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  • At The Wrecka’ Sto’: 11/6/07 Edition

    Novembers usually bring what the recording industry likes to call “Super Tuesdays”, when tons of “A”-list acts compete against one another for chart supremacy. With the industry in the state it’s in, the star quality of this November’s releases is slightly dimmer than usual, especially later in the month. But that’s not to say there’s not a couple of releases that have the capability of doing boffo business. To wit:

    It wouldn’t be the end of the year without a Jay-Z album, and 2007 is no different, but this one’s a doozy. His American Gangster is based on the movie of the same name, and comes with tons of pre-release hype calling it Jay’s best album in quite some time. This should be the album that reconnects him with his “street” audience, considering the glossy, mature “Kingdom Come” went over a lot of folks’ heads. For those who can’t get enough “Gangster”, the film’s official soundtrack comes out today, merging Seventies classics with new songs by the pristine-voiced soul singer Anthony Hamilton (whose new album comes out in February…I can’t wait).

    http://www.jayzonline.com

    In today’s game of Six Degrees of Separation from Jay-Z, there’s also a greatest hits album from former nemesis Nas. This album rounds up the biggest hits from his Columbia years, along with a new song called “Surviving The Time”. Considering this, is it really going to make sense to release a new album from Nas just a month from now?

    There are two albums that might challenge Jay’s cruise to the #1 spot next week. If you have a daughter under the age of 19, you probably know who Chris Brown is, although you’ve probably not heard his name unaccompanied by an “OMIGOD!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”. Filling in nicely for Usher during Ush’s prolonged absence, Brown is the latest of teen dreams. His sophomore release Exclusive, already contains two huge hits: “Wall To Wall” and “Kiss Kiss”, which is currently the #1 single in the country.

    http://www.chrisbrownworld.com

    Speaking of country, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you about a release from a little guy named Garth Brooks. After 1999’s Chris Gaines fiasco, Brooks has been remarkably quiet, but the heat is being turned up. Not only was he recently awarded as the biggest selling American solo artist in HISTORY (sorry Elvis and Michael), but his new single “More Than A Memory” became the first to enter the U.S. Country charts at Number One. The Ultimate Hits is a 2-CD/1-DVD Hits compilation released and distributed by Garth himself (like he needs more money) and contains 4 new songs.

    http://www.garthbrooks.com

    And that’s not all, folks! There’s a new album from Blink-182 side project Angels & Airwaves, the comeback album from rapper Cassidy (following an overturned murder conviction and a near-fatal car accident) and, for those who are reissue crazy, a plethora of live albums (Jimmy Buffett, Bright Eyes, Barenaked Ladies, Five For Fighting…who the hell wants to see THEM live??), hits compilations (the 675th greatest hits album from Aerosmith, plus new comps from Van Morrison and Teddy Pendergrass), and…Christmas albums (from The Captain & Tennille and Rick Springfield!)

    Get a complete list of this week’s new releases here: http://www.pauseandplay.com/cdfront.htm

    Happy shopping!!

