New Album Releases 08/26/08: The Game, B.B. King, Matthew Sweet, Slipknot, Mott The Hoople, Blues Traveler, Moody Blues, Motörhead, The Verve, Richard Bona & More - Page 2

In the Pat Metheny Group, there is always one musician who plays the role "utility man." The basic instrumentation is guitar, piano/keys, acoustic and electric bass, drums, trumpet, and (sometimes) harmonica. The extra player is responsible for filling in on any number of instruments including vibes, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals, and percussion. In the history of the group, this chair has been held by a stellar cast of musicians including: Armando Marcal, Nana Vasconcelos, Mark Ledford, and the great David Blamires.

In 2002, Pat Metheny brought out on tour his most powerful secret weapon yet: Richard Bona. Born in Cameroon, Bona can do it all. He can sing, play any number of instruments, and wield a mean bass. In fact, during the show I attended, the rest of the band took a break so that Metheny, Bona, and Antonio Sanchez could let it all hang out on a jaw-dropping version of "Bright Size Life." It's got to be tough to fill the shoes of Jaco Pastorius, but Bona made it look easy.

I know almost nothing about this Richard Bona recording, except that it's live and my musical radar says it has to be good.

One of the most eagerly-awaited hip-hop albums also happens to be one of the year's best. The Game's latest, L.A.X., is everything a dope rap record should be and then some. Featuring guest spots from Common, the legendary Ice Cube, Ne-Yo, Nas, Lil Wayne, Raekwon, and Keyshia Cole, The Game's assessment of Los Angeles is peppered with solid flow, intense beats, and a West Coast flavour that G-Unit's latest "effort" missed by miles.

Here are all this week's new album releases courtesy of All Music Guide:

The Game
LAX
Geffen
West Coast Rap, Gangsta Rap

Solange
Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams
Geffen
Urban, Neo-Soul

Matthew Sweet
Sunshine Lies
Shout! Factory
Pop Underground, Alternative Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Power Pop

The Verve
Forth
RED
Space Rock, Shoegaze, Alternative Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Britpop, Dream Pop

Alias
Resurgam
Anticon
Left-Field Hip-Hop

B.B. King
One Kind Favor
Geffen
Blues

Kenny Barron
The Traveler
Sunnyside
Mainstream Jazz, Post-Bop

blink.
The Epidemic of Ideas
Thirsty Ear
Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Free

Blues Traveler
North Hollywood Shootout [Bonus Track]
Verve Forecast
Jam Bands, American Trad Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock

Eva Cassidy
Somewhere
Blix Street
Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock

Chanticleer
Mission Road [CD+DVD]
Warner Classics & Jazz
Spanish Missionary Choral Music

Article Author: Glen Boyd

You'll find Blogcritics assistant music editor Glen Boyd sharing his Thoughtmares on his personal blogs The World Wide Glen, and The Rockologist. In a previous life, Glen was a music professional and journalist whose work has appeared in The Rocket, SPIN, Pulse!, and The Source. …

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