DG’s Album Reviews- July

I admit, I never had much of an appreciation for Montreal pop rocker Sam Roberts. Yeah, "The Inhuman Condition" was enjoyable, but I felt it was just too catchy and didn't pack much else. Still, it was great to hear "Brother Down" on the radio (especially on Top 40), since it was a pleasent break from all the mass-produced "rock" proliferating at the moment, sounding genuinely raw (but smooth at the same time) in comparison. In fact, Roberts' "rawness" was something he had going for him initially- in the age of "produced-to-the-bone" rockers like Creed and Saliva, here was a genuinely rocker, one who didn't need studio tricks just to get a hit. He may not have really been anything special, but at least he had hope.

Well, that hope is now dashed with "We Were Born In A Flame", his (or, rather "their"- apparently, "Sam Roberts" is the name of a band now...the pot must be good in Montreal I gather *sigh*) first album with Universal's money. Guess what he did with it? Instead of staying raw and genuine, Roberts opts to produce- and "really well" from the sound of it- his work, just like the rest of the rockers. The result isn't another Creed or Saliva album, but one that's still just as lifeless.

Perhaps my biggest contention with the production is "Brother Down", the single that vaulted him to superstardom, as he replaces the drums with guitars as the dominant instrument in the introduction (in fact, throughout the entire song), and produces the life and passion out of his voice (and the instruments too). Instead of singing with energy, Roberts just sounds bored. Wake up buddy- this is the big time! You NEED your energy. There's more of that where that came from- for example, "The Canadian Dream", which is just a simple chant of "S-O-C-I-A-L-I-S-M is the only way/S-O-C-I-A-L-I-S-M is here to stay" plus some simple verses, comes out impassioned and lively when it's live- almost as a profound political statement- but here, it, like "Brother Down" comes out as if Roberts finds watching paint dry more interesting. Come on- HAVE THE GUTS AND YELL IT LIKE YOU JUST DON'T CARE. Oh well, I guess it's easy to lose them when money's thrown in your face isn't it? Other problem areas? Well, there's "Paranoia", a droning and very dull closer which has an upbeat (but really just played fast) finish just to remind me to wake up. Ugh. The worst song on the album, though is "Dead End", another dull song that opens as a ripoff of The Strokes' "Last Night" that left me wanting to bang my head on the nearest wall because of how bad it was. Why did he have to do this to me?

It's not all bad- he's a competent multi-instrumentalist (there's only one he doesn't play- the drums- though there are additional musicians who also play the instruments Roberts plays) for one, and, of the redone tracks, he didn't muck up "Don't Walk Away Eileen" too much...it's still like the original in a way. Still, the best out of all the songs is "On The Run", which is, just like the live version, an impassioned chant by Roberts who claims he "lives for rock 'n' roll" all because of a new love. It's probably one of the very few moments on "We Were Born In A Flame" where it actually sounds genuinely raw and impassioned, and it shows.

Too bad I can't say that about the rest of the recording.

Radiohead- Hail To The Thief (WWWWW)

Song Of The Album: “A Wolf At The Door” Alternate Title: “Radiohead Come Out Of The Doghouse- STRONG!” Genre: Mood/Art-Rock

If you're Radiohead, "Hail To The Thief" probably means more to you than just an album title. It could also stand for the times the album leaked (twice if you're keeping score), the first time being referred to as "simple theft". Yet- as I believe one of them mentioned- they were happy people wanted the tracks that badly (though, as a side note, the album's Copy-Controlled, which seems kind of silly because everyone can get it for free anyway).

It's hard not to see why, though. "Hail To The Thief" is easily one of 2003’s best albums to date, a sonic thrill ride that marked 2002's best, Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot". It's a mishmash of effects, airy, glommy musicianship met with simple but infectious drum loops...and Thom Yorke's perpetually stoned, zombie-like vocals. Considering how bad the previous efforts were (on my watch, they were pretty bad...), Radiohead have come full circle...at least ten times.

I mean, is there a track more beautifully complex than "Backdrift", which uses those infectious loops and the gloomy air to the fullest extent on the album? Or how about the radio-ready "Go To Sleep", featuring quite catchy but mesmerizing drumwork (though don't confuse Phil Selway with Terry Bozzio...he's not THAT good)? I tell you, if the boys do what they should and make it a single the radio will never be the same again. Finally, there's "A Wolf At The Door", the final song, a sonic battlefield that really raises the album to an entire new level...igniting a feeling inside me I haven't felt since "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot". Great stuff.

On the downside, there's the fact Yorke seems to slur his words at times, making them indecipherable (a double no-no since his words are amazing). Then there's also the fact the singles here seem pretty obvious: they're the simplest tracks, and they're severly outnumbered by the really complex tracks. They're still great, granted, but it's very noticeable.

That said, "Hail To The Thief" is an amazing album. Suddenly, Radiohead don't stink; and suddenly, the music world got a lot more interesting.

Michelle Branch- Hotel Paper (WWWWW)

Song Of The Album: “One Of These Days” Alternate Title: “Simpler But Better” Genre: Alt/Country/Pop

Michelle Branch has always pined for greatness, and for her second proper (but third actual) release, she does. I mean, look at the cover: Branch's face plastered on the front in the twlight, with the setting sun overtop her left shoulder. Then the title: "Hotel Paper". Doesn't it just scream greatness?

Okay, so it's really pathetic- "Hotel Paper" ranks as the worst album title I've ever heard (though if Fred Durst actually follows through with "Panty Sniffer" Branch won't have that distinction for long), and the cover strangely looks a lot like David Usher's "Morning Orbit". However, that's all that's bad about "Hotel Paper", as this Branch only proves to get better with age. Sophomore slump? What sophomore slump?

"Hotel Paper" beats its predecessor, 2001's "The Spirit Room", by a mile, taking a different, but not really radical, approach in the process. It's a comparatively simpler and less-textured recording, substituting the pop beats for a more-toned down, guitar-driven country-esque pop sound. In other words, more like her favourite artist- The Beatles- than before.

That doesn't mean Branch doesn't experiment at all (I'm serious about this one- though it's not nearly on the same level as, say, Radiohead). "One Of These Days" comes out as a mix of Queen (another of the Arizona musician's influences) and dance artist Sash!, providing the album's most interesting and admittedly most surprising moment. "Empty Handed", with the strings arranged by Beck's father, David Campbell, ends with a grander finale than any other pop song ever did, with a segment during just the string portion that reminded me of a section in Lacuna Coil's "Heaven's A Lie" (though don't mistake the recording for a metal one, because it's not nearly one). Yeah, it's obviously been done before and isn't nearly as grand as LC, but it's done a LOT better than Vanessa Carlton and a lot of recent pop stars ever did. Finally, first single "Are You Happy Now?" and "Love Me Like That" feature drum machine work that would leave Howie Day with a smile, though it's obviously not better than what Day could accomplish.

