January 2004 Release News
First is the imminent release by Ryans Adams of one of the best songs from his newest album, ROCK N ROLL. So Alive is a pacy, soaring, melodious rock anthem complete with ringing guitar riffs, and Adams displaying a distinctly different vocal style from his norm. A great song, and a great performance. The other track on CD1 is a slow-paced and very moving previously unreleased song called I’m Coming Over. CD2 includes a video performance along with two new B-sides. Both CDs are highly recommended, and fans should remember that these previously unreleased tracks are unlikely to make it onto future albums. So, it’s either acquire them now or pay biggish bucks on Ebay later…
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Ani DiFranco EDUCATED GUESS. Righteous Babe
Wondering through my local town centre today, I bumped into one of the locality’s aspiring rock musicians. He informed that another local band had just been signed to Polydor on a five-album deal after years of desperately trying, and months of negotiations. In complete contrast, Ani DiFranco has never strived for a record deal, preferring to plough her own very individual and distinguished career furrow. For many years she performed solo until she assembled a few excellent musicians to perform and record with her around ten years ago. Recording on her own record label, she has released around 30 albums and sold several million of them to fans the world over. Last year, I saw DiFranco perform her bi-annual gig at Manchester University’s Academy 2 venue. I have seen her perform on five or six separate occasions with her band, but this time she performed solo with her six Alvarez acoustic guitars. It was a special performance, a memorable performance. DiFranco seemed more relaxed, happier, and a little more liberated. She has always been able to connect with her audience in a way few other artists can, but this time that connection was more intimate, more complete.
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Guns N’ Roses WELCOME TO THE VIDEOS DVD. Geffen
For millions of the Guns N’ Roses fans around the world, and especially here in the UK, this new DVD release is a must-have record of all the band’s great songs. Creatively, the band’s videos have always been up there with the very best, while accurately portraying their strong live performance quality.
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Woodstar LIFE SPARKS. Wet Clay Records
Could 2004 be the year of the Irish? Having just reviewed the delightful pop album by David Kitt, I’m now listening to the second Irish album to arrive across my desk. I saw Woodstar last year supporting Maria McKee in Liverpool, and then again at Dublin’s premier Witnness Music Festival. I was impressed.
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David Kitt SQUARE 1. Warner
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing David Kitt perform live on a few occasions, including a great performance in front of an adoring Irish audience. But as a recording artist, he has tended to disappoint. His last album possessed two superb songs mixed in with many average ones. So SQUARE 1 is an important album for Kitt and especially in creating interest in his substantial skills in a UK market notorious for giving genuine talent the brush-off.
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Editor’s Choice
Christmas, with virtually nothing left to review, provided an opportunity to relax in my candlelit music room and listen to some of my favourite music. Without a computer screen blinking at me, and with my favourite photos keeping a peaceful and silent watch, I searched through my disorganised CD collection to find inspiration.
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Alex Parks INTRODUCTION. Polydor
When I first heard and saw Alec Parks sing live on BBC TV’s Fame Academy, I was more than pleasantly surprised. As the contest progressed my growing admiration for this young performer turned to concern as it dawned on me that she would win the contest by a country mile. My concern was that the record company would treat her the same as the untalented pop herd that seems to dominate the airwaves. I was concerned that her first album would be over-produced, and that at least some of that wonderful expressive and sincere vocal passion would be lost. I was concerned that Parks would not be regarded as the special and unique artist she is, and that a tailored career development plan to match her attributes would be difficult to formulate. I actually hoped she would, by some miracle, lose the contest and be taken on by a smaller, independent label, and that her first album would take a more sparse production route. Of course, Alex Parks won the Fame Academy contest but I’m hopeful…
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Emmylou Harris Interview
On the 1st January 2004, the Radio 4 Desert Island Discs programme (where the interviewee is questioned about their life and is asked to select their favourite songs to take to a desert island) featured Emmylou Harris. It turned out to be a fascinating insight into this wonderful singer/songwriter’s life and career. This is that interview, and I can’t think of a better way to starting this new year of music.
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