Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin - Amparo (2008)

I picked this CD up from the clearance bin simply because I saw the names Ritenour and Grusin. If I had bothered to check the track listing, I might have seen that it was a classical crossover disc and taken a pass. I didn't, so here we go. There's no doubt this is technically brilliant, just not my thing. In fact, the only classical crossover album that I enjoy hearing is Romances for Saxophone by Branford Marsalis and I haven't even listened to that since 2010. So I'll just say to Lee and Dave, "It's not you, it's me."

Track two, Danzón de Entiqueta, was nominated for the Best Instrumental Composition Grammy award, eventually losing to a John Williams original from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Classical Crossover: #10

Tracks:

1. Tango en Parque Central (Grusin)
2. Danzón de Entiqueta (Grusin)
3. Jeropo Peligroso (Grusin)
4. Pavane, Op. 50 (Gabriel Fauré) featuring Renée Fleming & Joshua Bell
5. My Bonny Boy from English Folk Song Suite (Ralph Vaughan Williams)
6. Since First I Saw Your Face (anonymous, 17^th century) featuring James Taylor
7. Olha Maria (Amparo) (Antônio Carlos Jobim) featuring Joshua Bell
8. Les entrentiens de la Belle et de la Bête from Mother Goose Suite (Maurice Ravel)
9. Échos (Ritenour)
10. Adagio in G minor (Tomaso Albinoni) featuring Chris Botti
11. Duetto: Scherzano sul tuo volto from Rinaldo (George Frederick Handel) featuring Renée Fleming & Chris Botti

Sadly, the only piece I enjoy is track 9, the Ritenour original Échos. If you're familiar with Grusin's film soundtrack work, you'll like his opening suite. I had high hopes for the Fauré and Jobim pieces as well as the James Taylor collaboration but no.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Rit's House (2002)
This Is Love (1998)
Larry & Lee (1995)
Stolen Moments (1990)
Collection (1989)
Festival (1988)
Harlequin (1985)
On The Line (1983)
Out Of The Shadows (1982)
"Rit" (1981)
Rio (1979)

Spyro Gyra - A Night Before Christmas (2008)

Feel free to skip the following rant as it applies to holiday music in general:

Despite record labels' and marketers' claims to the contrary, there is no such thing as instrumental Christmas music. There is music with Christmas lyrics and titles, but instrumental tunes know no category other than genre. Of course, when we hear the tune to "O Christmas Tree" we think of the title/lyrics and therefore associate the melody with the holiday. It's understandable. But if the tune had been entitled "O Easter Egg" we would associate it with Easter instead. Then again, Handel's Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah was written for Easter but now is generally performed at Christmas so cultural norms rarely make logical sense.

Many years ago when I was a school band director, I would sometimes change titles of tunes for annual Christmas concerts. For example, if first year players could manage to squeak out "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" after only three months playing a instrument, I would change the name on the program to "Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star" and suddenly the same melody became a Christmas tune suitable for a concert in early December. Or I would add sleigh bells to a traditional band march and "March of the Irish Guard" would be "reimagined" as "March of Santa's Elves." Same music, different title. You get the point. (There's also music with lyrics about cold and winter that get associated with Christmas even though there's nothing in the lyrics or title referring to the holiday: Winter Wonderland, Let It Snow, Baby It's Cold Outside, Frosty the Snowman, Jingle Bells, etc. but that's another rant for another day.) So even though today's CD might be categorized by some as "instrumental Christmas music," such a category doesn't truly exist. But I realize this little blog post won't stop anybody from using the term.

Moving on with this particular CD: It's good, not great, but I'll give the group the benefit of the doubt - it's gotta be difficult to put new spins on melodies everyone has heard for many years. When the band leaves the melodies for their solos, it could be any smooth jazz joint (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). This album won't crack my "must hear" list each December, but the tunes are a welcome addition to the massive holiday playlist I shuffle through each year for tree trimming, parties, car trips, etc.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Ten songs from the traditional holiday tune canon along with a new tune, It Won't Feel Like Christmas which is a nice enough torch song/waltz. (How do I know it's a Christmas tune? The title and the lyrics! Okay, okay, I'll promise I'll drop the subject now.) Of the familiar songs, I recommend Winter Wonderland, the bluesish Have Yourself a Merry Christmas, and a surprisingly original take on The First Noel. Weaker tracks are Carol Of The Bells (which interpolates Greensleeves) and an uninspired cover of Donny Hathaway's This Christmas.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. Despite my claims that I'm a big SG fan, this CD is new to me this year. I bought it from the band's website; they sent a copy autographed by band leader Jay Beckenstein.

