My first post May 13-19

With New Releases...
What I intend to do in this section is to list major upcoming releases for the week. I will give a review on these albums the week after their release. As always, I encourage anyone to provide additional information about any albums listed.

May 17th;

Ben Harper    
Give Till It's Gone

Moby

Destroyed

Seether
Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray












In Music...
In this section, I will discuss new music, give some input and throw you a small sample of some music from yesteryears.

Paul Simon released his album So Beautiful or So What. I am happy to see a resurgence in success of singer/songwriters. James Taylor and Carol King have seen a similar resurgence in popularity. Maybe people are starting to realize the ability to write songs doesn't fade with age. Simon again proves that he is a timeless songwriter. His more recent material is not as pop-catchy as in the past but he continues to show his clout as a writer. If you want to listen to great song writing, lyrics and song structure, I highly recommend this album. If you have not listened to much Paul Simon, stop reading this and get to it. He is one of the all time best. If you like this you may also like, James Tayor and Carol King






Adele released her new album 21 recently. One word....WOW! Her first album, 19, was good, but this album is awesome. She is definitely making her mark on the scene as one of the new stars in the biz. This album tells a great story and seems very intimate and somewhat haunting. It engages you and shows her growth into womanhood. Having already won a Grammy for 19, I would certainly hope she will at least be considered for another. Go get this album, seriously, you will not be sorry. It is good from front to back, first listen. If you like this, you may also like Duffy and Joss Stone.

Paper Airplane is the newest album from Alison Krauss & Union Station. These guys have been doing this for such a long time. To me, they are the poster children for great modern bluegrass. Union Station supplies flawless music and Alison Krauss supplies her angelically haunting voice. It is a great combination and if it ain't broke don't fix it. Alison's last project was with Robert Plant. It was uniquely entertaining, but I am glad to see her return to her bluegrass roots. Anything you get by Alison Krauss is phenomenal. Even if you don't like or think you like bluegrass, give it a listen, you may be surprised. If you like this, you may also like Steve Martin and Bela Fleck/Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.






Next week I will post three more albums for review. Please submit any comments or opinions you may have about the albums.

This weeks throwback albums:

Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill was an epic album of the early 90's. Everyone and their mother owned this album, and for good reason. This was Alanis' breakout into maintstream music. The album is solid from beginning to end. No skips. Even the hidden song is great. If you don't own it...you should....if you haven't heard it....well there may be no hope for you....GO GET IT!!!!!

Souls of Mischief released 93 'til Infinity in the early 90's. This album is a true hip-hop staple, often overlooked or forgotten about. The title track is amazing and it is highly worth checking out. It will bring you back to the good 'ol days of rap. Any fan of hip-hop music should already own this album, but if not, go get it before anyone finds out.









In Charlotte...
In this section I would like to give an outline of concerts coming to the queen city. I will include the major venues in the city as well as any concerts of interest I hear about in other locations. I do not intend to include any events that are not music related. I have included links to all the venue sites so you can browse for yourself or possibly purchase tickets. Anyone who attends these events is encouraged to submit their opinions of the show. As always, I encourage everyone to support the artist.

Bojangles Coliseum

Sat. May 14th; Charlie Wilson and Joe

Charlie Wilson is a four time Grammy nominated R&B artist and former lead singer of the Gap Band. His song, "There Goes My Baby,"reached number one on the Urban Adult charts. Wilson is also the national spokesman for the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF).

NC Music Factory

The Fillmore

Sun. May 15th; The Wailers
The Wailers are slated to perform music from their 1980 album, Uprising. This was the last studio  album compiled before the death of Bob Marley one  year later. This album reached top 50 Billboard success and spawned two well know singles, "Redemption Song" and "Could You Be Loved." If you want classic reggae or roots reggae, the Wailers are a must see.

 


Tue. May 17th; The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips have been doing their own thing since 1983. Forming in Norman, OK, they have not been commercially successful in the United States but have managed to draw a strong cult following. They finally broke through with a mainstream US hit in 1993 with "She Don't Use Jelly." Since then, they continue to produce psychedelic/space rock that is both unique and interesting. They haven't managed to crack the top 100 since but made some noise with the single, "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)," which provided some video airplay.


It is rumoured that Steve Burns of Blue Clues, claims that a Flaming Lips show changed his life, so much so, that he left the show shortly after and embarked on his own music career with heavy Lips influence.


                                                                                         

                                                                                          Wed. May 18th; Blue October

Formed in 1995 in Houston, TX by the Furstenfeld brothers, Blue October broke through with mainstream success in 2006 with the platinum album, Foiled. This album sparked two singles, "Hate Me," and "Into the Ocean," the first of which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard charts.

Amos' Southend

Fri. May 13th; 42 (Coldplay Tribute)

Sat. May 14th; Zoso (Led Zeppelin Tribute)

Tues. May 17th; Apocalyptica w/ Soul's Harbour

Wed. May 18th; Memphis Mayfire

Thur. May 19th; Mac Miller w/Rapsody

Time Warner Cable Arena

No current events

*All opinions are my own or considered public knowledge unless otherwise noted. All images were collected from Google Search.