02/06/07
MANHATTAN RECORDS
TIM FINN/Imaginary Kingdom: The guy’s ben in successful bands for over 25 years, and here it is just like he’s starting over. This set is geared for adult ears that grew up rocking but are no in another plane. A record that goes back to when artists were making albums, you won’t find a teeny bop hit single here but you will find some lush listening by an old pro in fine voice. Almost new age in it’s presentation, Finn delivers something very special and almost hard to define. A must for adult ears in search of a special oasis.
37745 (EMI International
JOHN HAMMOND/Push Comes to Shove: His pop’s chops were ahead of the curve, so why shouldn’t Jr’s be right there also just because he’s been a blues traditionalist for over 40 years? Bringing in G. Love as producer, Hammond certainly gets a new slant on things, and he’s up for the challenge. The kind of barn burner that you often get from him live but not as often on record, this is a hot set that long time fans and roots fans will want to check out.
64741 (Back Porch)
OVER THE RHINE/Discount Fireworks: Time for a recap of their Back Porch sides, all gathered up nicely here for fans of this left of center roots band that has done their best to avoid being typecast. For a collection, it holds together nicely considering how diverse their various album projects have been. This s easily the kind fo set that long time fans will enjoy playing with that I told you so smirk for their newbie friends.
64927 (Back Porch)
CELTIC WOMAN/New Journey: One of those organic things that comes in from left field and takes everyone by surprise, this sophomore set is more pegged as a real album, although it’s a fall off from a PBS special. Hayley Westenra joins in for some outside, added star power. If you’ve dug anything along the lines of Loreena McKennitt or Enya, this is the 3.0 version and you are sure to find it fall right in line. Dandy adult listening no matter how you cut the blarney.
75110
DIANA ROSS/I Love You: It certainly would have been easy for Ross to do a quicky Motown flavored “Dreamgirls” rip off right about now, so she chooses to fool us by having Peter Asher as producer with a band of unexpected players, a set card heavy on romantic covers and an original that shows she’s not ready to goes easily into her social security years. Still every inch the diva, Ross wraps herself around the project, perhaps not in a way long time fans will appreciate, but hard core diva fans will get. Real Ross fans will know this is a new chapter in her real deal.
82654
VAN MORRISON/At the Movies-Soundtrack Hits: With a career over 40 years under his belt, you can bet this icon has shown up on several pic soundtracks along the way. This veritable greatest hits ties together a wealth of those placements, but it does invite the wrath of kvetches since several of these performances are re-records. Real fans are always open to new interpretations, but real fans have all the tracks anyway. It certainly serves as a nice introduction to anyone wondering how to get started on digging in on Morrison’s canon.
84224
Volume 30/Number 98
February 6, 2007
MIDWEST RECORD
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
(c)2007 Midwest Record