Previously revisited for the blog:

A Foreign Affair (2011)	Fast Forward (1990)
Down The Wire (2009)	Point Of View (1989)
Good To Go-Go (2007)	Rites Of Summer (1988)
Wrapped In A Dream (2006)	Stories Without Words (1987)
Original Cinema (2003)	Breakout (1986)
The Very Best of Spyro Gyra (2002)	Alternating Currents (1985)
In Modern Times (2001)	Access All Areas (1984)
Got The Magic (1999)	City Kids (1983)
Road Scholars (1998)	Incognito (1982)
20/20 (1997)	Freetime (1981)
Heart Of The Night (1996)	Carnaval (1980)
Love & Other Obsessions (1995)	Catching The Sun (1980)
Dreams Beyond Control (1993)	Morning Dance (1979)
Three Wishes (1992)	Spyro Gyra (1978)

Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. (2008)

Mraz can't write a lyric, but he sure can write a pop hook. This is an expertly crafted collection of pop songs, but the main draw for someone like me is the retro-production that attempts to capture the '70s and '80s. Some examples: the song Butterfly tries hard to be Quincy Jones-era Michael Jackson while Love For A Child wouldn't have been out of place on a mid-'70s Elton John album. Overall, though, the sound/feel of the album reminds me more of Hall & Oates than anyone else. Metacritic has this album rated at 60 and I'm okay with that - a few great songs, some good ones, and some filler. Mraz has a enjoyable tenor voice and doesn't need to use AutoTune - just don't listen to the ignorant nonsense he's singing about.

The album garnered two Grammy awards for Mraz: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for Make It Mine and Best Pop Collaboration (with Colbie Caillat) for Lucky.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #3

Tracks:  The album is front-loaded with the aforementioned Make It Mine and Lucky as well as the ubiquitous I'm Yours. But the album starts to unravel about track 7 (with the exception of Only Human which is the best Remy Shand song he never wrote).

The disc is an "Enhanced CD" with promises of online extras. Not surprisingly, that content is no longer available (I got a "404 error" whatever that is).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  None.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Waiting For My Rocket To Come (2002)

Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall (2008)

Recorded at Carnegie Hall in New York City, July 1, 1998.

I recently watched the delightful animated movie Chico & Rita and that film, particularly its ending, reminded me of this sublime album. This is one of those rare live albums that puts the studio version to shame. I can't find anyone who can offer an explanation as to why it took ten years to release these exceptional recordings.

If you've seen the 1999 award-winning documentary, Buena Vista Social Club, then you are familiar with some of these performances as portions of this concert conclude that film. If you haven't seen that movie, you should watch it. If you have seen it, you should watch it again. This is wonderfully authentic Afro-Cuban music, played by the masters - the lived history of these musicians is palpable in their performances. Historically relevant and critically acclaimed, this album rates a 92 over at Metacritic. Credit to the Nonesuch label for including a liner note booklet that contains pictures, reminiscences from the musicians, and a review of the concert reprinted from the NY Times.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #200

Tracks:  16 tracks over 78 minutes (making a second CD necessary, barely). Of course, this should be heard from start to finish, but I think the stronger tracks are De Camino A La Vereda, La Engañadora, Mandinga, and Almendra.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  Two years after this album was recorded, I had the pleasure of hearing this fine group play a concert in Houston. Most of the band members were still living at the time and put on a fantastic show; they were clearly having fun. The audience wasn't the usual "Society for the Performing Arts" crowd - these folks grew up with this music. They were rowdy, had conversations like they were at a night club, sang along with every tune, and cheered loudly following each solo and song. At first, I thought the crowd was being rude as I was trying to hear what the musicians had to say, but I quickly realized that I was applying my own cultural standards to another culture. I quickly adapted and joined right in with my fellow concert-goers. It completely changed the way I heard Afro-Cuban music. Great night.

