Sound Advice

  • By Devin Grant, Special to The Post and Courier,
  • Posted: Thursday, July 22, 2010 12:01 a.m.
    UPDATED: Sunday, March 18, 2012 10:03 p.m.
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Symphonicities

(Deutsche Grammophon)

Really, Sting? Thirty-five years of great music both as a member of The Police and as a solo act, and now you decide to put out a CD of you singing your songs backed by a symphony orchestra? I suppose it could be worse. No, on second thought it couldn't. It would be one thing if you filled the album with hits and attempted to re-imagine each tune. Instead, you give us a few bonafide hits, such as "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" and "Roxanne," and fill with lesser-known Sting songs and even a cover of "You Will Be My Ain True Love." The worst part is the fact that it is plainly evident that Sting's heart just isn't in these performances. The vocal performances are listless and uninspired. While Sting, as well as any other artist out there, has the right to make whatever album he wants to, it seems that in this case the artist has forgotten the key reason music is recorded; so that people will listen.

Key Tracks: Go out and buy an actual album by Sting's old band, The Police.

Intriguer

(Fantasy)

When Crowded House originally hung it up in 1996, it marked the end of one of the more enduring and melodic rock bands to escape the '80s. Then in 2007, the band, minus their late drummer Paul Hester, reunited and released "Time On Earth." It was the band's first album of original music in 14 years. Apparently, Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, Mark Hart and Matt Sherrod liked the recording and touring process well enough this time, in that Crowded House is back with a new CD, "Intriguer." Finn's distinctive songwriting style is on full display here, and many of the songs sound like the good old-fashioned Crowded House from the '80s and '90s. The feeling in "Intriguer" is a bit more subdued than other Crowded House releases. Fans of "Together Alone," the band's 1993 release, will find much to like here. Originally a trio consisting of Finn, Seymour, and Hester, the band added Hart to the lineup shortly before the original breakup. Hart, who previously played with Supertramp, provides just the right amount of musicianship needed, while drummer Sherrod wisely doesn't try to emulate Hester's drumming style. All in all, if you are a fan of old-school Crowded House, then this one should be a treat.

Key Tracks: "Saturday Sun," "Amsterdam," "Falling Dove"

Setlists

(Legacy)

Live music has always been the true test of a band. Any band can benefit from studio magic, but out on the stage in a live environment, if you can't deliver the goods, then you may as well hang it up. Over the years, there have been certain music acts, such as Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick, whose live albums have transcended their studio work. The Legacy label has just released the first 11 volumes in its "Setlist" series. The CDs each focus on a specific act, and collects live performances from various sources, including live albums, rarities and previously unreleased material. The CDs also include embedded .pdf files that can be accessed by placing the CD in a computer. The files include liner notes, photographs and other bonus material. The first wave of artists includes Cheap Trick, Johnny Cash, Judas Priest, Willie Nelson, Ted Nugent, Alabama, Blue Oyster Cult, Jefferson Airplane, Kansas, Quiet Riot and REO Speedwagon. For fans of any of those acts, the new "Setlist" CDs will provide plenty of great live music.

Key Tracks: Cheap Trick's "Surrender," Johnny Cash's "A Boy Named Sue," Willie Nelson's "Georgia On My Mind"

When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors

(Eagle Rock)

The story of the classic rock band The Doors has been told before, most notably in the 1991 Oliver Stone biopic that starred Val Kilmer as singer Jim Morrison. What sets "When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors" apart from previous attempts to tell the tale is the inclusion of an impressive amount of unreleased film footage. Narrated by Johnny Depp, this documentary starts with film of Jim Morrison racing through the desert in a Ford Mustang, although it is never quite clear where he is headed. The film, written and directed by Tom Dicillo, does a good enough job telling the story of how The Doors formed, and how Morrison's unpredictability only served to make the band more famous. Pulling no punches, the documentary shows the good and the bad, and paints an intimate portrait of a band that fans are still analyzing to this day. Depp's voice is the perfect choice to narrate the feature, and fans will marvel at the sheer volume of previously unreleased footage. DVD extras include an interview with Morrison's father, Admiral George C. Morrison, who until this interview had never publically discussed his son's life.

Key Moment: Watching Morrison casually mingle with fans before a Long Island, N.Y., show.