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Pop Rock Nation

Author: Jenny

  • I think I’m in love with Mr. and Mrs. F…

    I think I’m in love with Mr. and Mrs. F…

    These two make the cutest videos on YouTube and for that reason, I think I’m in love with Mr. and Mrs. F…

    Today’s post is inspired by YouTube, which I am using for entertainment purposes until my furniture gets here on Tuesday. I am sitting on the floor with my new laptop, which has been a lifesaver since I have become one of those people who can’t live without Internet anymore. It’s just me and my two dogs, whom I am trying to keep quiet so my new German neighbors don’t get upset and start complaining. I’m wearing a new Saint Obnoxious beer drinking shirt that says “Life is too short to drink shitty beer” in German and, well, short of starting drinking at noon, there’s not too much to do. So I went to YouTube and started watching videos and I was reminded of an adorable couple whose baby’s development was immortalized in a cute video…


    From Bump to Buzz has over 9 million hits and was all over my Facebook a few months ago… I just watched it again and I’ll be damned if it didn’t make me weepy.

    I thought this video was so delightful that I started watching some of the other videos starring singer-songwriter and children’s book author Tom Fletcher and his lovely wife, Giovanna, also known as “Gi”.


    The next video I found was the one announcing Giovanna’s pregnancy. Appropriately enough, it’s Halloween themed and just as sweet as their From Bump to Buzz video.

    At first, I wasn’t sure if Gi was singing with Tom, until I found the next video dating from March 2013…


    Mrs. F does indeed have a very pretty voice and the two of them are just flat out irresistible in this video. Their baby is destined to be able to sing. Check out Tom’s guitar licks, too.

    Here, in February 2014, Mr. and Mrs. F sing L-O-V-E and look like they are very much into it.

    I bet this couple is a lot of fun at parties. I would love to do something like this with my own husband, but he can’t sing and probably wouldn’t do it on camera even if he could. I’m the show off in our house.

    Tom Fletcher is one of the lead vocalists of the band McFly, which I must admit I know very little about at this point. Realizing that he was born in 1985 and I still remember that year very well, I wonder if I will enjoy McFly’s music as much as I do the videos Fletcher makes with his wife. Let’s see…


    This is the video for McFly’s song “Love Is Easy”, which was released in 2012. It’s pretty catchy and not at all unpleasant.

    I think I’m too old for boy bands, though… so I prefer Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher’s efforts on YouTube. Watching Tom Fletcher play makes me wish I’d stuck with guitar lessons.


    They are so damn cute!

  • Smokey Robinson sings with friends!

    Smokey Robinson sings with friends!

    Smokey Robinson sings with friends on his brand new duets album, Smokey & Friends!

    Hi folks. I know it’s been a few weeks since my last post. I’ve been busy with this move from Texas to Germany and am still sitting in temporary lodging. Fortunately, I still have Internet access and was lucky enough to score a review copy of Smokey Robinson’s new album, Smokey & Friends!

    Smokey Robinson has had a very long and successful career in the music business. At age 74, his voice is still in great shape as he collaborates with an eclectic variety of rock star notables on Smokey & Friends. Though I can’t yet count myself among his most ardent fans, I do enjoy some of his best known hits as well as the songs he wrote for others. I had the chance to listen to Smokey & Friends yesterday morning and I really enjoyed it.


    On this video by the Associated Press, Smokey Robinson talks about how this project came to be.

    Smokey & Friends consists of eleven tracks written by Smokey Robinson and includes duets by everyone from Mary J. Blige to James Taylor. This new album was produced by American Idol star and record producer Randy Jackson. The production on Smokey & Friends is a bit on the slick side for my usual tastes; on the other hand, it was pretty good morning music and helped me wake up.

    A jaunty organ solo kicks off the first song, “Tracks of My Tears”, which is a collaboration between Smokey Robinson and Elton John. I have always liked this song and I think Smokey and Elton work well together, although I must admit that at first, I thought Elton was Van Morrison. His voice has deepened a bit and, on this song, it almost sounds like he has an Irish accent. It wasn’t until Elton cut loose on the chorus that I recognized his voice. Still, it’s a strong effort and I like it.


