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Pop Rock Nation

Category: Releases

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  • New Releases 4/8/08: Leona Lewis, Nine Inch Nails & More

    Hey Folks,
    Another Tuesday is upon us, with more new music. Here are some of the highlights.
    Leona Lewis: “Spirit”: So, um yeah, Leona won some talent contest in her native U.K. that was created by Simon Cowell. Cowell brought her over to these shores, where she was signed to J Records by Clive Davis, and…if you can think of a smoother entry into the U.S. market, I’d like to hear one. First single “Bleeding Love” has already zoomed to the #1 spot on the American singles chart (after blowing up all over Britain), and this album features production and songwriting contributions by everyone from Akon to the Kenny-G looking dude in Color Me Badd (Sam Watters).
    If you haven’t heard the song yet or checked out the video, here you go: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5-ctIC65PV0
    She’s no Amy Winehouse (or Adele or Duffy or Kate Nash), but if you ever wondered what Mariah would sound like if she were British…
    Nine Inch Nails: “Ghosts I-IV”: Trent Reznor and crew released this 36-track instrumental set over the Internet a month or so ago (actually, closer to two months ago), and it finally receives its commercial release today. While I’m sure NIN fans have already gobbled this up, more hesitant types might want to pick this up. While some tracks are familiar sounding to those who have been listening to NIN for the past twenty years, some songs are downright purty. Does Trent have a future in film scoring ahead (and why does something tell me he’s done so already…did he do the music for “Lost Highway?)??
    P.O.D. “When Angels & Serpents Dance”: I won’t be as obnoxious as I originally intended to be…but for those of you who may still actually give a shit, guitarist Marcos Curiel is back with the band after a one (mmm..maybe two-) album absence, and the band finds themselves on a new label (Columbia). Personally, I was on board for “Alive” and “Youth of the Nation” and promptly found myself right back off of the P.O.D. train.
    Ray J. “All I Feel”: I would say that Ray J. is the highest-charting porn actor in history, but then I’d be forgetting about this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=6wP_kUzaRlY (and yes, she really was a porn star…I’ve seen her in action). At any rate, who’d have thought that an album by Brandy’s negligibly talented little brother would be more anticipated than a Brandy album? Me either. But while Bran defends herself against several legal woes, Ray J. has a Top Ten hit (“Sexy Can I”, an album with guest shots from The Game & Snoop Dogg, AND he bagged Kim Kardashian *and* Whitney Houston. Hats off, dude.
    Other than that, the pickings are a little slim. Was (Not Was), one of the most bizarre funk/pop bands of the Eighties return with “Boo!”, which is their first album in nearly two decades, or since Don Was became the producer in demand for everyone from Bonnie Raitt to The Stones. All you hipsters will be grooving to new albums from indie faves Cut Copy and Tapes ‘n Tapes, and if you still believe in “Girl Power!”, you might wanna check out Spice Girl Melanie C.’s latest solo album entitled “This Time”.
    Happy shopping!

  • "Chinese Democracy", "Detox" And More: New Releases 4/1/08

    Haha…April Fools!!

    (yeah, OK, that was lame)

    So, no, you won’t be getting the new Guns ‘n Roses or Dr. Dre albums today (or anytime soon, I don’t think). However, this particular April Fool’s Day brings forth a plethora of new music releases. Here are a couple of things you might be interested in checking out.

    R.E.M. “Accelerate”: Simply put, R.E.M. are the greatest American rock band of the past quarter-century. Albums like “Murmur”, “Document” and “Automatic for the People” are almost universally regarded as classics. However, the band lost the plot when drummer Bill Berry exited in 1997, after being stricken with a brain aneurysm while on stage. While the remaining three members of the band (vocalist Michael Stipe, bassist Mike Mills and guitarist Peter Buck) have soldiered on, the music has suffered and the band, to me, anyway, is a shell of what it once was. “Accelerate” is rumored to be the band’s return to a harder-rocking style. Will it be as good as their last “rocking” effort, 1994’s “Monster”? I’ll let you guys find out. I’m probably gonna pass.

    http://www.remhq.com

    Moby “Last Night”: In 1999, Moby’s “Play” was the little album that could. Despite a lack of radio play and traditional promotion, the album went on to sell 2 million copies via the then unique practice of licensing almost every one of the album’s tracks to a TV show, movie or commercial. Moby’s not equalled that level of success since, but he’s continued to put out interesting music since, and he’s also one of pop music’s most unique personalities. “Last Night” allegedly harkens back to a more club-friendly sound, an acknowledgment of Moby’s early days as a cutting-edge techno/electronic artist.