JaR - Scene 29 (2008)

Compared to its heyday in the late '70s - early '80s, there's very little new West Coast/AOR/Yacht Rock these days. That's a shame and makes West Coast lovers like myself hunt a little harder for new stuff, but it's out there (see State Cows, Monkey House, et. al.). In 2008, Jay Graydon, King of the West Coast sound, teamed up with award-winning singer/songwriter Randy Goodrum and put out an album under the name JaR (which stands for Jay and Randy, I'm guessing). The duo describes their music as "Steely Dan meets Airplay and Pages" - count me in! This album is a collection of wonderful songs, tight playing, and the clean production Graydon is known for - no clipping here, in fact there's a brief rant against compression in the liner notes. I've loved Graydon's guitar solos since I first heard Steely Dan's Peg and he doesn't disappoint here with characteristically high-flying overdrive solos on most every track. The duo's website claims a new album is in the works; let's hope that happens soon. [update: the website has been taken down and I'm unaware of any follow-up album]

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:  Good from top-to-bottom, my current favorites are Cure Kit, Make Somebody, the title track, Glen's Hair (best solos on the album), and the most Steely Dan-ish song, Your Heartbreak.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  I didn't discover this disc until late last year, but since then I've never let it stray too far. This music has accompanied me on many long walks in the woods.

Al Green - Lay It Down (2008)

From allmusic.com:

The big question that greets listeners encountering Al Green's third Blue Note album, Lay It Down, is: what happens when you put that amazing soul-drenched voice in the hands of hip-hop producers Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots and James Poyser, and add a slew of superstar guests? Answer: a killer Al Green soul album.

Killer fo sho. It's interesting how the new producers were able to create a more classic Al Green sound than was present on the previous album, Everything's OK. This isn't neo-soul because there's nothing neo about it. This is like taking a trip on a time machine back to the '70s. And this is one trip you don't want to miss. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning (or a Saturday night, if you know what I mean).

When I've played Al Green music at any occasion, I've never ever been asked to turn it off or put something else on. 'Nuff said.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #9 (June 14, 2008)

Tracks: I don't skip any and the top tracks are hard to pick. During today's listen, I'll pick the title track, Just For Me, Take Your Time (featuring Corinne Bailey Rae), Stay With Me (featuring John Legend), and Standing In The Rain. Any of the 11 tracks would make you feel better.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I had the pleasure of hearing Al Green in concert last year, where he turned the title track from this CD into a lengthy slow burn that brought the house down. Fantastic performance. Between the ticket, travel, hotel, and meals, the whole thing probably ended up costing me over $400 and I'd do it again tomorrow. When the concert ended, my face hurt which made me realize I had a goofy grin on my face during the whole show.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Everything's OK (2005)
I Can't Stop (2003)
Greatest Gospel Hits (2000)
Greatest Hits (1975)

Thomas Dolby - The Sole Inhabitant (2008)

Note: this is the two disc Deluxe Edition CD+DVD package.

Cheesy synthpop goodness - I love it. In 2006, Thomas Dolby toured for the first time in more than 15 years and he did it as a solo act. Just him and his synths, sequencers, drum machine, and Mac G5 using Logic Pro, layering and looping, playing his best music from the '80s and early '90s. A few of these live performances were recorded and released (in addition to this CD+DVD package, a video podcast series is available). The CD was recorded in Chicago in May, 2006 and the DVD was recorded in Boston in September of the same year. So, unlike most live CD+DVD sets, we're treated to two different concerts. However, the setlist is the exact same for both concerts. Vocally, Dolby hasn't lost a step - he sounds just as he did 25 years earlier. My only complaint about the one man show is that having to jump around from machine to machine affects his phrasing both vocally and instrumentally.

DVD: there are a number of interesting camera angles as cameras are mounted on a few of the keyboards looking up at Dolby and one attached to Dolby's headset. There's also some extra non-concert footage every now and then (searchlights during Leipzig is Calling, clouds during Flying North, etc.). All that extra stuff is to add a little visual interest as Dolby standing in one place in a trenchcoat isn't all that captivating, no matter how many knobs he twiddles. That's a shame because it is obvious that what he is doing is very difficult and he's working hard. So while the visuals are interesting at times, they get old pretty quick, but the music is good.

