Personal Chart, 7/28/2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 2 .... Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control) - Mutya Buena & Groove Armada (1 week @ #1)
2 .... 1 .... Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie (3 wks @ #1)
3 .... 5 .... When You're Gone - Avril Lavigne
4 .... 3 .... Umbrella - Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z (3 wks @ #1)
5 ... 12 ... Oh My God - Mark Ronson Featuring Lily Allen
6 ... 15 ... Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
7 .... 6 .... Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys
8 .... 10 .... 4 in the Morning - Gwen Stefani
9 ... 11 ... Like This - Kelly Rowland Featuring Eve
10 .. 4 .... Never Again - Kelly Clarkson

Vacation Hiatus

My blog is going on vacation hiatus until after July 29th. While I'm gone I will be listening to the new Editors album and Bat for Lashes, and of course, reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Best Albums of the 1990s (61-70)

Okay, these are backwards and I don't want to take the time to fix it, so just enjoy.


61. Robbie Williams - I've Been Expecting You (1998). Robbie's second album was another winner, and I liked that he played up the James Bond angle (captured by the "You Only Live Twice" sample on "Millennium") for the album photos. "She's the One" won the Brit Award for best single of 1999. His collaboration with Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, "No Regrets," is really fantastic too. Essential track: Millennium



62. R.E.M (1994). - Monster. The Monster tour was the first rock concert I ever went to. I bought the most obnoxious lime green ("Violent Green" like the lyric) T-shirt. Essential track: What's the Frequency, Kenneth?





63. Chantal Kreviazuk - Colour Moving and Still (1999). I bought this album because the song "Eve" was featured on Dawson's Creek and I really liked it. Thankfully, the rest of the album turned out to be pretty good too. Doesn't she look like Evangeline Lilly? Must be a Canadian thing. Essential track: Blue

64. Ace of Base -The Sign (1994). Ace of Base was the big breakout of 1994, scoring several big hits, most notably the year's biggest, "The Sign." Their Swedish dance pop really cleared the way for the whole Britney/Boyband thing, which was really just Swedish pop with an American face. Essential track: The Sign

65. Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes (1992). Tori Amos was a dorm staple my freshman year in college, which was 3 years after this album, but it still got a lot of play. Essential track: Crucify

66. Erasure - Cowboy (1997). The '90s were weird for Erasure, as they did a couple of great albums and a couple of duds. This followed the overlong Erasure with a great set of fun dance songs. Essential track: Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me

67. Texas - White on Blonde (1997). "Say What You Want" was such a big hit in Britain that it was still frequently on the radio when I was there, months after this single had been released. The album has other good tracks from the Scottish group (whom, I heard say they'd never even visited Texas, but felt their music matched the mood of its landscape). Essential track: Say What You Want

68. Enrique Iglesias - Enrique (1999). Enrique Iglesias had a great debut album, which had two #1 hits, "Bailamos" and a clone of Cher's "Believe," "Be With You" (same producers). Essential track: Rhythm Divine

69. Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time (1999). Before she had two kids, two marriages, and a shaved head she had this--a bona fide smash debut. "...Baby One More Time" was a massive hit and is still credited as a classic pop song of the '90s. The album had other good cuts too, such as the UK #1 "Born to Make You Happy" and "Sometimes." Essential track: ...Baby One More Time

70. Weezer - Weezer (1994). Another staple of my senior year high school alternative phase. "Buddy Holly" was my favorite then, but now I prefer... Essential track: Undone (The Sweater Song)

Emmy Predictions

The Emmy Awards nominations come out tomorrow. My prediction (made pretty easy this year, since the longlist 10 finalists were leaked):

Drama:

• Friday Night Lights
• Grey's Anatomy
• House
• Lost
• The Sopranos

Comedy:

• Desperate Houswives
• Entourage
• The Office
• 30 Rock
• Ugly Betty

Personal Chart, 7/21/2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 1 .... Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie (3 weeks @ #1)
2 .... 3 .... Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control) - Mutya Buena & Groove Armada
3 .... 2 .... Umbrella - Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z (3 wks @ #1)
4 .... 4 .... Never Again - Kelly Clarkson
5 ... 11 ... When You're Gone - Avril Lavigne
6 ... 14 ... Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys
7 .... 6 .... Soulmate - Natasha Bedingfield
8 .... 5 .... Icky Thump - The White Stripes
9 ... 10 ... Selfish Jean - Travis
10 .. 12 .. 4 in the Morning - Gwen Stefani

