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I'd heard 'Don't Know Why'... This was back in the day when I actually watched television and I'd seen the video. I knew the name, but I never really listened to the music. It wasn't until I saw "Two Weeks Notice" where Norah appears in a cameo singing 'The Nearness Of You' that I realized how interesting this up and coming artist was. The first disc I actually bought was her second and it wasn't until much later that I finally picked up 'Come Away With Me'. Still, I always knew I'd have it one day.
Norah has one of those sultry seductive voices. It floats across any room it fills and kinda wafts like rich hot chocolate under your nose on a cold day. She's as soothing as lemonade in summer and warm as a fleece blanket in fall. She welcomes you, wraps you up and makes you feel like an old friend hanging around under a pile of fluffy pillows.
As much as I love her voice and style, I sometimes take exception to the songs she chooses to perform. Most of them are written by her band members. And for the most part, they're exceptional. Still, some of them seem like throwaway country at times. On this disc there are some amazing stand out cuts. Like 'Turn Me On', 'The Nearness Of You' and the haunting 'I've Got To See You Again'. 'Feelin' The Same Way' is a bouncy number with an enjoyable rhythm and a lovely intensity while 'Come Away With Me' starts out sounding like 'Moon River'. As a title track, it's mellow and sweet sentiment aptly describes the look and feel of Norah while at the same time showcasing her whispery vocals in a sensual blend of emotional longing and practiced skill. 'Shoot The Moon' is a remarkable song with powerful lyrics about missed opportunities and loss. 'Painter Song' almost reminds me of Simon & Garfunkel, while 'One Flight Down' has an almost Dolly Pardon-like quality to it. 'The Long Day Is Over' feels like an old negro spiritual at first before morphing into a number you'd expect to hear in a smokey piano bar. I think the only song I don't really like on this disc is 'Lonestar'. Not for any reason other than it just seems predictable and somewhat lackluster to me.
Although it wasn't my first Norah Jones cd, it certainly is the root of my appreciation for her. Subsequent albums have special places on my music shelf and I find myself turning to her during stressful times to just kinda take the edge off the day. If you haven't heard it, find someone who owns it and borrow it. Let it play softly in the background while you go about your day and see if Norah doesn't become a ready friend you've known your whole life. My final word: SULTRY.
NORAH JONES - COME AWAY WITH ME
01. Don't Know Why
02. Seven Years
03. Cold, Cold Heart
04. Feelin' The Same Way
05. Come Away With Me
06. Shoot The Moon
07. Turn Me On
08. Lonestar
09. I've Got To See You Again
10. Painter Song
11. One Flight Down
12. Nightingale
13. The Long Day Is Over
14. The Nearness Of You
This disc was only available directly from the artists. I bought it for a couple reasons. I initially saw a program featuring the band on television. I think it was PBS and I was interested in what they were doing. Shortly afterward, I learned Prince contributed a song to the band. Even though I didn't want to admit it, the Prince song was the motivation I needed to pick up one of their cds and listen to it. Sadly, Prince later reclaimed the song and released his own version through the NPG Music Club. In my opinion, that was kinda messed up. It ruined the value of the track and the importance of this disc to Prince fans. He defeated his own efforts to build up the group.
My overall assessment of this disc is promising. The influence of The Beatles is prominent. You can also hear some 80s vibe happening. They use lots of 80s electro pop tricks here and there; but it's the combination of rock with melody that dominates the writing structure of their material. Though much of what you hear is easily written off as a whole, when you examine the songs one at a time, you get a better sense of their intent. 'Simple Cinderella' sounds too much like a Joe Cocker number for my taste. 'The World In A Nutshell' is an interesting piece and really caught my attention. Lyrically, Van Gogh have a 60s psychedelic feel to them; focusing on the abstract rather than the rational. 'Maybe' sounds like a cross between Randy Newman, ABBA and modern country.
The Prince track is produced and arranged by the band. Even though his version sounds remarkably different, it still stands out with its rhythm and quirky build. Lyrically, it's an interesting concept... Loving someone so utterly, you only see the illusion they choose to show you ultimately leaving you blind to reality.
