Etta James : The Essential Modern Records Collection

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Amazon Review

Capitol/EMI has compiled Etta James' earliest recordings for a new salute to the American music icon, titled The Essential Modern Records Collection. The collection spotlights 15 of James' first singles and b-sides, including the singer's debut, 1955's "The Wallflower" (aka "Roll With Me Henry"), which launched her legendary, decades-spanning career.

Etta James began her professional recording career in 1954, auditioning at the age of 14 for bandleader Johnny Otis before recording her first singles for Modern Records in Los Angeles with her vocal group, The Peaches. Her first single, "The Wallflower" (aka "Roll With Me Henry"), an answer song to Hank Ballard's 1954 #1 R&B hit "Work With Me Annie," hit #1 on Billboard's R&B chart in 1955, and "Good Rockin' Daddy" reached #6 on the chart the same year. James shot into fame and was soon invited to tour with Little Richard and Johnny "Guitar" Watson, established artists of the day who would bear significant influence on her career.

Other standout singles on the new Modern collection include "Tough Lover," recorded in New Orleans and featuring Lee Allen on saxophone, "W-O-M-A-N," an answer to Bo Diddley's "I'm A Man," and "The Pick-Up," in which Ms. James shares a sultry conversation with saxman Plas Johnson.

Modern Records was founded in 1945 in Los Angeles by brothers Saul and Jules Bihari, and, with its RPM and other label divisions, became a leading source of blues and R&B music in the 1950s. The label's A&R team included Ike Turner, and artists who recorded for the label, in addition to Etta James, included Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Elmore James, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Little Richard.

Etta James has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Hall of Fame, and the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, and she has been honored with the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and four GRAMMY Awards.

Customer Review

Great sides - but no liner notes? Why?

James was an early icon of the R&B scene and her #1 hit "The Wallflower" - better known as "Roll With Me Henry" - was recorded when she was just 15. Another single on Modern - " Good Rockin' Daddy"- hit #6. Both of these show up near the beginning of this 15-track compilation from EMI. But there are other tracks that are just as neat. The sound is just fine. The problem, for me, is in the packaging. There are no notes of any kind - surely they could have provided something from one of their freelance writers - just a list of the songs, composer and chart position. and YEAR of release. James deserves a bit more respect than that and additional info would allow a new generation of listeners to learn about James and her Modern Years.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"

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Bossypants

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Amazon Review

Tina Fey’s new book Bossypants is short, messy, and impossibly funny (an apt description of the comedian herself). From her humble roots growing up in Pennsylvania to her days doing amateur improv in Chicago to her early sketches on Saturday Night Live, Fey gives us a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of modern comedy with equal doses of wit, candor, and self-deprecation. Some of the funniest chapters feature the differences between male and female comedy writers ("men urinate in cups"), her cruise ship honeymoon ("it’s very Poseidon Adventure"), and advice about breastfeeding ("I had an obligation to my child to pretend to try"). But the chaos of Fey’s life is best detailed when she’s dividing her efforts equally between rehearsing her Sarah Palin impression, trying to get Oprah to appear on 30 Rock, and planning her daughter’s Peter Pan-themed birthday. Bossypants gets to the heart of why Tina Fey remains universally adored: she embodies the hectic, too-many-things-to-juggle lifestyle we all have, but instead of complaining about it, she can just laugh it off. --Kevin Nguyen

Customer Review
by Alan Mazer

I enjoy a good memoir. It seems there's always something good to learn from other people's life experiences. And while I'm not a huge Tina Fey fan, I enjoyed her as Sarah Palin on SNL and occasionally watch 30 Rock. So after reading a review of the book, and being without anything to read at the moment, I took a chance and bought Bossypants, and I'm glad I did.

It seemed a little uneven starting out, but quickly transitioned into some very interesting pieces about her early jobs, her work with Second City, and then her transition into writing for SNL and her eventual creation of 30 Rock. Interspersed are stories about growing up and dating, her eventual marriage, and her struggles to balance work and family life, as well as some candid advice for other women on how to make it in a male-dominated industry.

Perhaps what I liked most about the book is that even though there is a lot of self-deprecating (and distancing) humor, my sense in the end was that Fey gave us an honest look at who she is: imperfect, stumbling, but always rising again, persevering, and continuing to do what she loves. I would say the book is well worth reading for any fan of Tina Fey, 30 Rock, or SNL, as well as for any woman who struggles to balance the roles of worker, spouse and mom. It was a good read!

Keywords:
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I'm Over All That: And Other Confessions

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Amazon Review

“IN THIS THIRD ACT OF MY LIFE, MUCH HAS BECOME CLEARER. SO MUCH IS OVER, AND I AM OVER SO MUCH . . .”

