RANDOM SIGHTS + SOUNDS

With her ninth studio album, "Visions", Norah Jones dives deeper into the soulful side of her music. Teaming with Leon Michels, a musician and producer who played with several soul bands that includes being a founding member of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings as well as touring with the alt-rock band, the Black Keys, Jones, now a forty-four year old wife to musician, Pete Remm and mother to their two children, has gotten looser and funkier with her sound. Yet fear not, long time jazz era fans of Jones, there are still elements of her smooth musical style on this record that first brought her fame twenty-two years ago.





Some new music I'm feeling right now is the latest single from Tyla with the South African singer's self titled debut has also just been released; the Irish rocker, Hoizer has dropped an EP with a track enjoying Tik Tok popularity; another single from Colombian performer, Shakira has her teaming up with hip-hop artist, Cardi B.; the new single by the reunited '90's boy-band, New Kids on the Block who are now middle-aged men and Lorde's contribution for a tribute album to Talking Heads which celebrates the re-release of the band's amazing 1984 feature film, "Stop Making Sense" which will be released through the movie studio, A24's music label.

Kim Gordon first found success as one of the founding members of the influential alternative rock band, Sonic Youth. After spending thirty years with this experimental band, Gordon parted ways not only with this musical group but with her husband and fellow band member, Thurston Moore in 2011. She has since spent her time creating art, working on a fashion line, doing a little acting and producing for other musical artists.

Gordon had little interest in recording as a solo artist yet when she met producer, Justin Raisen in 2015, he convinced her to forge ahead. Their first project together was "No Home Record" four years later which was well received. This musical duo set about working together again and their latest collaboration has been released. "The Collective", with the title inspired by Jennifer Egan's novel, "The Candy House", is vigorous blending of thrashing guitars and hip-hop beats. The Tik Tok generation has embraced the seventy year old Gordon and a track from the album, "Bye Bye", which describes a list of items she will pack for a trip enhanced by pulsating, noisy beats.

HOT AND FRESH OUT THE KITCHEN

Because of the upcoming holiday season, there is a glut of new music being dumped in to the marketplace, which is great for music lovers but a little tough on our wallets.

Here is a sampling of some hot & fresh stuff:

SHARKIRA - "SALE EL SOL"

Shakira's latest is entitled, "Sale El Sol" or "The Sun Comes Out" in English and it is her third bilingual pop album. She returns to her Latin pop/rock sound after last year's album, "She Wolf" which explored electropop music that is popular right now.

Although there are a few English-language tracks , most of the album is in Spanish. Shakira collaborates with Latin hip-Hop artists, Calle 13 and Pitbull plus the record includes the 2010 World Cup Anthem, "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa) (The Official 2010 Fifa World Cup (Tm) Song)".

This song is a remake from the English indie band, The XX:


"Islands" - Shakira

BELLE & SEBASTIAN - "BELLE & SEBASTIAN WRITE ABOUT LOVE"

This alternative rock-pop band from Glasgow, Scotland has not made a huge impact here in the U.S. but they have released their eighth album, "Write About Love".

To be honest, I had never heard their music before this record but I do enjoy their sound. The album has reached number eight on the U.K. pop charts which is their highest charting record there and it is getting some airplay here.

This is the song that I really like:

"I Want The World To Stop" - Belle And Sebastian


CEE-LO GREEN - "THE LADYKILLER"

Born Thomas Callaway in Atlanta, Cee-Lo Green first came to the attention of music audiences as a member of the Hip-Hop act, Goodie Mob and later as a part of a collaboration with DJ Danger Mouse as the group, Gnarls Barkley with their hit song, "Crazy" but he is now back on the charts as a solo artist with his song, "Forget You" or the uncensored version, "F**k You [Explicit]".

He has just put out his third album under his own name, "The Lady Killer [Explicit]" and it features smooth, classic soul mixed with hip-hop all the while sticking to his very unique musical vision. It is great record and one of my favorites of the year.

It was hard to pick one favorite track but this one is it, plus the song features Philip Bailey of Earth Wind & Fire:

"Fool For You" - Cee-Lo Green Ft. Philip Bailey


RIHANNA - "LOUD"

The twenty-two year old singing sensation from Barbados has released an album almost every year since her 2005 debut, "Music Of The Sun" and now comes her fifth CD, "Loud". This record is a slight return to the sunny hip-hop flavored pop sound that she began her career with after last year's much darker edged and more rock influenced, "Rated R" but there are still traces of that sprinkled around on "Loud".

The first single, "Only Girl (In The World)" became her sixteenth song to hit the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

This appears to be her next hit single,"What's My Name?" that features Canadian rapper, Drake:

What's My Name.mp3

QUINCY JONES - "Q : SOUL BOSSA NOSTRA"

Quincy Jones is a legend in the music industry, having produced a wide and diverse group of artists during his long career and now he has released his latest, "Q: Soul Bossa Nostra", his sixteenth studio album under his own name. The record features a variety of contemporary musicians re-interpreting classic songs that Mr. Jones had previously produced with other artists.

While the project is ambitious and features an interesting line-up that includes Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, Robin Thicke, Mary J. Blige and T-Pain but it just feels unnecessary. None of the tracks are really particularly memorable, different or make you forget about the original version of the song for one moment.

This is a re-make of  "It's My Party", the number one hit Mr Jones produced for Lesley Gore in 1963. Amy Winehouse has resurfaced to record a slurred sounding version of this song:

"Its My Party" - Quincy Jones ft. Amy Winehouse

BRYAN FERRY - "OLYMPIA"
 

Former Roxy Music singer, Bryan Ferry has returned with his thirteenth solo album, "Olympia" which features the glamorous face of Supermodel, Kate Moss on the cover. The record features the lush, moody rock that isn't much of a departure from his work with Roxy Music or even from his previous solo projects.

He gets assistance on this from a fine group of musicians that include The Eurythmics's Dave Stewart, Chic's Nile Rodgers, The Scissor Sisters as well as his Roxy Music band mates.

This the first single from this album:

"You Can Dance" - Bryan Ferry