In most years, there’s a period from mid-July to mid-August during which NOTHING comes out. As a record buyer, this is frustrating because you’re walking into record stores and not finding a thing that strikes your interest. On the other hand, with the holiday selling season closer than you think, it might be a good idea to save your money for the deluge that awaits.
Anywhere, here’s my five picks (if I must) out of this week’s releases. How bad is it? I’m actually mentioning one of the same releases this week that I mentioned last week. Thank God for semantics.
Sugarland “Love on the Inside”-The hottest country duo in the land took an interesting tactic with their new release. It came out last week in a “deluxe” edition, while this week marks the introduction of the presumably less-bells-and-whistles containing (and cheaper) regular version. Ten years ago, if you were to tell me that I’d even be considering buying an album like this, I’d have laughed you into September, but I’ve acquired a fondness for modern-day country. Although I’ve not heard much of Sugarland (aside from the godawful duet with Bon Jovi that I mentioned in last week’s column), I could very well be tempted to check this one out.
http://www.sugarlandmusic.com/splash.html
Rick Springfield “Venus in Overdrive”-Here’s something that just might freak you out. The guy that teenage girls drooled over in the early Eighties (my cousin had a picture of him hanging in her bedroom back in the day) is approaching 60. SIXTY. Nevertheless, the indefatigable Springfield continues playing and touring. This is Rick’s first album of original material in five years. His last album, “The Day After Yesterday” was an interesting collection of covers. I said “interesting”, not good.
A few months ago, I gave Robyn some serious props on this very site. The Swedish singer had just released The Rakamonie EP, a teaser of sorts for her first American album in over a decade. The full-length finally arrived on American shores a little over a month ago, and it’s certainly well worth the wait.
Robyn's new self-titled release is in stores and online now.
For those that need catching up, Robyn was the bridge between the “urban” teenage girl singer wave of 1994-1995 (Monica, Aaliyah, and Brandy) and the “pop” teenage girl singer wave of 1998-1999 (Britney, Christina, Jessica). Hits like “Show Me Love” and “Do You Know (What it Takes)” were frothy and poppy (are Scandinavians born with a gene that allows them to make hooky pop songs?), but Robyn’s singing voice was powerful enough to give her some R&B respect. Her debut album, “Robyn is Here”, was successful enough, eventually selling a million copies. However, about a year and a half after Robyn’s debut album was released, Jive Records put out Britney Spears’ debut, and Robyn was promptly forgotten about. If you get similar songs and give them to a pretty but talented cipher who’s willing to sing them while prancing around half-naked, why take a chance with someone who might exert a little artistic tension?
Anyway, Robyn retreated from the American music scene as quickly as she’d gotten there, returning to her homeland and releasing music that was well-received throughout Europe but never released in the States. A song called “Konichiwa Bitches” got some indie/hipster love about three years ago, and it set the stage for Robyn’s return as a slightly edgier, but still pop-friendly American recording artist. “Robyn” is actually a compilation of sorts, mixing new cuts with songs that have been out abroad for a couple of years, but it still holds together as a cohesive album. Think of it as “FutureSex/LoveSounds”, only with balls.
“Balls” is the operative word here, as Robyn spends a great deal of this album talking shit to the opposite sex. The aforementioned “Konichiwa Bitches” is the greatest Missy Elliott song Missy Elliott never made, with Robyn rapping playfully about how hot she is: “Right now you’re probably thinking ‘how she get in them jeans’/Well I’m gifted, all natural and bursting at the seams”. It’s full of attitude, but you get the impression that Robyn’s just having fun with it. “Handle Me” sounds a bit like the Ne-Yo/Stargate/”Irreplaceable” sound that’s infiltrated the radio over the past two years, but Robyn’s emasculating lyrics have a bit more bite than Beyonce’s (wait, she didn’t write that one).
“Be Mine” proves that a great melody is a great melody, whether performed as a more upbeat dance/pop tune (like on this album) or a somber piano ballad (like on the aforementioned EP). “Crash & Burn Girl” is a heater guaranteed to light up dance floors worldwide and also finds Robyn rocking a very Prince-like falsetto, and “Anytime You Like” is an ethereal beat ballad that sounds strangely sensual, considering she’s singing about a breakup. Guess that’s something else she learned from the Purple One.
Not quite sure why the hipster crowd has latched on to this album-it pretty much defines what pop is right now. It’s danceable, youthful and fun, and manages to take everything artists like Fergie and Gwen Stefani try to do and do it correctly. If you remember Robyn’s first American album fondly, it’s probably time to head down to ye olde record store and welcome back an old friend. If you’re only hearing of Robyn for the first time and want to hear some quality pop music, pick this one up and thank me later.
