CD releases - June 26 Beyonce
‘‘Dangerously in Love’’
Although ‘‘Dangerously in Love’’ represents Beyonce’s first album apart from Destiny’s Child, it’s hard to consider this a true solo debut: After all, she’s been the lead singer and driving creative force of the trio since it was quartet. Yet even if Destiny’s Child was her own star vehicle, Beyonce (no Knowles, please) has further established her identity as vivacious entertainer, who’s also a skillful songwriter with killer pipes, with this smouldering disc.
The album’s first hit is ‘‘Crazy in Love,’’ a jamming track with blaring horns that call you out to the dance floor. But the fast-paced grooves are few on this disc. That actually turns out to be a good thing; the handful of uptempo songs are the weakest, with Beyonce panting and purring over typically formulaic R&B grooves (a Sean Paul guest spot, an East Indian melody, the obligatory rap break, etc). Beyonce, who co-wrote each of the 15 tracks, really shines when the pace slows down and settles into more complex, emotional material; her sweet, spirited soprano conveys vunerabilty, sensuality and pain so well.
On ‘‘Yes,’’ she rebukes her love for not being patient with her decision to wait, while on ‘‘Me, Myself and I,’’ she shows she’s still an ‘‘Independent Woman,’’ deciding to rely on herself instead of an unreliable beau. She’s turns into a convincing sex kitten on songs like ‘‘Be With You,’’ (which owes its hook to the ’80s hit ‘‘Strawberry Letter 23’’) and the Missy Elliott produced ‘‘Signs,’’ but it’s her voice that stirs the most passion.
Indeed, she’s even able to hold her own with Luther Vandross on the gorgeous remake of ‘‘The Closer I Get To You,’’ though, of course, it’s Vandross who is the star there. Many of the tunes have a retro sound that recalls the funky soul of ’70s, due in part to some sampling; in fact, the sample-free ‘‘Speechless’’ sounds like it could have been an Isley Brothers’ outtake, right down to the Ernie Isley guitar wail. But the disc solidifies a Beyonce sound that’s sexy, smart and soulful. ‘‘Dangerously in Love’’ should only brighten Beyonce’s ever-rising star.
— Nekesa Mumbi Moody, Associated Press
Liz Phair
‘‘Liz Phair’’
The fourth outing from Liz Phair find hers still conversant in sex, feminism and screwed-up longing, but clearly, things have changed. The fact that she’s 36, divorced and a single mom are evident, if only slightly, in the form of a more mature handling in the musicianship. Nowhere near as raw as her ’93 debut, ‘‘Exile in Guyville,’’ this self-titled disc is not as riveting, either, but it is a clear portrayal of an artist who’s not so much in it for the fame or indie street cred, but exploring herself inside and out.
And if it means searching for a different style, so be it, even if there are some hits and big misses. The 14 tracks are varied in substance and context, but not in style. There’s an aura of pure pop that permeates nearly every single, due in part to the producing efforts of The Matrix, who gained notoriety with Avril Lavigne. Indeed, there’s an Avril-esque ghost hanging over most of this recording. The similarities are frightening.
Lyrically, Phair is still blunt about the nature of sex, guys and girls, but nowhere near the level of ‘‘Guyville’’ or even ‘‘Whip-Smart.’’ Could it be she’s searching for a new niche? A new expression? Who cares? The disc is just fine by today’s pop standards. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s neither depressingly shallow, either. But the vigor and vitality of her previous releases is sorely missed here. Hopefully, she’ll aim to get those back with the next recording.
— Matt Moore, Associated Press
Blu Cantrell
‘‘Bittersweet’’
Blu Cantrell doesn’t break any new ground on her second album, but ‘‘Bittersweet’’ takes the basics and polishes them to a high shine. The entire project is so refreshing to the ear that it’s easy to forgive Cantrell for not being more experimental. With its breathy chorus and groovy backbeat, the drearily named ‘‘I Love You’’ is an attention grabber.
