The Early Bird Top New Recorded Releases 6-17-22-6-23-22 Reviewed
Red is Taylor Swift’s best album to date, it hit the sweet spot between her teens and her 20s, and the “Taylor’s Version”, done last year, saw her into her 30s and so was a little antithetical to the vibe, though the ten minute “All Too Well” was a godsend for Swifties, a team I left circa Reputation -the first album that didn’t thrill me. Personally, I’ll take 2006’s “Our Song” over the entire folklore, not to mention this weeper. After her Beacon Theatre Q&A about the accompanying video, which she directed, (and which I couldn’t get a tix for love nor money), she released the version which adds a minute and a half with an extended coda. But if I wanted another version of a Red song, it would be “State Of Grace”, of course (Grade: B).
Let’s swing over to albums, I reviewed Drake’s first rate “oontz oontz” electronic surprise drop Honestly, Nevermind earlier today (here) (Grade: A-) and went to the final New York rehearsal of Tomas Doncker’s and the True Groove Allstars Endangered (here) , an agitprop piece of political visionarism and quite possibly the best album of the year (Grade: A), Hey Doll Baby is a newly remastered 17-track compilation that collects some of the lesser-known, buried treasures in the Everly Brothers’ rich catalog, though how deeply buried was “When Will I Be Loved”? And who cares? (Grade: A), maybe it’s overkill to keep complaining how the woman who wrote “Hand’s Clean” has become such a dreary wreck, but there is zero positive to say about this meditative instrumental tedium, it makes Such Pretty Forks In The Road sound like Jagged Little Pill (Grade: E+), there maybe a time when we get sick of The Beach Boys, I mean how many times can you hear the Cali time teen dreams without saying you got it? Without a doubt once more at least, “Little Worm” might not be your idea of prime Beach Boys but really, in context, nothing sags over 80 songs (Grade: A), ”
Back to singles, from Rolling Stone: “Chance The Rapper’s latest interdisciplinary work, debuted at Art Basel in Switzerland earlier this week. The song and accompanying artwork is a collaboration with Gabonese photographer Yannis Davy Guibinga” – talk about rich man’s weather on “The Highs & The Lows” featuring Joey Bada$$, it is saved by a gorgeous soul sample (Grade: B), here is a true oddity, Jack Antonoff’s production is sparkling on the 80s style Brockhampton finale, “Hollywood Swinging” (Grade: B+), this is the “Any Dream Will Do” performed at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by Andrew Lloyd Webber and a cast of dozens (Grade: A), Eminem on top of his shit with a first rate to Presley on “The King And I” -Cee Lo was superfluous (Grade: A), same backing tracks as the original, same vocals as the original, with only an adlibbed “Hey Brown Cow” its reason for being, but really, what a terrific lip sync on Top Of The Pops and as important a moment in rock history as you will ever find, and here it is (Grade: A+):
the storm before the calm – Alanis Morissette – E+
Any Dream Will Do – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jason Donovan, The Cast of Joseph, The MiSST Choir – A
Hollywood Swinging – From ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ Soundtrack – BROCKHAMPTON – B+
The Highs & The Lows – Chance the Rapper, Joey Bada$$ – B
Starman – Top Of The Pops Version – 2022 Mix – David Bowie – A+
Honestly, Nevermind – Drake – A-
The King and I (feat. CeeLo Green) – From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ELVIS – Eminem – A
Hey Doll Baby – The Everly Brothers – A
All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film) – Taylor Swift – B+
The Very Best Of The Beach Boys: Sounds Of Summer (Expanded Edition Super Deluxe) – The Beach Boys – A
Endangered – Tomás Doncker & The True Groove All-Stars – A
