Artist: Maidie Dawson
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Title: Running Home (facebook.com/MaidieDawson.Music)
Genre: Acoustic variety
Rating: ★★★½
In short: Thought provoking
RAISED on a Kergunyah cattle farm, Maidie Dawson sings, plays the guitar and composes songs that reflect her love of family, friends and open spaces.
Five of those songs appear on a new EP that Dawson will launch on the Border during her set at Saturday’s Dreamfields Festival at Thurgoona.
The title track opens with a gentle guitar intro that grows into a more urgent message of hope and highlights Dawson’s distinctive vocals.
With a slight country twang, Burns Blue ups the ante with a heartfelt ode to a friend while Broken is a slow, gentle is an anguished plea to try and mend a broken relationship.
The atmospheric Without You My Brothers returns to the theme of love and concern and the beautiful, slow-paced Eleanor examines power, greed and encroaching urban development as the plaintive Dawson asks the question, “Will there be any open spaces left at all?”
Artist: Ricky Martin
Title: Greatest Hits: Souvenir Edition (Sony)
Genre: Pop
Rating: ★★★½
In short: Bangin’
It’s been more than a decade since Ricky Martin had a top-10 hit in this country.
The song was Nobody Wants To Be Lonely, a duet with Christina Aguilera in 2000. It hit No.8 on the ARIA charts.
The latin superstar has made Australia his temporary home thanks to a coaching gig in on WIN’s The Voice alongside Seal, Joel Madden and Delta Goodrem.
And the early feedback is that we all love Ricky — again.
Timing is everything, so Martin’s 2011 Greatest Hits release has been repackaged to capitalise on the hunk’s time in the big spinning chair.
I mean, how can you not shake your bon-bon to Livin’ La Vida Loca, Maria, The Cup If Life and, of course, She Bangs.
A super duet with Joss Stone (The Best Thing About Me is You) also included among the 18 tunes while a DVD of the Rickster’s sweaty clips will excite the girls and the, erm, boys.
Artist: Bryte
Title: B?ryte Side of Life (Too Solid Record)
Genre: Hip-hop
Rating: ★★★½
In short: Hearty
IT’S generally a worry when an Aussie hip-hop artist opens their CD with the sounds of urban unrest and gunfire.
But push past the intro and you’ll find that Perth’s Bryte is no wannabe gangsta.
A proudly indigenous artist, Bryte combines a strong flow, a bit of humour and some really strong production as he delivers his second album, Bryte Side Of Life.
It’s truly head-nodding stuff with the early highlight Brainwash featuring a great hook from fellow WA artist Porsah Laine (known for her efforts Drapht’s Who Am I).
Some literal toilet humour initially makes The Squeeze a bit of a turn-off, however the tune is so irresistable the interlude intro is quickly forgiven.
The title track is classic Aussie hip-hop showcasing Bryte’s smooth style, My Way Of Living is too catchy and Big Bitches styles itself as the rapper’s very own Baby Got Back.
Artist: Passenger
Title: A??ll The Little Lights (Passenger)
Genre: Folk/pop
Rating: ★★★½
In short: Cruisy
HE sits somewhere on the musical landscape between Ed Sheeran and Mumford And Sons.
I guess that’s why Passenger is piquing our interest at the moment.
Formerly a UK band led by Mike Rosenberg, Passenger is now just Rosenberg the solo act.
If you’re a radio listener, you would have already enjoyed the dulcet tones of Let Her Go, a track so familiar you rack your brain trying to work out whether it’s a cover or not. Rosenberg’s voice plays the same trick.
The lively Things That Stop You Dreaming gets the CD — recorded in Sydney with Aussie musicians — off to a strong start with a stunning string backing while the title track showcases Rosenberg’s storytelling abilities.
The Wrong Direction is Sheeran-esque in its charm while Holes is a gruff, upbeat gem.
Artist: Tyler, The Creator
Title: W?olf (Sony)
Genre: Hip-hop
Rating: ★★★
In short: Spiky
TWO questions:
1) Can you believe that Tyler, The Creator and Frank Ocean, the openly gay, Grammy-winning neo-soul crooner are in same hip-hop group?
2) Is this the worst CD cover you’ve seen this year?
The co-founder of Odd Future has always been an abrasive character so it’s no surprise he opens his CD with a string of f**k you’s over a laidback jazz number.
Jamba is an early standout over a buzzy beat with Tyler intent on insults while the banger Domo23 is a winner both production and lyric-wise.
Ocean is the yin to TTC’s yang on Slater, but only gets a look-in towards the end while 48, IFHY (with Pharrell) and Rusty (featuring OF’s excellenty named Earl Sweatshirt) are Tyler at his caustic best.
Tyler’s style is very modern and very edgy. He has A LOT to say and Wolf is very much a challenging listen.
Artist: Owl Eyes
Title: N??ightswim (Illusive)
Genre: Pop
Rating: ★★½
In short: Not here nor there
THIS is close. But to what? That is the problem.
Owl Eyes — or Brooke Addamo, as she was known when she was a 17-year-old competing in the 2008 edition of Australian Idol — is the latest TV talent quest contestant to successfully make the progression to Triple J darling (see also Matt Corby and Lisa Mitchell).
Nightswim is her debut album, takes the ingredients of successful female artists while fully emulating none.
It’s nearly really modern, but lacks the necessary cool edge of, say, Lana Del Ray.
It’s nearly fun, but lacks the spunk of Kimbra or the quirk of Mitchell.
Things start oddly for a female singer’s breakout album: A heavily synthesised instrumental number, Intro.
On the other hand, Nightswim is pleasantly dreamy and Diamonds In Her Eyes has a nice hook, but overall this is hard to love.
Artist: Snoop Lion
Title: R??eincarnated (Sony)
Genre: Reggae
Rating: ★★½
In short: Hazy
SO, Snoop Dogg grew some dreadlocks and does reggae now.
And he’s started smoking mariju... oh wait.
Despite its reggae and dancehall lean, Reincarnated is unmistakably Snoop (now going by the less-catchy Snoop Lion).
His Long Beach drawl is actually perfectly suited to the style and he still has plenty of pop crossover moments.
The subject matter isn’t surprising either with, erm, joints called Lighters Up, Smoke The Weed and Ashtrays And Heartbreaks which features Miley Cyrus on the hook.
The guest list is packed with the likes of Drake, Akon and Rita Ora providing star power.
But it’s Brooklyn’s Angela Hunte who shines brightest, featuring on three tracks including the upbeat Get Away.
Fruit Juice is a robotic ragga-pop effort while Tired Of Running (with Akon) is suitably chilled and the lively Torn Apart (with Ora) is a certain single.
Artist: Fall Out Boy
Title: S??ave Rock And Roll (Universal)
Genre: Rock
Rating: ★★★½
In short: Fulfilled
THEY’VE been on a lengthy hiatus. Some fans wondered if they’d ever return.
Fresh and invigorated, they’re back. And they’re ready to ‘save rock and roll’.
From what I don’t know, but fans of FOB will be excited about one thing: the boys are back having fun.
Yep, it sounds like a Fall Out Boy CD, but there’s a joyous undertone amid the power-pop with Rat-a-tat-tat (featuring a cameo by Courtney Love) and the funky Maroon 5-esque Where Did The Party Go rather hard to dislike. Lead single My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up) is still getting a radio flogging and wins most ridiculous song title of 2013.
Death Valley is downright danceable and one of the CD’s best while the ’80s-style power ballad title track boasts none other than Sir Elton John.