While not an example of great songwriting, ‘‘I Love You’’ proves that sometimes the sound, not the lyrics, is what really counts. ‘‘Breathe,’’ the album’s first single, is the equivalent of ‘‘Hit ’Em Up Style,’’ the revenge-themed hit from Cantrell’s first CD. Cantrell is a little easier on her man this time around — she’s just asking for some space rather than hitting the mall with her cheating boyfriend’s credit card. But the bouncy ‘‘Breathe,’’ which features car crash sound effects and a reggae-infused cameo by Sean Paul, is still a lot of fun. Paired with Lil’ Kim and Fat Joe on ‘‘Impatient,’’ Cantrell again makes an impact, aggressively spitting out the song’s staccatolike lyrics. Cantrell may not be a paragon of originality, but that’s OK when the expected sounds so unexpectedly good.
— Rachel Kipp, Associated Press
Lumidee
‘‘Almost Famous’’
For years, glossy-looking singers with weak voices have worked furiously to hide their flawed talent with bouncy grooves, overproduced tracks and studio tricks. Newcomer Lumidee may be the first to boldly let the world hear what she really sounds like — though it’s not a wise decision. ‘‘I got the whole world singing off-key!’’ the quasi-singer brags on the intro to her breakout hit ‘‘Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh),’’ which is on its way to becoming both summer’s most ubiquitous and annoying song.
Though the song’s appeal is a mystery, it’s probably due to its catchy drumbeat and handclaps — not her painfully thin voice. Lumidee has been compared with Ashanti, and on first listen, it rings true: they seem to have the same range, and Ashanti is certainly no powerhouse singer. But Ashanti can carry a tune — unlike Lumidee. She warbles awkwardly and unconvincingly on track after track on ‘‘Almost Famous’’ — and many of the tracks sound very similar, with their bare-bones melodies that rely on two or three notes. Lumidee got her start as a rapper, and it’s clear that’s where she has the most appeal. When she delivers her raps, it’s the highlight of her performance. She should reconsider that career path.
— Nekesa Mumbi Moody, Associated Press
Black Eyed Peas
‘‘Elephunk’’
It has the makings of a musical train wreck: Long overlooked hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas tries to make it big by collaborating with rockers Papa Roach and teen pop star Justin Timberlake. Wal-Mart is selling exclusive autographed CDs online. But the Los Angeles band’s ear for bouncy bass lines and danceable rhythms has made ‘‘Elephunk’’ a surprising success. This is the year’s best hip-hop party music. The album opens with an invitation to dance on ‘‘Hands Up,’’ and the energy lasts through 10 more songs, many ending with several minutes of funky live instrumentation. Nothing is too groundbreaking. Producers will.i.am and apl.de.ap strive for a familiar-sounding vibe on their ode to ‘‘Latin Women’’ and do the Indian music sampling thing now hot in hip-hop.
But it’s impossible to resist the quartet’s boogie-inducing silliness throughout songs such as ‘‘Let’s Get Retarded’’ and ‘‘Smells Like Funk,’’ with its happy refrain of ‘‘we keep it stinky.’ B.E.P.’s third album is a lyrically lightweight and fun affair that gets suddenly political and a bit serious in its final stretch. The catchy and biting final hidden track contains the question, ‘‘If Bush is Pinocchio, Pinocchio — who the hell is Gepetto, Gepetto?’’ And while the guitar-seared Papa Roach song about stress sounds entirely out of place, teen pop lovers get their fix with the CD’s slick first single, ‘‘Where Is the Love’’ — an earnest anti-war song with Timberlake delivering the hopeful, radio-friendly chorus.
— Ryan Pearson, Associated Press
Gangstarr
‘‘The Ownerz’’
In ‘‘Rite Where U Stand,’’ Gangstarr frontman Guru proclaims: ‘‘It’s that O.G. flavor, remind you of a corner bodega, and that ‘Old E’ behavior.’’ That lyric apparently represents the return to the old-school message the rap group attempts on their latest release, ‘‘The Ownerz.’’ Here, Guru and DJ Premier return from various solo projects for what they call a ’’purer form’’ of hip-hop, and the duo succeeds in bringing back a feel of beats and vocals that seems absent from modern rap. Evidence of that is in the album’s previously mentioned first release, which features Jadakiss, but doesn’t overshadow Guru’s monotone style.
