Music City

New Website!

2007-01-14T01:53:00.000+11:00

This blog has been replaced by a new website, Justin's Music Links at www.justinsmusiclinks.com

This blog will soon disappear, so please update your bookmarks/favorites and click here to visit Justin's Music Links.

Cheers,

Justin

NOW 23 Compilation Now No.1 in US

2006-11-16T23:33:00.000+11:00

The 23rd instalment of NOW That's What I Call Music compilation CD debuts this week at No.1 on the US chart with sales of 337,000 copies. Hits on this disc include Nelly Furtado's Promiscuous, Rihanna's Unfaithful, Justin Timberlake's SexyBack, Fergie's London Bridge and Beyonce's Deja Vu.

American pop/classical singer Josh Groban debuts at No.2 with his third studio album Awake, while Australian country rock artist Keith Urban equals his last effort by entering the charts this week at No.3 with Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing. Groban and Urban each sold 270,000 copies in the past week. This was particularly impressive for Urban, as he cancelled his promotional tour for the album and a scheduled performance at the Country Music Association Awards on 6th November.

Country act Sugarland (now a duo after Kristen Hall left the group earlier this year) have a massive debut with their second album Enjoy The Ride at No.4 this week. The band's 2004 CD Twice The Speed of Life sold over 2 million copies in the US.

Rapper Jim Jones enters the chart at No.6 with Hustler's P.O.M.E (Product of My Environment), while The Dave Matthews Band collection Best of What's Around Vol.1 rounds out the top ten first week on the Billboard 200.

The top ten's biggest casualty was the Hannah Montana TV soundtrack toppliing off top spot and tumbling all the way to No.5 after two weeks at No.1.

Jamiroquai Tops UK Chart

2006-11-16T00:48:00.000+11:00

Seven albums debut in the UK top ten this week, with Jamiroquai being the highest of these at No.1 with the band's retrospective High Times: Singles 1992-2006. Hot on Jamiroquai's heels at No.2 are Angelis, the childrens classical singing group managed by Pop Idol and American Idol host Simon Cowell, with their self-titled debut.

Irish acoustic/folk indie artist Damien Rice debuts at No.4 with his second full length album 9, making it the highest charting position of his career. Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins makes a stunning debut with her fifth album Serenade. The mezzo soprano is Britain's best selling classical artist of all time.

After having six UK No.1 singles (four each from their previous two albums and two so far from their current release), pop boy band McFly's Motion in the Ocean debuts at No.6 this week.

Paul Weller debuts at No.7 with his four-CD, 67-track box set of his greatest hits Hit Parade. CD1 covers Weller's career with The Jam, CD2 with The Style Council, while CDs 3&4 cover Weller's solo career.

The unstoppable Cliff Richard debuts at No.9 this week with Two's Company - The Duets, while Robbie Williams' stay in the top ten looks precarious as Rudebox tumbles from No.3 to No.9.

Robbie Williams: Rudebox (Review)

2006-11-15T23:55:00.000+11:00

OK , let's get to the point, here.

There are four good songs on Robbie Williams' tenth solo album Rudebox:

Lead single and title track Rudebox
Viva Life on Mars
Second single Lovelight
She's Madonna

But unfortunately there are 17 tracks on the CD and 4 out of 17 is not a good statistic.

There'll be some chart action from these few good songs, but taken as a whole, the only consistency on the album is the 13 bad songs.

Much of the lyrics are (in no particular order):

funny
irreverent
stupid
ridiculous
lame

Thank you to Lily Allen and The Pet Shop Boys for your contributions to Robbie's new CD. Unfortunately the tracks you sang on were so woeful, your talent wasn't recognised and as a result you didn't enhance the value of this record one iota.

The music business is full of hits and misses. We'll put this one down as a miss.

Oh ... and Robbie Williams' can't rap. Don't know why he even tried ...

Disappointing

Human Nature Motown At The Top

2006-11-13T23:07:00.000+11:00

In Australia this week Human Nature's latest Motown record stays true atop the charts for a second week, while Robbie Williams' Rudebox remains at No.2.

The highest debuting album is Keith Urban's Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing at No.5, six places higher than his 2004 Be Here debut. Not a bad effort considering the album itself had little or no promotion and that Urban was a late cancellation at the Australian Record Industry Awards at the time of its release.

The Foo Fighters debut at No.11 with their first ever live album Skin and Bones, an acoustic set recorded at the Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles in August this year. English band Jamiroquai's collection High Time: Singles 1992-2006 enters the chart at No.19.

Meanwhile, last week's big movers continue their climb back up the charts. Wolfmother head the charge, up three spots to No.4, while Kylie Minogue's Ultimate Kylie goes from No.16 to No.8 on the strength of her Showgirl Homecoming Tour, after 18 months off recovering from cancer.

My Chemical Romance slip six places from their No.3 debut last week.

Keith Urban: Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing (Review)

2006-11-12T22:26:00.000+11:00

Musically, it seems Keith Urban can do no wrong. 2004's Be Here spawned a succession of hit singles and has passed the 4 million sales mark in the US alone. Now with the release of Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing, expect more of the same.

On August 21st Urban created chart history with lead single Once in a Lifetime debuting at No.17 on the Hot Country Songs, becoming the highest debuting song in the country chart's 62-year history. The album will chart for the first time this coming week.

Over recent years, Urban has consistently found his place on the charts, creating his own blend of country rock with high ballads of country roots and rockin' numbers with stinging guitars. Of course, Urban is a first class session musician with a gift at playing the guitar as good as anyone in the business and more than a decent ability at songwriting.

Different to Urban's previous albums, Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing may not be as instantly acccessible because of it's diversity. A little patience and a few listens later, it soons becomes very clear that this record has enormous potential and very wide chart appeal. It is literally crammed with ready-made radio hits.

Urban excels once again on power ballads like Stupid Boy and the utterly infectious I Can't Stop Loving You (a dead-set hit if released as a single). Wanna rock? Then try standing still while listening to Faster Car. Pure country pop/rock blares through your speakers on Once in a Lifetime, Shine and I Told You So, all containing killer choruses.

Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing sees a mature Urban successfully bringing together a dozen tracks into a cohesive whole. I thought his last album Be Here was a winner (and the charts certainly agreed), but this one is a gem. Wait for the string of chart hits and multi-platinum sales, as this album will surpass his previous triumphs.

Keith Urban has just gone from star to superstar.

Excellent

Barry Manilow Pipped at the Post Again

2006-11-11T13:19:00.000+11:00

TV soundtrack Hannah Montana is the No.1 album in the US again this week, after just edging out Barry Manilow's new set The Greatest Songs of The Sixties to No.2. It is Manilow's second No.2 debut this year, following The Greatest Songs of The Fifties back in February. Only time will tell whether Manilow can repeat his success and take this latest album one step further next week to the top. In case you were wondering just how close it was between Manilow and Hannah Montana, it was a matter of a mere 1,000 CD sales, with Hannah Montana selling 203,000 copies in the past week against Manilow's 202,000.

The biggest loser this week was My Chemical Romance who fell from their own No.2 debut last week to No.6 on this week's chart, making room for a total of six debut albums in the US top ten. Southern rap stars Birdman and Lil Wayne debut at No.3 with Like Father, Like Son, while legendary band The Who's first recording of original songs in 14 years, Endless Wire, debuts at No.7.

Elsewhere, Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell III comes in at No.8, American Idol participant Kellie Pickler debuts at No.9 with her debut album of country tunes Small Town Girl and experimental rock outfit The Deftones find themsleves rounding out the US top ten this week with their latest album Saturday Night Wrist.

Just where will Keith Urban's new album debut next week? Logic says it should have little trouble debuting at No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, but will it beat 2004's Be Here, which debuted at No.3 on the Billborad 200? We'll wait and see...

Girls Aloud Dethrone Robbie Williams

2006-11-08T09:16:00.000+11:00

In the UK all girl pop group sensation Girls Aloud debut in the top spot with their Greatest Hits collection after only four albums. Mind you, those four records spawned 13 successive top ten UK hits, so maybe a greatest hits from them is warranted after all? Of course in order to debut at No.1, Girls Aloud have created just as much news by dethroning England's King of Pop Robbie William's to No.2 after only one week at the top of the charts. British jazz/soul singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse debuts with her sophomore album Back To Black at No.3 this week, while The Who' s first album of original material since 1982's It's Hard debut at No.9 with Endless Wire.

Hannah Montana Puts a TV Soundtrack at No.1

2006-11-08T09:13:00.000+11:00

The big debut in the US this week is the popular Walt Disney television series soundtrack for Hannah Montana at No.1. Following close behind is alternative rock/emo band My Chemical Romance with their fourth studio release The Black Parade. Grammy winning R&B artist John Legend debuts in his highest ever chart position at No.3. The week's biggest loser is Diddy, all puffed up and nowhere else to go except down from the top spot where it debuted last week to No.7. Evansescence also slides from No.2 to No.5 this week.

ARIA's Spawn Aussie Revivial

2006-11-07T18:33:00.000+11:00

In Australia this week boy group Human Nature's Dancing in The Streets: The Songs of Motown II moves up one spot to No.1, swapping places with Robbie Williams who follows his UK efforts by going down to No.2. My Chemical Romance debut at No.3 with The Black Parade, while Bernard Fanning's Tea and Sympathy and Kylie Minogue's Ultimate Kylie re-enter the charts on the strength of last weekend's annual Australian Record Industry Awards. Meanwhile, for the same reason Aussie acts Eskimo Joe shoot up from No.14 to No.6 and Wolfmother a massive climb from No.53 to No.18 this week. Australian legends Midnight Oil debut at No.21 with Flat Chat, a collection of less popular tracks from various stages in their career.

Sarah Blasko: What The Sea Wants The Sea Will Have (Review)

2006-11-07T14:01:00.000+11:00

In 1991 Sting released The Soul Cages, a deeply personal collection of songs focusing mainly on using the sea as a theme for inspiration in the writing of the tracks. It was soon after the death of Sting's father, a sailor by profession, and hence The Soul Cages became Sting's artistic expression to the memory of a man he loved dearly.

On her second full length album What The Sea Wants The Sea Will Have, Sydney songwriter, instrumentalist and singer Sarah Blasko has released a beautiful set of songs that also focuses on the sea as a metaphor for relationships and life.

Blasko is apparently a little miffed at all the comparisons between herself and fellow Australian singer/songwirter Missy Higgins. The similarities of course do not lie so much in the music, but more in the quality and depth of the songwriting.

