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Toadies - No Deliverance ( A ) The Toadies first release in 7 years dropped on August 19th and it was well worth the wait. Fans of the band should not be disappointed with the album either. While some tracks don't seem quite as heavy as some of their previous albums, the music still upholds their signature sound. A great cd to add to the collection if you haven’t already! Listen to these: No Deliverance, Song I Hate, and Hell in Highwater -Rachel Parker Jonas Brothers - A Little Bit Longer ( B+ ) Two words can best describe the new Jonas Brothers Album. Catchy. Pop. You cant deny it. Their fans will love it and respectfully those who aren’t their fans will probably hate it. But if you like pop music this album is worth a listen. I even have to admit I’ve found myself singing along to the lead off single Burnin’ Up when listening to the radio. The most talented writer of the group Nick wrote the title track “A Little Bit Longer” about his diabetes. Listen to these: BB Good, Pushin’ Me Away, A Little Bit Longer -Rachel Parker Family Force Five - Dance or Die ( B- ) Family Force Five’s sophomore release was also released August 19th. While the album had a feel good theme to it, I mean after all they promote themselves as a christian band. Overall it was a slight disappointment. I hate to compare or pigeon hole to a past sound, but the over use of synthetics on some of the tracks just was a big turn off. It still has its highlights though. Listen to these: Rip it Up, Fever, The First Time, Wake the Dead -Rachel Parker CD Reviews Archive New Kids on the Block - The Block ( C ) The first cd in over 10 years from the popular late 80’s boyband was released on tuesday. Their first single seemed promising, and I like the New Kids, but after giving the album a listen to, the descent songs are few and far between. I unfortunately think the producer of the album believes the New Kids fans to still be a bunch of pre teen girls, when In reality most are in their 20’s and 30’s. Songs like Click Click Click and Big Girl Now just come off as Juvenile. Listen to These: Summertime, 2 in the Morning, Stare at You -Rachel Parker Gym Class Heroes - The Quilt( B ) The latest release from Gym Class Heroes came out this tuesday. After giving it a listen, I have to admit I like this album a lot more than their last cd “As Cruel as School Children” It shows progression but continues to give lyrics of an overly confident manner that I think Travis is known for. So I don’t know that I would say matured. The sound has grown though. Listen to These: Guilty as Charged, Like Father Like Son, Catch Me if You Can, Live a Little -Rachel Parker Matt Wertz - Under the Summer Sun ( A ) Matt Wertz latest release Under the Summer Sun is his first release with Universal records, but definitely not his first cd. Infact a good portion of the cd are re done versions of songs from his other cd’s and ep’s. But on a good note they are the really good ones off those past cd’s plus a few new songs to spice things up. If you like the singer songwriter genre there’s no doubt that you’d like Matt’s latesly album. It’s really great start to finish, produced by Ed Cash. There’s an appearance by Marc Broussard. What more could you want. Listen to these: Everythings Right, 5:19, Keep Faith -Rachel Parker Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue ( B+ ) Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley put out her second solo album titled Acid Tongue this week. The mood of the album makes me feel like I should be sitting in a bar watching her. An array of sounds coming from the gutiars that range from bluesy rock to a more country vibe. The musician ship is great, I’m just not a big fan of how airy she sings on some of the tracks. Listen to these: Pretty Bird, Carpetbaggers, Tryin My Best, Jack Killed Mom -Rachel Parker Marc Broussard - Keep Coming Back ( A ) Marc Broussards newest CD drops tuesday and we gave it a listen. It definitely holds true to the sound he’s carved out for himself. A mix of cajun soul, rock, and even some country. A couple notable guests on the album are Sara Bareilles and LeAnn Rimes. A couple of stand out tracks are Evil Things where the arragnement is mostly piano with a few strings in the mix later, the other stand out being Evangeline Rose, which is in similar fashion to “Gavins Song” on his album Carencro. This song being about his daughter. This is an album I’ve been waiting a while for, and it was well worth it. Listen to these: Keep Coming Back, Hardknocks, Why Should She Wait, Evil Things, Evangeline Rose -Rachel Parker Plain White T’s - Big Bad World ( B- ) Plain White T’s dropped their sophomore release “Big Bad World” this week. It’s a pretty similar sound to their last album. Even having a track called 1, 2, 3, 4 that gives off a Hey There Delilah vibe. Fans of the band should be happy, but personally I dont know if I think this album is better than their last. Listen to these: Big Bad World, Serious Mistake, 1,2,3,4 -Rachel Parker Robin Thicke - Something Else ( B + ) Robin Thicke’s 3rd album drops this week. You may be going “third? I thought he only had one.” Nope he has had two previous albums and the first “A Beautiful World” was amazing but not promoted so well other than the single “When I get you Alone.” His second album “Introducing Robin Thicke” faired much better with his song “Lost Without You” topping the charts. Well his newest album “Something Else” still retains a great deal of the R&B sound his second album had, but like his first album there are more tracks with a bit of the throw back vibe his first album had. I was very pleasantly surprised with that. So I definitely approve of this cd. Listen to these: Magic, Dreamworld, Hard on My Love, Something Else, Shadow of Doubt -Rachel Parker James Morrison- Songs For You, Truths For Me ( A +) James Morrison’s sophomore album is released this week. And