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Interview with Laura Bell Bundy – CMT Breakthough Nominee
On June 8, 2010 at 5:38 am
I’m in Nashville this week, where the preparations are in full force for this year’s CMA Music Festival. But just as important in Music City are the CMT Awards, held this Wednesday night (June 9th). One of the most exciting award categories this year is for the “Breakthrough Video of the Year.” One of the [...]
Hey Smug Sir Paul, do you know what incompetence is?
On June 5, 2010 at 11:43 am
In a shocking display of celebrity ignorance (yes, I am being facetious), aging has-been Paul McCartney of Beatles and Wings fame just couldn’t help but take a swipe at former President George W. Bush during a recent concert at the White House. Let’s side aside the facts that while Paul and President Obama were partying [...]
Jack Johnson – “To The Sea” (Music Review)
On June 3, 2010 at 6:43 am
*** (out of 4 stars) Label: Brushfire If you are looking for the sound of summer – Jack Johnson’s new album “To the Sea” will put a smile on your face. Its outlook is so easy and breezy, it may even give you bit of a tan. But if you can’t make it to the [...]
Carney – “Mr. Green, Vol. 1” (Music Review)
On May 27, 2010 at 3:42 am
*** (out of 4 stars) Label: Interscope Records Reeve Carney was supposed to be a big Broadway star by now. But his career-making debut on Broadway as the title character in the U2/Julie Taymor rock musical production of Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark has been on-and-off for most of the year. The Broadway theatre that [...]
Elvis Has Left the Shtetl
On May 21, 2010 at 7:56 am
Elvis Costello has canceled two upcoming concerts in Israel in protest of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. On his Web site, Costello cited the “intimidation, humiliation or much worse” inflicted by Israel on the Palestinians as his reason for canceling the performances. What about the mass murder committed by Palestinians on innocent Israelis? How soon we [...]
Chely Wright’s “Stand By Your Woman” Publicity Tour
On May 20, 2010 at 6:50 amChely Wright made headlines this week when she came out on “The Today Show” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Why? To sell her new book and her new album (both coincidentally are just hitting shelves this week). This was originally going to be a music review, but I found an uninspiring dullness to her latest [...]
The Jayhawks – “The Bunkhouse Album” (Music Review)
On May 18, 2010 at 4:07 am
*** (out of 4 stars) Label: Lost Highway Records They have a saying in Nashville: “Honor Thy Music.” Actually, it’s the motto for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, but listening to the new re-release by the Jayhawks reminded me of the slogan. With the release of their debut album, it’s time to [...]
Zac Brown Band – “Pass the Jar” (Music Review)
On May 17, 2010 at 7:01 am
***½ (out of 4 stars) Label: Atlantic Summer is coming, and (other than maybe Kenny Chesney’s tour) there isn’t any other country act that epitomizes the heat and humidity of summer as well as that most red, white, and blue of musical groups – Zac Brown Band. They have a live album out now, just [...]
Jo Dee Messina – “Unmistakable Love” (Music Review)
On May 12, 2010 at 3:39 pm**½ (out of 4 stars) Label: Curb Records Jo Dee Messina is supposed to put out three releases this year. This is all part of the music industry’s attempt to figure out just what will persuade people to purchase more than just a hit single on iTunes. By releasing EPs with fewer tracks, the idea [...]
Here’s your chance to help Nashville “Get ‘er Done”
On at 5:09 am
Nashville knows how to roll up its sleeves and take care of business. Usually this means picking up a guitar and strumming a chord. With the recent flood damage however, a large number of prominent country musicians have guitars that are warped and unplayable. But music is what they do, and they are putting together [...]
Nikki Yanofsky – “Nikki” (Music Review)
On May 10, 2010 at 7:00 am*** ½ (out of 4 stars) Label: Decca/Universal Every once in awhile it is a pleasure to have the chance to introduce a young talent to the readers of Parcbench.com. This is one of those days. If you are looking to add something a touch sophisticated to your music collection, read on… and remember, you [...]
Lonestar – “Party Heard Around the World” (Music Review)
On May 6, 2010 at 7:30 am
*** (out of 4 stars) Label: Saguaro Road This album is a little late; it would have been a perfect Valentine’s Day release. Still, it’s good to know that Lonestar is back. Remember Lonestar? Their 1999 album, Lonely Grill, brought Lonestar their biggest crossover hit to date, the sweet ballad “Amazed,” which spent eight weeks [...]
Brew With a Beat
On May 5, 2010 at 7:25 am
There is a new brew from the tea party movement. According to FOX News, conservative singer-songwriter, Lloyd Marcus, is putting together a charity album featuring some of the more musical tea-partiers. Take Back America is the theme song that a group which could include, Ted Nugent and Victoria Jackson to name a few. The group [...]
Sons of Sylvia – “Revelation” (Music Review)
On at 7:16 am*** (out of 4 stars) Label: 19 Recordings/Interscope Records From the first note of what sounds like a Ry Cooder-inspired guitar introduction, all the way through the final fiddle strokes of what sounds like a Kate Bush-inspired end of the album, Sons of Sylvia covers a lot of musical territory on their new CD titled [...]
Miranda Cosgrove – “Sparks Fly” (Music Review)
On April 30, 2010 at 7:58 am*** (out of 4 stars) Label: Sony Music Before this high-energy pop album came out, I hadn’t heard about Miranda Cosgrove. Of course, I’m not exactly the demographic that the star of iCarly appeals to. She’s yet another Nickelodeon starlet in the making. I should have remembered her as Summer Hathaway in the film School [...]
THE GRASCALS – “The Famous Lefty Flynn’s” (Music Review)
On April 28, 2010 at 6:50 am*** ½ (out of 4 stars) Label: Rounder Records 2010 is turning out to be a great year for fans of Bluegrass music. Just when I thought the recent Dailey & Vincent tribute to The Statler Brothers couldn’t be matched, along comes the new release from bluegrass’s super-group known as The Grascals (titled “The Famous [...]
