Taylor Swift

FEARLESS

There is a nice quality to Taylor Swift's music that I can't quite put my finger on.It is not her voice.Her voice is quite singular in tone;it cracks;squeaks off key and is somewhat immature.

It's not the instruments.They are played to a rather bland loudless that leaves them more or less under enjoyed.

Maybe it is Taylor's earnestness.

I have a friend that says it's her barely legal beauty.He calls it,The Disney Effect'-duded up youngsters that make young kids admire their work and parents admire their looks.

That seems somewhat too jaded and evil for my taste.I mean,yes,Taylor Swift is an attractive young lady.There is nothing wrong with that.I keep getting the feeling that if she wiped off the overly applied eye make-up that her chubby cheeks would make her lots younger.

My guess is that she probably walks down the street pretty much anonymously.Her very age appropriate outfits are probably just that:costumes for her stage persona.

If not,so what?what's wrong with being young and beautiful?

And talented.

Unlike most of her peers,Taylor Swift actually takes part in writing her song choices.In fact on,'Fearless' she is given writing credits on every single tune on the cd.

In most cases when a young star or starlet is given writing credits,it usually just for adding a word or two.That can not be the case with Ms.Swift because on 7 of the 13 songs she is given sole credit.

And though most of her songs do sound similar,hey,so doesn't most of 'The Stones' stuff?An album chaulk full of radio singles.

I guess that is what I like about Taylor Swift's music.Yeah,maybe it is created to be big parts in a great big HIT factory,but so what.

It's all part of it.Song,video,tour.$$$.Fun is had by all.Heck,it could be allot worse.

My favorite songs are:'Love Story'(of course);'Fifteen' and 'The Way I Loved You'.

B-

Twilight

Twilight ,The motion picture soundtrack,in my

opinion,has a few negatives going for it right away.First,how can you have a 'goth-chic' album without ,'Evanscence' on it?

I know-mind blowing.

Secondly...well..crap...it's a 'goth-chic' album.

I am a fifty year old faux-gie.Tweenage love affairs outside Romeo and Juliet {and my very old memories} just don't run out and grab me anymore:Even if they do involve one hundred year old vampires.

Most of the time my mind isn't involved in fantasies of frolicking through the woods as much as it is at hobbling through some bland corridor in a walker.

The movie (and the book it is based on)wasn't written with me in mind.

I don't know if that makes me biased or unbiased towards the movie's soundtrack.But I am trying to judge this cd just via the music.

...Though I do understand-VERY MUCH- the idea of vampires.

One year ago I found myself very sickly and weak.I thought myself overworked,overstressed and just tired and depressed as hell.

I was pale as a ghost.

Finally,going to the doctor,I found out I was severely anemic.Borderline anemic in an adult male is 13.0 g/dl .I was diagnosed with a 5.2 g/dl level.

Once to the hospital(I played softball first),both the doctors and nurses told me they have never seen someone with such a low blood level up and walking around.

They immediately intravenously gave me two units of blood.

WoW!Though I was at the hospital until 3:30 am,I was back up at 5:30 and putting in eight hours of standing work by 6:30.I came home and mowed the lawn and than had to drive to the Columbus airport.On the way i got a flat tire.changed it in a snap.

Man!Was I feeling energetic and ready to go.I had not felt so alive in so long...

...Later on,I realized just how sick and weak I really must have been.To have that much energy from two units of blood...well...lets just say that I truly understand a vampire's bloodlust..it made me feel like Superman.

So,while I may not understand the romance of this 'goth-chic' movie,I am not against it's sentiments.

So,when I heard the first song,I was some what disappointed.Muse's,'Supermassive Black Hole',initially sounded like a My Morning Jacket's,'Highly Suspicious ' ripoff.The same falsetto voice,basically the same melody.But,you know what...instead of stopping me from liking the song,I found,instead,it made me like it.

The whole album,in fact,seems to walk that fine line between edgy vampire-ism and hot under the collar romance.A high wire act very hard to achieve.

Besides,how can you dislike any cd with Iron And Wine on it?

A very fine effort.

B+

FREE WEEK #14

Meet Glen Campbell

While I am not a huge Glen Campbell fan,I have to admit that I am a fan.I consider his Christmas album,'That Christmas Feeling' a Christmas classic...probably one of the top five Christmas albums ever.My family has played it for years-and probably will continue to on into the next generation or two.

