Brandon's Buzz

As has become typical of late, between day job responsibilities and preparing for my radio show, I was so swamped last week that the record store report sadly fell to the bottom of the pile. (On that front, if you missed my blockbuster chat with the incredible Brett Claywell this past Tuesday night, be sure and check it out in the Buzz’s radio archive.) Hence, a super-sized doubleheader this week. The new release wall is hopping lately, kids. Get on board:

(PS: Full disclosure and all — A and I are initiating the brand new liquor cabinet this evening, so I’m writing this while sipping a Jack and Coke. Therefore, if something feels a bit… off… about the text contained herein, it might be because I am typing while tipsy.)

Despite being one of 2009’s most entrancing pieces of music, the risky, brilliant lead single “Dead Flowers” failed to take off at country radio last summer (which, sadly, I predicted in a Buzz post last May). And while it’s slowly climbing, I’m not sure how much better second single “White Liar” will ultimately fare in what is certain to be a Carrie-driven fall. Still, that magnificent spitfire Miranda Lambert has a whole passel of folks rooting for her success, and the fact that each of her first two albums are pushing platinum status despite minimal radio play means she must be doing something right. Don’t be afraid to dive in to her brand new third album, Revolution.

A ridiculous, thinly-veiled swipe at Eminem (“Obsessed,” a bald-faced, futile attempt to swerve into Rihanna’s lane) and a horrendously botched cover of an all-time ‘80s classic (can you imagine the gall of this woman daring to remake Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is” hot on the heels of Wynonna’s brilliant blues-mama take on the very same track?!) are the lead singles on Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, the 11th studio album — 12th if you count her early ’90s Christmas record — from Mariah Carey. Her failure to connect with “Know” is particularly shocking (and tragic) when you consider that she’s been down this road before — after all, her two very best songs, 1994’s “Without You” and 1996’s “Open Arms,” are both covers of uber-popular power ballads — and triumphed.

I really was going to leave this one alone, because, even though I understand she’s a gay icon and all, and I’m therefore supposed to really love her, I’m just not that wild about
Barbra Streisand. (Sorry, but give me 1992-era Celine Dion any day of the week.) But when I picked up her brand new album, Love is the Answer, to peruse the track list, I knew I was a goner the minute I saw “Where Do You Start” and “Here’s to Life,” two of my favorite-ever selections from the great American songbook. (Streisand also takes on “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most,” though, can anything ever top Bette Midler’s gorgeously flawless 1991 cover?) Believe it or not, this was co-produced by Diana Krall, which can only be a good thing.

Before you go postal lamenting all the seemingly necessary tracks that don’t appear on Celebration, a double-disc best-of set from Madonna, keep in mind that the ostensible goal here was to create a pop-driven mixtape of the Material Girl’s happier, more upbeat tunes. (Ergo, even though they land at the top of any list of Madge’s best material, there’s no room at this room for such mellow classics as “This Used to Be My Playground” or “The Power of Goodbye” or “You Must Love Me.”) Having said that, there’s no excuse for not including “Causing a Commotion” or “What It Feels Like for a Girl” or “I’ll Remember” or her brilliant techno take on “American Pie” on this set. (Coming soon, however: a Buzz playlist — which A requested over a year ago — that includes all of the above titles, and so much more. Also, don’t overlook the companion DVD set, which includes a staggering 47 of Madonna’s best videoclips.)

On whom are the eyes of the entire industry now fixed upon? If they’re smart, they’re watching like a hawk the terrific Brandi Carlile, whose highly-anticipated third album Give Up the Ghost arrives in stores this week. Her first two albums — 2005’s self-titled debut and 2007’s gorgeous The Story — were both critical successes but, despite exposure on “Grey’s Anatomy” and several other hit television series, failed to find a mass commercial audience, at least initially. But Carlile managed to strike gold last year when Story‘s dynamite title track was used in a much-ballyhooed General Motors television ad that played on an endless loop during last summer’s Olympics and turned into a digital sensation. On Ghost, Carlile has drafted the estimable
Elton John to help her capitalize on the momentum (John plays piano and provides backing vocals on key track “Caroline”) and handed the producing reins over to Rick Rubin, who knows a thing or six about shepherding genius toward greatness.

