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As a long time listener of Relient K, I was absolutely thrilled to see that they had released a new album. This being their fifth album, "Five Score & Seven Years Ago" (released by Capitol Records on March 6th, 2007) is another perfect addition to their musical collection (and that of anyone who happens to buy their CD!).
The CD opens with "Plead The Fifth" which sounds like a mix between Angels and Airwaves and The Beach Boys, in a really toe tapping, fun way. The best track (in my mind) would have to be "Bite My Tongue," another song that is reminiscent of Angels and Airwaves, but still keeps the truly Relient K message and feeling at it's heart:
Yeah, I gotta keep quiet, quiet
Don't let it all come undone
Cause if I dare open my mouth
It'll just be to bite my tongue
I gotta keep quiet, quiet
And listen to your voice
Because the power of your words
Can repair all that I've destroyed
In my oh so humble opinion, this is definitely Relient K's best CD so far. It has a fresh and modern feel to it while keeping totally in key with their previous work. They have gone through lineup changes, like the new bassist and guitarist for this album, and acheiving mainstream success without going down the "sellout" road. They have firmly stuck to their message of hope and faith.
Even though a lot of people decide before they even hear Relient K that they don't like them based solely on the fact that they're a Christian rock group, you music-savvy readers shouldn't let that stop you. Their lyrics aren't preachy in any way, and their great use of metaphors make their music perfect for any listener.
If you can't tell yet, I love this CD. Every track holds something great about it, and there are just too many wonderful bits and pieces I could tell you about. But that's way too much to read, and hearing it for yourself would be better.
Audiogasm Intensity: 00000 "Phew! I think I need a cigarette!"
So I really have to share an album with everyone that I'm crushing on completely right now. Lily Allen's "Alright, Still (released in the US on January 30th, 2007 by Capitol Records) is owning my CD player. The New York Times, in a special feature on Lily Allen, says that she "symbolizes a new blogging-age, middle-class girl: cockily ambitious, skeptical yet enthusiastic, technically savvy, musically open, obsessed with public expression and ready to fight back." Sounds like my kind of artist!
The music on Alright, Still is awesome, in plain and simple terms. I would attempt to pin down some sort of genre or any other artist that I've heard that Lily Allen might sound like, but it's totally fresh. She's taken so many of the best parts of music and mashed them up together. Track number two "Knock 'Em Down" is a great song about people trying to pick you up in bars, when all you want is to make them disappear:
"Yeah can I take your digits?"
And you're like, "no not in a million years, you're nasty
please leave me alone."
Allen's life of being bounced from school to school, eventually dropping out at age 14, and holding music as her lifeline has really affected this musical outcome. Her direct and concise lyrics get to the point without being inartistically blunt. In track number three, "LDN," Allen tells us about her love for the city of London, both for its good points and it's bad:
There was a little old lady, who was walkin down the road
She was struggling with bags from Tesco
There were people from the city having lunch in the park
I believe that it's called al fresco
Then a kid came along to offer a hand
But before she had time to accept it
hits her over the head, doesn't care if she's dead
Cause he's got all her jewelery and wallet
It may seem a little cruel in cold print, but take a listen to the song itself and it takes on a whole new feeling.
All in all, Allen's US debut is fantastic. Fabulous, even! The whole album is infused with an energy that really just makes you wanna roll all the windows down in your car and take a drive.
Audiogasm Intensity: OOOOO - "Phew! I think I need a cigarette!"
In her self-titled debut album release (released January 30th, 2007 on RCA Records), fifth season American Idol runner up Katharine McPhee doesn't disappoint (as long as you weren't expecting anything revolutionary!). Her CD has a lot of the attitude that her fans were calling for during her time on AI, but doesn't necessarily stand out from the crowd of Top 40 artists. That being said, if you want a good mix of music ro rock out to and well done love ballads that really showcase McPhee's talent, then this album fits the bill.
Even though this debut has a lot of similarities to many popular artists like Christina Aguilera, Ciara, and others, it's still really enjoyable and shows a lot of promise for McPhee's future. Opening with the fun and energetic song "Love Story," the album's stage is set. There are a number of other similarly catchy songs done in other generes as well, like the pop-rock "Not Ur Girl" and the hip-hop flavored "Open Toes" (a song a bout shoe shopping, which is a subject I think most of us can get behind!). My personal favorite was the 7th track on the disc, "Dangerous." It has a lot of autright attitude and a beat you can really dance around to.
Overall, this first release by Katharine McPhee is very enjoyable, but nothing especially flooring or surprising. She gives a lot of energy to it, letting everyone know just why she made it as an American Idol finalist. I really wouldn't be surprised to see some of her songs cropping up in clubs across the nation, if they haven;t already. McPhee obviously has a lot of talent at her disposal and uses her debut to showcase her versatility well. However, if she doesn't want to fade into the background like certain other previous AI finalists (*ahem*justinguarini*ahem*), McPhee really needs to explore her own musical style and get more of herself into her music rather than sticking to the safety of what's currently on the charts.
Audiogasm Intensity: OOOoo "That was fun! Maybe I'll call you later."
Norah Jones' newest album "Not Too Late" (released on January 30th, 2007 by Blue Note Records) has definitely been released none too soon, just short of 3 years after the release of her last album, "Feels Like Home." Her music has always held a special place in my music collection due to her smoky voice and comforting sound, so of course I had to hear the newest release. For the most part, she doesn't disappoint.
This newest album is, as her previous were, perfect for winding down at home after a long day or popping in the car CD player on a cloudy day. She's put a lot more of herself into this album too, as she either wrote or collaborated on all of the songs and recorded the majority in her home studio. This shines through in both the quality of the music and the personal immediacy of the subject matter. Songs like the New Orleans piano club-style "Sinkin' Soon" allow her to show off more of both herself and her finesse with music than ever before. She even gets sociopolitical on us with "My Dear Country," relating her feelings on being an American in a day in age where many don't understand why our government is doing what it's doing.
The only drawback to this latest album in my mind is the lack of any of the smoky, jazz club style ballads I enjoyed so much in her previous albums, such as "Don't Know Why." I always enjoyed these songs the most. But overall "Not Too Late" doesn't deviate from her previous style too much to become displeasing. Her down home jazz-influenced musical styling a
nd personal involvement in her music make Norah Jones' "Not Too Late" a great CD for those cloudy days on the road or quiet nights at home.
