Tag Archives: deluxe
REVIEW: IMAGINE DRAGONS – SMOKE + MIRRORS…
The sophomore album – that event that spells out make or break for an artist. Imagine Dragons has now reached that second album, following 2012’s blockbuster Night Visions, an album that kept rock music in the pop charts when few others could. Of course having crossover success brings harsh criticism. It brings a whole new […]
TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2014 – #4: U2 – SONGS OF INNOCENCE…
Hopefully now that the frenzy over the iTunes fiasco has died down, people can appreciate Songs of Innocence for what it is: one of the best albums U2 has recorded in a long time. All OF those things that make U2 great are here. They are tight still as a four piece. They use atmosphere, […]
TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2014 – #8: SAM SMITH – IN THE LONELY HOUR…
Last year, while most of us in the U.S. were oblivious, an up and coming singer named Sam Smith was breaking through in a big way in the UK, as a guest vocalist on Naughty Boy’s “La La La”, and also on Disclosure’s “Latch”. It wasn’t until I watched the last BRITs awards that I […]
TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2014 – #16: LENNY KRAVITZ – STRUT…
Lenny Kravitz scored big this year with his latest album Strut, putting a large amount of swagger back into his sound. Despite the fact he wrote a song saying just the opposite, rock and roll is far from dead and with fine albums like this one, and Lenny is one of those carrying the torch […]
REVIEW: LENNY KRAVITZ – STRUT…
I will have to come clean here. I haven’t really listened to Lenny Kravitz since the Greatest Hits album. I’ve heard a track here or there and thought “that’s pretty good”. I think it started with “Dig In”. For some reason it felt bland to me at the time. I had owned Are You Gonna […]
Top 25 Albums of 2013 – #6: FRANZ FERDINAND – RIGHT THOUGHTS, RIGHT WORDS, RIGHT ACTION…
Franz Ferdinand’s first album in 4 years is everything I could want in a Franz album. It has the high energy guitar licks, the quirky and instantly catchy choruses, witty lyrics and a type of nerdy funk that this band does right. Like with the band’s past albums, all of which I love, they have […]
Top 25 Albums of 2013 – #19: BRUNO MARS – UNORTHODOX JUKEBOX…
Unorthodox Jukebox is an album that will probably not make it onto people’s year-end best-of lists for two reasons. One, it was released at the tail end of 2012 in that time most people already had their yearly lists made. Two, because it’s considered a pop album it won’t be deemed as worthy as other […]
THE REBOOT: IMAGINE DRAGONS – NIGHT VISIONS “DELUXE EDITION”…
Earlier this year one of my favorite albums of 2012 was re-released in a Deluxe Edition. Typically an after-the-fact re-release like this is put out there for one of a couple main reasons. Sometimes an unlikely one-off single by an artist is released *after* the album, and the record company tacks the song on in […]
REVIEW: THE KILLERS – DIRECT HITS (The “Essential Very Best Greatest Hits Collection” Review)…
After a long absence, I’m back and ready to take on this Christmas shopping season’s obligatory greatest hits collections. I’ve been waiting for this one! TALE OF THE TAPE: Years Covered: Entire career so far: 2003 to 2013 Length of Album: 77 min (Deluxe Version), 57 min (standard version) Chronological or Mix Disc Format: Chronological […]
REVIEW: BRUNO MARS – UNORTHODOX JUKEBOX…
Now that the holidays are over, I can spend some quality time getting caught up on releases from the end of 2012 that will carry us into 2013. First up, Bruno Mars. Bruno seems to be intent on being the next Prince. Those are not small shoes to fill. Well… ok, actually the shoes may […]
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