Toni Braxton "Pulse"
Five years have passed since we last heard from this songbird, but its not like she was not busy. Headlining a Las Vegas revue, "Toni Braxton: Revealed" in 2006, or her rumba and cha-cha on Season 7 of "Dancing With the Stars." This new album debuts her first with Atlantic Records. It definitely reminds those who thought she had passed - She still very much alive!! This album is packed with the kind of polished performances and productions that made her one of the reigning luminaries of '90s R&B. Lead single "Yesterday," featuring Trey Songz is an epic kiss-off to an errant lover, while "Lookin' at Me" is a bumping tune reminiscent of a Caribbean songstress with an "Umbrella-ella-ella". Among the crop of heavyweight writers and producers are David Foster, Frank E, and Steve Mac (co-producer of Susan Boyle's "I Dreamed a Dream" album).
Even if the thought of being without longtime keyboard player Franz Nicolay seemed a risky wager, the thought was a definite Wrong! This new album brims with catchy, thoughtful anthems about struggles and payoffs, and generous lashings of dark humor. It's the type of record you want to give to all your adolescent frineds in the hopes that: a) it will offer them comfort or courage in moments of turmoil; and, b) show them that it is still possible for bands to make records that are start-to-finish awesome. As singer Craig Finn has observed, for any band to still be going strong on its fifth album requires dedication and commitment. "Heaven Is Whenever" is a minor masterpiece
Courtyard Hounds "Self Titled"
Not long after 2006's "Taking the Long Way" swept the Grammy Awards, two-thirds of the Dixie Chicks were ready to return to the studio, but singer Natalie Maines wanted to spend more time with her children. The solution? Sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire have made their own album under the moniker Court Yard Hounds. Inspired in part by Robison's 2008 divorce, "Court Yard Hounds" showcases the siblings' trademark harmonies and instrumental chops. Jakob Dylan lends his voice to the stripped down "See You in the Spring," and "The Coast" is a sunny slice of California pop from Sheryl Crow. Meanwhile, "Ain't No Son," told from the point of view of a peeved parent, shows the Chicks don't need Maines to stir up controversy; according to Robison, the song was inspired by a TV documentary about gay teens who are kicked out by their families.
With leader Carl "A.C." Newman delivering some of his smartest songs to date, complemented by the singing of his colleagues Dan Bejar and Neko case. By turns prancing and finger-popping, the album features the best use of the word "byzantine" in a pop song since, well, forever, while "If You Can't See My Mirrors" is slathered with gorgeous vocal harmonies plus a sly melody that insinuates itself into the brain and won't let go.
Sully and the rest of the "hell-bent-on-hell-raising" metal quartet surely took their sweet time to get their 5th album completed. It's been four years since the band's previous album, "IV," entered the charts at #1, the longest stretch between records in their career. Originally entitled "Saints & Sinners" (a title front man Sully Erna, who is a Wiccan, rejected as sounding a wee bit too Christian in conjunction with their band name), the new fifth take was produced by Dave Fortman, who has also worked with Evanescence and the band, Slipknot. The band has been telling fans that if they dug the 2008 non-LP single "Whiskey Hangover," the back-to-basics "Oracle" should meet with their approval; if the lead single, the choppy and brutal "Cryin' Like a Bitch," is any indication, the dudes should have another smash on their hands.
Other New Releases Worth Checking Out:
(Have not listened to, but please feel free to post a review)
(Have not listened to, but please feel free to post a review)
- Carole King & James Tayor: "Live at the Troubadour" (CD/DVD)
- Broken Social Scene: "Forgiveness Rock Records"
- The Fall: "Your Future Our Clutter"
- Zac Brown Band: "Pass the Jar"
- Josh Ritter: "So Runs the World Away"
- The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing 'Dark Side Of The Moon'
- Mike Patton: "Mondo Cane (Dig)"
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