Album Reviews, Music News, Music DownloadAlbum Reviews, Music News, Music DownloadAlbum Reviews, Music News, Music Download, Lyric Song Articles
August Rush: Music From The Motion Picture [SOUNDTRACK]
2008-03-17 13:34:00 August Rush tells the story of a charismatic young Irish guitarist (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and a sheltered young cellist (Keri Russell) who have a chance encounter one magical night above New York's Washington Square, but are soon torn apart, leaving in their wake an infant, August Rush, orphaned by circumstance. Now performing on the streets of New York and cared for by a mysterious stranger (Robin Williams), August (Freddie Highmore) uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth. Film Stars Robin Williams, Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Terrance Howard, and Mykelti Williamson.View product details at Amazon More About: Music , Picture , Soundtracks , Soundtrack , Motion
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2008-03-13 10:06:00 Before Sgt. Pepper, no one seriously thought of rock music as actual art. That all changed in 1967, though, when John, Paul, George and Ringo (with "A Little Help" from their friend, producer George Martin) created an undeniable work of art which remains, after 30-plus years, one of the most influential albums of all time. From Lennon's evocative word/sound pictures (the trippy "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," the carnival-like "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite") and McCartney's music hall-styled "When I'm 64," to Harrison's Eastern-leaning "Within You Without You," and the avant-garde mini-suite, "A Day in the Life," Sgt. Pepper was a milestone for both '60s music and popular culture. --Billy AltmanView product details at Amazon More About: Band , Pop , Club , Oldies , Hearts
Warpaint
2008-03-13 10:05:00 View product details at Amazon More About: Classic Rock , Southern Rock
Worrisome Heart
2008-03-09 10:00:00 ". . . in a place where Billie Holiday meets Tom Waits . . . has moments that recall pieces of Nina Simone, early Rickie Lee Jones, and even the sophistication of Cole Porter. " - Business WeekAlthough there are elements of jazz, blues and folk in her music, it is simultaneously all of those things and none of them. Her engaging songs and sultry controlled vocals possess a timeless quality that places them in the tradition of the great female vocalists on Verve, whose work have also not been confined to any one genre or styleView product details at Amazon More About: Jazz , Heart
Grace
2008-03-05 11:18:00 Resembling at times a soft-sung Robert Plant, Buckley was an intuitive vocalist capable of dizzying arabesques and choir-boy sweetness. He is joined here by a tight band for 10 tracks highlighting his stylistic range--Pearl Jam bluesy on "Eternal Life," impossibly serene on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," art-school noisy on "So Real," Led Zep daring on "Mojo Pin." Unorthodox, this was the debut of '94. --Jeff BatemanView product details at Amazon More About: Music , Grace , Alternative Rock
Little Voice
2008-03-02 05:18:00 For many listeners, Little Voice will be their first exposure to this soulful singer/songwriter, but it's actually Sara Bareilles' second record. Her first, the self-released Careful Confessions, led to a deal with Epic. Since then, Bareilles has opened for Marc Broussard and Maroon 5. She's also become a bonafide soundtrack queen with tracks featured in female-centric films Girl Play, Loving Annabelle, and Monster-in-Law. As with her out-of-print debut, the UCLA grad wrote every song on her first major label recording (Little Voice features re-worked versions of several demo numbers). Like the portrait on the back of the CD--Bareilles in strappy black dress and lace-free high-tops--the piano-playing chanteuse combines the sweet with the scruffy. While her jazzy pop melodies are radio-ready, her relationship-oriented lyrics can be unexpectedly salty ("Bottle Up" and "Come Round Soon" wouldn't pass FCC muster). A little profanity here and there, however, doesn't indicate tough-g... More About: Music , Alternative Rock
Here Come The 123s (with Bonus Tracks and Video) - Amazon.com Exclusive [CD
2008-03-02 05:05:00 This Amazon .com exclusive version of Here Come the 123s includes 3 bonus CD tracks ("One Two Three Four", "John Lee Supertaster (Live)", "Bed, Bed, Bed (Live)" and a bonus DVD video ("One Two Three Four").You know them from their hit theme songs on Playhouse Disney's top-rated shows Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Higgly Town Heroes, now They Might Be Giants is back with an all new CD/DVD: Here Come the 123s!The Grammy® - winning rock legends return with a 2-disc, CD/DVD combo including original songs and music videos that make learning numbers fun and entertaining for children and parents!The Here Come the 123s CD features 24 infectious tunes (and 3 bonus tunes for Amazon.com customers) about numbers such as "Here Come the 123s," "Number Two," "High Five!" and "Zeroes"The Here Come the 123s DVD has 23 accompanying music videos (and a bonus video for Amazon.com customers) for kids to move to at home! The DVD features the all of the animation, puppetry and live action footage made famous... More About: Video , Music , Children , Exclusive
