Tron Legacy Soundtrack…

Most soundtracks fall into one of two categories. “Inspired by” soundtracks feature whatever artist is hot at the time doing music that doesn’t relate to the film—witness anything off the Batman Forever soundtrack. The other class features collections of greatest hits jumbled together as in Forrest Gump or any Vietnam War movie using “What a Wonderful World.” As a sequel to an ’80s movie, Tron Legacy’s soundtrack could have been doomed to the BMG Music 12 CDs for 1 cent sale. Instead it shines as the exception to the rule. With Daft Punk solely at the helm, the soundtrack doesn’t just support the film, it strongly stands alone. The electronic dance music’s chirps and beeps seamlessly fit the imaginary inner workings of a computer and there’s a respect for the first film in short samples from the original theme. The ebb and flow of the music embodies the action of Lightbike battles, but it’s also perfect for late-night gaming marathons. The one downside is that the American release is missing a bonus disc with five tracks that’s available as an import only. Even in a genre marred by complete failures, this soundtrack outing deserves special (neon) praise for creating a unique score that thrives on and off the screen.

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Recovery…

Initially, pitchforks were pointed toward Slim Shady for his raw and violent lyrics. Then his Marshall Mathers persona came along and revealed that perhaps the middle-class, white protestors might have been so angry because they recognized the truth in his profanity. However, with his last two albums, Eminem tried to fuse the unabashed rapper with the social commentator only to fail. With Recovery, Eminem finds the balance he’s been looking for with strong beats, an effective use of guest artists, and his familiar intricate word play being put to use telling personal stories. Songs such as “W.T.P.” and “No Love” are fun, but with occasionally stunted lyrics and overly repetitive beats they veer a little close to the generic pop-radio drivel. Overall, Eminem is growing as an artist, and the prime example here is “Space Bound,” which mixes the raw and murderous (but pointless) tendencies of “Kim” from The Marshall Mathers LP with the unbridled but focused rage of The Eminem Show’s “Sing for the Moment.” The result is ugly in its content yet truthful in its execution. He’s moved beyond a lot of the homophobia and senseless rage, and Eminem’s skills as a wordsmith have matured and elevated the expected unchecked emotion and celebrity-bashing beyond mere ignorance.

Scream…

Three years ago, with Black Rain, Ozzy Osbourne seemed a little scared. The tracks were filled with environmentalist agendas and concern for humanity—not the thing you expect from a guy who used to eat bats. However, with his latest album, the Prince of Darkness settles back into his presence as a rock ’n’ roll icon. Making the first album without long-time guitarist Zakk Wylde, Ozzy may have felt he needed to explode out of the gate on this one and prove he can still yell with the best of them. The song “Let Me Hear You Scream” isn’t a track that works on multiple levels—it’s blatant and simple and gets the blood racing. In other words, it’s what you want to hear at a concert. Both “Diggin’ Me Down” and “Fearless” are prime examples of why you need to let most of the album grow on you. It’s not as hardcore as Black Sabbath (which many fans will quickly point out), but it’s also not as detached and contemplative as Black Rain. At first glance, these tracks are forgettable, but soon they prove infectious: inflammatory lyrics, solid guitars, and a steady beat by which to pump your fist. A throwback to the previous album—“Time”—does sneak in near the end of Scream, and you have to wonder if the Prince of Darkness threw it Ozzy’s way to appease his fears.

Strangers and Angels…

When Mickie James began her WWE professional wrestling career, her character idolized and emulated the top woman wrestler at the time in hopes of gaining stardom of her own. Jumping into the country music scene, she seems to be taking the same path. Taking a break from wrestling, James draws on an odd mix of Shania Twain’s late-’90s material and the more recent work of Gretchen Wilson and Miranda Lambert. “Are You With Me” has the rough and rowdy party feel of the latter artists, but when we get to “Freedom Song,” the themes still surround strong, independent women but the mood switches to a slightly less in-your-face approach. The combination of the two styles, along with the occasional hint at a power ballad, is certainly weird but thankfully, it also helps the songs stray from the current pop-country trend. The title track, “Don’t Apologize,” and “I’m No Good at Pretending” are honky-tonk fun and will ensure fans won’t tap out. The album is certainly not the train wreck that was Hulk Rules by Hulk Hogan and the Wrestling Boot Band, but James shouldn’t take down her five Women’s Championship belts to make way for a Grammy.

Rock & Soul…

When bands split and members go solo, an uneasy feeling usually settles upon the fans. Well, breathe easy, lovers of Cuesta Drive; frontman Dane Drewis’ first solo CD hits the speakers with a rocking sonic boom and acts as a transitional piece of work. Six of the 13 tracks are from Cuesta Drive’s Distractions, and the rest are new songs in which Jason Weed joins on drums and percussion and Drewis’ father, Dale, adds bass and vocals. Some of the best songs off Distractions appear—notably “The Lick” and “Temptation”—but Drewis’ solo work overshadows his former band. “Full of It” exemplifies the funky rock that dominates Northern California, a sound that would envelop a dark coffee shop or thrive on a sunny beach, but the standout track is “Friday Night.” It’s poised to become an anthem for people who work hard and play harder—the perfect love letter to those of the working class who never skip the bar after a long week. More important, it’s evidence that the presence of Cuesta Drive hasn’t disappeared. The song has the power and hook to send half-smoked cigarettes hurling to the ground while their owners leave behind the hot summer night and dash into the bar to join the party.

