My Amazon Reviews: Train "Drops Of Jupiter"

Fifth Planet Out
4 Out Of 5 Stars

For their second album, Train broadened their sound out to a more contemporary sound, losing the alternative leanings of their debut and adding rock that was more reminiscent of Counting Crows than the rootsier vein of the debut. The tightening up paid of in a big way, when "Drops Of Jupiter" and its title song went top ten and the album sold almost three million copies in 2001. This comes in on two levels; Pat Monahan is an effective pop songwriter, and the eclectic mix of instruments (a mandolin here, a vibraphone there) helped the songs stand out when mixed with the usual radio fare. It's one of many elements that made the stately single almost omnipresent when it hit the top 40 and started getting massively played.

But Train is more then just power ballads and guitar strumming. They've got a knack for poppier rock hooks (helped along by producer Brendan O'Brien, whose credits range from Pearl Jam to The Black Crowes, whose work does get some echoes here), the kind that turn into ear-worms with ease. This is not to confuse Train with a true rock band, when they try to actually rock (on "Respect"), it's not entirely convincing. The other unfortunate thing is the band is kind of faceless. Did you know Train has multiple top ten albums? Probably not. But the good thing is that, even with an album as even and decent sounding as "Drops Of Jupiter" is, Train got better as the albums progressed, even managing a comeback when many pundits had written them of. "Drops of Jupiter" is a good starting point if you want to find out how Train managed to be both massively popular and yet under the radar at the same time.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Five For Fighting "Bookmarks"

Saving Pages, Saving Graces
4 Out Of 5 Stars

John Ondrasik and his alter-ego, Five For Fighting return with the follow-up to the excellent "Slice." Utilizing his special brand of piano based pop, "Bookmarks" is another set of catchy melancholy, with John's voice riding his piano lines and breaking into an occasional beautiful falsetto. He runs down a road between Elton John (the terrific "Symphony Lane") and Ben Folds, without the snark. I also felt a lot like I was hearing "Coldplay" in the poppy "Your Man."

It's hard to believe that it's been almost 13 years since the quavering voice that sang "Superman" has matured into a singer of relationships and family values (as in, he's got kids and likes to sing about them). First single "What If" explores all those themes at once, or the opening call to strength for "Stand Up." I also found it kind of cool that John would lytic check Hank Williams' "Hey Good Looking" at the beginning of "Down." Always good to know that the man has a sense of history.

That may also be true about both the beautiful if elegiac "The Day I Died" and the Dylan-esque (yes, really) lyrics in "I Don't Want Your Love," which sounds like a direct lineage to "Make You Feel My Love." "The Day I Died" is positively gorgeous, with just John and his piano singing a torch song. Despite my enjoying all the pop conventions and confections on "Bookmarks" (or the whole of Five For Fighting's albums), I think this may be the crowning song of a career. Again, reaching back to Elton John's best work, it's an emotionally packed song that needs nothing else than John's piano and voice. It's the kind of naked honestly that singers who feel they must rely on over-production or of-the-moment sounds could take a lesson or two from.

It brings "Bookmarks" to a moving and satisfying conclusion. While early listening make me think "Slice" may have been the better album, "The Day I Died" is all the reason you'll need to listen to "Bookmarks."

     

My Amazon Reviews: Loggins and Messina "The Best of Loggins and Messina: Sittin' In Again"

Good compilation but missing essentials.
3 Out Of 5 Stars

"The Best of Loggins and Messina: Sittin' In Again" was put together as something of a concert souvenir for the duo's 2005 reunion tour, but someone was asleep at the wheel. Two songs that should have been here and were substantial hits are missing; "My Music" (#16, 1973 ), "Thinking of You" (#18, 1973). There's also a serious over-dependence on the pair's first two albums, with six of the nine songs on their 1972 debut, "Sittin' In" here, and six of the 11 cuts from "Loggins and Messina." It completely ignores "Native Sons" or the covers album, "So Fine."

What you do get here is Loggins and Messina's finely crafted mix of soft rock and folksy pop. The big hits are represented, like "Your Mama Don't Dance" and songs that eventually became standards, like "House at Pooh Corner" and "Love Song" and "Danny's Song," ultimately big hits for Anne Murray. Several of the others were staples on seventies album rock stations, like "Angry Eyes" and "Vahevala." Given that the duo had basically a four year lifespan, the good stuff gives them a pretty high batting average.

What helped Loggins and Messina stand out over the many soft rockers of the period was that each man brought in individual strengths. Kenny Loggins already had a minor track record as a singer/songwriter ("Sittin' In" was originally set to be a Loggins solo album), while the writing, guitar and production skills came via Jim Messina's time with Poco. They had a vocal blend that only Seals and Crofts could rival during the 70's. "Sittin' In Again" has more songs and better song quality than 1976's "Best of Friends," but "Best of Friends," despite having a mere 10 songs, is a better representation of how the group was perceived in their time. You can pick between the two, or split the difference via downloads.