My opinion of the disc is favorable though it's not a disc I spend lots of time with. I've never been caught up in The Beatles or the Americana sound of Bruce Springsteen and Bruce Hornsby. I certainly respect and admire the musicianship of these artists, but I don't relate to them. If you feel a connection to this kind of rock and roll, Van Gogh may be right up your alley. It's still an interesting listen just to hear their version of the title track. My final word: PROMISING.
VAN GOGH - VAN GOGH
01. Simple Cinderella
02. The World In A Nutshell
03. All The Time In The World
04. Almost Too Real
05. Ready, Willing And Able
06. Van Gogh
07. Tangled
08. Lift Me Up
09. Maybe
10. My Telescope
11. All That Glitters
12. Waiting For A Revolution
With her first album churning out heavy hip hop urban street beats, you kinda thought Meshell would be a hip hop artist. But she followed it up with an artsy pop record, then an adult contemporary disc and an R&B urban soul effort. So where does one go from there? In Meshell's case, 'Comfort Woman' is a rhythmically slow paced reggae sound one would expect to hear while smoking out with friends on a rainy afternoon. It's a soothing record with lyrics that lift the heart and speak of superhuman love and devotion. She seduces with poetry in her half sung, half spoken timber. There's longing, sensuality, need, fragility and pain all deftly placed on the surface for anyone to see. The heart of this album is on it's sleeve.
Various tracks have appeared in other places. One was featured on her website under a different title while another originally appeared on a film soundtrack. The 'Comfort Woman' version is rerecorded with different vocals and instrumentation, but it still shines like a brilliant star on this record as one of the stand out tracks. I'm talking about 'Liliquoi Moon'. I've always loved Meshell's approach to relationships and the way she describes deep complex emotional themes so simply. She has an expressive ability to bring the most abstract thought into written word. And she makes perfect sense while doing it.
This is a record you'll wanna listen to while you're alone or with people you can chill with. It's extremely laid back. Imagine a dark room, with candles and incense burning... Wine and good conversation. These are the elements and conditions under which one can easily enjoy this dope cd. It's also great for driving. Really helps me deal with road rage. Hehehe. Check it out! My final word: MELLOW.
MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO - COMFORT WOMAN
01. Love Song #1
02. Come Smoke My Herb
03. Andromeda & The Milky Way
04. Love Song #2
05. Body
06. Liliquoi Moon
07. Love Song #3
08. Fellowship
09. Good Intentions
10. Thankful
Ok, so my relationship to Ani is long and extremely complicated... She hoovered around my conscious mind for months. Her image was everywhere. Spin Magazine, Rolling Stone, cd covers at friends' homes... Then my friend Brenda asked me to go with her to an Ani concert at the Joint in Las Vegas. At the time, I was concert bound virtually every night, so I agreed to go. I loved every second of it and immediately went out and bought some Ani cds. I've seen her in concert since a few times and each one was a wonderful experience. Very casual and free.
This album is somewhat unique in my collection because I own it for two reasons. First, it was the new Ani Difranco cd and I wanted it; second, Prince contributes vocals to one of the songs. I never suspected Ani would work with Prince but I'm pleased she did. Both are extremely diverse artistically and tend to write unconventional music.
The first track is a wonderful number about gun control and teenage shootings. At the time this disc was released, Columbine was still strong on the social radar and people were freaking out about teen violence. It's a poignant piece. Extremely blunt and straight forward. And I'm sure it's incredibly offensive to Republicans and those who think gun control is anti-American. I'm kinda in the middle myself. I think people who have guns should be extremely responsible for them. But enough about politics, let's talk about music.
There are a number of tracks that stand out to me on this disc. I'd describe her musical style as punk/folk. She's got all the punk rage and rhythm but her sound is more organic in the style of folk singers. 'Wish I May' is an amazing track. Also stand out are 'I Know This Bar', 'Hello Birmingham' and 'Carry You Around'. The quirky 'The Arrivals Gate' is also a highlight. It sounds almost out of place on the album configuration with the exception of the last minute of 'Freakshow'... But would fit perfectly in a movie soundtrack. Its offbeat canter is exciting and surprising at the same time.
