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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Willie Nelson

  • New Music In Stores & Online 7/1/08: G-Unit, John Mayer, Vanessa Hudgens & More

    John Mayer's new release Where The Light IsThe 4th of July weekend seems like the perfect time to release new music. You figure that folks planning the long weekend and heading out to the beach or a barbecue will want to take some tunes along for the ride, right? Well, how come there isn’t anything good coming out this week? Sheesh.

    Here are some highlights (relatively speaking, that is):

    John Mayer “Where The Light Is”: For whatever reason, Mayer is taking some guff for having released so many live albums in a relatively short time. This is his third officially-sanctioned concert release in 7 years (although the John Mayer Trio album was almost completely new material). Of course, those same people won’t mention the fact that Pearl Jam had put out about 500 live albums before their 10 year anniversary. Anyway, I’ve seen Mayer live once and, as much as I love the guy (as explained in yesterday’s post), he was good if not great. Although the guitar at his shows is a little more showy, his records don’t sound a hell of a lot different from his records, and his stage patter can border on smarmy/obnoxious. Anyhow, when a live album from someone whose already put out a pair of live albums in less than a decade is your top choice this week, you know you’re in trouble. This is also available on DVD.

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  • “My Medicine”: Snoop Dogg Meets Deputy Dawg

    Snoop Dogg’s been a lot of things over the course of the fifteen-plus years that he’s been on the scene. Gangsta rap icon. Pimpery proponent. Multi-faceted pitchman. But…country singer??

    The D-O-Double G’s new song, “My Medicine” (which Snoop says is a tribute to Johnny Cash), finds Snoop getting his country-rock on with the help of Everlast, who co-wrote and produced the record (something tells me his schedule wasn’t too full). The video includes cameos from current C&W superstar Brad Paisley (who you’ve gotta love just for the fact that he seems to have a fantastic sense of humor), and country icon Willie Nelson. Willie’s involvement makes a lot more sense when you realize that the song, in typical Snoop fashion, is about weed. One can only imagine the collective fumes that were coming out of *that* trailer.

    Although “Sensual Seduction Sexual Eruption” was a fantastic record, it’s safe to say Snoop really lost his mojo quite a while ago, and this attempt to woo country music listeners falls a bit flat once the novelty of “oh, shit! Snoop’s making a country record!” wears off.  The video is cute, but there’s not much in the way of replay value, and I think the days of Snoop being a hungry rapper who made consistently good records are long gone.

    But damn, I wish I was somewhere in the general vicinity of that trailer…

  • Nope, Nothing Came Out This Week, Either…

    Well, we’re only a week or so until Sheryl Crow, Jack Johnson and Lenny Kravitz kick off with the first superstar releases of 2008. In the meantime, there are a handful of more niche-y kind of albums out this week.
    The Grammy Awards are a week from Sunday, and of course, every year there’s a compilation CD spotlighting the nominees. This year’s comp features Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5, Paul McCartney and just about everyone else noteworthy up for a gramophone. If you’re looking for a step-up from the average “Now That’s What I Call Music” compilation, this just might be up your alley.
    Shelby Lynne, who you might remember winning a Best New Artist Grammy in 2001 (despite having recorded for over a decade by that point) has an interesting new release out called “Just A Little Lovin’”. 9 of the 10 tracks are covers of songs that Dusty Springfield originally recorded, and although I don’t really have much use for Dusty, I am madly in love with Shelby (I even got to hug her once), and this album is now part of my collection.
    Joe Jackson (no, not Michael’s dad) has a new album out this week called “Rain”. The guy’s been around 30 years and still has the goods-I hear this album’s excellent (although the jury’s out on whether I’ll actually buy it). Joe is well-known for his eclecticism, jumping from power-pop to jazz to reggae at a whim, so if you’re the adventurous type, you might wanna check it out.
    Also, there’s a new set from the indefatigable (it must be the weed) Willie Nelson out, the sophomore set from hard rock upstarts Bullet For My Valentine, a 2-CD deluxe version of Beck‘s breakthrough “Odelay” (I call it his breakthrough because, seriously, how many of you thought he was a one-hit wonder after “Loser”?), a new Blind Boys of Alabama record (if you wanna get your spiritual on), a new Sarah Brightman record (if you wanna get your classical on), and the first Statewide release from Swedish pop singer Robyn in nearly a decade. You might remember her from hits like “Show Me Love”. She was one of the first artists to benefit from that Max Martin pop sound that ruled the late Nineties, and then Britney Spears went and stole her career. Well, she’s still big in Europe, and “The Rakamonie EP” marks the first time that global hits like “Konichiwa Bitches” are available on these shores.
    And I admit it. I wanted to say “Konichiwa Bitches”. So I’ll say it again.
    Happy shopping.