At a certain time in life, we all come to realize what is truly important to us and what just doesn’t matter. For Shirley MacLaine, that time is now. In this wise, witty, and fearless collection of small observations and big-picture questions, she shares with readers all those things that she is over dealing with in life, in love, at home, and in the larger world . . . as well as the things she will never get over, no matter how long she lives.

Among the things that Shirley is over: people who repeat themselves (“when you didn’t care what they said the first time”); conservatives and liberals; ill-mannered young people; the poison of celebrity (“Why do so many people want to be famous when they see how it can destroy your life?”); being polite to boring people (“If they won’t stop talking, I go into a trance and meditate”); getting older in Hollywood (“How peaceful it is not to have to look particularly pretty anymore or to wear a size 6”).

In the opposite camp, there are some things Shirley will never get over: good lighting (“Marlene Dietrich taught me how to light myself”); gorgeous costars (“The vanity of male actors is an impossible wall to scale”); performing live (“Yes, it is better than sex”); and above all, brave people with curious minds (“Fear is the most powerful weapon of mass destruction”).

Along the way, she recalls stories of some of the true greats she has known—Alfred Hitchcock, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, the two Jacks (Lemmon and Nicholson)—and ruminates on the state of Hollywood past and present. She recollects her relationships and romances with politicians (including two prime ministers), scientists, journalists, and costars.

An unabashed seeker of truth and unrepentant free spirit, Shirley looks squarely at a world that can irritate, confuse, and provoke her, but that can also delight her with its beauty, humor, and future promise. Reading I’m Over All That will make you feel you have been reunited with an old friend who tells it like it is but never takes herself too seriously.

Shirley MacLaine may be over all that, but this irresistible book ensures that we will never get over her.

Customer Review
by K. Elliot "Kindle Addict" (Punta Gorda ,Florida)

I just got this book on my Kindel today . At first I was not to crazy about it but it got realy good .I`ll say one thing for Shirley she`s lived life her way . I read every one of her book`s so far .and this one is Good . Yea ! !

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The Land of Painted Caves: A Novel (Earth's Children)

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Amazon Review

Thirty thousand years in the making and 31 years in the writing, Auel's overlong and underplotted sixth and final volume in the Earth's Children series (The Clan of the Cave Bear; etc.) finds Cro-Magnon Ayla; her mate, Jondalar; and their infant daughter, Jonayla, settling in with the clan of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonaii. Animal whisperer and medicine woman Ayla is an acolyte in training to become a full-fledged Zelandoni (shaman) of the clan, but all is not rosy in this Ice Age setting; there are wild animals to face and earthquakes to survive, as well as a hunter named Balderan, who has targeted Ayla for death, and a potential cave-wrecker named Marona. While gazing on an elaborate cave painting (presumably, the Lascaux caverns in France), Ayla has an epiphany and invents the concept of art appreciation, and after she overdoses on a hallucinogenic root, Ayla and Jondalar come to understand how much they mean to one another, thus giving birth to another concept—monogamy. Otherwise, not much of dramatic interest happens, and Ayla, for all her superwomanish ways, remains unfortunately flat. Nevertheless, readers who enjoyed the previous volumes will relish the opportunity to re-enter pre-history one last time. (Mar.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Customer Review
by M. Reynard "kairosdreaming" (Ohio)

The Land of the Painted Caves is the eagerly awaited sixth and final book in the Earth's Children series. While its possible this book could be read as a stand alone, I wouldn't advise it and instead suggest that a reader start at the first book, The Clan of the Cave Bear. For those who aren't familiar with the Earth's Children's series (and this could be a spoiler) Ayla was a little girl who was adopted by a clan of Neanderthals and raised in their ways. When later she has to leave them and her son behind, she finds a valley where she lives alone for awhile and makes unlikely friends with a horse and lion. She is lonely though and happy when a man named Jondalar comes to her valley and they fall in love. They stay with a tribe of people called the Mamutoi for awhile but Jondalar yearns to go to his home far to the West and they make a dangerous journey back there. Once there, Ayla is quickly accepted into the Zelandonii but they want more of her. As the fifth book ends she decides to become an acolyte of the Zelandoni (spiritual leaders and healers).

This book starts a little later and is separated into three parts. The first two are mainly about her taking a small journey to visit different caves of the Zelandonii and learn their special purposes. It also shows a little of the time spent with Jondalar and her daughter Jonayla and a series of years pass during this time. The third part of the novel takes place while she is finishing her training as an acolyte and deals with her discoveries while doing so. Since this is a highly anticipated book, I hesitate to describe the plot further and ruin it for anyone.

The characters in this book are rather weak. Jondalar turns out to be a complete jerk and I really can't fathom why Auel wrote him the way she did in this book. I was vastly disappointed. Ayla, while finally showing some flaws loses some of her likability in this book and I had a hard time connecting to her like I could in previous books. Poor Jonayla, while she probably should have been an important character, was left largely undescribed and even when there are scenes with her, they don't use her to her full potential. The rest of the characters are just so-so to me.

