The Truth Hurts (Especially when Adele is Singing it)

Reserve 25 in the catalog today

~Adele's third studio album, 25, was released on Friday, so I've only had the chance to listen to it like 8063 times~ 

Adele released her first album, 19, in 2008 after graduating from the BRIT School for Performing Arts & technology. She wrote most of the material for her debut album on her own and named the album for the age at which she did so. She kept the theme going when she released her sophomore album 21 in 2011. The album is deeply autobiographical, exploring the different stages of heartbreak from anger and bitterness to acceptance and eventual forgiveness. Adele is a vocal powerhouse and 21 is one of my absolute favorite albums to be released to this day. 

The wildly anticipated third release delivers what all Adele fans want — big vocals, ballads (heartbroken and otherwise) and the classic soundscape, culled from vintage pop and soul music. Technically, Adele has already made this album two times over. She's swept us off our feet before: stirred our souls so powerfully that 25 is not collectively as game-changing as some might have wanted it to be. It is, however, still a collection of beautifully crafted songs that evoke emotion unlike anything else I've heard this year. “Hello”, the opening track, picks up the heartbreak theme of 21 which documented a tumultuous breakup in her personal life. The new single echoes the reflective mood of the album’s [21] closing track, the piano ballad-turned-anthem “Someone Like You”. The album itself is a collection of torch songs, filled with longing for lost love and mourning for her own faded innocence. The second track, titled "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)", was produced by Max Martin and as a result the song has a very Taylor Swift-esque feel to it. "Send My Love" is more of an upbeat sendoff than anything else. "River Lea" is by far the most powerful song on the album; Adele finds herself filled with self-doubt, apologizing to a future lover for some uncommitted sin. 

The most standout aspect of the album as a whole isn't so much Adele's voice (which is just as phenomenal as always despite recent vocal cord surgery) as it is her delivery. There aren't many artists in the music industry today that convey emotion the way she does. She's authentic. My favorite tracks off 25 resonate strongly with my current situation: "Water Under the Bridge", "Love in the Dark", and "All I Ask". Clearly I'm stuck in one of those post-love ruts at the moment. Of course, after another 10,000 listens and once a little more time has passed, my favorite tracks are bound to change.  

The Best of the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards

Ahh, the VMAs-- our yearly reminder that pop culture has taken a drastic turn towards sheer ridiculousness. In 1995, Courtney Love crashed Madonna's on-screen interview. In 2009, the ever so self-centered Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video to proclaim that Beyoncé had the best music video of all time (duh). In 2013, Miley Cyrus made history by 'twerking' all over Robin Thicke, forever scarring thousands of viewers. And in 2014, the ladies rose above their male counterparts. 

This year, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj opened the show with a performance that had Grande emerge from a spaceship for her electro-stomper “Break Free,” Minaj dancing in a jungle for “Anaconda” and then the pair united with Jessie J for ladies anthem “Bang Bang.” It was the sort of over-the-top fun that award shows are made for – even if Minaj teetered on the edge of showing all her glory with a wardrobe malfunction. Find Ariana's new album, "My Everything", in the catalog!




Although Ariana and Nicki killed it (if you will), Beyoncé's closing performance was by far the highlight of the night. Using her blockbuster, self-titled visual album – which she dropped without warning late last year – as the source material, she moved through an ambitious medley that pulled from the entire project. Beyoncé reigns supreme. Enough said. You can pick up a copy of her self-titled album at the Dundee Library by clicking here.

 You can also check-out music by other performers like Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, and Usher.

What we're listening to: Master of My Make-Believe by Santigold

I'm still catching up on music from last year, so I'm just now listening to Santigold's album Master of My Make-Believe, which was released last spring.

Drawing obvious comparisons to M.I.A., Santigold is less aggressive in her style and delivery, but still has something to say. Her influences are abundant and eclectic. Karen O. and Nick Zinner of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, were quite involved in this record, from Karen O.'s vocal and writing contributions to Nick's handling of guitar work on several tracks. Diplo, Switch, Q-Tip, and Dave Sitek from TV on the Radio, among others, all produced at least one track. She also mentioned in an interview that she gains visual inspiration for her live shows from artists such as David Byrne and Bjork, but I would go as far to say that she is influenced by them musically because those two artists come to mind when I hear Santigold's record-- it has that worldly and genre-bending vibe to it.