Need You Now…

Country has enjoyed a recent upswing in mainstream popularity (arguably due to the very talented and very marketable Taylor Swift) and many of the new bands are bringing less twang. Regardless of whether this twang-less country trend is the chicken or egg of popularity, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Along with the pop that gets them played on adult alternative stations, groups like Lady Antebellum mix in blues, rock and jazz (not new additions to country), creating a sound more akin to early American music. “American Honey” has twinges of folk in the vocals but there is also a down-home, blues desire in the lyrics. On the flip side, “Stars Tonight” celebrates rock-star indulgences, yet with a few tweaks, it could easily pass as a Christian rock anthem. Each track brings a different slice of the American lifestyle. The standout track is actually the only song strictly rooted in country music. Fueled by whiskey and the desire for a connection despite past scars, “Need You Now” is the quintessential been-there, done-that tune. The inclusion of a country staple song gives hope that even if pop-country is a passing fad, the twang will survive.

Early Morning Hours…

There’s always that go-to description of a “coffee-shop sound” when you’re describing a female artist with a natural voice and affinity for the piano or an acoustic guitar. It either can be a compliment or, as anyone who’s suffered through an amateur night can attest, a tired complaint. With Emmeline Miles’ new EP, it’s a compliment. The opening track, “Title Story,” is a simplistic and haunting story of loss that sticks with you. The Texas native doesn’t hammer home the sadness; instead, she lays it out there and lets it sit with you, buried, until a gloomy day can bring it to the surface. The rest of the album is just as effective as it transitions into songs of hope and touch of silliness. “Give a Damn” is a great example of resigned, unrequited love and not the only example of Emmeline channeling contemporary folk artist Susan Werner. Both singer-songwriters use understated (but strong) melodies to wind through stories of everyday life that seem to have been written for sleepy New England towns, or black-and-white movie montages. At only seven tracks, this EP will have to do until Emmeline releases the full-length she’s currently working on. Visit her at http://emmemusic.tripod.com to order.

The Essential “Weird Al” Yankovic…

The soundtrack of my life is weird. In grade school, I learned that “mashed potatoes can be your friends” and I spent four years of high school “living in an Amish paradise.” Bands come and go, but “Weird Al” Yankovic has remained. For this retrospective, the prince of parody handpicked a collection that shows off not only his progression as a musician but that of our musical tastes as a society as well. Early songs parodying Queen and Devo turn to P. Diddy and Green Day. His parodies may be his most universally known work, but Weird Al’s original material is without comparison. Fan favorites “The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota” and “Albuquerque” show his band’s solid musical chops. Nonsensical humor is currently a big trend in mass media, but Weird Al’s trips to Minnesota and Albuquerque not only set the standard, they surpassed it. It’s fitting that he joins Elvis, Springsteen and MJ in Sony’s Essential series. For more than 30 years, Al and his band mates have churned out song after song holding a fun-house mirror to society. And for some the music has just let us be who we are: white and nerdy.

The List…

It’s a cover album; get over it. (Dooley Wilson’s take on “As Time Goes By” in Casablanca is a cover and that turned out pretty good, huh?) Judge Rosanne Cash’s take on classic country songs on its own merit and it turns out to be a pretty good album. The 12 tracks here stem from a list of 100 essential country songs that Roseanne’s father, Johnny Cash, gave to her on her 18th birthday. Rooted in the love and pain of the working class, these songs require a sense of longing to make them poignant and not cliché to today’s ears. Cash never slips into trite feelings but occasionally the sound is more like a $5 latte than a pot of black joe. “Miss the Mississippi and You” doesn’t quite make us miss the song that everyone from Bob Dylan to Emmylou Harris has covered—let alone Mississippi—but Cash hits other tunes out of the park: The haunting and mournful classic folk tune “500 Miles” and the Carter family’s “Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow” deserve to be placed alongside a bottle of whiskey under a balmy Southern sunset. Overall, there’s enough gritty desire to rouse an interest in her take on the other 88 songs on the list.

Ear to the Ground…

You know the old story. Girl meets girl. Girl becomes a boy. Boy and girl form a band. OK, so it’s not a familiar story, but thanks to Coyote Grace, it’s a story worth listening too. The duo of transman singer/songwriter Joe Stevens and vocalist/upright bassist Ingrid Elizabeth has an eclectic musical background that really shines throughout their third album. Opening with “Runaround,” we can immediately hear the mutual choral influences in what turns out to be a great mix of dusk on a dry Saturday evening and an even dryer Sunday morning in church. The faint banjo is lonely, and its distant sound brings more warmth to Elizabeth’s vocals. Stevens’ vocals are ashy and lush, but Elizabeth commands the mic. Her standout song, “Girls Like Me,” a genuine and beautiful summer country entry, pokes just enough fun at the closed-minded individuals who are shocked by the duo’s unique romantic relationship. Without politics, religion, or ideologies getting in the way, Elizabeth sums it up nicely, “Thank God boys like her, like the girls like me.” The details may be foreign, but the down-home music and love are old fashioned.