Mercury Prize Nominees 2007

The Nationwide Mercury Prize nominees were announced yesterday. The Mercury Prize is an annual music award given in Britain and is generally regarded as the critics favorite award in contrast to the more mainstream Brit Awards, although certainly mainstream acts have won the Mercury, notably last year's winner The Arctic Monkeys, who are up again this year for their sophomore album, Favourite Worst Nightmare. Also competing are Amy Winehouse, who's a second-time nominee for her fabulous Back to Black, rapper Dizzie Rascal, who won the 2003 prize with his first album, Boy in Da Corner, and The View with their debut album, Hats Off to the Buskers. My money's on Winehouse. Here's my rundown:

1. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare. You can read my review of the album here. I gave it a 3.5. "Fluorescent Adolescent" is the current single, which I've actually grown to rather like, but overall this isn't setting the world on fire like their first album, so don't expect a repeat win.

2. Basquiat Strings - Basquiat Strings with Seb Rochford. Every year there's a really "out there" nominee, and this appears to be it. It's a non-conventional jazz quintet. I've listened to "Lonely Woman," "Double Dares," and "Junk." My first reaction was that while it's interesting, it's not particularly enjoyable; however, it grows on you, and I find it strangely intriguing. Creepy really--like something that would score some obnoxiously pretentious film. Actually, "Double Dares" gets better as you go, so maybe this isn't so bad.

3. Bat for Lashes - Fur and Gold. Bat for Lashes is the stage name for Natasha Khan, and this is her debut album. This sounds interesting. I like the drama of "What's a Girl to Do," and "Prescilla" sounds good too, as does "Tahiti," which includes piano. This might be worth getting.

4. Dizzie Rascal - Maths and English. Not my thing, but I kind of like "Pussyole (Old Skool)" just because it samples Rob Base's "It Takes Two."

5. Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future. Klaxons emerged early this year with "Golden Skans," which I thought was pretty good. They followed it with "Gravity's Rainbow," which was okay, and then a remake of the '90s dance hit "It's Not Over," which was just so-so, but a strange choice.

6. Maps - We Can Create. Again, it sounds like a band, but it's just one guy, James Chapman. He does electronica, and I'm not really into the nerdy boys do electronica thing (Junior Boys, Postal Service, Tiga--no thanks), but "It Will Find You" sounds like a haunting track.

7. New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom. They get the award for most creative name. They've got a great '80s sound, sort of dance-ish. I like it. "The Get Go" and "Ice Cream" in particular sound like good songs.

8. Fionn Regan - The End of History. I typed this in as "Fiona Regan" until I saw his picture, and I thought "oops." This is the troubadour of the bunch. Just a guy and his guitar. He's Irish, but out of Ireland right now. Reminds me of the movie "Once." "Be Good or Be Gone" is a nice song. "Snowy Atlas Mountains" adds some cello for a haunting sound and "Black Water Child" is more upbeat. Nice.

9. Jamie T - Panic Prevention. His first top 10 single "Calm Down Dearest" was a good song, but I haven't heard anything from him since. "Sheila" is not bad. Doesn't set me on fire though.

10. The View - Hats Off to the Buskers. I have this album, but I haven't listened to it much; something I plan to quickly rectify. "Same Jeans" and "Superstar Tradesman" are great.

11. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black. This I absolutely adore--best album of the year. Read my review. Vote with your wallet. I hope this wins.

12. The Young Knives - Voices of Animals and Men. Never heard of them, but don't sound too bad. Their Web site says their known for their "tasteful tweed outfits."

Best Albums of the 1990s (71-80)

80. Jewel - Pieces of You (1994). 1994 you say? Yes, this album was out for two years before it broke out with "Who Will Save Your Soul," and its two major hits, "You Were Meant for Me" and "Foolish Games" followed a year later. Too bad the versions that were popular aren't included here though. Essential track: You Were Meant for Me.







79. Spice Girls - Spice (1996). The late '90s and Spice Girls go together like grunge and coffeehouses. These girls were everywhere, especially in Britain, where they scored 6 consecutive #1 hits, sending a total of 10 singles into the top 10. Essential track: Wannabe

78. Hootie & the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View (1994). This album was a major phenomenon, selling 16 million copies. It became the blue print for late-90s mainstream rock. Essential track: Let Her Cry

77. Travis - The Man Who (1999). Before Coldplay there was Travis, who scored a major hit in Britain with their second album, The Man Who, which won a Brit Award in 2000 for album of the year. Essential track: Why Does it Always Rain on Me?

