blog.mp3adrenalin.com

The Atlanta rock scene has long suffered from an identity crisis that sets our fair city apart from other towns that have unwittingly found themselves under pop culture's microscope.

Most of us remember what happened in the early '90s when grunge broke. It put Seattle on the music map, and took flannel shirts off the backs of lumberjacks and put them in upscale department stores for hundreds of dollars. And of course there was the Emo-ha, Neb., plod of just a few years ago that made it cool to be an emotional basket case.

Closer to home there is Athens, Ga. Anytime you see it in print, Athens is always followed by the reminder that, yes indeed, it is the town where R.E.M., the B-52's and Pylon got started. In the late '70s, it was ground zero for alternative rock in America; never mind that it happened nearly three decades ago.

Music aside, there has always been a discernable flag around which bands on the ground level in all these towns have rallied. So what does Atlanta get now that it is primed to be America's next big music scene?

Now hold on. Before you sneeze, wheeze and leave little anonymous comments about how presumptuous it all sounds, consider the facts from this year alone: MTV aired a documentary about Atlanta's music scene, examining the life and times of Deerhunter, the Black Lips, Snowden and Manchester Orchestra. You can't log on to Pitchfork without seeing a new story about some catty and controversial trouble Deerhunter vocalist Bradford Cox got into over the weekend. The Black Lips tore it up on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," and even Manchester Orchestra appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman."

The rest of the world is dialed in to what Atlanta is churning out, whether Atlanta knows it or not. And not to digress too much, but who the hell is Manchester Orchestra, anyway? You would be hard-pressed to find anyone on the street who can tell you anything about the group. Have they played more than a single show at the Drunken Unicorn? The Earl, Smith's or the 10 High? Manchester Orchestra is a fine band, if that's your thing. But how is the band able to ride a wave that has been kicked up by so many other bands that spent due time in the trenches? Is it because Paste magazine has bedroom eyes for the group?

It all leads back to the identity crisis. Juxtapose the grit of the Black Lips, the intelligence of Deerhunter, the balls of Gentleman Jesse and His Men, the vanity of Snowden, the debauchery of All Night Drug Prowling Wolves, and the anonymity of Manchester Orchestra against the visceral approach of groups such as Carbonas, the Coathangers, Knife and the Fourth Ward Daggers, the Selmanaires, and Baby Shakes; and you have a rock scene that is as confusing and meandering as the streets in our town.

It's a roster that reads like a cast of characters from a William Faulkner novel; full of flaws, moral fiber, conflict and extremely Southern in their bastardization of all those traits. And each does so in a manner that is so endearing and so distinctively Atlantan that no one can make sense of it.

Not yet, anyway.

A wave of vibrant rock music surged from female artists in 2007. After a long hiatus from the recording studio, Joni Mitchell returned with “Shine.”Annie Lennox laid “Songs of Mass Destruction” on us, while KT Tunstall scored well on her sophomore effort, “Drastic Fantastic.” And, lest we forget Amy Winehouse, who, despite recent legal trouble, earned a magnum’s worth of 2007 Grammy nominations for her album “Back to Black.”Accolades and award considerations aside however, these talented artists and their works provide only a brief window to the rich array of music recorded by women this year.

