What's in your cd player??

[Rollergirl]

Thanks Winnie, I have just ordered Live in Texas and his latest one Natural Forces. Looking forward to receiving them.
Have fun at the show tomorrow Erik, you're in for a real treat. I wish I could come with you! Looking forward to reading your impressions.

[webster]

JOHN FOGERTY w/BLUE RIDGE RANGERS - RIDES AGAIN
This is the sequel to Fogerty's first post-Creedence album of country covers on which he played all the instruments, Blue Ridge Rangers. This time around, the Blue Ridge Rangers are a real band, but it's still a covers album of mostly country songs. What better song can there be to be in love to than "Never Ending Song Of Love", originally by Delaney and Bonnie? It's easily the highlight of the album for this listener for purely personal reasons, even despite the fact that my girlfriend does not even like country music. Oh, and the rest of the album is pretty solid, too.

MAATA HAARI - ART & MONEY
This out-of-print double CD of Sunny Levine's old band finds the singer / producer / programmer on his way into musical accessibility. Hence, the songs on CD1 entitled Money are enjoyable pop songs for the most, somewhat in the vein of his solo album "Love Rhino" from a few years later, and CD2 entitled Art has got the more complex pieces which don't necessarily grab the listener's attention at first listen. It doesn't say on the sleeve when the album came out, but going by what I've read on the internet, it must be from 2002. The band is Sunny Levine, Eamon "Ryland" Shumov, Jed Wheadon, Amir Yaghmai, Andy Smith and Joachim Cooder. And the extended Cooder family and friends is of course the path through which I became aware of Sunny Levine, a great producer in his own right. The "other Levines" are playing additional horns. This music is not electronica and not hip hop even though Sunny tried out these styles at one point. Highly recommended if you like Sunny's production and songwriting style and if you can find it.

BRUCE HORNSBY & the NOISEMAKERS - LEVITATE
Just to warn the unexpecting listeners: this album is more "Big Swing Face" than "Halcyon Days". Yet, it got both sides of the pie. Still, the electronic and experimental tracks work out for the better here when compared to some of the piano stuff which seems somewhat dull in comparison. But then, I'm one of those guys who actually like "Big Swing Face", so maybe it's just me. I wish I could give this one a good review and it does indeed have 3 great songs or 4, but unfortunately, this is the first average Hornsby album since "Scenes From the Southside". Recommended if you like "Big Swing Face".

PAOLO NUTINI - SUNNY SIDE UP
I became aware of this album because it was produced by Ethan Johns, the lead guitarist and drummer from John Hiatt's "Stolen Moments" album. Up to now, Ethan has become one of my favourite producers, so I figured I would like this one.
But the real genius behind this album is the bandleader and songwriter himself, Paolo Nutini. He's got a great sense for melodies and lyrics and his voice is pretty unique: with his Scottish Italian roots, his voice got a silken rawness to it that is unheard of in this era of auto-tuned celebrities. The musical arrangements are also very handmade and the band does include a horn section. Stylistically, the album is all over the place in the Americana spectrum, including reggae influences at times. Highly recommended if you'd like to get to know a good new voice.

BLACKBERRY SMOKE - LITTLE PIECE OF DIXIE
Most of the songs from this album by this amazing Southern Rock band have been streamable online in live versions for a while now, yet they have managed that the album sounds fresh anyway. Guitarist and lead singer Charlie "Starr" Gray, the rhythm section of brothers Richard Turner and Brit Turner (all 3 of them formerly of Gary Stier's Buffalo Nickel, who only made a single album that was co-produced by Matt Wallace of John Hiatt's "Perfectly Good Guitar" fame), plus their other guitarist Paul Jackson (no resemblance to the smooth jazz guitarist Paul Jackson) really let it rock on this album. If you like rock, feel free to give this album a spin. It's worth it.

[Cry Love]

Broken Bells

[webster]

JOHN HIATT - THE OPEN ROAD
Oh, wait ... I guess I was supposed to write about other artists on this sub section of the forum only, was I? Well, it's hard not to love this album by you-know-who, because it's a return to form and then some. Hiatt's songwriting has turned out great once again on this disc. The new guitarist Doug Lancio fits the sound of the band very well, too. What I like best is that the music on this album makes for great listening in the car. "Haulin" deservedly is the 1st single, but not the only one by far. Here's hoping the next album will be even better.

ALI 'FARKA' TOURE & TOUMANI DIABATE - ALI AND TOUMANI
This recent album by the master of the guitar from Mali and the master of the kora is the 2nd collaboration of these giants of West African music and Touré's final album. Both are in fine form here. The album has both instrumental and vocal tunes, opposed to their first collaboration album that was mostly instrumental. Fitting with the harp-like kora, which is an acoustic instrument, this album finds Ali mostly in acoustic guitar mode, which sounds really stunning. Nick Gold of World Circuit Records, the album's producer, has Orlando 'Cachaito' Lopez of Buena Vista Social Club fame guesting on his signature instrument, the string bass. This is a nice contribution, but this album has Ali's handwriting all over it. If you liked "Talking Timbuktu" but no other Toure album since then, I guess this is the one for you.

BACKYARD TIRE FIRE - GOOD TO BE
I first came across this rock band fronted by singer/songwriter Ed Anderson when I read on another message board that Steve Berlin, best known for his sax player/producer role in Los Lobos, had produced this album. As I'm kind of a fan of his production style lately, I took a risk and got this without prior listening. I was pleasantly surprised. Backyard Tire Fire have got the rock n roll in their bones, so to speak. The title track, "Brady", "Roadsong", "Piss And Moan" and my personal choice for 1st single, "Ready Or Not", are my favourites from the album so far. With songs like these, this band's got a bright future ahead of them.

RINGO STARR - Y NOT
Ringo is back from the mediocre that was his last album "Liverpool 8". This time around, he's got a bona-fide 1st single on his album: "Walk With You" which is co-written by Van Dyke Parks (!)
A lot of the guitars on this album are played by his relation Joe Walsh, but some musicians from his old group Roundheads were involved in the proceedings as well. The title track is nice, "Peace Dream" is soulful, "Time" is pleasant, "Mystery Of the Night" is surprising and "Who's Your Daddy" has Ringo joining in on the chorus only whilst the lead vocal of the verses is handled by a young female soul singer from England, which is something different for Ringo. Yet, his choice to go with an electronic drum kit for some songs of the album is rather questionable whereas his tasteful use of AutoTune is really benefitting the music. Y Not is an above average Ringo album.