This book had the feel of Shelters of Stone which was also a book I didn't care too much for in the series. It had the same ever present Mother Poem repeated over and over just like the previous book and also the endless renditions of titles. The description that was so wonderful in the early books just made this one drag on and on as they explored the many caves of the first two parts and after awhile I felt myself trying to skim the book as I just didn't care about another cave painting followed by the Mother poem. That being said, I actually did enjoy the third part of this novel and that was what saved it from having an even lower star rating from me It at least was exciting and had some plot to it. As an aside, there are graphic sex scenes in this novel and some readers may want to exercise caution because of it.

To wait this long for the finale of a series (it took over 30 years for all the books to come out) and then have the quality be like this was disappointing. While I appreciate knowing the ending of Jondalar and Ayla's tale, I was left with quite a bit of dissatisfaction and almost wish the series would have ended with the third or fourth book. Those who are die hard fans of the series but didn't like the fifth book will probably share my feelings about this novel and should be warned.

Book 1: The Clan of the Cave Bear
Book 2: The Valley of Horses
Book 3: The Mammoth Hunters
Book 4: The Plains of Passage
Book 5: The Shelters of Stone

The Land of Painted Caves
Copyright 2011
757 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2011

Keywords:
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prehistoric fiction
earth s children
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The Lincoln Lawyer

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Amazon Review

This #1 bestselling legal thriller from Michael Connelly is a stunning display of novelistic mastery - as human, as gripping, and as whiplash-surprising as any novel yet from the writer Publishers Weekly has called "today's Dostoevsky of crime literature."

Mickey Haller is a Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense attorney who operates out of the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car, traveling between the far-flung courthouses of Los Angeles to defend clients of every kind. Bikers, con artists, drunk drivers, drug dealers - they're all on Mickey Haller's client list. For him, the law is rarely about guilt or innocence, it's about negotiation and manipulation. Sometimes it's even about justice.

A Beverly Hills playboy arrested for attacking a woman he picked up in a bar chooses Haller to defend him, and Mickey has his first high-paying client in years. It is a defense attorney's dream, what they call a franchise case. And as the evidence stacks up, Haller comes to believe this may be the easiest case of his career. Then someone close to him is murdered and Haller discovers that his search for innocence has brought him face-to-face with evil as pure as a flame. To escape without being burned, he must deploy every tactic, feint, and instinct in his arsenal - this time to save his own life.

Customer Review
by michael a. draper (Guilford, CT)

Mickey Haller seems to be a good man. Like anyone, he has his flaws and he does what he can to make a living as a defense attorney. He confides that his father, who was also an attorney, had a place in his heart for helping the less fortunate. Many of these clients were women who resorted to prostitution as a desperate choice to survive. Mickey tries to follow his father's example.

Mickey does much of his work from the back seat of his Lincoln. His driver, Earl, is working off his fee for Mickey's successful defense in a case against him.

As the story progresses, Mickey is asked to defend wealthy real estate agent Louis Roulet from the accusation of aggravated assault and attempted rape against Reggie Campo, a woman Roulet met in a bar.

From the start, Mickey is skeptical of Roulet when he catches him in a number of lies about his past. Then, when Mickey sees a photo of Reggie, she bears a close resemblance to a young woman that Mickey's former client Jesus Mendez, was sent to prison for killing.

Mendez maintained his innocence and now Mickey wonders if Mendez could really be innocent. Mickey visits Mendez in jail and brings a number of photos, one of which is Rolet. What Mickey learns is that he's now dealing with a truly evil person.

The novel proceeds as the author, Michael Connelly, sets the parts in motion as if he is directing a play. Roulet is able to create a special reason for Mickey to win the case and set him free but he also admits to things in his past. Since there is an attorney-client privilege, Mickey cannot use this against Roulet.

To say that the award winning novel was well done is an understatement. The reader becomes involved in the story as if the reader was sitting in the front row of the jury box. We observe Mickey and wonder how he will provide justice for Roulet, a man he is defending.

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Cascade Complete All in 1 Pacs, Phosphate Free, 48-Count Container

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Amazon Review
Safety Information
Irritant. Harmful if swallowed or put in mouth. May irritate eyes or skin. Keep out of reach of children. Do not get in eyes. Do not get on skin or clothing. Keep out of reach of children. First aid treatment: Contains sodium carbonate, sodium silicate and enzymes. If swallowed, give a glassful of water and call a Poison Control Center or doctor immediately. Do not induce vomiting. If in eyes, rinse with water for 15 minutes. If on skin, rinse well with water.