76. Jennifer Lopez - On the 6 (1999). Actress Jennifer Lopez was flying high after successes from Selena and Out of Sight, and like many before her, attempted a crossover to music in 1999. The move was the beginning of a successful pop career, and the first album gave Jennifer her first #1 hit ("If You Had My Love") and her first #1 dance hit ("Waiting for Tonight"). There's also two duets with Marc Anthony, who five years and two husbands later she would marry. Essential track: Waiting for Tonight

75. Celine Dion - The Colour of My Love (1993). Celine's third English album provided her first #1 hit ("The Power of Love"), which became another of those '90s wedding anthems. It also scored her first #1 hit in Britain, "Think Twice," which spent 7 weeks at #1 there but was her least sucessful U.S. single, peaking at #98. Essential track: The Power of Love

74. Alanis Morissette - Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998). After providing everyone and their mother with a copy of Jagged Little Pill, Alanis returned 3 years later with an excessive but still decent follow-up. Too many lyrics, but still some good songs. Essential track: Thank U

73. Everything But the Girl - Temperamental (1999). After going electronic with 1996's Walking Wounded, EBTG took another step away from their previous adult rock roots with this almost purely house dance album. Still sounds great a swanky parties. Essential track: Low Tide of the Night

72. Cher - Believe (1998). Never count out Cher. Just when you think she's over, she snaps back with something amazing. Single "Believe" became her biggest hit ever, the #1 single of 1999. With massive crossover appeal, the dance track was a tremendous international hit, and became the blueprint for a mini dance revival around that time, followed by Enrique Iglesias's "Be With You" and all those Whitney Houston remixes. Essential track: Believe

71. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). At once soul and hip-hop, old and new school, Fugees singer Lauryn Hill's solo debut was a critical and commercial smash--one she would never replicate. Essential track: Doo Wop (That Thing)

Album Review: The White Stripes - Icky Thump (4/5)

Time to review the latest from The White Stripes. They're the "indie" band that's managed to maintain their cool through a remarkable ascent to fame, peaking with their award-winning fourth album Elephant (2003), that spawned their most notable hit "Seven Nation Army." The band, which had been notable for its austere reliance on just drums, guitar, and vocals (no bass and rarely any other instruments) departed from that minimalism for fifth album Get Behind Me Satan (2005), which featured all sorts of instruments, most notably piano on many tracks. The results were interesting, but a letdown from the cool soul of Elephant, which remains by far my favorite of their albums.

Musically, Icky Thump's closest kin of recent Whites Stripes albums is White Blood Cells (2001), their last release before achieving widespread acclaim. The extra instruments have been shed again, save for a few key guest spots, such as the bagpipes on the Scottish-flavored "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn" and the trumpet on the manic Spanish-themed "Conquest." By and large though, Jack and Meg are back to their loud musical minimalism that has served them well, expressing their desire to experiment this time stylistically rather than instrumentally.

Take "Icky Thump," the fantastic opening track and first single that plays like a '70s progressive rock throwback, moving through segments and transitions of alternating vocal and instrumental sections. The song even dips a little into current national politics: "White Americans, what? Nothing better to do? Why don't you throw yourself out, you're an immigrant too."

The tense insistence of the first track is shed for breezy second track (and second single) "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)." The keyboard's back for this one, but it mostly stays in the back, poking its head out when the rest of the music rests. "300 M.P.H.Torrential Outpour Blues" is one of the songs that most reminds me of White Blood Cells, "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" in particular. It has a similar mellow late-night lounge quality to it, punctuated by mad bursts of Meg's drumming. It's a good song, although it does go on a bit long.

"Conquest" is a wonderful song that I love because it is so over the top goofy, and it's nice to know a band can retain a good sense of humor after having had its reputation so inflated by the critics. Jack doesn't just howl the word Conquest, but manages to stretch it into four syllables "CO-O-ON-QUEST!!" If the last song wears out its welcome, at under 3 minutes, this one leaves before you're ready for it to end.

The band gets down to business on "Bone Broke," which has a harder feel the preceding songs--rough around the edges like a good jam session. You know you're getting classic White Stripes when Jack turns up the feedback and Meg just bangs the crap out of her drums (how many skins must she go through?). On then to "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn," the bagpipe-driven folksy jig that marches through the center of the album. It even gets a high-energy postlude, "St. Andrew (This Battle Is in the Air)." How great would these be live?

