We Started Nothing (The Ting Tings)

Thanks to a very nice price for The Ting Tings' We Started Nothing at Best Buy, I decided to give the album a chance. My first impression is fairly positive. It's not one of my top albums of the year, but it wouldn't be one of my bottom albums either. Some tracks are better than others, but overall it's a decent listen. Perhaps in July, when I can listen to music and not be incredibly tired, I'll spin this one again for a more critical, specific opinion.

Tracks:
1. Great DJ
2. That's Not My Name
3. Fruit Machine
4. Traffic Light
5. Shut Up and Let Me Go
6. Keep Your Head
7. Be the One
8. We Walk
9. Impacilla Carpisung
10. We Started Nothing

The Ocean Blue & Beneath the Rhythm and Sound

I got turned onto The Ocean Blue when a friend included their song "Cerulean" on a mix CD. I fell in love with it. Wonderful song. Ever since, I've been hoping a cheap copy of the Cerulean album would present itself. While that hasn't happened, I did bite the bullet and get the band's self-titled 1989 release and 1993's Beneath the Rhythm and Sound. I'm glad I did! These are great albums. The late 80s and early 90s was an amazing time for college rock/modern rock/whatever you wanna call it, and these albums are proof. One review I was reading compared The Ocean Blue to The Smiths - I don't think this is a particularly good comparison, but I do think that one can hear a slight Smiths influence, particularly on songs like Beneath's "Cathedral Bells."

Highlights from the albums include "Between Something and Nothing," "Drifting, Falling," "The Circus Animals," "The Office of a Busy Man," "Sublime," "Ice Skating at Night," and "Cathedral Bells." Really, though, both albums are consistent and make for quality listening. I recommend them.

Not particularly relevant, but I was also somewhat tickled to find this passage in the liner notes for The Ocean Blue:

"The Compact Disc Digital Audio System offers the best possible sound reproduction - on a small, convenient disc. Its remarkable performance is the result of a unique combination of digital storage and laser optics. For best results, you should apply the same care in storing and handling the Compact Disc as you would with convention records. No cleaning is necessary if the Compact Disc is always held by the edges and is replaced in its case directly after playing. If the Compact Disc becomes soiled by fingerprints, dust or dirt, it can be wiped (always in a straight line, from center to edge) with a clean and lint-free, soft, dry cloth. Never use a solvent or abrasive cleaner to clean the disc. If you follow these suggestions, the Compact Disc will provide a lifetime of listening enjoyment."

A quick Google search reveals a few other titles that were printed with this notice. I just hope the format itself lasts long enough for other Compact Disc titles to provide me with a lifetime of listening enjoyment!

Track listings:
The Ocean Blue
1. Between Something and Nothing
2. Vanity Fair
3. Drifting, Falling
4. The Circus Animals
5. Frigid Winter Days
6. Just Let Me Know
7. Love Song
8. Ask Me Jon
9. Awaking to a Dream
10. The Office of a Busy Man
11. Myron
12. A Familiar Face

Beneath the Rhythm and Sound
1. Peace of Mind
2. Sublime
3. Listen, It's Gone
4. Either/Or
5. Bliss Is Unaware
6. Ice Skating at Night
7. Don't Believe Everything You Hear
8. Crash
9. Cathedral Bells
10. The Relatives
11. Emotions Ring

Jamie Walters

Jamie Walters' self-titled 1994 album contains very few pictures of him in the booklet, and none of those are very interesting. Drag. Oh, right, and the music suffers from a severe case of generic. It's not bad and I like his voice, but overall, the disc basically works as pleasant background music. Oh well. You can't win 'em all. I did like "Why" pretty well though, and "Release Me" held my attention for a while.

