It's a rare day of special promise: a brand spanking new Paul Simon album, Surprise. All cool people obviously must hear this. Partly, this is a collaboration with Brian Eno. What sweet wonders await us?
The Red Hot Chili Peppers release their two CD set Stadium Arcadium. The single "Dani California" doesn't sound like much to me — it's barely better than the crappy Pearl Jam. It is, however, a hit single already. Curious though for a band with a new double album that they only played one new song for their big Saturday Night Live showcase last week. For a second number, they went all the way back to "Give It Away." What, there wasn't another new song worth playing?Nick Lachey, the ex-Mr. Jessica Simpson has a new album. I didn't know that he was even a singer. Is there no end to his talent? Anyway, What's Left of Me is apparently about the breakup of his marriage. Thus, the AMG reviewer describes it as something of a boy band Blood on the Tracks. Kind of a Back Street Boys thing — with a little bit of Coldplay in the mix. Ouch.
Saving the cheesiest for last, Neil Young has a new album about Living With War. He brags on whipping up a whole album from scratch in a couple of days, but frankly it SOUNDS like it was thrown together in a couple of days. It's not like he spent any time thinking up these formulaic guitar blues. On the other hand, sometimes he manages to squeeze maximum effect out of plain generic elements.
Specifically, the centerpiece track "Let's Impeach the President" at least halfway works. There is, let us say, minimal melodic development, but it is kinda catchy in a dumb way. It has a certain brash boyish charm. By accident of my mix programming, I put this on a car CD followed immediately by some classic Judas Priest. Given the theme of the Neil Young sillyfest, the self-defense of the one "Breaking the Law" plays like a musically complimentary and intellectually appropriate answer from the president. Image W screaming, "You don't know what it's liiiiiiiiiiiiiike!"
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases, courtesy AMG:
Paul Simon Surprise Warner Bros.
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Pop/Rock
Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere Downtown
Neo-Soul, Alternative Rap, Underground Rap, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hip-Hop
Nick Lachey What's Left of Me Jive/Zomba
Adult Contemporary, Dance-Pop
Matmos The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast Matador
Electronica, Experimental Techno
Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium Warner Bros.
Funk Metal, Alternative Pop/Rock
Art Brut Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Banana/Fierce Panda
Indie Rock
Susana Baca Travesías Luaka Bop
Latin Folk, Afro Peruvian
The Black Heart Procession The Spell Touch & Go
Indie Rock
Jirí Barta Moscheles, Hummel: Cello Sonatas Hyperion
Classical and Romantic Chamber Music
C.J. Chenier The Desperate Kingdom of Love World Village
Zydeco, Creole
Popa Chubby Stealing the Devil's Guitar Blind Pig
Contemporary Blues, Modern Electric Blues
Harry Connick, Jr. Harry on Broadway, Act 1 Sony
Traditional Pop, American Popular Song
Alan Curtis Vivaldi: Motezuma Deutsche Grammophon
Baroque Opera
Daedelus Daedelus Denies the Day's Demise Mush
Electronica, Indie Electronic, Ambient Techno, Experimental Techno
Kimya Dawson Remember That I Love You K
Anti-Folk, Indie Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk, Lo-Fi
Diamond Rio Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Arista
Contemporary Country
The Eighteenth Day of May The Eighteenth Day of May Hannibal
Indie Pop
The Everyothers Pink Sticky Lies Kill Rock Stars
Garage Rock Revival, Indie Rock
Extra Golden OK-Oyot System Thrill Jockey
Afro-Pop, Worldbeat, Indie Rock
Fairport Convention The Fairport Companion Castle
British Folk-Rock, Progressive Folk, British Folk, Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Grandaddy Just Like the Fambly Cat V2
Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia
Lynn Harrell Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 2; Prokofiev: Symphony-Concerto Avie
Modern Orchestral Music
Jolie Holland Springtime Can Kill You Anti-
Neo-Traditional Folk, Folk-Jazz, Singer/Songwriter, Lo-Fi, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Chris Isaak Best of Chris Isaak [CD/DVD] Wicked Game/Reprise
Pop/Rock, Roots Rock, College Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
The Isley Brothers Baby Makin' Music Def Soul Classics/Def Jam
Contemporary R&B, Urban
Jagged Edge Jagged Edge Sony Urban Music/Columbia
Urban, Contemporary R&B
Korn Live and Rare Sony
Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal, Post-Grunge, Rap-Metal
Teena Marie Sapphire Cash Money
Contemporary R&B, Urban
McFly Just My Luck Universal
Pop/Rock, Punk-Pop
NOMO New Tones Ubiquity
Deep Funk Revival, Afro-Beat, Soul-Jazz, Jazz-Funk
Old Haunts Fuel on Fire Kill Rocks Stars
Indie Rock, Garage Rock Revival
Omar & The Howlers Bamboozled: Live in Germany Ruf
Modern Electric Texas Blues, Electric Texas Blues, Blues-Rock
Jordi Savall Boccherini: Fandango, Sinfonie & La Musica Notturna di Madrid [Hybrid SACD] Alia Vox
Classical Chamber Music
Dawn Upshaw Osvaldo Golijov: Ainadamar Deutsche Grammophon
Contemporary Opera
Original Soundtrack The Da Vinci Code [Original Movie Soundtrack] Decca
Original Score, Soundtracks
Stephen Pearcy Stripped Sidewinder Music
Hard Rock
Pony Up! Make Love to the Judges with Your Eyes Dim Mak
Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Snow Patrol Eyes Open A&M
Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
The Stills
Without Feathers
Vice
Indie Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Suga Free Just Add Water [CD/DVD] Laneway/Bungalo
West Coast Rap, G-Funk, Gangsta Rap
Marlo Thomas Free to Be You and Me Arista/Legacy
Sing-Along, Educational, Children's Stories
Trivium Ascendancy [CD/DVD] Roadrunner
Alternative Metal
Various Artists The Sound the Hare Heard Kill Rock Stars
Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock
Willie & the Poor Boys Poor Boy Boogie Castle
Retro-Rock, Roots Rock
Neil Young Living with War Reprise
Album Rock, Folk-Rock, Hard Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Source: blogcritics.org
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