The Best Music Album

2009-10-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

Product Description

2 CD edition. Madonna, who has racked up a record 37 top 10 hits as well as seven No. 1 albums (including her last four) on the Billboard Pop Charts, has given her fans yet another opportunity to 'celebrate' her musical achievements. The songs on 'Celebration' have all been remastered and selected by Madonna and her fans. They cover the expanse of the Material Girl's extraordinary career of hits.

CD Tracks

Disc: 1
1. Hung Up Listen
2. Music Listen
3. Vogue Listen
4. 4 Minutes Listen
5. Holiday Listen
6. Everybody Listen
7. Like A Virgin Listen
8. Into The Groove Listen
9. Like A Prayer Listen
10. Ray Of Light Listen
11. Sorry Listen
12. Express Yourself Listen
13. Open Your Heart Listen
14. Borderline Listen
15. Secret Listen
16. Erotica Listen
17. Justify My Love Listen
18. Revolver Listen

Disc: 2
1. Dress You Up Listen
2. Material Girl Listen
3. La Isla Bonita Listen
4. Papa Don't Preach Listen
5. Lucky Star Listen
6. Burning Up Listen
7. Crazy For You Listen
8. Who's That Girl Listen
9. Frozen Listen
10. Miles Away Listen
11. Take A Bow Listen
12. Live To Tell Listen
13. Beautiful Stranger Listen
14. Hollywood Listen
15. Die Another Day Listen
16. Don't Tell Me Listen
17. Cherish Listen
18. Celebration Listen

Customer Reviews
By Antoine D. Reid "80sforever

Warner Bros. has released Madonna's third compilation album featuring some of Madonna's biggest hits (fourth if you count the ballad collection 'Something To Remember'). 'Celebration' is a great collection of some of Madonna's best work but as any true fan will attest, this is far from a true 'greatest hits' album. If you are a casual Madonna fan, 'Celebration' is really a good album to pick-up. The main staples --- 'Material Girl', 'Ray of Light', 'Like a Prayer' --- are all present. There are even two new songs. Yet, something feels unsatisfying with 'Celebration' considering there are so many songs that were left off. Considering this is her last release with Warner Bros, I felt much more effort could have been put into making this a true 'celebration' of her music and career over the past 26 years. Instead, it feels like one last attempt made by Warner to make money off Madonna.

The Good: I really like all the effort and attention put into the package design. Warner Bros. definitely stepped up their promotion and art direction on this release -- more so than they have her past few albums. The art designed by Mr. Brainwash is definitely different and more street and while there are no new photos of Madonna, I felt the design really does her justice and features her most iconic looks and styles in a creative manner. I like both of the new songs featured on this edition. 'Celebration' is pure dance and sounds like a cut from "Confessions on a Dance Floor" while 'Revolver' (featuring a small rap by Lil' Wayne) is a mix between pop and urban music, everything "Hard Candy" tried to be but perhaps failed to live up to. To me, the songs are both very good and easily stand out as album worthy tracks. Another great thing about this release is that the tracks have been remastered and as someone who has listened to many of the tracks often, I can tell the difference and it makes listening to some of the older tracks like 'Dress You Up' and 'Like a Prayer' all the more enjoyable.

The Bad: Again, to the casual Madonna fan, 'Celebration' offers a nice spread of songs throughout her career. To the hardcore fan, this release is disappointing. Tracks like 'True Blue', 'Spotlight', 'Bad Girl' and 'Human Nature' are all left off. Some of the songs on here are edits from the first 'greatest hits' package, 'The Immaculate Collection'. Other edits simply don't do the songs justice (Why cut out the dramatic beginning of '4 Minutes' and break the song down to a mere 3 minutes, ten seconds? Doesn't that go against the whole theme of the song?). Also, the release is sparse on the side of some of her older ballads (Where's 'You'll See' and why is 'Miles Away' included when it didn't really make an impact?). I get the impression that this release, like many of Madonna's 'greatest hits' packages, was put out without a lot of thought or effort. If you're a big Madonna fan, there's no reason to own this because you have a lot of the songs (full versions, mind you, not edits) and are left with just 2 new songs that you can probably purchase as mp3s on Amazon separately. This could have been a true 'celebration' and featured new edits or remixes and takes on the classic songs to make everything dance-floor ready but it seems as if all the attention were put into the package art rather than the actual content.

In all, if you are new to Madonna and want a collection of her music from all eras and albums of her career, this will be a nice addition to your collection. You will definitely get a nice sampling of her music that will hopefully inspire you to pick up her albums to enjoy the full tracks and other undiscovered ones. If you are the casual fan or even hardcore, 'Celebration' is more for your collection than a must-purchase. There are only two new tracks; the rest of 'Celebration' is a compilation of radio edits, or mixes from the past greatest hits packages released by Warner Music. If you want the true Madonna experience, I recommend saving your money on this purchase and putting it toward the 2-DVD music video collection that is also newly released. It featured remastered video, remastered music, 47 videos and definitely features more of the hits and lesser known tracks of her career. It's worth the purchase while this on the other hand doesn't really feel like a real 'greatest hits' package and more so a sampling of some of her best.

Listen To These Tracks: 'Revolver' (featuring Lil' Wayne), 'Celebration'

Celebration [SINGLE REMIXES]

2009-09-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

Product Description

US only Limited double twelve inch vinyl pressing of this single, a new track lifted from her 2009 hits collection Celebration. Features US only-artwork and seven versions of 'Celebration'. Including all of the remixes found on the US Maxi, UK Maxi and the EU single! Tracks; Album Version, Benny Benassi Remix, Paul Oakenfold Remix, Paul Oakenfold Dub Mix, Benny Benassi, Johnny Vicious Club Remix and Benny Benassi Remix Edit. Warner. 2009.

Track Listings

1. Celebration (Oakenfold Remix)
2. Celebration (Benny Benassi Remix)
3. Celebration (Oakenfold Remix Dub)
4. Celebration (Benny Benassi Remix Edit)
5. Celebration (Benny Benassi Dub)
6. Celebration (Johnny Vicious Club Remix)

Customer Reviews
By Braden Pickering

Lyrically, Celebration is a very straight-forward, generic pop song that was probably written, produced, and recorded over the course of a day. That's not necessarily a criticism; I just think that at this point Madonna isn't out to provoke people or prove anything, except that girls over 50 still just want to have fun. After 30 years in the business and paving the way for so many artists (and wannabes) to come, I think Madonna has earned that right.

1. Album Version: The song itself is very Euro-pop with smooth electro beats; not exactly cutting edge but a nice departure from last year's R&B-influenced Hard Candy album, which did not suit Madonna at all.

2. Paul Oakenfold Remix: Contains a lot of the elements of the original (which he also produced), with some extra layering of vocals and techno beats. To me this mix is a little too "busy" because the sounds drown out Madonna's voice at times, especially during the chorus which I thought was odd, as Oakenfold is usually more careful about this type of thing. Not bad, but a little awkward on the ears at first.

3. Benny Benassi Remix: A thumping house mix (and my favorite), this is the version used for the music video. Kinda makes you want to bump `n grind!

4. Oakenfold Dub: I prefer this to track 2, because the instrumentation is actually pretty cool, but sounds better without as many vocals.

5. Benny Benassi Edit: Just a shorter version of track 3.

6. Johnny Vicious Remix: More or less your standard club fare, with a hint of the `80s thrown in. Would fit nicely between the early Madonna hits Holiday and Everybody, and a proper way to close the disc.

Despite some minor fallbacks, I give this single 5 stars because the song itself is well-structured and catchy, and the remixes, while not necessarily improving upon the original, offer variety. Overall a nicely put-together item.

The Beatles Stereo Box Set [BOX SET] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

2009-09-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

By Song Bear "Blue Moo"

This is a commendable effort. Trying to improve on the original GeorgeMartin/Geoff Emerick/NormanSmith mixes of the Beatles albums would be daunting - to say the least. The results are mixed, and whether or not you like the results here is going to be a matter of taste and personal preferences.