Tracks:
1. Hold On
2. The Comfort of Strangers
3. The Distance
4. Why
5. Drive Me
6. Neutral Ground
7. I Know the Game
8. Release Me
9. No Rhyme, No Reason
10. Perfect World

Music from the Television Show The Heights (Various Artists)

There's only one reason that I would have bought the soundtrack from The Heights, a forgotten TV series of the 90s, and that is "How Do You Talk to an Angel." That song, performed by Jamie Walters, is a guilty pleasure of mine. The rest of the soundtrack is a bit generic and a bit schlocky, including remakes of "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" and "Feelin' Alright." One would do just as well just to get the big hit on a 90s nostalgia disc or something of that sort. Still, it was an interesting window back into the world of the early 90s. Can't recommend this one unless it's for nostalgia purposes, though.

"Professional Widow" single (Tori Amos)

While I like some of the Tori Amos songs I've heard, she tends to be just a bit too much for me. I can only listen in small doses for the most part, except when I'm in a certain mood for her brand of zaniness. Still, when I saw this single, I had to pick it up for the remix of this song that brought it to hit status: Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' mix. Actually, Armand van Helden's and MK's mixes are all fine, although I do prefer Van Helden's, especially the hit mix. The album version, which opens the single, is about what one expects from Tori Amos, with her own brand of lyrics and delivery. It's a decent song, just not one that would survive heavy rotation for me. Anyway, I'd be willing to call Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' mix a dance classic (or perhaps future dance classic, depending on how long you think a song should stand the test of time before it can be called classic), and it's well worth the disc.

Tracks:
1. Professional Widow
2. Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' mix)
3. Professional Widow (MK mix)
4. Professional Widow (Just Da Funk dub)
5. Professional Widow (MK Vampire dub)
6. Professional Widow (Armand's instrumental)
7. Professional Widow (Bonus Beats)

"It's Not Right But It's Okay" single (Whitney Houston)

I have to admit, Whitney Houston's "It Not Right But It's Okay" is one of those songs that hit me the first time I heard it. It's truly a great track. However, I wasn't buying many CDs (especially currents) at that time, so I never picked up the single. I now have the remix single, however, and it's a good'n! I really like the Thunderpuss and Club 69 mixes. The Jerkins one isn't bad, but it takes some of the kick away from the song. The last track is a Hex Hector remix of "I Will Always Love You," and I have to admit, it's pretty good too. All in all, this is a cool single.

Tracks:
1. It's Not Right But It's Okay (Rodney Jerkins Smooth mix)
2. It's Not Right But It's Okay (Rodney Jerkins Smooth mix instrumental)
3. It's Not Right But It's Okay (Thunderpuss radio mix)
4. It's Not Right But It's Okay (Club 69 radio mix)
5. It's Not Right But It's Okay (Thunderpuss club mix)
6. It's Not Right But It's Okay (Club 69 Future club mix)
7. It's Not Right But It's Okay (Club 69 Future dub)
8. I Will Always Love You (Hex Hector club mix)

"Let Your Yeah Be Yeah" single (Ali Campbell)

Before seeing this single, I'd been unaware that Ali Campbell of UB40 had recorded solo. However, as I like what little UB40 I know and I like Jimmy Cliff, I thought it might be interesting to hear, so I gave it a shot. The result is pretty good. While I prefer Cliff's own version of his song, Campbell does a decent job with it. His version of UB40's "You Could Meet Somebody" is also cool. I don't know their original to know how it compares, but I liked hearing his. The last track, labeled "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah (version)," is instrumental, though it isn't simply the instrumental of the a-side as it clocks in at 3:59, while the a-side is 4:18. It works pretty well as an instrumental.

Tracks:
1. Let Your Yeah Be Yeah
2. You Could Meet Somebody
3. Let Your Yeah Be Yeah (version)

Linear

The only thing I could have told you about Linear is that "Sending All My Love" is a cool freestyle track that I like despite myself. I could not have told you if they charted any other singles (they did) or anything else. Still, when I saw their self-titled 1990 album, I picked it up despite thinking it might be "Sending All My Love," its club mix, and a bunch of filler. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was not the case. Two surprisingly poppy songs that I like are "You're My Lady" and "Dream About Me." Another cool track is the second single, "Don't You Come Cryin'." The album overall isn't bad. It's not mind-blowing and it won't be on a critic's list of essential albums for music buyers, but it's a pretty good representative of its genre.

