Category: Pop Music

Friday New Releases – December 13th

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Welcome to Friday the 13th and the last good day of releases for at least 3 to 4 weeks.  Yes, Friday New Releases will be absent from this site until a couple weeks into the new year in January when there is finally enough to talk about.  However, this week isn’t totally worthless. There a couple releases I am interested in, but not much else.  My choices will be highlighted in Blue, let me know if you find anything you like of if I missed anything.  Thanks and until next time, have a great weekend!

  • 61v6lSOpccL._AC_UL320_SR320,320_  Harry Styles – Fine Line – (Erksine Records/Columbia/Sony):  Harry is back with his second studio album and I have to say, I am actually looking forward to this.  I was pleasantly surprised at how great his debut was and it was so much better than anything One Direction put out.  My oldest daughter is even more so excited as she keeps the vinyl of his debut up in her room rather than down in my wall of vinyl.  I am hoping for another release of a variety of styles and hope he pushes himself even more on this one.

  • A1wqT8hVs7L._SX522_  Stone Sour – Hello, You Bastards: Live in Reno – (Cooking Vinyl Ltd):  I like live albums lately, so I might give this one a try.  Corey Taylor and the boys are releasing their first live album and I am sure it will rock your face off.  I mean, it ain’t no Slipknot, which is actually why I like them more, but Corey only knows how to bring it hard and heavy.  Ok, no video so far so here is a classic.

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My Sunday Song – “How Do You Love?” by Collective Soul

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For My Sunday Song #172, we are going to discuss the song “How Do You Love?” off Collective Soul’s 2004 album ‘Youth’.  The song was the third single off the album and hit #16 on the Adult Top 40.  The album itself was actually the first album the band did on their own label EL Music Group and was an overall well-rounded pop/rock album with a good balance of both.  This song would fall in the pop realm and was written entirely by Ed Roland as most Collective Soul songs were.

We are slowing it down this week with a ballad.  Yes, they all can’t be rockers.  This one connected to me as I was a very shy guy growing up and I wasn’t great with the ladies (I know…shocker right!).  The song is from the point of view of the person that was in love with someone who didn’t notice, care or love them back at all.  He/She is asking them that if they never knew that people were out there loving them, How did they actually love?  What could they do to make you notice them.  It is a common theme and I think connects with most people as I believe we have all been there at one time or another.  Thankfully, I found that woman that noticed me and now we have 2 beautiful daughters to help us show how to love!!

Musically, as I said, it is a ballad so the tempo is a little slowed down.  You get a mixture of keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and even a string section for added impact.  The chorus picks up the beat a little giving it a little of the power element.  You get a nice little guitar solo from Joel Kosche which all good ballads need.  Ed sings with a lot of emotion with a deliberate pacing to add to the emotion.  I found the song to be quite beautiful and one of my favorites on the album and from the band.

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Friday New Releases – December 6th

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Welcome to the first Friday of December.  Christmas is just around the corner and here are a few ideas to either get yourself for Christmas or get someone else.  There is only one I am interested (highlighted in Blue), so I can concentrate on my year end list some more.  I hope there is something for you.

  • 91a-DFg1nCL._AC_UL115_.jpg  The Who – WHO – (Polydor / Universal): After a mere 13 years, the Who is back with a new album.  I have to say, I am intrigued to hear what they have to offer even if it is only Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey which it has been for years, I know.  We will see…or hear…

These are probably the big releases in the pop world…

  • 91STG6vyDcL._SX522_  Camila Cabello – Romance – (Simco / Epic / Sony)

  • 71OErDzXqxL._SX522_  Liam Payne – LP1 – (Capitol Records):  Debut from the former One Direction Star

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Matt Nathanson – The Albums Ranked Worst to First

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As you know if you follow this site at all, I am a Matt Nathanson fan.  I think he is a fantastic songwriter/singer and an all around marvelous person. I have seen him live only three times and each time he keeps getting better.  His live shows are something you have to see as his banter with the crowd is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!  He is witty, funny and damn, the man can sing.  Matt is also a lyrical painter. He pays so much attention to the lyrical phrasing that it paints such a vivid picture or touches you in ways that only music can do.