So I still haven’t gotten the Hold Steady record yet. I was away all week and never made it to a record store that sells new music. When I finally did Saturday night (in a rush because I was on my way to a party), the place I went was sold out. Grr. I consoled myself with the new Nas record. So, this week, I’m gonna pretend that “Stay Positive” is a new release…because not much else here interests me. Here are the Top 5 picks.
*Miley Cyrus “Breakout”: If you’d told me five years ago that Billy Ray Cyrus’s teenage daughter was going to be one of the biggest pop singers in the country, I’d have laughed in your face. Shows you what I know. “Breakout” is the first album where Miley is not at least partially in character as Hannah Montana. If you’re under 16 and female and you want this, I’m cool with that because it means in five years you’ll probably be listening to metal to get that sanitized pop taste out of your mouth. If you’re over 16 and female and you listen to this, the last train to Adulthood is pulling out of the station! Better hop on! If you’re male and you want this CD, either you need your dick cut off, or you’re a creepy old man. In which case you need your dick cut off. So there.
http://www.mileycyrus.com/official
*Nine Inch Nails “The Slip”: This is Trent Reznor’s third album of new material in a 16-month span, and it’s a 3-CD set. Shades of Prince circa 1997. “Year Zero” was an OK album, although I’ve sort of grown tired of 40-something year old Trent whining about how fucked up the world is. First single “Discipline” jams harder than any NIN single since “Only”,and the rest of the album (which was pretty much recorded on the fly) promises to at least be interesting. Those of you who are NIN superfans probably have this already, because it was made available on their site a couple of months back. (The CD version of this album is a limited release, folks. So get it while you can.)
*U2 “Boy”/”October”/”War” (special editions): Following last year’s successful 20th anniversary re-release of “The Joshua Tree”, U2’s first three albums are given the deluxe treatment, with an added disc each of live stuff, alternate takes and other bonus goodies. They’re all remastered, as well. If memory serves, this is the first remastering job that has been done on these albums, and the improved sound is sorely needed. Although I’m a major U2 fan, I started at “The Joshua Tree” and only went part of the way backwards from there (I don’t own “Boy”, and have only sparingly listened to “October”). That said, “War” is an absolutely must-have album with at least three stone-cold classics (“New Year’s Day”, “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “Two Hearts Beat as One”). Might be worth the extra scratch for this special edition. Not that they need the money or anything.
http://www.u2.com/
*Sugarland “Love on the Inside”: Actually, this album comes out in earnest next week (which means, given the scarcity of quality releases next week, I may write about this again!). However, there’s a special edition “fan pack” in stores today as well as the vinyl version of the release (you haven’t heard, y’all? Vinyl is back!). You probably remember Sugarland as the country duo who sang with Bon Jovi on “Who Says You Can’t Go Home?” (the God-awful “s’awright, s’awright” song…it won a fucking Grammy, people). I read an Entertainment Weekly article on them over the weekend, and this album-allegedly inspired by artists as varied as Marvin Gaye and R.E.M.- sounds vaguely interesting. It would have to be damn good in order for me to forgive that damn Bon Jovi song.
http://www.sugarlandmusic.com/splash.html
*One Day as a Lion “One Day as a Lion (EP)”: Those of you waiting for that eternally-in-gestation solo debut from Zack De La Rocha are gonna have to wait some more. But in the meantime, the former Rage Against the Machine frontman releases this EP with some guy called Jon Theodore. Nope, I dunno who he is either.
http://www.onedayasalion.org/
Here are a couple of “WTF” releases for you: Candlebox (remember “Far Behind”? Well, you do know because I’m posting the video) are releasing “Into the Sun”, their first album in ten years. Cue the sound of interested fans numbering into the single digits. Also, apparently Danny Aiello (who the average person either remembers as Sal the pizzeria owner from “Do the Right Thing” or as the guy who played “papa” in Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” video), is releasing “Live from Atlantic City” today. Danny Aiello sings? Who knew?
Also…former Squeeze frontman Chris Difford releases the hilariously titled “The Last Temptation of Chris”, former Three Six Mafia associate La Chat is back in action with another album that’s gonna set female rappers back 25 years, blues stalwart Buddy Guy returns with another guest-star filled album (including the requisite Clapton spot), Jam frontman Paul Weller is putting something out, and for those of you who want to relive 1976, Led Zeppelin‘s “The Song Remains the Same” is being re-released on vinyl. Yep, you can still separate your sticks from your seeds in the gatefold sleeve.
A full list of this week’s releases can be found here.
