Happy Listening!
New Releases...
John Mayer - Born and Raised
LA Times Review
I think we can all agree, John Mayer is a colossal douchebag. But in spite of, well...being himself, he manages to put out some pretty amazing albums. Born and Raised is no different, but it is a different album. Mayer always had that good-guy quality about him. The guy you wouldn't mind taking home to meet your parents. The guy who would sing you to sleep if you weren't feeling well. Just an all-around nice guy. Okay, at times he seemed like a bit of a pussy. But then, he started dating powerhouse female celebrities, like Jessica Simpson (ahem, sexual napalm? Gross.) and Jen Aniston. Taylor Swift wrote a song about how he dicked her over. Suddenly John Mayer's squeaky clean image was crumbling. Partner the gossip about his love life, with his never ending foot-in-mouth gaffs and you have a born again asshole. But something changed. Maybe he finally saw himself as the rest of us did. Regardless of the catalyst, he seems different on this album and that, is a good thing.
Born and Raised sounds old. I've said that about a few other albums already this year and I'm not gonna lie, I hope it's a trend. I find myself listening to older music from the 60s and 70s thinking, why do modern artists even bother? It's already been done and it's been done better and with more honesty than anyone in this generation could even come close to... But I appreciate that the good ones try. John Mayer, is definitely one of the good ones. And this album makes my heart happy. It makes me smile. A little bit country. A little bit rock n' roll. A little bit pop. A little bit Americana. A little bit of everything most of his previous albums have not been.
Tracks: Queen of California, Something Like Olivia, Whiskey Whiskey Whiskey
**Tuesday of this week, I had to run down to the lobby of my office building to pick up my lunch. As I turned back towards the elevator bank for my floor, I noticed a guy, surrounded by about 4 others, with a hat on, looking scruffy. I thought to myself, HOLY SHIT, that's John Mayer! And sure enough, it was. We made eye contact and I smiled and he smiled back. And we both kept walking in our respective directions and that was the end of that, but I thought it was pretty cool!**
Gossip - A Joyful Noise
Slant Magazine Review
Put on your dancin' shoes!! I know there is NO possible way, they could have known Donna Summers would pass this month, but the album feels like a fitting tribute to the late disco queen's memory. Though not entirely a disco album, A Joyful Noise definitely has some disco undertones. A bit of a break from previous releases. I don't know enough about Gossip as a whole to say whether this album sucks or revolutionary, in the grand scheme of their catalog. What I DO know, is this album made me want to dance. So, there's that...
PS: the album cover is creepy as fuck! I wasn't likely to purchase the album from the beginning, but after seeing the cover, I felt completely justified. *shivers*
Tracks: Perfect World, Move In The Right Direction
Ladyhawke - Anxiety
Paste Magazine Review
I think Ladyhawke, Kiwi born Phillipa Brown, sounds a bit like Allison Goldfrapp. But I like Ladyhawke more than I like Goldfrapp. Not sure why, they really are very similar. But I do. On her sophomore effort, Anxiety, Ladyhawke nails it! Enough "electronica" to fit in with what the kids are listening to these days. A genre, I might add, I loathe. I am not sure if this is how my parents felt about grunge or my parent's parents felt about rock n' roll, but I straight up don't get it. Anyway, Ladyhawke isn't completely about the synthesizer, which is probably why it does actually make sense to me. Kind of a cornucopia of sounds. There is always something new to discover each time you listen which makes for an entertaining as hell, release!
Tracks: Black White & Blue, Vaccine, Cellophane
For a complete list of new releases, please visit AllMusic.com!!
NEWS!!
1. I could honestly give a rat's ass about American Idol as I have mentioned a few times in my previous music posts. But last night yet another American Idol was crowned and it was nonother than, Phillip Phillips? Are you kidding me? Why would you do that to your child?! Masochists. Anyway... Phillip Phillips' 'American Idol' Win: Experts React
2. Thoughts and prayers are with the Rocket Man! Best wishes for a speedy recovery! Elton John Hospitalized Due to Serious Respiratory Infection, Forced to Cancel Shows
3. I have no doubt this movie will be both amazing and awful at the exact same time. The Great Gatsby trailer features Jazz Age parties set to Jay-Z and Jack White