Later comes ‘‘Peace of Mine,’’ a direct criticism of younger, less respectful hip-hop artists that will be appreciated by older rap fans. Perhaps the best track is ‘‘Riot Akt,’’ a rallying cry for social activism. Both the music and the lyrics put Gangstarr in the same thought-provoking category as rap acts such as Talib Kweili and Dead Prez. ‘‘The Ownerz’’ will not weigh in with fans as Gangstarr’s best, but it will remind them that Guru and DJ
Premier haven’t left the hip-hop stage.
— Madison J. Gray, Associated Press
Madlib
‘‘Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note’’
Los Angeles-based producer-rapper-disc jockey Otis Jackson Jr., aka Madlib, has been recruited by Blue Note to mine the company’s archives and create an album of remixes. Blue Note previously worked with DJ Smash on two similar collections. But unlike the previous discs, several of the tracks on ‘‘Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note’’ are entirely new interpretations of Blue Note classics, such as Horace Silver’s ‘‘Song for My Father’’ and Herbie Hancock’s Footprints.’’ Madlib, who’s proficient on several instruments, goes even one better with his own composition, ‘‘Funky Blue Note.’’
Though the tunes are funky enough in their original form, on ‘‘Shades of Blue,’’ the funk is updated. Rapper Medaphoar, here performing as M.E.D., contributes the one rap cut, rhyming over Madlib’s lush retooling of Bobbi Humphrey’s ‘‘Please Set Me at Ease.’’ Perhaps the most interesting product of Madlib’s creative genius is Yesterday’s New Quintet’s performance of ‘‘Footprints.’’ YNQ are five fictional players who, in reality, are Madlib, a digital sampler and a drum machine. The idea for the disc was a hip artist who raids the Blue Note catalog. The result, however, is the powerful Blue Note legacy completely absorbing the artist into a world of jazz.
— Jim Collins, Associated Press
KRS-One
‘‘Kristyles’’
KRS-One’s ‘‘Kristyles’’ is a bold release that should serve as a reminder to those keeping score — this guy is a hip-hop pioneer. Unlike his 2002 release that rang of altruism and religion, KRS-One takes off the gloves on ‘‘Kristyles,’’ daring others in the genre to look at themselves and their work and consider its worth. Chris ‘‘KRS-One’’ Parker challenges the listener to rethink their rap icons and demand more soul and less bling.
The track ‘‘Do You Got It,’’ is more like a farmworkers field holler than a rap. And it works intensely as KRS-One screams ‘‘I got next, do you got it?’’ clearing the floor for his presence. He follows it up with track after track of newfound energy, shedding any notion that he’s past his prime in MC years. ‘‘Can you rhyme?/ Can you spit it quick like watermelon pits at a picnic?’’ he raps on ‘‘Ya Feel Dat.’’ It’s got the flash today’s rap fans demand but retains the cultural reminders he’s known for.
The entire album calls into question the next direction of rap, a style born of urban blight and now seemingly blinded by quick-cash seeking pretenders to the style. KRS-One is no pretender and ‘‘Kristyles’’ proves it. It’s a CD shelf must-have for serious hip-hop fans.
— Ron Harris, Associated Press
McCoy Tyner
‘‘Land of Giants’’
In 2002, jazz pianist McCoy Tyner led a touring quartet that included Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Charnet Moffat on bass and Eric Harland on drums. ‘‘Land of Giants’’ is the studio effort from this wonderful ensemble. The album opens with the Latin-flavored ‘‘Serra do Mar.’’ The tune opens quickly into a Hutcherson solo played breezily against a rhythmic Tyner vamp. The group slows down the tempo on the lovely, contemplative ‘‘December.’’
Tyner’s complex chordal statements reach back to his work with John Coltrane decades ago. Moffat and Harland start the group off on a brisk pace on the uptempo ‘‘Steppin.’’ Their rhythmic chemistry is at once taut and expressive — the perfect counterpoint for Tyner and Hutcherson’s improvisations. The disc closes with a swinging version of the Ellington
classic ‘‘In a Mellow Tone.’’
— Jim Collins, Associated Press
David Bowie
‘‘Aladdin Sane: 30th Anniversary’’
‘‘Aladdin Sane,’’ David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust-era long-player, has turned 30. The album finds Bowie slowly abandoning the metallic guitars of the Spiders from Mars to indulge in different styles. Ever the pop chameleon, Bowie slips through decades deftly, mixing eras with a brash wink: ’20s cabaret (‘‘Time’’), ’50s doo-wop (‘‘Drive in Saturday’’), ’60s garage (‘‘The Jean Genie’’) and even forward to the ’80s (‘‘Aladdin Sane’’).