Indications
n/a

Ingredients
Contains sodium carbonate, sodium silicate, and enzymes

Directions
To Use: One Concentrated Pouch = One Load Dry hands before handling Do not unwrap or puncture pac (it dissolves quickly in water) Place one pac in the main dispenser cup and close dispenser door Let it do the cleaning Close tub after each use.

Customer Review
by Angela Streiff "Tea Traveller" (Minnesota)

I'm not one who likes to do dishes as soon as they hit the sink. After I have cooked a meal for the family, the last thing I want to do is wash all of the dishes. So my dishes will often sit and the food will attach itself to them. I am not into prewashing either. Of course I don't put dishes with food still on them into the dishwasher, but I'm also not like my mother, who fully washes all of her dishes by hand before placing them in the washer to be cleaned again.

So when I do put my dishes in the dishwasher, I need the best detergent out there. And Cascade Complete All in 1 is it.

If I buy anything else, I end up with spoons that have peanut butter still on them, bowls with rice hardened to them or cups with lipstick still on the rim. Then I have to run the dishwasher again. Which makes buying a cheaper brand of detergent a wast of time, because I end up using twice as much product, twice as much hot water for the dishwasher and it takes twice as much time.

I am able to find the Cascade Action Packs in stores, but unable to find these Cascade Complete All in 1 packs (with the swirl design) anywhere other then Amazon. I absolutely love them and enjoy how well they work. I very rarely ever have a dish that doesn't come out clean on the first go through. Even pots and pans come out spotless.

Cascade Complete All in 1 is the best stuff out there!

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EatSmart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale w/ Extra Large Backlit 3.5" Display and "Step-On" Technology

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Amazon Review

NEW FEATURES (as of March 2010) - EatSmart "Step-On" technology allows you to simply step on the scale and get your weights. No more tapping to activate the scale! Increased capacity to 400 pounds with the same precision and repeatability that makes our products great!

The EatSmart Bathroom Scale is the ideal way to track your weight loss quickly and easily. Simply step on, and in seconds you'll have an accurate readout to the nearest .2 lbs on the EatSmart's oversized 3.5" LCD display. With EatSmart's proprietary new "step-on" technology there is no more tapping to turn the scale on!!! The LCD display also contains a cool-blue backlight, allowing for easy viewing even in the most low light areas of the bathroom or home.

The EatSmart Digital Bathroom Scale is also not only easy to use but also extremely accurate, engineered to the highest precision standards. The four high-gauge EatSmart precision sensors ensure that you will get an accurate measurement every time (just read our reviews!). Additionally the slim, tempered glass design fits perfectly into any surroundings and large non-slip platform safely allows weights to 400 lbs.

Along with your EatSmart digital scale you also receive our easy instruction guide and 4 AAA batteries.

Stop guessing your weight and get serious about your weight loss and fitness goals. Get yours today!

100% EatSmart Guaranteed Product Satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is our highest priority. Contact us via phone or email anytime for support with our products.

Customer Review
by Zeugma (Upstate NY)

I am SO happy to finally have a bathroom scale that WORKS! My old Taylor scale was just crap. Seriously. I lost so much motivation because of that thing, it would give me different weights anywhere within a 5-pound "range" every time I stepped on it, so I never had any idea what I actually weighed, or whether or not my hard work was paying off. Drove me nuts!

Because of that, I put my new EatSmart scale through a lot of "tests" when I got it today. I stepped on it 5 times in a row, alternating between it and the old Taylor scale each time. The old scale gave me 5 completely different numbers, as usual, but the EatSmart stayed the same each time! I even tried putting the laundry basket on it in between weighs, to make sure it wasn't just "remembering" the last number. Nope! So then I tried drinking a big glass of water, and sure enough, the EatSmart registered a .6 pound increase. Fantastic! I'm so pleased with the consistency and accuracy of this scale. I'm feeling 100x more energized and motivated than I was yesterday, because I know now I'll be able to see the REAL results of my actions, good or otherwise. :)

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Sigh No More

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Amazon Review

Mumford & Sons, West London indie rock quartet, have created a gutsy, old-time sound that marries the magic of Crosby, Stills & Nash with the might of Kings of Leon and the harmonies of Fleet Foxes. Sigh No More was recorded at Eastcoast Studios, where Arctic Monkeys, Brian Eno, Tindersticks and Laura Marling have honored their sound. The band teamed with producer Markus Dravs who has worked with such superstar acts as Arcade Fire, Bjork and Peter Gabriel. Sigh No More was recently released in the UK to critical accolades. The album debut in the UK iTunes Top 10 recently and is being lauded by tastemaker publications. The first single, Little Lion Man , is already being boasted as The Hottest Record in the World by Radio 1's Zane Lowe, and the band has been long listed for the BBC Sounds of 2008 Pool, which features the most promising new music talent.

