Jonas Brothers; The band of our lives
Jonas Brothers; The band of our lives Watch in HD 720p Comment, rate and send it to your friends :) I hope u like this video.
‘Band’ Articles
Jonas Brothers; The band of our lives
Jonas Brothers; The band of our lives Watch in HD 720p Comment, rate and send it to your friends :) I hope u like this video. U guys questioned me 4 a new Jonas' video and here it is!! I like the Jonas Brothers so much and I chose to make it. It's just a small tribute to the band of our lives! to show them that we're still here, that we didnt let them, that right fans will always be there 4 them.
Best of 2011: Albums
1. Adele – 21. This year, Adele’s 21 proved resolutely that the pop album is not dead. That a young woman from Britain can release an album to near universal acclaim and appeal is really something, recalling the fantastic pop albums of the ’80s. In an era where tastes r sliced, diced, dissected, genred and market-tested to death, it’s nice to know we can still all come together around something that we all like because it’s just that excellent. Best: Someone Like U.
2. Lady Gaga – Born This Way. Lady Gaga is basically the polar opposite of Adele, but I have plenty of space 4 her and her dazzling third album in my year-end top 10. Born This Way was funkier and more ambitious than The Fame or Fame Monster, ultimately proving to be her best and most cohesive work yet. Even if the singles aren’t all hitting #1 anymore, she’s still got the touch. Best: Born This Way.
3. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake. This was the critics’ favorite album of 2011, but don’t let that stop u from enjoying it too. History buffs will appreciate Harvey’s historical references to specific World War I battles. Music fans will just delight in her eclectic mix of sounds and clever lyrics. Best: The Glorious Land.
4. The Strokes – Angles. This is the one album among my favorites that I’m surprised to see missing from most other year-end lists. I thought Angles, The Strokes’ fourth album, was a winning return to form form the band many consider the most “vital” of the ’00s indie rockers, putting in some of their trademark simple arrangements but also exploring new wave and other territory. Best: Machu Picchu.
5. Foster the People – Torches. I’ll give Torches the award 4 the year’s best debut. Foster the People–aka this year’s MGMT–dominated pop radio this fall with “Pumped Up Kicks,” but their lively debut has lots of other gems from the indie band. I’m surprised they haven’t scored a follow-up hit yet. Best: Helena Beat.
6. Will Young – Echoes. Here’s one I’m not surprised isn’t on a lot of year-end lists, but it’s a shame, 4 Will Young turned out another fine pop album with Echoes, employing producer Richard X to give his like-spurned pop songs a pleasing electronic veneer. Best: Jealousy.
7. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto. Coldplay continue to earn their keep on this fifth album. Although at times it feels that Chris Martin & company r too keen to please, they still churn out their brand of pop/rock uplift effectively. Best: Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall.
8. Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials. On their second outing, Florence Welch & co. rocked out with even bolder and better songs than on their 2009 debut Lungs, with a larger than life sound that proves everything and the kitchen sink can be a god thing. Best: Shake It Out.
9. The Weekend – House of Balloons/Thursday/Echoes of Silence. The modern R&B mix tape became a staple of 2011, as artists too cool 4 things like marks, albums and selling their music, took to the internet to give us free tastes of their remakes, remixes and original songs. The Weekend’s House of Balloons was the best of that set, but his follow-up Thursday was fascinating too, and although I’m just starting to delight in his third set, Echoes of Silence, it’s clear already that it ranks up with the other two. Best: What U Need.
10. Beyoncé – 4. With I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé proved she could place out a blockbuster two-disc concept album that stocked radio with hits and earned her critical acclaim at the same time. With her fourth album, 4, she didn’t have to prove anything, freeing her to buck the electro trend and place out a mostly acoustic set ranging from the manic “Countdown” to the Prince-worthy “1+1.” Although it didn’t sell as well, it showed a fantastic deal of artistry and continued growth. Best: Countdown.
11. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light. Along with Adele and Lady Gaga, this is one of three albums released this year nominated 4 the Grammy Award 4 Album of the Year. Although some said it was a surprise, I thought it was really deserving, representing a solid set of muscular guitar-rock. Best: These Days.
12. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead. Gotta like a excellent indie band from my hometown, especially when they start the year off with putting out a fantastic album like this. When I reviewed this album, I said they reminded me of a folksier, more backwater R.E.M. Best: Down by the Water.
13. St. Vincent – Weird Mercy. This was my first exposure to American musician St. Vincent, who place out this highly compelling set of eclectic and deftly produced tunes. Best: Chloe in the Afternoon.
14. James Blake – James Blake. Another vital trend this year was dubstep, which, frankly, I still have distress identifying, but apparently this was one example. Whatever u want to call it, I thought it was crafty, soulful electronic that recalled both The XX and Bon Iver. Best: The Wilhelm Scream.
15. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes. Joining the long line of Swedish pop tradition (Abba, Roxette, Ace of Base, Max Martin, Robyn) this year was Lykke Li, whose lo-fi production style was, in many ways, the antithesis of the usual Nordic gloss, but still with an ear 4 a excellent pop tune. Best: Sadness Is a Blessing.
16. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Sure, Oasis split last year, but they all kept making music. U’ll find the rest of the gang further down this list. Both were very excellent, but I felt that Noel Gallagher’s songwriting skills meant that his album was just a small bit better. Best: If I Had a Gun…
17. Take That – Progressed. Take That’s album Progress was one of my favorite albums of 2010. In fact, it’s one of my favorite pop albums of all time. This follow-up EP was a welcome second helping of that album’s greatness. Best: When We Were Young.
18. Amy Winehouse – Lioness: Hidden Treasures. Posthumous releases should always be viewed with suspicion, but thankfully this one manages to be an appropriate tribute to an incredible singer gone b4 her time. Her modern take on ’60s soul remains one of pop music’s most fascinating tricks in recent years. Best: Our Day Will Come.
19. Jessie J – Who U R. Jessie J received so much hype that it would be hard 4 the singer to live up to it. And yes, her album wasn’t “all that,” but it was still pretty decent pop from the strutting “Do It Like a Dude” to the affecting title track. She’s got a lot of people in her corner. Album #2 could be even more fascinating. Best: Who U R.
20. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow. Like Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, The Civil Wars achieves a gorgeous alchemy with the tried-and-right formula of a male/female vocal harmony over a lovelorn folksy sound. And then they kicked up their heels with the album’s title track. Moving and fun. Best: Poison & Wine.
21. The Black Keys – El Camino. These southern-influenced blues rockers from Ohio shifted their sound more toward classic rock & roll 4 this seventh album. More and more they sound less like the stopgap 4 The White Stripes’ absence and more like that duo’s worthy successor. Best: Dead and Gone.