Best cuts are Flying North, Windpower, Europa And The Pirate Twins, and Airhead. The most interesting part of the video is watching Dolby build the sequencing for The Flat Earth from scratch. It's not my favorite Dolby tune by a long shot, but seeing him put all that together is interesting for those of us musicians who haven't kept up with available technology. If he could do that in 2006, I can't begin to imagine what the technology allows now. Dolby's interactions with the audience between numbers are informative and entertaining, almost charming.

The concert part of the video is about an hour and 26 minutes long, but there are also a few bonus features, including a 33 minute interview, a bit of a lecture at Boston's Berklee School of Music where Dolby introduces us to his equipment, and a snippet from a TED 2006 lecture in which he shows how he layers his tracks. Like most bonus features, these are interesting enough to watch once, but there's nothing that I need to see again.

CD: Even though they were recorded at different concerts four months apart, the songs are performed on the CD in much the same manner as on the DVD, except the sound mix is much better and there are subtle changes here and there. There's almost no between song patter, so we're left with just the music here. That's fine with me. Musically, Dolby's May performance (CD) is noticeably better than the September performance (DVD).

As of this writing, the two versions on the CD and DVD are the sixth and seventh times that the song She Blinded Me With Science has appeared on this blog. The other five are Retrospectacle, Ultimate New Wave Party 1998, Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 8, 12 x 12 Original Remixes, and 80's Hits Stripped. And we're not done yet. I'm betting SBMWS appears in my collection more than any other song. Naturally, it appears on a lot of Dolby discs and seems to find its way on to most '80s compilations.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Although the CD got a lot of playing time in my truck when I first received it in 2008 (particularly the song Flying North), this is only the second time I've watched the DVD, and, to be honest, I probably didn't watch the whole thing the first time. If one is available, I just can't pass up a bonus disc.

Previously revisited for the blog:
12 x 12 Original Remixes (1999)
Retrospectacle: The Best Of (1994)
Aliens Ate My Buick (1988)

M83 - Saturdays = Youth (2008)

I know nothing about M83. I bought this CD based solely on the following words, found in the January 26, 2009 issue of The New Yorker: "M83, from Antibes, follows in the tradition of Air, Cassius, and Daft Punk. The duo fluctuated between dreamy ambience and feral dissonance earlier this decade and has since embraced the sound and feel of the best of eighties pop. Its latest album, 'Saturdays=Youth,' is a full-color tribute to the heyday of John Hughes flicks." Sounds like something I'd like, right? Too bad it's hit-or-miss. The bad tracks are unlistenable while the good tracks are perfect background music for a rainy, nostalgic Saturday afternoon.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #107 (May 3, 2008)

Tracks: There are a few tracks I like that remind me of '80s music (think Dream Academy meets Depeche Mode with a splash of New Order and U2) - Kim & Jessie, Graveyard Girl, Coleurs, and Highway Of Endless Dreams. I don't care for You Appearing, Dark Moves of Love, or the meandering Midnight Souls Still Remain.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Take 6 - The Standard (2008)

The best a capella group I've heard. Ever. And on this release they give us only a smattering of instruments. Thanks for that, guys. I was getting tired of generic R&B arrangements covering up your harmonies. Usually, Take 6 sticks to their gospel roots, but on this CD, as evidenced by the title, they give us an album of jazz standards. They also bring in quite a few guest artists: George Benson, Jon Hendricks, Al Jarreau, Roy Hargrove, Aaron Neville and Brian McKnight. If you're a fan of the TV show The Sing-Off, you should turn off that derivative crap and listen to the real deal here while turning your speakers up to 11.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: While they're almost all top-notch, my favorites here are Sweet Georgia Brown, Straighten Up And Fly Right (with George Benson), Someone to Watch Over Me (with Shelea Frazier & Roy Hargrove), and A Tisket A Tasket (with archival vocals from Ella Fitzgerald, which is kinda creepy, but the song's enjoyable if you are able to forget that Ella passed in 1996 and her vocals here were recorded in 1938). I normally don't think that Marvin Gaye songs should be covered, but the version of What's Going On (with Brian McKnight) proves to be the best track on this album. That track is followed by a gorgeous arrangement of Shall We Gather At The River that never fails to give me goosebumps. I'm not sure why the group included Back To You on this disc because it is sorely out of place.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Brothers (1996)
So Much 2 Say (1990)

Blue Lounge - A Lennon & McCartney Songbook (2008)

UK import

Blue Lounge is European producer/remixer Giacomo Bondi:

For this attempt at space-age bachelor pad remixes of Beatles' tunes, he put together a group of competent musicians, cleverly named this cover band The Apple Pies, and then set about to give these wonderful tunes the lounge treatment. This album is more of a curiosity than anything else - The Beatles meet Massive Attack meet Zero 7, but much better than Love. Great background music, though. Not for active listening, you can put this on at your next party and everyone will be asking who it is.