The Pro's

The sound on all of the discs is cleaner, crisper, with individual voices and instruments being more distinct. The high end on the cymbals and tambourines is noticeable on everything from" Love Me Do" to "I Dig A Pony." The imaging on some of the songs is better - McCartney's vocals on "Let It Be," and the sound of the Help/Rubber Soul/Revolver era recordings is marvelous. The tape hiss from the 1987 transfers is gone.

The Con's

Someone needs to explain the difference between re-master and remix. These are NOT remasters. They are completely different mixes. Clean as they are, in many of the songs that used reverb and other effects in the original recordings, the vibe and original energy has been completely destroyed. "She Loves You" was never supposed to sound like this. "Penny Lane" sounds too dry and upfront, as if every instrument was recorded in a closet with the microphone being placed no more than two inches away from each instrument. The cellos and other orchestral instruments don't sound right. "Strawberry Fields" is anemic, and "Day in the Life" - crisp as it is - just doesn't have impact anymore. Without the reverb - which any engineer knows can cover up a multitude of out of tune vocals, bad phrasing, and other mistakes - you hear things I don't think the Beatles or George Martin ever intended you to hear. Whoever is responsible for Harrison's vocals on ""Old Brown Shoe" should be beat with a lamp cord.

Should you own this set if you are an avid Beatles fan? Yeah. I think you would probably want it. But be aware of what you are getting here. Remember the "stereo"mixes of the early albums where you had vocals coming out one speaker and the instruments coming out the other? For some reason, with all the digital tools and plug ins available - they didn't correct that. I suppose that would, to many people's way of thinking, been going too far. But to my way of thinking - if you are going to change things, improve the imaging along with the clarity. Tune the some of the vocals. Re-equalize and tweak the bass a little. Put the vocals in the middle of the mix. Do the things that George Martin and the Beatles would have done had they had the technology and tools available today.

When you listen to "Let It Be: Naked" the engineers took a bold stand, stripped away the orchestration without stripping away the vibe, the sense of excitement that the original Beatles recordings generated. I would compare these "remasters" to what we got with the Beatles Anthology CDs. Interesting. Nice addition to the collection. In NO WAY a replacement. Before you invest in the whole set - buy a remastered copy of your favorite album to see if you can tolerate the changes. Then you'll have a better idea whether or not to buy the entire set.

Rossa in Anggun Concert

2009-08-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

Just got the info from the web that one of the singer that will be join in Anggun’s concert is cancelling her involvement. Here is the story:

Indonesian Pop singer Rossa has announced she has pulled out of her involvement in a concert with internationally renowned diva Anggun C. Sasmi next month.

“I had to [cancel] because after checking my schedule, it turned out that I already had a tour contract with [cigarette brand] Clas Mild,” Rossa says, adding, “I can’t cancel that one.”

The 30-year-old brushed off speculation that she had some kind of personal disagreement with Anggun.

“No, that’s not true at all,” Rossa says. “Nothing has happened between me and her. It was just a misunderstanding and it has already been solved.”

Rossa had previously confirmed that she would perform alongside Anggun at her concert at the Hard Rock Hotel in Denpasar, Bali, on Aug. 8.

Other Indonesian singers — Ello, Bunga Citra Lestari, Pingkan Mambo and Glenn Fredly — are also scheduled to share the stage with Anggun during the latter’s five-city concert tour in August and October.

The concert promoter has not yet announced who will take Rossa’s place.

U2: No Line On The Horizon

2009-08-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Album Review by The Straw Man "J.E. Hoppock"

In the seventeen years (and counting) that I have been a fan of U2 I have noticed that all U2 fans do not stand united with regards to the style of music they enjoy to hear from U2. Allow me to elaborate, U2 music can fall into two different categories (and these categories have subtext and layers), rock and roll is the first category and outlandish experimentation is the second category. It is then a safe assumption to claim that there are two different types of U2 fans the ones that prefer straight up rock and roll or the ones who are totally open to musical experimentation. Of course there are the fans that don't care one way or the other what type of music U2 makes as long as it is good.

"No Line on the Horizon" is the twelfth album from these Irish boys and this collection of songs definitely falls into the category of musical experimentation. When I first listened to this album I felt mildly disappointed because it seems like there was no variations from one song to the next. Upon every listen afterwards I noticed that each song began to take life of its own. My pseudo-disappointment has now metamorphosis to a devotion of this album. I truly believe that this is the best work U2 has done in almost ten years and on it's way to becoming an all time classic.

Their last two albums All That You Can't Leave Behind and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb I loved, but I wasn't "in love" with them. In other words there were some classic songs, but I felt like the collections of work/albums had no theme. "No Line on the Horizon" has this thematic quality about it touching love, devotion, spirituality, death, silliness and satire. This album really falls into the same realm of Achtung Baby, Zooropa and even Pop. Now realm doesn't translate to "sounding the same", rather it is a step into musical experimentation, which all the prior listed albums represent. NLOTH leaves me tranquilized and energized.

As for the songs on NLOTH they fluctuate in sound. There is a rock and roll element to the music but there is also an "alternative-electronic" sound going on. Perhaps this is due to the production aid of Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Perhaps this is due to U2 wanting to shake things up. In addition, some of these tunes don't follow a typical song format, "Fez-Being Born" (amazing song) and "Cedars of Lebanon" are perfect paradigms of this. Another thing I like about this album is Larry and Adam are a force to be reckoned with on their performances.

"Cedars of Lebanon" has a "Love is Blindness"/ "If You Wear that Velvet Dress" feel to it, dark, moody and haunting. This is one of my favorite songs on the album, very deep and moving and features a sample from "Against The Sky" off of The Pearl. As for the lead single "Get on your Boots", I don't know why the reception to this song was so poor. I think this is a fun song in the same vein as "Vertigo" and "The Fly". However GOYB isn't a good representation of NLOTH, because the album really is very deep and thematic where GOYB is a silly electro-rock song. The song on this album that really showcases The Edge is "Magnificent", great guitar.

I have also read and heard lukewarm acclaim about NLOTH and I am not sure why. Do U2 fans really want this band to remake The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby or War? The day U2 starts repeating themselves is probably going to be the day they quit. After their last two albums, it was time for a change. If the band isn't challenged then what is the point of making music? U2 is much bigger a band that just pumps out radio hits. NLOTH took five years to make and I feel the wait was well worth it.

In conclusion, I want to make a reference about how Bono described the 1997 album "Pop" (I can't believe many fans hated this album). He said that the album starts at a party and ends at a funeral. This statement was made with regards to the album starting very jovial and ending very morose. So I would describe NLOTH as starting at dawn at a beach and ending at dusk in a graveyard.

Anggun in Concert 2009

2009-07-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

Fulfilling her promise to return to Indonesia with surprises, internationally renowned pop star Anggun C. Sasmi will finally rock her homeland this year - in what she calls "a phenomenally crazy road show".

Yes, Anggun lovers: Get prepared. The 35-year-old diva will hold her biggest road show ever in Indonesia, entertaining her fans in five cities in August and November.

Anggun's concert tour will be divided in two parts, with the first to be held in August and the second in November. The first phase will consist of three concerts. The first will be on Aug. 1 at the Jogja Expo Center in Yogyakarta, with the second on Aug. 8 at the Hard Rock Hotel in Denpasar, Bali. The third concert will be on Aug. 13 at the Gramedia Expo in Surabaya.

After a two-month break, Anggun will hold her last two concerts, at the Sasana Ganesha in Bandung on Nov. 17 and at the Tiara Hotel in Medan on Nov. 20.

Anggun's last concerts in Indonesia were in 2006, when she entertained her fans in Jakarta, Medan and Bandung. The star says that what will make this year's concerts different from her last ones is the way she is embracing the concept of "100 percent Indonesia". In her previous concerts, Anggun often took her French band with her onstage.

Anggun will be working with top composer Andi Ayunir, and will be sharing the stage with another Indonesian star in each show.