On this occasion, Blasko wrote most of the songs for this album earlier this year and successfully put the entire record down in April, using the personal studios of Neil Finn in New Zealand. What The Sea Wants The Sea Will Have is rich enough to imply a much longer life span in its creation and showcases the amazing talent of Sarah Blasko as a musician.

Lead single {explain}, a hauntingly atmospheric song reveals a literary side to Blasko's lyrics, the very antithesis of modern pop with its throw away lyrics and soon-forgettable catchy choruses. The mellow, peaceful wailing of Albatross with its repetitive drumbeats is smooth and silky, while Planet New Year and Amazing Things are about as 'poppy' as Blasko gets, ironically with a tinge of the old Crowded House simplicity in Planet's construction.

Album opener For You is surreal with its futuristic instrumental sound, not surprising for a song that uses a vibraphone, organ, cello and violin mixed in with synths and drum programming. The Woman By The Well, with its acoustic guitar and unusual Blasko vocals is tranquil, yet works the listener on every line.

But simplicity is generally left on the front porch on this album, as the listener is invited inside to hear layers of depth in the lyrics and changing musical arrangements, all the while paying homage to the considerable variety of Blasko's unique voice. She truly is one of Australia's most exciting talents.

This time around Sarah Blasko proves with little doubt that 2004's excellent The Overture And The Underscore wasn't a bold, short-lived debut. Blasko is here for the long haul. Sure, there has been the odd demo and EP along the way, but musicians only dream of sophomore releases as strong as What The Sea Wants The Sea Will Have and it is Blasko who will get what she deserves after such a fantastic record as this one.

Excellent

Beck: The Information (Review)

2006-11-01T17:41:00.000+11:00

36 year old Californian Beck has released his second album in as many years. The Information debuted at No.7 on the American charts but was strangely denied eligibility for the UK charts. Why? Read on...

Beck's CD comes with a DVD of home made videos (although there is a version without the DVD if you scour the stores) and sticker art. Yep, no typos here. It has a bunch of funky Beck stickers inside the cover, enabling the purchaser to create their own cover for the blank sleeve after buying it. Even though it appears each copy of the CD is the same from the outside, underneath the front sleeve (not visible at purchase) is one of four different sticker design sheets. Because a CD could have any one of the four sheets inside it, the UK's Official Chart Company ruled the record had an 'unfair advantage' over other releases in the same week and so all things were not equal, resulting in the hugely popular Beck now missing from the UK charts.

Thankfully, on the inside of The Information packaging is 17 new tracks from the artist who almost defies description. Just trying to categorise his music can be a minor headache, as Beck is consistently inconsistent, dabbling in a number of genres and musical styles. The Information covers electronica, hip hop, plenty of digital sampling and of course, is ultimately alternative rock. One thing remains true, Beck is definitely one of the more innovative and creative musical artists on our planet and for that alone, he continues to deserve respect for pushing the boundaries with each new recording.

The Information has several great tunes such as the US lead single Nausea, UK opener Cellphone's Dead, the funky Think I'm In Love, Elevator Music, Soldier Jane and Motorcade. As you'd expect from Beck, there's a little bit of almost everything here, with a number of more subtle tracks also, like Movie Theme and New Round.

All up, though, perhaps cutting the 17 tracks down to a more controlled dozen may have proven beneficial. The Information does get a tad patchy in quality down the back end and this may well have been a cracker-jack record with less tracks on the disc. But it still has enough memorable moments of ingenuity to make it a success.

As for what Beck's obscure lyrics mean? I'm not even gonna go there...

Excellent

Robbie Williams v Diddy

2006-10-31T20:48:00.000+11:00

In the US this week, hip hop artist Diddy debuts in the No.1 spot with his latest effort Press Play, while pop/R&B singer and actress JoJo has a strong sophomore debut on the charts at No.3 with The High Road. Elsewhere, country artist Dierks Bentley's Long Trip Home comes in at No.5 and second American Idol winner Ruben Studdard debuts at No.8 with The Return. Evansecence stay steady at No.2 with The Open Door and Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds climbs back up the chart from No.7 to No.4 on the success of his second single My Love, where the the singer finds himself in the unusual position on the Hot 100 of having two singles inside the top ten, at No.s 4 and 5.

On the UK albums chart the top four records are all debuts this week. Robbie Williams puts in a no-brainer at No.1 with Rudebox, My Chemical Romance at No.2 with The Black Parade, Meat Loaf returns at No.3 with The Monster Is Loose, the third album in the Bat Out of Hell series and Rod Stewart's new set of rock standards debuts at No.4. The Killers take a five-spot tumble this week from the top of the charts to make room for all the debuts. James Morrison slides four places to No.8 this week, while American R&B singer John Legend debuts at No.10 with his new album Once Again.

Robbie Williams also sees his new album debut at No.1 in Australia this week. Local comedian and popular radio host Matt Tilley's CD of prank phone calls from his radio show comes in at No.4. On a more serious note, Sydney indie pop singer Sarah Blasko debuts at No.7 with her second full length album What The Sea Wants The Sea Will Have, 28 positions higher than her 2004 debut. Meat Loaf comes in at No.9, first week on the charts.

The Wreckers: Stand Still, Look Pretty (Review)

2006-10-29T21:46:00.000+11:00

A full five months after its American release, the duo of Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp, otherwise known as The Wreckers, finally have their debut album Stand Still Look Pretty released in Australia. Believe me, this unusually long wait in a digital age for a record release on the other side of the globe, has been worth it.

Jessica Harp is Michelle Branch's long-time friend and collaborator on her previous work. Frustrated with the direction of her solo career after 2003's Hotel Paper, Branch decided to formally join Harp, call themsleves a band and cut a country record together. The result is a beautifully crafted country pop CD that is simply stunning in its execution.

Branch and Harp share both songwriting and vocals credits on Stand Still Look Pretty. The two singers complement each other beautifully and so seasoned is their sound, one soon begins to wonder why they didn't make this record earlier?

Rich vocal harmonies, gorgeous country ballads and songwriting that more than matches that of the Dixie Chicks are splattered in every corner of this album. Its dozen tracks are consistently appealing, like the lead single Leave The Pieces, the irresistible Tennessee, the serene country rock of Way Back Home and the ballsy, infectiousness of Lay Me Down.

Half way through listening to this record for the first time, you will find yourself in unfamiliar territory in contemporary music ... you won't have heard a weak song yet. Get to the end of the disc and nothing much will have changed, such is the strength of The Wreckers debut.

If Jessica Harp was unknown to you before, after this album, she won't be any longer. As for Michelle Branch, her musical talents have long been underrated and she may finally have found her true home with The Wreckers.

Stand Still Look Pretty is unquestionably one of the strongest country pop/country rock albums of the year. Buy it and you'll be listening to it over and over again until every track reminds you of something, somewhere, or someone in your life. The sign of a great country record.

Outstanding

Rod Stewart: Still The Same...Great Rock Classics Of Our Time (Review)

2006-10-22T18:17:00.000+10:30

Still The Same is an appropriate title for Rod Stewart's latest offering. After four successive albums exploring The Great American Songbook, he now moves to a questionable set of rock 'standards' and produces more of the same. Pity that's not a compliment...

If Rod Stewart could be any more middle of the road on this album, traffic on both sides would completely miss him. No doubt a large part of his success (like his last effort, this record is already a US No.1 first week on the chart), pleasing as many new 'songbook' fans as possible is part of the marketing plan. Unfortunately, that means a bland collection of simplistic interpretations. Can someone please tell me just one moment where Rod Stewart appears to have taken even the slightest of risks on this album?

I wish I could say this is something more than just a nice set of songs. If you do decide to throw your cash away, you'll hear Rod cover songs from Bonnie Tyler's It's A Heartache and John Waite's Missing You to The Pretender's I'll Stand By You and Bread's Everything I Own, to name a few of the thirteen tracks. Probably one of the softest group of rock songs you'll ever see on one CD.

A pedestrian collection of songs it surely is. Covered them, he definitely has. Interpreted them? Hardly. Either way, give me the original versions any day.

Average

Evanescence Rule US & Australia

2006-10-18T22:42:00.000+10:30

In the US this week Evanescence make a strong debut at No.1 on the Billboard 200 with The Open Door (a week later than many other regions). Similarly, The Killer's Sam's Town follows at No.2 first week on the charts.

Meanwhile, George Strait proves country music is alive and well by debuting at No.3 with his 34th album It Just Comes Natural. The 54 year-old King of Country has sold more Gold records than any other singer in this genre.

Indie rock artist Beck debuts at No.7 with The Information and Grammy award winning R&B singer Monica debuts at No.8 with The Makings of Me.

Aussie act Jet debut at No.16 with Shine On while a bunch of artists take a tumble, including Alan Jackson (4>11), John Mayer (6>12) and Beyonce (11>15).

As predicted, Weird Al Yankovic dropped out of the top ten, immediately sliding down to No.19, while Fergie's stay near the top of the charts was also short-lived, going from No.9 to No.12 this week.

In the UK The Killers remain steady at No.1, while Evansescence slip two positions to No.4. Florida metal act Trivium debut strongly at No.7 with their third album The Crusade, confirming their huge popularity outside their home country.

In Australia this week the top five albums stay constant, Evansecence (No.1), The Killers (No.2), Jet (No.3), Pink (No.4) and The Scissor Sisters (No.5). Trivium debut at No.14, while Italian baritone Patrizio Buanne's sophomore set Forever Begins Tonight debuts at No.7. Buanne's first album The Italian went double platinum in Australia last year. Marcia Hines' Discotheque slides from No.6 to No.9 this week.

Diana Krall: From This Moment On (Review)

2006-10-14T23:23:00.000+10:30

41 year-old Canadian Diana Krall, now one of the most recognisable names in modern jazz, mostly shines on her new album of American standards From This Moment On.

If you're already a fan, there need only be one reason to go out and buy this record tomorrow: the singer is soon to give birth to twins in November and as a result this is likely to be the last Diana Krall album for a while.

After delving into an album of songs co-written with husband Elvis Costello on 2004's The Girl In The Other Room, Krall now returns to the music of others that has made her famous.

From This Moment On features songs by such heavyweights as Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hart, to name a few. Highlights include Little Girl Blue, Isn't This A Lovely Day, Come Dance With Me and The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

Not necessarily Diana Krall at her peak, From This Moment On is nevertheless a rich set of recordings that will please many listeners, while adding to the handsome repertoire of this talented musician.

Very Good

Tony Bennett: Duets An American Classic (Review)

2006-10-12T22:26:00.000+10:30

To celebrate his 80th birthday, Tony Bennett decided to 'duet' with some of the biggest names in the business on Duets: An American Classic.

