Swap a CD: 15 Recently Posted CDs

A Winter Garden Five Songs For The Season - Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennitt — 2009-11-22T23:48:23-05:00

This Christmas EP (or, more accurately, "Winter Holiday" EP) features lushly produced folk renditions of seasonal traditionals and McKennitt originals. Like all of McKennitt's material, these songs gorgeously blend folk traditions from around the world (with an emphasis on the Irish and Scottish), seasoned with a sizable dose of literate universalist mysticism, and undistractingly garnished with a shimmering, glossy modern pop polish. ~ Darryl Cater, All Music Guide

I Cant Make Me CD Single - Butterfly Boucher

Butterfly Boucher — 2009-11-22T23:24:44-05:00

No Strings Attached - *NSYNC

*NSYNC — 2009-11-22T13:03:06-05:00

Prior to the release of their second album, *NSYNC split from their manager in a bitter dispute and signed with Jive, the kings of teen pop. For *NSYNC, the move provided them with an opportunity to, in the immortal words of George W. Bush, "define themselves," to prove that they were an independent unit -- hence the title No Strings Attached. To cynical critics, they very well might sound the same as ever, yet this really blows away their previous record. That much is clear from the storming lead single "Bye Bye Bye," a piledriving dance number with the catchiest chorus they've ever sang. However, the album isn't really just singles'n'filler; it actually is well sequenced and fairly balanced, much like the Backstreet Boys' Millennium or Christina Aguilera's album. Like those records, No Strings Attached pulls away from the standard dance-pop formula, strengthening it with harder street beats, electronica flourishes, ballads with some grit, and well-crafted pop tunes. Nobody is going to mistake this for Fatboy Slim, Beck, or TLC -- it's still lightweight teen pop. Yet, it's very good teen pop, managing to not only work well within its limitations, but to push it slightly while retaining its breezy, hooky identity. *NSYNC still can seem a little ordinary, lacking a truly charismatic punch À la Britney or Christina, yet they do deserve credit for shaking things up a little bit, since it's resulted in an effervescent, ingratiatingly cheerful album that's a vast improvement on the debut. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

My True Name - Carrie Newcomer

Carrie Newcomer — 2009-11-22T11:43:57-05:00

Carrie Newcomer's fifth album for Philo finds her songwriting talents firing on all cylinders with delightful results. While there's material on My True Name that could easily fit on country radio ("I Should've Known Better," "What Kind of Love Is This," "Something Worth Fighting For"), there are other tunes like "This Long" and "When One Door Closes" that push the musical boundaries further than any of her previous outings. Other highlights include "One Good Turn," "The Length of My Arms," "The Moon over Tuscon" and the title track. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide

Fact and Fiction - Kristen Hall

Kristen Hall — 2009-11-22T11:42:44-05:00

This mainly acoustic album ranges from introspective ballads to catchy upbeat folk-rock anthems. Hall's world-weary voice, both rough and delicate, tells reflective tales of yearning and love lost while retaining an uplifting spirit. Guests include Emily Sailers (Indigo Girls) and Cindy Wilson (B-52's). ~ Chris Woodstra, All Music Guide

Car Wheels on a Gravel Road - Lucinda Williams

Lucinda Williams — 2009-11-22T11:40:17-05:00

It isn't surprising that Lucinda Williams' level of craft takes time to assemble, but the six-year wait between Sweet Old World and its 1998 follow-up, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, still raised eyebrows. The delay stemmed both from label difficulties and Williams' meticulous perfectionism, the latter reportedly over a too-produced sound and her own vocals. Listening to the record, one can understand why both might have concerned Williams. Car Wheels is far and away her most produced album to date, which is something of a mixed blessing. Its surfaces are clean and contemporary, with something in the timbres of the instruments (especially the drums) sounding extremely typical of a late-'90s major-label roots-rock album. While that might subtly alter the timeless qualities of Williams' writing, there's also no denying that her sound is punchier and livelier. The production also throws Williams' idiosyncratic voice into sharp relief, to the point where it's noticeably separate from the band. As a result, every inflection and slight tonal alteration is captured, and it would hardly be surprising if Williams did obsess over those small details. But whether or not you miss the earthiness of Car Wheels' predecessors, it's ultimately the material that matters, and Williams' songwriting is as captivating as ever. Intentionally or not, the album's common thread seems to be its strongly grounded sense of place -- specifically, the Deep South, conveyed through images and numerous references to specific towns. Many songs are set, in some way, in the middle or aftermath of not-quite-resolved love affairs, as Williams meditates on the complexities of human passion. Even her simplest songs have more going on under the surface than their poetic structures might indicate. In the end, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is Williams' third straight winner; although she might not be the most prolific songwriter of the '90s, she's certainly one of the most brilliant. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

River of Song A Musical Journey Down the Mississippi - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-22T07:22:02-05:00