Two tracks in particular stand out to me: "Disparate Youth" and "This Isn't Our Parade." They're nothing alike. The former is more straightforward and perhaps her more representative sound, the latter is laid-back and as close to a ballad as she gets. Track 9, "The Keepers," has a bouncy beat, but damning lyrics. It's all about the contrast. A great record for repeated listens because different elements come forward each time. This disc would be perfect for parties.

Side note: "Disparate Youth" is featured in the current Honda commercial.

My Music Year: 1988

After considerable deliberation, one stopgap exercise, and an awesome assist from Heather, I'm ready to endorse a music year. How did I settle on 1988? Was it my fond recollection of the molded plastic California Raisins that were so bountiful that year? It was not. My actual music-related memories of 1988 are fairly limited: I remember Fine Young Cannibals on the radio in my dad’s car (“She Drives Me Crazy” and  “Good Thing”), and Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative" was getting some serious play from my older sister. Oh, and the treacly "Living Years" by Mike + The Mechanics was an inescapable pop song. Apparently the New Kids on the Block were Hangin' Tough that year, but I don't really recall. (This Billboard compilation offers a fairly concise glimpse of what else people were listening to in '88.)

I was ten years old in 1988, and I was functionally illiterate as far as pop-culture goes. I didn't even have a tape deck. I think my only exposure to rap music had been a surreptitious viewing of the Beastie Boys' video "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)". It would be some time before I had the opportunity to understand the Beasties' oeuvre beyond that one song, but I did appreciate their sense of humor. (Yes, even I knew they were lampooning themselves.) I was so remarkably ignorant of popular music that I thought Simon & Garfunkel were a current group. (I'm not sure how to account for that misnomer, but I would guess it had something to do with PBS re-airing the duo's 1980 reunion concert.) What can I say? I lived in my own head-space, as many young people do, and I was content with my paperback copies of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Jules Verne.

It wasn't until I was thirteen or fourteen that I began developing musical tastes of my own, and once that happened, 1988 proved to be the wellspring of my musical interests. In an odd way, the music of 1988 would influence me considerably from my middle-school years to the present day. And let me tell you, there are few constants in my life that span those years. (I'm not strictly using "constant" in the Desmond Hume sense of the word, but you are encouraged to interpret it that way.)

Song Obsessions

 Below are six tracks I can't stop listening to.  This time around I seem to have a lot of messed up love songs in the roster (big surprise!):

"Thirteen" by Big Star from Keep an Eye on the Sky  (Find it in the catalog!).
The lyrics to this song are so simple and innocent, "Won't you let me take you home from school/ Won't you let me meet you at the pool/ Maybe Friday, I'll get tickets to the dance/ And I'll take you, ooh."  However, Alex Chilton's vulnerable and world-weary vocals suggest that he knows that this young love won't last very long. 

"All Dolled Up in Straps" by National from the Cherry Tree EP (Find it in the catalog!)
Since seeing them live, I've been revisiting the National's earlier, pre-Alligator albums which I really haven't listened to all that much.  And, man, have I been missing out!  They have some really great early albums.  "All Dolled Up in Straps" from their Cherry Tree EP really stood out for me.  The lyrics are pretty dark.  It seems to be about a guy accusing his girlfriend of cheating on him, or a guy worried that the girl he's stalking might be seeing someone else.  Somehow, the song still manages to be catchy.  I also adore Matt Berninger's voice on the song.  It sound rawer than his later work, like he's singing with a sore throat.   

"Under Your Spell" by Desire from the Drive soundtrack (Find it in the catalog!).  
I listened to a lot of 80s-inspired disco pop like Sally Shapiro, The Chromatics and College in grad school.  The late night vibe and bitter-sweetness really appealed to me. So naturally I fell in love with the Drive soundtrack as soon as I saw the film.  This song is my favorite though; it's a nice obsessive love song.

"One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)" and "Whole Love" by Wilco from Whole Love (Find it in the catalog!). 
I really enjoyed the last Wilco album.  If I had listened to it earlier in the year, it probably would have been in my top ten of the year.  These are my two favorite songs from the album.  "Whole Love" is a short, sweet love song that sets the stage for the epic and beautiful closer, "One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)". 

