Music Monday: Maroon 5 Overexposed

One More Night
Payphone
Daylight
Lucky Strike
The Man Who Never Lied
Love Somebody
Ladykiller
Fortune Teller
Sad
Tickets
Doin Dirt
Beautiful Goodbye

Me actually getting this album was a long time coming.  After seeing the band live at Foxwoods Casino in May, I decided  I was 100% going to do a pre-order package.  I ended up going for one that was nearly $90 which included postcards and Songs About Jane’s 10th anniversary edition. (Crazy that I have been a Maroon 5 fan for nearly 10 years now – I was first introduced to them in November 2002 when they opened for John Mayer)

It was supposed to come on or before the release date – so I was hoping I’d have it around the time I went to see them perform Live on Letterman.  Unfortunately there was some sort of back order with pieces of the preorder so they were delaying the shipping.   I didnt like this at all.  I pre-ordered to gte it on or before the release date – how were items on back order? You would think at least enough for the pre-orders would have been in the order they made, right?  Second – this was a new release so why not send the items that they had in stock first and the back ordered items later? (Part of John Mayer’s pre order was backordered – they sent me what they had in stock AND 20% off my next purchase at his store to make up for it – THIS is how it should be done)

I ended up emailing for a refund and picking the album up on iTunes for $4.99. I do still think I’ll end up getting a physical copy of the cd though because the cover art is so cool I need to hold it in my hands to check it out.  I requested the refund I believe in June when I got fed up with waiting and it didn’t go through until August.  I will definitely be hesitant to do any pre-orders through TopSpin media in the future.

Anyway – now that my rant about the album is over – here are some words about my thoughts on the actual album.

It is really, really great.  Typically there are songs on CDs that I skip over – I decide I dislike them usually by the second listen (mostly by the first but give them a second chance just in case) but before writing this review I listened to the CD at least 3 times in a row on a road trip down to PA and then 2 times in its entirety while at work (as well as listening to random tracks here and there as well!)

The album really doesn’t have any songs that I think are “filler” and I can easily here all of them on the radio as singles. (I read that they purposely create all their songs to be pop singles – which is a pretty smart idea. Why put crap on the album just to reach a song quota? Everything should be quality!)

I am very much so looking forward to their tour in 2013 promoting the album and can not wait to experience these songs live!

Music Monday: Rachel Crow

Mean Girls
Rock With You
Lemonade
My Kind of Wonderful
What a Song Can Do

Rachel Crow is the spitfire from last season of the XFactor whose departure from the show was incredibly emotional (for her, me and Nicole S…)  She was signed to Columbia Records and recently released a 5 song EP.

The EP starts with a song that had me near tears called Mean Girls – also Rachel’s debut single.  It is all about being picked on and being “called every name but Rachel” I can relate.  It is definitely a great anthem for young girls who are being bullied and not letting it bother them anymore.

The other 4 tracks are all a lot of fun and I really wish great things for Rachel.  I completely fell in love with her when she was on the XFactor and completely stopped watching when she was kicked off because I was just so upset over it. (Even when they showed clips of her being voted off when I went to the XFactor taping I nearly teared up again!)

If you order the special edition CD from Rachel’s website (http://www.myplaydirect.com/rachel-crow) you also get a sticker sheet! The stickers are so fun that I wish that I had seen Rachel live to use them on a scrapbook page! (Hopefully some day!) It includes the “Rachel Crow” with the heart from the album cover, headphones, lightning, star, a heart and a microphone.  Totally cute and fun.

 

Music Monday: Johnny Keyser From Where I Stand

Never Too Late
From Where I Stand
We Try
In The Bitter
Selah
Early Morning Rain
A Change is Gonna Come

 

Probably the most anticipated CD release of the year, for me anyway, is Johnny Keyser’s acoustic CD “From Where I Stand.”  If you are new to Concert Katie – Johnny was a contestant on this years American Idol.  Unfortunately, he was cut REALLY early on even though many fell in love with him during his audition. (Or maybe that was just me and JLo?)  It was teased that he may come back as the 13th contestant – but then idol brought back Jermaine only to end up disqualifying him shortly thereafter. (lameee)

Anyway – after Johnny got kicked off, he went to work on his EP. It ended up debuting at #44 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart – just 6 days after its release.  Johnny wrote on his website: “My EP went digital 6 days ago, we’ve done zero advertising, haven’t contacted any radio stations, and yet somehow I break on to the Billboard charts, which are driven in large part by radio play… All on the same day that America crowns their next ‘Idol’.”  Perhaps it wasn’t just me and JLo in love with him afterall.  Johnny is also the first American Idol contestant in the history of the show to hit the billboard charts with an Indie album before the end of the season they competed in.  Maybe you SHOULD have brought him back, huh Idol?  (Or maybe not. He might be better off on his own.)