22. Ed Sheeran – +. I didn’t get around to reviewing this album, since I only recently got it (consider it a 4/5 rating). Although I wasn’t initially sold on Sheeran via “The A Team,” in the end, I was ultimately won over by his acoustic-leaning pop debut, particularly its more upbeat tracks. Best: Lego House.
23. Radiohead – The King of Limbs. That Radiohead’s eighth album is more of an exercise in sounds than in songs means this album won’t be 4 everyone, but 4 those who like Kid A and Amnesiac because of that, then should be up your alley. Best: Bloom.
24. Kasabian – Velociraptor!. Fourth album by British rockers Kasabian finds them mining familiar ’60s territory but with a bolder take than on their last album. Best: Days R Forgotten.
25. Death Cab 4 Cutie – Codes and Keys. 4 their seventh album, these indie rockers from Bellingham, Washington, make their sound lighter and more modern than their recent works. Hints of Arcade Fire permeate the buoyant title track with its deep mix of strings, piano, guitar, bass and drums. Best: Codes and Keys.
26. Bon Iver – Bon Iver. The last thing Wisconsinite folk singer Justin Vernon probably thought when he released his 2008 debut, 4 Emma, Forever Ago, was that a few years later he’d be a major influence in alternative rock music. Even Kanye West got into him. On this second Bon Iver album, he gets a small more adventurous and manages to still please, even despite the deafening hype. Best: Towers.
27. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX – We’re New Here. Serving as an effective stopgap b4 the hotly anticipated second album from The XX, its member Jamie XX remixed nearly every track from the late soul and jazz poet Gil Scott-Heron, reinterpreting his quirky, final spoken-word album into a satisfying dose of late-night electronica. Best: The Crutch.
28. Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra. Singer Frank Ocean has been tipped to be a major breakout star next year. This year, but, he’s already racked up a lot of acclaim 4 his self-released mix tape, a winning mix of original songs and remakes where he sings over well loved songs with his own new lyrics. Best: Strawberry Swing.
29. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues. Like Bon Iver, this is another indie act that achieved significant acclaim with its folksy debut and followed it up this year with a second album of similarly fantastic material. Title track “Helplessness Blues” proves that, like Mumford & Sons have shown, folk music doesn’t equate always with slow and silent. Best: Helplessness Blues.
30. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’. Retro R&B is a trend right now 4 sure, but with so many fantastic examples of it, like this eclectic set from Raphael Saadiq, I’m not ready 4 it to end. Stone Rollin’ is an eclectic, decade-jumping work with a of heart and soul. Best: Go to Hell.
31. Wilco – The Whole Like. Wilco’s eighth album delivers much of the same from the band as what we’ve heard b4–accomplished alt. rock with influences from country and ’70s rock. But it’s the dynamite 7-minute opener, which dabbles a bit in Radiohead Kid A electronica and delivers a 2-minute guitar solo, that makes this album worthwhile. Best: Art of Nearly.
32. The Naked and Well-known – Passive Me, Aggressive U. Although “this year’s MGMT” finished up being Foster the People, New Zealand’s The Naked and Well-known auditioned 4 the role with this lively, at times temperamental debut of new wave revival pop. Best: Young Gun.
33. Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch the Throne. Two kings of rap show they can effectively share the throne with this collaboration, one of the year’s most hotly anticipated albums. As u’d expect, modesty is rarely showed on this album chock full of ego and huge-name guests (including two acts named above). Best: Why I Like U.
34. Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding. One fourth of the former Oasis is up at #16 and the rest r here at #34. It might sound corny to say these albums sound like brothers, except 4 the fact that they literally r made by brothers, so its fitting. Oasis fans should find solace in the fact that both albums r pretty fantastic, with this being the bolder and more upbeat of the two. Best: If I Had a Gun…
35. Rihanna – Talk That Talk. Another year, another Rihanna album. On her sixth outing, the Barbadian singer continued global chart domination with her most risque work yet, continuing to churn out frothy dance pop and laid back island-inspired grooves. Best: We Found Like.
36. Britney Spears – Femme Fatale. Britney got her career back on track with 2008′s Circus and she continued her hit streak this year with this unabashedly frothy dance pop album. She slowed down a bit 4 the album’s final track, “Criminal,” and that proved to be fascinating too. Best: Till the World Ends.
37. Katy B – On a Mission. Those needing a lesson on contemporary dance music styles could do worse than listen to Katy B’s debut album, on which she explores a variety of contemporary and (recently) retro dance styles, including dubstep, garage and drum ‘n’ bass. Best: Lights On.
38. Real Estate – Days. On Days, Brooklyn-based Real Estate’s second album, the band churns out mellow and melodic rock. They don’t produce much in the way of variety, but have a pleasant sound–the kind of music that’s a nice soundtrack to a sunny Sunday afternoon. Best: Green Aisles.
39. Washed Out – Within and Without. Washed Out wears its influences on its sleeves–its ambient electronica evokes names like Moby and Chemical Brothers. Another “chill” album that lives up to that nickname. Best: Eyes Be Closed.
40. Glee: The Music Presents – The Warblers. With The Warblers release, Glee came as close as it may ever come to putting out a proper album, since the group, which is really actor/singer Darren Criss and Tufts University’s male singing group The Beelzebubs, sing all these songs a cappella, effectively imitating a bevy of instruments. Best: Teenage Dream.
Worst Album of the Year
Moby – Ruined. I supposed it’s unlikely this is really the worst album of the year. Hopefully I never had a chance to hear that. Still, I was dreadfully disappointed by this bland release, which only recycled his ancient sounds.
Best of 2011: Albums
1. Adele – 21. This year, Adele’s 21 proved resolutely that the pop album is not dead. That a young woman from Britain can release an album to near universal acclaim and appeal is really something, recalling the fantastic pop albums of the ’80s. In an era where tastes r sliced, diced, dissected, genred and market-tested to death, it’s nice to know we can still all come together around something that we all like because it’s just that excellent. Best: Someone Like U.
2. Lady Gaga – Born This Way. Lady Gaga is basically the polar opposite of Adele, but I have plenty of space 4 her and her dazzling third album in my year-end top 10. Born This Way was funkier and more ambitious than The Fame or Fame Monster, ultimately proving to be her best and most cohesive work yet. Even if the singles aren’t all hitting #1 anymore, she’s still got the touch. Best: Born This Way.
3. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake. This was the critics’ favorite album of 2011, but don’t let that stop u from enjoying it too. History buffs will appreciate Harvey’s historical references to specific World War I battles. Music fans will just delight in her eclectic mix of sounds and clever lyrics. Best: The Glorious Land.
