Pete Murray – Summer at Eureka – Columbia
Australia’s answer to Jack Johnson is back with his third studio album. Combining the body of a footballer with the soul of a musician, Pete, like Jack, finds his niche singing strum happy tunes that have a tendency to blur together into one wave of ocean-loving laidback goodness. If you’re looking for variety, well, look elsewhere, but if you want more of Pete’s slow, sexy vocals with a bit of standard rock to get you in the mood, pick up Summer at Eureka and try not to drool on the cover. –MS
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Santogold – Santogold – Downtown / Inertia
Santogold combines in a almighty crash and mash dub, reggae, ska, street blip, root rock and a touch of old spaghetti western. With a cavalcade of music’s hottest underground producers adding their touch (think Switch, Disco D, Spankrock and Fred Nasty), this gem of a record is a bullion of beats and bass, tension-driven, old skool and yet undeniably nu. Standout tracks? L.E.S. Artistes, Creator, Lights Out and The Pixies-esque riffed I’m A Lady. In short, one the most intriguing releases of 2008. –SPM
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Cyndi Lauper – Bring Ya To The Brink – Sony BMG
So how is it Cyndi Lauper, who is pushing 55, can release a more rounded, healthier sounding album than that supposed queen of pop, Madonna? Perhaps it’s the fact that Lauper created this album with some of the hottest dance producers around. Basement Jaxx, Scumfrog, Digital Dog and Dragonette combine to supply a selection of songs which – albeit a little ’90s disco camp – are not bad. Same Ol’ (F’ing) Story is pure gold, Echo is kooky kitsch, Rocking Chair and Lyfe are ghetto chic while Grab A Hold smacks of the ’80s so much it’s pure Cyn. Gold! –SPM
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Alec Empire – The Golden Foretaste of Heaven – Eat Your Heart Out
Alec Empire and his seminal, but sadly defunct, outfit Atari Teenage Riot have always been polarizing figures. Empire’s immense discography covers every genre of modern music from hardcore, techno and drum n bass to goth, indie and noise without the slightest regard for limitations. In that sense, the inconsistent quality, variety and 100% commitment of Golden Foretaste of Heaven makes it a typical Alec Empire album. It has a big retro feel that is largely well done, entertaining and earnest, if somewhat derivative. The reverbed drum machine which opens New Man (one of the best tracks I’ve heard in ages) or the driving rhythm of …If You Live or Die will be familiar sensations to old school fans of XTRMNTR or Barbed Wire Kisses. Overall this album is for those who like it a little dirtier and louder. –SM
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Booka Shade – The Sun & The Neon Light – Physical
After two extremely well received ‘club’ albums, Booka Shade are spreading their wings and incorporating song structures and cinematic orchestrations into their music. Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier new forays perfectly complement the darkly cool keyboards and sparse beat structures, and in the occasional instances where vocals are used, the strings back off and let them come forward. These subtle nods to acoustic performance look set to enhance the already formidable Booka Shade live experience, though they still pump out good dancefloor fodder when required. Charlotte is an effective and powerful update of Blue Monday until some Balearic vocals come in, while Control Me is most impressive as it pushes forward, a lean bass and brooding strings giving extra power to the mix and cool techno providing an airy entrance point to the album. –SM
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Mariah Carey – E=MC2 – Island
Mariah passed Elvis Presley with the most #1 hits as a solo artist, when E=MC2’s ‘Touch My Body’ became her 18th #1 hit. This album deserves the accolades as it is a very strong follow-up to her Grammy award album, ‘The Emancipation of Mimi’. Strong in R&B, hip-hop and dance grooves, the other strengths of this album are the haunting ballads, most notably her hit, ‘Bye Bye’ and ‘Last Kiss’. Love her or hate her, you can’t deny the newly-wed chanteuse has produced an album that with more radio airplay will win over even more fans. –TL
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Kate Ceberano – So Much Beauty – Universal
The title of this CD sums up everything about this album. Kate’s mature voice is at its best as it reworks classic modern pop, with a couple of 70s hits thrown in for good measure, most notably ‘Bridge over Troubled Waters’ (the closing track) and Bryan Ferry’s ‘Avalon’. The album Kate’s best work to date and is beautifully orchestrated with a clever choice of songs that Kate’s voice breathes new life into. My favourite track is the David Gray classic, ‘Babylon’. –TL
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Madonna – Hard Candy – Warner Bros.
What on earth Madonna? If you hit, you hit… but if you miss? Well, I guess we get stuck with Hard Candy, so named not because your sugar is sweet, Madonna, but because this is one of the most difficult, immature sounding records you have ever released. And you supposedly worked with the best? Were they taking the piss? The only one who delivers is Pharrell Williams, with Candy Shop, the sure to be big She’s Not Me and super hot Spanish Lesson. The rest? Tinny. Too many cooks, Madonna, too many cooks! -SPM
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The Ting Tings – We Started Nothing – Sony BMG
When you hear a song on the radio that makes your heart quicken it zaps you with excitement… well, that’s a mighty impressive song, one delivered by a surely impressive band. Such was the impact and effect of That’s Not My Name by The Ting Tings, and yes, this new wave of Britpop is hot hot hot! Tracks like Great DJ, Keep Your Head and Shut Up And Let Me Go are all incredibly infectious. Scrap that – the entire album is infectious! It’s no surprise than that they debuted #1 on the UK charts. This album is a must! –SPM
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Minnie Driver – Sea Stories – Universal
I’ve got to admit I had some serious misgivings about this album. The transition from actress to singer is a path few successfully trod, but I was more than knocked over by both the sheer power and the subtlety that this emerging artist brings to table. Driver’s work with guest artists Rami Jaffee (the Wallflowers) and Ryan Adams & the Cardinals on this album proves her ability to hold her own with established musician. Similar in sound to Eva Cassidy and Joni Mitchell, Driver delivers real knockouts with the opening track, ‘Stars and Satellites’ and the slide guitar laced ‘King with a Queen’. –TL
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Jordin Sparks – Self-titled – Sony BMG
Winner of American Idol 2007, this gal has the looks of a model (she’s 18!) and a voice that hopefully will take her down the path of fellow-winner, Kelly Clarkson. Unfortunately, Jordin had to cancel her planned tour with Alicia Keys due to vocal cord problems, but for fans who need a Sparks in their music live, this R&B/pop album is a 13-track dance feast. Working in the studio with Bloodshy, Avant, the Underdogs and others the album begins with the #1 hit, ‘Tattoo’. The momentum only slows for two ballads, ‘Next to You’ (track 7) and ‘Just for the Record’ (track 8). Be sure to listen out for the Prince-inspired ‘Shy Boy’. –TL
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Ashlee Simpson – Bittersweet World – Geffen
With the debacle of the Simpson family (Jessica, not Homer), it is somewhat ironic that the third studio album from ‘baby sis’ is actually not a bad album. The gal from Waco co-wrote all 12 songs, beginning appropriately with her big hit, Outta My Head. Edgy bass-driven dance tracks like Rule Breaker and Hot Stuff are the winning ticket here. An entertainer that relies as much on her stylist and fantastic video clips as she does her voice, I’m still waiting for the DVD/CD. –TL
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Various – Divas – Sony
Sony has gathered the crème de la crème for this aptly titled double CD. Everyone gets a work out here from Gwen Stefani’s ‘Cool’ and Macy Gray’s ‘I Try’ through to Cher’s ‘Walking in Memphis’. 36 tracks and all certified hits, this album is incredible value for all the well-known tracks and stars, but there is one track here that stands head and shoulders and octaves above the rest – a live recording of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, by solid gold diva, Aretha Franklin. –TL