Once [SOUNDTRACK]
2008-02-27 06:21:00 Even those allergic to musicals may be won over by Once, a tender-hearted Irish romance with songs by Czech Republic?born Markéta Irglová and Frames frontman Glen Hansard. (The film's director, John Carney, actually used to play bass in the group.) The trick here is that Irglová and Hansard also play the leads; because their characters are shown busking, writing music, or rehearsing, the songs are smoothly integrated in the film. The overall acoustic mood won't surprise fans of the Frames--some tracks ("Say It to Me," "When Your Mind's Made Up") have even popped up on the band's albums, though the arrangements are more pared-down here, befitting the scruffy, street-musician setting. Being the lesser-known entity, Irglová feels like a revelation; she sounds a bit like a folkie Björk on "If You Want Me," and her song "The Hill" is downright heartbreaking. Irglová and Hansard had already made the 2006 album The Swell Seasontogether, so their collaboration here feels really organic-... More About: Soundtracks , Soundtrack
River: The Joni Letters (with Bonus Tracks) - Amazon.com Exclusive [SPECIAL
2008-02-27 05:53:00 This Amazon .com exclusive version of River : The Joni Letters includes two bonus tracks, "All I Want" featuring Sonya Kitchell and "A Case of You."The legendary pianist and innovator Herbie Hancock explores the words and music of another musical pioneer, Joni Mitchell, on his first new studio recording for Verve since 1998's GRAMMY® award-winning Gershwin's World.Inspired in equal parts by Mitchell's poetic lyrics and unique melodies, Hancock and saxophone giant Wayne Shorter play with a restraint and elegance that achieves a perfect balance between the adventurous aesthetics of jazz improvisation and the emotional directness of the finest Adult Pop music.Hancock builds upon his (and Shorter's) previous collaborations with Ms. Mitchell to create a sound that will appeal not only to fans of both artists, but to the listener familiar with the work of Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and the other brilliant guest vocalists featured on this session. River: The Joni Letters is the perf... More About: Exclusive , Jazz , Bonus
River: The Joni Letters (with Bonus Tracks) - Amazon.com Exclusive [SPECIAL
2008-02-24 09:54:00 This Amazon .com exclusive version of River : The Joni Letters includes two bonus tracks, "All I Want" featuring Sonya Kitchell and "A Case of You."The legendary pianist and innovator Herbie Hancock explores the words and music of another musical pioneer, Joni Mitchell, on his first new studio recording for Verve since 1998's GRAMMY® award-winning Gershwin's World.Inspired in equal parts by Mitchell's poetic lyrics and unique melodies, Hancock and saxophone giant Wayne Shorter play with a restraint and elegance that achieves a perfect balance between the adventurous aesthetics of jazz improvisation and the emotional directness of the finest Adult Pop music.Hancock builds upon his (and Shorter's) previous collaborations with Ms. Mitchell to create a sound that will appeal not only to fans of both artists, but to the listener familiar with the work of Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and the other brilliant guest vocalists featured on this session. River: The Joni Letters is the perf... More About: Exclusive , Bonus , Tracks
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
2008-02-24 09:47:00 Having commemorated their tenth anniversary with a year-plus run commencing with In Your Honor (a double album the New York Times called an "unexpected magnum opus"), sold out rock arena shows and a toned down intimate theater trek, and a headlining gig at London's Hyde Park for a crowd of 85,000, the question looms larger than any in the Foo Fighters' career to date: What do they do for an encore?!? The answer comes in the form of "The Pretender," the first single from the band's sixth studio album Echoes , Silence , Patience & Grace , out on Roswell/RCA. Produced by Gil Norton, who last worked with the band on 1997's double-platinum The Colour and The Shape (recently reissued in deluxe 10th anniversary form), Dave Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, drummer Taylor Hawkins and guitarist Chris Shiflett have crafted a 12-track milestone that showcases and reconciles the band's every strength and sensibility in the most complex and confident Foo Fighters album to date. View more details More About: Alternative Rock
Michael Jackson 25th Anniversary of Thriller(Deluxe Casebook Edition) [ENHA