    http://www.moby.com

    Van Morrison “Keep It Simple”: It’s been 40 years since Van Morrison exploded onto the scene with the band Them and the hit “Gloria”, and at this point, you know what to expect from the man widely considered one of the greatest blue-eyed soul singers and one of the greatest songwriters in history. A mix of folk and traditional Irish flavorings, a touch of blues, a pinch of jazz and a whole lot of that still inimitable voice. While none of his recent work has exactly been “Moondance”, any artist would be hard-pressed to top that classic, and Van remains one of the few artists of his era who is still worth listening to.

    http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk

    Kylie Minogue “X”: British pop tart Kylie Minogue returns with her first album of new material since fighting and beating a breast cancer diagnosis in 2005. While she is practically royalty in her home country, she’s only been intermittently successful here in the States, and with American customers currently preferring their British singers of the soulful variety (Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis), it’s hard to tell whether this album will mark a commercial comeback for Kylie. An eclectic lineup of guest performers on this album includes Boy George, The Scissor Sisters, and former BLACKstreet member/ace producer Teddy Riley.

    http://www.kylie.com

    George Michael “Twenty Five”: Despite being released in the U.K. nearly two years ago, this double-CD hits compilation by George Michael is only being released in the States now. Of course, with a double-CD compilation by George already on the market, many folks would say this is a bit unnecessary, but hold up a second. “Twenty-Five” is the first album to compile all of George’s hits with Wham! (like this classic: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hksil-KkebQ) in addition to his solo smashes. In addition, it contains his hit duet with Mary J. Blige, “As”, which scored big on R&B radio a decade ago but Mary’s label refused it’s official release in the States. Add in a couple of new tracks, George’s upcoming summer tour (his first in the U.S. since 1991) and his ubiquity via the TV show “Eli Stone”, and this might be one to watch.

    http://www.georgemichael.com

    My pick of the week is “Matthew Ryan vs. The Silver State”. Matthew is a singer/songwriter, originally from Pennsylvania but currently based in Nashville. To my ears, he sounds like Bruce Springsteen’s “Nebraska” meets Ray LaMontagne. His music is almost painfully intimate (I mean that in a good way) and beautifully sung and performed. I had the pleasure of witnessing an intimate acoustic performance by him and I was completely blown away. Give this album a shot. You will not be disappointed.

    http://www.matthewryanonline.com

    And for this week’s “Huh”? Factor:
    Remember Donna Lewis? No? How about that song “I Love You Always Forever”? NOW do you remember? Well, she’s BACK (and I don’t remember anyone inviting her). For those interested, she’s got an album out today.

    Also hitting stores today: A new set from The Black Keys (intriguingly produced by Gnarls Barkley’s Danger Mouse), former “American Idol” finalist Josh Gracin (the country-singing dude from season 2 who was in the military), a new set from country music mainstay George Strait (who seems to release albums every 9 months, and all of them sell like hotcakes), a Dream Theater 2-CD best of, and “Shine a Light”, the soundtrack to the new Rolling Stones documentary, which was notably directed by Martin Scorcese. Look at the way Mick’s wrinkles were filmed! Such Clarity!

    Happy shopping!!

  • Music New Releases 3/25/08: Cornering The Market On Silly Band Names

    OK, so both me and GG are out of town this week, so the next couple of entries might be rushed and short…sorta like the one I’m about to write.

    This week’s most interesting new release isn’t actually coming out this week…Gnarls Barkley’s “The Odd Couple” was suddenly pushed up from it’s initial mid-April street date to…sometime last week. Retailers were instructed to sell the record as soon as they got it. At any rate, it should be out everywhere by now (I have my copy) and because Cee-Lo is one of those guys who seems to be incapable of making an uninteresting album, you should check it out.

    Also out this week, the new album from the Jack White/Brendan Benson side project The Raconteurs (which hopefully is better than their shitty first album), the sophomore effort from Panic! At The Disco (who are now Panic At The Disco…the most inexplicably idiotic name change since Matchbox 20 became matchbox twenty), Diddy’s new vocal group Day26 (coming from the latest season of “Making The Band”), the first album from Counting Crows in something like half a decade, AND “Funplex”, the first new album from the B-52’s since 1991!!!

    Sorry for the condensed version, but I gotta run: Happy Shopping!!