Some of it is an absolute dream. Celine Dion's contribution on If I Ruled The World is just gorgeous to listen to. Babara Streisand singing Smile with Bennett recalls a Streisand of yesteryear. Not surprisingly, k.d.lang is mesmerising on Because of You (well, she has already recorded an album with Bennett in 2002).

Stevie Wonder shines on For Once In My Life (harmonica included) and Sting's voice is perfectly matched on the haunting Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Australian fans will get a kick out of a local pressing showcasing Steppin' Out With My Baby with Delta Goodrem as a bonus track.

However, the wheels do fall off the carriage with some unusual duets. It seems the 'star' may have been more important than the song. Bono sounds anything but at home on I Wanna Be Around and Paul McCartney all but ruins The Very Thought Of You where connection with the lyrics is sorely lacking.

Other strange choices that fall flat include The Dixie Chicks on Lullaby of Broadway, Tim McGraw on Cold, Cold Heart and Elvis Costello on Are You Havin' Any Fun?

As a collection, Duets: An American Classic is great to have on the bookshelf and play on a lazy Sunday afternoon. But you'll have to be prepared to sit down with the remote control, because the only way you'll fully enjoy this record is to edit it as you go and cut out half the tracks, listening to only those songs that hit the mark and throwing away the ones that missed.

Good

Ludacris Crazy At No.1

2006-10-10T14:05:00.000+10:30

It's time to enjoy the last remaining weeks of genuine new album releases before the silly season starts and record companies bring out inane compilation CDs for Christmas from artists who have had only two albums. Or better still, the 43rd pressing and repackaging of The Eagles Greatest Hits!

Lots of new releases on the charts recently. A few weeks ago, seven new releases debuted in the US top ten in the same week! Well, this week is only slightly different, with five debuts on the Billboard 200 in the top ten. Ludacris beats the pack at No.1 with Release Therapy, while Janet Jackson never says die with 20 Y.O. at No.2. Meanwhile, 80 year-old Tony Bennett enters the chart at No.3 with his 105th album (no, that's not a typo - the man has been making records for over 50 years). This time it's a compilation of easy listening songs Duets: An American Classic with everyone from Celine Dion to Bono on the disc (will be reviewed next, here at Music City). At No.4 is country singer Alan Jackson's new disc Like Red on a Rose, while just sneaking into the top ten is Weird Al Yankovic's Straight Outta Lynwood (watch this one take a nosedive next week). Other notable news in the US sees Justin Timberlake drop from No.1 to No.5 to make way for all of the the above, while Beyonce slips right down to No.11 after a No.1 debut only four weeks ago. Is this the beginning of an avalanche for Beyonce?

In Australia four albums debut in the top six. Evanescence takes pole position with The Open Door at No.1, The Killers at No.2 with Sam's Town and local talent Jet is surprisingly beaten, debuting at No.3 with Shine On. Gotta say, even with other strong new releases in the same week, I didn't think I'd see the day when Jet's sophomore album debuted at No.3 Down Under, as the band's popularity in their home country is understandably enormous. But it probably has a lot to do with lead single Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is currently stalled at No.19, after peaking only five spots higher. Marcia' Hines Discotheque CD debuts at No.6 in Australia and only time will tell whether this record has the longevity to last a while near the top or be a one-week wonder.

In the UK this week The Scissor Sisters relinquish their crown to make way for The Killers debuting at No.1 and Evanescence slip in at No.2. Aussie rockers Jet make a reasonably strong debut coming in at No.13.

The Killers: Sam's Town (Review)

2006-10-08T20:31:00.000+10:30

You've heard it before and no doubt you'll hear it time and time again on this blog: the sophomore album can be a real killer (in this case, literally). Where Jet recently succeeded on their second full-length album Shine On, by turning in a slightly different direction, unfortunately The Killers do not, with the lacklustre and uninspiring Sam's Town.

Musically speaking, this album is a pretty bland effort from such a talented band. If you're after anything on this disc that comes to matching the quality of 2004's debut Hot Fuss (a 'killer' of a different kind), you simply won't find it on Sam's Town. There's no gems of the calibre of Mr Brightside or Somebody Told Me on this album.

Making things worse, The Killers really do seem to be trying too hard to match their former stature on this record (a stature which emerged organically out of Hot Fuss, not something they were consciously trying to achieve). This is most evident on The River Is Wild, the title track and When We Were Young.

Yep, I know. Review a band's second album and all anyone has to compare it with is their first album. OK. Without comparing Sam's Town to Hot Fuss, it's still an average album with too many examples of mediocre lyrics and songs. It's like The Killers are just going through the motions. Nothing too exciting here, folks.

Average

Evanescence: The Open Door (Review)

2006-10-08T18:48:00.000+10:30

After selling over 14 million copies (worldwide) of their debut album Fallen, Evanescence, the band from Little Rock fronted by the operatic Amy Lee, return to offer us more of the same with 13 new tracks and an album cover straight out of a Dungeons and Dragons catalogue.

A lot of water has travelled under the bridge between artisitc endeavours. Lee has since split with boyfriend and Seether lead singer Shaun Morgan. Meanwhile, Evanescence founding member and guitarist Ben Moody has now left the band. Other concerns surrounded guitarist Terry Balsamo who suffered a stroke and then in July this year bassist Will Boyd also left the band. Whatever the new line-up, perhaps even more so than before, Amy Lee remains the public face of the outfit.

Lead single Call Me When You're Sober (about Morgan) and opener Sweet Sacrifice are well crafted powerful rock songs. Sweet Sacrifice is classic Evanescence with a killer chorus and could easily have been lifted from 2003's Fallen.

Lithium, reportedly The Open Door's second single, on the other hand is a beautiful rock ballad venting the full force of Lee's vocal repertoire. Snow White Queen definitely has a disturbing bent to it when you realise it's all about a stalker fan, while Like You mourns the passing of one of Amy Lee's sisters.

Personal and reflective in nature, The Open Door mixes hard rock, operatic rock, balladery, piano rock and goth metal among the mix. But what did you expect from Evanescence? With a varied collection of songs, some are less accessible than others. The Open Door may take a few more listens to get used to than Fallen did a few years ago.

At the end of the day, Evansescence have produced a solid album. There's bound to be disagreement over whether it's a better set than Fallen, but comparisons aside, The Open Door showcases Amy Lee's gorgeous vocals ... and no Evanescence fan can complain about that.

Excellent

Jet: Shine On (Review)

2006-10-04T22:04:00.000+10:30

Jet's toughest assignment is to create another Get Born with one of the most anticipated Australian releases of the year. Shine On is one rockin' album that largely achieves this goal.

One of Jet's greatest strengths is their ability to make an in ya face rocker alongside an eloquent ballad. Surely, this is one of the reasons bands like Bon Jovi are still making records and it is a skill that should not be underestimated.

Of course there are continuing similarities with The Beatles, Oasis and AC/DC on their harder tracks. But who cares? Unless Jet live in a vacuum they will be influenced by someone before them, just like many great rock bands over the decades. Rip offs? Mmmmm....listened to pop lately? I'd rather a band be strongly influenced by the essence of another than listen to digital samples from other songs; something so commonplace today.

But be warned, Jet sound a little different on this album. Lost their way? Nope. Matured in their sound? Yep. Shine On is softer than 2003's Get Born and you'll have to get used to the same quality Jet music, but with a few more ballads in the repertoire. Jet had over 40 tracks to choose from for inclusion on this album, so if they didn't get it right, something's seriously wrong.

Mellow songs include the Beatlesque folk-like Eleanor, the epic title anthem Shine On (slickly produced and ready-made for radio), the pleasantly sounding King's Horses and Bring It On Back, among others.

Those yearning for the AC/DC rock of Get Born should enjoy the lead single Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is and the catchy guitar hooks of Stand Up and Holiday (which thankfully sounds nothing like Madonna's hit of the same name!).

Jet will be criticised on this album for sounding too mainstream and for mellowing too much into a softer rock territory. But there's still plenty of solid rock on this CD to turn up loud (very loud).

Jet should really be applauded for releasing another very strong album that demonstrates the band's consistency, diversity and sheer musical talent. Shine On has something to offer for everyone, is awash with great songs among its 14-track listing and is definitely one of the best sophomore rock albums of recent years.

Outstanding

Elton John: The Captain & The Kid (Review)

2006-10-03T19:16:00.000+10:30

Elton John continues with a recent spate of high quality artistry on his latest offering The Captain and the Kid, a sequel to his 1975 concept album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, once again chronicling his partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin.

Expect to encounter two things with this record - it's content will probably make little sense as a stand alone without reference to the 1975 album and just like it's predecessor, it may not be instantly accessible on the first listen.

I've got to admit The Captain and the Kid tested my patience, as initially I was in the camp of this CD's detractors, feeling the lyrics in many of the songs were forced and disconnected, even when placed in context with the orginal Captain Fantastic.

There's little doubt Elton John's voice still sounds pretty damn good for his age and his piano playing on this album is as beautiful as ever (the lead single The Bridge is a prime example). After several listens The Captain and the Kid slowly grows into one of Elton's strongest albums in years. The ballads on this album are close to some of Elton's best and after a short while, this CD is hard to put down.

The delicately balanced Tinderbox highlights the fragility of his working relationship with Taupin:

We've been living in a tinderbox
And two sparks can set the whole thing off
Rubbing up together around the clock
Lately we've been getting more roll than rock
You and me together in a tinderbox

Every song tells a new tale, like Old 67, reminiscing a time of innocence, Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC), an ode to New York City and the beautiful title track, highlighting John and Taupin as the two protagonists of this album's story.

Although not as majestic as the title track of the 1975 album, The Captain and the Kid is still an excellent sequel to it's cousin of yesteryear, with the same banjo melody and a little bit of modern synthesiser thrown in to update the music.

Blues Never Fade Away, as cliched perhaps as it may be, is a simple and emotionally tearing song about friends and lovers lost to AIDS:

And how did we get so lucky?
Targets on a rifle range
Who makes the call and who gets to choose?
Who gets to win and who gets to lose?
It's like a rolling dice in the belly of the blues
And blues never fade away

Not quite of the same calibre as its' prequel, The Captain and the Kid nevertheless sees Elton John in fine form, making this album almost irresistible for fans who still have 75's Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy in their collection. If not, it's well worth a listen anyway, as you'll enjoy many moments of classic Elton John scattered throughout it's ten tracks.