Thick instrumentation mires several songs, such as the flamenco-tinged but unfocused ‘‘Lady Grinning Soul.’’ But Bowie generally lets strong, simple instrumental voices cut through to carry the tune. ‘‘Panic in Detroit,’’ the album’s best cut, puts a crunching guitar, congas and Bowie’s teasing vibrato right up front. This digitally remastered anniversary edition comes in a hardcover booklet with many color pictures of an orange-haired Bowie. It also has an extra CD with a few alternate mixes of songs from the album, live cuts from a 1972 tour and Bowie’s version of Mott the
Hoople’s glitter anthem ‘‘All the Young Dudes.’’
— Mark Donahue, Associated Press
Clem Snide
‘‘Soft Spot’’
New Jersey’s Clem Snide, named for a character in William Burrough’s drug-addled masterpiece ‘‘Naked Lunch,’’ has a ‘‘Soft Spot’’ for pretty, love-themed rock songs on their fourth disc. The sound on ‘‘Soft Spot’’ is consistent, with straightforward arrangements and the obligatory touches of country (banjo), electronics (soft digital spears) and thrift store instruments (Fisher-Price TV Bell).
Singer and chief songwriter Ed Barzelay’s lyrics are reminiscent of high school poetry: ‘‘I’ll tie a string around my finger, so I don’t forget, not to get so tied up to, the things, that I, regret.’’ His lazy vocals are a blend of Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle, an in-tune Will Oldham and an indie rock James Taylor. The band’s secret weapon is the versatile Jason Glassner, who peppers Barzelay’s slow motion tunes with everything from suede zither to glockenspiel to cello.
The breezy, gentle strumming of ‘‘Action’’ and the vocal hook in ‘‘All Green’’ — the latter namechecking Al Green and sweet iced tea — are both highlights, as is the goodbye-kiss-sendoff of ‘‘Every Moment,’’ fading out with a guitar solo that wouldn’t be out of place on Neil Young’s mid-’70s records. The album’s two rockers, ‘‘Close the Door’’ and ‘‘Strong Enough,’’ get things moving, but they only prove this direction is not the band’s strongest side. Overall, the album suffers from a lack of variation in tempo, and although the music is pleasant, it’s completely devoid of experimentation. Clem Snide delivers a competent set of songs with ‘‘Soft Spot,’’ but this sort of thing has been done before — and better.
— Jake O’Connell, Associated Press
Shirley Horn
‘‘May the Music Never End’’
There’s a bittersweet quality to this highly anticipated release. After producing an album almost annually for most of the last 20 years, jazz singer and pianist Horn has been MIA since ‘‘You’re My Thrill,’’ her 2001 string project with arranger Johnny Mandel. Sadly, in the interim, her longtime bassist Charles Ables passed away. Horn, 69, suffers from diabetes and requires a wheelchair.
For the first time in 40 years, she couldn’t accompany herself on piano. Thankfully, pianist George Mesterhazy (a Horn protege) sits in. His phrasings are such an homage to Horn’s style that some fans may not notice the difference. Legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal also stops by on two tracks, rare for a guy who doesn’t usually accompany others. Like many of Horn’s recordings, this is a low-key outing with her breathy, seductive voice as welcome as a cool sheet on a sticky summer evening.
There are hints of sadness throughout, on the title track and especially on her cover of the Beatles’ ‘‘Yesterday.’’ Horn begins ‘‘Everything Must Change’’ with an almost militaristic time signature; drums and bass fighting the eventuality of the song’s lyrics. When the arrangement shifts suddenly into a full-on swinging assault, it’s as if Horn has temporarily pushed away all of the song’s looming dark clouds. ‘‘May the Music Never End,’’ indeed.
— Richard L. Eldredge, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
B.B. King
‘‘Reflections’’
The idea of a B.B. King album made up of pop, R&B, jazz and country standards was never going to set the music world on its ear. But to have the results be this lackluster, at times even unpleasant, is surprising. On ‘‘Reflections,’’ King’s vocals are too often tired, scratchy and uninspired.
