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Paul McCartney
Memory Almost Full
Hear Music
By David Chiu

Memory Almost Full is another reflective and mature offering from Paul McCarteny—upbeat and tuneful enough to appeal the boomer crowd sipping latte at their favorite Starbucks (The album is the result of the recent partnership between Macca and the giant coffee chain). At time, the point of view in most of the songs is of nostalgia and romance, especially on the feel-good “My Ever Present Past,” the Burt Bacharach-influenced “See Your Sunshine,” and the soulful “Gratitude.” Memory doesn’t mire itself entirely on warm sentiment as is the case on the driving “Only Mother Knows” (a tune about abandonment) and “House of Wax.” The most moving song is “The End of the End,” a musical epitaph of sorts about letting go: (“At the end of the end/It’s the start of a journey/To a much better place,” goes the lyric.) Showcasing McCartney’s natural abilities and talents for melody and hooks, Memory Almost Full is a pleasant pop album. It’s suitable musical wallpaper while sipping another cup of java.


See the “Dance Tonight” video on YouTube:


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David Bowie
Young Americans
The Best of David Bowier 1980-1987
Virgin
By David Chiu

After making a big splash as the sensational rock and roll icon Ziggy Stardust in the early ‘70s, David Bowie dramatically reinvented himself as a soul boy on Young Americans (1975). It would be another of his shifts in musical direction throughout his career. Recorded at the height of Philly soul dominated by impresarios such as producers Gamble and Huff, Young Americans contains tracks that is uncharacteristic of Bowie’s previous works: a few funky uptempo numbers (“Fascination”) and a lot of slow jams (“Can You Hear Me,” “Win”). Its most popular tunes are the title track (highlighted by David Sanborn’s wailing sax and backing vocals that included the late great Luther Vandross) and the #1 hit “Fame,” a colloboration with John Lennon. Young Americans may not be true authentic soul music but it comes pretty damn close through the Thin White Duke’s suave yet charismatic performance. The reissue adds on three bonus tracks including a disco update of “John I’m Only Dancing” and “Who Can I Be Now”; the DVD portion also contains an interesting interview between Bowie and Dick Cavett on the latter’s show back in the mid ‘70s.

Bowie would return to the funk and soul on 1983’s Let’s Dance. The album’s title cut is just one of the songs on this latest compilation highlighting his ‘80s output. Bowie’s work in that decade is definitely not as artistically innovative as his work in the ‘70s (the exceptions are “Fashion,” “Ashes to Ashes, and “Scary Monsters”), but it showed that the artist was still a commercial force. The hits “China Girl,” “Modern Love”, “Under Pressure,” “Blue Jean” confirmed his popularity at the time; a few tracks make a case for another re-listen like the gorgeous “Absolute Beginners” and the hard-rocking “Day In Day Out.”
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Brute Force is the stage name of Stephen Friedland (center in the yellow shirt), a New York City singer, keyboardist and songwriter. Brute’s was a member of the Tokens in the mid '60s, and then became later a solo artist whose first album, I, Brute Force, Confections of Love, was produced by John Simon (the Band, Big Brother and the Holding Company). His single “King of Fuh” was released by the Beatles’ Apple Records. Read his story in NY Press.

Also check out this video performing with Daughter of Force on You Tube.


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Various
‘80s British Gold
Hip-O/UME
By David Chiu

Superstars such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen and Prince may have dominated the ‘80s, but for a while the British pop acts ruled the radio and MTV airwaves. Back then, it was the synthesizer that dominated the sound yielding quirky electronic sounds and beats. Not only that, but these British acts also sported the big hair, makeup and flashy clothes that became very trendy. British ‘80s offers a very satisfactory overview of that colorful period in music. Like it did for MTV’s first broadcast in 1981, the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” leads off this 2-CD set followed by acts that benefited from the exposure through the nascent music TV channel: Duran Duran (“Hungry Like the Wolf”), Culture Club (“Do You Really Want to Hurt Me”), Psychedelic Furs (“Love My Way”), Tears for Fears (“Mad World”) and Spandau Ballet (the New Wave ballad “True). Some of the interesting cuts are from somewhat lesser-known acts with respect to American sensibilities such as Visage (“Fade to Grey”), Nik Kershaw the Style Council, and Peter Godwin. Most of the acts may have had a short shelf life but has since become an important part of ‘80s pop culture. (Naturally, there are some noticeable omissions, the Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” being one of them). British ‘80s is a fantastic nostalgia trip for those who lived a time when music was actually fun.
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Various Artists
Soft Rock Gold
Hip-O/UME
By David Chiu

Soft rock is for those who like their music not so abrasive and yet not too mellow. No wonder that you hear this often in dentist offices, supermarkets or malls since that type of music is inescapabale. It then seems appropriate for Elton John to open this 2-CD mix with “Daniel,” since his body of work birthed the style. The ‘70s was the fertile ground for many acts that delivered this smooth rock: Player (“Baby Come Back”), Ambrosia (“Biggest Part of Me”), Seals and Crofts (“Summer Breeze”), Atlanta Rhythm Section (the jazzy “So Into You”), and Dan Fogelberg (“Longer”), as well as those from the singer/songwriter genre (Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut is the Deepest,” Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine”). Thankfully a few underrated gems make their presence known such as 10cc’s bouncy “The Things We Do For Love” and the doo-wop of Walter Egan’s “Magnet and Steel.” The set is not entirely ‘70s as it does contain some recent fare from the likes of Joan Osborne and Extreme. Love it or hate it, soft rock, as in the case of this sampler, is a guilty pleasure.
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