That's actually one of their great strengths, that even with a studio product, the band retains its rough-hewn feel as if they sat down to play and didn't notice that someone with an old tape player hit "record." "Little Cream Soda" opens with a count and a strong extended opening sequence. The charged quality of the instrumental section falls away for the swaggering vocal sections, chanted by Jack, but then pick up again, comprising the bulk of the song. Quirky "Rag and Bone" is another goofy gem, featuring cute banter between Jack and Meg and tight, energetic playing. This is fast, fun stuff.

The last few tracks are good, but not as strong. "I'm slowly Turning Into You" starts as a musical reprieve from the frenetic energy of the last few tracks. Feedback guitar, organ, and slower drumming let the song swagger in like entering some Western saloon. It takes off getting bigger and louder by the end. The real break comes then in dark and forlorn "A Martyr for My Love for You." "Catch Hell Blues" would be almost nondescript, but then it surprises with a fantastic electric guitar riff. "Effect and Cause" closes the album on an upbeat note, but is otherwise not a standout.

While I'm not a White Stripes fanatic, I certainly have an appreciation for them (and I truly do love Elephant). Icky Thump is brash, loud and fun, a great summer rocker.

Best: Icky Thump, You Don't Know What Love Is, Conquest, Rag and Bone, Prickly Thorn But Sweetly Worn, Little Cream Soda

Personal Chart, 7/14/2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 1 .... Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie (2 weeks @ #1)
2 .... 2 .... Umbrella - Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z (3 wks @ #1)
3 .... 5 .... Song 4 Mutya - Mutya Buena & Groove Armada
4 .... 4 .... Never Again - Kelly Clarkson
5 .... 3 .... Icky Thump - The White Stripes
6 .... 9 .... Soulmate - Natasha Bedingfield
7 .... 7 .... Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors - The Editors
8 .... 6 .... Summer Love - Justin Timberlake
9 .... 8 .... People Help the People - Cherry Ghost
10 .. 15 .. Selfish Jean - Travis

Best Albums of the 1990s (90-81)

90. Live - Throwing Copper (1994). In high school the lyric "her placenta falls to the floor" was more than enough to make teenage boys snicker. Great song though. Essential track: Lightning Crashes




89. Enya - Shepherd Moons (1991). New age queen Enya's third album, followed the massive success of her second album, sounding pretty much the same. Essential track: Book of Days







88. Pearl Jam - Ten (1991). This, along with Nirvana's Nevermind, launched the '90s most important musical movement: grunge. Coming as it did from Seattle (and the northwest generally), it was everywhere, particularly by senior year in high school, where at the end of the year we actually had a "prep to grunge" award for those who had made the best transition. Essential track: Jeremy

87. Radiohead - The Bends (1995). This ranks low mostly because I didn't start listening to Radiohead until this decade, so I can't really justify ranking this very high. This was the band's conventional high point. Essential track: Bend and Break.

86. Paula Abdul - Spellbound (1991). Paula's second album, not as good as the first. In an unusual twist, despite building her career as a dance-pop artist, it's the ballads that shine here, notably "Rush Rush," which was her biggest hit. Essential track: Rush Rush

85. Mariah Carey - Butterfly (1997). Mariah Carey's fifth album was born during the troubled time near the end of her marriage to Sony records exec Tommy Mottola. It furthers the transition of her sound from being mostly pop/adult to being more rhythmic. A drop from her last two albums, but still decent, especially when she's not singing through her nose. Essential track: Honey

84. Prince - (The Love Symbol Album)(1992). Diamonds and Pearls was Prince's last big commercial album, but this one that followed was actually better, despite not scoring as many hits. And it's credited as being the source of the coolest symbol of the decade. Essential track: 7

83. Pet Shop Boys - Nightlife (1999). Lots of great stuff on this album, in fact, all of the Pet Shop Boys' albums of the '90s were fantastic (two more forthcoming). Several of these songs were part of a Pet Shop Boys musical, there's a duet with Kylie ("In Denial") and some great dance tracks. Great opening track too "For Your Own Good." Essential track: New York City Boy

82. R.E.M. - Out of Time (1991). Uneven compared to their next album, but a worthy effort, if only because it gave the band their biggest hit ever. Essential track: Losing My Religion

81. U2 - Zooropa (1993). Achtung Baby was U2's second career highpoint, so the follow-up was inevitably less impressive, but there's still some great songs here. Essential track: Numb

Best Albums of the 1990s (100-91)

100. Westlife - Westlife (1999). Eight years later this Irish boyband is still going strong, hitting #1 in the UK most recently with "The Rose" last year. This was where they got their start. Essential track: "Swear It Again"

