Music Review

There has been a lot of new music released lately, and as a music lover of almost all genres, I'm always interested to hear new tunes. Here's my two cents on some new albums that have hit the charts:

Britney Spears: Circus
Love her or hate her, the girl knows how to make your hips move. I listened to her new album, and it's good! I would recommend it for anyone who likes a good dance beat. Much better than her previous album in my opinion. Don't judge the album based on her first single, "Womanizer." This may be one of the least impressive songs on the album. If you like the title track "Circus," you'll want to hear more. I'll definitely be adding this album to my work-out mix.

David Cook: David Cook
Who could forget David Cook's riveting performance of the remake of Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean." It was quite possibly my favorite AI performance of all time. Well, he doesn't disappoint on his new self-titled album. It is very Daughtry-esqe but with softer tones. I highly recommend this album for any classic rock n' roll lovers. Listen to his first single, "Light On."

Guns N' Roses: Chinese Democracy
After 15 years of no new music from Axl and company, I was super excited to hear their new album......much to my disappointment. I'll be honest, I'm not a die-hard fan of GNR. I love their old hits, such as "November Rain," "Sweet Child 'O Mine," and "Live and Let Die," so I'm probably not the best person to critique this album. There was at least one song that I really liked, and some others that were okay. True GNR fans or hard rock fans may have more appreciation for this album, but it wasn't my cup of tea. Listen to "This I Love," the song most like GNR's old-school ballads.

New Kids On The Block: The Block
Okay, so the NKOTB comeback happened a few months ago, but I thought it was worth mentioning. Joey, Jordan, Donnie, Danny, and Jonathan hooked up with some pretty cool hip-hop and pop producers to turn out an album with a vibe much younger than the guys themselves. There are a few songs on the album that make me groove, but for the most part I think it tries too hard to be fresh and cool. The songs are over produced and the lyrics are your basic "baby baby" this and "baby baby" that. And let's face it: it's just a little weird to watch these 40-somethings try to relive their glory days. It works for Madonna, but not for NKOTB. Watch their video for their second single, "Single."

Beyonce: I Am...Sasha Fierce
She sings, she dances, she acts, she desgins clothes. What doesn't Beyonce do these days? Well, she doesn't write good songs, that I know for sure. She has an amazing voice; that I can't deny. But this album just doesn't do it for me. Sorry Beyonce (or is it Sasha Fierce these days?), but it's just not working for me. Listen to her first single, "If I Were A Boy."

Now, if you're interested in hearing some music you've probably never heard, you should check out David's music blog (yes, he has his own secret blog). David has quite a unique music perspective.

I think you can listen to 30-second samples of all albums on Amazon.com. However, I recommend listening to full-length versions of songs on YouTube for a better feel for the songs.

Has anyone else heard any new music lately that you really liked?

Categories: matters of the mind