Music Review: Rhythm Song by Evelyn Glennie

Rhythm Song
by Evelyn Glennie (Compact Disc 781.68 Gle)

If you want something different, intriguing, unique — give this a try. I first became aware of Dame Evelyn Glennie earlier this year from an online article. She is an award-winning percussionist and composer who has been functionally deaf since age 12 and has been performing music in public since age 11. In addition to marimba and all types of percussion instruments, Glennie can play bagpipes, piano, and clarinet. She also vocalizes on some of her compositions. Known for performing barefoot, to better feel the beats and tones, Glennie learned to ‘listen’ to music with all of her body once she could no longer hear. Over the years she has performed with orchestras, pop stars, and at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Her oeuvre is one-of-a-kind and deserves a listen. Fascinating and inspiring!

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Listen : How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion by Shannon Stocker, or Her Greatest Hits and Wind in the Bamboo Grove by Evelyn Glennie.)

 

( official Evelyn Glennie web site )

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

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Music Review: Barbie the Album

Barbie the Album

by various (Music Compact Disc 782.14 Bar & Hoopla)

 

On the same day that the international bombshell film Barbie: The Movie opened in July, the soundtrack album was released, both digitally and in physical formats (vinyl LP and CD). Five of the 17 tracks on Barbie the Album were released as singles for radio and streaming-service play, with several making the Billboard hot singles lists. A secondary, expanded, soundtrack was released as the “Best Weekend Ever” edition, with two additional tracks not previously available.

 

Like the film it accompanies, Barbie the Album is a celebration of female empowerment, with the vast majority of the tracks featuring music written by and/or performed by female artists, including Lizzo, Nicki Minaj and Spice Ice, Billie Eilish, Charlie XCX, Pinkpantheress, Gayle, Ava Max and Dua Lipa. Complimenting all these powerful female performers are a handful of male entries, including the film’s “Ken”, Ryan Gosling singing his plaintive character theme song, “I’m Just Ken” (he also sings the Matchbox 20 hit “Push” on the extended soundtrack), Sam Smith, Dominic Fike, The Kid Laroi and Khalid (among others).

 

The music ranges from peppy bubblegum pop to introspective, but leans more toward the electric and high-energy, including a couple of “dance” numbers. All the songs on this album appear in the film, so this isn’t one of those “songs from and inspired by” albums. If you’ve seen the movie — and at the time of this review’s writing, it was the #13 all time money marker in the U.S. market (and #15 internationally), so you’re hardly alone — each of these energetic tunes will remind you of moments within the film. Tracks that stand out for me are “Pink” by Lizzo (the film’s opening scenes in Barbieworld), “Dance the Night” by Dua Lipa, “Barbie World” by Minaj and Spice, “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish, and “Choose Your Fighter” by Ava Max. (I also enjoyed “I’m Just Ken”, but it has a completely different tone than the rest of this upbeat album.)

 

The libraries have the basic album as a CD, and both the basic and extended album versions are available via our Hoopla Digital Music service. I don’t listen to a lot of contemporary music, preferring my old classics from the 1960s through the 1990s, but I’ll have to admit, Barbie the Album ended up being compulsive listening for me!

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

CD Review: The Secret by Alan Parsons

The Secret

by Alan Parsons (Compact Disc 781.66 Par)

 

Released in 2019, this album reminds of the ‘glory days’ of The Alan Parsons Project while taking on a more contemporary groove as well. Themes of magic, mystery, and melancholy combine in ballads and uptempo pieces. The liner notes include a quote revealing Parsons’ lifelong interest in magic acts.There are 3 or 4 tracks I’m not crazy about but over all it’s well worth a listen if you enjoy progressive rock. In addition to Parsons himself, guest lead vocalists include Lou Gramm of Foreigner and Jason Mraz. Instrumentally, Parsons plays and/or conducts on several tracks. His tight backing band of seven members is supplemented by musical artists such as Steve Hackett of Genesis and original TAPP member Ian Bairnson. The album booklet is visually interesting and includes all lyrics and credits.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Best of The Alan Parsons Project by The Alan Parsons Project, Tales of Mystery and Imagination by The Alan Parsons Project (based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Best of The Moody Blues by The Moody Blues, or The Best of Emerson, Lake & Palmer by Emerson, Lake & Palmer.)

 

( Wikipedia entry for The Secret ) | ( official Alan Parsons web site )

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

DVD and CD Review: West Side Story (2021) movie and soundtrack

West Side Story (2021)
(DVD West)

Despite the original West Side Story from 1961 being one of my all-time favorites, I was curious to see what director Steven Spielberg would do in his remake, his first musical film. I, personally, was not disappointed.

Relative unknown Rachel Zegler stars as Maria, and Ansel Elgort is Tony, this film’s Romeo & Juliet (the Shakespearean play which is the basis for the storyline). Ariana Debose is Anita, for which she just won the Academy Award for Supporting Actress, which had also previously been won in 1961 by Rita Moreno in the same role. David Alvarez is Maria’s brother Bernardo, leader of the Puerto Rican street gang the Sharks, and Mike Faist is Riff, Tony’s replacement as the leader of the caucasian street gang the Jets.

