La Sonrisa
02-08-2008, 11:28 AM
LLB.....on the road to becoming LEGENDS!!
http://www.timeswv.com/entertainment/local_story_037182501.html
Ultimate in Grammy® winners
By Mark Fisher
For the Times West Virginian
It’s hard to believe, but 2008 marks the 50th annual Grammy® Awards. The prestigious awards show has been nodding in approval at pop hit makers for nearly as long as musical pop culture has been for sale. Each year the NARAS give iuts voted-on stamp-of-approval to a lucky group of musicians who have released year-defining songs or found critical acclaim amidst both critics and press.
No matter how many other awards shows pop up or how much you disagree about the rightful winners, the golden phonograph continues to royally preside over the music industry.
Normally, I’m here to tell you about a special edition release or a new album by an artist, but this week I want to tell you about the “Ultimate Grammy® Collection.” This collection spans 50 years of music history over seven CDs. Each CD is set up to represent the best of these years, featuring 16 tracks from a variety of artists.
The CDs are available separately so if you prefer one genre over another you don’t have to purchase an over-priced CD set. This massive collection is slightly overwhelming as a set and you are likely better off picking what you’ll like the best.
The discs come in a variety of genres. They are “Classic Country,” “Contemporary R&B,” “Contemporary Pop,” “Contemporary Country,” “Contemporary Rock,” “Classic Pop” and “Classic R&B.”
I’m a little confused as to why there isn’t a “Classic Rock” CD but there isn’t. I can’t help but feel a little shunned, but that’s not unusual when you are considering the Grammy®’s history with fans of rock music. I have chosen to focus on just a couple of these releases: the ones that struck me as exceptional collections.
“Classic Country” tops my list here. I’m not a huge fan of country music, but this is a wonderful album that you are likely to know every song on. There aren’t very many places you can find hits like “Harper Valley PTA” (Jeannie C. Riley), “Always on My Mind” (Willie Nelson), “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” (Crystal Gayle) and “A Boy Named Sue” (Johnny Cash) back to back with lesser known “hits” such as “For the Good Times” (Ray Price) and “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” (Jerry Reed). Throw in some career-defining moments like “The Gambler” (Kenny Rogers), “King of the Road” (Roger Miller) and “9 to 5” (Dolly Parton), and you have a great listen from start to finish.
“Contemporary Pop” comes on strong as well. Many of the artists featured here have not made particularly memorable albums but have made some memorable individual songs. While I expected to hear an album filled with the likes of Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Jay Z and Christina Aguilera, what I actually heard were great offerings from the likes of k.d. lang (“Constant Craving”), The Brian Setzer Orchestra (“Jump Jive An’ Wail”), Los Lonely Boys (“Heaven”) and Macy Gray (“I Try”) alongside the usual suspects, like Madonna, Annie Lennox and Seal, who have made great singles for decades.
Even Eric Clapton makes a surprise appearance here with “Change the World.” Rounding out the album are more recent hits by artists like John Mayer, Kelly Clarkson, Norah Jones and Justin Timberlake.
The other albums are filled with Top Ten hits as well. Throughout the collections you will hear many songs that you’ve likely forgotten about but also some that you still love to this day. From rock artists like Stone Temple Pilots, Living Colour, The White Stripes and Green Day, to R& B sensations such as Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Toni Braxton and Boyz II Men, to pop icons like The Mamas & the Papas, Steve Winwood, The Bee Gees and Phil Collins, Shout Factory leaves few stones uncovered. All seven albums combined make for a interesting and comprehensive look at both the evolution and the history of popular music.
Here's a pic of the Contemporary Pop CD-
You can order it here---
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Grammy-Collection-Contemporary-Pop/dp/B000XCZD34
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/5940/ultimategrammys1dj7.jpg
ORALE!! I am so happy for LLB. HEAVEN has become a time-honored CLASSIC!!