River of Song is a companion double-CD set to a four-part 1999 PBS television series of the various styles of music found along the Mississippi River, from northern Minnesota to the river's mouth in Louisiana. It has 36 complete performances that the documentary makers recorded as part of the project, encompassing delta blues (Robert Lockwood, Jr.), Native American powwows, cajun (D.L. Menard) and zydeco (Geno Delafose), New Orleans soul (Irma Thomas), rockabilly (Sonny Burgess), singer/songwriter folk (Greg Brown), bluegrass, gospel, polka, jazz, and less expected things like traditional Swedish, Laotian, and norteÑo music. There's even alternative rock, via Babes in Toyland (whose selection is frankly ill-fitting), Soul Asylum, and the Bottle Rockets. This might be better seen on film than heard all at once: it covers a full smorgasbord of American music in one go, and although in concept that might be appealing, remember that when you actually eat at smorgasbords, you don't try to sample every last damn dish in the course of one meal. The most unusual items are the Skal Club Spelmanslag's "Red-Headed Swede," with its eerie musical saw; Sonny Burgess' "T for Texas," on which he sounds far more like a genuine soul man than a cult rockabilly singer; and the Memphis Horns and Ann Peebles' "St. Louis Blues," done without a rhythm section. Little Milton, Henry Butler, Levon Helm, James Cotton, Fontella Bass, and John Hartford are some of the other recognizable names contributing to the album. If you're interested, the project also generated a book with the same title as the CD, written by Elijah Wald and John Junkerman, and published by St. Martin's Press. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Concerts for a Landmine Free World - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-22T06:28:47-05:00

These live performances are drawn from concert series in 1999 and 2000 that benefited the Campaign for a Landmine Free World organization. There are a bunch of big folk-country-rock-singer/songwriter crossover names here, including Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Bruce Cockburn, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Gillian Welch, Kris Kristofferson, Steve Earle, Terry Allen, and Guy Clark. The vibe is low-key and unplugged, and it's rather like listening to a record compiled from various editions of National Public Radio's "Mountain Stage" series (which is not a criticism). Sometimes the songs are topical, but never more so than in Cockburn's "Mines of Mozambique," which of course relates directly to the inspiration for these concerts. Sometimes, however, the social consciousness is not directly related to the event at hand (Griffith's "It's a Hard Life"), and sometimes indeed this has nothing to do with topical songwriting, as on Prine's comic "Big Ol' Goofy World" (nice to have some lighthearted moments at a benefit album for such a somber issue). You wouldn't say that this represents the best work of any of these artists, but for those who are into these kind of singer/songwriters, it's a pretty solid set of tracks not available on their regular releases. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Fax It Charge It Dont Ask Me Whats for Dinner - Four Bitchin' Babes

Four Bitchin' Babes — 2009-11-22T02:41:02-05:00

Fax It! Charge It! was the only studio album from the Four Bitchin' Babes before Christine Lavin departed the group. Fans of Gabby Road or Life According to 4 Bitchin' Babes will find this album's collection of ballads and comedic songs to be another home run. Standout tracks include "TV Talk," "Microwave Life," and "Great Big Bug" for humor, and "My Mother's Hands" and "She Won't Be Walkin'" for poignancy. Another solid effort from the talented songwriting collective. ~ JT Griffith, All Music Guide

Arise My Love - Anjie Carpenter

Anjie Carpenter — 2009-11-21T23:27:01-05:00

Sisters Songs of Friendship Joy and Encouragement for Women - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-21T21:52:41-05:00

Flutterby - Butterfly Boucher

Butterfly Boucher — 2009-11-21T21:31:12-05:00

A low-key tour de force, Flutterby reflects an uncommon maturity and breadth of talent, particularly for a debut effort. Boucher commands all the essential instruments; more than that, she layers her parts with an ear toward sounding like a solid backup band, as opposed to showing off. Her lyrics, which adhere to the confessional/heartache model, can revolve around unanswered questions: "Could this be the day I've waited for?" she sings on "Life Is Short," with the more enigmatic "What do I do?" in "I Can't Make Me" and "Can you see the lights?" elevated to prominence as a song title. While she doesn't overdo it, this does contribute to an impression of less than piercing insight; songs like "Soul Back" come across as clever more than profound or even poetic. Still, her hooks are strong, her vocal delivery assertive, and aside from a few mellow Joni Mitchell moments in her articulation and phrasing on "Drift On," Flutterby bristles with an agreeable, upbeat energy. ~ Robert L. Doerschuk, All Music Guide

Dark Ride - Ian Matthews

Ian Matthews — 2009-11-21T18:16:37-05:00

Following a pair of albums made up almost exclusively of original material, 1994's The Dark Ride proved that Iain Matthews' newfound prolific nature wasn't just a backlog of tunes collected during his time off, as he penned 11 of the 13 songs (one co-written by Michael Fracasso and producer Mark Hallman). Like its predecessor, Skeleton Keys, The Dark Ride shares an acoustic, country-folk feel that fits the songs well, even if it can be a little too tasteful and nondescript at times. With a sound that borders on generic singer/songwriter territory, it's Matthews' voice, which is as good as ever, and his songs, which are hit and miss, that have to carry the day. Here he's at his best when he's at his most personal and introspective, as on cuts such as "I Drove," "Tigers Will Survive (Part II, Darcy's Song)," the title track, and what may be the record's most intimate and powerful tale, "For Better or Worse." Written for his wife, who had been a victim of rape, "For Better or Worse" is at once painful, compassionate, and graphic, while conveying both the helplessness, confusion, and anger of the situation. It's moments like this that make some of the lesser material all the more disappointing. There's enough here to attract folk fans and devotees, but history shows that Matthews is capable of more. ~ Brett Hartenbach, All Music Guide

On My Own - Michelle Nicastro

Michelle Nicastro — 2009-11-21T14:34:55-05:00

Live at the Iron Horse - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-21T11:57:49-05:00