    Elton John talks about making his duet with Smokey Robinson.

    Steven Tyler was a great choice for the next song, “You Really Got A Hold On Me”. This sounds like a song Aerosmith could have easily covered. This rendition has edgy guitars that give it a straight rock sound. It works very well, although Smokey’s vocal contributions are less obvious on this track.

    Next comes a very smooth and sweet rendition of “My Girl” featuring Smokey Robinson singing with Miguel, Aloe Blacc, and JC Chasez. Although I am very partial to The Temptations’ famous cover of Smokey’s song, this is a really pleasant, soulful version of “My Girl”. As I listened to these guys singing together, I was reminded of Daryl Hall and I kind of wondered why he’s not on this record too. Their voices blending together reminded me of classic Hall & Oates.

    I first heard of Jessie J. when she was featured at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. I thought she had a pretty powerful voice during that performance. Singing “Cruisin’” here with Smokey Robinson, she offers even more power and soul. Before the song begins, Jessie J. explains that she first heard Smokey sing when she was 7 years old and that singing with him is “a dream come true”. “Cruisin’” happens to be one of my favorite songs by Smokey Robinson. To my ears, this version doesn’t surpass Smokey’s original, but I am impressed by the vocal chemistry Jessie J and Smokey Robinson have.

    I wasn’t familiar with “Quiet Storm” before I listened to this duet version, featuring John Legend. Legend and Robinson work well together on this relaxing, jazzy number; now I’m curious about the original.

    I had no idea that “The Way You Do The Things You Do” was a Smokey Robinson creation. Here, he sings it with CeeLo Green. I like this updated version of “The Way You Do The Things You Do”, which gives CeeLo Green the chance to show off his rich, warm vocals.

    The cool, sensual “Being With You” is another one of my favorite songs by Smokey Robinson. Mary J. Blige offers a sexy counterpart to Smokey Robinson’s silky voice. Though this song was originally a solo, it works great as a duet.

    I love James Taylor’s music and I know that he has a special fondness in his heart for classic hits from the 50s and 60s. “Ain’t That Peculiar” gets a Taylor makeover on Smokey & Friends, which is arranged a bit like Taylor’s most recent recordings. When this song started, I was immediately reminded of the songs on October Road. He uses lots of organ, electric guitars, and an interesting rhythm. He definitely made it his own, which I respect. It sounds like they had a lot of fun with it.

    Sheryl Crow gamely takes a turn with “The Tears of A Clown”, another classic Robinson hit. This is a solid effort; Sheryl Crow has a less tremulous quality to her voice that balances well with Smokey’s voice. Plus, I really like the song itself; it’s one of those numbers that never gets old.

    “Ooh Baby Baby” begins with an introduction by Ledisi, who joins Smokey on this very sexy hit. I have to admit, when it comes to cover versions of “Ooh Baby Baby”, I’m kind of partial to Linda Ronstadt’s take. Ledisi and Smokey Robinson give their duet more of a quiet sensuality and warmth than Ronstadt’s more torch like presentation. It’s appealing and entertaining and I can tell Ledisi is really into it.

    The last song is “Get Ready”, a great song for the morning if I ever heard one. Gary Barlow and Smokey Robinson update this into an exciting and hard driving rock song. I think they did a great job updating this hit and I really like it. It’s a great way to close out Smokey & Friends. This arrangement almost has an element of danger to it, which breathes new life into a true classic.

    Smokey and his friends did fine work with Smokey & Friends. I enjoyed listening to these duet renditions of Smokey Robinson’s classic hits and am very impressed by how great Smokey still sounds after all his years in the music business. This album also reminds me that Smokey Robinson is a great songwriter and inspires me to listen to more of his work. I know I already turned on one of his fans to this latest effort and I hope some of you out there will also give it a spin!


    Trailer for Smokey & Friends… a great place to hear some samples from this record.

  • Review of The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings by the Allman Brothers Band

    Review of The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings by the Allman Brothers Band

    Sometimes it’s cool to write music reviews, especially if it gets you a sneak peak of live recordings by the Allman Brothers Band…

    On July 29, 2014, something old by the Allman Brothers Band will morph into something new. For many years, their album At Fillmore East has been regarded as a crowning achievement in the world of live rock recordings. But that album, as excellent as it is, was somewhat incomplete because it only included highlights of recordings made over the weekend of March 12-13, 1971 and Fillmore East’s closing night, June 27, 1971. Fillmore East was a legendary concert venue in New York City, which operated from 1968 until 1971. Promoter Bill Graham owned Fillmore East, as well as its counterparts on the West Coast, Fillmore Auditorium and Fillmore West, in San Francisco, California. Next week, on the 29th of July, Allman Brothers Band fans will get to hear all of the concerts played in March 1971 and the entire concert from June 27, 1971. What results is a new box set entitled The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings. The new box set will come in three formats: six CDs, four LPs, or three Blu-ray DVDs.

    I jumped when the opportunity came up for me to review this box set. I love the Allman Brothers Band’s music, especially when they play live. Though I didn’t happen to own a copy of their At Fillmore East album, I had heard enough of their live stylings to know that I’d enjoy this box set. I’ve spent most of today listening to the six CD version of this new box set and I have really gained a new appreciation for the Allman Brothers Band. These concerts were recorded just after the band, which is one of the defining examples of Southern rock, had released its second album. The live album put them on the map. Unfortunately, not long after At Fillmore East was released to great critical acclaim, founding member Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident. The date was October 29, 2972 and he was only 24 years old at the time. Berry Oakley, the original bassist who played on these recordings, also died at age 24 in 1972.


    “Stormy Monday” from At Fillmore East.

    The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings is a great box set for hard core Allman Brothers Band fans. What you’ll get is a lot of joyfully played Southern rock, blended with blues and jazz and long, passionate jams by Dickey Betts on guitar juxtaposed with Gregg Allman’s too sexy for words vocals and Chuck Leavell’s sensual organ. I’m guessing that any one of the shows featured on this box set were unforgettable. That being said, I will comment again that I’ve been listening to this box set all day and as these are concerts from 1971, before some of the Allman Brothers Band’s biggest hits were recorded, you’ll get a lot of repetition. For example, this box set has four different versions of “Statesboro Blues”, all of which are only slightly different from each other. It also has three different versions of “Whipping Post”, each of which run for approximately 20 minutes. Don’t get me wrong… each version of these songs is a delight! But listening to this box set straight through may lead to overload, which is why I recommend taking your time and really savoring each disc. Taken just a bit at a time, these recordings are stellar, with amazingly creative jams that surely transfixed the audience. Moreover, you also get unedited versions of gems like “Mountain Jam”, which runs for over 35 minutes, and some previously unreleased material.

    It’s been such a pleasure to sit here and listen to the Allman Brothers Band play when they were up and coming. There are some moments on this box set that I like better than others. For instance, the song “Stormy Monday” is pure bliss, with its effortlessly bluesy sound and Gregg Allman’s soulful voice like an aural orgasm. As I’ve listened to them today, it occurs to me how much they’ve influenced other great acts… for instance, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, which has done some songs that remind me very much of early Allman Brothers Band. The Allman Brothers truly mastered the art of live jamming and others have taken note and emulated them.

    The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings are well worth owning if you’re a fan of The Allman Brothers Band’s music. It’s a box set that is great to just sit and listen to and admire. You can hear the band members banter and engage the crowd; it’s like hearing a piece of rock and roll history. For those who are hoping for “Jessica”, “Melissa”, or “Ramblin’ Man”, The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings will be a disappointment because those songs came later in the band’s history. If you want to hear where it all began– with all the original members– you’d do well to pick up a copy of this box set. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it for some time to come! Highly recommended!

    On another note, starting next week I will be very much engaged in my move to Germany, so I may not be around much until we get settled, which could take a few weeks. Until then, be well! See you on the flip side!