Tony Bennett & k.d. lang – A Wonderful World (RPM/Columbia) Last year’s dual tour between old smoothie Bennett and former torch-and-twang gal turned chanteuse lang turned out to be a surprisingly smart pairing. It has now spawned this album; a tribute to Tony’s old pal Louis Armstrong. While the songs of the scratchy-voiced Satchmo may seem like … Continue reading
Jennifer Love Hewitt – BareNaked (Jive) There is a stigma out there when actors release albums that they are usually bad vanity projects. And often, that is deserved (J.Lo, take a bow.) But sometimes, that is not the case. Sometimes, the star can actually sing and has something interesting to say. Jennifer Love Hewitt fits into … Continue reading
Raphael Saadiq – Instant Vintage (Universal) Raphael Saadiq has logged well over a decade in the music biz as one of the brains behind Tony! Toni! Toné! and last year’s supergroup Lucy Pearl. But other than a few solo soundtrack singles over the years like “Ask Of You” (from Higher Learning) and “Get Involved” (from The PJ’s), he … Continue reading
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
Rod Stewart Storyteller – The Complete Anthology 1964-1990 (Warner Brothers 9 25987-2) ©1990 Description: It may just seem like Rod Stewart has been around forever. This box set makes it even seem more to be so. It is a long… and somehow in four disks rather lean… show of a distinguished career. What’s Good About … 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
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