Liz Phair - Somebody's Miracle

Capitol/EMI

Well, Liz Phair is drastically different today than she was in 1993, no surprise. Phair's style now fits comfortably in the mainstream alternative genre. Her lyrics have matured but remain conversational and Phair's voice is not quite up to the task of hitting the notes she is going for.
The album is certainly a step up from her 2003 release which came off with the personality of sliced bread. The best cut on the album is "Table For One" which takes a break from the cookie cutter alt rock style. "Table For One" starts out with a spanish styled acoustic guitar, very laid back and relaxed, and turns out to be a slow and lonely song about alcoholism and isolation. The album does not have any other songs that stand out with much distinction, but on the whole the album is very listenable.

Story Of The Year - In The Wake Of Determination

Maverick/Warner Bros.

Story Of The Year is a fairly straight forward pop metal band. There is nothing particularly fascinating about their musical or vocal attack except that they are incredibly energetic for a studio production. Their energy levels seem to always be at peak performance. When I listen to this band I imagine listening to them live at a concert and enjoying the mosh pit. I would expect this group to be exceptionally good live performers.

Patti Smith - Horses/Horses

(2 CD Set) Arista/Columbia/Legacy

"Horses/Horses" is a double CD set. The first CD is the original 1975 recording of her debut album "Horses," and the second album is a 2005 live recording of those same songs 30 years later. Now, the original album is just how you remember it: inspirational and completely different from anything else (I'm sure everyone remembers the opening lyric, "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine.").
Her 2005 live rendition of "Horses" is the same album with more vocal, musical and life experience. The live performance of "Gloria" is a powerful experience, that particular cut shows just how much Smith has progressed as an artist. The album finishes with the live cut of "My Generation" where Patti tears down the house with ad libbed shouts of "FUCK" or "FUCKING" and going completely all out with a two minute crescendo jam in the middle of the song. Somewhere in the middle of this crescendo Patti Smith is heard urging her generation to take to the streets as well as telling George Bush to fuck himself. This 30 year hallmark release does a fantastic job summarizing the legend that is Patti Smith.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Acoustic

Capitol Nashville

Acoustic is a call back to the beginnings of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. On this album the band returns to their acoustic folk roots but still retain the country style they picked up along the way. The fact that they have come back to acoustic music is a landmark in itself after the initial decision to go electric nearly broke up the band.
"Acoustic" features the original studio recording of "Bless The Broken Road" as well as many new recordings. "Acoustic" also features the wit and humor that the band was well known for with "Cupid's Got A Gun." The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has had an amazing 30 years, and it doesn't look like the journey is over yet.

Cypress Hill - Greatest Hits From The Bong

Columbia/Sony BMG

When listening to Cypress Hill these days it sounds like nothing new. But when they started they had a completely new sound that no-one had heard before, but they inspired many more rap artists who imitated them. They brought latino rap to the forefront of the industry with their rhymes about herb, booze and nondiscriminatory violence ("How I Could Just Kill A Man," "Hand On The Pump," "Dr. Greenthumb").
All the best tracks that have influenced the industry are on "Greatest Hits From The Bong" including "How I Could Just Kill A Man" (covered by Rage Against The Machine), "Insane In The Brain (biggest hit and featured on every movie soundtrack ever) and "(Rock) Superstar" (covered by P.O.D.). This is the perfect introductory Cypress Hill album.

Deaf Pedestrians - Deaf Pedestrians

Dotpointperiod

Deaf Pedestrians turn out to be very loud. I suppose that's how they got to be that way. They are loud, violent and obnoxious... but that's a good shtick. The lead singer seems to vent his frustrations into his songs whether or not he is coherent which doesn't matter because, for the most part, he is screaming so loud that the lyrics become almost entirely incoherent.
You may read this and have an adverse reaction to what I have said, but that is not what I am saying. What I am saying is that for a band that you can rock out, scream and vent to, listen to the Deaf Pedestrians. If you are looking for easy listening or something to relax to listen to something else; but if you are looking for something that will kick you in the head and get you in the pit, Deaf Pedestrians may be your best bet.
***Shelton's Pick of The Week: "We The Sheeple"***

