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  • First Listen: Billy Corgan’s “A Song for a Son”

    I’ll admit. Billy Corgan gets on my nerves.

    First, there was the fact that he just seemed like an obnoxious prima donna. Granted, “Siamese Dream” and “Mellon Collie” are classics, but Billy just came across as kind of an egotistical whiner-especially after firing D’arcy and James Iha and kind of outing them as not contributing very much to the Pumpkins sound. I was just weirded out by the fact that he fires the whole band and then rehires the unreliable heroin-addict drummer?

    The last Pumpkins album was a moderate commercial success, although I gotta say that I was lukewarm on the album and VERY disappointed when I saw them live a couple months later. Now, Billy is promising to release 44 new songs over the period of 3 years free over the internet. I have to laugh, because Billy’s complaining about the state of the industry is kinda hypocritical given the fact that his ability to give away 44 free songs on the internet is largely due to the promotional machine that the music industry provides. It’s easy for him to make that statement because he doesn’t have to worry about making money.

    Anyhow, this is about Billy’s new song “Song for a Son”. I wasn’t expecting much from it, but I like it way more than I initially thought I would.It’s a typical grandiose rocker, with traces of peak-era Elton John and Queen. His voice seems to have gotten less grating over time as well, which is a good thing. As Billy has reformed the Pumpkins with a COMPLETELY new lineup (and is now allegedly dating Jessica Simpson…shudder…), I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more from him in the months to come.

    Get “A Song for a Son” here.

  • 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”