The Pussycat Dolls’ second studio album contains 16 tracks on one disc. The first single released from the album “When I Grow Up” hit #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play. Also included here ae “Bottle Pop,” “Takin’ Over the World,” “Happily Never After,” “I’m Done,” and “Whatcha Think About That” featuring Missy Elliott.
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In The Cole Porter Mix singer/songwriter Patricia Barber re-records and reinterprets some of the biggest songs of Cole Porter. The thirteen tracks include Easy to Love, I Get a Kick Out of You, You’re The Top, Just One of Those Things, and In the Still of the Night.
The album also includes three original songs inspired by Cole Porter including The New Year’s Eve Song and Snow. The new songs fit easily with the reinterpreted Porter originals.
Although Barber has a nice voice and her obvious joy for these songs comes out, there’s nothing here that makes the collection all that interesting. Yes, it’s competently done, but why? For all her energy and style the songs don’t feel fresh and for those who own the original recordings, or even those of other musicians (including Frank Sinatra) covering the hits there’s little here to justify the purchase of another album of the same songs.
This collection is more a novelty than anything else. Longtime Cole Porter fans may enjoy this, but surely they own most of these songs sung by Porter himself and/or one of the many compilations done by other musicians over the years. And teens who don’t know who Porter is aren’t going to pick this up either. Still, it’s not an album to groove to, but as some easy listening background music you could do worse.
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You’ve probably heard the music of Welsh singer/songwriter Jem, even if you don’t realize it. Her songs have been used on various American TV shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Wonderfalls, Six Feet Under, and others.
With her second album Jem returns with a new collection of eclectic sounds mixing various music styles into her own sound. The Welsh singer with a mix of pop, electronica, dance, hip hop, and soul, may not be your cup of tea, but at least she’s not processed inane tween pop.
This second album includes twelve tracks including the title track Down to Earth with its strong Middle Eastern beat. Also included here are the uplifting It’s Amazing, the heavy electronica dance track Aciid!, and the softer Norah Jones-like piano tune You Will Make It.
My favorite of the tracks would have to be the catchy Latin flavored track “I Want You To…,” where the electronica influence isn’t quite as heavy as on some of the other songs.
You’ve got to seriously like many different styles of music to enjoy this CD which mixes and matches thoroughly throughout. You can check out her official site here, and download the title track Down to Earth for free. Jem’s music might not be for everbody, but for something a little different it’s worth a listen.
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Those of you who grew up with the Batman records from the 1970’s will remember this “catchy” tune put in between the adventures battling Catwoman, the Riddler, Gorilla Grodd and others. Don’t think you can make a theme song using only one word? Think again.
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