New design

Hey everybody. I posted about my new site design a few days ago and got some not-so-positive feedback on it. I’m having a crack at a new design and I’m really liking it. The problem is that I know I’ve seen some similar designs out there and I don’t want it to come off as generic or a rip. Anyway, I attached a jpg of my latest progress. Any comments? Cool? Lame? Could be something?

Thanks for your opinions in advance!

Joe