Various Artists - Pick Yourself Up Off The Ground: Pickin' On Eric Clapton Volume 2

CMH

Guitar God Eric Clapton is a one-man rock n' roll hall of fame. From his rude and raw early blues days, through his power trio adventures with Cream, to the mature artist of today, Clapton's musical legacy is unmatched. The first super-guitarist, the founding father of Blind Faith, the first super-group and the first electric warrior to "unplug," E.C. has blazed a trail through four decades, shaping the culture that is rock. The mellow, smoky voice, the bluesy sting of a Clapton guitar lick-- that's as real as it gets.
"Pickin' on Eric Clapton Volume 2" is a bluegrass travelogue through slowhand's prolific career. Only the bravest pickers and fiddlers could take on a six-string legend and the players on this album are up to the challenge. Virtuosic banjo, fiddle and mandolin performances bring out the melodic heart of Eric Clapton, from the slow-dance sway of "Bell Bottom Blues," to the rolling optimism of "Let It Grow." Clapton and bluegrass: a roots/rock dream team.

Age Of Nemesis - Psychogeist

Magna Carta

You know those dishes that you create in your kitchen that sound like they should be awesome but just fall short of tasteful? Like that time you tried to mix salami, peanut butter and cranberries? They are all individually tasty ingredients, but when put them together they just don't add up. Well, think of Age Of Nemesis as a musical concoction of David Bowie, Pantera and Robert Fripp. Now you may sit back and think, well those are all great musicians (or you may not), but when these "ingredients" are blended we have a new creation known as Age Of Nemesis. They are a very talented group and have a lot of obvious inspiration from a number of great artists, and on top of that they have some pretty bitchin' guitar solos and beats. But in the end they are just not tasty enough.

The Rembrandts - Choice Picks

Fuel 2000/Varese Sarabande

The Rembrandts will most likely be remembered for their pop rock single "I'll Be There For You" which was featured as the theme song for the "Friends" sitcom. The Rembrandts have many great songs worthy of praise that did not become theme songs. "Chase The Clouds Away," "Rollin' Down The Hill" and "This House Is Not A Home" are all excellent cuts that are featured on "Choice Picks." These tracks display the exuberant fun of the duo. Their music is mostly upbeat pop but also has insightful lyrics and some excellent guitar riffs and solos. "Choice Picks" successfully picks some of the best work of their career... including "I'll Be There For You."

Various Artists - A Decade Of Future Music

(3 CD) Om

"A Decade Of Future Music" is a collection of artists from the last 10 years of Om music, or since the beginning of Om. Exceptional artists such as Chuck Love, Fred Everything, Groove Junkies, Afro-Mystic and King Kooba are featured on this 3 CD set.
If one is unfamiliar with Om records this would be the perfect item to pick up to familiarize oneself. With approximately 3 3/4 hours of music one can see the trends in electronic music that Om has carved into the electronica scene. From House to Trance to Hip Hop Om has been expanding steadily to include more artists and genres which has ultimately given Om the fanbase and drive to revolutionize the underground.

Stephen Clair - Under The Bed

Valley

Stephen Clair's second release, "Under The Bed," mixes complex lyrical content with simplistic country music. His voice is not trained, but perfect for the music he is doing. Clair's lyrics are perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Stephen Clair. Clair's songs focus on love and loss (My Heart's Not Broken), self realization (It's A Riddle), stories (Following Orders), and breaking away from the status quo (Walkabout) among other things.
"A Woman Like You" is a witty song where Clair stumbles over the rough spots of rough relationships, "I'm not moving in, I've got a place of my own/ You hear wedding bells... I think that's my phone." Stephen Clair falls into the ranks of Dave Alvin and Bruce Cockburn with his provocative lyrics and simplistic yet talented guitar. Stephen Clair is only just getting started. He's got plenty of time to reach everyone with his music.

