What a start to 2008!
A whole slew of new albums that are right up my alley have been released this month! It looks like January is going to end up forming the backbone of my best of 2008 album list!
Of course, if you know me, you know I’m jazzed about Liverpool 8, the new album from Ringo Starr. While I do like the album a lot, it’s not quite as good as his recent string of albums. That said, it’s still fine and it’s always great to hear Ringo. This album is a transitional one for Ringo. It marks the end of Ringo’s work with his longtime collaborator Mark Hudson and their troupe of songwriters and bandmates, called the Roundheads. At the same time, Liverpool 8 begins a new era of Ringo working with Dave Stewart, formerly of Eurythmics. Peace and love!
2008 started off with the New Year’s Day release of In Rainbows, the latest from Radiohead. In Rainbows did initially become available a few months ago as a “name your own price” download and was also available as part of a special collectors box set, both through Radiohead’s website, but the January 1 release saw the physical CD hitting traditional and online retail outlets. Being old fashioned (”Get with the times!”, says my wife!), that makes In Rainbows a 2008 release! I respect Radiohead a great deal and think they are one of the top bands in music today, but they have left me scratching my head a lot in recent years. In Rainbows focuses things a bit for me, although it still falls short of the 1997 masterpiece OK Computer.
January 8 saw the surprise release (I didn’t know it was coming) from Jack Bruce and Robin Trower. Their new collaberation is called Seven Moons and it is the follow up to their 1982 album Truce (which followed 1981’s B.L.T., a Robin Trower album with Jack Bruce and Bill Lordan).
It was the 15th that saw the release of Ringo Starr’s Liverpool 8.
Today brings two albums I am very excited about. They are by artists who mean a lot to me. First, Joe Jackson follows the successful reunion of the original Joe Jackson Band (documented on the albums Volume 4 (2003) and Afterlife Joe Jackson Band Live (2004)) with Rain. Rain will be a trio album for Joe as he plays along with Joe Jackson Band members Graham Maby on bass and Dave Houghton on drums. There aren’t any guitars on Rain, something Joe has done several times in the past. Another trio album comes in the form of Day Trip from Pat Metheny with (bassist) Christian McBride and drummer) Antonio Sanchez. Pat Metheny is the man, and I can’t wait to hear his new offering!
January turned out to be one hell of a music month for me!
