Well, because there really isn’t anything out worth your time. To wit…
Ashlee Simpson “Bittersweet World”: I don’t *dislike” Ashlee Simpson the way I dislike…say, Avril Lavigne. She seems like a nice enough girl, her songs are pleasant without being irritating and that whole “SNL” lip-synching thing didn’t bother me because, well…people lip-synch on TV shows all the freaking time. It’s not like she was presented as this powerhouse diva and then got her spot blown up when the tape skipped, you know?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GsulZKXFxK8 (the video for “Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)”)
Anyway, her third album backs away from the bratty power-pop of her first two albums and goes in a dance-pop direction, with the production provided by Timbaland and The Neptunes’ Chad Hugo, among others. I thought the first single, “Outta My Head”, was super-annoying, so I’m not going anywhere near this unless I get a freebie. However, the woman’s sold 4 million albums in her career, so it’s safe to say she has a pretty solid fanbase. She won’t be worrying about me.
Carole King “Tapestry (Deluxe Edition)”: For a while, “Tapestry” was the biggest selling album by a female artist of all time, and rightfully so. It’s equal parts sweet soul and confessional singer-songwriter brilliance, with more than it’s share of standards. “I Feel The Earth Move”, “It’s Too Late”, “So Far Away”, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” are just some of the gems you’ll find on this album. Whether you buy this expanded edition (and I swear that it’s been remastered/repackaged half a dozen times) or just cop the original, “Tapestry” is an absolute must-have album.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sb5MORLi8K0 (an excellent clip of “It’s Too Late”)
Blind Melon “For My Friends”: How can the “No Rain” guys be back?, you ask. Didn’t Shannon Hoon, their lead singer, die from a drug overdose over a decade ago? Well, yes he did, but the band has finally decided to soldier on with a NEW lead singer. Why? I don’t know. But, figuring that I didn’t care much for the band when they were popular (and when their original lead singer was alive), I think it might be a good idea to pass on this one.
(I don’t know that there’s an updated Melon page and no way I’m subjecting you to that damn Bee Girl)
Whitesnake “Good To Be Bad”: No, David Coverdale’s not dead. In fact, he’s back with a new Whitesnake album. However, the fact that Coverdale has got to be about 172 by now, coupled with the fact that Whitesnake’s heyday is 20 years behind them, and added to the fact that Tawny Kitaen’s probably a little too old to flitter around on top of a car anymore ends up equalling one album no one in their right mind should care about.
(I will subject you, however, to Tawny Kitaen: http://youtube.com/watch?v=oKTiwCez6Zs)
There’s also…
a love songs collection by Donny Osmond, who I’d make fun of if it didn’t seem like he had so much fun mocking himself…
Ah, all of the Replacements’ Twin/Tone albums (including “Let It Be”, which critics splooge themselves over) are remastered and reissued today with bonus material.
“Mess of Blues”, the album singer/guitarist Jeff Healey was working on at the time of his death from cancer, is being released today…
…and that’s the best of a weak lot, folks. Next week will certainly be better!!
Get a full list of this week’s releases here: http://www.pauseandplay.com/cdfront.htm