The other songs still shine just as much, though. "Love Me Like That", the duet with Sheryl Crow, features an upbeat country-esque pop beat that'll have the country stations occupied for months, and the album's closer, "It's You", is the most-stripped down moment, just Branch and her acoustic guitar with light drumwork. It's a beautiful song, one that's ready for the intimate club settings that Branch got her start doing, and shows that while she's still not great, Branch's guitarwork can do more than just provide the same three chords over and over again. Also, every song on here is insanely catchy, and they're so good the listener will be singing along by the time they're finished for the first time. At least I was.

The downside? Well, for one, the songs can sound too similar at times, but it's not too much of a drag. Also, the promised duet with Scott Weiland is not present on the album- not that it affects the final product at all, but it should be noted since it WAS advertised during the recording process. Yeah, it may be a disappointment, but completely understandable considering Weiland's a little "occupied" at the moment. As for duets that should have happened, why couldn't Zakk Wylde guest on songs like "Where Are You Now?" Not that the song's horrible, but with John Shanks' crappy guitarwork, I could only think "Wylde WOULD make this so much better..."

So, the end result? Well, Branch doesn't dazzle with Tchort-esque lyrics, have Tori Amos' haunting vocal dynamics, Cristina Scabbia's power and range, and she's still no Muddy Waters with the guitar pick, but as she's proven time and time again, she doesn't need it. If she wasn't a credible artist before with "The Spirit Room", this album certainly will do the trick. Michelle Branch just may get her wish.

Metallica- St. Anger (W)

Song Of The Album: “St. Anger” Alternate Title: “Nu-Metallica” Genre: Thrash/Nu-Metal

20 years ago, there was this great band by the name of Metallica. They excelled in the art of thrash metal, making album after album that left metal fans wanting more. Then, in 1990, the band took a path metal fans didn’t want them to take but it still turned out great, as Metallica, with songs like “Enter Sandman” and “Unforgiven II”, became more focused on lyrics and became great power balladeers as a result. Their final album, 1997’s “Reload”, may not have given them peace with the metal fans complaining they left their thrash metal roots, but at least the band left with a bang, producing a powerful album with songs like the upbeat “Fuel” and the reflective “Unforgiven II”.

A few years later, a new band surfaced, this time going by Nu-Metallica. Oh, they used the Metallica name and had the same lineup, but this was merely to confuse people into thinking the band was just as great as the one before it. Their first hit, “I Disappear”, was radio-ready to the extreme and was too light for Metallica, but it worked. Of course, how could they build on it? A thought came to Nu-Metallica, and they realized if they were going to masquerade as Metallica, they might as well go back to the thrash roots again, and they seemed to push the right buttons with single No. 1, the title track. After that, though, Nu-Metallica were shown as the band they were: a fraud, one who thinks they’re Metallica but are really KoRn with extended songs and without the rapping and DJ booth. Oh, how I pine for better days.

You see, the only sounds that appear to be in Nu-Metallica’s tricks are constant chugging and clashing with virtually no variation, and, with songs no shorter than five and a half minutes (with a couple of eight-minute epics), this grows increasingly tiresome. I mean, at least put in a guitar solo or amazing drumwork here and there, if only to make it interesting. Yet it seems Nu-Metallica are not about “interesting”, just posing, which they’re doing horrendously.

The songs…they’re just pitiful. “Invisible Kid” starts off promising, but it soon degenerates into an uninteresting mass of chugging and clashing, meandering just like every other track. Every song on here also sounds like “St. Anger”, especially “My World” which is almost note-for-note perfect. Then you have the moronic lyrical moments in “Frantic”, the album opener, and “All Within My Hands”, the album closer. In the former, frontman James Hetfield stammers “frantic tick tick tick tick tock” about a zillion times it seems, sounding dumber by the second, but it doesn’t compare to the latter, which ends “kill kill kill” being yelled out. What is he trying to do? Become a barbarian? Note to Hetfield: the Germanic tribes were so 400’s. Finally, in “Shoot Me Again”, Hetfield repeatedly mentions “shoot me again, I ain’t dead yet”, by which point I’d do anything just to shoot this stupid recording. Is that an offer Hetfield? Because I just may take it…

In the end, no doubt there will be many calling this the greatest metal recording of all time. Yet, by the same token, they are the same people who’ve never heard of Atheist or Opeth, and who still don’t know who the lead singer of Black Sabbath is. However, if it wasn’t for AFI’s dim-witted “Sing The Sorrow” and The All-American Rejects’ monstrously childish self-titled album “St. Anger” would be the worst rock album of 2003. The positive? At least Nu-Metallica have exposed themselves for who they are. Now if only Metallica would come back…

Lillix- Falling Uphill (WWWW)

Song Of The Album: “24/7” Alternate Title: “We Don’t Pretend To Be Rockers- We ARE” Genre: Rock/Pop

Say this about Lillix, the latest incarnation of the kiddie-rock brigade: they’re ACTUALLY a rock band. Seriously: they ARE a rock band. “It’s About Time”, the band’s first single, is the only song on here that’s not a rock song of any kind. If you’re surprised, trust me, you’re not the only one- I was too.

Of course, this isn’t exactly revolutionary rock- it’s more like the rock songs you’ll hear on rock radio, akin to Lifehouse and 3 Doors Down. Also- though qualitatively it doesn’t matter- there are quite a few studio musicians used to record the songs, sometimes even replacing band members (drummer Dawn Richardson is the one most MIA). Although, let it be known that the bulk of the material here is written exclusively by the band’s members, and that the musical peak of the album- “Invisible”, the “rockiest” number- has the whole band and nothing but the band involved, save for the producer’s drum loops. So it is very safe to say that these songs ARE theirs, even if they can’t pull off some of them by themselves.

Still, it’s nice to know that there’s kids- they’re all below 20- who don’t just pretend to have rock songs, they actually HAVE rock songs (and we’re talking, serious rockers- as much of serious rockers LiveonRelease are now, they still haven’t made a full album of it, or at least as much as Lillix have. Not that I’m complaining about that, mind you). What songs they are. As previously mentioned, “Invisible” is the band’s musical peak, where the band rocks out the hardest and comes out with a very personal song to boot; and, although it’s not nearly Zakk Wylde territory, Tasha-Ray Evin manages to pull off the best solo on the entire album here, coming out quite decently. Hey, it’s not legendary but at least it does way more than Aaron Kamin ever did. Then there’s “Promises” and “What I Like About You”, or Lillix’s attempts at pop punk, and while there’s a few shaky moments, they manage to pull it off (though “Promises” sounds a bit too much like Treble Charger’s “Hundred Million”). Of course, the best out of all these tracks is “24/7”, where Lillix are at their catchiest yet most personal: “Sometimes I feel you’re not so far away/This might be true, delusions hide my sight…vision isn’t everything/And I hope some day; forever won’t be so far away”. It’s not profound, obviously, but it works.

The downside? As stated before, this brand of rock isn’t revolutionary at all: it’s still the same generic rock you’ll hear all the time on rock radio. Then there’s “Tomorrow”, the band’s collaboration with Linda Perry, which is almost a blatant rip-off of Maren Ord’s “Perfect” (of all the songs to rip-off…THAT ONE? *sigh*). Still, those are really just minor complaints- the rest is almost flawless.

So, in short, don’t let “It’s About Time”, the only non-rock song here, fool you- Lillix have an edge, and, except for four songs (one ghostwritten, three collaborations, one of which being “It’s About Time”), their rockin’ edge truly IS theirs. Finally, kids who don’t pretend.

Kelly Clarkson- Thankful (WWWW)

Song Of The Album: “You Thought Wrong” f/Tamyra Gray Alternate Title: “Her REAL Beginning” Genre: Pop

For just one moment, forget that Burleson, Texas’ Kelly Clarkson’s first two singles- “A Moment Like This” and “Before Your Love”- ever existed. Good. Because all that would be left is “Thankful”, a delightful, light-hearted and fun affair that signifies that this powerful pop voice is here to stay, for a very long time.

Of course, the main reason why Clarkson won the inaugural “American Idol”- her voice- is one of the main reasons why this album is just so refreshing. Simply put, among mainstream pop musicians, Clarkson’s stands tall above the rest, a powerful yet somewhat dynamic voice that gives her songs that extra kick. Then again, her material is pretty strong too: mellow soft-rockers like “Low” (which borrows from Avril Lavigne’s “Losing Grip”) and “Just Missed The Train” come off with a lot of vitality and present the preferred career path for the 20-year-old, though even her lounge-esque songs like “The Trouble With Love Is” come through shining. Furthermore, the two new mixes to her old singles change little physically the songs (e.g. “A Moment Like This” is sped up only a little) but change a lot qualitatively: believe it or not, they’re actually good songs. Really. The best song here, however, is “You Thought Wrong” with Tamyra Gray, with a gloomy pop beat and a beginning that steals from Pink Floyd’s “Money”, the album’s most interesting track. It may not be Floyd in comparison, but it’s interesting all the same.

However, lyrically “Thankful” could use a little help. They’re pretty simple and sometimes downright stupid, even for a pop album. Then there’s “What’s Up Lonely”, which is still solid but is a little confusing. Still, in the end, Clarkson’s solo debut winds up a winner, presenting her real career start and telling everyone that she’s not the write-off everyone thought she would be.

Justin Guarini- (Self-Titled) (WWW)

Song Of The Album: “Timeless” f/Kelly Clarkson Alternate Title: “American Idol- Continuing The Dream; And Well” Genre: Pop

Poor Justin Guarini. Not only did he lose to Kelly Clarkson by votes on “American Idol”, he couldn’t even put an album that beats Clarkson’s “Thankful”. Sometimes, you just can’t win.

However, it’s not like Guarini- and RCA, for that matter- didn’t try, as his self-titled debut is still a solid pop album. The Man With The Hair shows off his vocal skills quite well on his album, just like Clarkson did with “Thankful”, giving his songs the added edge and sincerity that makes them enjoyable. His rendition of “Unchained Melody” is just beautiful, coming off as an updated (and more lively) version of The Platters’ “Only You”, while the up-tempo songs like “If You Wanna” and “Sorry” (which dominate the album) help keep his recording vibrant and refreshing. Then there’s his wonderful duet with Clarkson herself on “Timeless”, the Latin-esque ballad that ends his album on the right note. There’s also no contrived posing here- Guarini is having fun with this one, and it shows.

Still, if there’s anything The Man With The Hair could do is shy away from “American Idol” more on his next effort, since the R&B-ish beats seem to recall “American Idol” a bit too much. He’s got the potential to do it, though- especially with his voice. Also, the recording drags a little halfway through the album, and, while that doesn’t mean the songs themselves are bad- they’re still solid- they’re still too similar to keep the pace up. It’s nothing too catastrophic but still noticeable. Then- and this isn’t exactly a negative or a positive- there’s an “A.J.” being referred to in “Be A Heartbreaker”. Could this be A.J. Gil?

Overall, the album from The Man With The Hair shows him off with a lot of long-term potential, especially because his voice is as big as his hair. His material may just be pop, but it’s still vital pop, a vibrant blend with a talented performer to boot, a refreshing notion after years of talentless figureheads like Britney Spears and Willa Ford. Justin Guarini is here to stay and can only get better- by leaps and bounds- and what a joy that will be.

Ashanti- Chapter II (WWW)

Song Of The Album: “Feel So Good” Alternate Title: “They ALL Love Me!” Genre: Pop-R&B

Ja Rule’s Murder Inc. label has a tendency to overshoot its products (like Ja himself) and the material of Ashanti Douglas is no different. Hyped to the moon by Ja and co-label head Irv Gotti as “a R&B princess” with “an angelic voice” (to quote Ja in “Happy”), Douglas was made to be far greater than she actually was and only served to accentuate even further the material’s actual weakness. Still, Ja managed to pull himself out of the doghouse nicely with “The Last Temptation” (though it’s not the classic Ja would have wanted), so there was hope that maybe this time Murder Inc. would actually produce the good music it claimed to have made before. Through all this comes “Chapter II”, which also isn’t a classic but at least comes out with “pleasantly mixed results”.