"Civilian" by Wye Oak from Civilian (Find it in the catalog!). 
I hadn't really listened this band too much before seeing them in concert, but I was blown away by their performance.  This song is full of anxiousness and builds slowly up until the crazy guitar work at the end.

Happy Valentine's Day

What we're listening to: Born This Way

Born This Way by Lady Gaga
CD Pop/New Age Lady Born
Find it in the catalog!

Lady Gaga's album Born This Way does not disappoint. Since its release in May this CD has been on repeat in my stereo (and in my head). My favorite songs change from week to week, because there are that many good ones. Lately my favorite is the slinky electronica-esque "Heavy Metal Lover." Just as on previous albums Fame and The Fame Monster, Lady Gaga continues to make fun dance songs filled with energy, including "Marry the Night," "Scheiße," "Judas" and "Born This Way."

Born This Way also includes several songs heavily influenced by the '80s. "Hair" and "Edge of Glory" both feature the late Clarence Clemons of The E Street Band on saxaphone, and "Bad Kids" and "Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)" sound like they could have been released 30 years ago. I think this album shows the chameleon-like abilities of Lady Gaga as a singer and songwriter. She sounds different on each song, even singing in Spanish on the mariachi-tinged "Americano" and speaking in German over the addictive track "Scheiße." And by addictive I mean, just try to play that song only once.

While Gaga can always be counted on for catchy dance songs, she also writes emotional ballads like "You and I." This song, about a lost love, is one of my favorite Gaga songs ever. I first heard this song at Gaga's February 28 concert at the United Center. Hunched over the piano attacking the keys, she was on fire singing: "It's been a long time since I came around / Been a long time, but I'm back in town / This time I'm not leaving without you." Her February concert was one of my favorite memories of the year, and this album ranks as one of the best of 2011.

My Music Year: 1978

The Onion AV Club’s ongoing series My Music Year is a fairly straightforward concept ("In My Favorite Music Year, A.V. Club music writers choose the years that speak to them most deeply, however fresh in memory or far in the past."), but it's given me a lot to think about. While I’m intrigued by the idea of highlighting a particular year in music that has personal resonance, I'm having trouble committing to a specific year. It seems like every year has its riches and its dross, and I can't help feeling that to choose one year is to overlook another. As a means of bypassing this indecisiveness, I have decided to review my birth-year. I'm not sure how I hit on the idea, but I'm excited about exploring the year I was born for hints at my musical sensibilities. How much of the music released the year I was born would end up being a part of my life in one way or another? We shall see.

Robyn at the Riveria Theatre, 2/14/11

This Valentine's Day, Swedish pop singer Robyn played a sold out show at Uptown's Riviera Theatre.  She was originally scheduled to perform last Friday, but the show had to be rescheduled due to an illness.  Opening for her were two performers I wasn't familiar with: Natalia Kills and Diamond Rings.

This was my first time going to the Riv and I was pleasantly surprised.  Even though it's twice Metro's capacity, it doesn't really feel all that much bigger.  It is also well staffed; no twenty minute waits for the bar here!  The sound quality seemed much better than neighboring venue the Aragon.  Although, the bathroom situation is pretty desperate.

Natalia Kills was the first up.  She is a British singer/ songwriter who has a slightly darker and arty take on pop music.  She had a strong singing voice and charisma; plus she and her dancers had pretty interesting choreography.  The audience seemed to enjoy her performance. 

Diamond Rings's set was less well received, but not because his performance was lacking.  There was a long pause between the first and second performances and the audience was more than a little antsy.  It's hard to blame them, normally you don't wait 45 minutes for an opening act.  Still, it's pretty rude to call out for a headliner during an opening act. Or spend the entire time talking over a performance.  Anyway, Diamond Rings set might have been a little on the long side, but he seemed to take much of the audience indifference in stride.  He has a new wave pop sound and a David Gahan-esque voice.  In a smaller venue and under better circumstances, he'd probably be much more enjoyable. 

