Archive for November, 2006

Elton John: Religion encourages hatred

Organized religion fuels anti-gay discrimination and other forms of bias, pop starElton John said in an interview published Saturday.
“I think religion has always tried to turn hatred toward gay people,” John said in the Observer newspaper’s Music Monthly Magazine. “Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays.”
“But there are so many people I know who […]

November 12th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Prince opens Las Vegas club gig

Prince unveiled a low-production but high-energy show as he debuted a new weekly casino gig, giving no indication he plans to become the next Wayne Newton.
Under a deal announced this month, he will perform shows for the next several Friday and Saturday nights in the 3121 club at The Rio casino-hotel just off the Las […]

November 12th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Chavez welcomes Shakira to Venezuela

President Hugo Chavez welcomed Colombian pop singer Shakira to his country on Saturday and said he may go undercover to watch the hip-shaking superstar perform.
“Shakira’s arrived. … Welcome, Shakira,” Chavez said during a televised speech.
Chavez said that the other day he’d put on a wig and not even his bodyguards had been able to […]

November 12th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Kylie Minogue dazzles in return to stage

Kylie Minogue dazzled an adoring homeland crowd Saturday in the diva’s triumphant first foray onto the stage since she discovered 18 months ago that she had breast cancer.
“Good evening, Sydney!” were the Australian’s first words as she rose on a platform from the center of the stage. “How are you feeling tonight?”
The 38-year-old Grammy winner’s […]

November 12th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

LOVE, PAIN & THE WHOLE CRAZY THING - KEITH URBAN

“I don’t have any aspirations to be a pop star or a rock artist.” That’s what Keith Urban recently told Billboard, and while it may be true, he could be either if he wanted to. The proof is in this CD, which rocks harder and is more diverse than its three predecessors. Few artists […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

PRETTY LITTLE STRANGER - JOAN OSBORNE

While a far cry from Joan Osborne’s breakthrough, the delectable “Relish,” recorded more than a decade ago, “Pretty Little Stranger” sets the singer in Nashville, where she soulfully transplants her roots music into fertile country soil. At times, producer Steve Buckingham gives the sessions a classic feel, a la Owen Bradley’s signature steel guitar […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

SO DIVIDED - …AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD

“So Divided,” the third Interscope release from . . . And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, offers a more diverse song mix than one might expect from these Texas-based rockers. There are still moments of gripping rock drama, particularly on “Sunken Dreams,” which most resembles 2002’s amazing “Source Tags & […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

DOCTOR’S ADVOCATE - THE GAME

After getting booted from 50 Cent’s G-Unit crew and losing Dr. Dre as the main collaborator for this sophomore album, the Game is sporting quite a chip on his shoulder. The against-the-odds mentality is set on a backdrop of menacing percussion (”It’s Okay — One Blood”) and brooding soul samples (the groupie-bashing “Wouldn’t Get […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

THE IDAN RAICHEL PROJECT - THE IDAN RAICHEL PROJECT

This disc is surely one of the most fascinating titles to emerge in world music this year. Israeli keyboardist/composer Idan Raichel, who has become quite an item among
Israel’s and Ethiopia’s music fans, collaborates here with Ethiopian immigrants in Israel, particularly vocalist Cabra Casey. The tunes are terribly alluring, and each song definitely has a […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

THE PICK OF DESTINY - TENACIOUS D

Tenacious D insists it is the greatest band in the world, and on a couple occasions during this soundtrack to the duo’s upcoming film of the same name, you kinda believe it. Simultaneously mocking and paying homage to metal, tracks like “Master Exploder” (cue the Judas Priest-style harmonized guitar solos) and “Car Chase City” […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

MARTYR - DEPECHE MODE

During the past 25 years, Dave Gahan, Andy “Fletch” Fletcher and Martin Gore have personified — defined — electronica around the globe, with the occasional dip into arena rock. Now, Depeche Mode celebrates a notable anniversary with its “The Best of, Volume 1,” which collects memorable moments from 11 studio albums. New track “Martyr” certainly […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Single Reviews

OUR COUNTRY - JOHN MELLENCAMP

Longtime super trooper John Mellencamp returns in early 2007 with his first album of new material in six years led by “Our Country,” an appreciable fable of tolerance, hope and empowerment. Without sounding preachy, he implores, “There’s room enough here for science to live/And there’s room enough here for religion to forgive/And try to understand, […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Single Reviews

THE MAGIC OF THE NIGHT - ENYA

As AC prepares for its annual flip to all-holiday music (four radio stations have already made the transition before Halloween pumpkins even began to sag), Enya releases a number of appropos tunes from her “Sounds of the Season” EP, including this secular selection, “The Magic of the Night.” Because this is an artist that appears […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Single Reviews

MORE - ROCKIE LYNNE

This is quite simply one of the most beautiful country ballads to come along this year. Country programmers would be crazy not to spin this heavily, especially during the holiday season. Rockie Lynne and Music Row vet Dennis Morgan have crafted a sweet, poignant love song filled with such great lines as “I’d give you […]

November 11th, 2006 - Posted in Single Reviews