Formed in 2007, that band's goal since day one has been to make music that matters. Before recording their debut, Mumford & Sons self produced three EP's and toured the UK extensively, bringing their rootsy rock across the country. The band recently wrapped a handful of well-received performances during the annual CMJ Music Marathon in New York, which left Time Out NY to comment, The Brit combo has a spine-tingling way to harmony.

Customer Review
by CollegiateGrief (Stillwater, OK)

Those of us who have been anxiously awaiting the U.S. release of Sigh No More are rejoicing! This truly amazing album is finally here.

Having come out in October in the U.K. and most everywhere else, Mumford & Son's debut album Sigh No More is without a doubt one of the best albums I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. The London-based quartet will sweep you off your feet with their stunning harmonies and musical craftsmanship.

For fans of "new-folk" or "indie-folk" or whatever you want to call it, this album will soon be set to repeat on your MP3 player. If you're new to the genre, this album might seem just a tad to "folky," but I would definitely give it a listen (or a dozen).

The album starts with the title track, Sigh No More. The song starts slow with sparse instrumentation, swelling into something you'd expect to hear at a full on hoedown (in London) and serves as a wonderful introduction to Marcus Mumford's voice; not pretty or soothing, but strong and with the ability to evoke powerful emotion.

This album flows really well, changing pace from roaring, slamming on the banjo fast to soft, slow, sitting in front of a window as it rains and you sip a cup of earl grey. Every song on this album is a masterpiece and truly unique. The first single, of course, Little Lion Man, possibly stands out as the best. I certainly love it. As far as the slower tempo songs, I'd say I Gave You All stands out with a raw, gripping, sadness stirred rage.

Already one of my favorite albums of all time, from an amazing band. Superb. Do your ears a favor and click the "Purchase" button.

Keywords:
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Femme Fatale Deluxe

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Amazon Review

Britney Spears announces her seventh studio album is titled Femme Fatale. The iconic global superstar’s title Femme Fatale is a tribute to bold, empowered, confident, elusive, fun, flirty women and men. It’s not a conceptual album, Spears is letting the music speak for itself. She’s worked hard on it for two years and she considers it to be her “best album to date,” true to where she is now personally and professionally. Femme Fatale (Jive Records) is executive produced by Max Martin and Dr. Luke. Few artists have earned the distinction of having five No.1 debut albums, and 24 Top 40 hits. She most recently set a new one-day precedent for single sales with her current No. 1 hit song, “Hold It Against Me.”. Jonas Åkerlaund shot the video for the song. Spears is peerless among her contemporaries. Throughout the years, Britney has consistently released hit after hit for over a decade, selling close to 70 million albums cumulatively worldwide. During her 12-year career, Britney has had five albums debut in the No. 1 position on Billboard 's Top 200 Albums chart and she's had 24 Top 40 hits on Billboard’s Mainstream Top 40 chart. Globally, Britney Spears is one of the top-selling artists of the past decade, dominating charts with her albums, selling an astonishing 67 million albums worldwide. Her previous albums include: …Baby One More Time (1999); Oops!... I Did It Again (2000); Britney (2001); In The Zone (2003); Blackout (2007); Circus (2008); and The Singles Collection (2009).

Customer Review
by A. Gooding

The short version of this review? Femme Fatale (especially the Deluxe Edition) is simply Britney Spears' best album to date. It's everything a Britney fan could ask for. And for those who aren't fans, they will most likely become fans if they like catchy electro dance music.

Now for the (very) long version. Femme Fatale is an electro-pop masterpiece that melds pop, techno, and even dubstep together. Every song has fantastic production, creative lyrics, and a star quality that only Britney can pull off. This album is one you will want to listen to whenever and wherever, in the car, at the club, at home, at parties. Britney really put her heart and soul into this album, and it shows through her vocal performance throughout the album as well. Yes, there is a fair amount of production and editing that goes on, but as far as the energy in her vocals (which is something autotune cannot induce),she really has put her best foot forward to make tantalizing dance music.

Is Femme Fatale better than Blackout? That is up for you to judge. Femme Fatale is definitely sex-driven, just like Blackout. Every song on this album is different and unique sounding, but there are definitely a lot of similarities toBlackout. Femme Fatale is more like the Blackout 2.0, it's definitely far from the sound of Circus.

"Till The World Ends" and "Hold It Against Me" are the singles so far for this album. "Hold It Against Me" is a fantastic song that has a thrusting beat, and the double-entendre is very clever. The album begins with the high-energy "Till The World Ends", written by Ke$ha. It's an amazing dance anthem complete with chants of "woah oh oh oh ohhh" and the vocals are fierce and catchy. These two songs are already an amazing start to the album.