99. Eric Clapton - Unplugged (1992). 1993's Grammy Winner for Album of the Year. Essential track: "Tears in Heaven"

98. Boyz II Men - II (1994). Boyz II Men's second album gave them three major hits, including "I'll Make Love to You," which spent 14 weeks at #1. Essential track: "On Bended Knee"

97. Babyface - For the Cool in You (1993). Babyface was one of the decade's hottest producers, although he never managed to turn his own songs into as big of hits. This was his best solo effort. Essential track: "When Can I See You"

96. Savage Garden (1997). The Australian duo caught fire in '97 with "I Want You," but had their bigest hit a year later in "Truly Madly Deeply," which stayed on the charts forever and became the definitive wedding song of the late '90s (under the band's next big hit, "I Knew I Loved You"). Cool at one point, but now strictly adult contemporary.

95. Wilson Phillips (1990). Wilson Phillips was the big breakout group of 1990. They scored three #1 hits with this album, including the biggest hit of the year, "Hold On." Success was fleeting though, and their follow-up album wasn't nearly as popular. Essential track: "Hold On"

94. Amber (1999). Amber's second album was one of the best of the decade's dance-pop efforts that leaned more toward the club than the radio. Essential track: "Sexual (Li Da Di) (Thunderpuss 2000 Remix)"

93. Michael Jackson - HIStory (1995). His star was fading pretty quickly by this point, but the album portion of HIStory--a 2-disc set with a greatest hits disc and a new album--is still pretty good, despite its excesses (there's a whole song where all Michael does is rail against Don Sheldon, who I believe was a prosecutor in one of Jackson's molestation cases). Essential track: Stranger in Moscow

92. Sheryl Crow (1996). Sheryl Crow's grittier second album (you can tell it's gritter just by the cover!) was another big success for her. Essential track: If It Makes You Happy

91. *N Sync (1998). Backstreet Boys were the reigning boyband until N Sync came along to challenge them for the crown. To this day, raging arguments ensue as to which band was the bigger. This album gave the world the first taste of Justin Timberlake. Essential track: God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You.

Album Review: Kelly Clarkson - My December (4.5 / 5)

How do you follow mega-success? That's the question many pop artists have faced after scoring a career-defining achievement of commercial, if not also critical, acclaim. Kelly Clarkson's first album, 2003's Thankful, landed with high expectations, and mostly lived up to them. But it was her second album, Breakaway, that cemented her status as a legitimate pop artist beyond that reality show she once did (what was it called?). Breakaway arrived slowly, its first single, the title track, slowly becoming a #1 hit late in 2004. It was the second single, "Since U Been Gone," that sealed the deal, ensuring Kelly Clarkson would forever be remembered as one of the '00s top pop artists. Three other major hits followed, as well as international success, and two Grammy Awards.

If an artist's second album is that "difficult second album," then when that second album shatters all expectations, it makes the third one the real doozy. What's a girl to do? A certain blonde pop artist faced exactly this dilemma in the mid '80s, having arrived with a solid first album, who then followed it up with a phenomenally successful second album and career-defining hit single. I'm talking about Madonna, of course, and Like a Virgin, and while My December is no True Blue, Clarkson's third album does bear some strategic similarities to Madonna's third effort: it doesn't stray to far from the winning formula of Breakaway, although it stretches those boundaries and shows more maturity.

If only it hadn't arrived with such baggage. No album this year has garnered more press, but sadly, it swirls around the story more than the music. Clive Davis reportedly didn't think it contained any hits, Kelly fired her manager, Kelly's tour was cancelled, "Never Again" wasn't a hit (It hit #8--last I checked a lot of artists would kill for a top 10 hit, but whatever). Critics' reactions have been mixed although mostly positive. Yes the album does suffer from an over-abundance of ranting woe-is-me negativity, reaching its nadir with "Haunted," ("I wish I couldn't feel at all, let me be numb, I'm starting to fall"). But honestly, that's the only song here I don't really like.

I take issue with the detractors that say this album lacks "pop" moments. First off, if Kelly Clarkson wants to take control of her music (no easy feat for sure) and move beyond hooks and airplay-ready tracks, then more power to her. Second, she's got them here anyway. "One Minute" pulses with upbeat intensity and a great chorus. It's the album's best "up" track, and would make a fantastic choice for third single (are you listening RCA?). Too bad the second slot's been taken by "Sober," a somber ballad that, while being a lovely song, probably wasn't a good choice to follow "Never Again," the angry first single. It has the album's best lyric too ("picked all my weeds, but kept the flowers"). "Don't Waste Your Time" and "How I Feel," two of the other more upbeat songs are good too, although swaggering "Yeah" doesn't quite fit.

