Archive for June, 2006

You & Me - Joe Bonamassa

A powerful fusion of the “big rock sound” and swampy blues, You & Me gets much of its inspiration from such masters as Peter Green, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and John Lee Hooker. Bonamassa delivers all the excitement and power of his electrifying live performances while mixing it up with dynamic music choices; from […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Like Blood Like Honey - Holly Brook

A lot of roads lead to Holly Brook (the singer, not a picnic destination). There’s the hip-hop path, on which plenty of next-big-thing predictors got to know her through her collaboration with Fort Minor on The Rising Tide (her haunting chorus on “Where’d You Go” became an instant hit). Then there’s the TV path, […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Begin to Hope - Regina Spektor

The style known as “anti-folk,” as realized by practitioners like Ani DiFranco and Billy Bragg, is derived from a punk aesthetic, and thus tends to be spare and confrontational. But while Regina Spektor’s music is anti-folk in the way it subverts the traditional coffeehouse vibe, it’s less interested in rebellion and more concerned with […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

News and Tributes - The Futureheads

So here it is, the second album from The Futureheads. 6 years since forming, 12 record releases, 5 UK tours, 4 US tours, 3 top 20 singles and 250,000 debut albums sold worldwide, where did it all begin? After meeting at the Sunderland City Detatched Youth Project, a lottery funded music scheme for getting […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews, Music News

Getting Somewhere - Allison Moorer

Marriage to Steve Earle (who produced this album) seems to have inspired the musical emancipation of Allison Moorer. Whereas her earliest releases seemed to balance commercial country potential with alt-country attitude, her sixth album achieves a different sort of balance–between fuzztone guitars (which variously recall garage bands, grunge, and Neil Young’s work with Crazy […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

The Phat Pack - Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band

The latest disc from Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band “The Phat Pack” showcases more of the hot licks that fans have come to know and love. In addition to the playful jazz of such tracks as “Whodunnit?” and “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes”, the Big Phat Band teams up with guest vocalist Dianne Reeves, […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Let’s Get out of This Country - Let’s Get out of This Country

The stellar new album from Glasgow’s spectacular pop sextet was influenced by a wide variety of heroes: Jimmy Webb, Lloyd Cole, Connie Francis, Skeeter Davis, The Supremes, and David Lynch. Decidedly upbeat and catchy while also beautifully romantic, quiet, and reflective, this record does not disappoint. The LP includes a coupon for a free […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Ganging Up on the Sun - Guster

Guster’s playful yet literate, spirited and largely acoustic pop-rock returns with the endearing college favorite’s first studio album in three years. Ganging Up On The Sun—produced by Ron Aniello [Lifehouse, Barenaked Ladies and Guster’s previous album, Keep It Together], the band, and new member Joe Pisapia—retains the unconventional, melodic pop craftsmanship and flawless harmonies […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Strummin’ With The Devil: Bluegrass Tribute to Van Halen - David Lee Roth & Others

From the get-go,Van Halen proved breathtaking and ballsy in equal measure. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons Strummin’ with the Devil works so well. In its own hard-pickin’ way, this collection offers a similar sense of musical discovery. Here are those same still-sharp rock gems we know and love retooled using a different sort […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

A Lively Mind - Paul Oakenfold

A Lively Mind, the second artist album from Paul Oakenfold—perhaps the most important figure in modern club culture—is a passionate, up-tempo, electronic adventure. Continuing a tradition of employing unique vocalists, Oakenfold enlisted actress Brittany Murphy (8 Mile, Sin City) for lead track “Faster Kill Pussycat” plus modern hip-hop great Pharrell Williams, hip-hop living legend […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Bastards of Young: The Best of the Replacements - The Replacements

The ragged and glorious alt-rock of The Replacements made them one of the greatest and most iconic American bands of the 1980s, and inspired countless groups to come. Fronted by lead singer, pianist/guitarist, and principal songwriter Paul Westerberg, these heroes of post-punk/pre-grunge rock ‘n’ roll fused garage band greatness with powerful pop beauty. Fueled […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Cars [SOUNDTRACK] - Various Artists

Cars is a typical Disney-Pixar animated movie in that it deals with an anthropomorphic character (here, a car) and the heartwarming values of family and friendship. (Alas, we’ll have to wait a little while longer for the company to take on greed and selfishness.) The accompanying soundtrack is equally typical in that it’s split […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Piece by Piece - Katie Melua

Piece by Piece - the second album from Georgia- born- chanteuse- cum- naturalised- Brit Katie Melua, and the successor to her multimillion-selling Call Off the Search–begins teasingly with the soft-pedaled “come hither” jazz flirtations of “Shy Boy” and concludes with the whispering philosophical torch-song resignation of “I Do Believe in Love.” The two songs […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Rockford - Cheap Trick

The combined talents of Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson and Bun E. Carlos continue to resonate with generations of musicians and fans alike. The album was produced by Cheap Trick and co-producers Jack Douglas, Steve Albini, Julian Raymond and Chris Shaw. The first single “Perfect Stranger” was produced by Linda Perry and co-written […]

June 1st, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews