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Pop Rock Nation

Author: Money Mike

  • First Listen: “Soldier of Love” by Sade

    Sade is one of those artists (excuse me, BANDS) whose legend and mystery grows with each album. Folks who listened to good pop and R&B may have taken them for granted back in the day, but their extended absences from the music scene (and the fact that they just don’t make music like they used to anymore) have ultimately resulted in people appreciating them a lot more. Sade’s last album, 2000’s “Lovers Rock” went multi-platinum and won a couple of Grammys. It had been eight years since their last album. Now we’ve had to wait NINE (almost ten) years between follow-ups, and a new album is FINALLY scheduled for release in 2010.

    The first single, “Soldier of Love” was released to radio and the web earlier this week. While I think it’s impossible for Sade to come out with anything that doesn’t sound sultry, this has a more aggressive musical vibe than most of their earlier material, no doubt goosed along by the “soldier”/military motif. I like it (although I think you could probably shave a minute or two off of the instrumental coda). It’s not total “OMIGOD SADE IMINLOVE!!!”, but I’m no less excited for the new album.

    First Maxwell, now Sade. Can a new D’Angelo record be next?

     

  • Chart Chat 12/9/09: Boyle and Bocelli Do it Again!!

    Young folks might be the coveted consumers when it comes to most advertising campaigns, but this week’s Billboard Album Charts prove that it’s the grown-ups who are spending the money. Last week’s champion Susan Boyle spends a second week on top, adding another 527,000 copies to a two-week haul of 1.2 million. To put that in more eye-popping terms, after only two weeks, Boyle has the 10th best selling album of 2009.

    Right behind Boyle is Italian crooner Andrea Bocelli, who has by far the year’s biggest selling Christmas album. 428,000 copies of “My Christmas” crossed counters this week, giving Bocelli a very impressive 1.1 million units scanned in 5 weeks. Look for both those albums to maintain those numbers through the month of December. At this point, the question is can Boyle sell enough units in the next three weeks to overtake Taylor Swift’s total, with is 2.5 million units so far this year. Considering Taylor’s reenergized sales, I’d say it’s possible but doubtful-she moves another 127,000 copies of “Fearless” this week to land at #3.

    The week’s highest-and only notable-debut comes from R. Kelly. His much-delayed “Untitled” project debuts at #4 on the Top 200 and #1 on the R&B album chart. All of Kelly’s solo studio albums have debuted at #4 or higher on the charts, a streak that goes back to “12 Play” in 1993. However, a mediocre first week of 114,000 units hints that Kelly’s reign as the Pied Piper of R&B might be coming to a close.

    The only other debut of note comes from 3rd place “American Idol” finisher Allison Iraheta. Her “Just Like You” manages a so-so #35 finish, with around 32,000 units sold. This season’s “Idol” finalists all appear to be washouts-Adam Lambert dives from #3 to #22 this week, while Kris Allen finds himself languishing at #52 in his third week.

    The charts have taken a decidedly adult contemporary flavor these last couple weeks, as Moms and Dads are buying CDs (or people are buying CDs for their moms and dads). Most albums drop in sales considering it’s the week following Thanksgiving, but among the albums that increase this week are Michael Buble and Rod Stewart’s latest efforts. Also hanging tough is Norah Jones, who had a mediocre debut a few weeks back, but actually moves up three spots to #7 this week. Other albums that debuted that week aren’t faring as well-John Mayer’s former #1 slides down to #17, and 50 Cent’s “Before I Self Destruct” finds itself at 40.

    Next week’s chart’s biggest debut might just be the new one from Jared Leto’s band 30 Seconds to Mars. Also look out for Chris Brown’s new album, which has allegedly been selling above expectations.

    Here’s this week’s Top 20:

    1) Susan Boyle “I Dreamed a Dream”
    2) Andrea Bocelli “My Christmas”
    3) Taylor Swift “Fearless”
    4) R. Kelly “Untitled”
    5) Lady GaGa “The Fame”
    6) Carrie Underwood “Play On”
    7) Norah Jones “The Fall”
    8) Michael Jackson “This is It”
    9) Soundtrack “Twilight-New Moon”
    10) Michael Buble “Crazy Love”
    11) Various “Now 32”
    12) Justin Bieber “My World”
    13) Lady GaGa “The Fame: Monster (EP)”
    14) Josh Groban “Noel”
    15) Casting Crowns “Peace on Earth”
    16) Rihanna “Rated R”
    17) John Mayer “Battle Studies”
    18) Miley Cyrus “Time of Our Lives (EP)”
    19) Sting “If On a Winter’s Night…”
    20) Glee Cast “Glee The Music Vol. 1”

  • Respect Due: John Lennon

    I was way too young to be affected by John Lennon’s death when it happened. I was 4 at the time, and pretty unable to grasp the concept of death, never mind the fact that I don’t think I knew what a Beatle was until I saw “Yellow Submarine” on TV maybe a year later.

    Nearly three decades later, Lennon’s death is keenly felt, not only for the fact that he was an excellent songwriter and an affecting singer, but also because of what he represented. A personality like his is pretty much nonexistent in today’s music world. You’ve got to give props to a man who gave so much of himself to improving the world around him, a man who was unafraid to give his listeners a no-holds-barred look at what was on his mind at any given time, whether you agree with him or not.

    I discovered The Beatles in earnest when I was in fifth grade, and while I was familiar with Lennon’s posthumous hits (and, of course, “Imagine”) as a kid, I really discovered his solo music and his personal philosophies in my late teens. While I was immediately transfixed by the music, I probably shouldn’t have started with the Albert Goldman biography. Anyway, Lennon is one of the few rock stars who worked their way into my everyday wardrobe in the form of his face on a T-shirt. It was a sign that not only was I a fan of John as a musician, but that I supported his philosophy. Equality, peace, truth. Who can argue with that? Of course, most people that saw the shirt didn’t get the same vibe, as the only two comments I remember were some guy I worked with asking if that was Paul McCartney and some other guy criticizing me for wearing a shirt with a picture of a white man on it.

    Anyhow, the John Lennon song that I’m fondest of is “God”. If you’ve never listened to “Plastic Ono Band”, I strongly recommend that you do. It’s the aural equivalent of John cutting himself open and bleeding all over the music. From it’s opening line, “God is a concept by which we measure our pain”, I was hooked. Of course, my feelings on Christianity and religion in general are a lot more complicated than that one line, but it definitely made me think. Anyhow, nothing I can say would do justice to how powerful this song is, so just listen to it. I found a very cool piece on Youtube that pieces together photos from various stages in John’s life. It opens with the famous Howard Cosell announcement of John’s death and closes with a quote from John himself.

    John is definitely one of those artists I wish was still around to make music. It would have been interesting to see what he would have done in light of all the changes that have taken place in music since 1980. Not for nothing, but it probably would have been quite a bit more interesting than anything the other Beatles have come up with since then.

    Anyway, the purpose of this was not to shit on the other Beatles, but to remember John Lennon. So, enjoy the video.