Here We Go Go Go Again!

Before I start my review of Demi Lovato's "Here We Go Again," I'd like to mention my journey to buy it.

My friend and I were taking a long walk to the local Barnes & Nobles. On the way, we saw Anthony Anderson filming the movie "The Backup Plan" in a park ("The Backup Plan" stars Jennifer Lopez, who was not there at the time.) We eventually reached the book store, but they were selling the CD a bit overpriced. My friend had to get home, but I had all the time in the world, so I decided to walk to the mall. Another couple of miles. Once there, I found the CD in Best Buy, for a good price. But I still had to get back home. I could have taken the bus, but that would have defeated the purpose of going to the mall to save money. So I walked home (flipping through the CD booklet on the way). It was a long walk, but it was a nice summer evening.

Anyway, that was a week ago, and now, a week later, I have listened to and reviewed the album.

"Here We Go Again" is Demi's #1 charting sophomore album. It is meant to be more a work of her own (as versuses her debut, which featured much input from the JoBros.)

The album opens with 4 songs about heartaches. All kinda sound similar, perhaps even too similar. The title track is included here, and it is a standout. The other pretty much retread (although "Solo" has a nifty pun, as in "so low.")

But, before I could write off the album, track five marked a turning point. "Quiet" is a schizo-pop arrangement of a song, and, especially the way Demi sings it, recalls Björk's "It's Oh So Quiet."

"Catch Me" could be "Don't Forget" redux, but also is a great example of both Demi's growth as a singer (she shows more control than on the latter), and also in style (this one is less Jonas-y, and is in fact written solely by Demi). With the string section, it is a beautiful number.

The next few songs are pretty good too. There is "Everytime You Lie" (a jazzy track), "Got Dynamite" (a fuzzy, slow rocker that many reviewers hail as a standout, but not my favorite), and "Stop The World" (with Nick Jonas, and it is too obviously Nick Jonas).

Demi's one collaboration with John Mayer that made the album is "World Of Chances." It has some of Mayer's signature guitar thrown in, plus some of Demi's prettiest, lightest vocals out of any track on here (making the lyrical themes of missed chances all the more tragic and subtle.)

"Remember December" is a great track, the combines a techno beat with a fast and crunchy rock arrangement. It shows offs, especially Demi's voice, and might be the most in your face, not too mention perhaps the album's best rocker.

The album closes with "Everything You're Not." In this song, Demi sings "All I want/ is everything you're not" to a boy. She has finally learned her lesson not to keep going back (like in the title track.) Unless she does wind up go go going back....

The album includes to bonus tracks. "Gift Of A Friend" is Demi's song for a Tinkerbell movie. It is characteristically a Disney ballad, and with its' celtic flavor, calls to mind Selena's Tinkerbell song, "Fly To Your Heart". Lastly, included is "So Far So Great", the "Sonny With A Chance" theme song. Sure, it is not as mature as the rest of the album. But after all the deeper emotions and teen-love angst and dramatics, it is nice to close with a cheery rocker.

The album jumps across many styles. But the arrangments still have similarities, which keeps the album from feeling unfocused. Instead, Demi shows how varied she can be, and more importantly, that she is capable of handling all these styles. Far from being a one trick pony.

Many reviews excitedly claim that this album is better than "Don't Forget." But I love "Don't Forget." I don't want to betray it. Besides, the two albums are very different. "Here We Go Again" is maturer, somewhat darker, and features more slow songs over rock cuts. And both are very good. I'd leave it at that.

Rumors of a future deluxe edition are out. Of course, Demi has three known songs she left off the album. "For The Love Of A Daughter" was originally on the album, but removed when Demi decided it was perhaps too mature a theme for her listeners. "Shut Up And Love Me" also intially made the album, but is now rumored to be saved for the deluxe edition. Either way, Demi has said it is one of her favorites.

There is also another John Mayer track, "Love Is The Answer," which may be another track for the deluxe edition.

Some good news to end this post! "Send It On," featuring Demi, Selena, Miley, and The Jonas Brothers, will premiere on Dsiney Channel on August 7th, and on iTunes August 11th.

And, of course, on Tuesday, the "Wizards Of Waverly Place" soundtrack comes out, featuring 3 new songs by Selena (along with the show's theme song.)

Party In The USA

So, Miley's new song "Party In The USA" has been confirmed as her next single. And it will be released on an exclusive Walmart EP (in conjunction with her MileyMax clothing line). The EP will be called "The Time Of Our Lives" (not "Voyage To India," as rumors erroneously stated). No tracklisting has been announced, but a release date of August 31st has been given.

There are no Walmarts in NYC. So I'm gonna have to take a busride to Nassau county to get the EP. What an adventure a simple task of buying an album can become.

Still to come is my review of "Here We Go Again" (as I've been too busy to actually listen to it.)

What Goes On?