Excellent

John Mayer: Continuum (Review)

2006-09-26T23:26:00.000+10:30

John Mayer's third full length studio album Continuum may well be the slickest and best sounding record you'll hear all year. If you've either been a sceptic in the past or never quite jumped into the world of John Mayer's music as yet, let me tell you, this is one awesome CD. With this release, there is little doubt Mayer has arrived in the big league.

A mixture of pop, blues, R&B, soft rock and folk, Continuum is a beautifully crafted record showcasing the strength of Mayer's songwriting, guitar playing and soothing vocals.

This is a lusciously produced album where the lead single Waiting On The World To Change, a song about a misunderstood generation, world leaders and the power of the media, is happily by far the strongest track on the CD.

At the centre of Continuum is the beating heart of relationships. Mayer's mature lyrics excel on tracks like I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You), where the title gives you a fair indication of what you're in for over the next five minutes. Or maybe you'd prefer to be Slow Dancing In A Burning Room where We're going down/And you can see it, too/We're going down/And you know that we're doomed/Slow dancing in a burning room.

Mayer sings about broken hearts, jealousy, being in repair after break-ups, pain, fear, and gravity that wants to bring you down. Sounds like doom and gloom? Not so. The songwriting is so rich and meaningful that the darkest of lyrics on this album are not only recognisable, but somehow uplifting.

With so many genres seamlessly fused among its twelve tracks, Continuum has far reaching appeal, crossing a number of musical styles and demographics. As for Mayer himself? The man oozes talent and is a force to be reckoned with. Continuum is his best work to date and if this is any indication of where Mayer's career is heading, then it's going to be one fantastic journey.

Outstanding

Audioslave: Revelations (Review)

2006-09-21T20:36:00.000+10:30

Audioslave's latest CD debuted at No.2 on the US charts, perhaps mostly due to inflated first week sales and hype, and then slid all the way down to No.12 the following week.

Lead single Original Fire is a catchy rock tune that hasn't really created shock waves on the charts, but is probably the best song on the album.

There's no doubting the pedigreee of this band. But the problem with Revelations is that most of its 12 tracks are fairly medicore fare with the traditional guitar riffs in all the right places, ordinary choruses and standard heavy drum placements scattered throughout the songs. The lyircs are just so, so, although Wide Awake stands out with it's political bent, commenting on the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Three albums down the track and fans of Audioslave may well be wondering why a better record didn't come their way this time around.

Revelations promises to be so much more, but simply isn't.

Average

Beyonce: B'Day (Review)

2006-09-16T15:52:00.000+10:30

Beyonce returns with this week with her US No.1 follow up to 2003's monster album Dangerously in Love. This time around we have B'Day, a gutsy collection of tracks from the R&B goddesss released on Beyonce's 25th birthday.

On the positive side, Beyonce has co-written and co-produced all songs on this album. Other producers include Pharrell Williams, Rich Harrison, Swiz Beatz (known for his work with Jennifer Lopez, among others) and of course, Jay-Z.

The soppy ballads are also kept to a minimum on this set, making the bulk of the album a high energy blast of R&B, hip hop, pop and dance floor beats. Try playing this CD quietly on your stereo or iPod, because it simply ain't possible! B'Day demands attention and the only way to play this CD is to turn it up loud.

Beyonce's musical style is still familiar, but there is a difference here. She doesn't seem too concerned at taking risks this time and there's less formula and more innovation in the production. As a result, if you're looking for another Crazy in Love, you simply won't find it on B'Day. Dead-set killer hooks and choruses are non-existent, as evidenced by the less than expected hit lead single Deja Vu, peaking at No.4 in America.

These days, any album involving Beyonce is guaranteed a No.1 debut in the US, but an opening single by her should also reach the top. Beyonce's new direction on B'Day is not such a bad thing. It's just a pity more artists don't do the same, refusing to repeat the successful formula of previous efforts. In time, Beyonce will be duly rewarded as an artist.

But on the negative side is the word that this album only took the diva somewhere between two and three weeks in the studio to put down. Naturally, if there are any inconsistencies, then this is going to be tagged as the likely cause, claiming Beyonce rushed this effort in among a myriad of other projects on her frantic schedule. Some question marks do exist. Green Light, Freakum Dress, Upgrade U and Kitty Kat don't make a great deal of sense and are just fillers that perhaps don't deserve to be on a new Beyonce album.

But Deja Vu was typically strong Beyonce fare (without the memorable chorus) and the new single Ring The Alarm simply cannot be ignored; a song about a cheating lover, with its air raid siren opening and screeching distortion intro. Irreplaceable is a sure-fire Beyonce top 10 ballad if released as a single.

B'Day will still please most Beyonce fans, even though there is some inconsistency in the quality of the tracks. Whether she rushed it or whether Beyonce fully intended the new album to sound just as it does, remains to be seen. At first glance, B'Day didn't exactly change my world, but after repeated listens this collection of tracks grows inside you like an infectious disease. Thankfully, not a deadly one.

Very Good

Kasey Chambers: Carnival (Review)

2006-09-11T21:56:00.000+10:30

I sometimes wonder whether us Aussies really appreciate how lucky we are to be able to call the glorious talent of Kasey Chambers our very own?

Occasionally I get suspicious about albums that are just too easy to listen to. They must be bland and pedestrian, right? Not so with Carnival, Kasey Chambers latest effort that sees her diverge from her traditional country sound to a more ballsy, bluesy rock without alienating her audience. The end result is simply stunning.

The album opens with Colours of a Carnival, seeing a familiar Kasey Chambers roaring into the chorus and it ends with a thoroughly simple, yet delightful love song Don't Look So Sad. In between is the hypnotic guitar rock of Railroad, the catchy pop of lead single Nothing At All and the awesome beauty of Dangerous, a dark, haunting ballad that mesmerises you with Chambers' lyrical finesse and vocal quality.

As if her quirky girlish voice (commonplace on the airwaves for most Australians) isn't gorgeous enough, once again Chambers' songwriting is her main strength. She writes songs about love and everyday happenings with the ease of Neill Finn. Remember how effortless it was in the 90s to throw a Crowded House CD on the stereo and just sit back and let the songs overpower you with their simple, infectious beauty? Well, so it is with Carnival. Pure escapism.

While some may argue Carnival doesn't contain the expected one or two standouts like her previous sets, I beg to differ. Not only does it have more than one big hit, Carnival is also filled to the brim with beautiful songs of a consistently high musical quality. If you've ever been frustrated by the usual two radio hits followed by a bunch of fillers, then this is the album for you.

Once again masterfully produced by Kasey's brother Nash Chambers, Carnival includes duets with Powderfinger's Bernard Fanning (Hard Road) and You Am I's Tim Rogers (I Got You Now). Another major credit is the atmospheric guitar work of Jim Moginie, best known as a founding member of Midnight Oil (he's also a co-producer on Sarah Blasko's upcoming sophomore release, among other projects).

When will the rest of the world wake up to the awesome talent of Kasey Chambers and let her become an international star on the level she deserves? While America spends most of its time figuring out how to pigeon hole her musical style into an appropriate radio format, Chambers misses out on the mass coverage she deserves and millions of Americans simply don't hear her music. She is every bit as talented (some would say more so) as Keith Urban, but unlike his recent album, you won't see Kasey Chambers' Carnival debuting at No.3 on the Billboard 200 when it gets released in the States soon.

In the meantime, Carnival becomes this blog's first perfect score.

5 stars out of 5.

Buy it, or regret it.....

Superb

Justin Timberlake: FutureSex/LoveSounds (Review)

2006-09-10T20:14:00.000+10:30

Justin Timberlake's biggest problem is trying to at least equal his 2002 mega hit album Justified with this sophomore effort, the awkwardly titled FutureSex/LoveSounds.

His second biggest problem is his ego.

The difference between Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds is that his debut was smattered with great songs like Cry Me A River, Rock Your Body and Senorita.

On his second effort, the ego remains, but the quality of his music has all but disappeared. What do you expect, when it takes you four years to get around to producing album No.2?

Now if I have any bias with Justin Timberlake, I am a huge fan of his talent and Justified was a winner, through and through. It was constantly played in my house and car for at least two years after its release.

But now it's like Timberlake has forgotten how to ride his bike. The style of his music is updated, but this album is about as exciting as watching daisies grow. The tracks blend into each other with the same synthesised dance club sound, like the whole album was one long song.

Granted, sophomore albums are tough. But with all the hype that came with this release, the end result is a little disappointing. What's more, Timberlake's main collaborator on FutureSex/LoveSounds, Timbaland, as talented as he is, is sounding a bit the same between projects, nowadays. There were at least two obvious Timbaland samples on Nelly Furtado's recent album Loose taken straight from tracks on Timberlake's Justified and here we have the compliment being repaid again from Loose onto FutureSex/LoveSounds.

The first single SexyBack is the album's theme, where Timberlake is 'bringing sexy back' on a CD that is not very sexy at all and lacks ambience on nearly every track. Sure, there are some good songs like the addicitve repetition of What Goes Around Comes Around and the electronica of My Love; not to mention the dance floor pump of the Timbaland infused lead single SexyBack, already a monster hit in many countries.

I'm sure there'll be more big singles from FutureSex/LoveSounds. Timberlake's image and the marketing machine will help propel him to the top of the charts again. But for a man with so much to offer, perhaps Justin Timberlake should have focused more on being a singer than a player this time around and he may have created an album worthy of the hype, 'Justified' for his obvious talent.

Good

Paris Hilton : Paris (Review)

2006-08-30T22:47:00.000+10:30

The Day The Music Died...

Why, oh why, did this project ever get off the ground, I will never know? The novelty factor of listening to Paris Hilton put her voice to CD or strut herself half naked across a video clip is entertaining for about 0.8 of a second. Then it's all downhill from there, folks....

The lyrics to the songs on this album would have been more meaningful if my two cats Zig and Zag had written them!

My favourite lines of all are (and there's many to choose from!) Everybody's looking at me/But that's alright, I like attention (like, yeah!) and I'm sexy and you know it, clap your hands! Quality stuff....

Every song is about boyfriends, being sexy, kisses, love, going to clubs ... you get the picture.

Thanks Paris. You just gave new meaning to the phrase 'burning a CD'. The literal one. It's a bit toxic when you do it, though! Just like listening to your music...

Disastrous

Christina Aguilera: Back To Basics (Review)

2006-08-21T19:58:00.000+10:30

On her third studio album, Christina Aguilera has stripped away her dirrty image, replaced by a more mature, classy look with a voice that's all jazzed up and ready to roar.