Not that 'that' makes this cd any better or worse.I did not come into reviewing 'Meet Glen Campbell' with any other expectations except the,'I hoped that I would like it'.

And I do.

In latter Johnny Cash fashion this is a covers album.Glen sings(amongst others)Tom Petty(twice),Jackson Browne,U2,The Foo Fighters,Lou Reed,Billy Joel,and even John Lennon.

Mr.Campbell does a very good job.I very much enjoy his guitar work[though I don't actually know how much of it is 'his' playing],but I could have done without the lavish orchestra that is on most of the songs.

The cd is short,so will be my review.My favorite songs are,'Sing','Walls','Times Like These',Lou Reeds,'Jesus',and 'Time Of Your Life'.

I even think that(gasp-sacriledge)Glen Campbell's version of John Lennon's,'Grow Old With Me',is better than John Lennon's version.

Not bad for a quaint little covers album...

...not bad at all.

B+

FREE WEEK #13


Queen + Paul Rodgers:The Cosmos Rocks


Hurray for free weeks!This album download is most awesome!This is one great recording!

Yes,I have to admit it:I am a HUGE Queen fan.I have all of their albums(if you don't count all of the many and repetitive greatest hits compilations..phewwy uck!).

Also,I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by last years Queen + Paul Rodgers Live cd,'Return Of The Champions'.

It also can be said that I am a fan of Paul Rodgers(formally of,'Free',Bad Company' & 'The Firm').I have fond memories of listening to Bad Company's ,'Shooting Star' in my basement.It is one of my favorite family/rock and roll memories.It was just cleaning the basement with my brothers while the song blasted on the radio...but it is a memory that has stuck with me for some whatever reason.

The Queen memories are too many to recount and/or explore.But people that know me know how big Queen has been in my life.

Not that I think this group should necessarily be refereed to as Queen.John Deacon(Another One Bites The Dust) is nowhere to be seen.But,on the other hand,besides guitarist Brian May and drummer,Roger Taylor,Queen silent partner Spike Edney toured with them on 'Return',so there is an argument for the 'Queen' name.


Besides,they will instantly get more ticket/cd sales under the 'Queen' name than they would ever under,'May-Rodgers-Taylor' or some super group name like 'The Altered Audio Revolver Tower'.


[Though,in the long run,'The Altered Audio Revolver Tower' thing maybe the better choice-if you want the system to work right now- you have to go with 'Queen + Paul Rodgers.]


And ' The Cosmos Rocks' does work right now.


I said it once,I'll say it again,This is one great recording.


According to what I've read(once again,I bought the on-line version-no liner notes)not only are all of the songs written by Brian May,Roger Taylor and Paul Rodgers,but all the instruments are played by them as well....Is that Roger Taylor on lead guitar on,'War Boys'!?!


'Cosmos' really starts hitting on all cylinders straight from the get go,but from,'Small' until 'Small Reprise' is the heart of this delicious album.


I think there was a deliberate attempt on this cd to get the listener involved into the music.I believe this was done for immediate concert participation.Arena rock at it's best.Great sing-alongs.


One of the ways I tend to judge a new recording is to not totally judge it until after I have listened to it at least for three times.Another measuring tool is if and when I find myself absent mindedly singing/humming the tunes from the album while I am at work.


For the latter,this was a humdinger.Though I didn't know even the song's titles,I found myself jamming inside my own noggin to many of the songs off this Queen/Paul Rodgers listening experience.


Some of these tunes included,'Still Burnin';'Small';'Warboys';and especially the almost Christian rock sounding,'We Believe'(a possible 'Obama' shout out?).

Two of my favorite songs on 'Cosmos Rocks' are the very Queen sounding,'Call Me'(what a fun song) and the very un-Queen sounding,'Voodoo'(This had an almost Santana sound to it).


I can not tell you how much I enjoyed hearing the enthral voice of Paul Rodgers followed by the distinctly Queen guitar work of Brian May.Roger Taylors contributions should not be over looked in this mix either.His great percussion work as well as his unique voice and writing skills truly make this a 'Queen +Paul Rodgers production.

They don't make albums like this anymore.Which makes,'The Cosmos Rocks' even that much better!



A+