  • …And The Winner Is…

    So, with the CMTs just past and the American Music Awards in just a couple of weeks, the music award season is in full bloom.
    The cutoff period for consideration for the Grammy Awards was September 30th. This means that albums with a release date ranging from the first week of October 2006 to the first week of October 2007 can be considered, with the later period of releases included because they ship to stores during the last week of September.
    Grammy has become a bit hard to predict over the course of the past couple of years, and the muted list of this year’s releases makes things even easier to predict. Parity will be the name of the game here, with no surefire Norah Jones, Dixie Chicks or OutKast release to clean up at the ceremony. However, there are a couple of folks that I think will be smiling hard when the nominations are announced in mid-December.
    KANYE WEST: He’s been nominated for Album Of The Year for each of his first two albums, and (in case you’ve been under a rock and have not heard his complaining) he lost both times (to Ray Charles and U2). “Graduation” has had the biggest balance between critical cred and sales (1.7 million in two months of release), so this could be the year Mr. West finally receives his big trophy (although it would be highly ironic that he would win for his weakest album…) His competition??…
    BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: “Magic” snuck in just under the deadline, and…well, Bruce is as much of a gimme in Grammy world as any other artist. It’s Bruce’s return to rock after the well-received “Seeger Sessions” & ‘Devils & Dust”, and “Radio Nowhere” is his most catchy single in two decades. I see Record and Album Of The Year nominations in Springsteen’s future, with an outside chance at winning both awards.
    AMY WINEHOUSE: She’s almost a lock for Best New Artist (unless the stench of bad press from her assorted substance issues follows her). “Back To Black” is one of the year’s biggest surprise successes, and, despite her problems, she’s quite obviously a real talent. Besides, how much of an entertainment lift would the Grammy telecast receive based on a performance by the wildly unstable Winehouse?
    WILD CARDS: Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell both went over to Starbucks and scored fairly successful albums. Grammy has a history of awarding veterans. It’s not out of the realm of possibility to see either of these legends up for Album of the Year, where anything from Linkin Park to the Dreamgirls Soundtrack Album could be up for this. Two things that will NOT be nominated are the two biggest selling albums of the year so far-Daughtry and the High School Musical 2 Soundtrack. “HSM2” is way too kid-friendly, and Grammy has never been kind to grunge-lite. Daughtry will get a Best New Artist nomination (where Winehouse, Lily Allen, Robin Thicke and Colbie Caillat all have a chance at getting nominated), but that’ll be the extent of it.
    Speaking of “Dreamgirls”: although Beyonce’s “B-Day” is no longer eligible, several singles from the album are, and I’d be completely stunned if “Irreplaceable” didn’t end up with a Record of the Year Nomination. Other potential nominees: Springsteen’s “Radio Nowhere”, West’s “Stronger”, Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry”). On the R&B side, look for big mentions for Thicke, John Legend (whose “Once Again” is eligible this year although it seems like the album has been out longer) and the strong comeback effort by Chaka Khan.
    With a month to go before nominations are officially announced, lots of speculation will ensue, but I’m pretty confident that my picks will end up coming out of the presenters’ lips.

  • At The Wrecka Sto’ 10/30/07: Party Like It’s 1999

    Ah, it almost feels like the glory days of the music industry are back. Seven or eight years ago, if The Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears were releasing albums on the same day, record executives would be pissing themselves with anticipation and it would practically be raining money.
    Nowadays, not so much.
    Britney still has some cachet. The “Gimme More” single has been surprisingly successful. Actually, it’s her highest charting record since her debut single, “…Baby One More Time” back in 1998/1999. In addition, her new album Blackout has gotten some very good reviews (although most reviewers are quick to point out that the quality of the album has very little to do with Britney herself). Despite all her efforts to sabotage it, Brit-Brit’s career might not be over just yet.
    On the other hand, BSB, who were the first act to break the million-in-sales barrier in the first week with 1999’s Millennium, are probably done for. Losing Kevin Richardson, who really did nothing but smolder visually, doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. But their sound is passe, their 2005 “comeback album” fell slightly short of a million copies sold, and something tells me this new album might be their sayonara and to expect members to start popping up on “Dancing With The Stars” in the next year or two.
    Not to say these are the only two artists with albums in stores today. You can grab The Eagles’ first studio album in nearly three decades today-but only at Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club stores (or through walmart.com). You’ll have a much easier time finding the new efforts from VMA-winning metal band Avenged Sevenfold and Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan’s solo project, called Puscifer. New albums also arrive today from jazz/soul specialist Will Downing (his first since being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that has left him wheelchair bound) and alt-rap/country artist Buck 65.
    On the re-issue tip, soccer moms everywhere can rejoice in the first hits compilation of Andrea Bocelli’s more pop-oriented work, while eyeliner clad Eighties freaks will dig a series of expansive Joy Division re-releases that hit stores today. Speaking of eyeliner (among much other make-up) there is an Insane Clown Posse hits collection arriving in stores today, and somehow it seems appropriate to end my listing of this week’s key releases on that note.
    Get a complete list of today’s new releases here: