Rocking the Mike – Reviews December 2009 |
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| Written by Mike Cullen |
| Tuesday, 22 December 2009 |
Album Reviews:
Michael Bublé, the modern day member of the Rat Pack, has issued his fourth full-length album -- one that will no doubt be under many Christmas trees this holiday season. On the surface, Crazy Love is quite good. Bublé and his producers know how to choose songs that not only suit his style, but also showcase his voice. There are no crazy vocal acrobatics or strained vocal chords here; it is a warm and wholesome voice from beginning to end. The album has a lot of gems on it. From his soulful cover of Ray Charles' "Georgia On My Mind," to original songs including the lead single "Haven't Met You Yet," Bublé has put together a set of tracks that are clearly an attempt to break free of the creative box he has existed within on previous albums. In a recent CBC article, Bublé lamented the fact that the recording industry as it stands (and always has) places more emphasis on money than creativity. Apparently, when Bublé suggested collaborations on his new album with the likes of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Naturally 7, and fellow Canadian Ron Sexsmith, he was met with more than a few raised eyebrows from record execs. Rightly so, perhaps. Two of those collaborations resulted in duds. Only the track performed with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings has any strength to it. In fact, with this album Bublé has put himself in an awkward creative position. This latest disc has a lot of charm and will make the perfect holiday gift.The strength of Bublé's music has always stemmed from the fact that he is solidly rooted in a genre that has influenced many, but is directly copied by few. His sound is slick enough for the younger crowd, but is a great source of reminiscence for those old enough to remember the original Rat Pack. On Crazy Love, he has unfortunately forsaken the pure lounge-singer sound for a more mainstream pop approach. The more Bublé tries to spread his musical style in new directions, the more his credibility in terms of authenticity is lost. Some will likely point to this album and cry "Sellout!", and, while that label is probably too harsh, I have to agree that he has maybe gone too far in the pop direction. December is typically the month where I find myself listening to the likes of Bublé more and more. After being exposed to endless Christmas carols as a youth, the need to hear "Jingle Bells" for the millionth time is just not there anymore. Instead, I turn to jazz and lounge in order to get that holiday feeling without having to put up with those nauseatingly familiar holiday tunes. Crazy Love has made it onto my holiday listening list. While I definitely prefer Bublé's first two albums, this latest disc still has a lot of charm and will make the perfect holiday gift. Song Reviews:
You have to give Gaga credit . . . most artists would re-issue their highly popular CD with only one or two new songs and hope fans are stupid enough to purchase the album all over again. Not Lady Gaga, who is set to release eight new songs for the re-issue of her mega-popular ablum The Fame, now retitled The Fame Monster. "Bad Romance," the first single from the re-release, is slightly lackluster. After such great songs as "Just Dance," "Poker Face," and "Love Game," I (and I'm sure more than a few others) expected another pop/disco/club thumper hybrid. "Bad Romance" is not a bad track. It is up-tempo with a hooky spoken-word bridge, and, while the chorus is up to Gaga's typical high standards, the whole production just does not sit well with me. Of course, neither did "Paparazzi" when it first came out, and I came around to liking that song, so it could still happen with this track. One only hopes the rest of The Fame Monster can meet fans' high expectations for Lady Gaga. Robbie Williams - "Bodies" "Bodies" is touted as the 'comeback single' for singer Robbie Williams. It is a strange label . . . Sure, it has been almost four years since his last album, and, yes, the previous record received mixed reviews from critics . . . but Rudebox was also an album that went to number one in the United Kingdom and garnered three top twenty hits. So comeback? No, I don't think so. The comeback hype isn't the only conundrum accompanying this single. "Bodies" has no discernable hook, and nothing that really grabs the listener. In fact, upon first listen, you probably won't even like the song. Luckily, that all seems to change after a few listens. It may not be the next "Rock DJ" or "Radio," but it certainly is not the worst thing Williams has released either. In the end, it is an enjoyable track. Concert Reviews:Metric and The Stills - Ottawa Civic Centre 19 October, 2009 This concert was a mixed bag. I'd heard some conflicting opinions about The Stills.I had heard some conflicting opinions about the opening act, The Stills. One friend described them as trying too hard to be Joy Division (sacrilegious in my books), while another said they put on a rather good live show. As much as I want to support Canadian artists and bands, The Stills did not really do much for me. I do not want to outright put them down; they did play well, and the audience around me seemed to be into it. Great musicians, great performers, but in the end they lacked the x-factor for me to want to buy their stuff. One definite highlight of the opening set was the lead singer helping out a female fan by asking her (now) fiancé if he'd marry her. Aces! Metric, on the other hand, was completely on fire that night. This is my fifth time seeing them perform live, and they have an astounding way of making every live performance feel like the best thing they have ever done. The majority of the set was culled from their latest album, Fantasies, with a couple tracks from Old World Underground . . . and Live It Out featured as well. The set was about 75 minutes, but the quality of the performance made it feel longer - in a very good way. I have yet to see Metric perform poorly live, and I sincerely hope the trend continues the next time I see them. Setlist:
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Michael Bublé - Crazy Love
Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance"
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