Carly Simon: estupenda at any age

+Hear Music, the label of so expensive coffees Starbucks, announced some time ago that it has signed renowned singer-songwriter Carly Simon to release This Kind of Love, her highly anticipated first album of all-original songs in eight years. She joins the elite roster of Hear Music artists that includes Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell and James Taylor. The album will be released at Starbucks Company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada as well as traditional music retail on April 29, 2008.

+ This Kind of Love ranks among Simon’s most personal albums as well as one of her most stylistically diverse excursions with songs ranging from gorgeous melodies to driving rhythms. The CD is co-produced by Simon, Frank Filipetti and Jimmy Webb who also wrote or co-wrote most of the arrangements. Filipetti worked his talent as the engineer as well as producer. The three first teamed up for Film Noir, Simon’s album of standards that Webb produced in 1997.

+ The musical inspiration of the CD comes from Simon’s fascination with Brazilian music, whose rhythms are subtly infused throughout. Even though she grew up listening to such classic artists as Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfa, it was Simon’s recent discovery of modern-day Brazilian musicians Caetano Veloso and Jorge Ben that made her realize “you don’t have to be singing bossa nova or samba to get the essence [of Brazilian music]. There are songs that fit no one rhythm or generic type or song progression.”

+ Visit her space or her web page to hear these wonderful songs.

+ And listen to one of them from here:
* Hold out your heart (qtl or asx).

+ 17 songs! Impressive number. Bah, just imagine 17 symphonic rock songs, each one with its unavoidable guitar and drums solo. Whatever, do not lose your number.

+ If you are seventeen, this is your record. 'Cos I am much more than that, I do not understand yet why I love these 17 songs!

+ You can try to see if you like them by visiting their space, you will never tell they are great, but you know you should!, you can try to explain why you like the wonderful record under the radar, but you know you should buy all the records they have!

* You can even critizice them for their updated version (thanks guys) of the wizard of oz, somewhere over the rainbow, but you know that you were already very worried for always listening to that good old version (Judy Garland).

* You should say, The Goldbergs, where were you all my life?

Danny Federici, RIP

+ It looks like the New Jersey coast is brilliant sometimes, melancholic other times. I guess the paperwriter was trying to say that the man was brilliant!.

+ Melancholic, throw the first stone!

+ Danny, you played great, you were a great friend, we will remember you!

* Listen to the man (piano, alright) while Bruce sings here.

It's a shame about Ray reissued! includes a DVD!

+ The Lemonheads' second album for Atlantic Records was an unforgettable gem. Powered by infectious melodic hooks and a mix of sweet and subversive lyrics, IT'S A SHAME ABOUT RAY helped put the band on the map in 1992. Now, Rhino honors the album with the label's special Collector's Edition treatment, remastering and expanding the original for a CD/DVD set that includes unreleased demos along with the DVD debut of the 1993 video Two Weeks In Australia.

+ The album features the trio -- Evan Dando (guitar, vocals), David Ryan (drums) and Juliana Hatfield (bass, backing vocals) -- breezing through 13 songs in just under 30 minutes, including the title track, "My Drug Buddy," "The Turnpike Down" and a romping cover of the Simon and Garfunkel classic "Mrs. Robinson. The 10 bonus tracks feature "Shaky Ground," which was originally released as the B-side to "My Drug Buddy." The remaining nine songs are unreleased demos that Dando recorded in 1991, including early renditions of album tracks "Confetti," "Rockin Stroll" and "Hannah & Gabi," plus "Bit Part," which includes vocals from Hatfield.

+ The DVD contains 45 minutes of videos and live performances that were previously released only on VHS as Two Weeks In Australia. The disc features videos for several songs from IT'S A SHAME ABOUT RAY, including the title track, the breakout single "Mrs. Robinson," "My Drug Buddy" and more. Also included is a video for "Being Around," a song that would appear a year later on the follow-up to RAY and "Half The Time" from the Lemonheads' Atlantic debut, Lovey. A trio of live performances include "Alison's Starting To Happen," "Ride With Me" from Lovey and "It's About Time" from 1993's Come On Feel The Lemonheads. The DVD also features candid commentary by Dando recalling the band's wild Australian antics.

* Ok, listen to it's a shame about Ray.
* or to drug buddy.
* or to Mrs. Robinson.

* Or, watch them here:

It’s A Shame About Ray Listening Party:

http://rhino.edgeboss.net/real/rhino/listeningparties/424444/424444_specialops.smi
http://rhino.edgeboss.net/qtime/rhino/listeningparties/424444/424444_specialops.mov
http://rhino.edgeboss.net/wmedia/rhino/listeningparties/424444/424444_specialops.wax

+ Enjoy greart music!

It's not simple but Van just does it simple!

+ The man in the picture is serious, reflexive, it could serve as a roman emperor in an epic movie about the Roman empire. In its bourgeoning era, of course. Or the king of the spanish empire round sixteen century. Or just a blues singer. Great photo and cover!

+ Keep It Simple is Morrison’s first album of new material in two years. The man itself explain what will you find there:

“People don’t remember what you did, or what happened, or how you got here,” he says. “I didn’t get here the easy way. It’s people who don’t know me. They don’t actually look at what this guy’s actually been through. They see the big versions of what’s supposed to be me – but they don’t know my biography really. That’s what this whole record’s about.”

+ Ok, great music is what you find in any Van Morrison job. Keep it simple is no exception. Two superb blues pieces just as a start (how can a poor boy, school of hard knocks), rest (what a rest), another blues (don't go to clubs anymore), soul (lover come back), northern irish paintings, and much more, all with emotion and depth.

* You can get a good glimpse of the record by visiting his space.

* You can also listen to and watch soul.

* There is another player at the Lost Highway Records web.

* And, here, you can get a stream of “That’s Entertainment”.