4. The Strokes – Angles. This is the one album among my favorites that I’m surprised to see missing from most other year-end lists. I thought Angles, The Strokes’ fourth album, was a winning return to form form the band many consider the most “vital” of the ’00s indie rockers, putting in some of their trademark simple arrangements but also exploring new wave and other territory. Best: Machu Picchu.
5. Foster the People – Torches. I’ll give Torches the award 4 the year’s best debut. Foster the People–aka this year’s MGMT–dominated pop radio this fall with “Pumped Up Kicks,” but their lively debut has lots of other gems from the indie band. I’m surprised they haven’t scored a follow-up hit yet. Best: Helena Beat.
6. Will Young – Echoes. Here’s one I’m not surprised isn’t on a lot of year-end lists, but it’s a shame, 4 Will Young turned out another fine pop album with Echoes, employing producer Richard X to give his like-spurned pop songs a pleasing electronic veneer. Best: Jealousy.
7. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto. Coldplay continue to earn their keep on this fifth album. Although at times it feels that Chris Martin & company r too keen to please, they still churn out their brand of pop/rock uplift effectively. Best: Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall.
8. Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials. On their second outing, Florence Welch & co. rocked out with even bolder and better songs than on their 2009 debut Lungs, with a larger than life sound that proves everything and the kitchen sink can be a god thing. Best: Shake It Out.
9. The Weekend – House of Balloons/Thursday/Echoes of Silence. The modern R&B mix tape became a staple of 2011, as artists too cool 4 things like marks, albums and selling their music, took to the internet to give us free tastes of their remakes, remixes and original songs. The Weekend’s House of Balloons was the best of that set, but his follow-up Thursday was fascinating too, and although I’m just starting to delight in his third set, Echoes of Silence, it’s clear already that it ranks up with the other two. Best: What U Need.
10. Beyoncé – 4. With I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé proved she could place out a blockbuster two-disc concept album that stocked radio with hits and earned her critical acclaim at the same time. With her fourth album, 4, she didn’t have to prove anything, freeing her to buck the electro trend and place out a mostly acoustic set ranging from the manic “Countdown” to the Prince-worthy “1+1.” Although it didn’t sell as well, it showed a fantastic deal of artistry and continued growth. Best: Countdown.
11. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light. Along with Adele and Lady Gaga, this is one of three albums released this year nominated 4 the Grammy Award 4 Album of the Year. Although some said it was a surprise, I thought it was really deserving, representing a solid set of muscular guitar-rock. Best: These Days.
12. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead. Gotta like a excellent indie band from my hometown, especially when they start the year off with putting out a fantastic album like this. When I reviewed this album, I said they reminded me of a folksier, more backwater R.E.M. Best: Down by the Water.
13. St. Vincent – Weird Mercy. This was my first exposure to American musician St. Vincent, who place out this highly compelling set of eclectic and deftly produced tunes. Best: Chloe in the Afternoon.
14. James Blake – James Blake. Another vital trend this year was dubstep, which, frankly, I still have distress identifying, but apparently this was one example. Whatever u want to call it, I thought it was crafty, soulful electronic that recalled both The XX and Bon Iver. Best: The Wilhelm Scream.
15. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes. Joining the long line of Swedish pop tradition (Abba, Roxette, Ace of Base, Max Martin, Robyn) this year was Lykke Li, whose lo-fi production style was, in many ways, the antithesis of the usual Nordic gloss, but still with an ear 4 a excellent pop tune. Best: Sadness Is a Blessing.
16. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Sure, Oasis split last year, but they all kept making music. U’ll find the rest of the gang further down this list. Both were very excellent, but I felt that Noel Gallagher’s songwriting skills meant that his album was just a small bit better. Best: If I Had a Gun…
17. Take That – Progressed. Take That’s album Progress was one of my favorite albums of 2010. In fact, it’s one of my favorite pop albums of all time. This follow-up EP was a welcome second helping of that album’s greatness. Best: When We Were Young.
18. Amy Winehouse – Lioness: Hidden Treasures. Posthumous releases should always be viewed with suspicion, but thankfully this one manages to be an appropriate tribute to an incredible singer gone b4 her time. Her modern take on ’60s soul remains one of pop music’s most fascinating tricks in recent years. Best: Our Day Will Come.
19. Jessie J – Who U R. Jessie J received so much hype that it would be hard 4 the singer to live up to it. And yes, her album wasn’t “all that,” but it was still pretty decent pop from the strutting “Do It Like a Dude” to the affecting title track. She’s got a lot of people in her corner. Album #2 could be even more fascinating. Best: Who U R.
20. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow. Like Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, The Civil Wars achieves a gorgeous alchemy with the tried-and-right formula of a male/female vocal harmony over a lovelorn folksy sound. And then they kicked up their heels with the album’s title track. Moving and fun. Best: Poison & Wine.
21. The Black Keys – El Camino. These southern-influenced blues rockers from Ohio shifted their sound more toward classic rock & roll 4 this seventh album. More and more they sound less like the stopgap 4 The White Stripes’ absence and more like that duo’s worthy successor. Best: Dead and Gone.
22. Ed Sheeran – +. I didn’t get around to reviewing this album, since I only recently got it (consider it a 4/5 rating). Although I wasn’t initially sold on Sheeran via “The A Team,” in the end, I was ultimately won over by his acoustic-leaning pop debut, particularly its more upbeat tracks. Best: Lego House.
23. Radiohead – The King of Limbs. That Radiohead’s eighth album is more of an exercise in sounds than in songs means this album won’t be 4 everyone, but 4 those who like Kid A and Amnesiac because of that, then should be up your alley. Best: Bloom.
24. Kasabian – Velociraptor!. Fourth album by British rockers Kasabian finds them mining familiar ’60s territory but with a bolder take than on their last album. Best: Days R Forgotten.
25. Death Cab 4 Cutie – Codes and Keys. 4 their seventh album, these indie rockers from Bellingham, Washington, make their sound lighter and more modern than their recent works. Hints of Arcade Fire permeate the buoyant title track with its deep mix of strings, piano, guitar, bass and drums. Best: Codes and Keys.
26. Bon Iver – Bon Iver. The last thing Wisconsinite folk singer Justin Vernon probably thought when he released his 2008 debut, 4 Emma, Forever Ago, was that a few years later he’d be a major influence in alternative rock music. Even Kanye West got into him. On this second Bon Iver album, he gets a small more adventurous and manages to still please, even despite the deafening hype. Best: Towers.
27. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX – We’re New Here. Serving as an effective stopgap b4 the hotly anticipated second album from The XX, its member Jamie XX remixed nearly every track from the late soul and jazz poet Gil Scott-Heron, reinterpreting his quirky, final spoken-word album into a satisfying dose of late-night electronica. Best: The Crutch.
28. Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra. Singer Frank Ocean has been tipped to be a major breakout star next year. This year, but, he’s already racked up a lot of acclaim 4 his self-released mix tape, a winning mix of original songs and remakes where he sings over well loved songs with his own new lyrics. Best: Strawberry Swing.
29. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues. Like Bon Iver, this is another indie act that achieved significant acclaim with its folksy debut and followed it up this year with a second album of similarly fantastic material. Title track “Helplessness Blues” proves that, like Mumford & Sons have shown, folk music doesn’t equate always with slow and silent. Best: Helplessness Blues.
30. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’. Retro R&B is a trend right now 4 sure, but with so many fantastic examples of it, like this eclectic set from Raphael Saadiq, I’m not ready 4 it to end. Stone Rollin’ is an eclectic, decade-jumping work with a of heart and soul. Best: Go to Hell.
31. Wilco – The Whole Like. Wilco’s eighth album delivers much of the same from the band as what we’ve heard b4–accomplished alt. rock with influences from country and ’70s rock. But it’s the dynamite 7-minute opener, which dabbles a bit in Radiohead Kid A electronica and delivers a 2-minute guitar solo, that makes this album worthwhile. Best: Art of Nearly.
32. The Naked and Well-known – Passive Me, Aggressive U. Although “this year’s MGMT” finished up being Foster the People, New Zealand’s The Naked and Well-known auditioned 4 the role with this lively, at times temperamental debut of new wave revival pop. Best: Young Gun.
33. Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch the Throne. Two kings of rap show they can effectively share the throne with this collaboration, one of the year’s most hotly anticipated albums. As u’d expect, modesty is rarely showed on this album chock full of ego and huge-name guests (including two acts named above). Best: Why I Like U.
34. Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding. One fourth of the former Oasis is up at #16 and the rest r here at #34. It might sound corny to say these albums sound like brothers, except 4 the fact that they literally r made by brothers, so its fitting. Oasis fans should find solace in the fact that both albums r pretty fantastic, with this being the bolder and more upbeat of the two. Best: If I Had a Gun…
35. Rihanna – Talk That Talk. Another year, another Rihanna album. On her sixth outing, the Barbadian singer continued global chart domination with her most risque work yet, continuing to churn out frothy dance pop and laid back island-inspired grooves. Best: We Found Like.
36. Britney Spears – Femme Fatale. Britney got her career back on track with 2008′s Circus and she continued her hit streak this year with this unabashedly frothy dance pop album. She slowed down a bit 4 the album’s final track, “Criminal,” and that proved to be fascinating too. Best: Till the World Ends.
37. Katy B – On a Mission. Those needing a lesson on contemporary dance music styles could do worse than listen to Katy B’s debut album, on which she explores a variety of contemporary and (recently) retro dance styles, including dubstep, garage and drum ‘n’ bass. Best: Lights On.
38. Real Estate – Days. On Days, Brooklyn-based Real Estate’s second album, the band churns out mellow and melodic rock. They don’t produce much in the way of variety, but have a pleasant sound–the kind of music that’s a nice soundtrack to a sunny Sunday afternoon. Best: Green Aisles.
39. Washed Out – Within and Without. Washed Out wears its influences on its sleeves–its ambient electronica evokes names like Moby and Chemical Brothers. Another “chill” album that lives up to that nickname. Best: Eyes Be Closed.
40. Glee: The Music Presents – The Warblers. With The Warblers release, Glee came as close as it may ever come to putting out a proper album, since the group, which is really actor/singer Darren Criss and Tufts University’s male singing group The Beelzebubs, sing all these songs a cappella, effectively imitating a bevy of instruments. Best: Teenage Dream.
Worst Album of the Year
Moby – Ruined. I supposed it’s unlikely this is really the worst album of the year. Hopefully I never had a chance to hear that. Still, I was dreadfully disappointed by this bland release, which only recycled his ancient sounds.
Best of 2011: Albums
1. Adele – 21. This year, Adele’s 21 proved resolutely that the pop album is not dead. That a young woman from Britain can release an album to near universal acclaim and appeal is really something, recalling the fantastic pop albums of the ’80s. In an era where tastes r sliced, diced, dissected, genred and market-tested to death, it’s nice to know we can still all come together around something that we all like because it’s just that excellent. Best: Someone Like U.
2. Lady Gaga – Born This Way. Lady Gaga is basically the polar opposite of Adele, but I have plenty of space 4 her and her dazzling third album in my year-end top 10. Born This Way was funkier and more ambitious than The Fame or Fame Monster, ultimately proving to be her best and most cohesive work yet. Even if the singles aren’t all hitting #1 anymore, she’s still got the touch. Best: Born This Way.
3. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake. This was the critics’ favorite album of 2011, but don’t let that stop u from enjoying it too. History buffs will appreciate Harvey’s historical references to specific World War I battles. Music fans will just delight in her eclectic mix of sounds and clever lyrics. Best: The Glorious Land.
4. The Strokes – Angles. This is the one album among my favorites that I’m surprised to see missing from most other year-end lists. I thought Angles, The Strokes’ fourth album, was a winning return to form form the band many consider the most “vital” of the ’00s indie rockers, putting in some of their trademark simple arrangements but also exploring new wave and other territory. Best: Machu Picchu.
5. Foster the People – Torches. I’ll give Torches the award 4 the year’s best debut. Foster the People–aka this year’s MGMT–dominated pop radio this fall with “Pumped Up Kicks,” but their lively debut has lots of other gems from the indie band. I’m surprised they haven’t scored a follow-up hit yet. Best: Helena Beat.
6. Will Young – Echoes. Here’s one I’m not surprised isn’t on a lot of year-end lists, but it’s a shame, 4 Will Young turned out another fine pop album with Echoes, employing producer Richard X to give his like-spurned pop songs a pleasing electronic veneer. Best: Jealousy.
7. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto. Coldplay continue to earn their keep on this fifth album. Although at times it feels that Chris Martin & company r too keen to please, they still churn out their brand of pop/rock uplift effectively. Best: Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall.
8. Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials. On their second outing, Florence Welch & co. rocked out with even bolder and better songs than on their 2009 debut Lungs, with a larger than life sound that proves everything and the kitchen sink can be a god thing. Best: Shake It Out.
9. The Weekend – House of Balloons/Thursday/Echoes of Silence. The modern R&B mix tape became a staple of 2011, as artists too cool 4 things like marks, albums and selling their music, took to the internet to give us free tastes of their remakes, remixes and original songs. The Weekend’s House of Balloons was the best of that set, but his follow-up Thursday was fascinating too, and although I’m just starting to delight in his third set, Echoes of Silence, it’s clear already that it ranks up with the other two. Best: What U Need.