Probably the best thing about “Chapter II” is how well the album sticks together. There’s a lot of filler and it shows, but it doesn’t serve to drag down the project as a whole. Then there’s first single “Rock Wit U (Aww Baby)”, Douglas’ best single to date, a bassline-heavy song that represents one of the few club-ready anthems on the entire album. Other bright spots also include the disco-esque “I Found Lovin’” and the lounge-esque “Rain On Me”, but the best song on the whole album is “Feel So Good”, an obvious diss track of B2K’s atrocious “Bump, Bump, Bump” (with P. Diddy). It’s a sexed up song, but in several parts of the song, Gotti overzealously states it as a classic and actually introduces the song the same way P. Diddy did, stating he’s “giving you what you need”. Gotti doesn’t rap in it, though, but he does make his point. At least now I can live again after knowing the forgettable “Bump, Bump, Bump” replaced Eminem’s classic “Lose Yourself” atop the charts.

However, “Chapter II” does have its fair share of problems, most of which being the filler: there’s simply too much here. Several songs have too many similarities between them, meaning few songs actually stick out here. There’s also very little variation in the subject matter: it’s mainly either about sex or love, all coming to a head in the convincingly seductive but rather squeamish “I Don’t Mind”, where Douglas tells an timid lover to let loose. It’s done well, yes, but it’s a bit much. Then there’s Gotti and Chink Santana’s repeated inferences of it being “a classic”, as, after a while it also gets annoying. It also doesn’t reflect well on them that this album (though good) isn’t at all a classic.

So, in the end, “Chapter II” comes off as an album that wipes out the dullness of Douglas’ initial work and one that is satisfactory, to say the least, but it isn’t a classic. It also shows that maybe Murder Inc. is serious about making good music this time, and, maybe- just maybe- in the not-so-distant future, Murder Inc. might actually land the classic that seemed so distant only a year before. For now, at least they have potential: it’s just a matter of using it.

Chris Cagle- (Self-Titled) (WW)

Song Of The Album: “Look At What I’ve Done” Alternate Title: “Yet ANOTHER Album About Love” Genre: Country

Country music is notorious of late for its numerous flashes in the pan, even more so than the pop world. New artists seemingly come and go on a whim, able to put forth one solid debut then fail to deliver the next time around. Singer/songwriter Chris Cagle seems to be no different: debuting with such a firestorm back in 2001 with “Play It Loud”, Cagle is in danger of derailing his own career with his self-titled follow-up, despite the feel-good spirit of single No. 1, “What A Beautiful Day”.

Probably the biggest problem of this album is the amount of clichés that get rolled here: the entire album- save for a few tracks- roll out the same love songs we’ve heard billions of times before, making for a really dull experience. Of course, it’s not just the fact that they’re love songs that makes the album bad: it’s that these love songs lack sincerity, as if Cagle is just throwing them in as opposed to writing from the heart, and the fact that the words are the focus- as is usually the case with country- only exacerbates the problem. Songs like “I’d Be Lying” and “Just Love Me” serve only as boring filler, with the worst of which being “It Takes Two”: in this song, Cagle sings “you ain’t perfect but you’re perfect for me”. Tell me you’ve heard that line before, please. The pace of the album also drags considerably after the second track, “Chicks Dig It”, not regaining that life until the album’s closer, “Look At What I’ve Done”.

It’s not like there isn’t anything good and/or sincere here- there’s the fun, vibrant and uplifting first single “What A Beautiful Day”, where Cagle’s chronological details of a marriage fully compliments his joy. Then there’s the hilarious “Chicks Dig It”, where Cagle documents all those dumb stunts boys- and even men- do just to get the girls, even if the stunt will hurt them or someone else. Finally, the best song on the album is “Look At What I’ve Done”, where a lamenting Cagle chronicles how his hurtful actions eventually leads to the departure of the woman of his dreams. Each time, the chorus ends with his girlfriend storming off in anger and Cagle lamenting “look at what I’ve done”, until the final one, where Cagle, sounding shocked and distraught, just states “she’s gone”. It’s one of the few honest moments here and presents what Cagle could be doing in the future- it’s now just a matter of channeling his potential over an entire album and not just three songs. Or else, simply put, he won’t have a career.

Jason Mraz- Waiting For My Rocket To Come (WWWW)

Song Of The Album: “Too Much Food” Alternate Title: “The Album John Mayer SHOULD Have Done” Genre: Alt/Pop

Ever since Michelle Branch broke out with “Everywhere” back in July 2001, the pop world has re-infatuated themselves with supposedly “real” pop stars. Some of these moments have been good, even memorable- there’s Branch herself, still the undisputed leader amongst them with 2001’s “The Spirit Room” and her latest, “Hotel Paper” (though Mraz technically came before “Hotel Paper”) and Avril Lavigne’s “Let Go”, even if Lavigne’s credentials are a bit shady. Then there have been the bad moments- Pink’s confusing “M!ssundaztood” for one and John Mayer’s heavily overrated “Room For Squares” for another- and the so-so moments in Vanessa Carlton’s “Be Not Nobody” and Jennifer Love Hewitt’s “BareNaked”. So when time came for another version of the “real” pop star to roll around in Californian Jason Mraz, there were understandably some eyes rolling, as if to say “not again”.

However, Mraz is not just “another real pop star”: his work is almost an entity all by itself, tied to the likes of Branch and Mayer simply because he’s a songwriter who strums his own guitar and has a knack for their cheery and insanely catchy melodies. His work does what Mayer’s couldn’t- detailing the life of a man with an “aw shucks” persona, someone who doesn’t care at all about life except for living it. Songs like “Curbside Prophet”, “Sleep All Day” and “I’ll Do Anything” wonderfully detail Mraz’s endearing cheekiness, especially the latter with its reggae-esque beat and Mraz’s statement that his love is “only a limited time offer”. The best song here, however, is “Too Much Food”, where Mraz chronicles the trials and tribulations of a sugar glutton. He…just…can’t…eat…anymore…yet…he…just…has…to…have…one…more… Through it all, the listener is almost pleading with the glutton to stop his unquenchable hunger: “NO! DON’T EAT IT! YOU’LL HURT YOURSELF!” Heeheehee…it’s moments like these that make Mraz so special.

Of course, there are some rough points- “You And I Both” is a good song, but no matter what, it just isn’t compelling enough. Then there’s his more “done” songs like “Absolutely Zero” (on love), which are arguably weaker than his cheeky songs like “Too Much Food”. However, “Waiting For My Rocket To Come” is a special album, one of the more invigorating and- dare I say it- different albums of the past few years. Best of all, though, is the fact “Waiting For My Rocket To Come” exposes a songwriter who’s best work is well ahead of them- and with a start like this, it’ll be great to know what he’ll come up with next.