The audience for the show was a mixture of hardcore fans and people just looking to party.  A couple people even came in costume, including one guy who glued pieces of a paper to his face to emulate the Body Talk, Part 3 cover.  That's some serious dedication there.  There were a lot more guys than girls in attendance, which I found a little surprising.  Most of the audience was polite (actually saying "Excuse me" when moving about!) and very excited to be there.  However, a few attendees behavior was on the obnoxious side.  And some people refused to let others pass by them, like concert trolls.  Thankfully, the stupidity pretty much died down by Robyn's set. 

Robyn finally took the stage around 9:45 PM (the concert started at 7:30 PM).  She opened with "Time Machine" and the audience quickly transformed into one big awkward dance party.  The Black Keys are known for their breakneck pace live, but Robyn could give them a run for their money.  She managed to get through almost all of the songs you can dance to on all three Body Talk albums, plus a few tracks from Robyn (including "Cobrastyle," "With Every Heart Beat," and "Konichiwa B----s"), in an hour and half long performance.

Robyn has real stage presence and boundless energy, as she danced throughout the entire double encore set!   Her live backing band was a nice addition.  They really showed off their skills doing a remix/ combo of "We Dance to the Beat" and "Don't F----ing Tell Me What to Do."  Other highlights from the show include, "Dancing on My Own," "Indestructible," "Hang with Me," and "With Every Heart Beat."  She closed with probably her most well-known song stateside, mid-90's hit "Show Me Love."  It was oddly inspiring to know she still performs stuff from her teen pop star days!  And scary to discover that I somehow had the lyrics to that song lodged in my subconscious for the last fifteen years. 

Even though last Friday I was bummed to discover the show had been delayed, Robyn's many songs of heartbreak seemed especially appropriate for Valentine's Day.  It was fun and uplifting to dance and sing-a-long to unrequited love songs, like a concert and group therapy session in one!  Robyn will be opening up for Katy Perry on her next tour.  Even though I'm not really a fan of Perry, I actually dig this combination and hope it introduces Robyn to a teen audience.  Robyn may use her fairshare of profanity, but she has strong and empowering outlook in her songs that positively differentiate her from a lot of pop stars.

Check out one of Robyn's albums:

Body Talk, Part 3 (2010).
Find it in the catalog! 

Body Talk, Part 2 (2010).
Find it in the catalog! 

Body Talk, Part 1 (2010).
Find it in the catalog!

Robyn (2008).
Find it in the catalog!

Robyn is Here (1997).
Find it in the catalog!

Take My Breath Away: Love Songs

I generally prefer my music to be sad, with the occasional twist of bitter, but that doesn't mean I don't occasionally fall for a nice love song. In honor of St. Valentine's Day, below is a list of some of my favorite romantic songs.  This is not a list of the greatest love songs of all time, so don't be offended that I didn't include "Take My Breath Away" or "In Your Eyes."  Also, the author is not responsible for the repercussions of putting any of these songs on a mix tape for your lady friend.

That Teenage Feeling- Neko Case
From: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006).
Find it in the catalog!

This song nicely contrasts a skeptical, but mature outlook on love with a naive, but romantic teenage one:

Now that we've met, we can only laugh at these regrets
Common as a cold, They are telephone poles
They follow each other, one after another,
After another...
But now my heart is green, like weeds
Grown to outlive the season
And nothing comforts me the same
As my brave friend who says:
"I don't care if forever never comes,
Because I'm holding out for that teenage feeling."

Slow Show- The National
From: Boxer (2007). 
Find it in the catalog!

Like any song from the National, it's hard to tell exactly what it's about.  However, there definitely some angst in this song.  I couldn't help myself though, because there is a lot of sweetness in the song too:

I want to hurry home to you
Put on a slow, dumb show for you
and crack you up
So you can put a blue ribbon around my brain
God, I'm very very frightened
I'll over do it
You know I dreamed about you
For 29 years before I saw you
You know I dreamed about you
I missed you for, for 29 years

Johnsburg, Illinois/ Shore Leave- Tom Waits
From: Swordfishtrombones (1983). 
Find it in the catalog!

This is kind of a toss up for me.  Both songs are about his wife and from the same album.  But I'm leaning more towards "Johnsburg, Illinois," because I grew up in the next town over.  And that song is definitely the coolest thing about Johnsburg. 