I wish I could give some great news today. Instead, all I have is great speculation and rumors. How exciting and mysterious!

First, Miley Cyrus. Yesterday, she was in the news for reportedly auditioning for Batgirl for the next installment of the current Batman franchise. But, Holy Hockeypads, there's more!

Today, a new song leaked. Titled "Party In The USA," it is obviously up for future release, as record labels had it pulled from youtube already. What the song is for is up in the air. Some say it will be used as a promotional tool behind Miley's Walmart-exclusive clothing line, perhaps as aprt of an EP. Others say it is from a new album. Miley herself twittered the other day that she recorded 3 songs in one day, and has apparently been working on music all summer, when not filming for the Last Song. Busy kid. Anyway, she seems to be working fast, and will probably have an album out soon. Perhaps it will come out before her tour? Or, like Demi, during her tour? It would be no surprise if Miley has eyes for an autumn release. She has enough time to promote it and such. And, like I said, she is already going to be a hot topic (I mean, even more so than usual) with her first tour in 2 years!

Okay, that aside, there are the Beatles.

Insider information says that "Now and Then," and 1979 demo by John, augmented by the rest of the Beatles in the nineties, is finished. More over, in someway, it, along with other rarities, will be released in conjuction with the Beatles downloadable catalogue. This has NOT been officially announced, but is rumored to be in the coming days or months. Songs rumored to be connected include "Granny Smith" (a non-Indian take 1 of "Love You To"), "Carnival Of Light" (the infamous sound-rave from '67), "Revolution 1" (the full 11 minutes, which has been leaked), and an instrumental "Doctor Robert" (yeah, I don't know either). I'd like to add to this rumor, with no source or backing, "What Goes On" as recorded solely by Paul.

I'm really excited about the future coming up. We also have Yoko's album, Selena's album (which is very close to getting a release date/press announcement), Emily Osment's album, Jennette McCurdy's album (my money is that it is finished, but Capitol is working on how to promote it, package it, etc), and a Miranda Cosgrove release (no word on her album, but she has done a song for the film "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs", one of my favorite books as a kid.)

And who can forget Selena's 3 new tracks on the "Wizards Of Waverly Place" soundtrack?

Also, since earlier this year, the Rolling Stones re-issued all their post-Abcko studio albums. Except "Exile On Main Street." That album is up for deluxe treatment. What that entails is right now unknown. However, the album suffers from poor mixing (Mick Jagger mixed it after the produced got to involved in drugs to function, and Mick Jagger is not known for his mixing). The Stones have not done bonus tracks for any albums, so this deluxe package, no matter what is will be, is quite the anomaly.

I'm out of breath just thinking about all these rumors/future releases.

Next post should be a review of Demi's "Here We Go Again", plus my story of how I got it.

Holy Hockeypads!

2010: A Space Oddessy

Well, Jennette McCurdy has finally made some public comments about her album. She has been signed to Capitol Nashville. This is exciting news, because with the backing of a major label, I'm positive Jennette will be able to reach a wide range of fans. As Jennette noted, however, this will mean a delay in releasing her record. But it seems well worth it.

Meanwhile, a potential release date has been given for Emily Osment's debut effort. I had my money down on an Autumn release, but it turns out the prospective date is March 9th, 2010! It is hard to believe that I first heard about Emily working on an album almost a year ago. And that last Christmas, I learned two songs from her album were leaked (one, "All The Way Up," is apparently set as the first single, with plans for it to premiere on Radio Disney next month, as a music video has been filmed behind it)

Well, at least if it isn't coming out until March, I'll have time to save up after buying all the other albums coming out!

Led Zeppelin Presents "Presence"

Presence is Led Zeppelin's most underrated album. It is rarely given any recognition on the radio. Its' sales were quite poor for a Zeppelin album. Its' reputation is very mixed. But, in some ways, this oft overlooked album is one of their best. It is their most unapologetic, in your face, hard rocking album. There are no acoustic ballads. No keyboards or organs. Just guitars, bass, and drums (and the occasional harmonica).

The album was made when the band was at their peak, or, in some ways, just past it. For the drugs and the lifestyles were catching up as the members were getting older. The band was the top live act, but that came to a sudden halt when Plant was in a serious car accident, that left him confined temporarily to a wheelchair. His physical condition is a great image to accompany the psychological stress and pain the band was in. It is in that condition that Page and Plant wrote the songs, and then got with Jones and Bonham to record the album (in a session that barely ran for a week, although Page made use of the time, claiming to have stayed awake for days overdubbing guitar.)

The title "Presence" refers to the bands presence on stage, the power that they possess. It turned out that stage presence was so strong, that fans flocked to the live document, "The Song Remains The Same," (recorded in '73) over "Presence."