The next song is a mid-tempo breakup sex jam called "Inside Out". This is probably one of Britney's best mid-tempos and the lyrics are instantly catchy. We heard dubstep influences in "Hold It Against Me", and "Inside Out" is no exception, it takes the influence to the next level. Next "I Wanna Go" kicks in, and this song is pure fire. The song features some clever whistling, and classic Britney stuttering "I I wanna go go all the way way". This is definitely a highlight of the album, and you won't be able to get it out of your head.

The album stays uptempo with the bubbly "How I Roll", which is one of the album's most unique song. Produced by Bloodshy & Avant, Britney sings some jazzy vocals over electronic bubble pops and a beat made out of her own panting. It's a weird description, but the R&B/Techno-vibe song is very fun and Britney owns it. My favorite lyrics are "I wanna go downtown where my posse's at, because I got nine lives like a kitty cat". Also she pulls an "If U Seek Amy" with the lyrics of "You can be my thug tonight", but it really sounds like "You can be my f**k tonight" (which after many listens, I am convinced it's the real lyric).

"(Drop Dead) Beautiful [Featuring Sabi]" has an infectious beat and chorus, featuring a new female rapper named Sabi. The beat is so sick, and Britney delivers some sassy lines. The song is definitely great with some lyrics that make me chuckle, but Sabi's part is just kind of generic and overly auto-tuned. Next is "Seal It With A Kiss", probably the most hardcore dubstep song on the album, with a hard breakdown in the middle of the song. This song is another one of my favorites as Britney declares her secret love for someone at a party. It also has an identifiable "Oooo Oooo Ooo" throughout that makes it fun.

Will.I.Am features in "Big Fat Bass" (pronounced base, mind you) which is one of those tracks that has to grow on you, some will like it, others won't. It's basically a Black Eyed Peas song made just for Britney, as the lyrics are pretty straightforward. She coos in her lower register "I can be your treble baby, you can be my bass" and she says this over and over until the point where "treble" sounds more like "trouble". The beat on this song is very good, it swells and includes some flourishing piano in it. Will.I.Am's rap is nothing special either, but I have to give him credit for the practically flawless production. This "Womanizer" like song is also the longest on the album, clocking in at 4:45.

At this point, you are halfway through the album (or more than halfway if you just have the standard edition) and you would expect things to get boring right? Well that's where you're wrong; the last half of the album is just as exciting as the first. The track "Trouble For Me" is a R&B influenced track with a dirty electro beat molded into it. It's here where Britney's vocals sound the most confident and fierce. She sings about a lover who is trouble for her, but a party must-have for everyone else. This song has a great bridge too, and keeps bumpin' till the inevitable end of the song.

"Trip To Your Heart" is an effervescent, gorgeous, ballad style electro song. It reminds me of "Heaven On Earth" from Blackout, and a little bit of "Breathe On Me" from In The Zone. Britney's vocals sound soft and pretty here almost like "Everytime" from In The Zone. The lyrics are absolutely beautiful "Spread my wings out into the dark, I'll fly away on a trip to your heart / Break these chains that keep us apart, I'll fly away on a trip to your heart".

"Gasoline" picks the pace back up with addicting and clever lyrics like "Spark and it's like gasoline / I start pumping like a machine / My heart only runs on supreme / So hot / Give me your gasoline". The standard length album comes to an end with the incredible "Criminal" which is another ballad like electro song. The song features a cool flute, and Britney sings about loving a bad boy. The song's lyrics make you to wonder if she is talking about her ex: Kevin Federline. Either way, this is a pretty and entertaining song that ends the standard album on a good note.

The bonus tracks bring the deluxe album back to party mode with the electric, addictive "Up `N Down". This song is so good and dirty with an amazing bridge, and this song definitely should have been included on the standard edition track listing. "Selfish" is equally amazing, with classic Britney pronunciation of the word "selfish", which sounds more like "seyylfesh".
My favorite lyrics from the chorus are "Boom boom baby, pick you up in my Mercedes".

"He About To Lose Me" has guitars that remind me of P!nk song, and features Britney's most raw vocals. That is until you get to the chorus, which doesn't sound anything like her. Still, this song is catchy and emotional, probably the only other song not talking about sex. Then the last song is a complete oddball (but really a hidden gem) song, it's a rock/pop song called "Don't Keep Me Waiting" which doesn't fit the electro sound of the rest of the album. What's great about this song is how unique it is, I don't think I can remember the last time Britney sang a rock song. The vocals are very confident and I can totally imagine her rocking out while recording it.