With the exception of the final track on the EP… all songs are Johnny originals and they are all quite great! I think that my favorite is Selah.  The CD gives me a bit of a Gavin DeGraw vibe.  It’s all acoustic, but I’d love to hear some of these songs with a full on electric set up, I’m sure they would be even better than they already are.

 

 

From Where I Stand is available at iTunes, Amazon and http://johnnykeyser.bandcamp.com/

Music Monday: The Wanted EP

 

Glad You Came
Chasing the Sun
All Time Low
Satellite
Lightning
Heart Vacancy
Gold Forever

(Special Edition tracks)
Lose My Mind
Warzone
Rocket

The Wanted is another British Boyband taking America by storm (though fortunately their tickets are not quite as difficult to get as One Direction’s).  In April, they released a 7 song EP in America.

Chasing The Sun – the band’s latest single and Satellite are both new tracks that have not appeared on any other album.  The other songs are a compilation of songs from their studio albums The Wanted and Battleground.

I don’t have the special edition – so I can’t comment on the extra 3 tracks (yet, I’m seeing them in headlining concert this week so I’ll need to be prepared to sing along and write a setlist!)

I have to say I think that my favorite songs from the EP are Chasing the Sun and All Time Low.  I love Glad You Came as well – but it’s getting to the point where it has been a bit played out.  I think I am going to have to see about importing their other albums as well. (It has been a LONG time since I have bought an import album, I don’t even know how to go about it anymore!)

Anyway… of the British Boybands I have to say that right now One Direction is my favorite – but I do love them both. I am such a sucker for boybands 🙂

Music Monday: Haley Reinhart Listen Up

Tracklist:

Oh My! (ft B.O.B)
Free
Liar
Wasted Tears
Undone
Now That You’re Here
Wonderland
Keep Coming Back
Hit The Ground Runnin’
Waliking on Heaven
Follow Me (I’m Right Behind You)
Spiderweb
What You Don’t Know
Let’s Run Away

It is incredibly rare that I fall in love with an album on my first time through playing it. It is even rarer that after listening to it multiple times in a row, that I don’t skip any songs.  However, Listen Up is a cd that I loved from the first note and there are honestly no songs that I feel the need to skip on this CD!   Listen Up really has a throwback, retro vibe, which I think has a lot to do with why I love it so much.  Haley’s voice is amazing as well.  Haley has songwriting credits on nearly all of the 14 songs on the album and the linear notes includes lyrics to all the tracks (this seems to be becoming more and more rare I’ve noticed, maybe it is cheaper to make a smaller CD booklet and toss all the lyrics up on a website instead).    I am having a hard time picking a song as a favorite because they really are so great.  I think that “Oh My” was an excellent choice to start off the album and capture everyone’s attention.  The album really flows as a whole and clocks in at 48 minutes.

Music Monday: Jon McLaughlin Promising Promises

Tracklist:

Promising Promises
You Never Know
Summer is Over (feat Sara Bareilles)
The Atmosphere
What I Want
I’ll Follow You
Maybe It’s Over (feat Xenia)
If Only I
Falling
Without You Now
My Girl Tonight
These Crazy Times

Promising Promises is a bit of an interesting release from Jon McLaughlin.   Late last year (September) Jon released “Forever If Ever” which was an indie release of new music.  Then Jon ended up getting signed to Razor & Tie, so he pulled Forever If Ever from his online store and all retailers at the beginning of 2012.  Promising Promises is a re-mastered version of Forever If Ever – except that 3 songs were removed from Forever If Ever and 3 new songs were added to Promising Promises.  (There are also bonus tracks through iTunes and through an exclusive Best Buy release.)

Jon has been kind enough to offer those 3 tracks “a la carte” on iTunes for those who bought Forever If Ever and only want the new songs from Promising Promises.  (Summer Is Over also now features Sara Bareilles)

The tracks now gone are: A Little Too Hard (which was one of my favorites), You Are What I’m Here For, I Brought This On Myself.  The new tracks are: You Never Know, The Atmosphere & Falling.

It is a bit hard to write a review and say “upon first listen..” because upon first listen I was already in love with the majority of the album.  All the songs are, in true Jon fashion, piano driven.  Jon wrote every song on the album with the exception of one – that he co-wrote.

