Tom Waits Alice AntiA touch of Kurt Weill, Charles Ives, and a whole lot of Tom Waits. Originally written for a theatrical work, Alice is a haunting, poignant, charming collection of tunes. Adult songs for children or children songs for adults? as Waits put it. Regardless the whole is moving in a surprising way. I was not anticipating much I got the background on the new release, shipped to the public a week apart from Waits's Blood Money. But from the first track, the title song, I was hooked. Then even more so after listening to "Flowers Grave" which reads like a children's story; but the poetry of it has a broad reach. Of course the singing style here makes a big difference in the tone. I shiver to think of it being done by a sweet-voiced soprano. Then there's the beautiful "Lost in the Harbour" with a passage very reminiscent of something out of "The Housatonic at Stockbridge." From the first to the last, almost all of the songs are good, more than a few are even great, the arrangements for all are exceptional. Tom Waits is the great American songwriter, he should be celebrated as such. -Beat
Jay-Z & R. KellyThe Best of Both WorldsRoc-A-Fella / Jive / Def JamYes, Jay-Z released an album a few months ago; he released another a few months before that, too. It might seem a bit much, but the last one was the Unplugged album, and this new release is the much-anticipated collaboration with R&B singer R. Kelly. With his next studio solo project not due till this fall, The Best of Both Worlds bridges the gap. These guys have collided before, and this promises to be hot. With Track Masters at the helm, this album plays much like an extended "Fiesta Remix," which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The rhymes here are still signature Jay-Z, and the album contains some dope tracks. The club-friendly "Take You Home..." is sure to be a hit single. Other standouts include the funky guitar-driven "Green Light" and "Get This Money." There is one song on this album that does not feature Jay-Z. "Naked" seems to belong on the Kelly's TP-2.com album. Overall, it's a good effort by two superstars. -85 Mics
Something CorporateAudioboxerDrive-Thru RecordsPiano in punk? It works. But is it really punk? I eschew labels like "pop punk". I'll classify them as Emo. For their sweet emotional sound. According to one story, about a year before they formed a few of the kids in this group started a band for their high school talent show; and because they were the act that sucked the least....they won. Then Andrew (piano/vocals) joined and added his piano skills to their sound. Influenced by artists such as Elton John, Counting Crows, and Jimmy Eat World it was just a matter of time before - well, before the big time. Successfully mixing hard guitars, heavy drums, and smooth piano chords, Something Corporate offers something a little different. For more info or to see their video with the gorgeous girls, check out: www.somethingcorporate.com. -Chux311