As far as the title, her involvement, and concept goes, I would say all these songs fit the concept in a sort of effortless way. Britney doesn't need to try hard to be seductive with her music, she just is seductive with her music. Would it be safe to say she is a femme fatale? Definitely. Seven albums in to her career and she can still captivate us with her image, style and vocal presence. The very fact that Britney didn't write even one song on this album just proves how she easily makes ANY song that she is willing to record her own, and she does it with her undeniable spirit and a voice more unique than any other pop artist on the scene. She doesn't need to be a fantastic songwriter to make amazing music that is exclusively all her own, and neither did some of the greats like Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley. Even the contemporaries of today don't write much of their own music, take Rihanna's Loud for example. Britney has a had a lot of creative involvement throughout the years, whether it be coming up with a music video idea, choosing album pictures, or co-writing some of her biggest hits ("Me Against The Music" and "Everytime"). I would hope that seven albums into her career that we would stop questioning her talent, voice, creative drive, and rather be accepting of it. The best thing Britney has done for a decade now is sing, dance, and deliver fantastic pop music. If anything, Britney has earned her Ph.D in the art of seduction via music.

Overall Femme Fatale is an amazing record, Britney's best if I dare say so. Or at the very least a flawless equal match to the magnificent Blackout. It has all types of songs, and really nothing on it disappoints me. The vocals are amazing (she experiments every part of her range, from the high notes in "Trip To Your Heart" to the lows of "Big Fat Bass"), the production is consistently flawless, the beats and lyrics are top-notch, and the album stands alone as a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind, dance record. This album is where Britney is completely in her zone; giving her fans the best music she's ever made. This album is far better than anything the other Pop divas of today (Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Beyonce, Rihanna) have put out in the past year or so. Only Britney can pull an album like this off anyways. I would very highly recommend this album to any and all Britney fans, but also to anyone who is looking for amazing, feel-good, dance, avant-garde, pop music. I am so proud of and thankful to Britney and her producers for making this album; it really is a pop masterpiece for 2011.

Rating: 5/5 Stars or an A+

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The King Of Limbs

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Buy The King Of Limbs Now

Amazon Review

Radiohead is Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Philip Selway and Thom Y orke.

Radiohead's previous recordings have included 1993's Pablo Honey, 1995's The Bends, 1997's OK Computer (the tour for which was documented by the 1998 film Meeting People Is Easy), 2000's Kid A, 2001's Amnesiac, 2003's Hail To The Thief and In Rainbows, which was self-released via Radiohead.com on October

Customer Review
by Bardwire777 (Los Angeles, CA)

Yes it is atmospheric. This in no way resembles OK Computer or the Bends or any of their proper "rock" albums - but then Radiohead told us not to expect he same approach after Hail To The Thief. And what is the result of this new phase? I'd say it's better music to paint to than blasting in your car with the windows down (yet I do suggest blasting it loud or with so you can hear all of the subtle shifts and changes - it will kill you with a whisper) Most of these songs are centered around loops like Everything in It's Right Place, and from those initial loops other loops are borne, layers are added, drum loops become live drums, chanting begins and the record indeed ends up sounding both innovative as well as ancient as the King of Limbs' namesake - with different limbs of musical ideas twisting out into different directions. Clearly a bold thrust in a direction that they had only been tinkered with before (except if you don't count Yorke's the Eraser.)

This album feels like the follow up to the Eraser more than In Rainbows. The tracks on this album also has the feel of Radiohead's more interesting B-sides, which usually was the arena where they put their more experimental efforts and let themselves hand loose. In the case of this album, all the tracks feel like honest innovations, like the band is seeking new territory, and so in a way it feels like an album of b-sides which in my book is an excellent thing.

This review was originally written only after a few listens, however, after living with this album for a week here are my *personal* thoughts on the individual tracks;)

Bloom - a sonic welcome mat, with some surprises - the Yes-like synths over-arching like the Northern Lights are a nice effect. These are definitely sounds we've never heard from them. Thom's voice swells in an attempt to swallow the cosmos, like the song says, "Open you mouth wide" he could be asking us to think larger, to take in more...

Morning Mr. Magpie - Here we're catching a hint of the muted guitar swagger that began on Amnesiac with I Might Be Wrong and went on to be more apparent in Hail To the Thief. Like strutting through a haunted house. Sexy. Twisted groove.

Little By Little - As with the rest of the album, this song plays with your expectations of what the beat should be. The guitars stand out but are never overstated, feels very Kid A to me, especially with the sounds that lace the last minute of the track, very Everything in its Right Place. This song goes on a tad long for me, but it's so interesting the relationship between the guitar, vocals and beat that it is hypnotic as heck.

Feral - this is SO Amnesiac it kills me, raw and expansive. It feels like digital drums but THESE ARE LIVE DRUMS that go back into digital again! Amazing. Colin's bass work which is especially fascinating on this album weaves in an out of focus. Thom Yorke meanwhile paints us a sonic tapestry with his vocals, sounding like a creature that has been infected by technology but (like well...a feral) is returning to a primal state, a forest where words are not necessary.