This 2-disc set comprises 22 tracks, all co-penned by Aguilera, plus bonus video content. No expense has been spared with the CD artwork and booklet; anything but Back To Basics, here. Lavishly designed, the 28-page booklet is bursting with colourful poses of Aguilera, clothed, semi-clothed and otherwise. A less than subtle reminder of Madonna at her theatrical best and something that will surely keep devoted fans very happy.

On the one hand, CD1 is smattered with tightly produced hits and CD2 is a bit of fun on the side, with a few 1920s jazz and '40s big band influenced oldies, come newies. A deeper listen reveals a second disc showing off the full gamut of Aguilera's four octave range.

Lead single Ain't No Other Man is not necessarily the most appealing track on this double album. The first CD has other pop hits such as Understand, the groove-ridden Slow Down Baby and the storytelling ballad of Oh Mother. But Aguilera still has a bit of the old girl in her yet on Still Dirrty as the now married singer professes 'They say that love has gone and changed me/But don't be fooled by everything you see/I gotta let the naughty in me free', claiming 'I still got that nasty in me/Still got that dirty degree'.

CD2 is a theatrical extravaganza. It's circus time. At least half of this disc is lyrical vaudeville. Swinged-up tunes like the sultry Nasty Naughty Boy is a modern version of 1940s music at its peak, while The Andrew Sisters are borrowed for the not so innocent Candyman. Before you know it you're swapping between a circus tent and a smokey, stingy nightclub. An absolutely gorgeous ballad, Hurt, dares you not to press the repeat button and close your eyes to listen to it over and over again.

Critics may argue this compilation of varied musical muscle and style may have been a stunner with the best songs on a single disc, but the completeness of Aguilera's musical journey can only be appreciated over the course of both CDs. If Disc One is the main course, then Disc Two makes for one hell of a dessert.

This is Aguilera's best and most enjoyable album to date, displaying a growing maturity, with that little bit of playfulness thrown in for good measure.

Excellent

Lily Allen: Alright, Still (Review)

2006-08-13T20:35:00.000+10:30

Lily Allen, daughter of well known British actor Keith Allen, kicks one hell of a punch with her debut album Alright, Still.

Allen is a fantastic contemporary storyteller. With all the hallmarks of British attitude, every song on this album oozes with a new tale of relationships and bust ups, full of street slang, hooks, rhythm and a little bit of swearing thrown in for good measure.

Listening to this CD is kind of like a sing-a-long version of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels! Get the picture? Even better because the CD booklet comes with the lyrics. From the UK No.1 hit Smile to LDN and Knock 'Em Out, Allen's debut effort is a refreshing blast of modern poetry.

Those older enough to have had a few serious relationships completely fall apart will appreciate the lyrics even more. At times, Allen is so accurate with her depcition of contemporary life, her songs become pure comedy. You can't help but giggle as you sing along to her stories because you realise that very situation happened to you last year!

While the general feel of this album is a blend of pop and ska, Allen's songs do sound a little the same after a while and one begins to question whether this woman of so much talent can sustain the gig with her next album. It's almost like 'novel concept', from the lyrics with attitude to the funky CD artwork and marketing, but this may only work once.

At the end of the day there is no denying Lily Allen is one of the freshest new UK artists to arrive in some time. Having co-penned all eleven tracks, her energy and vitality make this album a lot of fun to listen to. A highly relevant musical blog on contemporary life and relationships.

Links:
Lily Allen MySpace
Lily Allen Official Website

Good

Muse: Black Holes and Revelations (Review)

2006-07-30T18:15:00.000+10:30

When the soaring vocals of Queen meet a more accesible version of Radiohead, we have the latest offering by English band MUSE, Black Holes and Revelations.

This review really is a no-brainer. Only a few weeks old, this CD is already being touted by many as a genuine contender for UK album of the year. The eleven fabulous songs featured, cover an eclectic collection of musical styles from electronica and hard rock to classical infused operatic harmonies and even a flamenco guitar or two. James Bellamy's falsetto vocals are soothing and uplifting, even in the midst of blaring guitar and drums.

While the longest track on the album is just over six minutes, nearly every song feels like an epic, such is the grandeur and might of MUSE's sound. Of course, lyrics such as 'you must pay for your crimes against the Earth' and 'you will burn in hell for your sins', coupled with the space theme, certainly help everything sound a little larger than life. On the flipside, the title of some of the tracks and space everywhere you turn (or in this case, listen) do get a little on your nerves at times and I certainly found myself ignoring the lyrics altogether occasionally and just listening to the musical arrangements, of which there should be little disagreement about them working superbly.

This album is jam packed with fantastic songs, from the catchy garage sound of Supermassive Black Hole to the pure pop of Starlight and the simple beauty of Soldier's Poem, with vocals sounding every bit as effective as Queen did at their very best.

Already swiftly reaching the top chart position in the UK and Australia, Black Holes and Revelations may still showcase MUSE as an outstanding alternative rock act, but the wonderful vocals of Bellamy, the band's first class instrumentation and continuing experimentation in musical style, is placing them closer and closer to success in the mainstream as well.

One of the year's best releases ... without a shadow of a doubt.

Excellent

The Sleepy Jackson: Personality - One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird (Review)

2006-07-27T00:44:00.000+10:30

The Sleepy Jackson's second album certainly lives up to it's title, Personality. This is one thing definitely not lacking here. While it is fair to say every artist is indebted to other musical influences and it is hard to describe someone as unique, The Sleepy Jackson's sound is nevertheless 'different' in the world of popular music.

This really is a beautiful album to listen to. Critics will argue it is severely over-produced, but that is also one of it's greatest strengths. The production elements on Personality are certainly tight and the songs are filled to the brim with layered harmonies and pleasant melodies.

The lead single God Lead Your Soul, full of dreamy backing vocals, is only one example of a fine pop tune on this album. Yet in amongst the highly produced sets is a hidden gem of utmost simplicity; the acoustic Miles Away that warrants many listens. Over and over, this song never fades. And we all know where simple tunes got The Bealtes, right?

Many songs on this album are heavy with orchestration and the mini symphony sound is as refreshing as it is repetitive. I Understand What You Want But I Just Don't Agree is a case in point.

Personality is a well crafted album that succeeds in its execution as an excellent indie rock/indie pop effort smattered with lush vocals, beautiful string arrangements and catchy songs.

As for frontman Luke Steele .... madman or genius?

Possibly both.

But definitely genius.

Excellent

Madonna, Whitney Houston & Gloria Gaynor Quiz

2006-07-24T21:32:00.000+10:30

Apart from being sung by female artists and reaching No.1 in various countries of the world, Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive, Whitney Houston's cover of The Greatest Love of All and Madonna's Into The Groove all have what in common?

Leave your response below as a comment. I'll post the answer soon.

The Answer:

Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive, Whitney Houston's cover of The Greatest Love of All and Madonna's Into The Groove all were never intended to be singles by their respective record companies and were actually released as B-sides to other singles (for younger readers, compact discs were not on the market yet and vinyl was king).

I Will Survive was originally released as a B-side to a lowly ranking song Substitute, until it started receiving more airplay than the A-side because DJ's kept flipping it over on the turntable. I Will Survive was then re-released as an A-side single. The song went on to become both a US and UK No.1 in March 1979.

Whitney Houston covered George Benson's The Greatest Love of All on her 1985 self titled debut. It was originally released as a B-side to You Give Good Love, itself a high charting US No.3 song. But, once again, DJs kept flipping the vinyl and The Greatest Love of All was receiving so much airplay, it was re-released on its own right as an A-side single where it went on to become a massive US No.1 in April 1986.

Madonna's Into The Groove holds a unique place in chart history. At the time, Madonna was overflowing with musical material. Her second album Like A Virgin had already been stalled from release by several months due to the sleeper success of her first album, Madonna (later re-released as The First Album). Like A Virgin was pressed and ready some time before its actual release in November 1984.

After spawning two of Madonna's biggest ever hits in Like A Virgin and Material Girl, the cute but somewhat ineffectual third single Angel, was released in April 1985. Sire Records threw a Madonna song from her film Depserately Seeking Susan on the B-side to the 12" maxi single.

Into the Groove was not only never part of the original pressing of the Like A Virgin album (but was instead later added), it was also never on the film soundtrack to Deperately Seeking Susan and was never a 7" single release in the US or Australia, either. Clubs and radio started playing Into The Groove to such an extent that it was quickly released in Europe and the UK as a separate single to Angel, a 7" 45rpm A-side. It went on to become a UK No.1 and to this day remains one of Madonna's most successful songs in UK chart history.

But in the US and Australia, Into The Groove, a massive dance song that in many ways defined an era, was sitting humbly on the B-side to the 12" only version of the A-side single Angel. I doubt Australian record stores had ever sold more copies of a 12" piece of vinyl; such was the hunger for listeners to get their own copy of Into the Groove.

The song went on to become a No.1 DownUnder, listed on the charts as Angel / Into The Groove (12"). While there remains little doubt it was the B-side that pushed this 12" to the top of the charts, it was impossible to separate the songs and in fact it was two songs at No.1, not one!

For those Madonna fans who think the Angel / Into The Groove 12" maxi single was only a US release, I've got my own copy of an Australian pressing of the song on 12" that says otherwise. Unusually, Into The Groove in Australia was therefore a B-side 12" No.1!

I wonder if that has ever happened before?

Keane: Under The Iron Sea (Review)

2006-07-19T20:23:00.000+10:30

English trio Keane definitely sound like Coldplay, sort of remind you of Pink Floyd in parts, make you think of U2 and are even reminiscent of Queen. Their piano rock style is scattered with beautiful ballads and esoteric soundscapes.

In their second outing Under The Iron Sea, Keane begin solidly with the epic atmosphere of Atlantic and the pop catchy Is It Any Wonder? Other standouts include the piano friendly Nothing In My Way and the luscious vocals of Tom Chaplin on Hamburg Song.

But here we go again with a classic case of the second half of an album petering out into an uninspiring set of average tracks bringing up the rear. If someone invents the 'CD Cutter', please mail me one as there are so many CDs out there where the disc needs to be cut in two. The first half dozen songs on Under The Iron Sea are elegantly crafted pop tunes that grow on you with every listen. But that's all folks.

There's something missing here. While this is a solid album that will please many, I can't help wonder what might have been? Later songs are 'nice' to listen to but neither stir the emotions nor request participation from their audience. The Frog Prince, Broken Toy and Put It Behind You really are 'nothing' songs that don't deserve a place on this CD.

Keane have mixed in moments of musical genius with blandness. A listenable and enjoyable album that could have been (and really should have been) that little bit more...

