Category: Pop Music

Friday New Releases – September 21st

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Another great week and some awesome releases to grab hold of today.  There is not a long list, but some varied and interesting stuff.  My choices are highlighted in Blue. Take a look through and let me know if there is anything that interests you and let me know. Let me know also if I missed something good that is out today…as I always miss a few.  Have a great weekend and Happy Listening!!

  • 61xyEppL38L._SS500  Slash – Living the Dream (Feat. Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators) – (Snakepit Records LLC):  Where does Slash find the time to record with the heavy tour schedule since Guns N Roses reunited (most of the band anyway).  Anything with Myles Kennedy on vocals is a must for me.  Slash’s name just adds to the excitement.  I will be spinning this one for sure.

  • 61UPmpqE+TL._AC_US436_QL65_  Hardcore Superstar – You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘n Roll – (Gain/Sony):  Here is a band that the US has kind of ignored and it is a shame. From what I have heard so far sounds great and this might be first up on the drive to work!!  Give them a chance and check them out.  You might like it!!

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Train – The Albums Ranked Worst to First

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Train started way back around 1993/1994 in San Francisco, California.  Their first album didn’t arrive until 1998 and I remember hearing their first hit on the radio for “Meet Virginia”.  However, it wasn’t until the song and the album “Drops of Jupiter” came out until I became a fan.  I met my wife around that same time and Train became “our band”.  We have seen them many, many times together and even met the band several years later.  Now my wife had met them before as my Brother-in-low worked with the band back around the Drops of Jupiter era.

Train has seen many line-up changes and their sound has changed over time. They have gone from a pure alternative rock band and are now kind of like a Vegas act (and I don’t mean that in a good way).  The lead singer, Pat Monahan, is the only original member left and Train doesn’t feel like Train anymore.  Now, that doesn’t take away from the fact the band has had some fantastic albums.  And with that, let us explore the band’s catalog.  We are looking at 12 albums which even includes Pat’s only solo album, a live album and even their Christmas album.  If you are ready, sit back and let us get started.  If you are not ready, take your time and go at your own pace.

THE WORST – ‘Christmas in Tahoe’ (2015):

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Friday New Releases – September 14th

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Okay, sit back and get ready for a ton of new music today.  There are an abundance of albums to choose from today so hopefully there is something for you.  My tastes this week are all over the board from Rock to Country to Christian Pop to Alternative to Tony Bennett (he is a category all his own).  My choices are in Blue.  Let me know what does or doesn’t interest you and let me know what I missed.  Happy listening and have a great weekend.

  • 81TVE9D0ABL._SX522_  Monster Truck – True Rockers – (Mascot Records):  The band’s last album ‘Sittin’ Heavy’ was amazing and really got me into this band.  The first song I heard on this one didn’t excite me, but this will probably be the first one I listen to this morning.  Hopefully the rest of it packs a punch and gives me more of what I love from the band which is gritty and dirty straight up rock & roll.

  • A1w1VtfribL._AC_UL115_  Carrie Underwood – Cry Pretty – (Universal Music Group):  Don’t judge me, I like Carrie Underwood.  She is a guilty pleasure and I am not afraid to admit it.  She has an incredible voice and her rendition of “How Great Thou Art” will move you to tears.  Anyway, I am looking forward to another release by her so keep them coming Carrie.

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The Original Vs The Cover – “Higher Ground”

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For this month’s The Original Vs The Cover, we are comparing the versions of the song “Higher Ground” originally performed by Stevie Wonder and then later covered by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Two great artists and two very different versions so which will come out on top.

The song was written by Stevie Wonder and it came out on his 1973 album ‘Innervisions’.  It went all the way to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the R&B chart.  It was a very successful song for Stevie and in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #265 on the Top 500 Songs of all time.  Not bad.

The song is possibly about two things.  One being second chances and the other is reincarnation (which could also be considered a second chance I guess).  Stevie wrote the song and recorded it in a span of 3 hours which to me is amazing.  According to Stevie, he felt a sense of urgency to get it done as if something was going to happen and he needed to finish it.  Just a few months later, he was in a car accident that put him in a coma for four days (3 days after the album was released).

Okay, let us get to the songs…

STEVIE WONDER

Stevie’s song is pure 70’s funk.  It has such an awesome little groove and that unique wah sound comes from a clavinet using a Mu-Tron III pedal.  What are those?  Here is a picture (thanks wikipedia).

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Friday New Releases – September 7th

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It is the first Friday of September and there is a long list of releases.  Everyone starts putting out their new albums in the Fall and there are some big ones coming, but let us focus on today.  The ones I am looking forward to are highlighted in Blue.  Let me know what you want to listen to and which ones I might have missed on the list.  Thanks and have a great music weekend!!

  • 917OiMivKZL._SX522_  Alter Bridge – Live a the Royal Albert Hall (feat. the Parallax Orchestra) – (Napalm Records):  I am surprised by another live record after last year’s release.  That is ok.  There are some different songs in the set list and a little orchestra along with it.  I will give it a listen and then decide on buying.

  • A11xhBfgFwL._SX522_  Lenny Kravitz – Raise Vibration – (Roxie Records):  I have always loved Lenny so this is a no brainer to stream.  His last few have been so-so so again I will stream it before I buy it.  Just so you know, I don’t always do that as I do have 4 or 5 albums on pre-order without hearing a lick.  Only a few bands get that special treatment.