LONG LIVE TEXICAN ROCK-N-ROLL.
Debra
http://www.timeswv.com/entertainment/local_story_037182501.html
Ultimate in Grammy® winners
By Mark Fisher
For the Times West Virginian
It’s hard to believe, but 2008 marks the 50th annual Grammy® Awards. The prestigious awards show has been nodding in approval at pop hit makers for nearly as long as musical pop culture has been for sale. Each year the NARAS give iuts voted-on stamp-of-approval to a lucky group of musicians who have released year-defining songs or found critical acclaim amidst both critics and press.
No matter how many other awards shows pop up or how much you disagree about the rightful winners, the golden phonograph continues to royally preside over the music industry.
Normally, I’m here to tell you about a special edition release or a new album by an artist, but this week I want to tell you about the “Ultimate Grammy® Collection.” This collection spans 50 years of music history over seven CDs. Each CD is set up to represent the best of these years, featuring 16 tracks from a variety of artists.
The CDs are available separately so if you prefer one genre over another you don’t have to purchase an over-priced CD set. This massive collection is slightly overwhelming as a set and you are likely better off picking what you’ll like the best.
The discs come in a variety of genres. They are “Classic Country,” “Contemporary R&B,” “Contemporary Pop,” “Contemporary Country,” “Contemporary Rock,” “Classic Pop” and “Classic R&B.”
I’m a little confused as to why there isn’t a “Classic Rock” CD but there isn’t. I can’t help but feel a little shunned, but that’s not unusual when you are considering the Grammy®’s history with fans of rock music. I have chosen to focus on just a couple of these releases: the ones that struck me as exceptional collections.
“Classic Country” tops my list here. I’m not a huge fan of country music, but this is a wonderful album that you are likely to know every song on. There aren’t very many places you can find hits like “Harper Valley PTA” (Jeannie C. Riley), “Always on My Mind” (Willie Nelson), “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” (Crystal Gayle) and “A Boy Named Sue” (Johnny Cash) back to back with lesser known “hits” such as “For the Good Times” (Ray Price) and “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” (Jerry Reed). Throw in some career-defining moments like “The Gambler” (Kenny Rogers), “King of the Road” (Roger Miller) and “9 to 5” (Dolly Parton), and you have a great listen from start to finish.
“Contemporary Pop” comes on strong as well. Many of the artists featured here have not made particularly memorable albums but have made some memorable individual songs. While I expected to hear an album filled with the likes of Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Jay Z and Christina Aguilera, what I actually heard were great offerings from the likes of k.d. lang (“Constant Craving”), The Brian Setzer Orchestra (“Jump Jive An’ Wail”), Los Lonely Boys (“Heaven”) and Macy Gray (“I Try”) alongside the usual suspects, like Madonna, Annie Lennox and Seal, who have made great singles for decades.
Even Eric Clapton makes a surprise appearance here with “Change the World.” Rounding out the album are more recent hits by artists like John Mayer, Kelly Clarkson, Norah Jones and Justin Timberlake.
The other albums are filled with Top Ten hits as well. Throughout the collections you will hear many songs that you’ve likely forgotten about but also some that you still love to this day. From rock artists like Stone Temple Pilots, Living Colour, The White Stripes and Green Day, to R& B sensations such as Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Toni Braxton and Boyz II Men, to pop icons like The Mamas & the Papas, Steve Winwood, The Bee Gees and Phil Collins, Shout Factory leaves few stones uncovered. All seven albums combined make for a interesting and comprehensive look at both the evolution and the history of popular music.
Here's a pic of the Contemporary Pop CD-
You can order it here---
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Grammy-Collection-Contemporary-Pop/dp/B000XCZD34
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/5940/ultimategrammys1dj7.jpg
ORALE!! I am so happy for LLB. HEAVEN has become a time-honored CLASSIC!!
LONG LIVE TEXICAN ROCK-N-ROLL.
Debra