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Toby Keith: 35 Biggest Hits

May 30, 2008 / Tyler Clark

It’s hard to trash an album while also granting it four stars. There was a time when nobody could touch Toby Keith without getting burned- he was that hot. The big Okie rode an unmatched streak of eight studio releases in 11 years, from 1993’s self-titled debut through the mega-successful Shock’n Y’all in 2003. The past five years, by contract, have produced just two painfully mediocre albums of new material, and now his third greatest hits venture, 35 Biggest Hits. Everything a casual fan needs is included, yet there’s little of anything the harder fan hasn’t already heard. The obligatory new hit “She’s a Hottie” is hardly worth the price tag, but if there are timeline holes in your T.K. collection, this will more than fill those voids. Unfortunately, it’s quite clear now that Keith has chosen to trade in his artist hat for that of record label exec and talent scout. (Show Dog Nashville)

Toby Keith MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Country

Teitur: The Singer

May 30, 2008 / Mike Farley

Somewhere between the time Faroe Islands native Teitur Lassen debuted and sounded like a young Paul Simon (circa 2003) and the time he released his third album, The Singer, he seems to have forgotten how to write songs with mass appeal. Instead of the melodic ear candy on his debut, Poetry & Aeroplanes, or even his sophomore effort, Stay Under the Stars, The Singer is far more experimental. The melodies are different, bordering on off-key, and the sounds and textures of the arrangements are going to lose more than a few of his faithful fans. The one glowing exception is “We Still Drink The Same Water,” which, despite its creepy feel, comes off like a powerful anthem. Despite the oddities, we’ll give Teitur a pass, because we know his amazing songwriting ability is lurking in here somewhere, and he just needed to explore his own depth this time around. (LABEL: Playground)

Teitur MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

You Me & Iowa: The Adventures of You Me & Iowa

May 30, 2008 / Mike Farley

If you champion indie pop with a cool alt-rock undertow, Los Angeles band You Me & Iowa deserves a chance to win a spot in your digital jukebox. The band’s second album, The Adventures of You Me & Iowa, is neatly crafted and features bouncy rhythms and more than a few melodies that will stick in your head for a while. If you remember the ‘80’s band the Housemartins, you’re going to fall in love with the song “Tommy Hall,” easily the best track on this set. But there is a lot more going on, and in the end You Me & Iowa comes off as a more upbeat Death Cab (“Dress the Stage”) or a more mature Daphne Loves Derby (“Margaret Mourning”). We’ll even forgive them for the Barenaked Ladies’ sound-alike, “Goldfish,” because most of this album is full of twists and turns, yet is very easy on the ears. (LABEL: Scrimshaw Jazz)

You Me & Iowa MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

Ghosty: Answers

May 23, 2008 / David Medsker

The sticker on the cover of Answers, the new album from Lawrence, KS quintet Ghosty, lists the Shins, Big Star and the Wrens as the RIYL bands. And we suppose that’s true, if you culled the softest, quietest moments from those bands and nothing else. In truth, they’re closer to bands like the Red House Painters and Eggstone, combining uncanny pop smarts with a certain Steely Dan casualness. Leadoff track “Dumbo Wins Again” nets the Shins comparison all by itself, and “A Man with Answers” has a hypnotic instrumental finale (think Semisonic’s “She’s Got My Number”). It’s extremely well made, but it’s also easy to get lost in the haze from time to time. A couple shifts in tempo would have worked wonders. (Oxblood Records)

Ghosty MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop

Ryan Cabrera: The Moon Under Water

May 23, 2008 / Jeff Giles

Poor Ryan Cabrera. You don’t remember him, but just a few short years ago, he was the impossibly coiffed half of a teen-pop power couple, introduced to viewers of “The Ashlee Simpson Show” as Simpson’s boyfriend and fellow budding recording artist. Though a debut album produced by John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls sold well, Cabrera arrived too late to take advantage of the genre’s late ‘90s explosion, and for his third release, he’s gone the indie route: The Moon Under Water arrives via Papa Joe Records, the EMI-distributed imprint helmed by Ashlee’s creepy dad, who has remained Cabrera’s manager. Despite the new logo on the album – and Cabrera’s new, carefully tousled image – these 11 songs offer more of the same immaculately produced, puddle-deep Abercrombie rock that took him to the Top 10 a few years ago. Imagine poppier Lifehouse, or marginally more rockin’ late-period Goo Goo Dolls, and you’re on the right track – which is unfortunate for Cabrera, because as easy as this stuff goes down, the ship has pretty much sailed on this type of music for anyone who doesn’t have either of those acts’ name value. The Moon Under Water is surprisingly solid, and has more than its share of sticky-sweet hooks, but that won’t keep Cabrera from playing ribfests this summer. Maybe another reality show is in order. (Papa Joe 2008)

Ryan Cabrera MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, Pop