She's my true love 
She's all that I think of
Look here is my wallet 
That's her 
She grew up on a farm there 
There is a place on my arm
Where I've written her name
Next to mine
(from "Johnsburg, Illinois")

And I wondered how the same moon outside
Over this Chinatown fair
Could look down on Illinois
And find you there
And you know I love you, baby
And I'm so far away from home
And I miss my baby so
And I can't make it by myself
I love you so
(from "Shore Leave")

Higher Power- Jonathan Richman.
From: I, Jonathan (1992). 
Find it in the catalog!

Jonathan may have a childlike outlook on romance and well, pretty much everything else, but he's awesome and this song will give you a case of the awwws...

They say that magic and the science world collide
But Einstein saw me looking at her and he joined my side
And I knew how it would be the way she hated me
And there must be a higher power somewhere

It's magic It's magic the way we got together
It's magic It's freedom, it's fair
It's magic It's magic no not at random
And there must be a higher power somewhere

What we're listening to: Glee. Volume 4: The Music

NEW CD-MUSICAL ST VARIOUS GLEE
Find it in the catalog!

Glee. Volume 4 includes songs performed by McKinley High glee club New Directions from the first part of season 2, with the exception of songs from the Rocky Horror and Christmas episodes. On this CD you'll find three Britney Spears covers from the "Britney/Brittany" episode: "Me Against The Music," "Stronger," and my favorite, "Toxic." Although I was quite excited for Glee to cover Britney, I thought their versions (and the performances in the episode itself) stuck too close to the originals. I thought that only "Stronger," featuring Kevin McHale on lead vocals, and "Toxic," which utilized the entire cast, did something fun with her songs. The cast also takes on three Bruno Mars songs: "Billionaire," "Marry You," and "Just the Way You Are." Both "Marry You and "Just the Way You Are" are taken from the episode entitled "Furt," where Kurt's father and Finn's mother get married. "Marry You" is one of my favorite Bruno Mars songs, and although I prefer his version, I love the way the song is performed by New Directions as the walk down the aisle at the beginning of the wedding ceremony. Corey Monteith's cover of "Just the Way You Are" had me crying as I watched his character, Finn, sing to his new brother, Kurt. After the past issues between the two characters and Kurt being the target of bullies at school, I thought the performance of "Just the Way You Are" was quite heartfelt and beautiful. I don't know, Glee is often deemed a comedy, but more often than not I'm breaking out the tissues as I watch each week.

But back to the music. More highlights off this CD:

• Chris Colfer's heartbreaking version of the Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand"
• Gwyneth Paltrow covering Cee Lo Green's "Forget You"
• Darren Criss singing Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" -- I've already raved about this performance in my "Great performances in 2010 post".
• Lea Michele's cover of "The Only Exception" by Paramore -- which also was the only non-Britney Spears song covered in the "Britney/Brittany" episode.
• Joan Osbourne's "One of Us" performed by the entire cast in the "Grilled Cheesus" episode.

Missing: Jenna Ushkowitz and Amber Riley's awesome take on Florence + the Machine's "Dog Days Are Over;" Corey Monteith's cover of REM's "Losing My Religion" from the "Grilled Cheesus" episode.

What we're listening to: Burlesque soundtrack

NEW CD-POP NEW AGE AGUILERA BURLESQUE
Find it in the catalog!

You are better off skipping the movie and just checking out the soundtrack to Burlesque. The music (and Stanley Tucci) are the best parts of the film, which has confusing editing choices and over-the-top dialogue and acting. Christina Aguilera sings 8 of the 10 songs and Cher performs "Welcome to Burlesque" and the Golden Globe-nominated "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me."

I am a fan of Christina's music and I actually enjoy the songs from Burlesque much more than those from her album Bionic, which was released this past summer. The retro sound on much of Burlesque reminds me of Christina's excellent 2006 album Back to Basics. I love her covers of "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and "Tough Lover" by Etta James and "A Guy What Takes His Time" by Mae West. Christina also co-wrote the dance songs "Express," "Show Me How You Burlesque," and the gorgeous ballad "Bound to You," which has been nominated for a Golden Globe and is my new favorite song of Christina's. "Beautiful People" reworks the Marilyn Manson song of the same name, and Christina gives the lyrics an aggressive edge with her vocals. Although Burlesque is not one of the best movies I've seen this year, its soundtrack is probably one of my favorite CDs of the year. I had the songs on repeat in my car until I had to return it back to the library.