In Yogyakarta, for example, she will sing with Glenn Fredly, and in Bali, singer Rossa will accompany her onstage. The other singers scheduled to perform with Anggun are Pinkan Mambo, Bunga Citra Lestari and Ello.

As for Bunga, Anggun described the younger singer as an all-round artiste - she is a talented actor and singer. "She's one of the most-wanted singers here now. I've heard a lot about her talent," Anggun said. "In fact, those artistes are the ones that I really like in the first place. They have such great *singing* quality."

In each 60-minute concert, Anggun will perform around 15 songs. Currently, she said, she's practicing the duets with her fellow singers.

Through the road show, Anggun wants to prove that despite her international success, she has never forgotten her homeland and loyal fans in Indonesia. But of course, she added, "it's not that I'm not popular anymore in other countries that I want to return *to Indonesia* this time. No, no, no. it's not like that," she laughed.

According to creative officer Indra Kurniawan from promoter Dytama, the concert tour hopes to attract about 10,000 audience members. The tickets, priced from Rp 350,000 to Rp 1 million, will be available in mid-July.

Want more information about tickets and the tour? Take a peek at www.anggunroadshow2009.com.

Michael Jackson: The Collection

2009-07-13T01:42:00.000-07:00

Product Description

Import-only 2009 five CD box set, initially compiled to celebrate Michael Jackson's historic return to the stage in London. The Collection is a special set containing five mini LP sleeve editions of his incredible studio albums in one lift-off box: Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and Invincible. Includes a booklet that contains album info, tracklistings, credits and more. Michael Jackson: The Collection now serves as a celebration of his life and the music he leaves behind.

Track Listing

CD 1 - Off The Wall (1979)
CD1-1 Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Single Version) (6:04)
CD1-2 Rock With You (Single Version) (3:39)
CD1-3 Workin' Day And Night (5:13)
CD1-4 Get On The Floor (4:38)
CD1-5 Off The Wall (4:05)
CD1-6 Girlfriend (3:04)
CD1-7 She's Out Of My Life (Single Version) (3:37)
CD1-8 I Can't Help It (4:28)
CD1-9 It's The Falling In Love (3:47)
CD1-10 Burn This Disco Out (3:40)
CD1-11 Quincy Jones Interview 1 (0:37)
CD1-12 Voice-over Intro "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Original Demo From 1978)" Quincy Jones (0:13)
CD1-13 Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Original Demo From 1978) (4:48)
CD1-14 Quincy Jones Interview 2 (0:30)
CD1-15 Voice-over Intro "Workin' Day And Night (Original Demo From 1978)" Quincy Jones (0:10)
CD1-16 Workin' Day And Night (Original Demo From 1978) (4:19)
CD1-17 Quincy Jones Interview 3 (0:48)
CD1-18 Rod Temperton Interview (4:57)
CD1-19 Quincy Jones Interview 4 (1:32)

CD 2 - Thriller (1983)
CD2-1 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (6:03)
CD2-2 Baby Be Mine (4:20)
CD2-3 Michael Jackson Feat. Paul McCartney The Girl Is Mine (3:42)
CD2-4 Thriller (5:57)
CD2-5 Beat It (Single Version) (4:18)
CD2-6 Billie Jean (Single Version) (4:54)
CD2-7 Human Nature (4:06)
CD2-8 P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (3:59)
CD2-9 The Lady In My Life (5:00)

CD 3 - Bad (1987)
CD3-1 Bad (4:07)
CD3-2 The Way You Make Me Feel (4:57)
CD3-3 Speed Demon (4:01)
CD3-4 Liberian Girl (3:52)
CD3-5 Just Good Friends (4:05)
CD3-6 Another Part Of Me (Single Version) (3:53)
CD3-7 Man In The Mirror (5:19)
CD3-8 Michael Jackson Feat. Siedah Garrett I Just Can't Stop Loving You (4:11)
CD3-9 Dirty Diana (4:40)
CD3-10 Smooth Criminal (Radio Edit) (4:16)
CD3-11 Leave Me Alone (4:38)
CD3-12 Quincy Jones Interview 1 (4:03)
CD3-13 Streetwalker (5:49)
CD3-14 Quincy Jones Interview #2 (2:53)
CD3-15 Todo Mi Amor Eres Tu (I Just Can't Stop Loving You) (4:05)
CD3-16 Quincy Jones Interview 3 (2:30)
CD3-17 Voice-over Intro "Fly Away" Quincy Jones (0:08)
CD3-18 Fly Away (3:26)

CD 4 - Dangerous (1991)
CD4-1 Jam (5:38)
CD4-2 Why You Wanna Trip On Me (5:23)
CD4-3 In The Closet (6:30)
CD4-4 She Drives Me Wild (3:39)
CD4-5 Remember The Time (3:59)
CD4-6 Can't Let Her Get Away (4:58)
CD4-7 Heal The World (6:24)
CD4-8 Black Or White (4:14)
CD4-9 Who Is It (6:33)
CD4-10 Give In To Me (5:28)
CD4-11 Will You Be There (7:40)
CD4-12 Keep The Faith (5:56)
CD4-13 Gone Too Soon (3:21)
CD4-14 Dangerous (6:57)

CD 5 - Invincible (2001)
CD5-1 Unbreakable (6:25)
CD5-2 Heartbreaker (5:09)
CD5-3 Invincible (4:45)
CD5-4 Break Of Dawn (5:31)
CD5-5 Heaven Can Wait (4:48)
CD5-6 You Rock My World (Edit) (5:37)
CD5-7 Butterflies (4:39)
CD5-8 Speechless (3:18)
CD5-9 2000 Watts (4:24)
CD5-10 You Are My Life (4:33)
CD5-11 Privacy (5:04)
CD5-12 Don't Walk Away (4:24)
CD5-13 Cry (5:00)
CD5-14 The Lost Children (3:59)
CD5-15 Whatever Happens (4:55)
CD5-16 Threatened (4:19)

THE E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies)

2009-06-13T01:28:00.000-07:00

Product Description

The new album by The Black Eyed Peas is off to a blazing start! The first single from The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies), BOOM BOOM POW was also the Peas' very first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart!

With The E.N.D., The Peas are poised to continue with the success of Elephunk and their fourth release Monkey Business - they have had multiple hit anthems, such as "My Humps" "Pump It" and "Let's Get It Started" along with "Don't Phunk With My Heart" "Where is the Love?" and "Don't Lie".

In the midst of the success of the Black Eyed Peas, FERGIE released her debut solo album, The Dutchess, in 2006. To date the album has sold over six million copies worldwide and spanned five Top 5 hits. Moreover, Fergie became the first female artist in history to have four consecutive #1 singles (Billboard).

Will.i.am is also a Grammy nominated producer - nominated for the Producer of The Year Award in 2007 and nominated again at the 2009 Grammy's. He has lent his services to some of the biggest superstars in the business; Fergie, The Pussycat Dolls, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Ricky Martin, Justin Timberlake, Diddy, Nas, Michael Jackson, Usher, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and U2. Besides his music endeavors, will.i.am is committed to social activism and is an outspoken advocate of progressive political initiatives. His "Yes We Can" video won an EMMY and a Webby Award and has over 19 million views on YouTube to date.

The Black Eyed Peas have sold over 20 million albums worldwide, have won three Grammy awards and have been nominated for 11 total as well as awards won at Teen Choice, MTV, American Music Awards, among many others from around the world!

Album Review

By M. Nichols

A self-confessed music snob, just a few years ago I would have dismissed this as throwaway music. And it still is. If you want lyrics, go find Leonard Cohen. If you want virtuosity, grab some Zappa. If you want a fun, energetic listen for a summer drive, look no farther.