Overall – Forever If Ever was a great album, Promising Promises is a great album as well and you should definitely check it out.

Music Monday: Kris Allen Thank You Camellia

Tracklist:

Better With You
The Vision of Love
My Weakness
Out Alive
Monster
Blindfolded
Teach Me How Love Goes
Rooftops
Leave You Alone
Loves Me Not (feat. Meiko)
You Got A Way
Fighters
The Vision of Love (Remix)

Fan Edition Bonus Disc:
Shut That Door
The Vision of Love
Better with You
Out Alive
Leave You Alone

Thank You Camellia is the sophomore effort from American Idol Season 8 Winner Kris Allen, and was released on May 22, 2012 (a big day for CD releases from my favorites!)

After listening to the album several times, it is really hard to pick a stand out song that I would have as my favorite – they are all really great and I am very much so looking forward to a tour backing the album.

Also – my name is in the linear notes of the fan edition!  Does this mean I can cross off ‘have my name in a CD’s linear notes’ from my bucket list?  I only ask because it is only in there because I preordered the fan edition in time to have it included.  Can you cross things off your bucket list if you pay to make it happen?  I guess you can.

Random Note: Meiko who sings with Kris on Loves Me Not opened for Hanson in 2011.

Music Monday: John Mayer Born and Raised

Tracklist:

Queen of California
The Age of Worry
Shadow Days
Speak For Me
Something Like Olivia
Born and Raised
If I Ever Get Around to Living
Love is a Verb
Walt Grace’s Submarine Test January 1967
Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey
A Face to Call Home
Bor and Raised (Reprise)

Born and Raised is the much anticipated release from John Mayer produced by himself and Don Was.  The CD was released on May 22, 2012, after Mayer’s spring tour to promote the album was canceled due to a granuloma on his vocal chords.  This means John is unable to sing and therefore can not do as much promotion for the new album as he would like, the album must speak for him.

Born and Raised is a bit more mellow than any of John’s other releases, but it is still just as great as everything else. It has a bit of a country vibe to it as well.  The title track – Born and Raised – contains vocals by none other than Crosby and Nash, which is awesome.

Random note: Walt Grace’s Submarine Test at times sounds a bit like the Jonas Brothers Love Bug.  The first time through the record I actually did a double take and was all “wait a second…”

Win a copy of Born and Raised from Concert Katie! Contest ends July 30, 2012 at 12:01AM est.
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Music Monday: Tyrone Wells Where We Meet

Tracklisting

Freedom
You’re The One
I Can’t Save You Now
Satellite
The Most
Head Over Heels
Run Away With Me
Where We Meet
Don’t Be Afraid
You Still Love Me
A Way Out

 Where We Meet is the latest independent release from singer-songwriter Tyrone Wells. It was released in March of 2012. The title track, Freedom, is probably my favorite track from the album and it is also the first single.  The whole album is quite great as a whole though and I found that various tracks from the album were popping in to my head throughout the days after I was playing it for a few hours straight.  It has a running time of about 40 minutes, which is about perfect for my commute to and from work.  Tyrone has a really smooth voice and some of the songs have a bit of a reggae feel to them which makes the album even more fun, I think. Where We Meet was produced by Bill Lefler, Thomas Doeve, Brad Hill and C. Todd Nielsen

The CD is available now at:

iTunes
Amazon
Order CD

Find out more about Tyrone at his website: http://www.tyronewells.com

or contact him at PO Box 25907 Los Angeles, CA 90025

Music Monday: Tyler Hilton Forget the Storm

Tracklisting

1. Kicking My Heels
2. Prince of Nothing Charming
3. Loaded Gun
4. Jenny (feat. Elizabeth Huett)
6. Can’t Stop Now
7. Ain’t No Fooling Me
8. Leave Him
9. I Belong
10. Hey Jesus

Tyler Hilton released “Forget the Storm”, the much anticipated followup to his debut album on April 3, 2012.  This album was a long time coming due to some issues with the record label that Tyler was originally on and he released Forget the Storm independently.  The album was produced by David Hodges and the first single is “Prince of Nothing Charming”.   The title Forget the Storm is because the album he was working on with the record label was slated to be called The Storms We Share.  My favorite song on the album is Loaded Gun, but the album is filled with a ton of great songs, none of which I feel the need to skip over.

You can find out more about Tyler, his album, and where to purchase it at his official website: http://tylerhiltonofficial.ning.com/

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