Bloodhound Gang - Hefty Fine

Jimmy Franks/Republic/Geffen/Universal

When bringing up the Bloodhound Gang the response you are most likely to get is someone singing, "You and me baby, ain't nothin' but mammals/ So, let's do it like they do it on the Discovery Channel." Which is arguably their best song, but their albums are full of sophomoric wit put to a myriad of different musical styles.
Also, when talking about the Bloodhound Gang, one tends to get an adverse response. People don't like admitting that they like the BG. It's embarrassing to sing proudly, "Ain't my job to fuck you on your birthday," or to listen to the recording of someone taking a crap with friends. But there is something in their songs that is attractive: they're complete ignorance, or indifference, to any type of political correctness. "Hefty Fine" is exactly what we have come to expect from BG, fecal matter and all.

Josh White - Free And Equal Blues

Smithsonian Folkways

Josh White had a varied career, wildly popular in the 40's, nose diving during McCarthyism, then returning to the folk scene during the sixties. White was one of the first musicians to bring blues to white audiences. White was also extremely involved in the civil rights movement, he played at Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral. The "Free And Equal Blues" is his genius song talking about the scientific equality of people: rich or poor, black or white.
Just after White had successfully made his rounds in Europe, he was called into the McCarthy hearings and took a popularity dive when he declared he had been, "a sucker for the communists." His popularity sky rocketed once again in the sixties when he was the third most popular folk singer in most polls (above Bob Dylan). As it stands today, Josh White is one of the centerposts to the development and discovery of blues and folk music.

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter II

Cash Money/Universal

Lil Wayne, formerly of Hotboys with Juvenile, was born in a notorious neighborhood of New Orleans which always directly affected Lil Wayne's lyrical content. From the age of 12 Lil Wayne has been rapping about the life of guns and drugs that was already so familiar to him. As he has gotten older (a little bit), his music and rhymes have also progressed (a little bit). On "Tha Carter II," Lil Wayne experiments with light piano work ("Fly In" & "Hustler Musik"), and soul samples (The Isley Brothers on Receipt) as well as samples of Reggae and Blues. Lil Wayne makes the follow up album to "Tha Carter" as much of a hip hop success as the original with his definitive rhyming style and excellent choice in sampling.

Tim Grimm - The Back Fields

Wind River/Folk Era

Tim Grimm has recently released his second album for Wind River, "The Back Fields." This album is non stop excellent acoustic folk. Every track is brilliant and Grimm's lyrics are always sincere and incisive. From start to finish "The Back Fields" is pure golden sound, no filler. The first track, "Sometimes Trouble Is A Gift," starts out with a firm, steady strum that sets the tone for the song about seeing the forest for the trees. The following track," The People's Highway," is a tale told from the "folk's" perspective about leaving Oklahoma during the dust bowl. Other choice tracks include "Celia Rose," "Girl From The North Country" (Bob Dylan) and "Sam's Song. Tim Grimm has been voted best male folk singer of the year, and isn't that ever the truth.
(Editor's Note: As the one and only John Shelton ivany, I can't express the grass that I was smoking when I first played this album. But i was sure that I was listening to Bruce Springsteen. So I had to play it again to realize that this was a different man, although just as great. We will do whatever is possible to make this cat the star that he deserves to be. And we will call KPIG, our local radio station in Watsonville, and ask them to play Tim Grimm's album.)
***So Nice, Gotta Do It Up Twice (Created by the Original NYC DJ, Jocko, 1955)***

Amelia K Spicer - Seamless

Free Range

When listening to Amelia K Spicer's album "Seamless" I often caught my mind wandering. The album has a very slow pace, and not a whole lot of content to pull me in. The lyrics don't catch me in anyway, and the accompanying music is as complementary as a high school photoshoot backdrop. Spicer isn't particularly hard to listen to, just hard to pay attention to. "Seamless" is about as seamless as it gets, every song blends so well into the next one, that I can never be absolutely sure which song I am listening to.