2008-02-16 14:24:00 The Biggest Album Ever just got bigger. The 25th Anniversary Edition of Thriller celebrates this ground-breaking album with 7 bonus tracks, six of which are previously unreleased. The new tracks include exclusive remixes from Kanye West, Fergie, will.i.am and Akon along with a previously unreleased track from the Thriller sessions, "For All Time," newly mixed and mastered by Michael Jackson . Also included is a BONUS DVD with new, digitally restored versions of the three videos from the album as well as the Michael Jackson's groundbreaking performance of "Billie Jean" on the "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" television special (first broadcast on NBC May 16, 1983).The deluxe version is housed in a hardbound book-style package with a 48-page color booklet of rare photos and lyrics. Also included in all versions of the release is a new personal greeting from Michael Jackson to his fans penned exclusively for this special release. View more details More About: Pop
Detours
2008-02-10 08:31:00 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. "This is the most honest record I've ever made. It's about being forced to wake up," says Crow. View more details More About: Rock
Across The Universe [Deluxe Edition] [EXTRA TRACKS] [SOUNDTRACK]
2008-02-10 08:26:00 ACROSS THE UNIVERSE - MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE DELUXE - 2 DISC VERSIONA love story set in the 1960's amid the turbulent years of anti-war protest, mind exploration and rock `n roll. Jude (Jim Sturgess) and Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), along with a small group of friends and musicians, are swept up into the emerging anti-war and counterculture movements with "Dr. Robert" (Bono) and "Mr. Kite" (Eddie Izzard) as their guides.FEATURING SONGS FROM THE GREATEST SONGWRITERS OF ALL TIME, PERFORMED BY THE CAST INCLUDING EVAN RACHEL WOOD, JIM STURGESS, DANA FUCHS, MARTIN LUTHER McCOY, BONO, JOE COCKER AND EDDIE IZZARDPackage art will incorporate stills from pivotal scenes from the movie and a 16-page folder foldout poster with a strawberry image. View more details More About: Universe , Soundtracks , Soundtrack , Tracks , Deluxe
Sleep Through The Static
2008-01-29 06:25:00 My friends and I have just finished recording a new album called Sleep Through the Static . At this point in my life I weigh about 190 lbs and my ear hairs are getting longer. I also have a couple of kids. My wife popped them out, but I helped. Some of the songs on this album are about making babies. Some of the songs are about raising them. Some of the songs are about the world that these children will grow up in; a world of war and love, and hate, and time and space. Some of the songs are about saying goodbye to people I love and will miss. View more details More About: Rock
It Won't Be Soon Before Long
2008-01-20 14:05:00 Global neo-soul rock superstars Maroon 5 are back with their much-anticipated sophomore album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long . The follow-up to the 10x platinum, Grammy-winning Songs About Jane will be "sexier and stronger," according to frontman Adam Levine, who looked to '80s icons such as Prince, Michael Jackson, and Talking Heads for inspiration. Recorded at home in Los Angeles with producers Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple, Eminem), Mark "Spike" Stent (Bjork, Keane, Gwen Stefani), Mark Endert (Madonna, Fiona Apple), and Eric Valentine (Queens of the Stone Age, Nickel Creek), the album promises to be a louder take on the pop sounds of their first effort. "It's definitely aggressive, upbeat and pounding," says Levine. More About: Alternative
The Swell Season
2008-01-20 10:38:00 Frames front man Hansard has teamed up with classically trained Czech vocalist and pianist, Irglova to produce this album of affecting songs and compositions. From straight songs to piano instrumentals, "The Swell Season " affords an insight into a whole other side of Glen/The Frames, as well as offering a perfect introduction to this very talented newcomer. The record takes its name from author Josef Skvorecky's book of the same name. Set in Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia, the story centers on one man's love of music and his pursuit of unattainable women as a country comes unglued. Like the book, the record deals with the pains and hopes of those struggling to make sense of their lives. More About: Pop , Easy Listening
Liverpool 8
2008-01-14 07:17:00 Brand new studio album from legendary artist Ringo Starr. Liverpool 8 features 12 new tracks written and produced by Ringo Starr and Dave Stewart. More About: Pop , Liverpool 8
Alvin and the Chipmunks [SOUNDTRACK]