10. Beyoncé – 4. With I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé proved she could place out a blockbuster two-disc concept album that stocked radio with hits and earned her critical acclaim at the same time. With her fourth album, 4, she didn’t have to prove anything, freeing her to buck the electro trend and place out a mostly acoustic set ranging from the manic “Countdown” to the Prince-worthy “1+1.” Although it didn’t sell as well, it showed a fantastic deal of artistry and continued growth. Best: Countdown.
11. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light. Along with Adele and Lady Gaga, this is one of three albums released this year nominated 4 the Grammy Award 4 Album of the Year. Although some said it was a surprise, I thought it was really deserving, representing a solid set of muscular guitar-rock. Best: These Days.
12. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead. Gotta like a excellent indie band from my hometown, especially when they start the year off with putting out a fantastic album like this. When I reviewed this album, I said they reminded me of a folksier, more backwater R.E.M. Best: Down by the Water.
13. St. Vincent – Weird Mercy. This was my first exposure to American musician St. Vincent, who place out this highly compelling set of eclectic and deftly produced tunes. Best: Chloe in the Afternoon.
14. James Blake – James Blake. Another vital trend this year was dubstep, which, frankly, I still have distress identifying, but apparently this was one example. Whatever u want to call it, I thought it was crafty, soulful electronic that recalled both The XX and Bon Iver. Best: The Wilhelm Scream.
15. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes. Joining the long line of Swedish pop tradition (Abba, Roxette, Ace of Base, Max Martin, Robyn) this year was Lykke Li, whose lo-fi production style was, in many ways, the antithesis of the usual Nordic gloss, but still with an ear 4 a excellent pop tune. Best: Sadness Is a Blessing.
16. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Sure, Oasis split last year, but they all kept making music. U’ll find the rest of the gang further down this list. Both were very excellent, but I felt that Noel Gallagher’s songwriting skills meant that his album was just a small bit better. Best: If I Had a Gun…
17. Take That – Progressed. Take That’s album Progress was one of my favorite albums of 2010. In fact, it’s one of my favorite pop albums of all time. This follow-up EP was a welcome second helping of that album’s greatness. Best: When We Were Young.
18. Amy Winehouse – Lioness: Hidden Treasures. Posthumous releases should always be viewed with suspicion, but thankfully this one manages to be an appropriate tribute to an incredible singer gone b4 her time. Her modern take on ’60s soul remains one of pop music’s most fascinating tricks in recent years. Best: Our Day Will Come.
19. Jessie J – Who U R. Jessie J received so much hype that it would be hard 4 the singer to live up to it. And yes, her album wasn’t “all that,” but it was still pretty decent pop from the strutting “Do It Like a Dude” to the affecting title track. She’s got a lot of people in her corner. Album #2 could be even more fascinating. Best: Who U R.
20. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow. Like Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, The Civil Wars achieves a gorgeous alchemy with the tried-and-right formula of a male/female vocal harmony over a lovelorn folksy sound. And then they kicked up their heels with the album’s title track. Moving and fun. Best: Poison & Wine.
21. The Black Keys – El Camino. These southern-influenced blues rockers from Ohio shifted their sound more toward classic rock & roll 4 this seventh album. More and more they sound less like the stopgap 4 The White Stripes’ absence and more like that duo’s worthy successor. Best: Dead and Gone.
22. Ed Sheeran – +. I didn’t get around to reviewing this album, since I only recently got it (consider it a 4/5 rating). Although I wasn’t initially sold on Sheeran via “The A Team,” in the end, I was ultimately won over by his acoustic-leaning pop debut, particularly its more upbeat tracks. Best: Lego House.
23. Radiohead – The King of Limbs. That Radiohead’s eighth album is more of an exercise in sounds than in songs means this album won’t be 4 everyone, but 4 those who like Kid A and Amnesiac because of that, then should be up your alley. Best: Bloom.
24. Kasabian – Velociraptor!. Fourth album by British rockers Kasabian finds them mining familiar ’60s territory but with a bolder take than on their last album. Best: Days R Forgotten.
25. Death Cab 4 Cutie – Codes and Keys. 4 their seventh album, these indie rockers from Bellingham, Washington, make their sound lighter and more modern than their recent works. Hints of Arcade Fire permeate the buoyant title track with its deep mix of strings, piano, guitar, bass and drums. Best: Codes and Keys.
26. Bon Iver – Bon Iver. The last thing Wisconsinite folk singer Justin Vernon probably thought when he released his 2008 debut, 4 Emma, Forever Ago, was that a few years later he’d be a major influence in alternative rock music. Even Kanye West got into him. On this second Bon Iver album, he gets a small more adventurous and manages to still please, even despite the deafening hype. Best: Towers.
27. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX – We’re New Here. Serving as an effective stopgap b4 the hotly anticipated second album from The XX, its member Jamie XX remixed nearly every track from the late soul and jazz poet Gil Scott-Heron, reinterpreting his quirky, final spoken-word album into a satisfying dose of late-night electronica. Best: The Crutch.
28. Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra. Singer Frank Ocean has been tipped to be a major breakout star next year. This year, but, he’s already racked up a lot of acclaim 4 his self-released mix tape, a winning mix of original songs and remakes where he sings over well loved songs with his own new lyrics. Best: Strawberry Swing.
29. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues. Like Bon Iver, this is another indie act that achieved significant acclaim with its folksy debut and followed it up this year with a second album of similarly fantastic material. Title track “Helplessness Blues” proves that, like Mumford & Sons have shown, folk music doesn’t equate always with slow and silent. Best: Helplessness Blues.
30. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’. Retro R&B is a trend right now 4 sure, but with so many fantastic examples of it, like this eclectic set from Raphael Saadiq, I’m not ready 4 it to end. Stone Rollin’ is an eclectic, decade-jumping work with a of heart and soul. Best: Go to Hell.
31. Wilco – The Whole Like. Wilco’s eighth album delivers much of the same from the band as what we’ve heard b4–accomplished alt. rock with influences from country and ’70s rock. But it’s the dynamite 7-minute opener, which dabbles a bit in Radiohead Kid A electronica and delivers a 2-minute guitar solo, that makes this album worthwhile. Best: Art of Nearly.
32. The Naked and Well-known – Passive Me, Aggressive U. Although “this year’s MGMT” finished up being Foster the People, New Zealand’s The Naked and Well-known auditioned 4 the role with this lively, at times temperamental debut of new wave revival pop. Best: Young Gun.
33. Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch the Throne. Two kings of rap show they can effectively share the throne with this collaboration, one of the year’s most hotly anticipated albums. As u’d expect, modesty is rarely showed on this album chock full of ego and huge-name guests (including two acts named above). Best: Why I Like U.
34. Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding. One fourth of the former Oasis is up at #16 and the rest r here at #34. It might sound corny to say these albums sound like brothers, except 4 the fact that they literally r made by brothers, so its fitting. Oasis fans should find solace in the fact that both albums r pretty fantastic, with this being the bolder and more upbeat of the two. Best: If I Had a Gun…
35. Rihanna – Talk That Talk. Another year, another Rihanna album. On her sixth outing, the Barbadian singer continued global chart domination with her most risque work yet, continuing to churn out frothy dance pop and laid back island-inspired grooves. Best: We Found Like.
36. Britney Spears – Femme Fatale. Britney got her career back on track with 2008′s Circus and she continued her hit streak this year with this unabashedly frothy dance pop album. She slowed down a bit 4 the album’s final track, “Criminal,” and that proved to be fascinating too. Best: Till the World Ends.
37. Katy B – On a Mission. Those needing a lesson on contemporary dance music styles could do worse than listen to Katy B’s debut album, on which she explores a variety of contemporary and (recently) retro dance styles, including dubstep, garage and drum ‘n’ bass. Best: Lights On.
38. Real Estate – Days. On Days, Brooklyn-based Real Estate’s second album, the band churns out mellow and melodic rock. They don’t produce much in the way of variety, but have a pleasant sound–the kind of music that’s a nice soundtrack to a sunny Sunday afternoon. Best: Green Aisles.
39. Washed Out – Within and Without. Washed Out wears its influences on its sleeves–its ambient electronica evokes names like Moby and Chemical Brothers. Another “chill” album that lives up to that nickname. Best: Eyes Be Closed.
40. Glee: The Music Presents – The Warblers. With The Warblers release, Glee came as close as it may ever come to putting out a proper album, since the group, which is really actor/singer Darren Criss and Tufts University’s male singing group The Beelzebubs, sing all these songs a cappella, effectively imitating a bevy of instruments. Best: Teenage Dream.
Worst Album of the Year
Moby – Ruined. I supposed it’s unlikely this is really the worst album of the year. Hopefully I never had a chance to hear that. Still, I was dreadfully disappointed by this bland release, which only recycled his ancient sounds.
Best of 2011: Albums
1. Adele – 21. This year, Adele’s 21 proved resolutely that the pop album is not dead. That a young woman from Britain can release an album to near universal acclaim and appeal is really something, recalling the fantastic pop albums of the ’80s. In an era where tastes r sliced, diced, dissected, genred and market-tested to death, it’s nice to know we can still all come together around something that we all like because it’s just that excellent. Best: Someone Like U.
2. Lady Gaga – Born This Way. Lady Gaga is basically the polar opposite of Adele, but I have plenty of space 4 her and her dazzling third album in my year-end top 10. Born This Way was funkier and more ambitious than The Fame or Fame Monster, ultimately proving to be her best and most cohesive work yet. Even if the singles aren’t all hitting #1 anymore, she’s still got the touch. Best: Born This Way.
3. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake. This was the critics’ favorite album of 2011, but don’t let that stop u from enjoying it too. History buffs will appreciate Harvey’s historical references to specific World War I battles. Music fans will just delight in her eclectic mix of sounds and clever lyrics. Best: The Glorious Land.
4. The Strokes – Angles. This is the one album among my favorites that I’m surprised to see missing from most other year-end lists. I thought Angles, The Strokes’ fourth album, was a winning return to form form the band many consider the most “vital” of the ’00s indie rockers, putting in some of their trademark simple arrangements but also exploring new wave and other territory. Best: Machu Picchu.
5. Foster the People – Torches. I’ll give Torches the award 4 the year’s best debut. Foster the People–aka this year’s MGMT–dominated pop radio this fall with “Pumped Up Kicks,” but their lively debut has lots of other gems from the indie band. I’m surprised they haven’t scored a follow-up hit yet. Best: Helena Beat.
6. Will Young – Echoes. Here’s one I’m not surprised isn’t on a lot of year-end lists, but it’s a shame, 4 Will Young turned out another fine pop album with Echoes, employing producer Richard X to give his like-spurned pop songs a pleasing electronic veneer. Best: Jealousy.
7. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto. Coldplay continue to earn their keep on this fifth album. Although at times it feels that Chris Martin & company r too keen to please, they still churn out their brand of pop/rock uplift effectively. Best: Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall.
8. Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials. On their second outing, Florence Welch & co. rocked out with even bolder and better songs than on their 2009 debut Lungs, with a larger than life sound that proves everything and the kitchen sink can be a god thing. Best: Shake It Out.
9. The Weekend – House of Balloons/Thursday/Echoes of Silence. The modern R&B mix tape became a staple of 2011, as artists too cool 4 things like marks, albums and selling their music, took to the internet to give us free tastes of their remakes, remixes and original songs. The Weekend’s House of Balloons was the best of that set, but his follow-up Thursday was fascinating too, and although I’m just starting to delight in his third set, Echoes of Silence, it’s clear already that it ranks up with the other two. Best: What U Need.
10. Beyoncé – 4. With I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé proved she could place out a blockbuster two-disc concept album that stocked radio with hits and earned her critical acclaim at the same time. With her fourth album, 4, she didn’t have to prove anything, freeing her to buck the electro trend and place out a mostly acoustic set ranging from the manic “Countdown” to the Prince-worthy “1+1.” Although it didn’t sell as well, it showed a fantastic deal of artistry and continued growth. Best: Countdown.
11. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light. Along with Adele and Lady Gaga, this is one of three albums released this year nominated 4 the Grammy Award 4 Album of the Year. Although some said it was a surprise, I thought it was really deserving, representing a solid set of muscular guitar-rock. Best: These Days.
12. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead. Gotta like a excellent indie band from my hometown, especially when they start the year off with putting out a fantastic album like this. When I reviewed this album, I said they reminded me of a folksier, more backwater R.E.M. Best: Down by the Water.
13. St. Vincent – Weird Mercy. This was my first exposure to American musician St. Vincent, who place out this highly compelling set of eclectic and deftly produced tunes. Best: Chloe in the Afternoon.
14. James Blake – James Blake. Another vital trend this year was dubstep, which, frankly, I still have distress identifying, but apparently this was one example. Whatever u want to call it, I thought it was crafty, soulful electronic that recalled both The XX and Bon Iver. Best: The Wilhelm Scream.
15. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes. Joining the long line of Swedish pop tradition (Abba, Roxette, Ace of Base, Max Martin, Robyn) this year was Lykke Li, whose lo-fi production style was, in many ways, the antithesis of the usual Nordic gloss, but still with an ear 4 a excellent pop tune. Best: Sadness Is a Blessing.
16. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Sure, Oasis split last year, but they all kept making music. U’ll find the rest of the gang further down this list. Both were very excellent, but I felt that Noel Gallagher’s songwriting skills meant that his album was just a small bit better. Best: If I Had a Gun…
17. Take That – Progressed. Take That’s album Progress was one of my favorite albums of 2010. In fact, it’s one of my favorite pop albums of all time. This follow-up EP was a welcome second helping of that album’s greatness. Best: When We Were Young.
18. Amy Winehouse – Lioness: Hidden Treasures. Posthumous releases should always be viewed with suspicion, but thankfully this one manages to be an appropriate tribute to an incredible singer gone b4 her time. Her modern take on ’60s soul remains one of pop music’s most fascinating tricks in recent years. Best: Our Day Will Come.
19. Jessie J – Who U R. Jessie J received so much hype that it would be hard 4 the singer to live up to it. And yes, her album wasn’t “all that,” but it was still pretty decent pop from the strutting “Do It Like a Dude” to the affecting title track. She’s got a lot of people in her corner. Album #2 could be even more fascinating. Best: Who U R.
20. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow. Like Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, The Civil Wars achieves a gorgeous alchemy with the tried-and-right formula of a male/female vocal harmony over a lovelorn folksy sound. And then they kicked up their heels with the album’s title track. Moving and fun. Best: Poison & Wine.
21. The Black Keys – El Camino. These southern-influenced blues rockers from Ohio shifted their sound more toward classic rock & roll 4 this seventh album. More and more they sound less like the stopgap 4 The White Stripes’ absence and more like that duo’s worthy successor. Best: Dead and Gone.
22. Ed Sheeran – +. I didn’t get around to reviewing this album, since I only recently got it (consider it a 4/5 rating). Although I wasn’t initially sold on Sheeran via “The A Team,” in the end, I was ultimately won over by his acoustic-leaning pop debut, particularly its more upbeat tracks. Best: Lego House.
23. Radiohead – The King of Limbs. That Radiohead’s eighth album is more of an exercise in sounds than in songs means this album won’t be 4 everyone, but 4 those who like Kid A and Amnesiac because of that, then should be up your alley. Best: Bloom.
24. Kasabian – Velociraptor!. Fourth album by British rockers Kasabian finds them mining familiar ’60s territory but with a bolder take than on their last album. Best: Days R Forgotten.
25. Death Cab 4 Cutie – Codes and Keys. 4 their seventh album, these indie rockers from Bellingham, Washington, make their sound lighter and more modern than their recent works. Hints of Arcade Fire permeate the buoyant title track with its deep mix of strings, piano, guitar, bass and drums. Best: Codes and Keys.
26. Bon Iver – Bon Iver. The last thing Wisconsinite folk singer Justin Vernon probably thought when he released his 2008 debut, 4 Emma, Forever Ago, was that a few years later he’d be a major influence in alternative rock music. Even Kanye West got into him. On this second Bon Iver album, he gets a small more adventurous and manages to still please, even despite the deafening hype. Best: Towers.
27. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX – We’re New Here. Serving as an effective stopgap b4 the hotly anticipated second album from The XX, its member Jamie XX remixed nearly every track from the late soul and jazz poet Gil Scott-Heron, reinterpreting his quirky, final spoken-word album into a satisfying dose of late-night electronica. Best: The Crutch.
28. Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra. Singer Frank Ocean has been tipped to be a major breakout star next year. This year, but, he’s already racked up a lot of acclaim 4 his self-released mix tape, a winning mix of original songs and remakes where he sings over well loved songs with his own new lyrics. Best: Strawberry Swing.
29. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues. Like Bon Iver, this is another indie act that achieved significant acclaim with its folksy debut and followed it up this year with a second album of similarly fantastic material. Title track “Helplessness Blues” proves that, like Mumford & Sons have shown, folk music doesn’t equate always with slow and silent. Best: Helplessness Blues.
30. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’. Retro R&B is a trend right now 4 sure, but with so many fantastic examples of it, like this eclectic set from Raphael Saadiq, I’m not ready 4 it to end. Stone Rollin’ is an eclectic, decade-jumping work with a of heart and soul. Best: Go to Hell.
31. Wilco – The Whole Like. Wilco’s eighth album delivers much of the same from the band as what we’ve heard b4–accomplished alt. rock with influences from country and ’70s rock. But it’s the dynamite 7-minute opener, which dabbles a bit in Radiohead Kid A electronica and delivers a 2-minute guitar solo, that makes this album worthwhile. Best: Art of Nearly.
32. The Naked and Well-known – Passive Me, Aggressive U. Although “this year’s MGMT” finished up being Foster the People, New Zealand’s The Naked and Well-known auditioned 4 the role with this lively, at times temperamental debut of new wave revival pop. Best: Young Gun.
33. Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch the Throne. Two kings of rap show they can effectively share the throne with this collaboration, one of the year’s most hotly anticipated albums. As u’d expect, modesty is rarely showed on this album chock full of ego and huge-name guests (including two acts named above). Best: Why I Like U.
34. Beady Eye – Different Gear, Still Speeding. One fourth of the former Oasis is up at #16 and the rest r here at #34. It might sound corny to say these albums sound like brothers, except 4 the fact that they literally r made by brothers, so its fitting. Oasis fans should find solace in the fact that both albums r pretty fantastic, with this being the bolder and more upbeat of the two. Best: If I Had a Gun…
35. Rihanna – Talk That Talk. Another year, another Rihanna album. On her sixth outing, the Barbadian singer continued global chart domination with her most risque work yet, continuing to churn out frothy dance pop and laid back island-inspired grooves. Best: We Found Like.
36. Britney Spears – Femme Fatale. Britney got her career back on track with 2008′s Circus and she continued her hit streak this year with this unabashedly frothy dance pop album. She slowed down a bit 4 the album’s final track, “Criminal,” and that proved to be fascinating too. Best: Till the World Ends.
37. Katy B – On a Mission. Those needing a lesson on contemporary dance music styles could do worse than listen to Katy B’s debut album, on which she explores a variety of contemporary and (recently) retro dance styles, including dubstep, garage and drum ‘n’ bass. Best: Lights On.
38. Real Estate – Days. On Days, Brooklyn-based Real Estate’s second album, the band churns out mellow and melodic rock. They don’t produce much in the way of variety, but have a pleasant sound–the kind of music that’s a nice soundtrack to a sunny Sunday afternoon. Best: Green Aisles.
39. Washed Out – Within and Without. Washed Out wears its influences on its sleeves–its ambient electronica evokes names like Moby and Chemical Brothers. Another “chill” album that lives up to that nickname. Best: Eyes Be Closed.