 

This version of this explosively emotional film moves around some of the iconic key songs, such as “Gee, Officer Krupke”, “Cool” and “I Feel Pretty”, placing them in moments that fit better into the story continuity than either the 1961 film or the stage musical. On the other hand, I’ll admit that some of the 1961 performances are more powerful. The performances in the 2021 are all good to great, and I love the fact that Rita Moreno, recast as the widow of the local store owner (Valentina) gets to sing “Somewhere” at the end of the film, while I know other fans were disappointed in this change, feeling that it’s really a Maria/Tony song.

 

The look of the film is tremendous, with much of it set among urban decay in a neighborhood that’s in the process of being torn down for gentrification (historically, it later becomes the location of The Lincoln Center performing arts facility). The dance sequences are marvelous, and the chemistry among the cast is incredible. And I appreciated that most of the Puerto Rican characters are actually played by Latinx performers, unlike the earlier film, which uses white actors in embarrassingly heavy makeup. But the 1961 film is a classic for very good reasons. I just happen to think that the 2021 holds up equally well, and the new film was one of my favorite movies of last year. Your mileage may vary…

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the original West Side Story (1961), directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, and starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, George Chakiris, Russ Taymbln and Rita Moreno. You should also catch a stage production of this show if you ever have the chance, as the staged version of this musical differs dramatically from both films. I also highly recommend the soundtrack album to this new 2021 film, which does a very respectful job of recreating the music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, with the addition of “La Borinqueña”, sung in Spanish by the Sharks gang!)

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film ) | ( official West Side Story (2021) web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

CD Review: 30 by Adele

30
by Adele (Compact Disc 781.66 Adele)

30 is music superstar Adele’s fourth original album, and like the earlier 19, 21, and 25, it charts out a certain time and emotional point in her life. In short, 30 is Adele’s “divorce album”, tapping into a myriad of emotions and mental gymnastics that she’s gone through as she deals with the aftermath of the break-up of her marriage and her now becoming a single parent.

 

If you’re looking for a fun, upbeat, lightweight bit of entertainment, 30 is not for you. Adele explores a lot of darkness in songs relating to her current state of life — depression, failed relationships, misjudgments, uncertainty. But she also seems hopeful, and still has a sense of humor, that pops through from time to time. And her voice. Oh…that voice, that just keeps getting better and better as she ages…smoky, sensuous, sentimental, wistful, and seeking!

 

If you’re an Adele fan already, you won’t want to miss this latest album from her. If you haven’t listened to Adele previously, this is definitely not the place to start — go back to her earlier work so you can feel the progression in emotions she has built up over a dozen years of musical storytelling, then come back to 30 to experience the latest chapter.

 

Literally, my only complaint about 30 is that I needed the liner notes to understand a few lines in a few songs, as Adele’s thick accent becomes even thicker the more emotional she gets. But once I’d heard each song a few times, they really sunk in.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try 19, 21, and 25 by Adele.)

 

( official Adele web site )

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Music CD Review: Hey Gurl, It's Christmas! by Randy Rainbow

Hey Gurl, It’s Christmas!
by Randy Rainbow (Compact Disc 394 Rai)

Randy Rainbow is a comedian and singer, who first popped up in the pop culture zeitgeist around 2010, doing comedy videos in which he intercuts video of himself with video of various celebrities and/or newsmakers, to make it appear as if they were having phone conversations. His videos got a lot of traction, and then his popularity exploded in 2016 when he turned to making political parody videos set to music. Again, his style was to intercut images of himself with the politicians he was mocking, to make it look like he was interviewing them, but now he created full-fledged musical numbers — liberally borrowing well-known Broadway hit songs but applying his own all-original thematic lyrics. Randy has dozens of these bitingly satirical videos out there, from 2016 to 2021.

In the Winter of 2020, Randy released his first album, this holiday-themed collection of seven songs — Hey Gurl, It’s Christmas! Of the seven, one is a political parody — “Trumps Favorite Things” (set to “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music”). One is a completely original song — the title track. And the other five are well-known Christmas songs, with a Randy Rainbow twist. Randy has guest performers with him on several tracks — Kathy Griffin and Alan Cummings are psychoanalysts helping Randy as he deals with the repercussions of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”. Broadway superstar Norm Lewis duets with Randy on a mashup of “Merry Christmas Darling/What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” And another Broadway diva, Lorna Luft shares the crooning duties on “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” with Randy.

Other than the political parody song, the two tracks that are most Randy-like (sassy, sarcastic, and flamboyant) are the opening number, “Hey Gurl, It’s Christmas”, where he collaborates with Broadway hitmaker Marc Shaiman, and the upbeat “Make Someone Happy” that wraps up the disc. It’s a short collection, and in true Randy Rainbow style, there is quite a bit of…colorful…language, so if you’re easily offended by casual swearing, this isn’t for you. But if you’ve enjoyed Randy’s online video parodies for the past 5+ years, you’ll love this holiday collection!

(If you enjoy this, Randy has a new album, A Little Brains, A Little Talent, which just came out in November 2021, not yet in the libraries’ collection. Or look for his parody videos online, especially on YouTube.)