Tracks: Like most Lounge/Chill Out music, it all starts to sound the same after a while. The cuts that work best are Norwegian Wood, Drive My Car, Tomorrow Never Knows (which ends up being more trance than lounge), and Day Tripper. I really want Blackbird to work because I love that song, but it comes up just short. Less successful are the treatments of And I Love Her, Cry For No One, and Paperback Writer.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, I bought this at Half Price Books a few months ago.

The Canadian Brass - Jazz Roots (2008)

Note: This 2 CD set is a re-release compilation of two LPs, Rag-Ma-Tazz (1974) and Unexplored Territory (1977). I owned the latter as an LP.

These old recordings were never released on CD until 2008. The first CD (Rag-Ma-Tazz) is mostly transcriptions of Scott Joplin tunes. The arrangements are well done and the playing, of course, is impeccable. Since the group at that time was relatively unknown and was probably still paying for their own studio time, these seem to be live performances. No overdubs or splicing that I can hear. I like that.

The second disc (Unexplored Territory) is an interesting pairing for the ragtime disc because it has nothing in common with Rag-Ma-Tazz except for the brass players. This disc grouped the brass quintet with a typical rhythm section (bass, drums, guitar, piano) and tries to make them work. Sometimes this instrumentation is successful, sometimes not.

Tracks, CD 1: The best on this disc are Entertainer Rag, The Favourite, Rosebud Ragtime March, and Lassus Trombone. You can skip the originals Days Before Yesterday and Canadian Brass Rag which pale compared to Joplin.

Tracks, CD 2: A lot of this music reminds me of the pop crossover stuff that Maynard Ferguson was doing in the '70s (without the stratospheric trumpet work). The crossover stuff, like The Joust and En Sueño, is pure '70s cheese. I'm digging the Fender Rhodes, baby. There are some attempts at transcribing classical works for a pop group including Satie's First Gynopedie, Bach's Magnificat in D minor, and Handel's Royal Firework Music. I'll go ahead and include the traditional Amazing Grace with these. These tracks are best left alone. While the playing is fantastic, these transcriptions just make you want to listen to the original works because those are so much better. My main beef with the Canadian Brass throughout the years has been their willingness to play awful arrangements. The disc isn't a total loser, however. The highlight of this disc (and the reason I bought it) is the exceptional arrangement of Just A Closer Walk With Thee which appears in a fantastic Bourbon Street Medley along with Tin Roof Blues and Muskrat Ramble. I wish the whole disc was like this medley. I've tried to stay away from using a phrase like "this territory was better left unexplored" but that stuff writes itself.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I had heard the group live while I was in high school and, as a trumpet player, I was certainly aware of who they were, but I did not have any Canadian Brass recordings until a girlfriend gave me Unexplored Territory as a Christmas gift in 1984. (Side note: she also gave me a copy of As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls.) Interesting choices for sure, but I was young and in love and wanted to enjoy what she enjoyed. To be honest, I only listened to the LP once or twice before giving up on it, but the group's arrangement of Just A Closer Walk With Thee stayed with me. Bored one night around 2008, I sought out a CD copy of the LP and this is what I found. This is one of those discs I buy for nostalgia's sake, listen to it once and put it away for a few years until another wave of nostalgia washes over me.

Previously revisited for the blog:
All You Need is Love (1998)

Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere - Nudge It Up A Notch (2008)

"OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS" WEEK (MAY 1-7, 2011)

A top-notch collaboration between legendary Memphis guitarist Steve Cropper (Booker T & The MGs, the Stax house band) and organist/vocalist Felix Cavaliere (The Rascals). I'm a big fan of Memphis soul music and this easily fits in the Southern soul category. Neither of these guys has lost anything over the years; Cavaliere's vocals are especially impressive. This is just good soulful pop music. My only complaints are the mix, which is uneven, and the use of synth horns instead of bringing in the real deal (guys, I'm available and I'm cheap). The duo recently released a follow-up which I'm certain will find its way into my collection shortly (let's hope they left the synths out of that one).