Prince adds a dimension to 'Providence' in a way you wouldn't expect to hear on an Ani record. Yet, she uses his contribution well and instead of detracting from her sound, it enhances it greatly. It's a wonderful collaboration and shows Prince working with another artist in a different way than usual. Normally, he writes a song, donates it and steps back or controls the project to the end. He rarely steps in, does a bit for someone else and walks away. A unique occurrence for certain. And one worth hearing.
Sadly, most of my Ani cds have vanished over the years. Theft or circumstance have taken them out of my life. But I long to have them again and I wish my collection of her music was more complete. Sometimes I long to hear a certain song only to discover it's gone from my shelf. It would be almost better if I'd never known what I was missing. Despite the odd way Ani came into my life, she's a welcome figure in it now. And 'To The Teeth' is just one reason I want her to stay. My final words: SO RIGHT.
ANI DIFRANCO - TO THE TEETH
01. To The Teeth
02. Soft Shoulder
03. Wish I May
04. Freakshow
05. Going Once
06. Hello Birmingham
07. Back Back Back
08. Swing
09. Carry You Around
10. Cloud Blood
11. The Arrivals Gate
12. Providence
13. I Know This Bar
Pizzicato Five is a Japanese band who gained some success in the USA when some of their songs appeared on soundtracks and in TV shows. I first heard them in the movie, "Ready To Wear" a Robert Altman film. 'Twiggy Twiggy' is played during Issey Miyake's fashion show. I really like the sound of the tune and eventually tracked down the group.
The sound of this band is retro but in an interesting way. If you take pop music from the sixties hipster scene and released brand new material today you'd have this band. Other groups have done similar things mostly using the style and imagery of this time period with new music. Bands like Deee-lite and The Chemical Brothers, but though those other groups only incorporate elements of the 60s sound, Pizzicato Five blend it completely with modern equipment to make something new and innovative.
There are lots of great tracks on this disc, which isn't surprising when you consider it's actually a compilation of their previous Japanese releases. Each track is fairly strong and catchy. If not avant garde. 'I' musically sounds like a French street musician standing beside an outdoor cafe playing the accordion for Francs. 'Sweet Soul Revue' captures the musical feel of the Motown era. My favorite tracks are 'Catchy', 'Twiggy Twiggy' and 'Magic Carpet Ride'.
I've never been a huge fan of modern Asian culture. Anime, Manga, Retro Bands... But for some reason, I really dig what this band accomplished. I was disappointed to hear they'd broken up. I'd have liked to see them in concert. Irregardless, this is a group worth checking out. It good clean fun for the whole family. My final word: NIFTY.
PIZZICATO FIVE - MADE IN USA
01. I
02. Sweet Soul Revue
03. Magic Carpet Ride
04. Readymade FM
05. Baby Love Child
06. Twiggy Twiggy/Twiggy Vs. James Bond
07. This Years Girl #2
08. I Wanna Be Like You
09. Go Go Dancer
10. Catchy
11. Peace Music
I heard about The Detroit Cobras on NPR when Fresh Air did a review of this record. I liked one of the tracks I heard and looked for it online. But no luck. The local record store owner and I were talking about it and she said if I bought it and didn't like it, she'd buy it back from me full price. So I bought it.
At first listen, this isn't your typical rock band in any way. They seem to come from the same circle of local bands that produced such acts as Electric Six and the White Stripes. They basically update old rock 'n' roll covers. Since I'm not familiar with most of the original material, the majority sounds new and fresh to me. The songs are quite engaging, catchy and have an alternative punk sensibility to them.
The only odd thing is the nature of the tunes. Some of these songs seem outdated like 'Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand'. You just don't imagine people walking around holding hands anymore. Even though I recently dated someone and holding hands was one of the most intimate expressions in that setting. It was incredible. 'Weak Spot' and 'Hot Dog (Watch Me Eat)' are two of my favorite tracks. 'Weak Spot' is extremely tender and sensitive. I think the tune is sweetly romantic and quite expressive. 'Hot Dog' is more funny and enjoyable for other reasons. It could be worth the purchase price alone.
