole box, then maybe. But seriously, they are freakin' amazing little pieces of starchy and sugary goodness.
Back to the S'more pebbles, I gave them to Cole to eat for breakfast one morning, and he didn't even like them. They are bland, bland, bland... They don't taste like anything either, in case you needed further clarification on my feelings. The box they came in probably has more flavor.
Fruity Pebbles - Good. Cocoa Pebbles - Good. S'mores Pebbles - Craptastic.

Third, Pomegranate Tootsie Pops -
This is another flavor that the fella's over at Tootsie headquarters are giving a whirl. For the past couple of years, they have been fiddling with the watermelon, strawberry, lime, and blue-raspberry variety with pretty good success. That is, if they judged their success on Adam Pace's taste preferences. I love the strawberry and lime ones the best though. That is, until these little red gems came along.
For only 15 cents, you can pick yourself up a mouth-watering little lollipop at your local maverick, and it'll last you at least 264 licks.
That's the average amount of licks a study at Purdue University found it will take you to get to the center. Thanks Purdue for answering that age-old question posed by those commercials from yesteryear. Now how about you do some research on curing cancer, finding alternative energy sources, or how the Whopper company can get peanut butter to stay on malt balls so securely, but still melt in your mouth so easily. Something serious for a change.

These suckers remind me of the wild berry skittles, if you were to take at least one of each flavor and chew them all at once (or suck them, if that is to your liking...which I would completely recommend. You've gotta ration them, after all) Highly endorsed by yours truly.

Last - A double whammy of new albums from a couple of great pop/rock singers -
Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
This guy has had a few hits over the past couple of years, including "The Remedy" and "Wordplay", but his sophomore album definitely hit a slump. I wasn't even sure he would be around for a third. However, this time he has come back with a full album of great songs. My favorites are "Butterfly" and "Coyotes". This is one of those rare albums, at least in my catalog, that I can listen to from start to finish without skipping a song. The only thing more rare than that is a double album that can accomplish the same feat (see Stadium Arcadium by the Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Gavin DeGraw - Gavin DeGraw
"Chariot" was a great album. Bar-none. That's probably why he released a "stripped" version, which was basically the full album done acoustically. The stripped version wasn't as good, but that's only because I liked the more up-beat feeling the original conveyed. However, his self-titled follow-up album is just as up-beat, and has several tracks that are very great. This comes close to being a "no skipper", but the track "Relative" is just a little annoying. "In Love With A Girl", "Cop Stop", "Medicate the Kids", and "She Holds the Key" are already in my "favorites" playlist.
I definitely recommend these two albums.

While I'm on it, I would not recommend Alan Jackson's latest, "Good Time" (far too twangy, and the songs all sound like filler except the title track) His previous album, "Red on a Rose" was great, no matter what kind of music you like. I can almost hear an audible rolling of eyes at that last comment, but get over the "I don't like 'Country' music" mantra... The stuff coming out of Nashville is more "pop" now than most pop music (Feist, KT Tunstall, anything by Jewel, Nine Inch Nail's "Ghost" albums, and half of their "Slip" album - Ok, NIN isn't pop, but my point is the same... ) - Anyone reading this blog is old enough that they should probably be comfortable admitting they listen to country without worrying if the person they are speaking with will think they are "uncool".
That means you Mike Shepherd. :-)