It's no secret that Kelly rocks out more on My December than on Breakaway, although from the reviews you'd think this was an about-face (remember "Hear Me?" "Addicted?" "Behind These Hazel Eyes?"). "Hole" opens with frenetic electric guitar and never lets up. Better yet is "Judas," an energetic rock song with a fantastic keyboard-drenched chorus. And "Never Again," is good too, even if it doesn't quite reach its goal of being the new "You Oughta Know." "Can I Have a Kiss," sounds like it should be a playful number by it's title, but ends up being one of the album's less distinctive moments.

If "One Minute" is the album's best upbeat track and "Judas" its best rock track, then "Be Still" is my pick for best of the slow songs. The tender song, underscored by acoustic guitar and strings, is a nice counterpoint to the rage and self pity of many of the other songs. Darker "Maybe" is also mostly a nice tender ballad, although Kelly lets out a little fury by the end. "Irvine" is the album's real surprise. It's stripped down to mostly just guitar and Kelly, who tones down her belter-ready voice, giving it a quiet, battle-worn quality. "Chivas," the album's likable scratchy hidden track follows.

Despite the fame and riches, Kelly is clearly not on happy trails these days. The bitterness does pull down the project, but it doesn't bury it, and everyone's entitled to a good rant now and then. Maybe next time she'll perk up, maybe not, but I hope she sticks to her guns and doesn't sacrifice her musical instincts, which so far have served her well. Miss Independent indeed.

Best: One Minute, Be Still, Judas, Irvine, Sober, Hole, Never Again, Don't Waste Your Time

Personal Chart, 7/7/07

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 2 .... Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie (1 week @ #1)
2 .... 1 .... Umbrella - Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z (3 wks @ #1)
3 .... 3 .... Icky Thump - The White Stripes
4 .... 6 .... Never Again - Kelly Clarkson
5 ... 10 ... Song 4 Mutya - Mutya Buena and Groove Armada
6 .... 4 .... Summer Love - Justin Timberlake
7 .... 8 .... Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors - The Editors
8 ... 15 ... People Help the People - Cherry Ghost
9 ... 13 ... Soulmate - Natasha Bedingfield
10 .. 5 .... Real Girl - Mutya Buena (2 wks @ #1)

Best Albums of 2007 (so far)

Halfway through the year, and I've reviewed 16 new albums this year. With pending reviews of The White Stripes and Kelly Clarkson coming--both are quite good--here's how'd I'd rank the 16 right now (subject to change of course):

1. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (5)
2. Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly Angry Mob (4.5)
3. The Fratellis - Costello Music
4. The Good, the Bad and the Queen
5. Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad (4)
6. Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long
7. Blonde Redhead - 23
8. Norah Jones - Not Too Late
9. Travis - The Boy with No Name
10. Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City (3.5)
11. Mutya Buena - Real Girl
12. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Trip the Light Fantastic
13. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
14. Air - Pocket Symphony (3)
15. Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion
16. Hilary Duff - Dignity (2.5)

Best Albums of the Nineties

My friend Robin is doing a series on the best albums of the '90s, posting chunks on her blog. She's counting down, having done 100 through 71 so far. Her rule of thumb: select only 1 album from an artist from the decade. So, for example, if she includes Radiohead's "OK Computer," then she wouldn't also include "The Bends" (which will she choose?!).

Here's my "for your consideration" appeal:

Sinead O' Connor - I Do Not Want What You Haven't Got. Famous for "Nothing Compares 2U," but the whole album is really strong. A personal favorite.

Jai - Heaven. Not many people heard this, but it was really good--soulful, sexy, retro. I'm disappointed he never made another album.

Robbie Williams - Life Thru a Lens. His career's been on a downward trajectory of late, but his first album was a true breakthrough. Following a much-publicized post-Take That binge, he managed to pull himself together and deliver a great first album, including classic "Angels" but also "Lazy Days" and "Let Me Entertain You."

Annie Lennox - Diva. Gorgeous, classy pop music. Love "Why" and "Little Bird."

George Michael - Listen Without Prejudice. He really went out on a limb changing his sound from the poppy Faith to this more soulful, reflective set.

Pet Shop Boys - Very. Their best album, pure dance pop, and very gay, despite the fact that Neil Tennant wasn't officially "out" yet.