Music Roundup: My Top Reissues of 2010

2010 and the latter-part of 2009 have been banner years for reissues. The canonical recordings of Bob Dylan and the Beatles were re-released in mono (yes, mono), the Rolling Stones' 1972 masterpiece Exile on Main St. was released in two variations of deluxe-ness, and the bonanza continued with a high-profile exhumation of the Apple vaults. What follows is a brief list of the reissues that stand out - for me - as definite musical highlights of the past year.

Music Roundup: My Top 10 Albums of 2010

Interestingly, almost none of the artists from my 2009 Music Roundup appear on this year's list. In fact, few of them released albums this year at all. MF Doom's out-of-nowhere live album is a notable exception, but it's Dan Auerbach who makes the list for the second consecutive year. Auerbach's 2009 solo album, Keep it Hid, was a definite favorite of mine, and this year he's back with an outstanding Black Keys album. As is always the case with my subjective "best of" lists, these titles are not ranked. This is just an opportunity for me to share some of my favorite musical experiences, in the hope that you might enjoy them as much as I have.

What we're listening to: Aphrodite by Kylie Minogue

NEW CD POP-NEW AGE MINOGUE
Find it in the catalog!

"Dance, that's all I wanna do," Kylie Minogue sings on "All the Lovers." Minogue's new album Aphrodite is full of upbeat, fun dance music. Aussie singer Minogue is probably best known in the States for the songs "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and "Love at First Sight" from 2002's Fever. If you haven't listened to Minogue since then, you've been missing out. With Aphrodite she shows she has plenty more addictive pop songs in her arsenal. On all the tracks Minogue makes sure the dance beat continues. Current single "Get Outta My Way" finds Minogue singing about leaving an inattentive partner ("I don't recognize the zombie you've turned into") to go out on the dance floor with someone else: "This is what'll happen if you're not giving your girl what she needs." Minogue's positive energy and outlook on life is felt in the songs "Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)" and "Everything is Beautiful." The title track "Aphrodite" is one of my favorites. The clapping in the background is really energetic; to my ears I think the song sounds like something out of the '80s or early '90s. "Illusion" is another fun song with an '80s vibe. Minogue sings about the connection between people, music, and emotion in "Can't Beat the Feeling:" "When I'm with you my heart plays a rhythm in my head / I can't help but move."

Aphrodite contains songs celebrating the joy of music and dancing, and I recommend this CD to anyone looking to be in a better mood or in need of some dance music. Minogue sums up what she is about in the song "Better Than Today." She wonders, "What's the point in livin' if you don't wanna dance?"

Lee DeWyze at Arlington Park, 9/24/10

American Idol Season 9 winner and Mount Prospect native Lee DeWyze returned home on Friday to play a concert at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights. Backed by his own band, he sang a combination of covers and originals and treated the crowd to his first performance ever of new song "Only Dreaming" off his upcoming album due to be released November 16. He said the song is probably his favorite song he's ever written. DeWyze looked very confident onstage and told the audience how much he appreciated their support.

From the two times I've seen him perform live, I've seen how DeWyze connects to the feelings of the music and puts his whole soul into singing. On Friday he tackled covers of Elton John's "Rocket Man," Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody," Dave Matthews Band's "Crash Into Me," and U2's "Beautiful Day." "Beautiful Day" was his first single released after winning American Idol; much to the delight of everyone in the crowd, DeWyze sang his unique version of the song, which he has performed on various TV appearances but isn't the version released as a single. One of the highlights of the entire concert was "Rocket Man," where DeWyze's gritty, soulful take on the beginning made me completely forget Elton John's version. From his pre-Idol album Slumberland DeWyze sang "So What Now," "Annabelle," and one of my favorites of the night, "Stay."  He also sang two songs that he memorably performed on Idol: Simon and Garfunkel's "The Boxer" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." I think he sang a few more songs but I am not able to remember them right now.

While DeWyze previously performed at the American Idols Live tour in August at the United Center, this concert was his first solo performance since he won Idol; DeWyze told the crowd that this concert begins his career. I think he sounded awesome with the band backing him and you could tell how much fun he was having performing at home. At one point during the show, after ending a song, DeWyze announced that was the point where he was supposed to be done; his band left. Listening to the screams of the crowd, he remained on the stage and sang two more songs with just his guitar.

