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New This Week
Aug. 19-25, 2008
By Kurt B. Reighley
Special to MSN Music
OK, so Staind have trouble spelling. But counting? No problem. And
this week, the magic number could be four; the band's last three albums all
entered the charts at No. 1 -- putting them in an elite club with U2, System of a Down, Dave Matthews Band, Disturbed and Van Halen -- and "The Illusion of Progress" is poised to repeat that feat. Not
that the foursome is peddling more of the same. "We think this album is a big
step for us," confirms guitarist Mike Mushok. Produced by Johnny K (3 Doors Down, Disturbed), their sixth studio album sees the
quartet making a stab at straightforward pop ("All I Want"), while also
incorporating acoustic balladry, and elements of blues, gospel and jazz, into
their hard rock sound. Singer Aaron Lewis' lyrics reflect growth, too, including
a nod to politics and -- here's the shocker -- the notable absence of the magic
word: pain.
All right now fellas ... what's cooler than bein' cool? Ice Cube! "Raw Footage" is the ninth solo album from the hip-hop
superstar, and, like its 2006 predecessor, "Laugh Now, Cry Later," it arrives
via his own Lench Mob Records. Apropos of the title, the icon remarked: "The
album is really about music for the brain and not the booty. I can't really
show it visually, but I can speak it in a visual way by delivering it raw." His
recent hit, "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It," pokes fun at pundits who blame hip-hop
for society's ills. Funny, the former N.W.A. member doesn't seem like such a bad role
model lately; on "Stand Tall" and "Tomorrow," he promotes pursuing dreams and
maximizing opportunities just as convincingly as any infomercial motivational
guru.
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Rick Rubin did not produce the new Glen Campbell album, he just minted its formula:
vintage country act + contemporary material = revitalized career. "Meet Glen Campbell" showcases the Rhinestone Cowboy
lavishing his smooth, dramatic singing over tunes by U2, Tom Petty, and the Velvet Underground; incongruous as it might seem,
the highlight is Glen's reading of "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day. Does the senior citizen feel a deep connection to
the source material? Who cares? Folks scratched their heads wondering what
songwriter Jimmy Webb was going on about in "Wichita Lineman" and "Where's the
Playground Susie," but that didn't stop Campbell from coaxing big hits out of
those songs in the late '60s, and these new recordings are just as oddly
engaging.
Here's hoping the State Department lightens up about granting visas to
international artists, because two of the brightest new talents around come from
overseas. First up, Amy MacDonald. Earlier this year, she dethroned Radiohead from No. 1 on the U.K. album charts with "This Is
the Life." It isn't hard to hear why. At only 20, MacDonald crafts folk-pop
originals that cut to the quick, abetted by her ringing voice. Notable picks
include "Mr. Rock & Roll," a jaunty tale of star-crossed characters from
different walks of life, the defiant "Youth of Today," and "Footballer's Wife,"
which sets its sights on tabloid culture and bottom-feeding wannabe celebrities.
Between her biting wit and keen ear for melody, MacDonald could mature into a
successor to the late Kirsty MacColl.
Then there's Lykke Li, who hails from Sweden. If waiting for the next Feist album is trying your patience, "Youth Novels" will alleviate that aggravation. Her vocals
may be wispy, but the 22-year-old commands attention via short, curious
compositions like "Little Bit" and "I'm Good, I'm Gone," both of which have
already found huge audiences via hipster Internet channels. The rest of her
debut, which was produced by Bjorn Yttling (of Peter Bjorn and John), is equally solid. "Let It Fall" makes
having a good cry sound like a great idea, while the succinct "This Trumpet in
My Head" lends new luster to that commonplace brass instrument.
Familiarity breeds ... oh, you know the cliché. That said, it would be hard
to hate Stereolab. But after 17 very prolific years of their space
age bachelor pad music, taking them for granted might be easy. Don't. Their 11th
full-length, "Chemical Chords," marks a delightful return to form. Kind of
like the early Stereolab of "Peng!" and "Switched On," but less droning. Animated by perky analog
synthesizers, Laetitia Sadier's seductive French accent, and brass parts
courtesy of Sean O'Hagan, new ditties like "Neon Beanbag" zip along like vintage
European TV commercial jingles -- although given the band's socialist leanings,
they could be peddling guns just as easily as butter.
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