Lizzie McGuire- Original Soundtrack (WWW)

Song Of The Album: Haylie Duff- “Girl In The Band” Alternate Title: “Nothing But Fun” Genre: Pop

Yeah, yeah, say what you will about Hilary Duff’s summery “Why Not”: “it’s silly, it’s horrible lyrically, she can’t sing” blah blah blah. The thing is, it’s POP: what do you expect out of it? Pop music, at least teen pop like this, isn’t at all about seriousness or discussing the merits of Karl Marx- it’s about letting loose and having fun, forgetting the problems of this world and enjoying what we have, and, considering the criteria for teen pop, “Why Not” succeeds splendidly. As does the rest of the Lizzie McQuire soundtrack, an album that builds on the endearing silliness of “Why Not” and makes for a fun, light-hearted ride along the way.

The best songs on the album- expectedly, perhaps- come from the two Duff sisters- Haylie (17) and Hilary (15). Hilary sings two of them: one, the single “Why Not” as herself and “What Dreams Are Made Of”, in her Lizzie McQuire alias. Predictably both of Hilary’s songs are based on the McQuire role, with “Why Not” urging one to take chances in order to succeed, while “What Dreams Are Made Of” chronicles the aspiring star that is McQuire (a credit is also given to the producers, who actually succeeded in making McQuire sound different from Hilary). However, Haylie upstages Hilary in her only appearance- “Girl In The Band”- by possessing a better singing voice. She may not be able to belt it with the best of them, but it is decent nonetheless (at least when compared to Hilary). The song is also related to Haylie in a way: she’s actually the only female member of her own band in real life (I can’t remember the name at the moment), and, from the teenage perspective, the song is presented quite well. Other songs continue along this focus, stressing liberation in some way or another, like LMNT’s “Open Your Eyes (To Love)” and The Beu Sisters’ “You Make Me Feel Like A Star”, while Christian popsters Jump5 continue Hilary’s feel-good vibe of “Why Not” in “Shining Star”. Another credit is given to the album coordinators, who actually made a soundtrack geared for the movie (which has McQuire chasing her dreams in Rome): On top of all the songs about being liberated in love and by taking chances, Vitamin C also covers the Italian classic “Volaré” (doing so satisfactorily) and Dean Martin’s “On An Evening In Roma” is also thrown into the mix.

That said, there are still quite a few problems. One is Martin’s song: it’s a great song and I do give the producers credit for putting it in there because it relates to Rome, but the crooner’s ballad seems out of place with all this pop stuff. Ditto for Cliff Eidelman’s orchestral arrangement, despite its delightful peacefulness. Finally, of all the covers to put on this album, why- OH WHY- did they cover RuPaul’s “Supermodel”? It was a horrible song to begin with, and Taylor Dayne’s version isn’t any better. It’s proof that some songs just won’t go away, no matter how hard you want them to.

In the end, “Lizzie McQuire” presents a light-hearted, fun summery soundtrack that never tries to be anything more than it is. Yeah, it’s not serious, but since when was teen pop ever serious? The Duffs have left their mark, and left it well.

The Black-Eyed Peas- Elephunk (WWWW)

Song Of The Album: “Where Is The Love?” f/Justin Timberlake Alternate Title: “Real Rap For The Masses” Genre: Party/Socially Conscious Rap/Pop

Give The Black-Eyed Peas credit: with one song, “Where Is The Love?”, they do what real rap stalwarts- as good as they are- like Talib Kweli couldn’t do: bring real rap back to the radio. Sure, “Where Is The Love?” will never challenge Kweli’s “Get By” as one of the best rap singles ever, but it did bring the latter’s message to the masses, and I say it’s about time. Coupled with the success of Nas’ brilliant “I Can”, we just may see the end of all this sex rap garbage that passes for music (hey, a man can dream, can’t he?).

So what does this mean for the rest of the album? About the same as “Where Is The Love?”. The first single may be the album’s best track, but don’t let that fool you: “Elephunk” is a vibrant and celebratory affair, filled with excellent party tracks that have been The Black-Eyed Peas’ mainstay. The best of them is “Let’s Get Retarded”, a song pledging everyone to act stupid and have a good time (supposedly after a couple drinks), while “Latin Girls” details the group’s love of what the song title suggests. Of course, there are not just party tracks here (though it is the bulk of the material): there’s the aforementioned “Where Is The Love”, about a world gone wrong and “The Apl Song” is a touching song about the hood. The beats are pretty clever too: they’re given an old-school vibe but have a decidedly poppy edge, bridging the gap from the obscure rap scene to the mainstream scene.

However, “Elephunk” could use a bit of variety, as the first ten tracks are just party tracks. They’re great, yes, but it does tire after a while. Then there’s “Anxiety”, their ensemble duet with Papa Roach: it’s still a solid rap-rock track, but Papa Roach’s whiny lyrics seem to be infesting The Black-Eyed Peas as well. Also, as good as the material is, it has been done better before- but, then again, it never did hit the radio- at least not recently.

Overall, “Elephunk” may not be a timeless rap classic, but it’s a solid album that looks to bring rap’s roots back to the mainstream. Considering the mainstream is overrun by wannabe bling-blingers (and Nelly’s, thinking of Chingy…), it’s about time something like this came about.

The Sounds- Living In America (WW)

Song Of The Album: “Hope You’re Happy Now” Alternate Title: “70’s Spoon With Female Vocals” Genre: Pop/Rock

The Sounds live for “rock & roll” and want you to know it. Loud and clear; and they’ll repeat whatever they have to say until you just can’t get take any more.

You see, that’s the band’s main problem: they’re just a bunch of overtly catchy rockers who put in as many synthesizers as possible to hide the fact the album really has no substance. Not that there’s anything wrong with catchy- it’d just be nice if there was something else behind them, like the rest of the pop brigade.

It’s not that “Living In America” doesn’t have anything good or any energy at all: the album starts with single No. 1 “Seven Days A Week”, the album’s most gripping number. It’s a bright and summery song that- according to lead singer Maja Ivarsson- the song’s actually about a friend who overdosed and died; and, if you think about it, the song does fit. Then there’s the biting “Hope You’re Happy Now”, where an angry Ivarsson tells the tale of a girl who’s angry with people calling her a “sl**” and asking if “they’re happy with their bull**** and their lies”. Through all the anger is a lot of entertainment, and at least shows that The Sounds are not a lost cause.