The album opens with "Achilles' Last Stand." The song draws, musically, from the extended arrangements of "Dazed And Confused" that they had used as a centerpiece in concert. Like that song, "Achilles" is an epic. It is full of sprawling imagery and mythical references, sung over John Paul Jones galloping bass, and Jimmy's orchestra of guitars (possibly the most complicated set of guitar overdubs Page ever laid down.)

"Candy Store Rock" and "Royal Orleans" are two songs that fall short of displaying the band's force. The former is an uninspired send-up of fifties era Elvis. The latter is a rather comical retelling of John Paul Jones encounter with a transsexual, that ended in a hotel fire.

"Hots On For Nowhere" is an interesting track, but does not quite live up to its' predecessor, a 1975 jam (from where the basic melody is drawn), that has achieved much notoriety in the bootleg world.

"Nobody's Fault But Mine" and "For Your Life" are two heavy examples of the tension and pain going into the album. The arrangements are stop and go, not at all fluid, while the guitars are liquid, oozing right out of the speakers.

The last track, "Tea For One," is the band tracking their growth by essentially remaking "Since I've Been Loving You." It is a testament to the band that they not only pull it off, but even improve on the earlier song. Musically, it is a reworking, played with experience and maturity. Lyrically, it is completely original. It is a song about homesickness, the most concrete ache on this disc. Plant's conviction is stirring, as he sums up all the pain and anguish in such a personal confession. At the same time, it both a nod to Zeppelin's earlier days, as well as a take on their purest blues influences.

It is not their most accessible album. It is not nearly as varied as their other releases. Instead, it is one big theme, on statement of distress, that the band with such a "Presence" still has aches and woes. In a contradicting way, they use their force and power to show how weak and vunerable and human they can be.

Hannah Montana 3 "Could Be The One"

"Hannah Montana 3" came out last Tuesday. The album is the maturest Hannah release yet. It is still a slick slice of kid-friendly pop, by Miley's eternally young alter-ego. Miley herself is the performer here, and nothing more. Her blossoming writing talents are not on display here. It is her voice that she brings, and it is in full force, displaying an increase in strength, confidence, and control, compared to prior albums. And that is important, as the songs cover a wider range than just upbeat songs about secret identities and parties like the first Hannah disc was. We have plenty of songs dealing with love, from crushes to heartbreaks, along side the party numbers.

"Don't Wanna Be Torn" is a song about how love can come with tough decisions. To her acting credit, Miley pulls this one off as though she had penned it herself. "Just A Girl" is a slow number that feels like "The Climb," but not quite as strong. It is a good number all the same, however. "Ice Cream Freeze (Let's Chill)" is a dance number in the same vein as "Hoedown Throwdown," but is considerably less catchy. "Mixed Up" sounds similar to the song "I Learned From You" musically, but otherwise stands on its own, and is a another song about growing up that Miley injects her earnestness into.

Other standout tracks are "He Could Be The One," and "I Wanna Know You." "I Wanna Know You" foregos the usual guitar arrangment that most uptempo numbers use, instead backed by a brassy keyboard, and some really nifty backing vocals. It is about a boy who has great qualities, and now the singer wants to get closer to him. It is a really cool song, but does not warrant having to versions on this album. One is a solo version, the other is a duet with David Archuleta. Both are similar, but Archuleta adds some novelty, as well as nice harmonies, and as such, the duet would have been fine without a solo version.

Another duet featured is the new "If We Were A Movie," by Hannah and Corbin Bleu (actually used in season 2.) I have nothing against it, or Corbin Bleu, but if a guest singer is available, why not just do a new song? Nothing special is added to this song by making it a duet.

Also on the album are song by Mitchell Musso, and two songs already released on the "Hannah Montana The Movie" soundtrack.

Overall, the album is a real success for Hannah Montana. Songs that draw comparisons to movie tunes usually don't fare as well, but otherwise, the album is even better than the movie soundtrack. Still, there is too much filler. "Let's Do This" is one of my favorite Hannah songs, and "Let's Get Crazy" is another enjoyable number, but both were already on the movie disc. No need for two copies. The solo version of "I Wanna Know You," and the duet with Corbin also feel extraneous. Still, if this is the kind of stuff Hannah is doing, I can only imagine how great Miley's next album will be!

A Quick Update (While He's Away)

So, I plan to write a full blog post to review the "Hannah Montana 3" album that comes out tomorrow. In the meantime, I'd like to just mention that Jennette McCurdy's album has not come out yet (maybe August.) Also, the Klaus Voormann album "A Sideman's Journey," has been pushed back to July 17th according to the German amazon website. The American site says the 7th, but since it is a German import, the later date seems more likely. Either way, the album is coming out very soon.

By the way, I know it doesn't come out until January, but I'm started to get excited for "The Last Song," starring Miley. I'm curious to see how Miley's acting chops hold up outside the Hannah realm. If she doesn't make it there, I heard she is a pretty good singer too ;) (speaking of which, Miley has been in the studio lately, and I wonder if she is doing songs for the movie, or just for her own release.)