Most Anticipated ( not to mention the BEST )
His 3rd studio release is AWESOME!
Following the high standards of Mr. A-Z, We Sing... still manages to beat it hands down.
12 tracks, all amazing, spanning reggae, soul, pop, rock and maybe even some Jamiroquai-esque dance riffs.
From the dreamy opening number, Make It Mine, it eases smoothly into a folksy reggae lullaby ( I'm Yours - guaranteed heavy radioplay if the DJs have any brain cells ), before hitting the jackpot with a beautiful duet with Colbie Caillat ( Lucky ).
The adrenaline rush continues with one of my personal faves, the super-hot Butterfly ( no, not a cover of Mariah Carey's original ). This is reminiscent of O. Lover from Mr. A-Z in terms of cheeky yet sexually explicit lyrics which are far from obscene yet conjure pretty interesting images in a listener's head. A good example: Climb into my mouth, child.
You figure that one out. :)
That said, it's got an infectious beat, makes unexpected turns as it alternates between different styles, and is just plain excellent! ( ran out of adjectives haha )
Following the breezy Live High, we come to my absolute fave on the album, the poignant and haunting Love For A Child. It describes the effects of divorce on hapless offspring, but soars on one of the greatest melodies I've ever heard, nicely topped off by Jason's powerful and heartfelt vocal delivery.
How I LOVE this song.Details In The Fabric, a cool duet with UK upstart James Morrison, has me feeling tempted to buy a Morrison CD the next time I'm at the store. Coyotes and The Dynamo Of Volition isn't for everyone ( some rapping and slightly tuneless runs, but I can tahan anything this guy throws at me ), though the latter has a chorus that strongly resembles what Jamiroquai usually churns out.
Only Human is a nice bluesy-rock piece, while If It Kills Me brings Jason back to his funky pop roots.
The crowning glory is A Beautiful Mess - another exquisite love song complemented by an equally fabulous vocal performance. Almost as perfect as Absolutely Zero ( from Waiting For My Rocket To Come ), but hasn't quite surpassed it just yet. :)
The album cover art is cute, though I much prefer him in person. He's sporting a tan these days, which is miles away from his usual pasty-skinned self.
You can sample full-length versions of Make It Mine, Butterfly and I'm Yours on his MySpace page. Try sending him a message if you're a fan.
Buy this album today! Now!
Pretty Average, But He Still Sounds Good
I'm a big fan of Clay's voice, but the material on this CD leaves something to be desired. I mean, you can have powerful pipes, but they don't really matter if the songs don't showcase the vocals to full effect.
Still, it makes for easy listening in the car or on an iPod when you need some background music to ease your nerves or keep you awake. Can't really identify any standout tracks, but Grace Of God is the most palatable so far, though it probably won't garner much airplay considering its subject matter.
Buy it if you're a diehard fan, but stick to online samplings if you're undecided.
I Want This One - ASAP!
Will buy this the next time I get to That CD Shop, but you can see a wonderful video clip on his MySpace page.
He's absolutely terrific in a 'live' setting. Can't understand why he keeps bypassing Singapore during his numerous world tours. He could've dropped by en route to Australia, but chose not to. What's up with our local concert organizers and recording company?
If this continues, I may have to fly to Australia to catch him in action one of these days.
TV Updates
The Practice Reruns - Season 1 just started last week, and it brings back great memories from creator David E. Kelley's glory days ( remember Chicago Hope and Ally McBeal? ). Started off a bit shakily, but picked up speed quickly thanks to a battle with a tobacco giant and a high-profile murder case reeling into total chaos. The script is top-notch, the acting impeccable, and the cases riveting. I believe the show peaked in its 2nd and 3rd seasons, when it won Emmys for Best Drama and Best Actor, before slowly deteriorating in the ratings game.
Catch it while you can. ( Foxcrime Channel 86, 11pm from Mondays - Fridays )
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? - Kind of a slow burner, this one. After watching it on and off for a few weeks, it's grown on me and now provides endless entertainment twice a week. Yet another ingenious offering from reality show guru Mark Burnett ( Survivor, The Apprentice ), it features 5 cherubic 11-year-olds, numerous enthusiastic contestants, and a terrific host. I admit to not knowing the answers to some of the questions posed, heh heh!
( airs every Monday and Thursday at 10pm on StarWorld Channel 18 )
Monk ( A New Season ) - will be returning soon to StarWorld soon ( I think June ). One of the best comedies around, IMHO.
American Idol 7 Finals - airs this Wednesday ( earliest telecast is a delayed satellite recording at 6pm on StarWorld ). I'm working afternoon, argh! But at least I'll be off on Thursday, when the results show will be beamed 'live' from Los Angeles at 8am.
My mom's rooting for young David. :)
More next time...
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