This is just one of many recordings that is keeping the smooth beauty of late '60s soul music going in this millennium. This CD joins recent releases by Al Green, Booker T., The Bo-Keys, and The City Champs.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: 11 of the 12 tracks are good. For me the stand out cuts are Full Moon Tonight, Still Be Loving You, Cuttin' It Close, and Love Appetite. The only misstep is Make The Time Go Faster which only proves that old white men shouldn't attempt rap. Fortunately, that disaster is followed by the reggae-infused instrumental, Jamaica Delight, which is indeed a delight.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Asia - Phoenix (2008)

"OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS" WEEK (MAY 1-7, 2011)

Rip Van Winkle Presents...

In 1982 & 1983, Asia put out a fantastic debut self-titled album and an okay follow-up. After those two releases, band members began leaving. In 2008, the four original members got back together and released Phoenix. Like Steve Carell's character in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, I had an Asia poster in my wall when I was in high school and I was a big Asia fan. Sort of interesting since I was never a prog-rock kinda guy. I still don't like much prog-rock and while I like this CD, I don't much care for the multi-part suites that appear on it. Still, this CD sounds like music that could have been released in 1984. The band is in top form and the songwriting (mainly by bassist/singer John Wetton and keyboardist Geoff Downes) is as good as it was in 1982; they can still write big arena-rock hooks. (I want credit for never using the phrase "rising from the ashes" in this post.)

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #73 (May 3, 2008)

Tracks: I like Never Again, Nothing's Forever, Shadow Of A Doubt, Wish I'd Known All Along, and An Extraordinary Life. The beginning of Alibis is just ok, but it comes back with a fantastic instrumental coda completely unrelated to any earlier part of the song. As cheesy as it is, I can't help but like I Will Remember You. I find the ballad Heroine skipworthy. Ever heard of a band named Globus? Me, neither, but the band chose to cover one of their songs, Orchard Of Mines. Skip that one, too. As I said earlier, the 'suites' are lacking: Sleeping Giant/No Way Back/Reprise and Parallel Worlds/Vortex/Deya.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I saw the band on the supporting tour for this CD. My high school friend Scott and I caught the band on April 27, 2008 at The House of Blues in Dallas. John Wetton struggled to get to the high notes, but I'll give him a break because he's aged and he didn't take the easy road and lower the keys of the songs. Someone behind us in the audience said that Steve Howe looked like the Cryptkeeper. That's cruel, but hilarious.

ABC - Traffic (2008)

"OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS" WEEK (MAY 1-7, 2011)

This is a great ABC album, second only to 1982's The Lexicon of Love. It's just a perfect blend of soul, rock, and technopop. Martin Fry hasn't lost any of his skills, he's just been hiding them for 20 years. It doesn't sound like an '80s album and it doesn't sound like a 2008 album, either. It sounds like an album from a man (Fry) who is comfortable with where he is in life and where he is as a musician, still unafraid to use female backup singers and disco strings. This release won't bring ABC any new listeners, but it should make the older listeners (like this guy) very happy. I wish ABC would have released this music in 1983 instead of Beauty Stab.

In its review, the BBC stated that "Fry has recorded something equalling his all-time best."

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart (I'm not sure the album received an official US release)

Tracks: My favorite cuts are The Very First Time, Ride, Love Is Strong, Life Shapes You, Minus Love, and Way Back When. I usually skip the first track, Sixteen Seconds To Choose, not because it's an awful song, but because it just doesn't seem to fit with the other songs. It sounds more like something from Beauty Stab. Weaker tracks include Caroline, One Way Traffic, Validation, and Fugitives.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This CD received as much play time in my truck in 2008 as my tape of Lexicon of Love got in the Markmobile 25 years earlier.

