New Job, New Devo

In the past few weeks, I interviewed for a job to commercial voice overs. They called this week to offer me the position and I accepted. It is a significant increase in pay for me, plus benefits. I will be adding my vocal talents to a staff that creates online advertisements for YellAds (the Internet division of Yellowbook) at their King Of Prussia location (actually, Gulph Mills). I start a week from Monday.

The only drawback? It's an overnight (11:30 PM to 7:30 AM) shift.

Joel finished his Penn State classes tonight and is officially a grad-ee-ate! He officially joins the segment of the family clan as a Nittany Lion with a brand new Masters degree. We will be going out Saturday for an official New Job/New Degree ribs dinner.

Even more exciting? There's a new Devo single in advance of their coming album "Something for Everyone." As a dedicated Devo-tee, I can't wait for the whole thing.

My Amazon Reviews: Regina Spektor "Begin To Hope"

Hope and Change
4 Out of 5 Stars

Regina Spektor takes the old fashioned piano-pop vibe and twists it to her will on her 2006 album "Begin to Hope." She keeps the sound spare and often fragile, with her overwhelming personality conquering the limitations of her voice. She reveals as much about herself as any old-time confessional folkie ever did, at the same time she lets her friendship with bands like The Strokes or Kings of Leon mashup her songs like "That Time."

One of the fun things about Spektor is that she is obviously nobody's girl-toy. While her piano styles might bring to mind Tori Amos or Fiona Apple, if only because these are two of the more eclectic of our modern female singer songwriters. But more often that not, I am reminded of Joni Mitchel, who was happy to torque style with albums like "Court and Spark" and was all about courting the unconverted. A beautiful love song like "Fidelity" (my introduction to Spektor via an anti-Prop 8 advert) is varied not only by the beautiful melody, but also by Spektor's chirpy singing.

"Begin To Hope" is Spektor's most conventional album, with veteran producer David Kahne framing her voice and songs in various ways but allowing the general atmosphere of the CD to stay cohesive. She plays with traditions (quoting the oldie "Just One Look" in her own "Hotel Song") while planting her own futures...making her albums unique in a world auto-tune and cookie-cutters are the norm.  

My Amazon Reviews: James Taylor "Greatest Hits"

Rock-a-bye, Sweet Baby James
4 Out Of 5 Stars

When James Taylor wrapped up his years with Warner Brothers records in 1976, that label promptly issued a greatest hits CD that remains one of the label's biggest sellers. Issued one of the RIAA's earliest "Diamond" certifications, this album has sold over ten million copies and remains available to this day. It's a time-capsule of Taylor's early work, spotlighting the years of sensitive singer-songwriters and his calm, soothing voice.

Staring with re-recorded versions of his Apple Records songs "Carolina In My Mind" and "Something In The Way She Moves" and a previously unreleased live version of "Steamroller Blues," this was Taylor before he became a staple on the summer festival circuit and a cover-er of oldies (although his version of "How Sweet It Is" is included here). There's a lot to be said for the simple pleasures of this collection, be it the warm reading of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend" (with Joni Mitchell on back-up vocals, it won Taylor his first Grammy) or the confessional "Fire and Rain." After this, Taylor would be come more the studious professional that intimate singer-songwriter, continuing to make solid, if predictable soft-rock albums for CBS.

There are two best of's since this one, a Columbia round-up on James Taylor's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 and a full on retrospective on The Best of James Taylor (both labels represented, but heavy on the Warners years). The biggest gripe is that this CD has yet to receive a proper remastering, but for the money, it's James Taylor at his best.