Everything But the Girl - Walking Wounded. They changed their sound following "Missing," and this was a great blend of electronic and adult pop styles.

Sade - Love Deluxe. Sultry and sublime, perfect on a lazy hot summer afternoon.

Janet Jackson - Janet. Back in the '90s, Janet Jackson was still making good pop music. And while it's a close call between this energetic dance pop set and the more experimental Velvet Rope, I have to go with this, simply because "If" is the best song she ever did.

Whitney Houston - My Love Is Your Love. After 7 years of doing soundtrack ballads, Whitney returned for what was sadly her last good album, a funky modern R&B mix.

Maybe I should make my own list.

Album Review: Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad (4/5)

Rihanna is someone I never expected would make it. She's a decent singer and pop package, but doesn't have the looks of Beyonce or the pipes of Christina. Yet, at this moment, the woman is sitting on the biggest hit in the world right now, topping charts all across North America and Europe. How she got to this point is a good study in perseverance and the success of a "give them what they want" mentality.

The Barbadian singer arrived in the summer of 2005 with "Pon Da Replay," a stomping Caribbean-flavored pop song that lit up the charts that August. The album's second single though, "If It's Lovin' That You Want," wasn't nearly as interesting and didn't chart as well, so it would have surprised no one if she had vanished at that point, but no. She returned mere months later with a second album and a fantastic first single, the "Tainted Love" sampling "SOS," a fantastic unrelenting workout of a pop song. Follow-up Ne-Yo penned "Unfaithful" also was a big hit, although the belting balladry revealed she lacked the voice to keep pulling that off. Later singles weren't as successful, but two big hits wasn't bad.

Again, less than a year later, Rihanna returns for round three. This time she's armed with the first solid album of her career, steeped in the lessons of her previous two. '80s-flavored dance pop? Check! Ne-Yo balladry? Check! Hot producer? (Timbaland--ain't none hotter) Check! Dancehall? Gone, as the craze has passed. The results are surprisingly good, and Good Girl Gone Bad ranks as one of the year's best pop albums yet.

"Umbrella," which features Jay-Z, is the aforementioned megahit, having settled in for long runs at #1 in the US, Britain, and many other countries. As conventional as it sounds, it's actually, counter-intuitively unconventional for 1) eschewing recent beat-driven R&B for the more melodic sound from the '80s/'90s, 2) isn't a stomping dance track like her previous biggest hit "SOS," and 3) is about friendship, not sex or romance. Whether you like the song or not, and I'll admit it's grown on me, you have to give it credit for being just the right thing at the right time.

The next four songs comprise the album's core of hard-hitting, '80s-influenced dance pop, and what a set! "Push Up on It" is my favorite, which borrow from Lionel Richie's "Running with the Night," souped up '80s styled drum machines and "hand claps." "Shut Up and Drive," the second single, draws its inspiration from New Order's "Blue Monday," punching up the electric guitars. "Don't Stop the Music" pulses with a simple insistent beat and a sample of the "mama-say-mama-saw-mama-who-saw" from Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something." Even "Breaking Dishes," the least interesting of the foursome, is not bad, sounding a lot like Nelly Furtado's "Maneater," although it's not one of the Timbaland contributions.

Ne-Yo wrote three of the album's tracks, the best being the one he also guests on, "I Hate that I love You." Further cementing his play for the title of "New Michael Jackson," this mid-tempo duet has a similar appeal to his recent hit "Because of You," and Rihanna, not asked to hold long high notes, sounds so much better here than she did on "Unfaithful." I'd be completely shocked if this doesn't end up being a single. His other two songs are not as good, but still interesting. "Question Existing" is downright weird; a slow-burning track delivered in an almost chant-like manner, while the album's final track, "Good Girl Gone Bad" is fine, but sounds like a re-do of Beyonce's "Irreplaceable."

"Say It" ends up being a pretty bland mid-tempo number. And the three Timbaland contributions aren't as good as they perhaps should be, although they do lend the album its only hint of Caribbean flavor. "Sell Me Candy" is a raucous mixture of sounds. "Lemme Get That" is a decent chant of a song, although it wears out its welcome. "Rehab," co-written by Justin Timberlake, might be the best song of the album's second half.

The album's first half is definitely stronger than its second. Too bad, because if she'd kept up I'd have easily given this a higher rating. Still, it potentially could give Rihanna her first long string of hits, as their are plenty of possible singles here. That is, unless she decides she wants to move on to something else in a couple of months--maybe even greater.