40. Glee: The Music Presents – The Warblers. With The Warblers release, Glee came as close as it may ever come to putting out a proper album, since the group, which is really actor/singer Darren Criss and Tufts University’s male singing group The Beelzebubs, sing all these songs a cappella, effectively imitating a bevy of instruments. Best: Teenage Dream.
Worst Album of the Year
Moby – Ruined. I supposed it’s unlikely this is really the worst album of the year. Hopefully I never had a chance to hear that. Still, I was dreadfully disappointed by this bland release, which only recycled his ancient sounds.
Jonas Brothers – Dance Until Tomorrow (New Song)| Drum Cover | Andrew Weber
Jonas Brothers – Dance Until Tomorrow (New Song)| Drum Cover | Andrew Weber facebook.com “Like” my drum page and say hey :) ajwdrums.com http facebook.com – band Jonas Brothers – Dance Until Tomorrow all rights property of its owner(s) From: andysdrum21 Views: 205 13 ratings Time: 03:59 More in Music
VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul Airs Tonight – December 19, 2011
Tonight should be a very special VH1 Divas concert. The event, taped last night at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, is celebrating soul music. The headlining performers r Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Florence and the Machine, Jessie J, and Jill Scott. In addition, there is a wide range of additional legendary performers including Anita Baker, Chaka Khan, and Martha Reeves. Fantastic soul cities r celebrated and Amy Winehouse is remebered as well. The show airs tonight 4 the first time at 9 p.m. ET on VH1. This is the 10th VH1 Divas concert. The Roots r the house band 4 the show.
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VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul Airs Tonight – December 19, 2011
Tonight should be a very special VH1 Divas concert. The event, taped last night at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, is celebrating soul music. The headlining performers r Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Florence and the Machine, Jessie J, and Jill Scott. In addition, there is a wide range of additional legendary performers including Anita Baker, Chaka Khan, and Martha Reeves. Fantastic soul cities r celebrated and Amy Winehouse is remebered as well. The show airs tonight 4 the first time at 9 p.m. ET on VH1. This is the 10th VH1 Divas concert. The Roots r the house band 4 the show.
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Album Reviews
St. Vincent – Weird Mercy (4/5).
On her third album, Weird Mercy, St. Vincent paints her emotions on the surface and fills in her canvas with a range of sounds that can be airy and ethereal or heavy and raspy–sometimes both at that same time. “Chloe in the Afternoon” has a gorgeous arrangement composed of cacophonous elements that resolve under the bass synths of the chorus and then vanish, replaced by gentle electric guitar. “Cruel” is bouncier, bursting with retro synths but also light, airy choruses. “Cheerleader” and “Surgeon” approximate Goldfrapp, with the former throwing out a bold synth-draped verse garnished with electronic flourishes and the latter repeating a airy refrain reminiscent of John Barry’s James Bond theme 4 U Only Live Twice. She rocks out harder on “Northern Lights,” sounding more like Liz Phair, on which she sings “it’s a champagne year full of sober months,” setting up later track “Champagne Year,” one of the albums slower cuts, along with the art-rock title cut (although that picks up toward the end). “Dilettante” shows a bit of swagger, with a loud, raspy guitar cutting incisively into the groovy melody. It concludes with a lush brush of keyboard and piano. “Year of the Tiger” completes the picture, but leaves some spaces unfilled with its mysterious lyrics about “living in dread in the year of the tiger,” (the period ending last February, according to the Chinese calendar). Best: Chloe in the Afternoon, Cruel, Cheerleader, Surgeon.
Black Keys – El Camino (4/5).
On their seventh album, The Black Keys continue to churn out tight, minimalist songs with a rugged feel, although this time their quicker, harder tempos push them away from blues-rock and more toward a classic rock & roll sound. It’s apparent from the start with “Lonely Boy” pulsing along its racing guitar melody and the harder drum and bass of “Dead and Gone.” Other kicky tracks include “Money Maker,” with its cool use of talk box, “Run Right Back,” which charges along a staccato bass line and “Nova Baby,” which nicely uses the new female trio of backup singers. Producer Danger Mouse (Gorillaz, Gnarls Barkley, Broken Bells), who was responsible 4 the group’s fifth album and their last album’s huge hit, “Tighten Up,” returns to work the controls on the entirety of this release, an influence u can hear on the retro instrumentation of tracks like “Gold on the Ceiling,” through which the prominent guitar and bass overlay the less obvious keyboards and hand claps. Subtler “Sister” has them too, along with a darker melody. “Small Black Submarines” starts out as a ballad but transforms into a loud rocker halfway through. Best: Dead and Gone, Lonely Boy, Small Black Submarines, Gold on the Ceiling, Nova Baby.
Real Estate – Days (3.5/5).
On Days, Brooklyn-based Real Estate’s second album, the band churns out mellow and melodic rock, the kind of music that’s a nice soundtrack to a sunny Sunday afternoon. The vocals r delivered somewhere just above a hush and never louder, the guitars play continuously but never threaten to rock out and distort. Because the songs sound so much alike, it’s hard to pick standouts, although the dual guitar arrangement of “Green Aisles,” makes it a strong contender, as does the sweetness and slightly quicker tempo of “It’s Real” and the brighter sound of “Wonder Years.” Instrumental passages r long and, in the case of “Kinder Blumen,” constitute the entire track. Best: Green Aisles, It’s Real.
Amy Winehouse – Lioness: Hidden Treasures (4/5).
After last year’s disappointing Michael, I’m suspicious of posthumous releases. Made by definition without the artist’s input, it’s simple 4 such an album to feel undercooked and lacking a continuous thread that would define the work as an album and not just a collection of leftovers. Thankfully, Lioness really manages to feel rather cohesive, making it a touching coda to Amy Winehouse’s brief by vibrant pop music career. That it lacks the gusto of her 2006 masterpiece Back to Black is fitting: it’s emphasis on slower songs plays up the album as a memorial and tribute. Because Winehouse sounded so comfortable in her soulful retro ’60s mode, the remakes of actual ’60s songs like “Our Day Will Come” and “Will U Still Like Me Tomorrow” sit comfortably alongside new songs written in a ’60s-inspired mode like the breezy “Between the Cheats.” Several of the tracks r alternate versions previously songs. Particularly fascinating is “Tears Dry,” which recasts the boisterous Back to Black single as a rueful ballad with a gorgeous strings arrangement. The album closes with a 2009 recording of “A Song 4 U,” on which Winehouse sounds quite fragile–she was, after all, in quite a bit of distress at that time. Nonetheless, her beauty and talent shine through. In the end, she may have been overcome by her demons, but songs like this leave a lasting impression of her beauty. Best: Our Day Will Come, Tears Dry, Will U Still Like Me Tomorrow, A Song 4 U, Between the Cheats.
