ROCKABILLY
“Rockabilly Riot Volume One – A Tribute to Sun Records”
Brian Setzer
Surfdog
The spirits of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins surely are bopping in appreciation of Setzer’s salute to those heady days in the 1950s when musicians strolled into a converted radiator shop in Memphis, Tenn., to record a sound that would change the world.
Setzer approached the CD, which features covers of 23 Sun songs, as if he were a historian and a teacher. In the liner notes, he says he took on this project in hopes of educating more music lovers about Sun’s legacy.
The CD proves he succeeded as a historian. He stayed true to the arrangements, instruments and recording equipment that first created the soulful sound of rockabilly 50 years ago.
Only time will tell if “Rockabilly Riot” gets the massive audience it deserves. This is not mediocre rockabilly where all the songs sound the same after about 15 minutes. Rather, “Rockabilly Riot” is one of the best albums of the year.
– Ed Will
HONKY-TONK ROCK
“Geronimo”
Shannon McNally
Back Porch/EMI
It’s hard to believe this Americana enthusiast hails from Long Island, N.Y. This is her second CD, appropriately recorded in rural Louisiana. (McNally now lives in New Orleans.) The album showcases empathetic, working-class narratives, meandering country-rock arrangements and smoky, Bob Dylan-meets-Stevie Nicks vocals, all of which should set up McNally for the big time.
Honest, reflective lyrics draw in the listener during the album opener, “The Worst Part of a Broken Heart.” The follow-up, “Miracle Mile,” may be too twangy for rock ‘n’ roll kids but is just the right speed for music lovers who relish country with an edge. McNally really shows her heart on the title track, written from the perspective of a man pummeled by the hypocrisy of the American Dream.
Look for Shannon McNally Aug. 11 at Steve’s Guitars in Carbondale; Aug. 12 at Everyday Joe’s Coffee House in Fort Collins; and Aug. 13 at The Fox Theatre in Boulder opening for Spin Doctors and Amos Lee.
– Elana Ashanti Jefferson
R&B
“Grown & Sexy”
Babyface
Arista
Smooth defines Babyface. From his trusted brand name to his silky voice to his seamless production, Babyface earned his reputation as one of the most talented hit-makers of the ’90s.
This new record smartly brings singer-songwriter-producer into this decade with the help of a couple of upbeat groovers sandwiched between the slow jams. The fist-pumping “Good to Be in Love” is a joyous pop-gospel celebration of Stevie Wonder-style R&B. “Sorry for the Stupid Things” is almost a country track cloaked in rhythm and blues beats. The song of apology and humility subtly projects the juxtaposition, and it’s a unique experiment in aesthetics.
Of course the quintessential cheese is here. In the CD-opening “Tonight It’s Goin’ Down,” Babyface croons: “Tonight’s it’s goin’ down/We’re in the final round/It’s time to close the deal/Gonna sex it up in here.” Sports and business analogies have never worked in the bedroom for this reviewer, but then again, ‘face has a natural upper hand.
– Ricardo Baca
