Two new albums there for one purpose only: to remind me not to buy albums.
Mark Ronson acts like a real pro Tool -a busy, busy album of bleeps and blasts and guest stars and kitchen sinks but without any actual SONGS. Zac Brown is all bon homie widdle waddle nothing much bad blue grass without any actual GOOD SONGS. More or less.
Record Collection – Mark Ronson and the Business – reminds me of Gorillaz only for all his sins Damon Alburn is a real rock star who can write songs and Mark ronson is a rock star. Though Amy Winehouse apologized, what this proves is Amy is the star and Ronson needs to remain behind the scene. On his second album, Version, did stuff like adding Tigger to an ODB sample (“ooooh, baby I’m burning up) to Britney Spear’s “Toxic” and it is shamanism. It is music. There isn’t one song on Record collection with any of the wit and majesty of this. Grade: C-
You Get What You Give – The Zac Brown Band – The Alan Jackson due points to where Zac Brown’s number one album in the nation has a real problem: he has a weedy, weak voice and it kills his songs. Which are by the numbers comfy country pop as propogated by Lady Antebellum plus fiffle and a touch of bluegrass. Maybe three pretty good songs (including the Alan Jackson track) but otherwise nothing much.
Which reminds me, when is Alan jackson coming to the bright lights, big city, to teach us city bumkins hpw country is meant to be done…