Matt Nathanson, the studio musician, is broken down in two categories for me.  The 90’s Matt is is an indie rocker that is still trying to find his voice both lyrically and vocally.  But the shades of what is to come is in dimly shining in there.  Then there is the Matt of 2000’s that has seen his songwriting and singing grow by leaps and bound.  He has a confidence that shows in his music and definitely shows when he is on stage.   There are those that find his early stuff more raw and pure and it is that, but as you will see with the list, I find his 2000’s self to be the better half.

So, you now have my overall reasoning behind my picks and with that, we need to dive in and rank Matt Nathanson’s albums from The Worst to the one I think is First!  And sorry I don’t have all his albums in the Header photo as the site I use only offers 8 frames otherwise I would have had all 10 included.

THE WORST – PLEASE (1993):

Now here is the good news, there really isn’t a bad choice among all the albums, this is all about preference.  I have this as the Worst mainly because it is an album with a rough production and Matt’s vocals aren’t quite what they become.  And yes I do know that these are mostly demos thus the explaining the quality.  The cool thing about it is that the songs were all written while he was in high school or during his freshman year at Pitzer College in California.  There are hints of the Matt I grew to love, but it is the one album I go to the least.

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Friday New Releases – November 29th

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Welcome to the final Friday of New Releases for November (and only 2 left for the year as the releases become very limited in late December).  This week, well…there isn’t much. And there is nothing I am interested in getting or hearing which is great since I need to get working on my Year End Lists!!  I feel I need to listen to the Joe Pesci one or he’ll put a hit out on me, but I can’t bring myself to do it.  I guess I am living dangerously.  Let me know if anything interests you or if I missed anything.  Have a great weekend.

  • 81C9oFZncIL._SX522_  Pink Floyd – The Later Years: 1987-2019 – (Sony Music) – Digital version Only (everything else December 13th)
  • 61vqx6qu2UL._SX522_  Joe Pesci – Pesci…Still Singing – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
  • 61D-mDIXjIL._SL1200_  Marillion – With Friends from the Orchestra – (EarMusic) – Digital version only (everything else December 13th)
  • B1-mQW098yS._SX522_  Prong – Age of Defiance E.P. – (Steamhammer)
  • 91XuP-t0J1L._SX522_.jpg  Blue October – Live from Manchester – (Up/Down-Brando Records) – why is the guy out front look like Negan?
  • 81wPt8guYgL._SX522_.jpg  The Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin: Live at Red Rocks (feat. The Colorado Symphony & Andre de Ridder) – (Warner Records)

The Original vs. The Cover – “Alone”

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For this edition of The Original vs. The Cover, we are going to discuss the song “Alone” by the band i-Ten.  What?  You never heard of them.  Honestly, neither had I, but you know their songs as bands from the 80’s covered a ton of their songs including bands like Honeymoon Suite, REO Speedwagon, Juice Newton and most notable they had success with songs such as “Like a Virgin”, “So Emotional”, “True Colors” and “Eternal Flame.  They weren’t really a band, it was a writing duo of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly who made up the band i-Ten.  It was that success that Heart decided to cover their song “Alone”.

The song’s theme is simple.  It is about a person who is in love with another and they are struggling to get them alone to tell them how they feel.  It is possible it is an unrequited love, but he/she won’t know until they tell them how much they want them.  We’ve all been there before.

i-TEN

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I will admit, I never have heard this version before I decided to do this post.  The song didn’t do very well for the band as their song and was put aside and basically forgotten. The song is a pure 80’s.  It is a little dated in its sound today, but you can hear how good of a song it really is.  It is surprising it didn’t do anything for them, but then again, they were not a well-known act and getting on the radio was difficult (or even MTV). Continue reading “The Original vs. The Cover – “Alone”” →

Friday New Releases – November 22nd

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The week before Thanksgiving and the last big week of new releases.  There will be more releases over the next three weeks, but not as big as this one (in numbers, not necessarily quality).  There are a handful I will give a spin and they will be highlighted in Blue as usual.  Let me know what interests you or what I might have missed.  Now next Friday there are new releases, but it is also Record Store Day Black Friday, so hopefully some I can grab…until then.