The latest offering from the Black Eyed Peas is far, far removed from their rap beginnings (in fact it really drops all pretense of rap at all and can easily be labeled "dance pop"). It is also the most consistent release since the introduction of the Elephunk-era lineup. Starting strong with the single "Boom Boom Pow," The E.N.D. keeps the momentum going for the first five tracks. It fades a bit in the middle, regains its steam with the excellent "Showdown" and then really drops off with the overly socially conscious closers "Now Generation" and "One Tribe." To make this a 5-star release they would need a little resequencing: 1) Lose the Lieutenant Worff narration bits, 2) Drop "Now Generation" and "One Tribe," and 3) relocate "Rockin to the Beat" to mid-album and close with the album's highlight, "Meet Me Halfway," where the Peas gel as a band and Fergie hits her vocal peak, emulating Debbie Harry at her best.

All said, this is incredibly fun, albeit disposable, pop. It is tailor-made for a road trip - or even your commute home on a June Friday - and The E.N.D. will fit nicely in your changer right along with Lady GaGa's The Fame, Flo Rida's R.o.o.t.s (Route Of Overcoming The Struggle) and Akon's Freedom. None are bound to be writ large in the history of recorded music but all provide one heck of a good time - and isn't that what it's all about, anyway?

All I Ever Wanted (Deluxe)

2009-05-13T01:13:00.000-07:00

By Larry Davis "powerpoplarry

It really is. I was worried that on this record, Kelly would be backpedaling from the bold, uncommercial, dark "My December" to make "Breakaway Pt 2"...and the similar to SYBG but improved "My Life Would Suck Without You" had me a tad worried. Nothing wrong with having hits on the radio and mass success, as long as you don't sacrifice artistic integrity and credibility for pandering commerciality, and in the wrong hands, that's what this 4th album by Kelly easily could have been.

Instead, and this is what's remarkable here, she takes the same emotional terrain of "My December", and artistic boldness, but places it in a brighter, catchier, powerpoppier context. The songs are great powerpop tunes because they concentrate on the CRAFT, not the commerciality, and the songs hold up well to repeated listens. There's lots of variety here (powerpop/dancerock/country/punk/retro girlgroup and soul), yet it doesn't sound like a hodgepodge either, with an assorted buffet that don't sound great together. Credit it to the sequencing. Songs here can stand alone as singles, but they go well together as a piece. Not easy to do. Plus, 7 of the tunes were cowritten by Kelly herself...always the best way to be. Now, I am NOT a fan of Ryan Tedder and his band Onerepublic, I hate their record with a passion, and the singles "Apologize" & "Stop & Stare" are two of the worst songs of last year...too commercial, flat and annoying. Luckily, Kelly's collabos with him are great songs...credit it more to Kelly, not Ryan...maybe they had good artistic chemistry or something.

All the tracks here are great, but one that stands out is the punky "Whyyawannabringmedown", with her approximation of Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten snarl that really works.

Bottom line...Kelly Clarkson is not afraid of artistic growth, nor is she afraid of having hits...as long as she doesn't sacrifice the art...as it should be...it's hits on her terms, commerciality and Idol be damned. Also, if it wasn't for "My December", "All I Ever Wanted" would have existed in lame form, as she wouldn't have had the proper context and growth to make it as good as it is.

Not saying it's the best album of 2009 yet, but it IS one of the better pop records of the year, and it could get even better by year's end, and I'm really curious as to what her next artistic step will be. A difficult one??? An easy one??? Only time will tell.

2009 Grammy Nominees

2009-04-03T06:54:00.000-07:00

I liked some of the music, but I have to admit the Jonas Brothers cut left me cold. And the Eagles? Take a peek at the track listings and see if you're interested in the cd. If you don't care for the artists, you probably won't like the cd. Here's another volume of the annual Grammy Nominees series.

If you like pop music, this is a good collection.

You get almost 80 min. worth of music and a glimpse inside what is "big" in the mainstream music industry at this particular moment. Not all songs are worthwhile, but enough are. My favorite songs on this cd are "Going On" by Gnarls Barkley (I love it so much I bought the music video too), "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. (super-catchy, totally unique song), "American Boy" by Estelle & Kanye West, a fun & entertaining tune, "Closer" by Ne-Yo - he has a beautiful voice, "Love Don't Live Here" by Lady Antebellum, great song, beautifully sung, "So What" by Pink - powerhouse voice, and she rocks this fun song, "Mercy" by Duffy - excellent song, what a great voice this woman has, and "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis - wow, what a voice and she sings so seemingly effortlessly. Great listening!

I liked most of the tracks on this Grammy disc. Duffy's "Mercy" is a fun song to listen and dance to. I also like the track "Paper Planes" by MIA. I also like the country song "Love Don't Live Here". I like the track "American Boy" by Estelle and Kanye West. The unlikely pairing of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss works on the duet "Please Read The Letter" I like Alison's fiddle playing on this track The weakest tracks on this disc are Lil Wayne's "Got Money" and the Jonas Brothers "Burning Love". I know that both artists have legions of fans, but these songs just didn't connect with me. Adele has a good voice, but "Chasing Pavements" is a boring song to me. The disc has some gems, but it also has some weak songs.

If you don't care for the artists, you probably won't like the cd.

Rockferry

2009-03-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

Rockferry, the Welsh singer's lovingly constructed debut album, has already succeeded beyond expectations, and although Duffy may not quite be the ingénue portrayed by a clever press campaign (she nearly won a local television talent show a few years back while a single credited to Aimee Duffy is still available on iTunes) she is surely the most appealing of the current flood of young soul sirens.
The sound of someone singing herself to stardom, Rockferry is at times genuinely amazing.

Radio One's Jo Whiley chose Duffy's title track and album taster `Rockferry' as her Single of the Week in late November, further adding to the momentum. Butler was introduced to Duffy by Rough Trade's Jeannette Lee who,in August 2004 and after hearing demos recorded in this or that mate's home, became the singer's mentor and manager. Jimmy Hogarth & Steve Booker are the other collaborators on this classic-in-waiting. The title track and album opener, as atmospheric, slow-building and idiosyncratic song as you could hope for, leads into a collection of original material that some might call retro in feel (those Dusty flavours, that girl group vibe) but which Duffy herself prefers to identify as classic. Duffy is the real, unspoiled original deal.

"Warwick Avenue" lopes into action with a hint of The Temptations' "My Girl", "Stepping Stone'" s pensive intro seems to scream "Walk On By" and "Syrup And Honey" has more than a whiff of the Stax sound about it.

The comparisons with Dusty Springfield are so wide of the mark. Dusty was a much lustier performer. Yes Duffy has the same look and works in the same pop landscape Dusty strode, but Duffy's voice is much more steeped in the tone of the poppier Motown songstrels.

For Duffy, like Winehouse, is utterly immersed in classic soul music, but where Winehouse now seems blurry and damaged, Duffy is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Duffy is the sweet to Winehouse's sour, the blonde to Amy's tattered brunette. This is an album every bit as solid as "Back To Black", with tracks that sound like dusty soul standards.

The result is mighty good pop.

Heaven, Heartache, and the Power of Love

2009-03-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

Trisha Yearwood offers up some memorable story songs on this follow-up to 2005's "Jasper County," infusing each tale with her pitch-perfect delivery. "Nothin' 'Bout Memphis" finds a guilt-ridden woman hiding a past romance from her current lover, while "Dreaming Fields" is an achingly beautiful reminiscence of a 1940's couple who lose the family farm.

A great collection of barn burning country rock and gorgeous ballads. Trisha ventures outside previous comfort zones with a novelty song (Cowboys Are My Weakness) and a celtic tinged story song (The Dreaming Fields) with great results. What holds the album together are the gorgeous vocals by Trisha- her strongest studio singing yet, and the high quality of the songs- especially the lyrics. A great ALBUM- from start to finish.

'Heaven' sent; Trisha Yearwood's voice carries straight to the heart on a nearly flawless CD BYLINE: PRESTON JONES, Star-Telegram staff writer SECTION: F; Pg. 3 In country music, more than other genres, artists are often called upon to interpret the work of others. Trisha Yearwood is among those who excel at wringing every last drop of emotion from third-party material that could otherwise feel bland. That Yearwood has one of modern music's most ingratiating instruments doesn't hurt, either. Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love, her first album of new material in 24 months, is a showcase for her warm, buoyant alto; the 13-track disc is split neatly between up-tempo, no-frills country-rockers and haunting ballads with an occasional burst of brassy attitude.