Also new and noteworthy:

• Legendary country star Rosanne Cash teams up with
  Bruce Springsteen, Rufus Wainwright, and other esteemed artists to bring to shattering life The List of her famous father’s — Johnny, yeah! — favorite songs.

 

• It feels awfully soon for a Greatest Hits set from Big & Rich, doesn’t it?

 

• Those ’80s relics Foreigner — minus the peerless Lou Gramm, who parted ways with the band long ago — are the beneficiaries of the latest Wal-Mart exclusive musical excavation project: the group, now led by Kelly Hansen, has just released a new three-disc set called
  Can’t Slow Down, which, in similar fashion to last year’s comeback from Journey, contains an album of original material, an album of remixed hits, and a live DVD.

 

• In addition to helping out the aforementioned Ms. Carlile, the terrific Elton John also pops up on the title track of Alice in Chains‘ new comeback effort, Black Gives Way to Blue.

 

• And speaking of Rick Rubin, he can also be found running the boards for The Avett Brothers‘ much-ballyhooed major-label debut,
  I and Love and You.

 

• The fabulous Michael Buble is back on the beat with his latest,
  Crazy Love.

 

• Rising singer/songwriter Landon Pigg is up with his sophomore effort, The Boy Who Never.

 

• The peerless Patty Loveless takes another dip into the classic bluegrass well with Mountain Soul II.

 

• My all-time favorite Canadian songstress Jann Arden returns with her latest, Free, and while it’s only available as an import — at least for now — it’s well worth the effort needed to track it down. Well worth.

 

• He covers, among other tunes, an underrated Annie Lennox classic (“Cold,” which takes on a whole different tone when sung by a male voice) — what the hell more do you need to hear to take a chance on Lost in Dreams, the latest record from that brilliant jazzman
  Curtis Stigers?

 

• Austin hero Bob Schneider is back with Lovely Creatures.

 

• Still plugging away at it are the Backstreet Boys, whose new record, This is Us, is out this week.

 

• Country king Toby Keith is up with his latest, American Ride.

 

• A horrifically ill-advised cover of OneRepublic’s classic smash “Apologize” ruins outright Doin’ My Thing, the sophomore effort from country newcomer Luke Bryan.

 

• “American Idol” season six runner-up Blake Lewis follows up his brilliantly frenetic 2007 debut with his latest, Heartbreak On Vinyl.

 

• The Listening, the full-length debut from Sherry Ann’s new favorite artist, Lights.

 

• DJ Tiësto gets some unlikely help from Nelly Furtado, Tegan and Sara, and Cary Brothers on his latest release, Kaleidoscope.

 

• And finally, from the TV-on-DVD front: NBC’s compelling midseason series Kings (which was an instant ratings flop last spring, despite a massive promotional push) arrives in stores, as does both
  the complete first season and the complete series (!) of the late-’90s Fox classic Ally McBeal.

names dropped with reckless abandon: "Ally McBeal", "American Idol", "Grey's Anatomy", A, Alice in Chains, Annie Lennox, Backstreet Boys, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Big & Rich, Blake Lewis, Bob Schneider, Brandi Carlile, Brandon's Buzz Radio, Brett Claywell, Bruce Springsteen, Carrie Underwood, Cary Brothers, Curtis Stigers, Diana Krall, Elton John, Eminem, Foreigner, Harry Nilsson, Jann Arden, Johnny Cash, Journey, Kelly Hansen, Landon Pigg, Lights, Lou Gramm, Luke Bryan, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Michael Buble, Miranda Lambert, Nelly Furtado, OneRepublic, Patty Loveless, Rick Rubin, Rihanna, Rosanne Cash, Rufus Wainwright, Sherry Ann, Tegan and Sara, The Avett Brothers, Tiësto, Toby Keith, Wynonna