I’m gonna pull a Paula here and say “Phenominal.” I loved his last album and this album is just as good if not better. His sound is pretty much the same, I’d say a little more soulful though. It’s a great thing though. There’s really not much more to say, I dont want to ruin this with words.. its amazing. Listen to these: You Make It Real, Please Dont Stop The Rain, Nothing Ever Hurt Like You, Precious Love, If You Dont Wanna Love Me -Rachel Parker Jon McLaughlin- Ok Now ( B ) My first thoughts as I started to listen to the album was, why is Jon turning into some sort of techno sounding over produced artist? And then I got past the first few songs and it got better. But still the first single off the album is one of the way overproduced numbers that doesnt reflect the quality talent he is. Jon is an phenominal artist.. who plays amazing piano and writes amazing music, and the songs after the first 3 tracks do reflect that. But not like his first album Indiana. I’m going to unfortunately call this a sophomore slump if I had to compare it to the first album. It’s definitely still worth picking up. I guess I just had higher hopes. Listen to these: Things You Say, The Middle, Dance Your Life Away, Smack Into You -Rachel Parker Ingrid Michaelson - Be Ok ( B+ ) Ingrid’s second release is a mixture of previously unreleased music, as well as some covers, and live tracks. It’s purpose.. for a portion of proceeds to go to stand up to cancer. The musics not to shabby either. Ingrid has a bit of a unique sound and I really love it. This album continues with that with stand up tracks like “Keep Breathing.” Also great live versions of “The Way I Am” and “Cant Help Falling in Love.” Definitely go get this album. Listen to these: Keep Breathing, You and I, The Way I Am, Cant Help Falling In Love -Rachel Parker P!nk - Funhouse ( A- ) Pinks latest release while called Funhouse seems to be yet another collection of bitter song we’ve come to expect from her. It does include a few tracks that show the a softer side. Not a happy soft though. She’s never been one to sing the happy love songs either. So on this album she keeps it consistent with the mix of angry. There are a couple real gems in the mix, like “Crystal Ball” and “I Dont Believe You” both of which lean towards sound you might associate with Kelly Clarkson (Who we love by the way) on the My December album. But Pink does include several more traditional tracks you’d expect like “Bad Influence” and the title track “Funhouse” This album is a good one and you should definitely add it to your collection. Listen to these: Crystal Ball, I Dont Believe You, Bad Influence, This is How it Goes Down -Rachel Parker Taylor Swift - Fearless ( A ) The sophomore release from Taylor Swift drops today. The 18 year old’s first cd sold over 3 million copies which is quite a feat these days with the likes of illegal downloading. The lead off single from the album, “Love Story,” doesn’t even begin to do it justice. The maturity she shows in her writing is amazing in itself. While mature her music still relates to her peers and adults both. The album as a whole is a good listen from start to finish. The slower songs like White Horse and Breathe are definite stand outs. I’m just waiting to hear one of the up tempo’s in an ABC tv promo. This album is definitely not a sophomore slump, and possibly better than her debut. That I haven’t decided yet. Listen to these: White Horse, Fearless, Change, Breathe -Rachel Parker David Archuletta - David Archuletta ( C- ) American Idol runner up David Archuletta’s debut comes out today. His song “Crush” is doing pretty well on the charts, and it appears that unfortunately majority of his album was made in the vein of mindless radio hits over quality music. For example the mess of a song titled “My Hands.” Archuletta has great vocal talent, and the ability to sing songs way beyond his maturity level. It’s just a hard thing to believe songs like that from someone so young. On a positive note I do like a couple of the mellow sappy ballads on the album, “You Can” and “To Be With You,” he has the chops and sings them pretty.. I cant help it. Listen to these: To Be With You, You Can, Barriers -Rachel Parker David Cook - David Cook ( A ) The self titled debut of this seasons Idol winner David Cook drops this week. Following the format he laid down on the show, it’s a very rock oriented album that David fortunately had plenty of input on. While the album is rock there’s enough diversity in the tracks that it should have something for everyone on it. From the funky gritty rock on Bar-ba-sol, to the tear jerker that is Permanent. It’s well rounded and Cook definitely has the ability to prove he’s not just here for 15 minutes of fame. After listening to the entire album my big question is why the label picked “Light On” as the lead off single, when there were so many better tracks to pick from. Listen to these: Bar-Ba-Sol, Permanent, A Daily AntheM, Heroes -Rachel Parker Fall Out Boy - Folie E Deux ( B+ ) The latest release from Fall Out Boy, “Folie E Deux” drops tuesday. With each album they find a way to mix it up a little yet retain their signature sound and this release is no different. This album kind of treads the lines closer to Infinity on High the A few tracks on the record even sound as if they have a little bit of Devo inspiration. I’m still torn as if I prefer this album or their last one more. I do like that during What a Catch, Donnie, They incorporate several of their previous hit songs into it. But that isn’t even my favorite part. My favorite part is the use of Horns. The album in it’s entirety is a good listen and I will hand it to Fall Out Boy, for making albums you can listen to from beginning to end. Listen to these: 20 Dollar Nosebleed, What A Catch Donnie, Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet, America’s Sweethhearts -Rachel Parker
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