  • A1iseK+RBPL._SX522_.jpg  Coldplay – Everyday Life – (Parlophone Records / Warner Music):  I will admit, I hold hopes out that they will release something as good as ‘Parachute’ again.  So, this will get a spin to see what they bring to the table this time.  My hopes aren’t too high.

  • 81--bZEqP7L._SX522_.jpg  Beck – Hyperspace – (Fonograf Records / Capitol):  Okay, it’s Beck…why would he not get a spin?  His quirkiness is always welcome even if not always appreciated.

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Friday New Releases – November 15th

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As were are starting to get closer the Holidays, the new releases become fewer and fewer.  There might be one more big week, sadly this is not one of them.  I barely have enough to fill the 6 panels of pictures above.  My choices are limited so I apologize, but maybe there is something for you.  We have Country, R&B, Emo, Classic Rock, 50’s Rock and Pop…that’s it…one for each.  My choices are highlighted in Blue.  Let me know what you want to hear or if there is something I missed that you want to mention.  Thanks for stopping by and have a Great Weekend!!

  • 919hw6IaWZL._SX522_.jpg  Lady Antebellum – Ocean – (Big Machine):  I diss Country a lot, but there a few artists/groups I like and this is one of them.  They are band my wife and I enjoy together and I love when we have someone we both like.  They have been around awhile and usually they deliver and I expect nothing less this time.  It is usually a softer side of Country, but man these guys/gals can sing.

  • 81SKw7E7vlL._AC_UL115_.jpg  Prince – 1999 (Super Deluxe Edition) – (Warner Records):  Prince’s estate is emptying the vaults at an alarmingly fast rate and now 1999 is getting the Super Deluxe Edition. The album was unbelievable the way it was, but having all this bonus material is going to be a blast going through.  I could spend a lot of time with this one.

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Friday New Releases – November 8th

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Happy Friday and yes, the weekend is upon us!! Thankfully we have some new tuneage to get us through the weekend.  There are a lot of releases today and hopefully you will find something to make this weekend a rocking good time.  I have quite a few I am excited to hear, however, not running out to buy anything yet until I hear them first (Thank goodness for streaming as it saves me money sometimes).  My choices are highlighted in Blue.  Let me know what interests you or even what I might have missed as it has been known to happen.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!

  • 81VAZDOCfuL._SX522_.jpg  Work of Arts – Exhibit – (Frontiers Records):  Thanks to Melodicrock.com, I came across this band.  If you know the Jeff Scott Soto band W.E.T., the “W” is for Work of Art member Robert Sall who is in W.E.T.  This band is an awesome piece if melodic rock in the same vein as maybe Toto and Journey and other bands of that ilk.  Give it a try as I think you will like it.

  • 913SqUH3ftL._SX522_.jpg  Pretty Maids – Undress Your Madness – (Frontiers Records):  In what might be their 16th album (so many I have lost track), this hard rock band out of Denmark always deliver solid work and I am interested to hear what they have brought the table this time around.  They rarely disappoint.

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The Cars – The Albums Ranked Worst to First

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The Cars.  What can be said about them that hasn’t already been said.  They are one of the greatest new wave bands to ever come along and an inspiration to many.  Their brand of power pop ruled the airwaves from the Debut in 1978 all the way to 1984 before they started to fade away from the scene, but never faded away from our hearts.

The band was inducted in to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 and the band was all there except for Benjamin Orr who died in 2000.  It was really cool to see the band together again and play a few songs.  The classic line-up consisted of the following members:

  • Ric Ocasek – Vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Elliot Easton – lead guitar
  • Greg Hawkes – keyboards
  • Benjamin Orr – bass, lead vocals
  • David Robinson – drums

We most recently we lost Ric Ocasek in 2019.  As I did when Orr died, upon Ric’s death I pulled out The Cars catalog and went through it over and over again.  It reminded me of how great these guys were and what a catalog of music they left behind.  As a result, I decided to do an album ranking to see what was the worst album all the way up to the best. Let’s see where they stack up.

WORST – PANORAMA (1980):

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