     

My Amazon Reviews: James Lee Stanley "Midnight Radio"

In the glow of the radio dashboard
4 Out Of 5 Stars

James Lee Stanley is a fine and prolific singer-songwriter whose career has something of a cult success among some very rabid fans. "Midnight Radio" was released in 1980 and leans to the kind of smooth adult contemporary sound of the day. You'll pick up the vibe from guests like Bonnie Raitt (guitar on "Born To Love You") and Stephen Bishop, who co-wrote a pair of songs with James for the album.

To also get a hint of how his talent reaches out to others, noted author Tom Robbins co-wrote "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues," after his book (and this was before k.d. lang some years later). The song may be the best one on "Midnight Radio," enough so that when the album got lost in record company politics, James resurrected it for a later album. James has a smooth vocal delivery that can go for the jugular when he wants to get personal, like the forceful "In Your Pocket." For the most part though, James goes easy on the ears. "Midnight Radio," after being out of print for several years, makes a welcome return. Fans of mellow James Taylor or Gordon Lightfoot will enjoy this.

     

My Amazon Reviews: James Taylor "One Man Dog"

Puppy Love
4 Out Of 5 Stars

With "One Man Dog," James Taylor continued his strong run of self-confessional albums that mixed his singer songwriter roots with some soul, a little rock and rolling and his resonant voice. The second half of the album takes it's inspiration from side two of The Beatles' "Abbey Road" with a batch on mini-songs that tie together. The whole album has a loose feel, with many of the songs clocking in at under two minutes. A good album by singer-songwriter standards and another forward step in Taylor's career, spawning the top 20 single "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight."

The first album recorded in Taylor's home studio, it could have easily been credited to James Taylor and friends. Future wife Carly Simon makes an appearance and Linda Ronstadt performs a lovely duet on "One Morning In May." Alex, Hugh, and Kate Taylor are all on board to help out, and the mini-suite contains everything from musical saws and chainsaws running through wood to good effect. Overall, a decent album if a little disappointing after the full-on classics "Sweet Baby James" and "Mud Slide Slim."

     

My Amazon Reviews: Sting "Ten Summoner's Tales"

The Summoner Calls
5 Out of 5 Stars

In ye merry olde England, if you were about to be charged with a crime, the law of the day would pay someone to come and fetch you. That person, the Summoner, would be paid for his duty, but as the story goes, could also be paid to look the other way if the object of his attention made a generous counter offer. Such is the case with Sting, who wants to have it both ways. He wants your attention on "Ten Summoner's Tales," intriguing you in ten different ways before offering an epilogue at the end. He's eager to please this time, putting aside the morose but intriguing jazz fusion that his previous three albums had for a more pop approach.

From the first single, the Gospelish "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You," the change is apparent. Sting laments a world where politicians "all look like game show hosts to me" (funny how that still seems true) over a poppy hook and a snappy bass line. Then story time takes over with "Love Is Stronger Than Justice," a pedal-steel inflected story of bandits, and then the tale of the longing that is "Fields Of Gold." maybe one of my all time favorite Sting songs, it drifts across a Spanish guitar and is one of his loveliest ballads.

There are a few attempts at humor, like the dialogue during "St Augustine In Hell," where a special circle is left open for music critics, or the "Epilogue (Nothing About Me)," where he can't help but taunt that, after ten songs about assorted characters, you don't know who the teller of the stories really is. The songs range form poppy to enigmatic ("Something The Boy Said"), yet the man himself remains a cipher till the very end. Seeing as his last couple of albums were such personal affairs, the looser feel of "Ten Summoners Tales" and its songs from outside the sphere may make this Sting's most accessible album. Back in 1993 when I was still writing for a major trade paper, this was one of my faves of that year. Still is.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Fleetwood Mac "Tango In The Night"

Dance into the sunset
4 Out Of 5 Stars

While not as widely heralded as the band's always lauded "Rumours," "Tango In The Night" could easily be the best of their post "Rumours" efforts. This was the last album recorded by the Christine/John McVie, Stevie Nicks, Lindsay Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood Lineup (Buckingham split afterwards), The album peaked at number 7 and dropped two top ten singles in the twisted "Big Love" and "Little Lies," with "Seven Wonders" and "Everywhere" being substantial hits.

Starting off life as a Buckingham solo album, "Tango" morphed into a Fleetwood Mac group disc. Produced by Buckingham and longtime cohort Richard Dashut, he brought his edginess to a great portion of the disc, from the push and pull of "Big Love" to the quirky "Family Man." Nicks revisits her love songs to strong women theme with "Welcome to The Room (Sara)" and Christine McVie scored with the lovely "Everywhere." Mick gets to do more with his drums that usual, like the middle eastern vibe of "Caroline," and the title song. Buckingham is still in charge, though, his signature vocals are dominant throughout.

Even with that, this still sounds like a group effort thanks to the contributions from McVie and Nicks. It allows Buckingham to exit on a solid plain, while the rest of the band have offered him a gratifying curtain call. Still one of their best efforts. (Given the collapse that followed, that's worth repeating. "Behind The Mask" peaked at 33 and had one top 40 single;"Time" failed to even hot the top 100.)