Tracy Lawrence - Then & Now: Looking In The Rear-View Mirror

Mercury/UMG

My editor, John Shelton Ivany, has just suggested that Michael Buble is like Frank Sinatra. I had to yell at him for several minutes, but after that was done I heard the Sinatra in Buble, but a mere representation, not likeness. Buble has a big band act with a full 23 person ensemble and he sounds like a mix between big band and lounge. When Laura Pausini does a duet with Buble on track six, the musical style goes soft bossanova while the two do a lover's duet. Buble is either embarrassing to listen to, or he's soft background noise.

Code Red - All Aboard

Toucan Cove

Code Red's "All Aboard", is an inspirational hip-hop record. All the tracks are mastered beautifully. The content of "All Aboard" is a blend of party music and very serious, powerful and dramatic songs. Some of the great party tracks are "Atomic," "Elbow Room," and "Summer Jam." "Summer Jam" takes a telling sample of, "ooooo and I like it" from the 1982 Top 10 El De Barge hit "I Like It," and spins it into a flowing lyrical experience that makes you want to quit your job and spend your time on the beach with a 40 and an eighth. "Brother Louis" is a heartfelt song of a cross racial couple and their harrowing experience with a skillfully composed musical arrangement. "Give Me A Reason" is best contemporary antiwar song today. It is taken from first hand experiences of two of the group members and it shows. The song is today's equivalent of "I Ain't Marching Anymore" and "Fixing to Die Rag." The album is pure gold through and through, I have nothing bad to say.
***Sean's Single of The Week: "Brother Louis"***

Various Artists - I Am The Resurrection: A Tribute To John Fahey

Vanguard (Release Date: 2/14/06)

I have honestly never heard of John Fahey before popping in this tribute CD and doing some research. Here's what I found: he helped start Leo Kottke's career, helped form Canned Heat and is incredibly talented. Just listening to other people do his works I can hear the influential impact he has made upon many other musicians. A few of my favorites on the album are "Joe Kirby Blues," "Medley: John Hirt Silva Shankarah" and "Dance Of Death." The musicians playing his music are also very talented if they can play works like these. If reproductions of Fahey's music is this good, then Fahey must be fantastic. Next time you see me I'll be listening to the real John Fahey.
(Editor's Note: I said a few weeks ago that Mark Knopfler, the legend of Dire Straits, was the best guitar player ever. Well, I lied. That's right, I lied straight to your face. The greatest guitar player, really, is John Fahey. No, make that B.B. King. Oh, let's just leave it open.)

John Cale - Black Acetate

Astralwerks/EMI

John Cale has had an illustrious career, working with the likes of Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, Super Furry Animals, Nico, The Stooges and Patti Smith. The only thing that Cale seems to do consistently is to do everything different. His career, and this album, are all over the map as far as musical interests, genres and styles are concerned. "Black Acetate" goes from folk rock to avante guard; from experimental lullubies to hip-hop. John Cale obviously has fun with his music and does not let convention stand in his way. Cale says that his contemporary influences include the Gorillaz, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, which fits right in with Cales style: nothing seems to far out of Cales grasp. "Black Acetate" is just one more pleasing surprise. Our editor would also like to say that John Cale will take you to a special place... if you let him.

Townes Van Zandt - A Private Concert

Varese Sarabande/Universal

This "Private Concert" was indeed private, recorded in a Holiday Inn Suite at 3 AM for his friends Harold F. Eggars, Jr. (road manager) and Hank Sinatra, who video taped the performance. The CD plays straight through the concert with no breaks, you hear the side conversations between songs as well as the exquisite explanations of his songs: where they came from or some other anecdote. His performance is low key yet passionate, his songs come across as folk songs are meant to: with feeling and a true will to share the stories. John Cale was a musician and story teller, and his songs and stories speak volumes, even after his death in 1997. Check out Hank Sinatra's site at www.austinmusicvideo.com.
(Editor's Note: I always check out important music magazines, and none of them have mentioned the last three spectacular album where the artist will take you to a special land, if you let him. Do we have the nerve to go to that special land.)