2008-01-14 07:04:00 The Chipmunks may have been CGI-ized but the helium-distorted, super-high-pitched singing style of Alvin , Simon and Theodore has been preserved. If you have kids or are a kid at heart (with a special fondness for novelty tunes), this is a goldmine. The 'munk classic "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas, Don?t Be Late)" is covered twice: the "DeeTown OG Mix" is a fairly faithful version, while the "DeeTown Rock Mix" goes the emo-lite route; another nugget, "Witch Doctor," also gets dusted up, with the addition of a so-so rap. Nice bonus: The 1958 versions of these two songs are included as well, for old times' sake. Newer tracks are just as zany. The CD starts off with a take on David Powter's hit "Bad Day," which sounds completely insane done Chipmunk-style; "Funky Town" is downright hair-rising. The DeeTown Syndicate not only produced it all but also contributes several songs of its own that waffle between corny hip-hop ("How We Roll") and contempo Disney Channel style ("Coast 2 Coast"... More About: Soundtracks , Soundtrack , Alvin and the Chipmunks , The Chipmunks
Juno [SOUNDTRACK]
2008-01-10 08:14:00 Fox Searchlight Picture?s December 2007 coming-of-age comedy Juno , directed by Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking). The narrative centers on whip-smart Juno (Ellen Page, in a breakthrough role), a teenage girl faced with an unplanned pregnancy from an afternoon with the charmingly unassuming Bleeker (Michael Cera). Juno finds her unborn baby the perfect set of parents in Mark and Vanessa Loring (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner), an affluent suburban couple who are eager to adopt. Along with the total support of her parents, (Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons) Juno conquers her problems head-on, displaying a youthful exuberance that is both smart and unexpected. The film was an official selection at this year?s Telluride, Toronto, and London film festivals and received the Best Film award at the Rome International Film Festival. The soundtrack to Juno mixes classic rock favorites with indie-rock gems. More About: Soundtracks , Soundtrack
Coco
2008-01-09 12:07:00 Singer/songwriter Colbie Caillat is one of the most celebrated artists to emerge from the growing talent pool of digitally-savvy self-launched artists, whose rise to prominence as the #1 unsigned artist on the popular myspace site has been largely due to her refreshing sense of understatement.With no marketing push and only the power of the music behind her, Caillat became a sensation on the social networking site. Rolling Stone highlighted her as one of the top female artists on myspace. Ultimately, her number of friends swelled to more than 100,000. Her profile has been visited over 3 million times, and she has more than l0 million plays. She's currently averaging 50,000 + a day.The songs on Caillat's debut album COCO mirror the Malibu-born Caillat's low-key, refreshing style. Armed with her acoustic guitar and her dusky vocals, she evokes the same gentle, yet spirited style of her musical influences John Mayer, Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill and The Weepies. The laid-back tempo of Ha... More About: Pop , Coco
Little Voice
2008-01-09 11:50:00 For many listeners, Little Voice will be their first exposure to this soulful singer/songwriter, but it's actually Sara Bareilles' second record. Her first, the self-released Careful Confessions, led to a deal with Epic. Since then, Bareilles has opened for Marc Broussard and Maroon 5. She's also become a bonafide soundtrack queen with tracks featured in female-centric films Girl Play, Loving Annabelle, and Monster-in-Law. As with her out-of-print debut, the UCLA grad wrote every song on her first major label recording (Little Voice features re-worked versions of several demo numbers). Like the portrait on the back of the CD--Bareilles in strappy black dress and lace-free high-tops--the piano-playing chanteuse combines the sweet with the scruffy. While her jazzy pop melodies are radio-ready, her relationship-oriented lyrics can be unexpectedly salty ("Bottle Up" and "Come Round Soon" wouldn't pass FCC muster). A little profanity here and there, however, doesn't indicate tough-g... More About: Folk
In Rainbows
2007-12-31 07:55:00 On the deliriously satisfying In Rainbo ws , 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. Like so many innovations, it already seems funny both that it was such big news and that someone else of similar stature hadn't done it sooner. Some pundits were appalled that it took awhile to download the tracks if you tried to do it at the same time as thousands of other people, while others decried that the group was trying to kill the music industry (or save it). 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." It might be a bit lethargic, but the simple instrumentat... More About: Rock , Alternative Rock
OK Computer
2007-12-31 07:49:00 Radiohead's third album got compared to Pink Floyd a lot when it came out, and its slow drama and conceptual sweep certainly put it in that category. OK Computer , though, is a complicated and difficult record: an album about the way machines dehumanize people that's almost entirely un-electronic; an album by a British "new wave of new wave" band that rejects speed and hooks in favor of languorous texture and morose details; a sad and humanist record whose central moment is Thom Yorke crooning "We hope that you choke." Sluggish, understated, and hard to get a grip on, OK Computer takes a few listens to appreciate, but its entirety means more than any one song. --Douglas Wolk More About: Alternative Rock