Heaven, Heartache and the Power ofLove's cohesion is also aided by the relative lack of duds -- Yearwood's discerning ear for compelling tracks means that misfires like Drown Meare infrequent. Rather, the album takes flight with songs like The Dreaming Fields, an absorbing sense memory that somehow evokes Terrence Malick's film Days of Heaven and simultaneously reveals Yearwood's debt to such predecessors as Linda Ronstadt.

Yearwood's 13th studio album glows with an easy charm.

In Rainbows

2009-03-07T06:12:00.000-08:00

On the deliriously satisfying In Rainbows, Radiohead returns to a more straight-ahead (though subdued) rock sound. Much hubbub has been made about this record's innovative release. Radiohead allowed fans to pay what they wished to download fairly low-resolution tracks from the band's own website. Little of the press seemed to focus on the record itself, which actually made sense because it was so entertaining and inviting, the most low-key album Radiohead has made to date.

There's even a very straight-forward, simple, silly little love song, "House of Cards." Could Radiohead's seventh album have come at a more appropriate time? Arriving on the heels of the major labels' ugly jury trial victory against a file-sharer (Jammie Thomas from Brainerd, Minn., was fined $222,000 for sharing 24 songs), In Rainbows is poised to drive a large nail in the RIAA's coffin and begin the "Industry vs. Internet" discussions anew. "It used to be just [having a release] on a major label was a source of prestige and status," said Danny Goldberg, former CEO of Warner Bros. Records and Mercury Records.

Slowly but surely, the industry-induced barrier between music and listeners continues to erode. It isn't that Radiohead veers away from the function they've served since OK Computer (inverting their internalized anxiety with tropes and imagery), they've just found prettier ways to do it, and fans that have already heard the record consistently speak about the music above all else.

The first sounds to flow out of the speakers are Phil Selway's serpentine drums, crisply teched-out à la Battles' "Leyendecker," as though Selway were hitting the heads with live wires. / How come I end up where I belong?" sounds a bit out of place alongside the Greenwood brothers' comforting guitar-bass interaction and Selway's fluid drum patterns, but when Yorke repeats it near the end, "15 Step" has morphed into a frustrated, minor-key Insides song for the 2000s, burning with repressed energy, and everything makes sense.

Radiohead pays careful attention to their openers as scene-setters, and if In Rainbows can be distilled down to a single track, "15 Step" would arguably be it. Here and elsewhere, conflicting emotions meld together into a dizzying, dazzling tableau, as the chemistry between the band and their technology-wielding producer Nigel Godrich only continues to improve.

"Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" is Radiohead at their most conventionally gorgeous, its stacked arpeggios from Yorke's guitar and Johnny Greenwood's Ondes Martenot keyboard pouring themselves over the track like so much nectar. Though Yorke's darkly imagistic language pops up here, the backing music is so dulcet that getting "eaten by the worms, weird fishes" may just be a metaphor for falling in love. Such smoothly executed dualities are all over In Rainbows: "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" is both upbeat and slightly sinister, while the song's protagonist watches the club she's in become blurry and finds herself caught between dancing and running away.

In "House of Cards," Yorke intones, "I don't want to be your friend / I just want to be your lover" over the album's most spring-like guitar lick. A lone piano plays in empty space, soon joined by Yorke: "When I'm at the Pearly Gates / This will be on videotape." And over the course of the song, instruments and voices conjure a soft lament while the drums grow increasingly warped, like the tracking bars on some forgotten VHS carrying a precious memory. Whether In Rainbows stands the test of time is entirely up to you.

TENTATIVE TRACKLIST: "15 Step" – 3:57 "Bodysnatchers" – 4:02 "Nude" – 4:15 "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" – 5:18 "All I Need" – 3:48 "Faust Arp" – 2:09 "Reckoner" – 4:50 "House of Cards" – 5:28 "Jigsaw Falling into Place" – 4:09 "Videotape" – 4:39 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Superwoman

2009-02-24T05:19:00.000-08:00

There is no doubt about Alicia Keys, and the strength of her music. Not only are her songs strong and straight from the soul and heart, but she has much better songs than those wannabe divas like Beyonce' and The Pussycat Dolls.

Her latest single, Superwoman, the fourth single from As I Am is absolutely no acceptations. The song is very heartfelt and delivers a very strong message to woman everywhere, about defying the odds, and proving that you can be anything that you want to be from the heart, unlike the images we've been seeing from Paris Hilton and Ashley Dupree, the foolish and selfish call girl who slept with former New York Governor Elliot Spitzer, that has said the only way you can be a role is by being a bit sexier on the outside.

Thankfully, Alicia really proves that theory absolutely wrong, and just being yourself in the heart and soul is really all that should matter, whether it is being a lawyer or doctor or just about being anything. I like the message Alicia delivers, and it should be delivered to woman everywhere as a strong sign that you really can be a superwoman.
Alicia Keys crooned her way through this song... It's very relate-able, uplifting and positive... "Even when someone a mess I put an "S" on my chest cause I'm a Superwoman."

Then later on, it started to play at my job, which was sweet within itself. When you hear songs like this that I can relate to or are upbeat and/or positive, I perform better.

Anyway, the job is now gone but this song will live on "forever" as a modern classic.

Raising Sand

2009-02-15T04:45:00.000-08:00

Perhaps only the fantasy duo of King Kong and Bambi could be a more bizarre pairing than Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Yet on Raising Sand, their haunting and brilliant collaboration, the Led Zeppelin screamer and Nashville's most hypnotic song whisperer seem made for each other. At times, Burnette's spare and deliberate soundscape--incisively crafted by guitarists Marc Ribot and Norman Blake, bassist Dennis Crouch, drummer Jay Bellerose, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Seeger, among others--is nearly as dreamy and subterranean as Daniel Lanois's work with Emmylou Harris (Wrecking Ball).

Occasionally, Burnette opts for a fairly straightforward production while still reworking the original song (Plant's own "Please Read the Letter," Mel Tillis's "Stick with Me, Baby"). On the opening track of "Rich Woman," the soft-as-clouds vocals strike an optimistic mood, while the instrumental backing--loose snare, ominous bass line, and insinuating electric guitar lines--create a spooky, sinister undertow. Plant and Krauss trade out the solo and harmony vocals, and while they both venture into new waters here (Krauss as a mainstream blues mama, Plant as a gospel singer and honkytonker), she steals the show in Sam Phillips' new "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us," where a dramatic violin and tremulous banjo strike a foreboding gypsy tone. When Krauss begins this strange, seductive song in a voice so ethereal that angels will take note, you may stop breathing. That, among other reasons, makes Raising Sand an album to die for.

Despite hailing from distinctly different backgrounds, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant share a maverick spirit and willingness to extend the boundaries of their respective genres. This spirit, expertly honed by producer T Bone Burnett, has resulted in an album pitched three steps beyond some cosmic collision of early urban blues, spacious West Texas country, and the untapped potential of the folk-rock revolution.

Supported by the unparalleled musicianship of Marc Ribot, Dennis Crouch, Mike Seeger, Jay Bellerose, Norman Blake, Greg Leisz, Patrick Warren, and Riley Baugus, Plant and Krauss -- as both solo and harmony vocalists -- tackle an intriguing selection of songs from such tunesmiths as Tom Waits, Gene Clark, Sam Phillips, Townes Van Zandt, The Everly Broth! ers, and Mel Tillis. Raising Sand finds Robert Plant and Alison Krauss exploring popular music's elemental roots while still sounding effortlessly, breath-takingly contemporary.

The song "Killing the Blues" is featured in the new JC Penney American Living Campaign.
This is wonderful listening. _ Rock, pop, folk, international. That's what music should be but too often isn't because the folks who run record companies and radio stations want to put music in the narrowest possible category.