However, “Hope You’re Happy Now” doesn’t come until track #10, and by that point, it’s too late to save the project. The album starts dragging after track #4, “Hit Me!”, losing all the energy it might have had in the process since- as previously stated- all this album really has are overtly simple and catchy songs which lack the kick to stay interesting. It’s also heavily dated: there’s tons of synthesizers everywhere, making this album sound as though it should stayed in the ‘70s. Finally, the “hidden” twelfth track (I don’t understand why artists have to have a track clearly listed in the album’s table of contents and call it “hidden”, but that’s another story), where The Sounds spell out their name like all those bling-bling rappers we could all care less about. *shakes head*

So, what to make of this? Well, they’re not nearly as annoying as Spoon, but they’re pretty close. Also, songs like “Hope You’re Happy Now” show off a band that does have potential- it’s now just a matter of writing a song instead of just a catchy melody.

The Black Label Society- The Blessed Hellride (WWWWW)

Song Of The Album: “Dead Meadow” Alternate Title: “The Metal Version Of ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’” Genre: Metal

So now Zakk Wylde can breathe a sigh of relief: after trudging all these years without any mainstream success, Wylde scored a modest hit with “Stillborn”, the album’s first single; and about time too- of all the musicians who deserve it, Wylde certainly does. He may still be a long way from Total Request Live (TRL), but I’ll take what I can get.

Of course, there’s A LOT more here than “Stillborn”, as those who just found out about him probably learned. Every facet of this album is done extremely well, from the explosive, heavy and loud rockers like “Stoned And Drunk” and “Destruction Overdrive”, to the mellower tracks like the title track that gives the album a softer side and wonderfully juxtapose all the heaviness. Then there’s the fact this album- like Wilco’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” a year before- deals with pain and frustration in a MUCH more sophisticated sense than the nu-metallers and being another definitive album about pain. Simply put, after listening to this, you won’t have any problems because Wylde’s got it worse. They’re also insanely memorable and catchy, meaning those great lyrics stick in your head and are easy to sing along to (trust me, that’s a plus). Then there’s the songs: “Dead Meadow”, the best song here, is a light, country-esque tune with light piano touches, but comes off as a really touching (and gripping) song. Then there’s “Doomsday Jesus”, “Final Solution” and “Destruction Overdrive”, explosive (literally) songs that slam the world for destroying themselves. Then, as always, there’s Wylde’s guitar, arguably the most beautiful guitar-playing today, that brings each song to a new level (though I wonder why he has to show off and put them in every song, but they still fit the songs, so I won’t complain).

However, there are a few minor problems here. First of all, though Wylde’s voice is a great one, he sometimes sound a little silly when he sings. Secondly, the potential singles- like “Dead Meadow” and the actual single “Stillborn”- stick out on this album, and while they’re also great songs, it’s a little too noticeable if you ask me.

Still, this is an excellent album that should no doubt give Wylde the widespread credit- in more than just the metal world- that he deserves. As stated, there’s more potential singles after “Stillborn” here, like the title track and “Dead Meadow” (though trust me, they’re still WYLDE songs), suggesting that Wylde wants to stay where he’s landed (can you blame him?). About time too: rock radio was in dire need of a guitarist…I’m not sure how many KoRns I could take…

The Blue Man Group- The Complex (WWWWW)

Song Of The Album: “Exhibit 13/Track #15 (Secret Track)” Alternate Title: “The Drummer’s Take On Pop” Genre: Drum-Pop

Every year, there seems to be one band who comes out that is just so different from everyone else it’s mesmerizing. Last year, we had 1 Giant Leap. This year, we have The Blue Man Group, a Chicago comedy troupe, making mind-numbing addictive, fast and interesting drumming arrangements, with some strange instruments (like a PVC pipe) thrown in. They first appeared in 1999 with “Audio”, but, in doing “The Complex”, they add vocals and another whole new, interesting level to their music. You may have already heard first single “Sing Along” (with Dave Matthews) and maybe single No. 2, “The Current” with Gavin Rossdale, but there’s A LOT more left on “The Complex”.

First off, the band plays a game with the listener, “teaching” the listener all the “rock concert movements” (outlined also in the album booklet) in “Time To Start”, which also stops after the “instructions” for the listener to practice. Then, to test if you were really paying attention to the album, in “What Is Rock?” (nine tracks after “Time To Start” at No. 11), the band tells you which movement to pull off, without actually reminding you what to do. Doesn’t hurt that both songs are just great too. It’s comic moments like these that give “The Complex” a lighter side, but there’s a lot of serious work here too. In “White Rabbit”, Esthero’s vocals add a haunting effect to the track, while the secret fifteenth track sounds like “teched-up” tribal music with blindingly fast drumwork. Finally, there’s “Exhibit 13”, the strangest song on the album: it sounds like there are strings, but it’s really just The Blue Man Group and a guitar. Amazing.

However, there could be a little more variation here, as the album seems to speed along instead of taking little breathers (“Sing Along” doesn’t help much). Then there’s “Shadows Part 2”, which ends way too quickly. However, “The Complex” ranks as 2003’s most refreshing and original album, and one that will leave it’s mark as among the best that has come out this year. A classic all the time.

Powerman 5000- Transform (WWW)

Song Of The Album: “Hey, That’s Right” Alternate Title: “Nu-Metal Punks” Genre: Nu-Metal/Punk

Hey: who remembers Powerman 5000, A.K.A. “The Biggest Freaks Ever”? You know, the ones who did that awful “When Worlds Collide” and dressed like circus freaks (not Slipknot, but close…)? Well, Powerman 5000 pledged to change their sound and actually be serious this time around, and the results are…good. For once.

On “Transform”, Powerman 5000 provide social commentary, and, while it may not be Johnny Rotten, it’s still got some bite. On “A Theme For A Fake Revolution”, the band slams punks who “talk the talk but never walk the walk”, while on “Stereotype” and “A Is For Apathy”, the band tackles poseurs and the insanely rich (respectively). Then on “Hey, That’s Right”, vocalist Spider One uses a vocoder to simulate the haunting effect of voices inside a deranged person’s head, one of the album’s more head-turning moments. It may not be the scariest thing ever, but it goes farther than Marylin Manson (whom Spider One often sounds like) ever did. Plus, “Transform” is very catchy and memorable, and the album connects easily- at first listen, it feels like it’s been spun a couple of times already. You don’t “need” to get into “Transform”: it does it for you.

However, there are problems, like first single “Free”: it’s stupid and boring and represents the band’s only misstep here. “A Song About Nuthin’” is a solid tune, but it’s a little confusing: the verses say that “this isn’t a song about X” (without ever saying what the song is about) and then in the chorus it says “this isn’t a song about nuthin’”. Okay, so what is the song about anyway? Finally, songs do tend to sound way too similar at times, though the similarities don’t do too much to final product.

