Christmas 2009 finds no shortage of Christmasmusic for the holiday-lover to enjoy, although new pop or rock x-mas albums seem somewhat lacking this year. Nonetheless, there are still some interesting choices to consider for your wish list:
Bob Dylan releases his first Christmas album (who knew the guy even celebrated Christmas?) with a straightforward collection of traditional tunes that should please and probably bewilder his long-time fans. However he’s donating his royalties to charity, and the deluxe edition of the cd contains exclusive greeting cards so it’s a decent enough project irregardless of whether Bob should be belting out Hark The Herald Angels Sing.
Andrea Bocelli’s holiday album, produced by David Foster, should be the perfect accompaniment to those who bought Josh Groban’s 2007 Noel album, with Bocelli’s operatic voice singing the expected standards and including duets with Reba McEntire, Mary J. Blige and, er, the Muppets.
A Very Special Christmas 7 continues the long-running Special-Olympic charity series, although this time out the compilers are very obviously going after the teen market, with acts such as Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens, Sean Kingston and Ashley Tisdale making their holiday contributions. It’s a far cry from the first AVSC back in ‘87 which had Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, U2, Whitney Houston and so on, but times change.
Sting releases his first holiday album, but don’t think for a minute that he’ll be singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town or Frosty the Snowman; with titles such as The Hounds of Winter and Lullaby For An Anxious Child, this is a moodier, sombre affair than most Christmas albums.
David Archuleta’s Christmas album will do doubt keep his many American Idol supporters happy, and early reviews seem to indicate he’s winning over his critics with a sincere effort, including songs sung in French, Spanish and Latin.
A rather odd re-release sees Pebbles & Bamm-Bamm making an appearance on cd as a Flintstones Christmas album from 1965 resurfaces in 2009. Unusual, yes, timely, no, but if you wanted your kids (or grandkids at this point) to experience holiday fun that you had as a youngster watching the Flintstones Christmas specials, this isn’t a bad way to go.
And finally, in an idea either absurd or brilliant (or maybe both), Sony is re-releasing a collection of their more popular Christmas albums on DVD, with the original albums accompanied by images of yule logs, christmas trees and other christmas scenes. Alternately, the images can be viewed without music, particularly the yule log if you prefer to just watch a fireplace crackling on your tv. Titles include Johnny Cash , Mariah Carey , Il Divo , Celine Dion, Kenny Chesney, and more.
For information about Christmas albums released in 2008, check this article:
Posted by admin | Under Music reviews
Saturday Aug 15, 2009
Back for a product review of my favorite DAW, Cubase 5. It’s packed with new features and updates, from brand new functions to the heritage tools by Steinberg.
The exclusive digital album Level 1, made just for you, my internet fan:
http://store.payloadz.com/details/detail_578064.html
As mentioned, here’s my personal template for recording, made freely available for my fans to use:
http://www.zshare.net/download/63637306b35333f6/
Posted by admin | Under Music reviews
Saturday Jul 4, 2009
First review on my latest of hand-me-down computers. But it’s a pretty solid computer, and there’s a lot more memory and power than my laptop and computer before it, so I’m happy anyway. Plus, NO AUDIO HICCUPS!! WOOO!!!
Posted by admin | Under Music reviews
Saturday Jun 20, 2009
He’s a mighty good artist. Most of the way.
Main album highlights: “Asshole”, “Cyanide Breath Mint”, “Painted Eyelids”, “Fourteen Rivers Fourteen Floods”
Bonus content highlights: “Mattress”, “Teenage Wastebasket (Electric)”, “Whiskey Can Can”
NOTE: The written version was posted on the blog before I started recording, as will be the norm from now on. If you want to see a review before its corresponding video is posted, check there regularly. There are subtle differences between the two versions. If anything, you’ll get to see how I see the review while I’m recording. http://thornbrainmusic.wordpress.com
Posted by admin | Under Music reviews
Thursday Jun 18, 2009
It’s a sign of the apocalypse: Austin putting down his DS in order to keep his word. XD
NOTE: The written version was posted on the blog before I started recording, as will be the norm from now on. If you want to see a review before its corresponding video is posted, check there regularly. There are subtle differences between the two versions. If anything, you’ll get to see how I see the review while I’m recording.
http://thornbrainmusic.wordpress.com
Posted by admin | Under Music reviews
Sunday Jun 14, 2009
Ulmeyda08 may proceed adoring me. ‘The Queen is Dead’ should be next.
Highlight tracks: “Barbarism Begins at Home”, “I Want the One I Can’t Have”, “Nowhere Fast”
Amazon.com
The history of rock & roll in Ireland is presented in suitably lively fashion in a series produced by RTÉ, Ireland’s national television network. In these first three installments from the series (each an hour long), the story advances from the 1950s to the early 1980s, with archival footage providing a glimpse of what all the excitement was about. The first stirrings of rock music in Ireland took the form of “show bands,” hugely popular ensembles that gave many young musicians their start. Fascinating clips of concert film chronicle the development of two artists who helped define rock in Ireland: blues guitarist Rory Gallagher and Phil Lynott, a black Dubliner who formed the hard-rocking band Thin Lizzy. The seldom-interviewed Van Morrison reminisces a bit about his own formative years and influences, Bob Geldof talks about his career in the Boomtown Rats, and Bono, the Edge, and others comment on U2’s earliest stirrings. Folk bands like Planxty are seen briefly in clips, as are primal Celtic rockers Horslips and punk pioneers the Virgin Prunes. The bits of concert footage, especially scenes of guitar hero Gallagher blazing away, would alone make these programs worth watching, but interviews with Irish music writers and intelligent observers such as film director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot) make the programs informative as well as extremely entertaining. — Robert J. McNamara
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Director:
Back for a product review of my favorite DAW, Cubase 5. It’s packed with new features and updates, from brand new functions to the heritage tools by Steinberg. 
http://www.youtellconcerts.com
First review on my latest of hand-me-down computers. But it’s a pretty solid computer, and there’s a lot more memory and power than my laptop and computer before it, so I’m happy anyway. Plus, NO AUDIO HICCUPS!! WOOO!!!
He’s a mighty good artist. Most of the way.
It’s a sign of the apocalypse: Austin putting down his DS in order to keep his word. XD
Ulmeyda08 may proceed adoring me. ‘The Queen is Dead’ should be next.
Bono, Edge, Gavin Friday, Bob Geldof and others talk about rock music in Ireland - 1970’s & 1980’s
Future Rock Covers Air’s “Kelly Watch the Stars.”
Like this video? Come see thousands more at the Net’s biggest, uncensored, completely d.i.y. punk, hardcore, indie and alternative music video site, BlankTV.com!
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