Very Good

India.Arie: Testimony Vol.1 Life and Relationships (Review)

2006-07-13T23:24:00.000+10:30

It's been a long time between drinks for India.Arie. Her last album, Voyage to India, was released just under four years ago. But that doesn't seem to have affected her popularity, as this time around Testimony Vol.1, Life and Relationships debuted at No.1 in the US giving India.Arie her best chart position to date.

India.Arie's Testimony Vol.1, Life and Realtionships is a celebration of love, living and womanhood. Her neo soul, R&B style is oh so relaxing to listen to and if you need some uplifting, this album will raise your spirits in no time at all.

But you're either going to love or hate this album. There doesn't seem to be an in-between. Having written most of the tracks herself, India.Arie's songs are definitely all about life and relationships, as verse after verse affirms your existence on this planet. I can't recall listening to an album with so much positive energy in the lyrics.

On the flipside, the songwriting could also be viewed as a bit trite. As beautiful as her voice may be, the lyrics do get on your nerves a little after a while. There is no doubting India.Arie has a beautiful, sultry voice. She's a modern day Sade, with silky smooth vocals you could either sing along with or just as easily drift off to sleep to.

But ultimately the jury's out. A bit too much of the same thing, perhaps. One can only be receive so much positivity before you start feeling a bit drowned in it all.

Good

Nelly Furtado: Loose (Review)

2006-07-09T18:03:00.000+10:30

Nelly Furtado sure cops a lot of criticism in the press. Her 2000 debut Whoa, Nelly! was an unexpected left-field hit. Three years later her sophomore release Folklore was a commercial flop. So what? Furtado will go down in history with thousands of other musicians who struggled to make a success of their second album, the hardest one of all.

Now with the release of Loose, Furtado cops a bit more from people calling this one 'lightweight'. Well, everyone's cup of tea it may not be, but Loose is definitely not lightweight and will find her many new fans, along with bringing some of those who gave up on her last time back to her house for more of - this time around, a different sound.

Rarely do we see a musical marriage so seamless as Timbaland and Furtado. Originally arriving for a single track to be produced by Timbaland, Furtado stayed for more and ended up getting the master producer to put down most of the album.

Make no doubt about it, Nelly Furtado has reinvented herself in a Madonna-like stroke of genius. She has gone from alternative surprise, to forgotten one, to queen of the mega hit. She has to be careful though, because if the feel is not genuine, she may repeat Jewel's previous attempt at being overtly sexual with 03/04 and Intuition. While that little escapade resulted in Jewel's worst sales of her career, the complete opposite is already happening for Furtado.

Proving that marketing is so crucial in the success of any album, Loose was released one week earlier in the UK than the US and three weeks later in other regions, such as Australia. Meanwhile, different leads singles got released in the two biggest markets of the world. By the time Promiscuous hit No.1 in the US, Maneater had already hit the top spot in the UK. Then, for a brief time, the album itself popped in for a glimpse at No.1 in America.

The Timbaland drum beats and hooks on this CD are undeniably infectious. Promiscuous screams of Timbaland's prior work with Missy Elliot, while Maneater has more than a little reminder of an old Hall and Oates classic about it. Most songs on this album happily belong on the dance floor and Timbaland successfully integrates dance with hip hop, bringing Furtado very quickly into the mainstream on both sides of the Atlantic, like she has never been accustomed to before.

As Justin Timberlake's new Timbaland-produced single SexyBack is hitting the airwaves while you read this review, if you listen closely to Furtado's opener Afraid, you will hear Timbaland's same synthesised sound used for the backing of most of Timberlake's smash Cry Me A River.

Furtado's Loose is certainly eclectic, but not distractingly so. Rather, the listener is blessed with a range of musical styles from the early days Madonna dance floor innocence of Do It to the Portuguese roots of No Hay Igual (released in the US as a digital-only track) and Te Busque. In the middle of this are ballads like In God's Hands and the in-between esoteric beauty of the drumbeats and wailing vocals on Say It Right. Out front are the enormous radio hits in the dance-infused drum beat of Maneater and the dance grooved hip hop of Promiscuous.

Pop, hip hop and dance friendly, Loose is Nelly Furtado's answer to her critics. For those of you lucky enough to be in the sun of the northern hemishpere, this is no doubt a great summer party album. For those of us in the midst of an Australian winter hoewever, Furtado's Loose will happily keep us dancing indoors, instead.

Excellent

Bruce Springsteen: The Seeger Sessions We Shall Overcome (Review)

2006-07-06T01:27:00.000+10:30

Bruce Springsteen has gone folk in his first ever album covering someone else's work. Inspired by the songs of Pete Seeger, best known for his folk and protest songs during the 50s and 60s, The Boss brings us a pleasant collection of tracks recorded with local New York musicians.

Although this CD has been out for over two months now, it is definitely still worth reviewing, if for no other reason than to add to it's need not to be forgotten. Well, I'm no expert on folk music, nor am I the world's biggest Springsteen fan. But that's just it. This album is so different from your regular Springsteen fare that it is going to appeal to many a non-Springsteen fan.

On the other hand of course, hardcore Springsteen fans may be be glaring with bewilderment after listening to this album, pondering on how far removed this project is from his heyday of Born in the USA. Well, not really. Although reinterpreting Seeger's work, Springsteen remains the masterful stroyteller he always was and we can wait a little longer for another rock album from him, surely.

This CD is a real joy to listen to. Songs like Eyes On The Price and Mary Don't You Weep are instantly appealing, while others such as John Henry slowly grow on you with each new listen. Before long it is almost contagious and you'll find yourself singing along with a smile.

Springsteen is like Sting. If he gets a group of musicians together, you know they are going to be first rate. You will not be disappointed with the irresistible informal big band sound of the accordion, tuba, trumpet, saxaphone, harmonica, banjo and violin accompanying Springsteen's vocals.

We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions is music for music's sake. What a novel idea. Very refreshing.

Very Good

Rihanna: A Girl Like Me (Review)

2006-06-25T22:58:00.000+10:30

Bonus tracks aside, there are two good songs on Rihanna's second release A Girl Like Me and don't the record company executives know it ... the two singles (surprise, surprise).

Granted, the Soft Cell sampled S.O.S. was infectious enough to find its way to the top of the charts in the US, Australia and elsewhere. So it is with the 2nd single Unfaithful which is a little less catchy, but nevertheless pleasing to listen to. Only problem is I would have preferred Ne-Yo not to just write the song, but sing it, too.

OK. I could end the review here. The other tracks on A Girl Like Me are either barely passable or simply filler-ble. There's nothing wrong with the dancehall revved up reggae beats of Rihanna's sound. There's nothing wrong with her voice (or looks). Nothing wrong with the company she keeps on the album (Sean Paul, Dwayne Husbands).

But what is ultimately wrong is the songwriting. Doesn't matter who writes the songs or what your musical style is, if the songwriting is mediocre, then you're pushing uphill. Rihanna has to produce a more consistent album or she will forever be remembered as the woman with the voice and looks of Beyonce, called ... ?

Not even Jay-Z's production could save this CD.

Disappointing

Eskimo Joe: Black Fingernails, Red Wine (Review)

2006-06-25T16:04:00.000+10:30

There's nothing cold about Eskimo Joe. Black Fingernails Red Wine, the third release by this Freemantle band has to warrant some kind of celebration in Australian rock.

This album vividly takes me back to the very first time I heard INXS' The Swing in 1984 and Crowded House's self titled debut two years later. I remember not being able to stop playing The Swing because it was packed with so many brilliant songs. As for Crowded House, here was an album displaying the masterful songwriting of Neil Finn who had the ability to write pure pop in both a thoughtful (Don't Dream It's Over) and playful (Something So Strong) manner. What was so special about these two bands and a handful of others at the time, was that they were clearly a cut above the rest of the local competition.

And so it is with Eskimo Joe and Black Fingernails Red Wine. A beautifully crafted album of thoroughly enjoyable pop and rock songs, this CD is a little dark at times in its depiction of relationships (Breaking Up, London Bombs). But this will only make you read the lyrics in the liner notes even more closely, as in This Is Pressure 'There is no romance in suffocation / The walls fall down like your expectations'.

Marrying the mature songwriting ever so appropriately is its production. Black Fingernails Red Wine is a crisp and tight album using a variety of instruments adding to the Eskimo Joe sound, including the violin, cello, viola and frequent use of keyboard.

Only a couple of weeks after blogging about the disappointing aspect of jewel cased CDs resulting in the lost art of the album cover, it appears we are saved. I wouldn't exactly call a digitised version of Mariah Carey's extra long legs on her No.1's CD cover 'art', but I would definitely call Dane Lovett's cover and booklet paintings of the band in Black Fingernails Red Wine artwork of a high calibre, rarely seen on music CDs these days.

Sometimes bands who produce albums that are consistent in their sound from start to finish end up producing CDs lacking anything that stands out. On the other hand, CDs with the obvious two or three standouts often end up falling on their face because the rest of the album is full of nothing but fillers. On Black Fingernails Red Wine Eskimo Joe has strung together twelve strong songs (good luck trying to find a weak track) with a consistent feel and several standouts, depending on your mood at the time.

Surely one of the best Australian releases of the year.

Excellent

AFI: December Underground (Review)

2006-06-21T18:25:00.000+10:30

The big question is will AFI be running up the charts with their new release Decemberunderground or running away from their more devoted fans? Probably a bit of the latter and already a lot of the former, with more success to follow.

Decemberunderground is definitely mainstream. Pop and rock radio stations across the world will be happily consuming this CD because the fact is, like it or not, this album is very radio friendly as evidenced by the aptly titled killer first single, Miss Murder.

There's been a fair amount of talk about whether AFI have sold out on this CD because of its more mainstream sound. There has also been criticism of the band from California sounding like other rock and punk bands. Opinions aside, Decemberunderground is a wicked CD with consistently appealing songs, throughout.

Old fans still have something to love on the punkier tracks like Affliction and Kill Caustic. At the other end of the spectrum are the slower ones Kiss and Control and 37mm. Somewhere in between are pop/rock tracks such as Love Like Winter, The Missing Frame and Endlessly She Said. At the end of the day there's something here to please just about everyone.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers may have been the ones to title their latest CD Stadium Arcadium, but it's AFI who have the stadium sound on Decemberunderground, who will also be filling the rock arenas. Full of catchy hooks, crazy guitars, 80s sounding drumbeats and background chorus 'whoa's' (in fact there's a lot about the 80s on this CD, including the electronic sound) and a string of infectious rock tunes, this album is jam packed with quality and barely a weak track to be heard.