Lotus Flower - is the re-invention of the pop song. Tom Yorke released a video for this on his website where he's dancing around like Prince, enjoying the dancability of his music...YES HE INVENTED A LOTUS FLOWER DANCE. Its an amazing video with just him dancing on an empty stage, black and white, that could be construed as part piss take but is certainly celebration of Radiohead's new sound and direction. He has so much hip swinging swagger! The song is so bad ash, he hangs on notes like a junky, addicted. And when he goes to the chorus your heart wants to burst from your chest. Very Idiotech. I also love the sincere. This song is surely about addiction (hence the Odyssey reference) but the lyrics here as well as the other songs are so sincere and poetic. I'm in awe.

Codex - The most devastatingly beautiful track. I can't even find words. The first listen was a holy moment. Even the nay-sayers will have to give that one to the band. Like the dragonflies Thom Yorke mentions here, the horns section swoons over the top of the songs promising the divine. As for the theme of the album, (and I realize I may be overreaching) this song proves that the technology-addicted human can still return to raw beauty of our natural world, enjoy it and hopefully even save it. I also love how the album's beginning wanders into a blippy bloopy forest of darker more mysterious songs but after Codex the final two songs lead us to closure, and reconcilement with the artist's more experimental methods.

Give Up the Ghost - "Don't haunt me...Don't hurt me" chant the boys as if they were five year olds facing down their Boogymen. The song could be seen as a person-to-person plea from one lover to another, but like many songs on this album the romance of this song feels connected to a greater love for the endangered enviroment..... Like the best of Radiohead's work it is hard to nail down, which is wonderful. As for the sound, this is a perfect accoustic Radiohead track akin to the B-side 4 Minute Warning as if they band is all sitting around a circle beating on their acoustic guitars....The song's bridge here is soaring and stupidly beautiful. (The sonic noises at the end sound like insects in the night.)

Separator - What an uplift! The way the other tracks grow in a thoughtful way, this song lifts like an R&B track off the ground, swagger intact. It manages to showcase Phil's drumming, Thom's lyrical genius....by the time the guitars come in with their up-beat lilts, you will be in heaven and that's when Thom promises, "If you think this is over then you're wrong". The final layer is Johnny's spooky reverb guitar that comes out of the 1980s and wipes the plate clean.

---I gave this album 5 stars because, even now having heard it 100 or more times, the album keeps revealing itself to me and is such a potent personification of the new direction the band talks about.

To the naysayers I only suggest listening to it again. Though not using such drastic changes as Paranoid Android, the album will surprise you with its different levels and subtle shifts. They have built a solid world here and it is full of secrets and and sincere beauty for the patient ear. These guys know what they are doing and they are delivering on levels that I have only begun to uncover here. Thank you Radiohead.

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21 : Adele

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Buy 21 : Adele Now

Amazon Review

21 is the eagerly awaited sophomore album from British singer-songwriter Adele. It’s the follow up to Adele’s critically acclaimed, Grammy award winning debut album 19 (both named after her age at the time the songs were written). Recorded in Malibu and London, 21 offered Adele the opportunity to work with such luminary producers and songwriters as Rick Rubin, Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder, Dan Wilson and Fraser T. Smith, as well as continuing to work with Francis “Eg” White and Jim Abbiss.

This new collection of songs showcases the growth of this incredible artist, who at the very young age of twenty two, exhibits the poise of a seasoned veteran. Adele’s music takes some new direction while staying true to her signature style. “I discovered lots of artists I'd never heard of, particularly Wanda Jackson, Allison Krauss, Yvonne Fair, Andrew Bird, Neko Case, Lady Antebellum and Steel Drivers who I fell in love with. Then I delved in to more from artists I've loved forever - Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Elbow, Mos Def, Alanis Morissette, Tom Waits and Sinead O'Connor. There's something in every single one of these artists that have really really inspired 21.”

Customer Review
by Madeline (USA)

Adele's 19 was strong. 21 is simply timeless.

In the past two years, Adele has refined and reinvented her unique sound that always puts her aching yet powerful vocals and lyrics at the forefront. These are songs that could have been released in the 60s as easily as 30 years from now. Adele has injected her trademark piano ballads with the best from several different musical genres including Americana roots and country, r&b, blues and gospel. The music is exciting and simply is. It lives, breathes.

There are a few tracks towards the middle that are remarkable only because Adele sings them-- and while they aren't quite filler, they aren't as memorable as standout tracks like "Rolling in the Deep," "Set Fire to the Rain," "Someone Like You," and "Turning Tables." Adele set the bar so high with these songs that anything else short of magic, is sort of a letdown. However, as a whole--this album so involves you that you can feel these stories as your own.

I played a couple songs for my mom, who at forty years older than I, generally criticizes my music taste, and the first thing she said was "Wow, this girl really knows how to write a story--those songs are beautiful."

21 is haunting, pulsing, soaring and very intimate. It's music that will be remembered.

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