Best: Umbrella, Push Up on It, Don't Stop the Music, Shut Up and Drive, I Hate that I Love You, Rehab

Personal Chart, 6/30/2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 1 .... Umbrella - Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z (3 weeks @ #1)
2 .... 5 .... Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie
3 .... 8 .... Icky Thump - The White Stripes
4 .... 4 .... Summer Love - Justin Timberlake
5 .... 2 .... Real Girl - Mutya Buena (2 wks @ #1)
6 .... 7 .... Never Again - Kelly Clarkson
7 .... 3 .... Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5 (1 wk @ #1)
8 ... 11 ... Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors - The Editors
9 .... 9 .... Home - Daughtry
10 .. 25 .. Song 4 Mutya - Mutya Buena and Groove Armada

LA Times on Kelly

Interesting story here in the L.A. Times about Kelly Clarkson:http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-clarkson26jun26,1,251010.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

What they say about the turmoil overpowering her record reminds me of when Madonna's Erotica got overshadowed by her Sex book and Body of Evidence.

Garbage Returns

Want to hear Garbage's new song "Tell Me Where It Hurts?" Here it is: http://streamos.warnermusic.com/wmedia/wmiuk/garbage/tellmewhereithurts.wax

It's from a forthcoming hits package, Ultimate Garbage.

UK Singles Chart Analysis, 6/30/2007

1. Umbrella - Rihanna (feat. Jay-Z)

It's a sixth week at #1 for Rihanna and "Umbrella." It's the longest stay at #1 for a single since last year's "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley ruled the roost for 9 weeks. It looks likely to stay at the top this weekend too, unless Cherry Ghost or the Klaxons can pull an amazing upset.

2. Any Dream Will Do - Lee Mead

Speaking of upsets, back in the day when event singles ruled the British charts, this single would have been assured of a #1 placing, coming off the back of a popular reality series, Any Dream Will Do, the search for a new lead for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. Lee Mead, of course, was the show's winner, proudly debuting his first single, a song from the show. Personally, I'd like to see such influence lose its grip on the charts. How annoying is it that the Christmas #1 for the last couple of years has been some dreck from The X Factor?

7. Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors - The Editors

The Editors score a career high with "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors," the lead single from their new album, An End Has a Start, making at 23 spot leap to #7, beating their previous best, the #10 placing from their first album's second single, "Munich." Critical reaction to the new Editors album is mixed--some say they've headed off into a more mature direction, while others say they're just aping Coldplay. The album gets a stateside release July 17.

12. Do It Again - Chemical Brothers

Chemical Brothers just miss out on the top 10, rising 11 spots to #12. It's from their forthcoming sixth album, We Are the Night.

17. I'd Wait for Life - Take That

Here's a big surprise, well sort of. Take That's third Beautiful World single outright flops upon its physical release, landing only at #17, breaking the band's six-single run of #1 hits and its 14-single run of top 10 hits. What went run? Radio support appears to a be a missing ingredient. "Patience" and "Shine" were both huge hits at radio--"Shine" in fact is still, currently #12 on the UK airplay chart, while "I'd Wait for Life" is way down at #37. Radio 1 never bothered to add it to its playlist, and Radio 2, where this should have found a cosy home, has it only on the B list. The Take That comeback was such an amazing feat, it's a bit of a surprise to see it fizzle so spectacularly.

18. Map of the Problematique - Muse

More surprises. Muse releases a fifth single from Black Holes and Revelations--as a download only single--and it still manages to outchart the fourth single, "Invincible," which did get a physical CD release. I actually really love this song, so it's nice to see it here.

21. Lovestoned - Justin Timberlake

JT's skipped over "Summer Love" in favor of "Lovestoned" for his fourth UK single from FutureSex/LoveSounds. It's debuting on downloads this week--pretty high--although I think it might not get a physical release. Interesting to see how high it goes.

22. Angel on My Shoulder - Gareth Gates

1-1-1-5-1-3-4-14-22. That's the trajectory of Gareth Gates' singles. Bye bye Gareth. It was nice knowing you. Don't let that record contract give you a paper cut as it's yanked from your fingers.

23. When You're Gone - Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne continues to climb with "When You're Gone," its physical release still a ways away. Could be a major hit for her--perhaps her first UK #1?

36. Grace - Simon Webbe

At least "Grace" made the top 40, after "My Soul Pleads for You" missed it. Still, there was a time we were debating where in the top 10 the former Blue man would land, not whether or not he'd make the top 40.