Tracks:
1. Sending All My Love
2. Something Going On
3. Heartache
4. You're My Lady
5. Dream About Me
6. Lies
7. Don't You Come Cryin'
8. I Never Felt This Way
9. Still in Love
10. Sending All My Love (1990 club remix)

"Your Favorite Thing" single (Sugar)

I can't remember when I first heard Sugar's "Your Favorite Thing," but I believe it had played on VH1 Classic or some sort of TV music station. I really liked the track, and I eventually scored a cheap copy of the album from which it came, File Under: Easy Listening. I'm pretty sure I like that album, but to be honest, I don't remember much about it other than "Your Favorite Thing." Perhaps that's why I've not picked up the Copper Blue album despite encountering it a few times. I'm not sure, therefore, why I decided to get the "Your Favorite Thing" single. The a-side was not remixed for single release, so only the b-sides are new. Still, I decided to give them a shot.

Tracks:
1. Your Favorite Thing
As I stated above, I really like this track, and it's the same version found on the File Under: Easy Listening album. Check it out.

2. Mind Is an Island
Pretty strong b-side. I like this track. Worth a repeated listen for sure, if I remember to give it one at some point. Maybe I should pull out FU:EL again too, eh?

3. Frustration
It's not a bad song, but it also doesn't particularly grab me. Not really my style, I suppose.

4. And You Tell Me (TV Mix)
It's a rockin' instrumental. I like it well enough.

"(Reach Up for The) Sunrise" single (Duran Duran)

While I very much like Duran Duran, I'm not the sort who actively seeks out their singles. That said, when I saw this two-track in a used bin at clearance prices, I was perfectly happy to invest my $1 for a remix of "(Reach Up for The) Sunrise," the Alex G cosmic mix. The first track is simply the album version, which can be found on Astronaut, which was one of the first discs I bought in '08 and about which I commented. Anyhow, I'm a fan of the b-side remix, and therefore am content with this purchase. It has a very different feel from the album version, but it works.

Tracks:
1. (Reach Up for The) Sunrise
2. (Reach Up for The) Sunrise (Alex G cosmic mix)

Born to Do It (Craig David)

Craig David's Born to Do It was his first studio album, released in 2001. I was only turned onto David two or three years ago. I like his stuff, yet somehow, only some of the tracks on his albums stick with me. I've yet to hear an entire one that I love. This is why he doesn't tend to be a high priority guy for me, and I've stuck to buying his records from used bins.

That said, David's music is good. On this album, my favorite is one of the singles, "Walking Away." Well, that's discounting "Rewind," which is better known as modified into Artful Dodger's "Re-Rewind" featuring Craig David. That's one awesome track. There are some other good tunes, as well as some other not so great ones (e.g., "Booty Man). Overall, it's a pleasant album, though not earth-shattering. It's not likely to replace Slicker Than Your Average as my favourite of his albums, although I still don't have his latest release, Trust Me.

Tracks:
1. Fill Me In
2. Can't Be Messing 'Round
3. Rendezvous
4. 7 Days
5. Follow Me
6. Key to My Heart
7. Fill Me In (Part 2)
8. Last Night
9. Walking Away
10. Time to Party
11. Booty Man
12. Once in a Lifetime
13. You Know What
14. Rewind

Sweet Talkin' Girls: The Best of The Chiffons

One final copied CD set I received is Sweet Talkin' Girls: The Best of The Chiffons. This is a two-disc set, and it demonstrates clearly that The Chiffons were capable of making some of the most gorgeous pop songs. I love this set and highly recommend it, both for music and great song selection. Included are all of the great hits, major ("One Fine Day," "He's So Fine," "I Have a Boyfriend...") and minor ("When the Boy's Happy (The Girl's Happy Too)," "Nobody Knows What's Goin' On (In My Mind But Me)..."), and they're excellent. Some of the non-hits were just as amazing, including my two favorites, "Tonight I'm Gonna Dream" and "What Am I Gonna Do With You (Hey Baby)."

If you're at all a fan of girl group music, this set is a must-have. I don't know how I've gone so long without it.

