CD-Charts Position 151
Average Rating:

World in Motion

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Jackson Browne

Release Date June 01, 1989
Some good, some mediocre. The good: Enough of the Night, Chasing you into the Night, How Long, My personal Revenge, and Lights and Virtues. The rest, well, in my opinion not up to normal Jackson Browne standards. There's enough good to buy the CD, as I did (an inexpensive used copy), but not near his best. If you're a Jackson Browne collector, as I am, buy it, if you're new to Jackson, buy his double CD, The Very Best of Jackson Browne, or any of his first five albums, Jackson Browne (Saturate Before Using), For Everyman, Late For the Sky, The Pretender, or Running on Empty. They're all far superior, in all respects, to World in Motion.

CD-Charts Position 152
Average Rating:

Live in Japan

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: George Harrison, Eric Clapton & Band

Release Date February 24, 2004
Jesus H. Krishna - where did this forgotten gem come from?

From the high water mark of "All Things Must Pass" in 1970 that served as a compendium for all of his accumulating and unused Beatles-era work, George Harrison's more recent solo output has been at its best, spotty and at worst, downright desultory. Sharing the stage with Eric Clapton and taken from his last, very abbreviated, solo tour in 1991, Live In Japan (re-released after a ten year plus absence) brilliantly showcases a reinvigorated Harrison in top form - ripping through his Beatles and solo canon with a delicate ferocity that is both moving and completely unexpected.

The Beatles chestnuts are all here however, it is on some of his lesser-known solo compositions ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 153
Average Rating:

Broken Arrow

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Neil Young with Crazy Horse

Release Date July 02, 1996
Rock stars have a well known dilemma, whether to repeat the things that brought them success, that fans tend to want more of, and that they're usually good at but can lead to a rut, or to try new things. Neil Young does both in spades, moving between his old styles and all sorts of new experiments. This album falls more into the repeat camp, which is fine with me. He's good at the grunge guitar jams and the other Crazy Horse stuff, and I want more of it.

Such dilemmas and other issues of growing older in the music business may have been on Young's mind as he was turning 50. The chorus of the first song, "Big Time," is "I'm still livin' the dream we had / For me it's not over." It begins with his trip from Ontario to LA to join the big-time music ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 154
Average Rating:

Looking East

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Jackson Browne

Release Date February 13, 1996
Just when I thought Jackson had hit on a hot streak with I'm Alive, he goes and proves me wrong: he really is mediocre, or worse. There are so many clumsy rockers on this album, it makes it a tough listen ("Information Wars"; "Culver Moon"; "I'm the Cat"). Jackson cannot rock out, as it turns out, but you probably knew that a long time ago and don't need Moron Rock Critic here telling you that. Even worse is when he experiments: the Latin flavored "Nino" and the World Music feel-good chant "It Is One" show just why Jackson rarely broke formula on his "classic" (ha! I'm Alive is better than any of them!) records. Needless to say, the songs that stick out the "same old, same old" work best: the soft-rock ballads of the title track and "The Barricades of Heaven"; and ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 155
Average Rating:

This Note's for You

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Neil Young, The Bluenotes

Release Date October 25, 1990
Now for the most part I really enjoy classic R&B, but the fact is it's not Neil's sound: in most parts the huge horn section blowing everywhere sounds awkward. The fast songs are often trite, boring, and clichéd ("Ten Men Workin'"; "Married Man"; "Sunny Inside"; "Hey Hey"), with the slow blues tracks being sluggish and interminable in addition to trite, boring, and clichéd: at least "Hey Hey", for instance, has energy to spare. "Twilight", "Can't Believe Your Lyin'"; "Coupe de Ville" and "One Thing" all sound dead on their feet. Only a couple songs save this from being a total blow-off; the witty anti-corporate title track has the best lyrics by far on the album; and "Life in the City" is exciting with a dramatic horn part - I would've preferred those two as being one-off experiments ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 156
Average Rating:

Prairie Wind [CD/DVD]

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Neil Young

Release Date September 27, 2005
I have watched the performance on cable several times and had to buy the DVD. I have read reviews where some didn't like this album...didn't like what Neil Young had done. I see this as a product of his maturation and professional evolution. We all mellow out eventually and I love hearing this music. Neil Young has traveled a long journey and this album was a welcome addition to my collection. I never grow tired of it.

CD-Charts Position 157
Average Rating:

Words & Music: John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: John Mellencamp

Release Date October 19, 2004
This guy just confuses me. I love some of his singles, like Cherry Bomb - what a cool song. I bought this collection having never owned any of his albums/CDs. If I put this on to listen to, in about 15 minutes I am aggravated. There is something grating about his voice or something. I also have never liked his political adventures or social commentaries. I mean I know Farm-Aid was cool, but his constant harping about injustice and even the big deal over his name and how the industry tried to eat him up aggravates me. Even the fact that he scribbled all over his Gibson acoustic aggravates me. His image seems so contrived, the torn bluejeans small town crap. He is the best example I can think of where if he just stuck to the music and I didn't know all this other stuff, I would be OK. Like I said, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 158
Average Rating:

Field Songs

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Mark Lanegan

Release Date May 08, 2001
Those familiar with Mark Lanegan's previous outings into brooding folk/blues music will have no surprises with "Field Songs". Combine his sublime whiskey-drenched delivery (which immediately recalls the gravely tones of Tom Waits), a refined understanding of traditional folk and blues and then throw in the rock sensibility of 90s band Screaming Trees and "Field Songs" is the result. Perhaps Lanegan's best album to date with improved and more diverse writing, it still tragically remains an overlooked gem in the realms of singer/songwriter music.

"Field Songs" boasts some of Lanegan's best song writing. "No Easy Action" is a sumptuous flourishing rock song - fashioning very unique vocal harmonies thanks to middle-Eastern styled female vocals sustaining held notes over the top of Lanegan's ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 159
Average Rating:

Your Little Secret

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Melissa Etheridge

Release Date November 14, 1995
I've been debating with myself which albums I'd take to a deserted island. This is one of them. Melissa has many great albums. To me she's one of the artists that have the most wholesome discography. It's a bit of a battle to say which one of her albums I like the best but I would say it's this one. The album seems to be in the beautiful crossroads, something old and something new, though most of her material is pretty time-defying. Your Little Secret is like an emotional movie that takes you on a journey and tells you your life story. It's a powerful, rocking, radio-friendly/melodic (but never tame), touching entity. The album embraces the gamut of Melissa Etheridge's work. To me this is Melissa Etheridge.

CD-Charts Position 160
Average Rating:

Longing in Their Hearts

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Bonnie Raitt

Release Date March 22, 1994
This is a tremendous CD... though definitely not as glossy and smooth as the ones that came after, or as rough and textured as those before. For some reason, even though there are a few songs I can do without, (I Sho Do comes to mind) songs like "Feeling of Falling", Cool Clear Water" and the title track have remained my favorite Bonnie songs since this CD came out.

There is a funky goove here... and enough attitude to show that Bonnie Raitt is no computer enhanced lip-synching pop diva powderpuff. No way - she's the REAL DEAL. Has been for so long I can't remember... and she still belts it out better than anyone. She's made a huge mark in a world that wasn't exactly welcoming to her at first... and this CD shows why. Virtuoso musicianship, a deadly groove, sultry, strong vocals and that sensation ... Read More: