FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE — GUY B, ANNIE, MELISSA, and MORE!
I don't often have the time to catch up on music, but I do manage it occasionally. And it's not often I have an out singer to write about, but this week I do!
Guy B. was born in Israel to parents of Moroccan descent and immigrated to America when he was 3-years-old. His music reflects his roots and the pan-sexual and pan-religious themes that run throughout his work. Guy B. is also not afraid to use his sex-appeal with plenty of hot shirtless pics of him on his MySpace page and a rather sexy video for "Within Me". Not that I'm complaining. The music itself isn't half-bad veering between standard dance club stuff and slightly more substantial. Not a bad first effort and since I'm feeling generous I'll give him a B.
I've adored Annie Lennox ever since she first strutted her stuff in "Sweet Dreams" (hey, I was a precocious three-year-old!) and while I'd like to believe she is the heart and soul of the Eurythmics, each subsequent album convinces me that there was a very special alchemy that occurred when she worked with Dave Stewart back in the day. Don't get me wrong — I still love Annie, but it's just not the same and her new album "Songs of Mass Destruction" is again in the same vein. There are some great songs such as "Dark Road", "Love is Blind", and "Ghosts in My Machine", but too many of the songs sound the same and it can be a little heavy at times. So I'll have to give it a B.
Melissa is one of those artists that just gets better with time and I especially love how she takes the experience she's acquired through obstacles she's overcome — cancer, busted relationships — and translates them into great music. Highlights here include "California" and "Message to Myself". It's great to see an out artist of her stature at such a creative peak. This one is easily an A.
I'd never heard a thing about Nicole Atkins before her CD Neptune City landed in my inbox, but she just made my list of favorite new female artists this year along with Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, and Feist. Her songs are catchy pop and she's got a sweet voice that is easy to listen to. The songs are fun, catchy and atmospheric, especially "Maybe Tonight" and "Love Surreal". Nicole's Neptune City nets her a solid B.
Emily King is another new artist (for me) and her voice is a little more soulful, her songs a little less catchy, but a little more diverse. Highlights here include "U & I", "Hold Me" and "It Was You". Not to get repetitive, but I'll also have to give this one a B. On a side note, I also just got a DVD for a movie called East Side Story and at first I assumed this was the soundtrack. But try as I might I could find no connection between the two and, of course, there isn't!
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