Neil Diamond
The Very Best of Neil Diamond
Columbia/Legacy
by David Chiu
There has to be something special about an artist whose popularity still remains high into his sixth decade of music. That certainly applies to Neil Diamond, whose body of work traces back to the era of ’60s Brill Building pop music. Continue reading “CD Review: Neil Diamond”
Pink Floyd
Animals
The Final Cut
A Momentary Lapse of Reason
Capitol/EMI
By David Chiu
No doubt that Pink Floyd’s legend can be attributed to the mammoth success and popularity of hit records such as The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and The Wall. But during the period from Dark Side to The Division Bell, Floyd also made records that perhaps weren’t as popular, critically-acclaimed or commercially huge than the aforementioned albums, but in retrospect are underrated and deserve another listen. With Animals, The Final Cut and A Momentary Lapse of Reason—which were recently reissued individually and as part of the Discovery boxed set, this is a good time to look back on them. Continue reading “CD Review: Pink Floyd”
Download the MP3 of “Running Start” by Jennifer O’Connor off of her recent album I Want What You Want. And … Continue reading Free MP3: “Running Start” by Jennifer O’Connor
Paul Simon
Graceland
The Rhythm of the Saints
Songwriter
Columbia/Legacy
by David Chiu
Paul Simon’s career flourished a second time in the ’80s, this time through his exploration of world music. Continue reading “CD Review: Paul Simon”
Kate Bush
50 Words for Snow
Fish People/Anti
By David Chiu
For an artist who is notorious for taking years to make albums, Kate Bush delivered not one but two records within a calendar year! The first one, Director’s Cut, a reworking of songs from The Sensual World and The Red Shoes, came out earlier this year; this latest one, 50 Words For Snow, is her first collection of all-new material since 2005’s Aerial. Continue reading “CD Review: Kate Bush”
Listen to the exquisite track by El May (a.k.a. Lara Meyerratken) of “Pleasant Experience,” a cover of a Small Black … Continue reading Free MP3: “Pleasant Experience” by El May
Check out Sharon Van Etten’s new track “Serpents” from her upcoming album, Tramp, on Jagjaguwar Records, due out on Feb. … Continue reading Free MP3: “Serpents” by Sharon Van Etten
Rolling Stones
Some Girls Deluxe Edition
Rolling StonesUME
By David Chiu
Some Girls, the Stones’ 1978 album, ranks up there as being one of the band’s superlative efforts. At that point, the band was still soldiering on 16 years into their career–and rather then letting disco surpass them, the Stones incorporated that style into two of their most memorable songs from the record: “Miss You” and “Shattered”. Continue reading “CD Review: Rolling Stones”
Elvis Presley
Young Man with the Big Beat
RCA/Legacy
By David Chiu
Sometimes an artist’s career can be measured in the dominance he or she had in one year: Michael Jackson in 1983, Madonna in 1985 or Nirvana and Pearl Jam in 1992. But they can never measure up the phenomenal year that Elvis Presley had in 1956, which this new boxed set focuses on. Continue reading “CD Review: Elvis Presley”
The Beach Boys
The Smile Sessions
Capitol/EMI
By David Chiu
For Beach Boys fans, the Smile album has been well known and talked about as legend, but whose music was never issued or given the proper treatment for release. That was the case for 44 years until now with The Smile Sessions, which collects and arranges the innovative music that was abandoned from that era into one whole piece. Continue reading “CD Review: The Beach Boys”
NewBeats 