'Everybody's Going Wild' reminds me of 60s go-go dancers. It has that rolling beat to it. 'Cha Cha Twist' is also pleasing. A very strong rhythm. As an added bonus, you can view the multimedia file of the 'Cha Cha Twist' video. The actual appearance of the band is somewhat shocking and different from the music. But they're still an exciting band. There's some rockabilly sounds here too. Would you call this group a greaser band? Probably if they dressed more sensibly. Live, they look more like a Vegas lounge act with leopard prints and hooker boots.
In the grand tradition of early rock 'n' roll, each song clocks in somewhere between 2 and 3 minutes. Even then, it's an enjoyable experience and well worth the listen. If you like some good rock every now and again, this album will come in handy. I've been thinking about tracking down the history of these tracks and finding out where they all came from. But that's an undertaking I don't have time for. Maybe in the future. Check out The Detroit Cobras. They rock! My final words: OLD SCHOOL ROCKS!
THE DETROIT COBRAS - BABY.
01. Slipping Around
02. I Wanna Holler (But The Town's Too Small)
03. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand
04. Weak Spot
05. Everybody's Going Wild
06. Hot Dog (Watch Me Eat)
07. Mean Man
08. Now You're Gone
09. It's Raining
10. Just Can't Please You
11. The Real Thing
12. Baby Help Me
13. Cha Cha Twist
14. Ya Ya Ya (Looking For My Baby)
15. My Baby Loves The Secret Agent
16. Heartbeat
17. You Don't Knock
18. Silver & Gold (When I Get Like This)
19. 99 And A Half Just Won't Do
20. Insane Asylum
When I think of the Electric Six one word comes to mind... Inappropriate! These adult frat boys rock the scene with music that is politically challenging, cynical and altogether crass. 'Dance Commander' appeared in the Disney sport flick "Stick It" while 'Danger! High Voltage' appeared in one of the Charlie's Angels movies. That's where I discovered the band. I put two and two together and realized they were the same band. It didn't take me long to track down this disc and buy it. I actually had to special order it in. The local record stores didn't carry it. What a shock. But once I got the disc in the truck I fell in instant love.
Dick Valentine goes out of his way to write lyrics offensive to everyone. He steps on toes, crosses boundaries and shows little or no regard for social labeling or socially acceptable behavior. It's utterly brilliant! Also present is Jack White from the White Stripes. He sings the female lead on 'Danger! High Voltage'. Which makes this song important to Stripes fans.
Most of these songs demonstrate Valentine's rebel nature. Consider 'Gay Bar'... He wants to take his girlfriend to a gay bar because he's excited by the idea of fooling around there. He chooses a setting most people would find unacceptable and then champions behavior completely unacceptable in that setting. In other words, he's inappropriate in inappropriate places. Is nothing sacred?
I also love 'I'm The Bomb'. What an amusing little ditty. So many excellent tracks to point out and discuss. But I won't get all crazy with that here. I'm way too into what's happening overall with this band. Very exciting.
I'm drawn to them by the interesting blend of musical styles. There's disco, funky, rock, new wave, some Latin jazz, blues and metal... It seems to be the duty of this band to bastardize any and all genres of music to further their own egotistical view of rock 'n' roll. It's dynamic, exciting and incredibly fun to listen to. Not to mention the humorous and interesting videos... This band makes me wanna watch MTV, (well if they showed videos again). It's been a long time since an artist made me wanna see videos.
I'm hooked and looking forward to hearing more from the Six. Run, don't walk, to the local store and pick up 'Fire'. You'll be rocking out by sundown. My final word: TASTY.
ELECTRIC SIX - FIRE
01. Dance Commander
02. Electric Demons In Love
03. Naked Pictures (Of Your Mother)
04. Danger! High Voltage
05. She's White
06. I Invented The Night
07. Improper Dancing
08. Gay Bar
09. Nuclear War (On The Dance Floor)
10. Getting Into The Jam
11. Vengeance And Fashion
12. I'm The Bomb
13. Synthesizer