Replay value? Oh yeah! Sounds better every time (you'll be singing those choruses!).

Still punk? In parts, but not as hardcore as they used to be.

Alternative rock? About as mainstream as 'alternaitve' can be and not necessarily a bad thing.

Decemberunderground will no doubt propel AFI even further up the charts than 2003's Sing The Sorrow (umm ... I think that's just been taken care of after this week's No.1 Billboard 200 debut in America).

Their listening audience widens as we speak ... and deservedly so.

Excellent

Allison Moorer: Getting Somewhere (Review)

2006-06-16T11:06:00.000+10:30

Allison Moorer's 6th studio album Getting Somewhere is in fact getting her ... nowhere.

With a tendency to make each new album sound different to the last, this time around Moorer ventures into the realm of pop/soft rock. Known traditionally as an alternative country artist, she has carved herself a mildly successful career, well below that of her potential.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the same lady who brought us the gorgeous ballad Send Down An Angel in 2000? It was after seeing this video that I vowed to listen to everything Allison Moorer did in the future. Her voice is so powerful, yet at the same time sumptuous in the right setting.

And this is where the wheels fall off with Getting Somewhere. The pop/rock tunes on this CD on the whole don't suit Moorer's voice and in attempting to completely write all the songs herself for the first time, Moorer's efforts are inconsistent, to say the least.

The good news is this album grows on you. It would want to. I nearly threw this one in the bin after the first listen, I thought it was so bad. I don't know what the hell happened on the opening track Work To Do, but Moorer's voice is altered so much it sounds like she's off key the whole song.

As for her songwriting, why the desperate need to make everything rhyme like a high school poetry competition?

The lyrics in Fairweather, Where You Are and You'll Never Know appear deep, but are actually quite superficial and at times border on the banal.

Moorer's voice is most suited on Hallelujah and the rock infested New Year's Day where you crave for more of the same.

But in an album lasting just over 30 minutes, there is simply no excuse for fillers like How She Does It, Take It So Hard and If It's Just For Today.

Unfortunately it's all a little too obvious what Moorer is after. Ten songs timed to be radio friendly somewhere between two and a half and three and a half minutes each, means you've sold your integrity to become part of the pop machine ... and nearly put us all to sleep in the process.

Well, hopefully just for one album, anyway....

Worth Avoiding

Tool: 10,000 Days (Review)

2006-06-14T22:16:00.000+10:30

Tool did their usual and went AWOL after 2001's Lateralus to explore other projects, until now, five years later almost to the day, we have their long-awaited 10,000 Days.

In an era saturated with radio stations playing to their market researched demographic, perhaps to their credit, Tool and their music continue to blur the boundaries of a number of genres and refuse to play ball with just one.

When it continues to be five years between albums, not only is this band a rarity, but both their own music and that of the musical landscape around them, keep changing significantly between sessions.

Tool still have their musical style defined by others as metal, rock, alternative metal, progressive rock and more. At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter. It's all semantics. If their music connects with you, what else do you need?

Most of the tracks on this album range between six and eleven minutes in length, so once again Tool spit in the face of the accepted conventions of the day and to say some of these songs are 'epic', would be an understatement. This is a broody, melancholic set of songs. Much of Tool's previous angst has disappeared, only to be replaced by a more experimental eclectic mix of art rock.

In parts, this works well, but songs such as Lost Keys and Rosetta Stoned may receive mixed reactions from fans, as will the five minute ambience of Viginti Tres and the seven minute Intension (both mostly soundscapes). Needless to say, the better songs on this CD are the more hard rock and metal-oriented tracks like Vicarious, The Pot and Jambi, which are nothing short of infectious.

Experimentation in any artform is going to have it's fair share of followers and critics. Tool need to be praised for the sheer mixture of tracks on this release, their evolution as a band and their willingness to not give a damn what others think by writing their own rules (it is their album after all, isn't it?)

Unfortunately, the sheer length of some of the tracks and the apparent self-indulgent feel of their artistic growth will no doubt alienate some of their audience. While hardcore Tool fans will perhaps be naturally excited at this much anticipated release (hell, five years is a long time!), the reality is, this is not the greatest album ever made.

Two things stand true, though. Tool have taken risks with this album in areas others fear to tread and their craftsmanship as an outfit is unquestionably impressive.

Very Good

Chris Isaak: Best Of (Review)

2006-06-12T15:12:00.000+10:30

Few artists have the ability to create such a powerful atmosphere through their music than Chris Isaak. Sade is the only one who comes remotely close (who could possibly forget her entrance to the world stage in 1984 with the sultry worldwide smash Smooth Operator?). Perhaps it is no accident that both these singers epitomise our notion of what it is to be 'cool'. This Best of collection is not in fact Isaak's first retrospective, as 1990's Wicked Game was effectively highlights from his three previous albums.

This time around we have 18 tracks, 14 of them remastered, a couple of covers, a few new songs, and a bonus videos DVD all adding up to a solid collection of Chris Isaak music. For an artist who has consistently been at the top of his game for over two decades, it is hard to release a 'best of' and get the track selection pleasing everyone. Isaak fans will no doubt find odd inclusions and others that were overlooked (like Voodoo), but on the whole this album is an absolute winner that could have easily been a double CD release on the strength of the songs that didn't make the final cut.

Isaak's blend of pop, rock and roll, country and blues sets the listener up for nothing but pure enjoyment. This Best of includes fantastic songs such as Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing, Dancin', Blue Hotel, Somebody's Crying, You Owe Me Some Kind of Love and of course the song he is most widely recognised for, Wicked Game.

The CD booklet reveals a few interesting facts behind various songs. Did you know Isaak wrote Wicked Game in just a few short minutes after hanging up the telephone? Can you believe it? If you're not really interested in the DVD, then just buy the CD, but it's worth checking this out to see Isaak's 'wicked' sense of humour as he narrates the now famous Wicked video clip, commenting on how he was really 'suffering for his art' hugging a topless Helena Christensen on a beach in Hawaii! Yeah, tough job, but somebody had to do it.

If you're after some escapism that will probably sound even better on your iPod than stereo system, Chris Isaak's Best of will take you away from the humdrum monotony of your everyday world to a far better place worth listening to.

Excellent

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium (Review)

2006-06-11T20:18:00.000+10:30

The Red Hot Chili Peppers' latest outing is definitely vast. The appropriately titled Stadium Arcadium is 28 songs on two discs. Dare I mention Christina Aguilera in a Chili Peppers review, but it seems the two-disc set is making a comeback, as news filtered through last week of Aguilera's upcoming release also being a double album.

But there is always one problem releasing a double CD. While some people will just take what they paid for and play it no questions asked, others are naturally going to wonder why the two discs?

I would have given the same star rating for this release if it were just the first disc. While there appears no rhyme or reason for the order of tracks on either, most of the strength of this double release lies on the first CD. All the airplay hits are packed onto the first disc, all the songs with the funky grooves, the catchy chorus and the beat that sticks in your head also seem to be on the first CD. So I suppose that may be the only logical thing behind the track order. To top it off, the more mainstream of those on CD1 are also in it's first half.

So, CD1 is a real gem. The fantastic opening single in Dani California, the hypnotic chorus of Charlie, the spacey gentleness the title track, the pure funk of Hump de Bump and the breezy catchy groove of Slow Cheetah. There's barely a filler on it.

There's nothing innately wrong with CD2 and it has a fairly strong collection of songs. But on it's own, it doesn't stand up as well alongside CD1 and some of the second CD's tracks resemble each other a little too closely.

So here's a thought. Shelve the idea of a double CD altogether. Get rid of the three or four weaker tracks on CD1. Pick the guts out of CD2 and make one long killer CD of about 15 or 16 tracks that would have been universally accepted as an awesome rock release.

Instead, we still have a strong Chili Peppers double album that will please many of their fans and I for one will be playing it again and again. It's a great release, just a little swollen, that's all.

Excellent

Angels & Airwaves: We Don't Need To Whisper (Review)

2006-06-10T13:36:00.000+10:30

There has been much hype about We Don't Need To Whisper, both from the media and within the band itself. Angels and Airwaves, a new project formed by ex Blink-182 lead singer Tommy De Longe, has cut a CD that will both please and frustrate Blinker fans.

On the one hand De Longe's lyrics seem to demonstrate a growth since Blink-182 days and on the other they seem a little try-hard, with a forced sense of depth and sensitivity.

The production elements are definitely slick, but some will argue a little overdone. You'll find it hard to ignore the ever present homage to U2's The Edge. You may even find yourself rumbling through the liner notes to see if he mysteriously appears in the guitar credits.

Love it or hate it, there's a common theme on this album ... the 1980s. You'll hear bits and pieces everywhere reminding you of Pink Floyd, Yes, U2 and even Bon Jovi. While De Longe is no doubt extending his musical boundaries to some extent, these obvious influences will appeal to some listeners, while annoying others. Standout tracks include the first single The Adventure, Distraction and A Little's Enough.

The CD opens with a six and a half minute epic Valkyrie Missile, the first third being a spacey instrumental that on any other day could have belonged to the soundtrack of Apollo 13. In fact, nearly all the tracks open with a different ambience as De Longe attempts to vary the musical style amongst them with no real success. There is a sameness in his singing that becomes annoying and once you get past the song opening, many tracks do sound a little too similar.

It is human nature to be hesitant to change and De Longe's breakout from pop-punk to alternative rock on We Don't Need To Whisper will take more than a few listens for some long time fans. But at the end of the day, while this album certainly displays a change in musical style from Blinker days, just how much of a change is it from music we already know?

Listen to this CD with your eyes closed and strip away the vocals. It's U2, isn't it? While The Joshua Tree is nearly two decades old, is there anything wrong with sounding too much like the dangling guitars on one of the greatest rock albums of all time?

No, not really.

But the question is, do you really want to?

Good

The Dixies Chicks: Taking The Long Way (Review)

2006-06-06T23:49:00.000+10:30

In their fourth major label studio release, the Dixie Chicks have finally crossed over from country to pop. It seemed an inevitable transition as the Dixie's popularity grew with each new album, as did the sophistication of their fan demographic.

But it has been far from a bed of roses between CDs for the Texan trio, mainly due to lead singer Natalie Maines' vocal anti Bush sentiments on the eve of the Iraq War in May 2003. Controversy in the media was followed by public apologies and airplay bans. Consequently, the release of Taking The Long Way has been a nervous wait for the country superstars. But less than anticipated sales and radio play didn't stop this compilation of fourteen new tracks from debuting at No.1 on both the US pop and country charts.