Track listing:
1. He's So Fine
2. Oh My Lover
3. Lucky Me
4. One Fine Day
5. Why Am I So Shy
6. My Block
7. When I Go to Sleep at Night
8. Mystic Voice
9. A Love So Fine
10. Only My Friend
11. When the Boy's Happy (The Girl's Happy Too)
12. I Have a Boyfriend
13. I'm Gonna Dry My Eyes
14. Easy to Love (So Hard to Get)
15. Tonight I Met an Angel
16. Sailor Boy
17. When Summer's Through
18. Strange Strange Feeling
19. What Am I Gonna Do With You (Hey Baby)
20. Nobody Knows What's Going On (In My Mind but Me)
21. The Real Thing
22. Tonight I'm Gonna Dream
23. The Heavenly Place
24. Did You Ever Go Steady
25. Now That You're My Baby
26. Sweet Talkin' Guy
27. Down Down Down
28. Open Your Eyes (I Will Be There)
29. Thumbs Down
30. Dream Dream Dream
31. Out of This World
32. Just a Boy
33. Stop, Look and Listen
34. March
35. My Boyfriend's Back
36. I Got Plenty of Nuttin'
37. Keep the Boy Happy
38. He's a Bad One
39. If I Knew Then (What I Know Now)
40. Just for Tonight
41. Teach Me How
42. Up on the Bridge
43. Love Me Like You're Gonna Lose Me
44. Three Dips of Ice Cream
45. Secret Love
46. Every Boy and Every Girl
47. I Don't Deserve a Boy Like You
48. Remember Me Baby
49. So Much in Love
50. My Sweet Lord

Consolers of the Lonely (The Raconteurs)

Along with the previous Vee-Jay set, this was a nice copied gift from a friend. It's good to finally have this, especially since I heard some of it live and all earlier this year.

My general impression is that Consolers of the Lonely is a somewhat more cohesive album than Broken Boy Soldiers, but it lacks a track like "Steady, As She Goes" that has the potential to conquer the world. Still, there's a lot to be said for a solid album, and overall I enjoy this one. I might even pick up a real copy somewhere down the road if it ever ends up really cheap somewhere. For now, I'll dig the tunage.

Tracks:
1. Consoler of the Lonely
2. Salute Your Salution
3. You Don't Understand Me
4. Old Enough
5. The Switch and the Spur
6. Hold Up
7. Top Yourself
8. Many Shades of Black
9. Five on the Five
10. Attention
11. Pull This Blanket Off
12. Rich Kid Blues
13. These Stones Will Shout
14. Carolina Drama

Vee-Jay: The Definitive Collection (various artists)

I'm feeling lazy, so for the basic info of these sets, check here: http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,4349044,00.html

Can't speak to the packaging or anything of that sort, but as far as the music, my preference was mainly for the stuff on the later discs (Betty Everett, Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler) as well as the John Lee Hooker and gospel-oriented songs. You know if you're a fan of these vintage styles of rock, rhythm & blues, gospel, etc., and if you are, this set would likely be a good investment.

See link above for the track listing.

Spotlight: Capitol Collectors Series (The Lettermen)

The Lettermen were one of the premier pop vocal groups of the 1960s and 1970s. Their harmonies were simply amazing. No fan of harmony groups should be without a Lettermen CD in their collections. The only one I currently own is Capitol Collectors Series, a 23-track collection that compiles most of their major hit singles which I was in the mood to revisit tonight.

Perhaps one of the reasons I love the Lettermen so is that they sound convincing on a wide range of material. Their hit remake of "Come Back Silly Girl" is just as quality as their beautiful rendition of "Put Your Head on My Shoulder." They handle John Lennon's "Oh My Love" flawlessly, taking the song to a whole new level.

Their biggest hits: "When I Fall in Love," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off You," and "Hurt So Bad." All of these songs have been recorded by many artists, but they all hold up very well in their Lettermen versions.

Perhaps spurred by the success of the GooMH/CTMEoY single, the Lettermen would release a few more medley singles throughout their careers. One of my favorites is the only other present on this disc, combining "Traces" and "Memories," two songs which seem like they were destined to be together when you hear the way they've been woven.