It's also a breakthrough for all three artists, including Burnett, but especially Krauss, who in her last few albums has boxed herself in with very nice listenable material that's too often predictable. Beyond that, I've never heard an album where the voices blend so well that it's hard to tell where one stops and the other picks up _ Tom Waits' "Trampled Rose'' is the exemplar of that and the most fascinating and haunting song on the album.

The last number begins with Mike Seeger on autoharp leading into a Doc Watson gospel tune. Seeger discovered Elizabeth Cotten, who was his family's housekepper, and he was one of the pioneers who convinced record labels to record roots artists, Watson among them. It's one of the few albums _ Luncinda Williams' "Essence'' is another _ that can get away with slow tempos and minor keys on two-thirds of the songs and not sound repetitious or boring.

Other artists are trying _ Ben Harper and Norah Jones, with whom Krauss guested on a Bonnie Raitt show/CD/DVD are mingling pop, rock, country, gospel and reggae (in Harper's case.)

This landmark album makes that point even more strongly.

Detours

2009-02-05T04:25:00.000-08:00

Thematically, Detours may not seem like much of a detour to Sheryl Crow fans. From the quiet, faraway-sounding opener "God Bless This Mess"--a novel in a song--to the catchy but thought-provoking "Gasoline," it's clear that Crow has more on her mind these days than soaking up the sun or having a little fun, à la the Tuesday Night Music Club era. Yet there's not a groan-worthy song on this standout rock/pop/folk/blues album. If the themes are heavy (in addition to the political songs, there's an almost painfully tender lullaby for her son Wyatt and one, "Make It Go Away [Radiation Song]," that touches on her breast-cancer experience), the mood is cathartic, determined, hopeful at times and sad at others. Sheryl Crow is set to release her sixth studio album, DETOURS. The album marks the return of producer Bill Bottrell, who previously worked with Crow on her breakthrough debut album Tuesday Night Music Club, which earned the singer three Grammy Awards, and sold more than ten million copies worldwide. It's about being forced to wake up," says Crow.

If 2002's sun-drenched "Come On, Come On" found a nail-biting Sheryl Crow unsure of her position as pop tunesmith or serious singer/songwriter, 2005's "Wildflower" - her "art" record as she dubbed it - certified she could straddle the line without compromise.

Crow reunites with Bill Bottrell, producer of her 1993 debut "Tuesday Night Music Club," and the results are compelling and thoroughly listenable. Lo-fi opener "God Bless This Mess" is wall-to-wall Crow, reiterating the song's title line despite hazy post 9/11 life, while the jaunty radio-ready rock of the futuristic blue-collar anthem "Gasoline" and bouncy single "Love Is Free" keep the pace.

She bares her soul on "Make It Go Away (Radiation Song)" and delivers a high-octane rocker in the politically conscious "Shine Over Babylon," but the revelatory title track and cheery, swashbuckling "Out of Our Heads" keep the colors from running too dark.

Twilight Soundtrack [SOUNDTRACK]

2009-01-24T16:55:00.000-08:00

Product Description

Twilight is an action packed, modern day love story between a vampire and a human. Bella Swan has always been a little bit different and when her mother sends Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she doesn't expect much of anything to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen, a boy unlike any she's ever met.

Soon, Bella and Edward are swept up in a passionate and decidedly unorthodox romance. Like all vampires, he's immortal. But he doesn't have fangs, and he doesn't drink human blood. To Edward, Bella is that thing he has waited 90 years for: a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. But what will Edward and Bella do when James, Laurent and Victoria, the Cullens' mortal vampire enemies, come to town, looking for her? This is the first movie from the book series from author Stephanie Meyer. The series are currently some of the most popular books written for young adults, with sales exceeding 50 million copies worldwide since the Twilight debut in 2004 and over 7.7 million copies sold in the U.S. alone. The fourth book in the series, Breaking Dawn, was released on August 2, 2008 and sold over 1.2 million units on the first day.

I Am...Sasha Fierce

2009-01-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

Product Description

Standard two CD pressing. One of 2008's most hotly anticipated album releases, I Am..Sasha Fierce marks the artist's first new studio collection since the Grammy-winning multi-platinum-selling B'Day debuted at #1 on charts around the world shortly after its international release on September 4, 2006. With all songs co-written and co-produced by Beyonc‚, the artist's third studio album is her most personal, reflective and revelatory collection to-date. 11 tracks.

Product Review
By FangeD

Before I start, I'm just gonna say I'm not an amazing reviewer, but I am going to give an honest review.

I am definately not the biggest Beyonce fan by far, as I usually like to stray away from mainstream music as often as I can, being such over processed crap as most of it is. But this is Beyonce we're talking about, she has amazing talent, and an amazing vocal range. Which is why I'm so appalled that she had the audacity to release such an album. It's almost like she's saying, "I'm Beyonce, I'm amazing, and people will jump on anything I create, so why even make an attempt."

I'm one of the idiots who purchased the deluxe album, and after unwrapping it at home and actually checking out the track listing and such, all of these songs could have DEFINATELY fit onto one album. There was nothing deluxe about it.

After listening to the first disc, I almost felt I had to check my stereo to make sure I didn't have the same song on repeat over and over. The entire first disc is nothing but power ballads, that lack just that, power. There was no emotion, they all sounded exactly the same: bland, dull, and over-polished. It made me feel like she went into the studio and just recorded each track to the same intrumental, back to back, and called it a night.

The second disc I'm assuming was supposed to be the disc with club anthems, party songs and such. It had the typical "independent" ladies song, and the typical "boast like a man" song. I forced myself through the whole thing just to say I gave it a shot. Basically the only song worth anything on this entire collection is the song "Single Ladies", which I'm still not bananas about.
Beyonce, you're incredible, but this album was a slap in the face to all of your fans and anyone who even mildly liked you. Giving it two stars is generous, and I wasn't in the mood.

It definately seems like I'm bashing Beyonce in this review, but I'm not bashing her, I'm bashing her feeble effort in this album release. I'm sure she'll notice the poor feedback from this cd and the next will be incredible. She should definately take her time and create an album with songs that have some staying power. Because if there ever was a Beyonce album to forget in the dust it's definately this one.

Joy To The World

2009-01-04T15:59:00.000-08:00

Product Description
The first holiday album from super-star Faith Hill, 'Joy To The World' is a joy to behold, featuring beautiful new versions of ten traditional and modern classics, complete with horns, strings, woodwings, percussion and chorales, much like the big-band orchestras of the 40's and 50's. One of the most popular music stars in America, Faith Hill celebrates the joy-and faith- of the season with 'Joy to the World.'

Product Review
By Amanda Richards "Modest to the extreme"

Seems like Christmas starts earlier and earlier every year, and this year the new albums have already started coming out. "Country" and "Christmas" have always gone hand in hand, and this is Faith Hill's very first album of Christmas music.

There are ten traditional carols, plus the single "A Baby Changes Everything", and the album has a big band sound that will remind you of those old black and white holiday movies that they dig out every single year.

"A Baby Changes Everything" puts the Christmas story in a modern light, beginning:
"Teenage girl, much too young / Unprepared for what's to come / A baby changes everything"
and ending:
"My whole life is turned around / I was lost and now I'm found / A baby changes everything"

I found that on a couple of the tracks Faith out-sang the backing orchestra, but the following songs are the ones to put on your playlist this season:

Joy to the World
What Child is This?
Little Drummer Boy
Away in a Manger
O Holy Night
Winter Wonderland
A Baby Changes Everything

Thanks Faith, for not changing up the traditional carols and making them unrecognizable, and although the big band sound isn't my thing, this is a warm and fuzzy album to add to your playlist. Recommended for fans of old movies, big bands, and traditional carols.

Rated: 4.5 stars

Prospekt's March [EP] [LIMITED EDITION]

2008-12-29T23:46:00.000-08:00

I've been an avid fan of Coldplay since A Rush of Blood to the Head, but never did I think they would become something too beautiful for words. Truly, if you haven't heard any of their music after X&Y, you will be completely surprised.

