RazorFine Review

Ben Folds Five is working on their first album in 12 years, and they’re asking for your help. The band is using Pledge Music to allow the band’s fans to pledge money to help produce the, as of yet untitled, album.

To coincide with The Muppets Disney is set to release a new soundtrack of Muppet favorites entitled Muppets: The Green Album. Along with My Morning Jacket covering “Our World” (from Emmett Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas), Andrew Bird‘s version of “It’s Not Easy Being Green” and OK Go doing their version of The Muppet Show Theme Song (all of which you can listen to after the jump), the album also includes The Fray doing “Mahna Mahna,” Rachael Yamagata covering “I’m Going to Go Back There Someday” (Gonzo’s song from The Muppet Movie), Alkaline Trio doing “Movin’ Right Along,” Matt Nathanson with “I Hope That Something Better Comes Along,” and Weezer covering “Rainbow Conenction.” The album hits stores next Tuesday.

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• Title: Cadillac Records (Official Soundtrack)

The new film Cadillac Records is based on real events of the music scene in the 1950’s and 60’s involving the influential Chicago label Chess Records.  Hitting stores just days before the film, the soundtrack is available in both as single-disc and a deluxe two-disc version.

Included on both are Beyonce singing “At Last,” “Once in a Lifetime,” and “I’d Rather Go Blind” (the first of which is by far the best of the three recordings).  Jeffrey Wright belts out “I’m a Man” and “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man,” and Mos Def sings “Nadine” and let’s us know there’s “No Particular Place to Go.”  Rounding out the collection are “6 O’Clock Blues” sung by Solange, Columbus Short singing “My Babe,” and “The Sound” by Mary Mary.

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• Title: Funhouse

Pink‘s fifth album, her first in two years since the release of I’m Not Dead, includes “One Foot Wrong,” “Funhouse,” and the techno dance track “Bad Influence.”  Strangely enough most of the album showcases the lighter softer side of Pink in “Please Don’t Leave Me,” “I Don’t Believe You,” “Mean,” “Glitter In The Air,” and “Crystal Ball.”  I understand Pink’s need to evolve as an artist and soften some with age, but when the majority of your album belongs in the Easy Listening section you may have taken it a step too far.  The old kick ass smirking Pink surfaces only briefly in “It’s All Your Fault,” “Sober,” and finally is released to full effect in “So What” (the album’s first released single which, sadly, isn’t that similar to the rest of the collection, check out the video below).  How will fans react to this softer side of the once wild child of pop?

Would someone please give Pink her balls back?  There’s nothing really wrong with the quality here, it just feels more like a Jewel album than I expected.  Where’s the girl who ranted about pop culture and got the party started?  She makes an appearance or two on this album but seems sedated for the rest.

• Title: High School Musical 3 (Official Soundtrack)

I’ve never gotten into the High School Musical phenomenon which hit the scene well after I escaped high school, but I am a fan of musicals and have a soft spot in my heart for teen movies.  The one-disc set includes twelve songs including “Just Getting Started,” the dance pop singles “Now or Never” and “A Night to Remember,” “Senior Year Spring Musical,” and the overly-sappy “We’re All In This Together.”  Nothing to tap your foot to there.  Also included here are the film’s slightly more interesting personal songs featuring Vanessa Hudgens singing “Just Wanna Be With You,” “Right Here, Right Now, and “Walk Away.”  The singing is well done and fans of the series may enjoy the simple catchy tunes.  Me, I think I’ll stick with Grease 2.  Aside from music the CD also includes a ringtone and a fold-out poster for the film.

The one-disc set includes only twelve songs, which seems a bit light for a musical soundtrack.  More for those who will love the movie and want a nostalgic souvenir this isn’t the type of disc which stands on its own two feet.  Fans of the series, no doubt, will rush to pick this one up, but there’s really not much here to bring in new listeners.

I’m still recovering from my recent road trip to New York and back again.  We’ll return in a couple of days with new reviews for films like Body of Lies, RocknRolla and I Served the King of England.  Don’t fret true believers as we’ll be back with our regular scheduled comic goodness next week.  Not to leave you totally high and dry here’s a little east bound road trip themed vid from the late great Jerry Reed and Smokey and the Bandit.  Enjoy!

Hitting stores next week is singer/songwriter and Lilith Fair founder Sarah McLachlan‘s new “Best of” album Closer which includes “Aida,” “Angel,” “Sweet Surrender,” “Building a Mystery,” and “I Will Remember You” (which you can watch her performing live in this vid below.  Enjoy!