Def Leppard - Songs From The Sparkle Lounge (2008)

"OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS" WEEK (MAY 1-7, 2011)

It almost sounds like Def Leppard was able to get Mutt Lange to produce this album. They really got back to an early '80s arena-glam-rock sound which is really all I can ask for. Would it have been better with their old producer? Most definitely, but it's their best effort since 1992's Adrenalize. It's not a great album, but it's a good Def Leppard album and sometimes that's just what you need. There's nothing that made me want to pull out my air guitar, but this is a fun listen by the pool or in the truck. Metacritic has it rated only at 47/100.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #5

Tracks: 11 tracks, not even 40 minutes of music (again, just like the '80s!). All the up-tempo songs are high-energy and enjoyable. Love, their lone attempt at a ballad, is really bad. The better tracks are Go, Nine Lives (with Tim McGraw), Hallucinate, Come Undone, Bad Actress, and the Beatlesque Only The Good Die Young. Favorite lyrics come from the chorus of Bad Actress: "Can't sing, can't dance, can't fit in your pants / You're a bad actress."

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

The B-52's - Funplex (2008)

"OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS" WEEK (MAY 1-7, 2011)

The first studio album released in 16 years from this New Wave group (the last was Good Stuff in 1992). It sounds kinda like classic B-52's party rock, but the production is updated, courtesy of British production phenom Steve Osborne (New Order, Doves, KT Tunstall). Don't expect Rock Lobster. The lyrics are pretty crude; I won't play this in my truck if my young sons are riding with me. The B-52's have always been a one-trick pony, but as long as you like that pony, it's all good. Here's the best description of the disc, courtesy of Dom Gourlay over at Drowned in Sound: "Funplex then: a bit like that school re-union. Good for a few hours’ reminiscing every once in a while but over-familiarity will only breed contempt." If you like Scissor Sisters or New Order's Get Ready, you'll find something to like here. Good music for the summer.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #11 (April 12, 2008)

Tracks: Favs include Pump, Hot Corner, Funplex, and Deviant Ingredient. I also like that the band has included a ballad on this release (I'm kidding, of course, there aren't ballads on B-52's albums, silly). I could do without Juliet Of The Spirits and Too Much to Think About.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, but I've seen the group live twice (always on July 26!) and they always put on a great show. I'd go see them again if I had the chance.

Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis - Two Men with the Blues (2008)

NUMBERS WEEK (MARCH 14-20, 2011)

Because it is so basic, most any musician can play blues music. That doesn't mean all musicians can play the blues well. But anytime musicians get together and jam, you're likely to hear some blues. Not all the songs here are blues; the band mixes in some standards, western swing numbers and most of the songs blur the lines with jazz. I'm not crazy about Willie Nelson's voice, but he does a decent job on these songs. While Willie Nelson will record any kind of music with anybody, Marsalis is having to leave his comfort zone here. Maralis does a great job, but the real star of this disc isn't the headliners, it's the back-up band. Marsalis' rhythm section along with Willie's harmonica player, Mickey Raphael, are like musical chameleons moving effortlessly among styles. Worthy of special mention is young pianist Dan Nimmer, who plays like he was brought up in a gin joint playing boogie-woogie one night, gospel the next. This CD was recorded live at Lincoln Center in January 2007. I would have loved to been there (I think there's a DVD available). This is one of those CD's that you have to be in the right mood to hear, but if you are in that mood, the music is perfect.

Peak on the US Billboard 200 chart: #20 (July 26, 2008)

Tracks: My favorites are Bright Lights Big City, Caldonia, and Rainy Day Blues. It's always fun to hear someone from New Orleans play Basin Street Blues and Marsalis doesn't disappoint. While they have slightly different arrangements, we've already heard Willie sing Stardust and Georgia On My Mind, so I would have hoped for something a little different here.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: none

John Mayer - Where The Light Is: Live In Los Angeles (2008)

"LIVE IN CONCERT" WEEK (FEBRUARY 7-13, 2011)

Recorded in Los Angeles, December 8, 2007.

If you believe the gossip columns, Mayer can be a self-centered jerk and is a love-'em-and-leave-'em kind of guy with the ladies, but he sure can play guitar. Also, he's not a bad pop songwriter. I'm sure that middle-aged men don't make up much of Mayer's fan base, but I enjoy his playing and his music. This set, as one would expect, is heavy on songs from 2005's Try! and 2006's Continuum. The 2 CDs are divided into three sections: the first is an acoustic trio set, the next set he plays with the John Mayer Trio, and the third is a longer set with Mayer's regular touring band. This performance was also released on DVD (but aren't all concert CDs accompanied by a DVD these days? The record companies can double their money that way.).

