Sunday, February 03, 2008
CD Review: Juno and Margot at the Wedding
Music from the Motion Picture
Juno
Fox Searchlight/Rhino
Music from the Motion Picture
Margot at the Wedding
Lakeshore Records/Paramount Vantage
By David Chiu
Two films were released last year that offer some really eclectic tunes that defy the usual soundtrack that usually offer perhaps one or two good songs.
The track selection on the soundtrack of the critically-acclaimed and now Academy Award nominated picture Juno is nothing short of amazing—the album recently topped the album charts. The Juno soundtrack blends the indie folk tunes of the Moldy Peaches’ Kimya Dawson with several alt-rock acts (Sonic Youth and Cat Power’s covers of “Superstar” and "Sea of Love," respectively) and some retro songs (the Kinks’ "A Well Respected Man" and the Velvet Underground’s "I’m Sticking with You"). It’s Dawson who dominates the soundtrack with several of her short and direct folk songs. The closing song on the album is a rendition of the Moldy Peaches' “Anyone Else But You” by the movie’s stars Michael Cera and Ellen Page.
The soundtrack to Margot and the Wedding runs a close second although, with the exception of Dean and Britta’s “Northern Blue,” most of the material have been previously released. There are a few well-known pop radio hits from the ‘70s such as Stephen Bishop’s lite reggae-ish "On and On" and Gilbert O’ Sullivan’s "Clair"; the rest is mostly obscure and undgeround, from Karen Dalton and Lesley Duncan’s "Something On Your Mind" and "Everything Changes," respectively to alt rock tunes by Blondie, X, and Dinosaur Jr.
Video of "Anyone Else But You" from Juno, performed by Michael Cera and Ellen Page:
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# posted by NewBeats @ 5:11 PM
CD Review: Counting Crows
Counting Crows
August and Everything After—Deluxe Edition
DGC/UME
By David Chiu
In the era of ‘90s grunge, Counting Crows exploded everywhere with their sensitive pop music—their songs, particularly "Mr. Jones" and "Round Here," were played on radio constantly. The Crows certainly forged what we call the adult alternative sound, and their music have grown in stature, and it started with the debut August and Everything After. Produced by T-Bone Burnett, the album is an earthy and soulful album highlighted by frontman Adam Duritz’ distinct vocals and his yearning and romantically-longing lyrics. From top to bottom there are the lovely ballads “Anna Begins” and “Sullivan Street”; and rockers “Rain King” and “A Murder of One.” In short August and Everything After ranks up as one of the best albums of the ‘90s. The Deluxe Edition also contains a second disc capturing the band live from a ’94 Paris concert, including a stirring acoustic rendition of the Psychedelic Furs’ “The Ghost in You.”
Video of "Mr. Jones":
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# posted by NewBeats @ 5:08 PM
CD Review: Xanadu
Original Broadway Cast Recording
Xanadu
PS Classics
By David Chiu
Having been weaned on the original 1980 soundtrack from a bad movie all these years, it took me a while to get used to the Broadway treatment of those songs recorded by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra. And yet because the music is so dramatic and theatrical, that it seemed natural for Broadway. This cast recording reprises all of the Newton-John and ELO songs from the original movie, including a relatively rare one (“Fool”), and songs previously recorded and became hits before the movie was released (“Have You Ever Been Mellow” and “Evil Woman”). The cast, including Kerry Butler, Cheyenne Jackson and the veteran actor Tony Roberts, does justice to the original movie’s songs, from the upbeat “I’m Alive” and “All Over the World” to ballads such as “Suddenly” and “Don’t Walk Away.”
Video of "Suddenly" from "The View":
A clip of ELO's "I'm Alive" from the original movie:
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# posted by NewBeats @ 5:05 PM
Friday, February 01, 2008
CD Review: Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Ticket to the Moon: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra Volume 2
Epic/Legacy
By David Chiu
With the exception of tracks “Can’t Get It Out of My Head,” “Do Ya,” and “Calling America,” the latest ELO compilation Ticket to the Moon doesn’t have that many hits compared to its 2005 predecessor All Over the World. But it’s comparable on a musical level since all of the tracks essentially contain the usual ELO ingredients: state-of-the-art production, the strings (on some songs), and hooks galore. Nearly all of the tunes here could have become hits in their own right: the gorgeous ballad “One Summer Dream”; the synth-glossy “Heaven Only Knows”; and the driving rocker “Secret Messages” are just some of the examples.
Video of "Last Train to London"
Video of "Calling America"
Video of "One Summer Dream"
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# posted by NewBeats @ 12:02 AM
CD Review: Kate Nash
Kate Nash
Made of Bricks
Fiction/Geffen
By David Chiu
Kate Nash’s debut album, which was already a huge hit in her native U.K., recently arrived on our shores earlier this month. It’s a buoyant record that showcases the 20-year-old’s plain-spoken, thickly-accented English voice; her versatile keyboard playing; and folksy tell-it-like-it-is lyrics, especially about relationships. For the most part, the songs on Made of Bricks are quite poppy, from the hit single “Foundations” to the funky “Pumpkin Soup” and the finale “Merry Happy.” And yet songs like the serious yet soulful “Dickhead” and the beautiful ballad “Birds” reveal a maturity that is sorely lacking in most young pop stars of Nash’s age. Made of Bricks is a strong debut by this newcomer; hopefully it will garner some attention in the States as it had in the UK.
Read an article about Kate Nash in New York Press.
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# posted by NewBeats @ 12:02 AM
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