She’s now a mum so her high-flying trapeze days are over. But P!nk is still a musical daredevil and her latest CD features plenty of her no-holds-barred and tartly tongued brand of rock. Highlights include the pop-flavored “True Love,” with England’s Lily Allen, and the riotous “Here Comes the Weekend,” featuring rapper Eminem.
The English synth-pop group’s 11th studio album is named after the Greek word for paradise. It’s a fitting title for a CD of contemplative numbers like “Invisible” and “Breathing Space,” which bask in dreamy orchestral strings. The Boys go for gold with “Winner,” an upbeat song that served as an unofficial soundtrack to the Olympics.
Move over Adele. Britain’s next big female star has arrived in the form of this 22-year-old native of south London. Blessed with honeyed vocals and impassioned songs about love’s ups and downs, La Havas sings with convincing candor. “Lost & Found” is heartbreakingly tender, while “Forget” possesses palpable rage. A memorable debut.
The choirboy half of legendary folk duo, now 70, gets the career retrospective treatment with this two-CD set. Along with such Simon & Garfunkel classics as “The Sound of Silence” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” it includes solo hits like “Breakaway,” “All I Know” and Garfunkel’s dreamy rendition of “I Only Have Eyes for You.”
Iglesias has sold more albums than any other Latin artist. For this double CD collection, the romantic crooner re-recorded many of his Spanish hits and remastered his English chart-toppers, including duets with Diana Ross, Sting, Stevie Wonder and Willie Nelson, with whom he delivers his signature “To All the Girls I’ve Ever Loved Before.”
Alanis has made a career out of sharing her life experiences. Spurned by a lover, she channeled her anger into “You Oughta Know,” one of the biggest hits of the 1990s. Since then, the Ottawa-born rock star has reflected her spiritual quests and self-help journeys through songs like “Thank You” and “Underneath.” She also turned her breakup with actor Ryan Reynolds into Flavors of Entanglement, her 2008 heartbreak album. Now Morissette has released Havoc and Bright Lights, the latest glimpse into her world. The new album signals contentment. Married to Mario “Souleye” Treadway, Morissette sings about their 17-month son, Ever, on the opening “Guardian,” while “’Til You” is a love song to her ra...
Los Lobos may always be identified with “La Bamba,” but the Latino rock band boasts a diverse catalogue. This anniversary edition of its 1992 masterpiece runs from the blues of “The Train Don’t Stop Here” and the Tex-Mex instrumental “Arizona Skies” to the inspired cabaret jazz of “Kiko and the Lavender Moon.”
She was just 16 when her first album stunned the world music. How could a white English schoolgirl sound so much like Aretha Franklin? critics asked. The Soul Sessions, a collection of r&b covers, sold over five million copies. Much has happened to Stone nearly a decade on, including a Grammy win, recordings with Sir Mick Jagger, an attempted kidnapping and a starring role in TV’s The Tudors. Now a veteran at 25, Stone has revisited her debut’s concept. Her sixth studio album teams her up again with Betty Wright, the queen of Miami soul, and veterans like Ernie Isley. Together, they deliver blistering covers of such r&b classics as the Chi-Lites’ “(For God’s Sake) Give More Power to ...
When Whitney Houston passing away last February, the world mourned the loss of a gifted artist. Fortunately, she left a large body of work in music and film for which she’ll be remembered, including Sparkle, her remake of the 1976 movie about three singing sisters who form a Motown girl group. The film marks Houston’s fifth and final role, in which she plays the girls’ single mother, while the soundtrack includes two songs that were the legendary singer’s last recordings. The soundtrack includes performances by Carmen Ejojo, Tika Sumpter and American Idol winner Jordin Sparks as the sisters, including “Something He Can Feel,” a hit for Aretha Franklin. It also features Cee Lo Green on the ho...
The dance movie franchise has served up plenty of club-worthy music. The latest installment, featuring flash mobs in Miami, is no exception. With thumping new songs from stars J.Lo, Fergie and Timbaland, cool remixes from M.I.A. and Diplo and a chilled-out, Coldplay-like offering from the Cinematic Orchestra, the soundtrack offers something for everyone.
