By the way a small plug for the artist known as Zenga!
- his new album "Celebrate The Weird!!!"
is close to completion and the feedback he is getting is it's by far his best effort to date. Release date is now looking like July/August time frame and expect a free Zenga! launch party to be held in the village hall in September/October.
Zenga! browsing in Vintage Gear on Sunset Boulevard, LA
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Okay so if your'e a multi millionaire singer songwriter and are concerned about the environment what do you do? Well you could invite a wide variety of established artists for example - Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Lou Reed and Massive Attacks Gruff Ryhs to sing and contribute to a concept album about a Plastic Beach - this idea came to the incredibly talented Damon Albarn when he heard about a whole island of rubbish floating in the middle of the Pacific ocean. The music - is a mixture of hip hop, and electronic rock and the production is superb. There are 3 versions of the CD depending upon how much you want to get into the Plastic Beach thing, I love the artwork and the concepts!
Album of the month ...
Paul Weller
Wake Up The Nation
16 new tracks from the modfather - all around 2.5 minutes long! This album rocks and swoons - there are 6 tracks that immediatley stand out as classics Whereas "22" had a very wide range of musical approach this one rocks straight away in the style of "From The Floorboards Up" single! It's got a lot of great rythmn and the swooning comes in with an instrumental that sounds very much (structurally) like "Speed of Life" the opening tack from the groundbreaking album "Low" by Bowie. Paul Weller is a fantastic live act and these songs will be really great played live so watch out for any tour news folks, the modfather is rocking with much energy, power and originality.
Madonna - Sticky and Sweet Live CD
The reason I'd recommend buying this is the 2 hour DVD live from Buenos Aires. Madge's technical approach to her concerts is state of the art. Songs for me that stand out - "Borderline" where Madonna seems almost fragile and slightly human and "Ray of Light" - the majority of the set is dance music which doesn't really do it for me but if you like that then you'll love this one. And she is a very naughty girlie as she does do something on stage in front of thousands of people that most folks would do in private but as the whole song revolves around wanting something - now - then I guess she had no choice?
Robert Downey Junior - The Futurist
I came across this CD in a tiny but packed old fashioned record shop in Falmouth. It's a beautiful CD and he can sing - really well! It's full of reflections upon life and real love and warmth emanates out. Jon Anderson from Yes appears on one track! You can relax to it with a margarita because you can feel the warm breezes of the Californian ocean wafting over you as you drive in your open top convertible down the Pacific Coast Highway. Romantic yes - and why the hell not? This guy has been through hell and back due to an addictive personality so also there are moments of real sadness and plaintive yearning but you know what? - It's got soul, it's got meaning and it's got guts - a fantastic find - if you can get it from Amazon - buy it!