( official Randy Rainbow web site )

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

CD Review: Hotspot by the Pet Shop Boys

Hotspot
by the Pet Shop Boys (Music Compact Disc 781.66 Pet)

If you are itching to get your disco/synth-pop/techno-groove on, grab this 2020 album from one of the premier 1980s super-duos. Masters of hook-laden songs incorporating lush, plush, slightly nasal vocals which have just an edge of sand with smooth, beat-driven primo electronic accompaniment, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe deliver the goods again, updated without losing that oh-so-distinctive PSB feel. Along with several bouncy numbers, there are a couple that are more quiet and contemplative. Hotspot is an all-around enjoyable offering of tasty techy coolness, if this kind of music is your “cuppa”.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Pet Shop Boys Discography: The Complete Singles Collection by Pet Shop Boys, Actually by Pet Shop Boys — this and many other albums are available on Hoopla through LCL, or Musique Vol. 1, 1993-2005 by Daft Punk. Other artists of interest may be: Depeche Mode, Human League, A-ha, Soft Cell, A Flock of Seagulls, Howard Jones, Thomas Dolby, Spandau Ballet, Peter Schilling, Thompson Twins, Donna Summer, Jean Michele Jarre, Duran Duran, and Tears for Fears.]

[ official Hotspot page on the official Pet Shop Boys UK web site ]

 

Recommended by Becky W.C.
Walt Branch Library

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

CD Review: Apollo Atmospheres and Soundtracks by Brian Eno

Apollo Atmospheres & Soundtracks
by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois (Compact Disc 782.14 Eno)

This is a fascinating collection of 12 tracks that experimental music composer Brian Eno created for a television documentary “Apollo”, which used actual footage from the various Apollo moon missions to try to give viewers a sense of what it was like to journey to the moon. Using synthesizers, electronically modified instrumentation, and unusual sound effects, Eno (with his brother Roger Eno and guitarist/producer Daniel Lanois) creates a unique and intriguing aural snapshot. Tracks range from dark and vaguely disturbing (“Matta” and “Signals”) to mind-expanding, comforting, and mood-lifting.

The presence of some “country” musical influences, in Lanois’ steel guitar twangs in a few tracks reflects the fact that the astronauts, given the opportunity to bring music with them on their missions, almost uniformly chose to bring along country music. Several of the tracks on this 1983 album drift into classical music territory as well.

This music is great to listen to in a darkened room, or on your iPod or phone or car’s audio system at night while gazing up at the field of stars overhead. An odd but highly enjoyable album!

[NOTE: This was remastered and re-released after 2000, with an entire second disc of additional tracks added. The library only has the original single-disc 12-track release.]

[ official Apollo page on the official Brian Eno web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

CD Review: Running With Scissors by Weird Al Yankovic

Running With Scissors
by Weird Al Yankovic [Compact Disc 781.66 Yan]

In the 36 years since Weird Al Yankovic put out his first, self-titled, album in 1983, he’s released 14 full albums of original music, complete with dozens of parody versions of other popular artists’ works, polka medleys of contemporary hits, and many, many quirky and memorable completely original songs. Running With Scissors was his 10th album, released in 1999, but remains one of the best.

Weird Al albums are both timeless, and tied to particular times in pop-culture history — in many ways, they’re kind of a “time capsule”. Running With Scissors is no exception. The opening track, and one of his most popular of all-time, is “The Saga Begins”, which pairs the plot of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace with Don McLean’s “American Pie”. “The Weird Al Show Theme” (track 4) was from Al’s short-lived 1997 TV series (which was “recent” at the time of the album’s release. “Jerry Springer” is a fast-paced explosion of lyrics about Springer’s tawdry confrontational talk show, which began in 1991 and was at the height of its bizarre popularity in the late 1990s. “It’s All About the Pentiums” (a parody of Puff Daddy’s “It’s All About the Benjamins”) contains lots of technology references that seem quaint and ancient now. The “Polka Power” medley includes tidbits of 14 hits that were popular in the late 90s, but which current younger audiences may not “get”. Al’s fast-paced lyrics are at their best in “Pretty Fly for a Rabbi”, “Your Horoscope For Today”, “Grapefruit Diet” and the 11-minute track that ends the album, “Albuquerque”, which feels like a stream-of-consciousness experience.

Al’s music isn’t necessarily for everyone — I’ve got several friends who just don’t get his appeal — but if you like song parodies, fast-paced music, and sharp wit, I highly recommend his work. And Running With Scissors is an excellent example, with “The Saga Begins” being one of my all-time favorites of all his songs — I’m so happy he now uses it as the finale for his live shows, including his appearance at Pinewood Bowl on July 31st!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any other albums by Weird Al, including the many videos available for viewing on YouTube or his websiter, or WeirdAl: The Book, by Nathan Rabin.]

[ official Weird Al Yankovic web site ]

Read Kristen A.’s review of Weird Al Yankovic’s Mandatory Fun album from Mar 2015
Read Scott C.’s review of Nathan Rabin’s Weird Al: The Book from March 2013

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!