One of the most interesting song selections is a Motown remake: "Everything Is Good About You." I believe the Supremes version is the original one, although I show others by Barbara McNair and Chris Clark. I don't know those very well, but this rendition is good. It's not one of the best tracks on here, but it's still high quality.

The closing track, "If You Feel the Way I Do," is one of those that I find inexplicable as a non-hit. It's really a great song, in my opinion. Offhand, I can't find if there were any other recordings before The Lettermen's from 1975. The only other version I can find, by Love Generation, was released in '76.

To conclude, I'll simply say that every track on here has some merit and is worth hearing at least once. If you like vocal harmony, you'll be playing most of them more than that.

Tracks:
1. The Way You Look Tonight
2. That's My Desire
3. When I Fall in Love
4. Come Back Silly Girl
5. How Is Julie
6. Turn Around, Look at Me
7. Silly Boy (She Doesn't Love You)
8. Be My Girl
9. Theme from "A Summer Place"
10. Sealed with a Kiss
11. Secretly
12. I Only Have Eyes for You
13. Our Winter Love
14. Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off You
15. Sherry Don't Go
16. Put Your Head on My Shoulder
17. Hurt So Bad
18. Shangri-La
19. Traces/Memories Medley
20. Everything Is Good About You
21. Love
22. Oh My Love
23. If You Feel the Way I Do

The Best of Steve & Eydie

The Best of Steve & Eydie is an Italian CD that collects thirty singles from Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, mainly as solo artists, from the period 1957-1964. How official is this disc? I don't know. I can't find a label and the only catalogue number is "S&E 601." The liner notes, one paragraph, are a few basic factoids. All of this leads me to believe that the origins of this disc may be a bit less than official.

Thankfully, that doesn't particularly bother me, because the music and song selection are great. At least two of Lawrence's great hits, "My Clair de Lune" and his rendition of "Somewhere Along the Way," don't seem to be on other CDs. Those two alone are worth a reasonable price for this disc. While I don't have sensitive ears, the sound quality on this disc sounds fine to me, so I have no complaints.

This is not the only disc you'll want for either artist, especially as Gorme only has a few cuts on here. However, I would recommend this both to beginners looking for a good entry into the world of Steve and Eydie as well as Lawrence fans who would like the previously mentioned pair of rare cuts. Personally, this disc leaves me wanting more, so don't be surprised if more Lawrence and/or Gorme titles appear here soon.

Tracks:
1. The Banana Boat Song (Lawrence)
2. Party Doll (Lawrence)
3. (The Bad Donkey) Pum-Pa-Lum (Lawrence)
4. Can't Wait for Summer (Lawrence)
5. Fabulous (Lawrence)
6. Fraulein (Lawrence)
7. Uh-Huh, Oh Yeah (Lawrence)
8. You Need Hands (Gorme)
9. Many a Time (Lawrence)
10. (I Don't Care) Only Love Me (Lawrence)
11. Pretty Blue Eyes (Lawrence)
12. Footsteps (Lawrence)
13. Girls, Girls, Girls (Lawrence)
14. Come Back Silly Girl (Lawrence)
15. Portrait of My Love (Lawrence)
16. My Clair de Lune (Lawrence)
17. Somewhere Along the Way (Lawrence)
18. Go Away Little Girl (Lawrence)
19. Blame It on the Bossa Nova (Gorme)
20. Don't Be Afraid Little Darlin' (Lawrence)
21. Don't Try to Fight It Baby (Gorme)
22. Poor Little Rich Girl (Lawrence)
23. I Want to Stay Here (Lawrence & Gorme)
24. Everybody Go Home (Gorme)
25. Walking Proud (Lawrence)
26. I Can't Stop Talking About You (Lawrence & Gorme)
27. Everybody Knows (Lawrence)
28. I Want You to Meet My Baby (Gorme)
29. Can't Get Over (The Bossa Nova) (Gorme)
30. Yet... I Know (Et pourtant) (Lawrence)