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Friday New Releases – August 31st

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The last Friday of August and we go out with a little bang.  Not a huge bang.  September is going to be huge so get ready for the ton of new releases coming your way.  There are a handful I am interested in this week and those will be highlighted in Blue as usual.  Let me know what you want to hear or you are going to get.  Leave me a comment because I always miss some good releases.  I hope you have a great weekend and Happy Listening!!!

  • download-3  The Veer Union – Decade II: Rock & Acoustic – (Rock Shop Entertainment):  This is a greatest hits package with a heavy side and a softer, acoustic side.  I have enjoyed Crispin Earl’s vocals (and only original member) so I will give this one spin.  I was hoping for new music, but this will do for now.  I will admit, I do like the cover of “Numb” by Linkin Park.  That might be worth it all by itself.

  • 814FHRdGWaL._SX522_  Alice Cooper – A Paranormal Evening at the Olympia Paris (Live) – (earMusic):  I am hoping to see Alice here in Charlotte in October and this will be a great way to prep for his live show.  Alice’s last studio album ‘Paranormal” was absolutely FANTASTIC!!  His band is also awesome and live, it is one helluva a show.  Can’t wait!!

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Needtobreathe – Concert Review – (August 21st, 2018 Charlotte, NC)

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I don’t get to enough Live shows each year. I wish I could get to more, but when I do get to attend it is always worth the time and money.  Seeing your favorite band is always the best thing ever.  There is nothing like hearing your favorite songs live as they are always a little different than the studio album and a good band can make them even better.  Thankfully Needtobreathe is a good band…hell…they are a great band.

If you follow my site, you know Def Leppard and Kiss are two of my favorites.  Needtobreathe is right up there with them for me.  I have every album on vinyl and I have now seen them live 3 times (which isn’t a lot, but I don’t usually see too many bands more than once).

Let’s get to the adventure of the show.  My wife decided she would attend the show with me this time as my daughter doesn’t really know the band and she had no interest.  My wife knows they are one of my favorite bands so she thought it would be a fun night and a good chance for us to have a date night…no kids!!!  She even made a playlist on her phone so she could familiarize herself with the band.

I get home from work that night and I can see something is off with my wife when I get home.  I asked her if she was okay and she lied and told me she was fine, but I knew something was off.  I gave her the opportunity to back out and that I would either go alone or drag my oldest daughter.  My wife toughed it out and went as she didn’t want to disappoint me.  It turns out she felt she was getting a kidney stone and if you have had one you know how painful that is.  I will let you know by the end of the night she was feeling fine and even started enjoying herself.

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My Sunday Song – “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks

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For My Sunday Song #105, I am bringing to you “Edge of Seventeen” by the wonderful and talented Stevie Nicks.  The song was released as a single in 1982 and appeared on her 1981 album ‘Bella Donna’.  The song reached all the way to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 just missing going Top Ten.

This is one of my favorite songs by Stevie and it is from a time where she could do no wrong whether it was her solo work or her work with Fleetwood Mac.  She was everywhere.  She didn’t have this beautiful, angelic vocals of the pop stars of that era. She was graced with a little gritty voice that is even better and is pure rock & roll.  And if I had to pick my favorite female vocalists, she would be at or near the top.

The song is about death.  It was written due to the death of two individuals.  First one was John Lennon (heard in the lyric…”With their words of a poet / And a voice from a choir”) and the other death was her uncle.  Her uncle was diagnosed with cancer and within weeks died and all those emotions she was feeling came out in the song.

What I also love about the song is the line “Just like the white winged dove” and then the chorus of “Whoo, Whoo, Whoo” which sounds like the bird is singing.  The dove is symbolic of the spirit leaving the body and she flies away she sings.  It is really a beautiful visual.

stevie-nicks

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Friday New Releases – August 17th

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Happy Friday!  or is it??  There is nothing that is tickling my fancy this week.  Well maybe, the Yo Yo Ma, but that is really it.  Hopefully there is something for you.  Since there is nothing for me, I will leave you with at least videos for all of these so you can if it is something you like.  Hopefully next week offers more.  Let me know what interests you, if any, and let me know what I missed because maybe it will be something I like.

Have a great weekend!!

  • 61YoePBjDAL.jpg  Doro – Forever Warriors/Forever United – (Nuclear Blast)

  • Sweetener  Ariana Grande – Sweetener – (Republic Records)

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Friday New Releases – August 10th

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As we get further into August things keep getting better.  One more really, really busy week ahead at work and hopefully things can relax a little.  To help me get over the stress, there are a handful of releases I am going to check out and maybe you will as well.  I have highlighted my choices in Blue.  Let me know what you are interested in and if I missed anything interesting (which J. will tell you I usually do!!)

  • 41ZjEis7TUL._AC_US436_QL65_  Rhett Walker Band – Rhett Walker Band EP – (Provident Label Group) – I really dig Rhett’s music.  It is Christian rock with a little southern rock and blues thrown in.  A great combination.  Always powerful and thought provoking at times and all around a joy to listen to when you drop the needle (or push play on your phone…either way works).  My only sadness is that it is an EP and not a full length album…hopefully soon.

  • 51hgLuCCTjL._SS500  Jason Mraz – Know – (Atlantic Recordings):  Jason Mraz finally releases a new album after 4 years…it seems much longer.  The Mr. A to Z wordsmith has a way of writing that is unmatched.  He can go pop, reggae, hip hop and anywhere he wants and it is always fun to follow along.  High hopes for the new stuff as always.

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