Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Although its not our usual practice to spotlight reissues over new releases featuring actual new music, there are two notable collections of previously released music which really stand out from the rest of the pack this week.
David Bowie's iSelect is certainly not the first collection to draw upon his past material. It is however, the first where the artist himself has hand picked a selection of some of his favorite songs over the years, and added his own commentary to them. As it turns out, the somewhat obscure album tracks he has chosen here — songs like "Win" (from Young Americans) and "Sweet Thing/Candidate" (from Diamond Dogs) — also happen to be among my own Bowie favorites. The closet thing to an actual hit single included here would probably be "Loving The Alien."
The Legacy Edition of Johnny Cash's classic At Folsom Prison is also worth a second look here, since it includes a DVD, as well as the complete, never before released second set from that historic jailhouse stand. Legacy always does a great job on these deluxe editions of the classics, and this one is no exception.
Getting back to the new releases which actually feature new music, Kenny Chesney's Lucky Old Sun is probably the most likely to be ringing cash registers of the lot. The country superstar's twelfth album is said to be a decidedly mellower outing, and if you spring for the deluxe version you get an additional disc featuring live tracks.
Lucinda Williams is joined by the likes of Elvis Costello, Matthew Sweet and the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs for Little Honey, which is rife with her usual beautifully sung songs of love and regret. Nikka Costa does Stax Records proud by turning in an old school, retro-soul record on her new Pebble to a Pearl. British popsters Keane are in Perfect Symmetry on their third album.
Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas this week are Los Lonely Boys, Al Jarreau, Tony Bennett, and (if you happen to shop at Borders anyway), the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
I love a good musical crossover. By that I don't mean when a country star has a pop hit. No, what I'm talking about is a tune that is taken completely out of context by being covered in a different genre. One of my favorite records is called Brand New Second Hand, a collection of pop tunes that have been Reggae-fied. The amazing thing is that there are songs that I used to absolutely hate, but ended up loving in Reggae form. Remember "On and On"? "Down in Jamaica they got lots of pretty women…."? Stephen Bishop? Super-icky. As a Reggae tune (by Aswad)? Awesome.
Okay, so now that I've got that ramble out of the way, let's talk about Sean Noonan. Oh, he's a crossover artist alright. But go ahead and give Boxing Dreams a listen and you tell me what this is. Jazz? Rock? Afro-Celtic? A fusion of sorts? For the record, the correct answer is: yes, yes, yes, yes.
What this record has in common with the aforementioned Reggae covers album is the element of surprise. As you listen, your brain ear bits want to attach the music to a genre….but it never happens. Awesome.
El Bicho's Masked Music Pick: Buena Vista Social Club – At Carnegie Hall
I had never been aware of Cuban music until I worked in a Barnes & Noble bookstore, but that first Buena Vista Social Club album completely captivated me. My high school Spanish isn’t enough for me to translate the songs, but singers like Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo, well-known artists in their homeland, clearly conveyed the emotions of the stories, demonstrating that the U.S. embargo hasn't affected our collective unconscious. The talented Cuban musicians assembled were led by album producer Ry Cooder. This two-disc set was recorded at Carnegie Hall on July 1, 1998, the group’s only concert. Wim Wenders’ Oscar-nominated documentary was shot the same night, so this could be considered that film’s soundtrack. It is a definite must-have on my list. If you like good music, it should be on yours.
Here are all this week's new album releases courtesy of All Music Guide:
Kenny Chesney
Lucky Old Sun [Deluxe Edition]
Blue Chair/BNA/Sony BMG
Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Nikka Costa
Pebble to a Pearl
Stax
Neo-Soul, Retro-Soul
Keane
Perfect Symmetry
Island
Alternative Pop/Rock
Ray LaMontagne
Gossip in the Grain
RCA
Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Lucinda Williams
Little Honey
Lost Highway
Alternative Folk, Americana, Alternative Country-Rock
Daniel Barenboim
Mozart: Requiem; Bruckner: Te Deum
EMI Classics
Classical and Romantic Choral Music
Paris Bennett
A Royal Christmas
CC
Holiday, Contemporary R&B, Christmas, Adult Contemporary
Tony Bennett
A Swingin' Christmas
RPM Records/Columbia
Vocal Jazz, Traditional Pop, Christmas
