She may have gone to rehab, but you can't keep Amy Winehouse down. Amidst the big yawn they called tonight's Grammy Awards, my crack-habit darling gave notice that she may be no good, but she is far from out.
Beyonce is quite the consummate entertainer, but even she seemed nervous next to Tina Turner, and for good reason. Retirement may have slowed Tina down, but her natural magnetism is apparently endless. It was great to see her back for another roll through the hits.
I still love ya Rihanna, but were you really going for the Project Runway corn-husk dress look?
Leave it to Mark Ronson to shine a ray of hope that her downward spiral may yet end happily.
Even stranger, it could involve some hip Hannukkah tunes!
If her big recent collaborator thinks the new tabloid queen still has magic in her lungs, I'm intrigued.
I never did get around to creating my own music blog this year, like I had hoped, but here is my first stab at the topic.
Disregard all the drama, the Britney comparisons, the scars, the boyfriend, the crap performances, the drunken photos and take a good listen to this album again. This is absolutely my number one album for the year. The music soars and I am mesmerized by Amy’s voice. Here’s to hoping she can sort herself out and deliver another knock-out album like this one!
Is he straight, is he gay? All I say is, “Who cares?” As long as the music gets this good, does it really matter? Mika exploded onto the overseas pop charts with the songs like Love Today, Grace Kelly, Big Girls and Happy Ending. Unfortunately, he didn’t really hit over here in the U.S. I had a feeling most of us wouldn’t get it. If you aren’t afraid to hear a great pop album with a guy that sings in a falsetto voice through half the album then you might actually love it. A little bit of Freddie Mercury and more bubble-gum pop.
Lily delivers some sharp lyrics and a sarcasm that caught me completely off-guard. I would hate to get in tangle with her on the street. Along with Amy Winehouse, this was another Mark Ronson produced gem that kept me rocking in 2007. Not to mention Lily has a powerhouse singing voice that is perfect on record or live.
This album will make you want to move with its massive bass lines. She's a lesser-known artist here in the US, but you may remember her previous efforts with a group called Moloko. Anyone remember the tracks “Sing it Back”, “The Time is Now” or “Fun for Me?" Well, Roisin has managed, at least in my opinion, to overpower those tracks with her second solo album. For this record she goes back to her dance-pop roots to deliver an album that has been on heavy rotation on my iPod.
Every song on Jack’s second album is as listenable as his first album “The Outer Marker”. In the same vein as Lily Allen, Just Jack delivers some very cool grooves and clever lyrics. The song “Starz in Their Eyes” sounds like an ode to Britney. Also, be sure to check out the track “I Talk Too Much,” with guest vocals from Kylie.
After enjoying two of my favorite albums from this producer, Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen, I certainly had to check out his latest offering. Not really a solo album, but a full-on collaboration with some great artists and soulful beats. Mark knows how to let the artists shine. The lead single, "Stop Me," from Daniel Merriwether turns a classic Smiths songs into a funky summer groove. Don’t miss out on the “Toxic” remake or Lily’s cover of the Kaiser Chiefs' “Oh My God”.
Although not completely a new album it does pack in some amazing unreleased tracks and b-sides. For good measure they added two new tracks, a cover of Joy Division’s “Shadowplay” and a Lou Reed collaboration, “Tranquilize”. The one gem tacked-on to the end is Stuart Price's reworked version of “Mr. Brightside”. This remix is probably one of my favorite remixes of all time.
The Diva is back with some songs that certainly rival her debut album. Every track is sung with the raw power and emotion you would come to expect from Annie Lennox. The good news is that the album is not as somber as her last record, "Bare," and has kept me captive since its release. I think “Dark Road” was the wrong choice for the lead single here in the U.S. as there are so many other energetic tracks on the disc.
Dave Grohl and team have no problem delivering consistently strong albums and this was no exception. I didn’t know much about the band, but I found myself re-discovering their back catalogue when this album came out. Some great rock tracks are on here that should be blasted from the car stereo after a rough day at the office. Oh, and the videos are as memorable as ever! Be sure to check out the campy “Long Road to Ruin” clip.
Unfortunately, this one will not see a U.S. release until 2008. If you are willing to drop a few extra bucks for the import version you won’t be disappointed or better yet, just download it online. I am already in love! This was a last minute must-add to my best of 2007. Welcome back Kylie… we’ve missed you!
On the other hand, I'm transfixed by Mark Ronson's album, Version -- to the point that I keep searching out it's tracks.
