JPP Review: Bruce Hornsby, Halcyon Days

This week's review is up at Just Press Play. This week, I chose Bruce Hornsby's 2004 release, Halcyon Days.

The first paragraph:

Bruce Hornsby may be a constant staple of the adult alternative charts thanks to his 1986 debut album which featured the smash hit "The Way It is," but don't try to box him too tightly - with each subsequent release, Hornsby has introduced a wider variety of influences on his albums, culminating in a collaboration this year with country legend Ricky Skaggs. On his 2005 solo release, Halcyon Days, there is a noticeable pastiche of styles, revealing the influence of everything from bluegrass to cabaret and musical theater to country, all rooted in the warm likability of the adult alternative Hornsby has always been famous for.

For the rest, go here.

JPP Review: Aimee Mann, Whatever

The latest Just Press Play review is Aimee Mann's debut.

The first paragraph:

In 1993, amidst little attention, former ‘Til Tuesday frontwoman Aimee Mann released her debut album, Whatever. Until that moment, Mann was something of a one-hit wonder, known in mainstream America, if she was known at all, for Tuesday’s 80s radio hit “Voices Carry”. And while few people took notice of Whatever at the time, it signaled the arrival of a formidable songwriting force and a return to a solidly poppy sound that was suffering at the time. Against the backdrop of music that made up 1993, from the grunge of Pearl Jam and Nirvana to the hardcore of Tool and Sepultura to the angry-girl eclecticism of PJ Harvey and Bjork, Aimee Mann, with her jangly choruses, intelligent lyrics and solidly memorable tunes, sounded like she came from another planet.

For the rest, click here.

Ignoring how creepily, Clockwork-Orange high she looks, here's an excellent rockin' version of "I Should've Known " from 1993:



And here' s a cool behind-the-scenes doc from the Live at St. Ann's Warehouse dvd set to an acoustic version of"Way Back When" (it's bookended by part of a fairly nervous interview - pay no heed):

JPP Review: Leona Naess

This week's contribution to Just Press Play is the self-titled album from folkstress Leona Naess.

The first 'graph:

Leona Naess has the kind of sultry, wounded voice that jazz legends are made of. But she is no chanteuse- in fact, there are very few jazz influences at work on this self-titled album, her third major-label release. She often sounds like she's had one too many glasses of Scotch, so her confessional style of folk-pop lends itself nicely to that atmosphere. Listening to this album, her third major-label release, it often feels like you just pulled up a bar stool next to her as she started singing her troubles. Or that you ran across her at a campfire and she pulled out her acoustic guitar to lament lost love into the night sky. The album sounds organic and warm, the sparse accompaniment allowing her distinctive voice to shine through. (A strong Edie Brickell influence is evident in the character of her voice, a sort of little-girl innocence mixed with the Scotch.)

For the rest, go here.

You want some lovely? I've got some lovely

I just reviewed what may be my favorite pop album ever over at Just Press Play.

The first paragraph:

There are two kinds of people: those who love XTC rabidly, passionately, without logic, hesitation or reservation, and those who have never heard XTC. For those who have never heard of XTC, there is absolutely no better place to start than Wasp Star: Apple Venus, Vol. 2.

For the rest, go here.

As a bonus, here's an interview that explains why the album is called what it is:

"Wasp Star came along because i just didn't want to call it Apple Venus Volume 2, because it was a little lame and a little confusing. And I had a book of Aztec art. While we were mixing the record I bought this book of Aztec art, and found in there the Aztecs' phrase for Venus which was 'wasp star'."

There's actually more to the story, which you can check out here.

There aren't any songs from Wasp Star on their MySpace page right now, but there are a couple of excellent tracks from other albums, including "Summer's Cauldron" and "Mayor of Simpleton." Definitely check them out.

JPP Review: Ryan Adams, "Gold"

Just filed a new review over Just Press Play and have gotten some very positive feedback already. Loyal LTF readers already know about this album, but for those of you who would like a more in-depth examination of the genius of Gold will want to head on over and check it out.

As usual, here's the first paragraph:

Ryan Adams has worked hard to cultivate his reputation as the new “bad boy” of rock. But to listen to his 2001 release, Gold, he sounds more like a careful student of classic rock, a pedagogue of a truly golden era of rock music. Gold is the equivalent of his Master’s thesis in classic rock. The fact that it earned him as much acclaim as it did is a testament to his ability to learn the lessons of rock music’s past, and reconstitute them into something timelessly appealing.

For the rest, go here.

Here's a very cool, laid-back acoustic version of the first track, "New York, New York" recorded in Jamaica:



And here "Firecracker" gts the same Jamaican treatment:

JPP Review: Rufus Wainwright, "Poses"

I've talked of my love for Rufus Wainwright's Poses before, but for those who may be new to Lost Things Found, or who may like a more detailed explanation of the genius of this album, check out my latest Just Press Play review.

The first paragraph:

Rufus Wainwright is a musician’s musician. As the son of quirky ‘70s folksinger Loudon Wainwright III, he is one of the few children of musicians to surpass his parent in influence, popularity and critical acclaim. His eponymous debut announced Wainwright as a unique talent, fusing his own style of pop songwriting punctuated by influences of folk, classical, opera, and musical theater.

For the rest, go here.

Here's a performance of one of the songs from the album ("Greek Song") from a concert in 2006:



And the incomparably beautiful "Poses" performed live, just Rufus and the piano:

JPP Review: Fountains of Wayne "Traffic and Weather"

Latest Just Press Play review is for Fountains of Wayne's Traffic and Weather.

As usual, here's the first 'graph:

Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger is the hardest-working and most underrated pop tunesmith working today. When he’s not co-writing all of Fountains of Wayne’s songs (with Chris Collingwood), producing their albums, or playing keys, bass, guitar and singing backup, he’s doing the same thing for his other hugely successful indie-rock band, Ivy. And in his free time, he exercises his profoundly adept producing touch on such albums as America’s comeback, Here & Now.

For the rest, go here.

Here's the video for the first single, "Somebody to Love:"



And because life doesn't get any better than this, Adam and Chris of Fountains of Wayne sing back up on "Calendar Girl" with Neil Sedaka at a cabaret show. I love everything about that sentence.

JPP Review: John Mayer "Heavier Things"

And speaking of electric guitars, I have another review posted on Just Press Play- this one for John Mayer's Heavier Things.

Here's the first paragraph:

Call it John Mayer's blue period. The title of his sophomore release is perfectly appropriate. It not only refers to his choice of instrument (from the largely acoustic ear-candy of his debut, Room for Squares, to the mellow, almost exclusively electric sound of Heavier Things,) but also to his lyrics (from Squares' wry wit to Heavier Things' more worldly gravitas.)

For the rest, go here.

From the driving-with-the-top-down files

I recently got a gig writing music reviews for Web site Just Press Play. One of my first reviews is OK Go's Oh No, which coincidentally happens to be excellent summer music, particularly if you just got a sporty new car with a sunroof (as I did.)

Here's the first paragraph:

Chicago’s OK Go had built up a loyal fan following through their theatrical live shows long before the release of their self-titled debut album in 2002. That album combined unabashedly bright power-pop, campy, dramatic vocals, and a polished, high-energy studio sound reminiscent of the Cars...

For the rest, go here.

And because you can never see it too many times, here is that awesome homemade video for "Here It Goes Again" - the one with the treadmill choreography.