Even worse, he employs a warbly, disturbingly wide vibrato that strains too hard against the saccharine string and brass arrangements, resulting in some painfully off-key moments. King, who plays little guitar here, adds nothing to any of the songs he covers, whether it’s ‘‘(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons,’’ (Sam Cooke and Nat King Cole did this one best), or ‘‘What a Wonderful World,’’ a Louis Armstrong signature tune that B.B. shouldn’t have gone near.
— Martin Bandyke, Detroit Free Press
Erin McKeown
‘‘Grand’’
The third album from the Virginia-born McKeown is a catchy, spritely collection of songs that features just the right touch of quirk to lift it far above similar singer-songwriter material. What clearly stands out is her sense of fun — rare in a genre that tends to mire itself in self-absorbed weepiness — though thankfully the playful tone never descends into goofy naivete. Her willingness and easygoing ability to mess with different styles, vocal approaches and oddball arrangements are a major plus, too.
Opening track ‘‘Slung-lo,’’ which is actually a buoyant comeback tune, captures it well: ‘‘She was so down/ Look at her now/ She’s never been so high/ Everyone knows/ Give it some time/ The clouds’ll clear the sky.’’
Things get a little ponderous near disc’s end. But mostly ‘‘Grand’’ is like sipping fresh-squeezed lemonade under a summer shade tree — perfectly sweet with just the right amount of tart.
— Steve Byrne, Detroit Free Press
Greg Trooper
‘‘Floating’’
Like all the best songwriters, Nashville-based Greg Trooper wrings powerful results from words and melodies that often seem simple and effortless. Whether they’re about longing, death or finding emotional release, his tunes have a way of sneaking up on listeners and quietly commandeering their thoughts and emotions via lines like: ‘‘All we have is now/So can’t we let it be/Forget the why and how/Trust the mystery.’’
‘‘Floating,’’ Trooper’s sixth album since 1986, draws on elements of acoustic folk, country, Irish balladry, rock and old-time, organ-anointed R&B to work its subtle magic. There’s nothing that even resembles a dud in this batch of 12, but particularly noteworthy are the lovely waltz ‘‘Muhammad Ali (The Meaning of Christmas)’’ and the gospel-tinged ‘‘That’s When My Tears Break Through,’’ which features Buddy Miller on acoustic guitar and harmony vocals.
— Greg Crawford, Detroit Free Press
Bruce Cockburn
‘‘You’ve Never Seen Everything’’
Whether he’s dealing with political issues like globalization and the environment or personal ones like spirituality and love, Canadian singer-songwriter Cockburn has always exuded intelligence and passion. Much like his previous two superb releases, ‘‘Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu’’ (1999) and ‘‘Charity of Night’’ (1997), ‘‘Everything’’ freely mixes elements of folk, jazz, rock and world music. Hugh Marsh’s sinuous violin work and the harmony vocals of Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne and Sam Phillips help to leaven Cockburn’s increasingly pessimistic world view. Still, the touching album closers ‘‘Don’t Forget About Delight’’ and ‘‘Messenger Wind’’ show Cockburn retains a few shreds of faith and hope.
— Martin Bandyke, Detroit Free Press
New Riders of the Purple Sage
‘‘New Riders of the Purple Sage’’
New Riders could have been the best country-rock band to evolve from San Francisco’s psychedelic scene of the early ‘70s, but it had a little problem: The group’s pedal steel player, Jerry Garcia, had another band to attend to. So after an initial album and a tour as the Grateful Dead’s opening act that had Garcia and drummer Mickey Hart doing double duty, leader John (Marmaduke) Dawson, bassist Dave Torbert and guitarist David Nelson had to recruit hired hands. The magic of the debut, rereleased here augmented by three live recordings, was never repeated.
The opening track of the album, ‘‘I Don’t Know You,’’ graced by gorgeous harmonies and Garcia’s speedy but wistful steel playing, is as good as anything on ‘‘American Beauty’’ or the first Poco album. The ballad ‘‘All I Ever Wanted’’ is as timeless as ‘‘Henry’’ — in which the folk hero John Henry gets reincarnated as a dope runner — was of its time.