Happy birthday, Amy Winehouse!

British retro-soul singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse turns 27 today. I am a big fan of her music and have continued to hope over the past couple years that she will overcome her drug and alcohol issues and get healthy so she can return to recording more songs.

Winehouse has released two albums: 2003's Frank and 2006's  Back to Black. Frank is a decent album but doesn't share the emotional longing found in the Back to Black songs. Produced by Mark Ronson, Back to Black finds  Winehouse channeling 1960s doo-wop and soul singers as she sings about the aching pain of being in love. For this album Winehouse was nominated for six Grammys, winning Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year (for "Rehab"), Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (for "Rehab"), and Best Pop Vocal Album. Winehouse has yet to release another full-length album since Back to Black, but you can find some of her songs on other albums. Winehouse's cover of "Valerie" is one of the highlights of Mark Ronson's 2007 album Version, and on the Valentine's Day soundtrack she covers "Cupid." It was recently confirmed that Winehouse and Ronson worked together again, this time on a cover of "It's My Party" for the upcoming Quincy Jones tribute album Q: Soul Bossa Notra.

I guess one song's better than nothing, but in the meantime, while I wait for Winehouse's next studio album, I'll relisten to my favorites off Back to Black: "Love is a Losing Game," "Back to Black,"  "Wake Up Alone," and "Rehab." No matter how many times I listen to her songs I never get tired of them. She is a very talented songwriter and singer and her retro-soul/R&B style to her voice is amazing. I just love how you can feel her emotions in every word she sings. Happy 27th birthday, Amy!

Find Amy Winehouse's music in the catalog:
Frank (2003)
Back to Black (2006)

What we're listening to: When Everything Breaks Open by Matt Morris

NEW CD-POP NEW AGE MORRIS WHEN
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When Everything Breaks Open is the major label debut by singer-songwriter Matt Morris. Although this is his first major label album, Matt is by no means new to the music industry. He gained an instant following after appearing on The All New Mickey Mouse Club during the early '90s. After the show's cancellation Matt performed with his father, country singer Gary Morris, and appeared on several of his albums (My Son... Your Christmas, Live at the Tretyakov Gallery, Lone Star Knight). He also collaborated with other artists, like friend Christina Aguilera; they co-wrote five songs on her 2002 album Stripped in addition to Kelly Clarkson's hit song "Miss Independent." In 2003 Matt independently released the album UnSpoken (now out-of-print), which demonstrated his enormous range on songs such as "The World I'm Living In" and "Let Me." With friend Justin Timberlake he co-wrote UnSpoken's "Go Away," the track "All Over Again" from Timberlake's 2006 album FutureSex/LoveSounds, and "The Only Promise That Remains" from Reba McEntire's album Duets (2007). Matt was the first artist to be signed to Timberlake's record company, Tennman Records; WEBO was originally released on that label at the beginning of this year, and then was re-released (without hidden bonus track "100,000 Strong") on Interscope Records on July 13. This is a new CD to the collection that I recommend you taking a listen to.

With a powerful dance beat behind "Don't You Dare" Matt's vocals reaches Adam Lambert-esque heights, while on "Money" Matt takes a laid-back approach to singing about how greed affects society. You will find yourself bouncing to the reggae beat and positive energy of "Love." The country-twinged "Bloodline" has a haunting quality to its melody and lyrics, telling the story of a woman abandoned by a man and struggling to provide for herself and the kids. He switches gears for the soaring chorus of "Live Forever," one of my favorites on the album, and slows the music down on the piano-based "Let It Go" and tender "Someone To Love You." I really like the Coldplay-inspired guitar on "Just Before the Morning." Matt again changes the tempo on the funky, soulful cut "You Do It For Me" that will make you want to get up and dance.

"The Un-American," another of the album's highlights, is a commentary on our often material and judgmental culture. Matt affects a prim and proper, mocking tone to his vocals and sarcastically describes "The Un-American," who "needs a personal Jesus" and "ought to take a trip to Disney / Get his head on straight." This song, in addition to "Eternity," are two tracks I'd recommend you skip to listen to first.

