The Truth About Music

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Topic: Album Of The Month

Album of the Month: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West

By Harris posted December 01, 2010 at 15:00

When the rumors began circulating around this release I was less than enthused. Word on the street was that each song would be upwards of six minutes long and would feature many of the oddities that made 808′s and Heartbreaks weak. While Kanye West spent most of the Fall 2010 releasing songs from the upcoming album completely free on his website, the buzz couldn’t be stopped. If this album was good or bad, it was going to make a huge splash when it came out Thanksgiving week. It did just that and despite the length tracks, it combines the best of Graduation and 808′s into the perfect balance of weird Kanye and the genius rapper Kanye. Continue...
Album of the Month: Cee Lo Green Kills It With “The Lady Killer”

By Harris posted November 09, 2010 at 08:00

If smash singles build buzz for albums then Cee Lo Green hit the jackpot. With his first album since putting Gnarls Barkley on hiatus, Green took the pop world by storm with his racy single, “Fuck You” (also written as “FU” or “Forget You” depending on the medium). What made this single great was that not only was it a great tune to listen to, it was well written, well produced and a perfect fit for Green’s voice. Looking back over the body of work from Gnarls Barkley, I was always extremely impressed with the singles and much less enthused about the albums. I was anxious to find out if this trend would continue. Continue...
Album of the Month: Bruno Mars Dazzles In Debut Album

By Harris posted October 05, 2010 at 08:00

Best new artist. Defined by the Grammy Assosiation as an award given to “a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist” it is a phrase that bestows artists that capture the pop world above all else. Beyond a dictionary definition is a feeling. When an unknown artist sang the chorus to the song of the summer we knew it. When a high pitched soulful collaborator appeared on multiple platinum singles we knew it. Now, on the day of his debut album release, we are sure. Bruno Mars could be the most talented, most decorated new artist the music world has seen in decades. Continue...
Album of the Month: Goo Goo Dolls Shock With First Album In Four Years

By Harris posted September 02, 2010 at 11:00

Skeptical is the one word I would use to describe the Goo Goo Dolls latest album “Something For The Rest Of Us.” I was very wary of weather a band that hadn’t released an album in four years and hadn’t recaptured the success of earlier albums such as “Dizzy Up The Girl” could get back to the top. One factor that led to my skepticism was the first single which had recieved limited air play on satellite radio over the last few weeks. The song, “Home” is the third song on the album and is one of the hardest songs to enjoy. What makes the Dolls great is their true understanding of the contemporary rock genre. From a fast paced start with songs “Sweetest Lie” and “As I Am” the album seemed to suck the listener in. Although it could of fell appart with track three, the single “Home,” there [...] Continue...
Harris’ Album of the Month: “A Measure Of Wealth” by The Law

By Harris posted April 02, 2010 at 09:00

Coming home from SXSW, there were two bands sticking in my mind. One was Jaguar Love, and the other was The Law. Hearing them at my very first showcase of the festival, their sound stuck with me through the entire week and has now followed me back to Connecticut. As a long time fan of rock with British roots, The Law has come to us from Scotland and brings a raw energy that is different than bands from America. Reminding me of The Fratellis first album, “Costello Music,” The Law’s debut album has the killer combination of great hooks, raw energy and perfectly blended harmonies. If you are a fan of rock from across the Atlantic like The Switches, Arctic Monkeys, or The Wombats, you will find their sound similar, while the songwriting gives them a unique, fresh feel. Continue...
Visit The “Plastic Beach” In This Beautiful Weather!

By Jon posted March 17, 2010 at 09:00

Hey! It’s March 16th and that means we are past the half way point of March, which means we are in the “out like a lamb” portion of this yin yang month, and in case you were wondering what my point is, the beautiful weather has (not) arrived!! That means time to plug in those ear buds, go for a walk, and let the soundtrack to your life play out! I’m here to make some recommendations to add to your soundtrack and possibly brighten up your day! I recently downloaded the latest Gorillaz album “Plastic Beach” released March 3rd, which features a bunch of wonderful tracks, songs that are good enough to meet my standards for album of the month. The entire album as a whole is solid, but some songs really caught my attention and are definitely cool additions to your soundtrack. This album, is something new and fresh [...] Continue...
Harris’ Album of the Month: “Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack”

By Harris posted March 01, 2010 at 09:00

This movie was all the craze at last years Oscars, but I thought because of its recent win at the 52nd Grammy Awards I would honor last years best picture soundtrack during the road to the Academy Awards. Bridging an incredble language gap, A.R. Rahman wrote and performed many of the key tracks on this incredible collection. Despite much of the singing being foreign in language to almost all American’s, the melodies have an entrancic tone that draws you into the music as an experience. Taking the movie completely out of the picture, the songs of this soundtrack tell their own story of Indian culture. The very first track on the album is one of the highlights. “O… Saya” is one of two songs that features M.I.A. on vocals alongside the Rahman, and it is simply perfect as the leadoff song. Continue...
Jon’s Album of the Month: “Almost Alice: The Alice In Wonderland Soundtrack”

By Jon posted February 22, 2010 at 09:00

This month has been kinda slow for music. I was able to get my hands on a copy of “Almost Alice,” the soundtrack to Tim Burton’s up coming remake of the famous Disney movie “Alice in Wonderland.” Because of its release on March 2nd, I’m making it my album of the month for February (the Play It Loud album of the month comes out halfway through the month). To me, the idea of this album came out of left field, because typically Disney movies feature orchestra pieces, written and composed by one composer, and then recorded by a professional orchestra. Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story” featured one artist like Randy Newman (who, will be replacing Kevin Eubanks and the Tonight Show Band, on the new installment of Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show”) would write and record all the songs for the soundtrack of the movie. But in the case of “Almost Alice” a [...] Continue...
Harris’ Album of the Month: “Smile Kid” by We The Kings

By Harris posted February 01, 2010 at 10:00

Once a band impresses you in one aspect of their overall product, it becomes easier to enjoy them as a package. Although I initially wasn’t impressed with We the Kings first self titled album, seeing them live changed my opinion drastically. They are easily one of the most energetic bands I’ve seen in the last few years and I’m looking forward to seeing them again as they tour through the east coast in a few weeks. With their tour rolling through my area I figured I should brush up on their latest album. Listening to it again after its release two months ago gave me a great perspective on it. I’m a person who is usually impressed by debut albums and much less impressed with sophomore attempts. We the Kings might have broken that mold. Although I was more impressed with the singles from “We The Kings,” the entire package [...] Continue...
Audio.Logic Album of the Month January 2010

By Jon posted January 12, 2010 at 02:31

To kick off the new year, I got my hands on Ke$ha’s up coming album, “Animal.” I’m choosing this as my album of the month for January 2010 because I believe she is going to be the breakthrough artist of the year, and with her album released on January 5th, she is going to have the rest of the year to put out singles from the album, as well as collaborate with the laundry list of artists in line after her chart topping single “Tik Tok” came on the radio last month. Her singing style is rather original, and she has the voice of a seemingly sweet teen, but all that is absolved with her lyrics of drinking and debauchery. Her song style can be compared to that of Katy Perry with more of an electro dance pop feel and less rock ‘n roll. Getting her break on FloRida’s “Right [...] Continue...