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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Big Music Tuesday!


Today is a pretty big day for music releases with at least three HUGE releases. Here are a few today's releases according to Wikipedia:

Believers Never Die: Greatest Hits
(compilation) by Fall Out Boy
Echo
by Leona Lewis
Kris Allen
by Kris Allen
Number Ones
(compilation) by Janet Jackson
Since I Left Your World
by Rookie of the Year
The Seventh Seal
by Rakim
Ultraviolet
by Kid Sister
Waking Up
by OneRepublic

There are two other huge releases today that we are going to take a closer look at. So click the Rawr! for our thoughts on John Mayer's Battle Studies and Norah Jones' The Fall.





John Mayer returns with his latest album, Battle Studies which seems a bit more mellow than his previous releases. The songs are silky smooth and feel like a relaxed Mayer just sat down and decided to play some songs. Some sad songs, considering the majority of them seem to be about relationships falling apart.

It's a great album but I don't see it having a huge radio presence. The tracks just don't feel like they'll be successful on the current airwaves. Out of the eleven tracks, there is only one that I don't care for and that is "Crossroads." It's a repetitive bluesy sounding track that just doesn't really catch my ear. It's also the most up tempo song of the bunch.

Mayer seems to grow with each album both vocally and lyrically and that tradition continues with Battle Studies. It's not an album that will satisfy everyone but fans of his should really enjoy the disc. It's a relaxing, if a bit sad, album that really showcases John Mayer's immense talent.

  1. Heartbreak Warfare
  2. All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye
  3. Half Of My Heart
  4. Who Says
  5. Perfectly Lonely
  6. Assassin
  7. Crossroads
  8. War Of My Life
  9. Edge Of Desire
  10. Do You Know Me
  11. Friends, Lovers Or Nothing


The other major release today is the latest from Norah Jones called The Fall. Personally, I think this is her best, most accessible, album to date. She's moved away from the jazzy sounds of albums past and has a poppy and lighter vibe on this release. I really liked it beginning to end.

I always enjoyed Norah Jones but I didn't really go out of my way to listen to her songs. If one popped on the iPod, great, if not, I never thought about it. With The Fall, I can see that changing. Each track is wonderfully crafted and could easily spark some radio play. This is the first album from her that I actually wanted to finish listening to and didn't want to end.

I can say with complete conviction that The Fall is Norah Jones' best album to date. The instrumentation is magical and the lyrics are poignant and charming. Beginning to end, the album is wonderful and is surely a contender for our Top 10 of the year list.

Fans and non fans alike should pick up this album.

Track list:

  1. Chasing Pirates
  2. Even Though
  3. Light As A Feather
  4. Young Blood
  5. I Wouldn't Need You
  6. Waiting
  7. It's Gonna Be
  8. You've Ruined Me
  9. Back To Manhattan
  10. Stuck
  11. December
  12. Tell Yer Mama
  13. Man of the Hour

Happy listening!


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