Overall, Powerman 5000 pull themselves out of the doghouse with “Transform”. It may not be a brilliant album, but it’s fun, catchy and even biting- all at the same time. Finally: it’s been a while since I could say that about them.

Z103.5 HitMix 2 Mixed By DJ Danny D (WW)

Song Of The Album: Magic Feet- “Connection” Alternate Title: “A Lesson In Boring Pop-Dance” Genre: Eclectic (Pop-Dance/Reggae)

Perhaps assuming a radio station could put together a good compilation disc is asking for a little much, but I could never think it could reach this low. Z103.5’s HitMix is just like their station: spinning the absolute worst, dullest pop-dance ever inventive. It’s so uncreative, it’s nauseating; and the choices…brilliant *smacks head*

I mean, is there a more radio-ready pop-dance track than Beatfactory’s lame cover of “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love 4 U”? Then there’s Mondano’s “Feelin’ Good”: okay, it’s a good song, but on a compilation made for 2003, why put a song that was released in 1995? Get over it already. Also, whoever told Kevin Little that putting in some stop-gaps would make his atrocious “Turn Me On” good wasn’t thinking: I think, no matter what they do to that song, it will always stink. Or how about Rupee’s dumb “Tempted To Touch”? I really wonder how songs so embarrassingly stupid- like that one- don’t end up on the cutting room floor. Oh, and the “remixes” are nothing more than rehashes of the same song. Take Groove Coverage’s “remix” by DJ Danny D: it’s simply Danny D saying “remix” while changing maybe a sound or two for the whole song. *shakes head*

Of course, there are some interesting points here- Voodoo & Serano’s “Overload” is a pretty brilliant song, while Magic Feet’s instrumental provides several interesting segments. However, none of them are enough to keep this album interesting- or worth it, for that matter. Kind of like Z103.5…

Johnny Vicious Presents Ultra Dance 03 (WWW)

Song Of The Album: Energy 52- “Café Del Mar” Alternate Title: “A Beginner’s Guide To REAL Dance Music” Genre: Dance

Just to let everyone disgusted with the “dance” scene up in Canada: there IS interesting dance music in the world, you just won’t hear it on the radio; and your great starting point is American DJ Johnny Vicious’ mix for Ultra Records. In it features three current singles- 4 Strings’ “Diving”, Armin Van Buuren’s & Ray Wilson’s “Yet Another Day” and Tomcraft’s “Loneliness”- and several of the best dance music to come out over the past year, all on two equally-balanced CD’s.

The best song out of all of them is Energy 52’s “Café Del Mar”, a mind-blowing instrumental that’s very intricate and entrancing, blowing away the entire album. Then there’s 4 Strings’ anthemic “Diving”, the best song off the first CD, while the ATC Remix of Moby’s “In This World” runs circles around the original. Also having amazing songs from Kreo (the catchy “Burnin’ For You), Oscar G (his mind-numbling simple and addictive “Dark Beat”) and Vicious (who mind-plays very well on “I’m Waiting”) doesn’t hurt either.

Then again, the album does seem to sound too similar at times, and, while I can’t fault it too much because it’s meant to be a continuous mix, it’s still a little too noticeable. Also, the transition between #8 and #9 on the first CD is a little too haphazard, though Vicious keeps this album together quite well overall. Finally, CD 2 presents the album’s only stinker, the sexually explicit “Sweet Dreams” from Eddie Baez. It’s his tribute to ecstasy (or so I take it), but the references seem a little too much. Still, “Ultra Dance 03” presents dance music that’s actually interesting and provides a great starting point for anyone looking to learn more from the genre.

American Idol: “Season 2: All-Time Classic Love Songs” (W)

Song Of The Album: Charles Grigsby- “Overjoyed” Alternate Title: “Your Favourite Love Songs- DESECRATED!” Genre: Pop

Presenting your American Idol finalists: Clay Aiken, Kimberly Caldwell, Corey Clark, Julia Demato, Joshua Gracin, Kimberly Locke, Carmen Rasmusen, Rickey Smith, Ruben Studdard and Trenyce! They’ll be singing your favourite love songs just for you, while you decide which one will move on! Oh no: head for the hills!

To put it frankly, there hasn’t been an album released this year- no, wait, ever- that’s stunk THIS BADLY. One by one, the American Idol hopefuls desecrate classic love songs like “Superstar” and “Over The Rainbow”, delivering ear-gratingly schlocky performances that leave you scrambling just to make it stop. First I ask: how many string arrangements do they have to put on this album? There’s WAY TOO MANY. Not only that, but they’re awfully simple and over exaggerated, as if they thought making overbearing songs would make classics out of their versions. *shuddering* Then there’s the songs themselves…Rickey Smith’s rendition of Brian McKnight’s “Back At One” would be enough to put the guy in therapy. Simply put, Smith just doesn’t have the pipes to not only make the song interesting but to properly sing it, nonchalantly singing his words instead of actually putting power into them like McKnight did. Case in point: on the line “the keys to my heart”, McKnight actually belts “heart”. Smith? He just says it. *smacks head* McKnight won’t be the only one: Roberta Flack and LeAnn Rimes must be grating at hearing their versions of “Killing Me Softly (With His Song)” and “How I Do Live (Without You)” respectively. In the former, Caldwell slows it to a crawl, sucking all the life out of it as if the producers felt that every song had to stink in order for it to sell. In the latter, Rasmusen sings the song as if doing the laundry is just more interesting, singing pretty much monotonously the entire way through. Then there’s DeMato’s “At Last”, which is so schlocky and cheesy Etta James should order a retake.

Then there’s maybe the biggest problem of all: out of the ten finalists, there’s really only four with talent- Locke, DeMato, Aiken and Trenyce. I mean, of all the people who auditioned, shouldn’t there be more? Of course, their talents are to be treasured- really (even though their songs are bad)- and there is ONE track that won’t leave the original songwriter grating: Charles Grigsby’s up-tempo “Overjoyed”, though arguably it’s not nearly as good as Stevie Wonder’s version (which would have his pipes to boot). Still, “All Time Classic Love Songs” is to be avoided at all costs- unless you really need another coaster or Frisbee, of course.

Beyone Knowles- “Dangerously In Love” (W)

Song Of The Album: “Crazy In Love” f/Jay-Z Alternate Title: “My Boring Self” Genre: Pop-R&B

Of all the “blockbusters” released this year, there isn’t one that disappoints more than Beyonce Knowles’ “Dangerously In Love”. It’s a collection of boring, lifeless ballads on one side and sexed up, sleazy party tracks on the other. For those of you who hated “Crazy In Love”, the rest of the album is even worse.

