Norah Jones – Come Away With Me (Blue Note) This is just about the best debut album I’ve heard in years. Jones’ sultry vocals and extraordinary musical taste have led to stunning synthesis of jazz, pop folk and country. The album starts off with the truly astounding “Don’t Know Why” which is simultaneously insanely cool and … Continue reading
Kylie Minogue – Fever (Capitol) Kylie Minogue is a goddess in Europe and her native Australia, rating on the same level as Madonna (in fact, the Material Girl was known to wear Kylie t-shirts on her last tour.) But in the United States, she has just made a few blips on the pop culture radar since … Continue reading
Robbie Williams – Swing When Your Winning (Chrysalis UK) It should be no total surprise that British pop phenomenon Robbie Williams would end up doing an album of all covers (okay, there is one original here, but it is written to be a piece with the other songs chosen). After all, Williams’ old band Take That … Continue reading
Chicago At Carnegie Hall-Volume I, II, III & IV (Columbia C4X 30865) ©1971 Description: Chicago had only been recording for two years and three albums before they released this four-record (remember records?) concert set. Entirely overblown and slightly pretentious, an artistic and popular failure at the time, this still can claim to being the first … Continue reading
DON’T LOOK BACK (1967) Featuring Bob Dylan, Albert Grossman, Bob Neuwirth, Joan Baez, Alan Price, Tito Burns, Donovan, Derold Adams, Chris Ellis, Allan Ginsberg, John Mayall, Howard Alk, Jones Alk and Marianne Faithfull. Written by D.A. Pennebaker. Directed by D.A. Pennebaker. Distributed by New Video Group. 96 minutes. Not Rated. There are not nearly enough … Continue reading
Devo-Pioneers Who Got Scalped–The Anthology (Rhino) Now, many years on, Devo is somewhat thought of as a novelty act. But in 1978, the spuds of Devo were every bit as subversive musically as the Sex Pistols and the Clash. They put together a truly unique philosophical and artistic pose that revolutionized music. The fact that they … Continue reading
Peabo Bryson – Unconditional Love (Private Music) On the first new disk in five years by the soul balladeer extraordinaire, it seems like time has stood still. It is amazing how Unconditional Love feels completely contemporary and yet holds the seductive allure of Bryson’s older work. Bryson’s smooth soul love songs still put the wannabes out now to … Continue reading
Del Amitri – Hatful Of Rain… The Best of Del Amitri (A&M) Del Amitri’s single from about two years ago, “Not Where It’s At” was about a guy who had fallen for a woman who was a total scenester, but she rejected him because he just wasn’t cool enough for her. Ironically, that also pretty much nails … Continue reading
Brian Wilson – Imagination (Giant) It’s kind of sad that after decades of being an acknowledged pop musical genius, former Beach Boys front man Brian Wilson is probably best known now by kids as the guy that Barenaked Ladies sang about. On Wilson’s first solo album in nearly a decade, he sets about straightening that out. … Continue reading
Garbage – Version 2.0 (Almo Sounds) The surprise success of Garbage’s debut album took this band from being a vanity project for producer Bruce Vig and a bunch of studio boffins with a hot British bird fronting into an actual working rock band. This new sense of permanence works in this follow-up’s favor, giving a sense … Continue reading
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