David Bowie
iSelect
Astralwerks
Album Rock, Experimental Rock, Pop/Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock
Buena Vista Social Club
At Carnegie Hall
Nonesuch
Cha-Cha, Son, Bolero, Mambo
Buttless Chaps
Cartography
Mint
Indie Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
Johnny Cash
At Folsom Prison [Legacy Edition 2CD/DVD]
Columbia/Legacy
Traditional Country, Country-Pop, Progressive Country
Vic Chesnutt/Elf Power/The Amorphous Strums
Dark Developments
Orange Twin
Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock
Comeback Kid
Through the Noise
Victory
Hardcore Punk
Chris Connelly
Forgiveness and Exile
Durtro/Jnana
Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Post-Rock/Experimental, Improvisation, Structured Improvisation, Avant-Garde
Julian Cope
Black Sheep
Head Heritage
Neo-Psychedelia, Alternative Pop/Rock
Copeland
You Are My Sunshine
Tooth & Nail
Alternative Pop/Rock
Billy Currington
Little Bit of Everything
Mercury Nashville
Contemporary Country, Country-Pop
Detroit Grand Pubahs
Nuttin' Butt Funk
Detelefunk
Electro-Techno, Detroit Techno, Club/Dance, Techno
Dillinger Four
Civil War
Fat Wreck Chord
Punk Revival, Post-Hardcore, Punk-Pop
Eroica Trio
An American Journey
EMI Classics
Modern and Contemporary Chamber Music
The Fleshtones
Stocking Stuffer
Yep Roc
Garage Rock Revival, Christmas
The Foreign Exchange
Leave It All Behind
Hall of Justus/Nicolay Music
Contemporary R&B, Underground Rap, Hip-Hop
Aretha Franklin
This Christmas [Borders Exclusive]
DMI
Holiday, Contemporary R&B, Christmas, Adult Contemporary
Bobbie Gentry
Ode to Billie Joe/Touch 'Em with Love
Raven
Nashville Sound/Countrypolitan, Country-Pop, Blue-Eyed Soul, Pop/Rock, Early Pop/Rock
Gloriæ Dei Cantores
Mark O'Connor: Folk Mass
Omac
Contemporary Choral Music
Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs
Dirt Don't Hurt
Transdreamer
Punk Blues
Gomez
Bring It On [10th Anniversary Collector's Edition]
Caroline
British Trad Rock, Britpop, Alternative Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
Paul Hillier
Toivo Tulev: Songs [Hybrid SACD]
Harmonia Mundi
Contemporary Vocal Music
I'm from Barcelona
Who Killed Harry Houdini?
Mute
Indie Pop, Chamber Pop
Al Jarreau
Christmas
Rhino
Contemporary Jazz, Holiday, Vocal Jazz, Christmas, Smooth Jazz, Crossover Jazz
Joe
Greatest Hits
Zomba
Contemporary R&B, Urban, Adult Contemporary
Los Lonely Boys
Christmas Spirit
Epic
Roots Rock, Tex-Mex, Modern Electric Blues
The Louvin Brothers
Country Love Ballads/Ira and Charlie
Raven
Close Harmony, Traditional Country, Traditional Bluegrass, Bluegrass-Gospel
Menahan Street Band
Make the Road by Walking
Daptone
Downtempo, Retro-Soul
Ingrid Michaelson
Be OK
Original Signal
Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
The Mighty Underdogs
Droppin' Science Fiction
Definitive Jux
Alternative Rap, West Coast Rap, Hip-Hop, Underground Rap
John Michael Montgomery
Time Flies
Rocket Science
Contemporary Country
Anne-Sophie Mutter
Bach: Violin Concertos; Gubaidulina: In tempus praesens
Deutsche Grammophon
Baroque and Contemporary Music for Violin and Orchestra
The Organ
Thieves
Mint
Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival
Original Soundtrack
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
Island/Mercury
Soundtracks, British Invasion, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Original Soundtrack
W [Soundtrack]
Lion's Gate
Outlaw Country, Soundtracks, Honky Tonk
Teddy Pendergrass
Life Is a Song Worth Singing [Total Soul Classics]
Sony Legacy
Philly Soul, Soul, Quiet Storm
Teddy Pendergrass
Teddy Pendergrass [Total Soul Classics]
Sony Legacy
Philly Soul, Soul, Quiet Storm
Benoît Pioulard
Temper
Kranky
Indie Electronic, Electronica, Post-Rock/Experimental, Dream Pop
Secret Machines
Secret Machines
TSM
Alternative Pop/Rock
Sixpence None the Richer
The Dawn of Grace
Nettwerk
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Todd Snider
Peace Queer
Mega Force
Americana, Alternative Country, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
Phoebe Snow
Live
Verve Forecast
Singer/Songwriter, Pop/Rock, Contemporary Folk
J.D. Souther
If the World Was You
Mega Force
Jazz-Rock, Soft Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Jimmy Thackery & the Drivers
Inside Tracks
Telarc
Modern Electric Blues
Various Artists
The Big Top Records Story: Classic New York Pop 1958-1964
Ace
Brill Building Pop, Doo Wop, Early Pop/Rock, Teen Idol, Girl Group, Rock & Roll, R&B
Various Artists
Country Boy's Dream
Bear Family
Americana, Country Boogie, Instrumental Country, Honky Tonk, Bluegrass, Country-Folk, Rockabilly, Western Swing, Country-Pop, Traditional Country
Various Artists
Do-Wah-Diddy: Words and Music by Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry
Ace
Brill Building Pop, Girl Group, Early Pop/Rock
The Vivian Girls
Vivian Girls
In The Red
Noise Pop, Indie Pop
