If there is any one thing which can be said of this week's crop of new releases, it is that there is definitely something here for everybody.
From the return of some formerly huge names from the eighties (Duran Duran and Queensryche); to retrospective sets from the likes of Led Zeppelin and Robyn Hitchcock; to the broad cross-section of current music represented by new albums by the Killers, Alicia Keys, and even Celine Dion — the list of new titles hitting record stores this week is certainly nothing if not an eclectic mix.
Probably the biggest story here is the return of Duran Duran. Not that Duran Duran isn't a band that has surfaced every so-many years since the days that they ruled MTV back in the eighties — they are, and they certainly have. What seems to be different about the new Red Carpet Massacre however, is that the former Fab Five seem determined here to embrace their former glory years as the kings of techno dance-pop.
Even the album cover here suggests vintage Duran Duran's sexy MTV videos (which themselves recalled the seventies album sleeves of their idols Roxy Music), with its images of erotica and danger. The difference here is that Duran Duran have chosen to update their dance grooves by enlisting people like Justin Timberlake, Danjahandz, and Timbaland to give their own euro-pop a bit of a hip hop makeover.
From the modern rock side of the street come two interesting new releases. For their
Black and White Album, the Hives look to expand their trademark garage rock sound by enlisting producers such as Jacknife Lee and Pharrell Williams. The Killers on the other hand, offer more of an "odds and sods" sort of collection with their own Sawdust, an album largely made up of outtakes and unreleased songs from the sessions for their first two wildly successful albums.
Alicia Keys returns for her third album As I Am, making the move to fuller band arrangements, as opposed to the often sparser sounding R&B minimalism of her previous, critically acclaimed work. Keys still mines the same neo-soul territory with a touch of hip hop attitude here, while attempting to break out of the torchy solo piano stuff which won her worldwide recognition at a very young age.
As can always be expected this time of year, there are also some interesting new reissues this week.
Although the 2 CD/1 DVD Led Zeppelin collection Mothership doesn't really offer up anything new in the way of previously unavailable material (that particular vault had to be picked dry some time ago), the remastering job here is said to reveal new clarity, and a sound mix not nearly so heavy on the high end. Besides, with interest in Zeppelin once again running high (did it ever really go away?) due to an impending reunion concert in England, and the reissue of The Song Remains The Same, yet another reissue collection certainly can't hurt.
Article comments
1 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
prog-metal heroes Queensryche
Are you kidding me,man?? Honestly, what did Queensryche ever release that could be considered Progressive? I'm still baffled by this new catagorization... OMI may have been a concept album but that's as close as they ever got to anything prog! Well, I guess if you wanna name Silent Lucidity as a Pink Floyd influenced track but that still would be Prog Rock.
2 - Glen Boyd
You answered your own question here Gupster, with the bands two best known works...and I stand by the genre desciption.
-Glen
3 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
OMI may have been their best work & a concept album at that but it doesn't hold the technical prowess,the odd time signatures & the incorporation of other styles that the genre "Prog-Metal" is known for nevermind the bands from Pink Floyd's era that incapsulate how these metal bands have been influenced(Yes,King Crimson,etc).
4 - Tom Johnson
Queensryche pretty much typefied "progressive" - everything they did was different from the last album, which is a lot more than can be said for most bands that actually call themselves "prog rock." Regardless, AllMusic extensively uses the term to define them, and that's how 99% of music listeners would define them, too.
And I quote AllMusic.com's Queensryche entry:
Styles
* Rock
* Prog-Rock/ Art Rock
* Heavy Metal
* Progressive Metal
* Hard Rock
* Album Rock
* Arena Rock
"Queensrÿche constructed a progressive form of heavy metal . . ."
"Rage for Order also demonstrated a flowering of progressive rock influences . . ."
"With 1997's Hear in the New Frontier, Queensrÿche stripped back their sound to the bare bones, leaving behind the prog rock influences that made them distinctive."
5 - Glen Boyd
Exactly Tom, exactly.
-Glen
6 - JC Mosquito
How are they gonna sell Zeppelin compilations to people who have the complete studio recordings & the three live sets (Song Remains, BBC, Once Upona time in the West) and the DVD? Who's left to buy this stuff - seriously, are younger fans going for this?
7 - Glen Boyd
Supposedly the sound quality on this collection is quite an improvement, Skeet. But yeah, I know what ya' mean.
They have that reunion concert in the UK coming up, plus the re-release of Song Remains the Same, so my guess here is that they simply wanted to capitalize on yet another revival of interest in Zep.
-Glen
8 - Matthew T. Sussman
"Besides, with interest in Zeppelin once again running high (did it ever really go away?) "
The fact that they're finally jesuschristaboutdamntime on iTunes certainly gave them a boost recently.
9 - Glen Boyd
That sure doesn't hurt does it Suss?
-Glen
10 - Tom Johnson
Yeah, this Mothership is nearly the same track listing as the Early Days/Latter Days comps from 1999 or so, aside from lineup and a couple of songs swapped out. The fact that they don't even bother to fill up the entire discs should tell us everything. 80 minutes per disc and they each got about 70 minutes? That's several extra songs that could have been added to each. They certainly weren't thinking of fans here. If someone was new to Zep and wanted this, I'd advise them to save their money and buy the two box sets to get everything on 6 discs, honestly. That's how I have their music.
11 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Queensryche pretty much typefied "progressive" - everything they did was different from the last album.
Everything with that statement is completely wrong. Changing your style per album, or in Queensryche's case - losing grip on the music & songwriting that made them great, does not equal progressive in any matter.
The term "Progressive" that is used in conjunction with "Metal" derives from how the band or artist progresses through the song and, ultimately, the album. Not how a particular release sounds to the one that precedes it.
A "Prog-Metal" band progresses through different genre influenced passages,i.e;Jazz,Classical,etc while resorting back to or fusing/incorporating metal standards supported by complex time changes.
Queensryche pretty much typefied "progressive"
People didn't start labeling these 80's bands that way until Dream Theater opened the doors with their success. Just because ALL Music labels it that way doesn't mean it is true. I'm pretty sure they label Poison as Metal.(Checking...)Yup, they do and Poison was never Metal...PERIOD! Plus, your statement is so weak & ill-informed! You overlooked Watchtower,Fates Warning & Yngwie Malmsteen.