Facing Future
2007-12-31 07:35:00 To gauge the magnitude of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's popularity in his native Hawaii, consider this: following his death in 1997 (at age 38, attributed to his profound obesity), Kamakawiwo'ole's body lay in state in the state capitol, only the second person to receive such an honor. Kamakawiwo'ole's appeal lies in his love for prestatehood, precondominium Hawaii and the expressiveness of his gently passionate voice, which can float through higher registers with an ease that brings Johnny Mathis to mind. Several selections ("Ka Pua U'i," "White Sandy Beach of Hawai'i," the sun-kissed "La 'Elima") feature Kamakawiwo'ole in a traditional mood, using only his ukulele to adorn the charm of his native lyricism. Others, such as the Jimmy Buffett-like "Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man" add playful contemporary touches that suit Kamakawiwo'ole's style. Most touching are the string-backed laments that open and close the album, "Hawai'i '78 Introduction" and "Hawai'i '78," initially a re... More About: Future , Indie Music , Facing Future , Facing
One Chance [EXTRA TRACKS]
2007-12-25 07:33:00 Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts has spent most of his life feeling 'insignificant'. Bullied at school for being 'different', he realized growing up that he had one true friend and that was his voice More About: Chance , Classical , Tracks , Extra
Graduation [EXPLICIT LYRICS]
2007-12-25 07:12:00 Graduation is the 3rd installment in the Kanye West series of ground breaking albums, targeting every school kid, from those that have dropped out (Debut Album, College Dropout), to those late registrants (sophmore album Late Registration), to those that have gone on and completed school (current album Graduation). Though technically this earmarks a junior year, West's approach to crafting this album was very much senior. Kanye teams up with veterans Daft Punk and Edwin Birdsong on "Stronger"- Graduation's forthcoming single; as well as enlisting a little help from current chart topper T-Pain on "Good Life". Chris Martin of Coldplay appears on a track called "HomeComing" as well. Kanye has continued to prove his understanding and appreciation for a wide array of music and musical influences. What makes GRADUATION so special? Like most Kanye titles, his fearlessness and blindness to inhibiting boundaries, coupled with his fan driven core competence is evidence that he knows exactly... More About: Lyrics , Graduation
Growing Pains
2007-12-21 07:41:00 "I'm talkin' 'bout things I know," Mary J. Blige wails on "Work That," the second single and opening track of Growing Pains. The album squeaked into 2007 too late to make best-of lists but otherwise would have stormed its way up several, for sure. She needn't have hit us with such a pronouncement: In 16 songs that ring as remarkably, unflinchingly true as those on 2005's landmark The Breakthrough, the queen of hip-hop soul keeps "keeping it real" a specialty. There's no sense in trying to assign credit for the skin-tight grooves and funked-up retro vibe here; with nine producers padding Blige's emotion-rich voice and the lyrics she so obviously lives by, what we're left with is a melange of sounds. But it's a measure of an artist who has mastered her own identity and left nothing to chance that this, her eighth studio album, comes off so free of wild cards and loose edges. "You ask what love feels like," she sings on "What Love Is," one of the disc's less fierce tracks. "I... More About: Soul , R and B , Growing Pains
Back to Black [EXPLICIT LYRICS]
More articles from this author:2007-12-21 07:33:00 Hailed by Newsweek Magazine as a cross between Billie Holiday and Lauryn Hill, British soul singer Amy Winehouse's U.S. debut, Back To Black hits the US amid a flurry of accolades, radio and TV buzz unprecedented in recent years for a young siren.Her brassy mix of emotive vocals tinged with 60's girl-group stylings, sly funk, and anguished jazz, sparked the New York Daily News to crown Back To Black a "marvelous debut that would do Etta James proud" while New Yorker Magazine called her "a fierce English performer whose voice combines the smoky depths of a jazz chanteuse with the heated passion of a soul singer," and Spin Magazine affirming "there's never been A British star quite like her."Back To Black smolders with a bristling fusion of old school doo-wop/soul inflected uprisings, (the charismatic singer/songwriter wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album) brewing instant classics such as the Shirley Ellis influenced "Rehab," the Supremes tinged title song "Back To Black... More About: Lyrics 1, 2, 3, 4 |
|
 |
|
 |