As a historian, musician, and rather open-minded person, I've found both Viva La Vida and Prospekt's March to be absolutely fantastic works of art. There's a story here. Listen to Violet Hill, and then listen to Prospekt's March. Take in the music, but don't forget the history behind it. Figuring out exactly what they're talking about is one of the most exciting things in the world. I won't spoil it here.

As for the new tracks on Prospekt's March, well, they're not new. They're leftovers from Viva La Vida, which is actually a great thing. These songs won't be left to the depths of history and never heard again.

1. Life in Technicolor ii is perhaps even better than the original. Why Chris axed it is a mystery to me.

2. Postcards from Far Away: A short piano session, but beautiful in its sound. It really reminds you of a postcard or connection from a distant place.

3. Glass of Water: Epic. The buildup is fantastic. I won't even try to explain it here.

4. Rainy Day: Somewhat similar to Viva la Vida in its use of some orchestral instruments. Very varied. It's like a hundred things are happening at once, and the lyrics go well.

5. Prospekt's March: In sound, opposite of Violet Hill. In lyrics, possibly one of the most beautiful songs in recent times.

6. Lost+: Nothing new here, you could've gotten this weeks ago from the Lost EP. It's the remix with Jay-Z; while it doesn't sound that bad, it's not crazy or anything. Good effort by them to branch out, though.

7. Lovers in Japan (Osaka Mix): Basically, Lovers in Japan without the ending piano session. Also, this song was mastered slightly differently, as Chris's voice is further and various instruments are closer. If anything, it sounds more like the music video.

8. Now My Feet Won't Touch the Ground: Somewhat reminds me of Til Kingdom Come, but still an amazing song nonetheless. A good finish for an EP.

Overall, it's not a completely different beast. It's just a great addition to an already amazing line.

By E. Kelly

Circus [DELUXE EDITION]

2008-12-15T23:36:00.000-08:00

Blackout was an appropriate record for Britney Spears to release in 2007. Hounded by paparazzi, coming off a horrific performance at that year's VMAs, shaving her head and acting decidedly crazy, it was easily Spears' worst year to date. Blackout was heavily produced (some would even go so far as to call it fake), defiant, dirty, and eminently danceable. It was an album where Britney didn't really seem in control; her voice was vocoder-ed to the extreme, the lyrics were some of the most ridiculously shallow and naughty she has put to record, and it seemed like Brit was drowning her sorrows in synths and club bangers with the occasional jab at the media. It was also an excellent, wonderfully entertaining album.

Circus, on the other hand, is Spears circa late 2008. Calmer and (slightly) more refined than her previous release, it does recognize the three-ring show Spears' life has been in the past couple of years on the title track, where Spears knowingly sings "there's only two types of people in the world / ones that entertain, and the ones that observe / well baby I'm a put-on-a-show kinda girl / don't like the backseat, gotta be first." But for most of the record, Brit is content to put the past behind her, and Circus is what you would expect from her: lyrics about seduction, love, and relationships with a heap of double-entendres. Unlike Blackout's almost monochromatic mix of pounding dance jams and take-off-your-clothes club hits, however, Circus is a more traditional pop record, a record that aims to put its ringleader back on top of the Top 40 world with a veritable army of A-list songwriters and producers.

She does a fantastic job with first single and opener "Womanizer," her second #1 single and a song that seems like a Blackout outtake, all whirling synths and Britney's seductive coo relating a threadbare tale of unfaithful men. The song is exceedingly well produced, simple, and undeniably catchy. The aforementioned "Circus" keeps the energy high with a fat bass line and a thunderous beat, but then we encounter something Brit hasn't done in a while: an authentic ballad. "Out From Under" is a syrupy break-up track that reminds one why Spears still sounds far better stripping in a club than serenading her beau. With corny lyrics ("I try to put it in the past / hold on to myself and don't look back") and a mediocre R&B beat, "Out From Under" illustrates Spears reverting to that standard pop formula of a balanced pop album, complete with mandatory "slow" tracks.

If Brit is trying to relive her glory days, as the idealized cover art seems to support, she would do well to seize the present rather than try to recreate her old success. The best songs here are those that do what Blackout did so well; turn Brit into a one-woman engine of lust, surround her with expensive, trashy electro-pop beats, and have lyrics that either float along with the song or have some bite to them. The unrelenting "Kill The Lights," with a jack-hammering hi-hat and a menacing horn part, takes her critics to task on one hand ("your words don't stick / I ain't perfect, but you ain't either") and makes a sly insinuation in the other ("is that money in your pocket? / or you happy to see me?"). The trippy "Unusual You" is the best slow song here, caught in a haze of muddied piano and synth while Brit's vocals echo up and down hypnotically. The lyrics are a half-hearted attempt at declaring one's love, but when you have music this good, the last thing you're doing is listening to what she's trying to say.

Not all of the "dance" tracks work to pop perfection here, however, be it a combination of ill-chosen lyrics or lackluster beats. "Blur" is an odd choice, a stuttering, space-y cautionary tale where Spears moans "where the hell am I / who are you? What'd we do last night?" It's a song made awkward more for its eerie, probably true depiction of Spear's nightlife than anything else. "Mmm Papi" is a terrible teenybopper impression that rumbles along a pogo-ing guitar riff and a very `80s chorus that has one of Britney's more embarrassing vocal performances. And while not a dance track, closer "My Baby" gets its very own mention for sheer cheese; a "heartfelt" ballad about her kids, it tries to out-Mariah Mariah Carey, minus the impressive lung power and anything more than a boring adult-contemporary backing track.

But moments of pop bliss occur more often than not on Circus, and as the public has been more than willing to do over the past year, it only makes sense to forgive Britney for trying to regress into teen-pop mode. But it's when Brit is being badly behaved, like on the sexily deranged Max Martin cut "If You Seek Amy" or the teasing "Lace And Leather" (the title says it all), that she's truly in her element. With the money she's likely to be making on this record, let's hope that her new Euro-trash pop exploits won't be derailed by any public meltdowns any time soon.

By Rudy Klapper

Fearless [ENHANCED]

2008-12-05T23:13:00.000-08:00

Taylor Swift is one talented teen! She had a hand again in every song on her highly anticipated sophomore CD - this time she wrote 7, and co-wrote 6. The first single, "Love Story" is a good example of how she can combine great lyrics with a catchy beat - and then produce a smash crossover hit. The most remarkable thing about the album is that it is incredibly balanced...and almost every song is so good that it could be released as a radio single. I think it is now safe to say that she is a rising star who will just keep on rising!

Taylor opens the album with the strong title track "Fearless", and ends the album with the powerful theme song of the summer Olympics, "Change". In the middle is a sure huge hit "The Way I Loved You" - a song that she wrote with John Rich. "Fifteen" is her most personal song, a bittersweet gem where she sings about her freshman year and her best friend for the past 5 years, Abigail. "White Horse" (which has already been featured on Grey's Anatomy) is a well written tearjerker - a heartfelt song that is just waiting to become her next blockbuster hit. A good example of her more acoustic side is "Breathe" - a simple song written with Colbie Caillat who also sings background vocals in the song. Taylor's writing seems to have matured and grown in the past 2 years. Take "The Best Day" for example - which is a completely different but awesome song, which is written about her family. She appeals to a wide audience, and executes this so well here on Fearless.

It's incredible how quickly Taylor crossed over and became not only a big country star, but a huge pop star also. It took only her second single - Teardrops On My Guitar - for her to become amazingly popular in mainstream music! Then she continued to release 3 more hits (two of them #1) off her debut album. Talk about a hard act to follow - but I can't see this trend stopping anytime soon with Fearless - this album is a major home run. She isn't the same country artist who sang "Tim Mcgraw", and I understand that some people will not be happy about that. If there are any flaws here, it would be that many of the songs are pop-country hits which are about the same subject - teens. You can't please everyone, but look for her to just become even bigger and more popular, with more #1's and crossover pop smash hits. Taylor's sophomore CD is very well done...filled with excellent, self-penned, radio-friendly top 40 hits! Overall ~ 9/10 ~

By Joey Sciarra

NOW That's What I Call Music 29

2008-11-29T16:19:00.000-08:00

Product Description

2008 release, the latest in this long-running series of Pop compilations. This is the most up-to-date compilation on the market, containing the absolute hottest songs on the planet including certified hits, songs currently scaling the charts and sizzling radio smashes. This, the 29th installment in the series, features 20 tracks including cuts from Pink, T.I., Lil' Wayne, Leona Lewis, Kardinal Offishall, Rihanna, Pussycat Dolls and many others. Why listen to yesterday's songs when you can live in the here and NOW?!?!.

