Big album post!

Here are a few albums I've been listening to recently! :)

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Ofra Haza sadly passed away in 2000, but her legacy lives on in the beautiful music she made. Some of her most memorable tracks were remixed by Ferris Bueller and Kai Panschow for a 2008 compilation, Forever Ofra Haza - Her Greatest Songs Remixed. These updated songs really work just as well as the originals (aside from the kinda out-of-key 'Fatamorgana' remix, sadly). There are several tracks that deserve repeat listens - 'Shaday' has a new, blissed-out trip-hop sound; 'Ya Hil We' reminds me of Madonna's 'Don't Tell Me,' which is a fab thing; 'Asalk' (which has not really been one of my favorite tracks in its original form) shines with chilled-out production; 'Taw Shi' and its hip-hop beats and synths could be played on the radio today; and 'Kaddish' is gorgeously haunting with only a string synth backing. The new versions of 'Im Nin' Alu' and 'Ya Ba Ye' recast the tracks as guitar-filled rockers, and they sound great - but the Unplugged Mix of 'Im Nin' Alu' is heavenly. The 'new' track, 'The Poem,' features Ofra reciting a poem over ambient, downtempo sounds, and the result is beautiful. In addition to being a collection of excellent tunes, the wonderful thing about this remixed compilation is that it reminds us of what an amazing gift Ofra possessed - a voice that sounds phenomenal in any musical setting.

Forever Ofra Haza - Her Greatest Songs Remixed (2008) (HQ VBR)
1. Shaday
2. Galbi
3. Im Nin Alu (Version 2008)
4. Fatamorgana
5. Eshal
6. Ya Hil We
7. Asalk
8. Ya Ba Ye
9. Love Song (The Biblical Song Of Songs)
10. La Fa La
11. Taw Shee
12. Kaddish
13. The Poem (New Track)
14. Im Nin Alu (Unplugged Mix)

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I mentioned in my last post that I had enjoyed listening to T. Rex's Electric Warrior, which I've gathered from reading stuff online is one of those albums that everyone should hear at least once in their life. So here it is! It's good old-fashioned glam rock and roll, and pretty much started the glam rock thing in the 70s. I really like it, particularly 'Mambo Sun,' 'Jeepster,' and 'The Motivator.' Give it a try!

Electric Warrior (1971) (m4a)
1. Mambo Sun
2. Cosmic Dancer
3. Jeepster
4. Monolith
5. Lean Woman Blues
6. Get It On
7. Planet Queen
8. Girl
9. The Motivator
10. Life's a Gas
11. Rip Off

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Spiritualized (fronted by Jason Pierce) just released a new album, titled Songs In A&E. I'd never heard of them before, but I was intrigued after reading a review in Q magazine. To me, it has a very Richard Ashroft vibe, and that can only be a good thing, methinks! Mellow but memorable, the album is pretty solid. (The 'harmony' tracks aren't really songs - they're interludes.)

Songs In A&E (2008) (m4a)
1. Harmony 1 (Mellotron)
2. Sweet Talk
3. Death Take Your Fiddle
4. I Gotta Fire
5. Soul on Fire
6. Harmony 2 (Piano)
7. Sitting on Fire
8. Yeah Yeah
9. You Lie You Cheat
10. Harmony 3 (Voice)
11. Baby I'm Just a Fool
12. Don't Hold Me Close
13. Harmony 4 (The Old Man...)
14. The Waves Crash In
15. Harmony 5 (Accordion)
16. Borrowed Your Gun
17. Harmony 6 (Glockenspiel)
18. Goodnight Goodnight

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I noted in my Best Music of 2007 post that while I liked Justice's remixes, a whole album of their stuff kinda hurt my ears. Well, that's not the case anymore - now I find their tracks rather exhilarating. Their 2007 album, � (Cross), is full of thick, bass-heavy productions that feel like a bit of a celebration... in your head! Fun stuff. 'D.A.N.C.E.' was the big hit from the album, but to be honest I quite like 'DVNO' a lot more.

� (Cross) (2007) (m4a)
1. Genesis
2. Let There Be Light
3. D.A.N.C.E.
4. Newjack
5. Phantom
6. Phantom Pt. II
7. Valentine
8. Tthhee Ppaarrttyy
9. DVNO
10. Stress
11. Waters of Nazareth
12. One Minute to Midnight

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I had never paid attention to Ashlee Simpson before - to me she smacked of annoying teen bratness! - but Mike at Pop Trash Addicts convinced me with his great review that I should give her new album a try. Whaddaya know? It's good! Pop/rock/electro production (the producers include the ubiquitous Timbaland) manages to make the younger Simpson sound OK. (Actually, I'm not too bothered by her voice - it's a decent pop voice!)

Bittersweet World (2008) (m4a)
1. Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)
2. Boys
3. Rule Breaker
4. No Time For Tears
5. Little Miss Obsessive
6. Ragdoll
7. Bittersweet World
8. What I�ve Become
9. Hot Stuff
10. Murder
11. Never Dream Alone
12. Invisible (Bonus Track)

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Unless you've been under a rock, you'll already know that Coldplay recently released a new album, Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends. I hadn't paid much notice to the band, but their single 'Violet Hill' caught my attention. This is a really lovely album, well worth the hype and quite a few repeat listens!

Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends (2008) (m4a)
1. Life in Technicolor
2. Cemeteries of London
3. Lost!
4. 42
5. Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love
6. Yes + Chinese Sleep Chant (hidden song)
7. Viva la Vida
8. Violet Hill
9. Strawberry Swing
10. Death and All His Friends + The Escapist (hidden song)
11. Lost? (Bonus track)

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Last but definitely not least, Princessa! She did a few pop albums in the 90s, including Calling You, produced by Frank Peterson, who is best known as the producer of Sarah Brightman's work. Sarah also provides backing vocals on this album. Calling You is a nice collection of dance/pop and is a real treat to listen to! My fave tracks are 'Calling You' and 'Summer Of Love,' but all the tracks are pretty spiffy. Fans of Sarah Brightman might be familiar with 'Do You Wanna Be Loved' as a really cool unreleased track found only on the Fly II La Luna tour edition extra disc (with Sarah's vocals, of course!). The version here is virtually the same, except with Princessa singing the main vocal.

Calling You (1996) (m4a)
1. Calling You
2. Anyone But You
3. Try To Say I'm Sorry
4. Like A Nun
5. Summer Of Love
6. Seven Days A Week
7. Baila Al Ritmo
8. I Do What You Want Me To Do
9. The Night
10. He's On The Phone
11. Do You Wanna Be Loved
12. Again & Again
13. Rompete
14. Vivo
15. Me Duelen Tus Mentiras
16. Desnudare
17. Duerme Junto A Mi
18. Carol De Amor

Enjoy! Cheery bye, Scarlett

Big album post!