The most refreshing album of the summer comes from Wisconsin’s own Willy Porter. His sixth album is How to Rob a Bank (Weasel Records) and Porter’s old-school approach to making records is an open-armed welcome. Somewhere along the way people forgot that great songwriting, solid musicianship and stellar production is what makes for a great record. And that’s what this has threefold, along with Porter’s original approach to his acoustic guitar and knock around vocals. That makes this a winner.
Self-produced, I love Porter’s fearless use of instruments. “Wide Open Mind” includes both a piano and cello solo. On the Paul Cebar co-written “I Didn’t Bring It Up” there are lap-steel, mellotron and sitar. There are horns on the title track, and “The Lemon Tree” incorporates whistles and glockenspiel.
Other standouts include “Hard Place,” “Psychic Vampire,” “Fear Only Fear,” “Learning the Language” and “Barefoot Reel” which is arguably the best song Porter has written to date.
You really have to hand it to Whitney Houston, she really overcame a lot of obstacles. A bad marriage, drug addiction and a ton of public bad behavior will take its toll on the best of careers. That being said, her first album since 2002’s Just Whitney is I Look to You (Arista) which is a bit of a disappointment.
Without question, Houston’s better days are well behind her, and no matter how many current top-notch producers Clive Davis lines up to work with her, nothing will change that. The biggest problem with Houston here is that she hasn’t changed a bit after all these years. She’s still singing the same song.
In fact, isn’t that the same dress she wore on her first album in 1985?
Artists like Mariah Carey, arguably, have been able to stay relevant by taking chances and refreshing their persona. Houston is either afraid or simply reluctant to expand on her range of material. A friend of mine pointed out that Whitney can only be Whitney, just like Celine Dion can only be Celine.
That being said, this multi-produced record is very white bread. The very same artists who wrote and produced tracks like Alicia Keys’ “Million Dollar Bill” are the very artists who have replaced her in the public eye.
She sounds like she’s in great shape; her voice is still an amazing gift. It’s a shame that an artist with such a beautiful gift has been replaced by the likes of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.
Just okay is “Call You Tonight,” but stay away from “A Song for You” which starts off with all the right intentions, only to become a Donna Summer parody.
One of the hardest things for artists to do is maintain their intensity and drive over a period of time. Arctic Monkeys with their power-pop punk is a band from Sheffield, England, that came across with a resounding roar on their 2005 debut Whatever People Say I Am and continued with Favorite Worst Nightmare.
On the new Humbug (Domino), the band enlisted Joshua Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) to produce, which for a band like Monkeys, isn’t really the best choice. Homme is an amazing producer, but his records sound too polished. Bands like Arctic Monkeys need to sound like they are on the verge of uncontrolled abandon.
Their material and musicianship has improved with each record, but on this they sound as if they’ve lost all their energy. It’s like when Elvis Costello no longer sounded pissed off. He still made great records but he lost all his angst.
Arguably acceptable are “Crying Lightening,” “Fire and a Thud” and “Potion Approaching,” for me the best cut on the album with it’s unique stutter stop arrangement.
Never thought much of the American Idol winners. I mean it’s great TV, but I’ll take the likes of runners-up Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson before winners Taylor Hicks and Fantasia any day. Maybe that’s why I find Idol fifth place finisher Brooke White’s debut album High Hopes and Heartbreak (June Baby) promising.
If you remember White on Idol, she was the wispy blonde who sang while playing piano and guitar in her bare feet. This is exactly what this album sounds like – a very relaxed, easy feeling record.
Executive-produced (which means he stopped by to eat the craft services) by Idol judge Randy Jackson, the album features four producers, most notably Dave Cobb (Chris Cornell, Shooter Jennings).
At times White sounds like the middle-school music teacher that you had a major crush on. This album is that honest, innocent and sweet. Also kudos for starting her own label and releasing this herself; those Idol guys have enough cash of their own.
Standouts include “Radio Radio,” “Hold Up My Heart” and “Use Somebody.
Whitney Houston (Bob Hanson)