Comment by McBowlerpimp

I love every edition of the now series because, shucks, I just loves me some pop music. I love the songwriting by other people, the beats instead of people playing instruments and the fact that every song out now has to feature someone else. Originality? Who needs it, these tracks are just straight money. This compilation features several of my personal faves. I'll break a couple of them down:

Pussycat Dolls- Anything by PCD is just money in the bank. If you want danceable tracks about deep things like being hot, this is your group. The songwriting is off the charts awesome. If they all weighed 250 lbs and were unattractive, they would totally still be popular because they are very deep. It's like five of Joni Mitchell

Lil Wayne- I can count the number of CDs this guy is NOT on using my toes. If you tried to collect every CD he was on, you'd have roughly 3,423 cds. This cat is deep and has himself together. When my daughters get older, I hope this is the kind of guy they bring home.

Young Jeezy- Or as I call him "silky smooth". This guy has a voice that leads to sweet love on my corduroy couch with a ladyfriend. He is like Barry White, but instead of smooth soul joints, he rolls out really slow raps and grunts. He's now at the tippy according to the cell phone commercial

Pink- Yes, every song by her sounds pretty much the same, but you know what? Sausage pizza rolls have tasted the same for years and I still love them. Oh boy, give me some pizza rolls and a cool miller lite and it's on like pole position at skateland in 85. I don't even pay attention to what Pink says anymore, I just know she's awesome. She has tatoos and an attitude, what a total rebel!!

Asschowder- They aren't on this CD, but I figured they'll be on NOW 30, so I'd tell you about them. Their song "Yard O' Junk" is tearing up the charts in my town right now. Burns plays keyboards better than Depeche Mode, New Order and A-Ha combined. Their songs are filled with angst, but sensitive enough to make you cry about your breakfast. Let them in your world and your world will be a better place.

Daughtry- I had never heard of this guy until this album. He needs more exposure because he's really awesome.

Average asked this CD if it wanted to coupleskate and the CD gave it a crane kick to the head.

Here are the chart positions of each track on the Billboard Hot 100:

So What-#1
Hot N Cold-#3(this week)
When I Grow Up-#9
Disturbia-#1
Closer-#7
Forever-#2
Dangerous-#5
Whatever You Like-#1
Got Money-#10
Swing-#45
Put On-#12/#3 R&B
The Business-#33/#6 R&B
One Step At A Time-#17
Better In Time-#11
Thunder-#76
Addicted-#20 (this week)
What About Now-#18
Come On Get Higher-#64
Don't Think I Don't Think About It-#35/#1 Country
I Still Miss You-#48/#2 Country

And Winter Came

2008-11-17T20:04:00.000-08:00

Product Description

Twenty years after her landmark Watermark album, Enya's seventh studio disc, And Winter Came continues a phenomenally successful career that has included more than 70 million albums sold worldwide. And Winter Came is an enchanting evocation of the changing landscape of winter as well as the festive cheer of the holidays. One of the most successful female artists of all-time, and second only to U2 as the biggest selling Irish artist in history, Enya brings her beguiling and ethereal music to bear on the darkest and yet most hopeful season with And Winter Came.

Customer Reviews

First of all, let me say that I typically do not enjoy contemporary "Christmas" or "Winter" albums on the whole because I often find that the take on many of the classic carols and hymns are poorly arranged and sung. Also, if there ARE new Christmas songs by the artist, they come of sounding contrived. I am a huge Enya fan, so I am biased, but I genuinely found AWC to be probably the best Winter/Christmas-themed album I've heard. To start off with, there are only two traditional hymns--Oiche Chuin (an Irish version of SILENT NIGHT) and O COME O COME EMMANUEL (an older hymn based on Gregorian chant). Both are performed by Enya with exceptional beauty and skill on this album. Although Enya did perform Oiche Chuin years ago, this new version is is a harmony-based version instead of the single vocal line version of the past and (IMO) is better.

Many of the original compositions are heavenly. LAST TIME BY MOONLIGHT is a spectacular piece both melodically and lyrically. ONE TOY SOLDIER is very sweet and child-like (again, the harmonies are amazing). One of the big surprises is MY! MY! TIME FLIES, which is a 70's-inspired pop song with clever lyrics and a ripping electric/blues guitar solo. I really love JOURNEY OF THE ANGELS as well (it has a bit of the Lord of the Rings theme, Aniron).

There are various reasons to criticize Enya (my biggest criticism has mostly to do with the use of the same instrumentation over and over), but she consistently writes incredibly melodies and her voice is always a pleasure to hear. This album is as good as any of her last 3 albums, and I think most people will love the feeling it creates at Christmas time...the feeling of peace, happiness (and maybe a bit of reminiscence and melancholy).

My Love-Ultimate Essential Collection

2008-11-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

Product Description

Two CD set. 2 CD set with 26 songs includes all 17 songs from single disc. Not on original 'All The Way...:', '(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman', 'The Prayer', (duet with Andrea Bocelli), 'Tell Him' (duet with Barbra Streisand), 'I Knew I Loved You', 'Dance With My Father', 'Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore(taken from D'eux, the biggest selling non-English album in history).

Review by Michael Kerner "Michael Kerner" (Brooklyn, New York U.S.A.)

Honestly, with so many wannabe divas really feeling more like they are just about the looks on the outside, and just the gab alone, whether it is Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez or the overexposed Rihanna, it is just so sad that the simplicity of the songs alone, just doesn't do enough to click with the listeners. That is sad, especially when you listen to older divas like Whitney Houston or Madonna, who haven't really clicked with the new generation, but deliver strong with the classics. That also is said for Celine Dion, whom for the past several years delivered well from a hugely successful Las Vegas headliner for the past couple of years, but hasn't made a stride with record sales. Well, now that is about to change, with a new reflection of her smash era of songs.

The 2008 My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection, does a much better job at reflecting on Celine's 20 year career of her big hits, where the single disc edition sadly crashed and burned with die hard fans. The double album edition is great for newcomers who haven't yet heard her heart go on, or the simplicity of her voice, this is so far the most definitive of her greatest hits. The songs here have all been remastered very well, and mostly doesn't dissapoint. The extended edition delivers with her biggest hits including her standards My Heart Will Go On from Titanic, the elequent Beauty & The Beast with soulful singer Peabo Bryson, to her recent hits Taking Chances, and her cover of Cyndi Lauper's I Drove All Night. The album also brings in the big can't miss moments that appeal well that were also overshadowed from her 1999 All The Way: A Decade Of Song collection, including her duet Tell Him with the legendary songstress Barbara Streisand, To Love You More, and her surprising cover of the late Luther Vandross ballad Dance With My Father. There are also a few new tracks here including the title track, My Love and I Knew I Loved You. But just like the single disc, Essential Collection, there are a few of her big songs that were overlooked (but thankfully not as many as the single disc smaller version.) The album does overlook a few of her standards including Have You Ever Been In Love?, her recent cover of Heart's Alone, When I Fall In Love from Sleepless In Seattle, Misled from The Colour Of Love album.

Nevertheless, My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection does honestly deliver, as a much better greatest hits collection that die hard Celine Dion fans had honestly wished for, and welcomes her stanadrds well to that new era that missed out on the elequent beauty of her voice. I absolutely recommend this double album, as a great addition to your MP3 Library or to your record collection. If there is a collection that you can still say your heart will go on to, this one is almost as close to definitive from Celine Dion you can get as possible.