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Pop Rock Nation

Category: Releases

the-newest-songs-you-can-get-along-with-great-reissues-in-new-formats

  • Even Stevie Wonder Got Down Sometimes: John Legend’s “Green Light” Video

    So…John Legend and Anthony Hamilton are pretty much tied for the title of my favorite Male R&B singer right now, with Robin Thicke running third. All three gentlemen have albums being released this fall. While Thicke is first up to bat with the single “Magic” and the upcoming album “Something Else”, Legend is next out of the gate, and “Green Light” is yet another curveball from an artist who apparently enjoys keeping his listeners on their toes.

    While his debut album, “Get Lifted”, essentially posted him as the male version of Alicia Keys, his impressive follow up “Once Again” (which ran neck & neck with John Mayer’s “Continuum” as the best record released in 2006) was a more organic affair. He enlisted producer Craig Street (best known for his work with alt-jazz diva Cassandra Wilson), and channeled everyone from Marvin Gaye (on “Slow Dance”) to Jeff Buckley (on “Show Me”). For his third album, “Evolver”, Legend takes us to the clubs with the first single, “Green Light”

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  • New Video: Maroon 5’s “Goodnight Goodnight”

    How many bands these days can go five songs deep on an album? You’ve gotta hand it to Adam Levine and company for making one of the better pop albums of the past 2 years or so with “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long”. There have also been a couple of interesting videos, such as the airport fantasy of “Makes Me Wonder” and the mini-action movie of “Wake Up Call”. Their last single, “If I Never See Your Face Again” was a funked-up jam that featured an unnecessarily shoehorned-in Rihanna, and now they’re back in ballad territory with “Goodnight, Goodnight”.

    This was always one of my least favorite songs from the album, partially because the lyrics are a bit trite, partially because the song’s into rips off 3 Doors Down’s “Kryptonite” (seriously…no one recognized the similarity?), but it’s grown on me significantly over the past couple weeks. And while I’d have much rather seen “Can’t Stop”, “Nothing Lasts Forever” or “Better That We Break” released as singles, I’ve also gotta admit that this is a pretty good video. Check it out for yourself.

  • New Music In Stores & Online 8/19/08: Staind, Ice Cube, Donavon Frankenreiter and More!!!

    Lots of comebacks this week. Let’s get down to business with no further delay:

    The cover of Staind\'s new album, \"The Illusion of Progress\".

    Staind “The Illusion of Progress”
    Staind’s website

    Remember when Staind was huge, in like, 2001? Seven years later, lead singer Aaron Lewis and his boys are still mopey and angry, but it’s safe to say that, to quote one of the band’s biggest hits, it’s been a while since anyone really cared. From what I hear, “The Illusion of Progress” is not being heralded as a bold move forward or a jarring change to the band’s sound, which I guess is a good thing, because I can’t picture Staind sounding particularly good sounding like anything other than…Staind. In other words, if you’re already a fan, you’ll probably dig this one. If you’re not, there’ll probably be no need to convert.

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