After half a dozen listens I wanted to chop this CD in two and just keep the first half. The opening seven songs are instantly more appealing than the second half of the disc. You have to work a little harder for the second half, but there is no doubt it defintely grows on you and my first impressions of an uneven album with a bunch of fillers bringing up the rear, now appears unfounded. Later tracks sound a little underproduced, but their beauty lies in their simplicity.

This a strong album from the Dixies. If you were in any doubt of their success, the No.1 debut of Taking The Long Way just made them the only female group in US chart history to have three successive albums debut at No.1 on the Billboard 200. A highly autobiographical release, this album moves from gutsy pop/rock tracks like Not Ready To Make Nice, to the pure pop of Voices Inside My Head, The Long Way Round and Everybody Knows to gorgeous ballads like Lullaby. Australasian listeners will also get a kick out of Neil Finn's co-writing on Silent House.

Taking The Long Way will grow on you with each listen. Every few days you'll have a new favourite track until like me, you simply won't be able to put the damn thing down. The move away from country (with more than a hint of the old instruments still in the background) to mainstream pop/soft rock, will only make the Dixie's even more readily accessible to a wider audience than they already were.

New fans need to be lining up to buy this CD. Old fans won't be disappointed. The Dixie Chicks are back with a vengeance.

Excellent

Jewel: Goodbye Alice In Wonderland (Review)

2006-06-04T19:28:00.000+10:30

Jewel's latest studio album Goodbye Alice in Wonderland is more than a disappointment. It should never have been pressed to CD.

Openly admitting this is her most autobiographical work since 1985s hugely successful Pieces of You, Jewel's new CD is bland and uninspiring, from an artist with so much talent to share.

The tragedy begins with the girlish title Goodbye Alice in Wonderland, reminiscent of Mariah Carey's oft-forgotten 2001 outing Glitter, which had a silly cover, but nowhere near as bad as the music on the disc, itself. In Jewel's case, the artwork is pleasant, the CD title surely a marketing nightmare, and the music as bad as that of Glitter.

Jewel seemed to be looking for a Madonna-style artist reinvention with her 2003 album 03/04. The hit Intuition was clearly different to past releases, with a sexy video and a pop/dance beat. The album was the poorest selling of her career.

This time around, Jewel has attempted to go back to her previously succesful folk-pop roots and introspective ballads, but without the same success. The songwriting is dull and the tracks scream out mediocrity. Such a shame. I am a big fan of Jewel, which makes it even more disappointing to write a review slamming her.

If you think Rolling Stone's review of Jewel's latest escapade was a bit rough giving it two stars out of five, think again. I'll give it one star.

Worth Avoiding

CD Replacement?

2006-06-04T18:08:00.000+10:30

Recently I heard something in the media about the big CD manufacturing companies and perhaps some of the larger labels having brief talks about a replacement format for the compact disc, with these discussions not getting past first base because some heavy market research indicated the public was happy with the current situation.

In today's market, I think most of us would agree the old CD is a tad large. But if they were substantially smaller in size, wouldn't that kill the cover and sleeve? Some of us are old enough to remember the introduction of the CD in the 80s. As a high school teacher, I can't help but chuckle from time to time when it hits me in the face that my students today were brought up on nothing but CDs! 'What's an LP?' they say to me!

There was no sense in me buying a CD until I purchased my first CD player in 1987. Walking home with the unit under my arm, I recall something weird about the new format. With Michael Jackson's Bad fitting into the palm of my hand, I remember it being so small. My only disappointment with the new CD was the cover art. Even today, with digitally enhanced art work on CD sleeves, they still don't match up to the sheer size the old LP offered. Today I sometimes look back on the daggy fold out centrespreads of Lionel Richie, Olivia Newton John and Eagles LPs in my collection, but at the time, nothing beat it. Almost better than that was the fold out poster that used to come with some LPs in the olden days. Folding out a poster four times the size of a compact disc doesn't really have the same appeal.

Does anyone remember in the early days of the CD, they appeared to rush the packagaing a bit and I think it was mainly America for a while had these weird 'boxes' to place the CDs in? My trusty friend Wikipedia has helped me out yet again. Find a useful article on the 'longbox', as they were officially known, below. An interesting fact in this article reveals some of the reasoning behind the shift from longbox CD packaging to the current jewel cases. Among these was artwork sizes for different packaging. But most interesting was that when the CD was introduced, obviously LP sales began to decline, but did you know it wasn't CD sales that directly overtook LPs? For some time, the old cassette format ruled supreme! Now that's a fact I didn't know .... and I used to hang out in Brash's (popular Australian record chain store in the 70s and 80s - yesterday's equivalent of Sanity) after school every other day.

OK. Let's assume most people are happy with the size of a CD. How many of us are still happy with the jewel case packaging? Surely the jewel case has had its day, yeah? The brittle spine hinge that easily breaks, the often useless and cheaply manufactured press-down teeth that are meant to hold down your CD but are either broken at time of purchase or soon after, and if you really love a CD, then its hinge will of course wear over time until the CD door just flops open for your unattached CD to fall out of!

Longbox
Jewel Case

PS Don't confuse my discussion about possible CD format replacement with the new Blu-Ray disc, which will be an alternative to the current DVD format, mostly used for multimedia games and movies, not music CDs.

From Johnny Cougar to Mellencamp

2006-06-01T09:55:00.000+10:30

Well, thought I'd post the odd blog about what I've been listening to and pluck out some highlights. Of course, this sort of sets me up for a big fall as out there somewhere on the other side of the planet, you may be quietly (or loudly!) laughing, saying to your computer screen 'I can't believe this guy listens to this crap'! Yes, my CD collection is extensive and some may say 'extensively of poor taste', but nothing is going to deter me from blogging!

So this week it has been Mellencamp's Greatest Hits, Mariah Carey's No.1s and Jewel's new CD Goodbye Alice in Wonderland (not quite sure about the album title, but hey...). Listening to Carey was a result of my previous post on my favourite ballads of all time, Jewel simply because her name is what she is and a new CD from her is worth a listen and Mellencamp because I simply needed to bop to some pure pop/rock!

Mellencamp's an interesting character. For most artists, changing your name is like you and I changing our email addresses or mobile number without telling anyone. All of a sudden, an artist has to market themself all over again with a new name. Sure, Prince (or was it 'symbol'?) and Sean Combs with his Diddy, Puff Daddy, Puffy and P. Diddy names come to mind as other recording artists who have tried changing their names mid-career.

Mellencamp has a special place in my heart, because his debut album A Biography, unreleased in the United States, delivered a massive hit in Australia in I Need A Lover. It was my very first 45, or 'single'. But I recall the label having 'Johnny Cougar' on it. Carving a career in music briefly in the late 70s as Johnny Cougar, he then dropped the 'ny' to leave just John Cougar, followed in the early 80s by John Cougar Mellencamp, then John Mellencamp through the mid to late 80s and these days it's just Mellencamp!

In what was arguably his prime during the 80s, he certainly had the ability to write and record infectious songs. Who could possibly forget 1985's Scarecrow with hits like R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A., Smalltown and Lonely ole Night? He had already had much success with Jack and Diane and Hurt So Good from 1982's American Fool and then followed up Scarecrow with 1987's The Lonesome Jubilee and cuts such as the delicious Cherry Bomb and Paper in Fire.

Mellencamp's style changed slightly between albums, covering blues, country, folk, pop and rock. In his early days, images of him remind one of John Bon Jovi, with zipped up jackets and upturned collars, hands in pockets. His music at its peak sounded like that of Bruce Springsteen (critical or not, he has often been referred to as a 'poor man's Springsteen').

One thing was a given though, particularly in the 80s, Mellencamp was a force to be reckoned with. A social commentator on American life and people's rites of passage, he was a man with a mission who perhaps later rather than sooner, received critical acclaim for his music, matching his enormous chart success in the US and beyond.

Top 20 Ballads/Love Songs

2006-05-21T21:21:00.000+10:30

Here's my top 20 ballads/love songs of all time. They come from pop and rock. Some are happy and romantic, while others are sad and depressing. One thing all of these songs have in common is that each one of them is beautiful. There's nothing like a ballad to remind you of different times in your life, places, relationships, journeys ... good and bad.

Careless Whisper George Michael
Right Here Waiting Richard Marx
One Sweet Day Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from Titanic) Celine Dion
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Roberta Flack
More Than Words Extreme
If You Leave Me Now Chicago
Wicked Game Chris Isaak
Un-Break My Heart Toni Braxton
Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon and Garfunkel
Evergreen (Love Theme From A Star Is Born) Barbra Streisand & Kris Kristofferson
Hard To Say I'm Sorry Chicago
Everybody Hurts REM
Unchained Melody The Righteous Brothers
Endless Love (from Endless Love) Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
Babe Styx
The Living Years Mike and The Mechanics
Tears in Heaven Eric Clapton
Three Times A Lady The Commodores
Candle In The Wind Elton John

So what's your favourite ballad/love song?

Let Me Introduce Myself...

2006-05-21T18:01:00.000+10:30

Hello world!

Well, this is the first post on Justin's Music Blog and to be honest, similar to my Drama Blog, I am deliberately unsure of the future directions of writings on this blog. Best to just let it create itself, hey?

Unlike my Drama Blog, where I can muse about the daily life of teaching Drama in a high school, I am not a Music teacher. But, like millions of others out there, I do love music, with a special interest in an era music historians consider particularly bland in 20th century music, the wonderful 1980s! Aaahh, a time when synthesizers ruled, one hit wonders were commonplace and songs were often forgettabble, yet irresistibly singable!

And call me a wimp, but I also have a particular weakness for the ballad or love song in popular music. Speaking of irresisitble, I just cannot ignore the beautiful sound of the female voice, so my CD collection is full of female recording artists. At high school in the 80s, when my friends were into AC/DC, INXS and Springsteen, I was mostly into Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and yes, please don't cringe, Bananarama!

Everyone's musical interests stem from certain influences, so I am also into mostly American 1970s artists and bands. Being the youngest of six children growing up as a teenager in the 80s, my elder brother and sisters were into The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Chicago, America, The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Carly Simon etc. and it was only a matter of time before little brother Justin started asking his older brother and four sisters about the music he was hearing down the other end of the family home.

Today, while my passion for mainstream popular music still remains strong, my musical boundaries have broadened and I enjoy listening to new music from different genres and styles. I even encourage my senior Drama students to enlighten me on new bands. No doubt there will be a blog or two to follow on my recent introduction to Emo via my year 12 Drama students at school.

But for now, I hope you enjoy Justin's Music Blog!