The first four songs after “Crazy In Love” (the opener) are sleazy sex songs like “Naughty Girl” and “Be With You”, the worst being the latter where Knowles not so subtly exclaims “I LOVE the way you scream” *smacks head* Later on, Knowles confusingly goes through her favourite astrological sings with regards to guys in, fittingly enough, “Signs” with Missy Elliott. She even gets the order wrong: Saggitarius isn’t last. Then there’s the ballads…“Me Myself And I” gets the life produced out of it despite its sincere lyrics, and the secret track sounds a bit too excited. Then the attempt to speed things up- “That’s How You Like It” with Jay-Z- after all those ballads fails miserably, as the track itself has no life. How is this album selling millions again?

There are some good points- “Crazy In Love”, though bad a single, is the only enjoyable song (comparitively speaking) here, while Luther Vandross’ moments on “The Closer I Get To You” have lots of life. However, “Dangerously In Love” does not: it’s a boring dull album whose sales figures really overstate its quality. A massively overrated work if there ever was one.

Brad Paisley- Mud On The Tires (WWW)

Song Of The Album: “Spaghetti Western Swing” Alternate Title: “Country’s Version Of ‘Waiting For My Rocket To Come’” Genre: Country

Country dweeb (admit it, give the guy glasses and he'd have more in common with Bill Gates than Hank Williams) made quite a splash last month with his video for "Celebrity", the first single. The video features such luminaries as Jason Alexander and William Shattner (reprising Simon Cowell's role on "American Idol" with Paisley the hopeful) perfectly complimenting a song that exxagerates stardom all in an effort to slam the stars' whiny ways. "I can throw a major fit/When my latte ain't just how I like it" Paisley sings in the chorus, further explaining his dreams of "(suing) my Dad" and having "marriages that only last a month" (*cough*Jennifer Lopez*cough*) and then saying he doesn't need talent "thanks to reality shows". Essentially, it's like Good Charlotte's "Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous" only it's not angry but satirical, and the comedy is pretty clever I might add.

Paisley continues this cheekiness on "Mud On The Tires". He reminscences of a clumsy girl who's actions- which would technically anger him- come off as being "cute" in "Little Moments", and, in "That's Love", he tells the listener that they've got to eat that steak your wife cooked even if it's burnt and feels like tire rubber. "It ain't a lie- that's love" he summarizes. Then Paisley has some fun later on in the album with "Spaghetti Western Swing", where narrators try to explain the story of a couple of Western robbers but, as they're explaining the story, they keep arguing over what is the truth. At one point, one narrator asks "do you want the truth or do you want it to be exciting?" "Well it ain't either" comes the reply. *laughs* The pauses in the story are met with uptempo guitars- acoustic, electric and bass- to simulate the actual "life on the run" by the robbers, even if the narrators can't agree on how to tell it. I tell you, moments like these alone make "Mud On The Tires" worth it, but that's not all. Paisley's serious side is presented just as well: in arguably his best moment here, "Whiskey Lullaby" a duet with Allison Krauss, Paisley and Krauss (in the roles of the man and woman respectively) tell the tale of two lovers who broke up but could never escape their breakup. In doing so, they turn to whiskey and then end up shooting themselves because they "could never get drunk enough to forget (him/her)". It's a touching song and represents one of 2003's more beautiful country ballads.

Of course, "Mud On The Tires" could use a bit of work in the memorability factor: outside of a few tracks, none of these songs really do stand out being "special", even though they're still solid tracks. Also, after "The Cigar Song" (the eleventh track), the album feels like it should be over and although some moments afterwards are great- as in the "for fun" songs in the two tracks associated with "Make A Mistake" and "Spaghetti Western Swing"- they seem more suited for a live show than an album. Also, the album's two obvious filler tracks- "Farther Along" and "Is It Raining At Your House"- appear after "The Cigar Song", though fortunately for Paisley it's too late in the album to really have any effect.

Still, "Mud On The Tires" is a solid third effort from Paisley who can now pass off as a country veteran in the modern sense of the term. It may not be special, but it's still worth it.

Toby Keith- Unleashed (WWWWW)

Song Of The Album: “That’s Not How It Is” Alternate Title: “His Emotions- All On The Line” Genre: Country

Country star Toby Keith created a firestorm last July when he released “Courtesy Of The Red White And Blue (The Angry American)”, an overtly patriotic song that pledges to give all those “America haters a boot in the a**” because it’s “the American way”. It caused Peter Jennings to recind Keith’s invitation to ABC’s Fourth Of July celebrations (which Jennings hosted) and landed Keith on Rolling Stone’s list of the ten worst songs of 2002. You could also bet that when war fever broke out earlier this year Keith was at least reminded of the entire furor that he caused with that single. Of course, why blast Keith for the song? It may be silly and you may not agree with it, but there’s no denying his brutal honesty with himself and- conversely- with his listeners, whom Keith will hold nothing back from.

There’s more- lots more- of that on “Unleashed”, his best work yet. On “Losing My Touch”, Keith wonders if he’s “lost it” in the relationship game when his date doesn’t show up at all. Then, in “Huckleberry”, Keith plays the role of a teenager and tells the tale of a teenage romance, vowing he’ll do whatever it takes for his girl because she’s “so extra ordinary sweet like maraschino cherries”. Later on, in “Rock You Baby”, Keith lets it all out, expressing his joy in actually finding someone to love. Finally the second last track- the best song here- is “That’s Not How It Is”, a catchy and heartfelt song where Keith explains that his relationship has “hit a wall” and has changed for the worst. “I was not lying there alone but I’ve never felt so lonely” Keith laments, saying that the relationship is salvageable telling his lover only “if you change your mind and love like before”. Furthermore, all the songs- on top of being emotional and personal- are very catchy and memorable, making it an instantly enjoyable- and connecting- album.

Sure, there is one stinker here- “Who’s Your Daddy?”, an embarrassing song where Keith plays “macho sex machine” and presents Keith’s first bad song- but several of the songs here (including the aforementioned ones) are simply the best Keith has ever done. Sure, there are artists out there who have covered Keith’s material with more sophistication, but there isn’t a country artist- let alone any artist- who can match Keith’s passion, sincerity and emotion in his work. Keith vents and holds nothing back, holding such conviction that these songs are definitively his. Forgive him, if you need to, over “The Angry American” and experience him here, “Unleashed”, in the most honest, emotional and personal album of the past few years- in any genre.

Back To Top

Discuss this page here

-DG