Originally included on UnSpoken, the song "Eternity" appears on WEBO in a new, extended version. This is one of my all-time favorite songs from Matt because of the amazing vocals and imagery in the lyrics. He sings from the point of view of a person recounting his past lives: "I was the prosecutor / I was put on trial / I put forth the accusation / I made the denial." As he progresses through the song recounting his life experiences, Matt builds momentum with guitar, piano, and the conviction in his singing. I think the message of the song is to remember that you must live with yourself for your actions: "what you do and / what you be is go'n follow you like it follow me, and be / with you for eternity."

On WEBO Matt is in control of a variety of musical styles. His soulful voice tackles everything from pop to R&B. Love and staying true to relationships over material things is a theme found in many of the songs. As a longtime Matt Morris fan, I'm certain this album will be embraced by many more listeners.

More songs from Glee

In a previous Dundee Media Corner post I wrote about Glee: The Music Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 and The Power of Madonna. Now here are two more Glee albums that Gleeks can check out. For the first time actor Jonathan Groff (who plays Vocal Adrenaline singer Jesse St. James) makes an appearance on a Glee compilation album!

Glee Volume 3: Showstoppers
NEW CD-MUSICAL/ST VARIOUS GLEE
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This CD includes highlights from the second part of Glee's first season. Some awesome duets that deserve several listens: Lea Michelle and Jonathan Groff on "Hello," Kristin Chenoweth and Matthew Morrison on "One Less Bess To Answer / A House Is Not A Home," Jane Lynch joining Olivia Newton-John on "Physical," and Neil Patrick Harris and Matthew Morris on "Dream On" (Harris recently won an Emmy for his guest appearance on the show). My favorites on this CD are Jonathan Groff and Lea Michelle singing "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and the glee club singing Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance."

Glee, the Music. Journey to Regionals
NEW CD-MUSICAL/ST VARIOUS GLEE
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This CD includes the songs performed by New Directions at Regionals in the first season's last episode. They sang the Journey songs "Faithfully," "Any Way You Want It/Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'," and "Don't Stop Believin.'" Other songs performed on the season finale are on the CD as well: "Bohemian Rhapsody" (sang by Groff), "To Sir With Love," and "Over the Rainbow."

What we're listening to: Fight Softly by the Ruby Suns

I hadn't heard of the Ruby Suns before listening to this album, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.  The Ruby Suns are a New Zealand-based indie rock band with a sound loosely described as psychedelic electro-pop with world music influences (sound familiar?).  Going into the album I was expecting the water-downed version of Panda Bear's Person Pitch (one of my favorite albums ever).  In fact, Fight Softly does remind me of Person Pitch, but more in terms of mood than music.  It's a bright and joyful album that is able to transport your ears to a warmer and happier locale than say... your car during rush hour.  Musically it reminds me a lot of Cut Copy's second album In Ghost Colours. The sound is synth heavy, loopy, and loaded with catchy pop hooks as well as the occasional new wave tendencies.

It took me a couple of listens to get into this album, which is not to say it's a difficult album to enjoy.  As far as world music-tinged indie pop goes, it is slightly less accessible than Vampire Weekend or the Dodos, but much easier to digest than some of the Animal Collective's records (Here Comes the Indian comes to Mind).  The Ruby Suns are definitely on the poppier side of the indie rock spectrum; some songs even remind me of Swedish pop acts like Air France or the Tough Alliance.  Fight Softly has frequently been compared to the Animal Collective, which I don't totally agree with.  It definitely shares the A.C.'s full and experimental sound, but the Sun's definitely have their own unique style.This album is probably most enjoyable if you go in expecting a weird and wonderful pop album rather than the next Merriweather Post Pavilion. 

Favorite tracks:  "Dusty Fruit" and "Cranberry" are probably the most accessible for Animal Collective fans and were the first songs I loved on the album.  "Two Humans" is a wonderful ballad and probably the most straight forward electronica song on Fight Softly.  However, my absolute favorite song on the album is the lush and dreamy "Closet Astrologer," which shows off singer/ mastermind Ryan McPhun's falsetto. 

Recommended for fans of : Panda Bear, Animal Collective (especially Merriweather Post Pavilion or Feels), Cut Copy,  El Guincho, Neon Indian, Yeasayer (especially Odd Blood), Magnetic Fields.

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