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #5 (July 19, 2008)

Tracks:
Acoustic trio set (5 tracks): His versions here of Neon, Stop This Train, and Daughters are all good. He picked songs that would work well with just him and guitar. His new song, In Your Atmosphere, isn't very good and stalls the momentum of the show. Just goes to show that Mayer is capable of writing a stinker every now and then. His cover of Tom Petty's Free Fallin' is okay, but not spectacular; he doesn't bring anything new to the song.

John Mayer Trio set (8 tracks): This group is more blues-oriented. Mayer is versatile, but he's not as good at playing blues as he seems to think he is. It takes courage to cover not one, but two Jimi Hendrix songs. Of those, Wait Until Tomorrow is an excellent cover with lots of energy. The other, Bold As Love, is a fantastic classic song that Mayer absolutely ruins with his pointless spoken-word philosophy about love. He completely misses the point that the music should do the talking. Listening to Mayer's original tunes, I prefer Who Did You Think I Was and Good Love Is On The Way.

Full band set (9 tracks): Starts off with Mayer's anti-war anthem, Waiting On The World To Change, which actually speaks to the apathetic nature of his generation. It's a good pop song, inculded here along with other pop gems Why Georgia, The Heart Of Life, and I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You). The version included here of the often-covered Ray Charles hit, I Don't Need No Doctor, seems a little sanitized at times, but it is still one of the better versions of this classic. I'm not normally a fan of Mayer's slower tunes, but there's something about Gravity that I gravitate to (bad pun intended). This version isn't as good as the one on Try! but it's still one of the better tracks on this disc.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Every time I listen to Mayer's music, I can't help but think of his bit on Chappelle's Show around 2004 or 2005 in a skit called something like, "Can White People Dance?"

Lenny Kravitz - It Is Time For A Love Revolution (2008)

It would seem that Lenny has been listening to his old Led Zeppelin LPs. While there's still plenty of Kravtiz's signature psychedelic-retro-funk-rock on this release, it is almost like he's channeling Jimmy Page on many of the tracks. It always impresses me that Kravitz writes and produces all his music while performing most all the instruments. Kravitz stays true to himself and his music, which probably explains why he has never become the big rock star he deserves to be. I don't have much of Kravtiz's music because of its high energy intensity; listening to it just wears me out. As critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine writes, Kravitz "favors a sledgehammer to a scalpel." Ha! True.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #4 (Feb 23, 2008)

Tracks: The opener, Love Revolution, is awesome. Classic Kravitz. Also good are Bring It On, and If You Want It. He pays tribute to James Brown with Will You Marry Me, right down to shouting "Hit it!" during the break before the guitar solo. The ballads I'll Be Waiting and I Love The Rain fall flat.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. This is the first time I've listened to this at home. I've always felt it was more suited to be played in my truck.

Joe Jackson - Rain (2008)

I had given up on Joe Jackson when he turned to being a "serious musician" who shunned pop music in favor of symphonies and movie scoring. I was glad when he changed back to a rock star and recorded this CD with only a piano trio. This trio shows off Jackson's skill as a pop songsmith. His lyrics and singing aren't always the best (he uses a lot of falsetto on this release), but they don't detract from the material. Some of these songs wouldn't be out of place on my favorite Jackson album, 1982's Night and Day. As of this writing, the album's score on metacritic is 71 out of a possible 100. I think that score is right on the money.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #133 (Feb 16, 2008)

Tracks: My favorites are Invisible Man, Too Tough, Wasted Time (even though it is a clear rip-off of Easy to Be Hard from the musical Hair), The Uptown Train (the best cut on the album, it sounds a lot like something from Ramsey Lewis or Joe Sample), and Rush Across the Road. Weaker cuts include Citizen Sane, Solo (So Low), and Good Bad Boy.

Bonus DVD: Concert video of Invisible Man, Wasted Time, and Good Bad Boy. The live versions sound just like the studio versions. Joe takes us on a 10 minute tour around Berlin, where the album was recorded. Also included is a "Making the Record" clip which has no insight into Jackson's creative process. This track is to be skipped unless you enjoy watching the band play foosball. Interviews with Joe and the band are OK, but nothing worth watching again. In fact, don't bother with the DVD.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None