As we head into 2008, here’s a brief look at some of the other noteworthy releases from women over the last 365 days.ΔTori Amos, “American Doll Posse” (Sony): The state of America’s current social fabric, political leadership, war and the impersonal nature of the digital age converge to shape the thematic currents of “American Doll Posse.” With her rippling piano and distinctive vocal arrangements, Amos delivers a solid 23-song playlist worthy of oft-repeated listening.ΔMelissa Etheridge, “The Awakening” (Island): A mix of personal experience and meditations about the wider contemporary world create a concept album-like feel on “The Awakening.” From the attempted suicide of a lover related on “An Unexpected Rain” to the perils of religious martyrdom in “The Kingdom of Heaven,” Etheridge zeroes in on memories and the contemporary situations with singular honest passion. Additionally, Etheridge deserves enormous props for another aspect of this effort. In a remarkable turnaround, she also produced and put out a live recording of “The Awakening” within weeks of the studio version’s September release.ΔP.J. Harvey, “White Chalk” (Island): Sparse, earthy, and spiritually introspective, Polly Harvey takes her music down a new creative avenue on “White Chalk.” Gone are the thumping bombast of her earlier “Meet Ze Monsta” days, and the lightning riffs of “Kamikaze,” in favor of a new music vernacular that relies more on keyboards than percussions and a guitar presence. The album breezes along at a low-to-mid tempo pace, with the numbers “Silence” and “The Piano” about as upbeat as the music gets. At times, “White Chalk” conveys about as much joy as one of Francis Bacon’s tortured paintings. But it also possesses exceptional continuity, and feels positively seamless.ΔJesca Hoop, “Kismet” (Sony BMG): On her debut effort, Jesca Hoop stirs a variety of music styles, from blues and country to jazz and rock, into a grand sonic bouillabaisse seasoned with alluring vocals and harmonies. Hoop blends a hint of retro and Regina Spektor flavor into her “Silverscreen,” dishes up a jaunty cadence on “Out the Back Door,” and concludes this fascinating sonic journey with an effective sweetly throwback-style ballad, “Love and Love Again.”ΔDolores O’Riordan, “Are You Listening?” (Sanctuary Records): The former front woman of the Irish rock group the Cranberries serves up a texturally smooth effort on her first solo album. Her deliciously lithe voice and robust instrumentation produce a melodic potency that almost rises to a melodramatic level, but never succumbs to it. Introspective reflections fuels much of the thematic thrust on “Are You Listening?,” with family connections underscoring several key tunes, including the opener, “Ordinary Day,” and “Apple of My Eye.”ΔMichelle Shocked, “To Heaven U Ride” (Mighty Ride): Shocked not only feels the power on this collection of gospel-inspired covers originally recorded during a live performance at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 2003, she exudes it. Blending blues, funk and some serious rock, the only stone the urban folk rocker omits here is a new rousing rendition of “My Sweet Lord.”ΔSia, “Some People Have Real Problems” (Monkey Puzzle Records): From the moment Sia slips into her “Little Black Sandals,” she grabs your heart. Sia’s soaring, occasionally offbeat balladry moves gracefully along the current of her endearing vocal delivery. Her up-tempo “The Girl You Lost to Cocaine” conveys a spirited sense of empowerment, while the measure of relationship differences assumes calculated playfulness on “Academia.” Sia strikes her strongest marks however, on the album’s weightless, romantic tunes, “You Have Been Loved” and “I Go to Sleep.”ΔSiouxsie, “Mantaray” (Decca): Check your volume settings: Your stereo or iPod is about to undergo a royal workout. Siouxsie’s first solo album doesn’t grow on you; it’s all over you in a furious cascade. A harrowing Industrial beat particularly drives the opener “Into a Swan,” the succeeding “About To Happen” and the percussive, five-alarm storm on “One Mile Below.” Yet, the album’s molten energy isn’t committed solely to making the sparks fly. Siouxsie also asserts her sultry dexterity on several of the album’s more moderately paced tunes.

More articles

I blame it on the Internet. It’s giving me distinct feelings of inadequacy as a music writer/reviewer.

It used to be that I could feel as if I had heard the vast majority of worthy albums released over the course of the year. Now I suspect that’s no longer the case. With the Internet making it possible for virtually any musician or band with an ability to record and upload songs to get their music into circulation and find enough of a fan base to tour, there’s been a proliferation of new CDs.

That’s great for music, but not so good for a reviewer. It’s becoming impossible not to miss out on a few great CDs — and more than likely, a few that belong on a year-end best albums list.

Still, plenty of albums crossed this desk in 2007 that should have gained a lot more attention than they did. So while I’m sure there are some unfortunate omissions, here are my picks for the best overlooked CDs of 2007:

Minus the Bear: “Planet of Ice” (Suicide Squeeze Records) — With its third full-length CD, “Planet of Ice,” Minus the Bear solidifies its reputation for making some of today’s most intriguing and category-defying music. For lack of a better word, Minus the Bear plays pop-rock music. With angular melodies built around intertwining guitar and keyboard lines, the band crafts a sound that’s somewhat brainy, but immediately enticing.

Sea Wolf: “Leaves in the River” (Dangerbird Records) — With groups like Wolfmother, Wolf Eyes, Wolf Parade, (and even) Steppenwolf, it’s getting hard to keep the “wolf” bands straight. But Sea Wolf (which is essentially Alex Brown Church) makes a strong bid to be pack leader with “Leaves in the River.” Church matches the inventive instrumentation (accordion, violin, cello, to name a few) with striking and frequently delicate pop songs that skirt along the familiar boundaries of folk, rock and chamber pop.

The Forecast: “In the Shadow of Two Gunmen” (Victory Records) — With this second CD, the Peoria, Ill., band pretty much sheds its “Midwest emo” label by putting more of a roots/country slant on its sound. The result is a CD with a heartier, less trendy sound, as songs like “And We All Return to Our Roots” and “A Fist Fight For Our Fathers” deliver plenty of melody and muscle.

Kristeen Young: “The Orphans” (Test Tube Baby Records) — Young got some attention this year for getting kicked off of Morrissey’s tour by “Mozzy” himself. Maybe the controversy will generate some attention for the boldly original music on “The Orphans.” Part Kate Bush, part Tori Amos, part Dresden Dolls, Young’s piano-based songs have a theatrically dramatic flair and an idiosyncratic yet inviting sound that spans rock and orchestral idioms.

The Redwalls: “The Redwalls” (MAD Dragon Records) — On this self-titled effort, the Redwalls move well beyond the Beatles-ish stylings of the group’s first CD, emerging with a far more distinctive and developed sound that encompasses a wider range of pop styles.

The National: “Boxer” (Beggars Banquet Records) — With its fifth release, “Boxer,” the National fully establishes itself as one of rock’s most compellingly original groups. Many reference points pop up throughout “Boxer,” including Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, the Smiths, and the Band, but describing the group’s stately sound is tricky. Fortunately, enjoying the music is easy, and repeated listenings only bring out the quiet power and depth of “Boxer.”

Bayside: “The Walking Wounded” (Victory Records) — Modern rock has more than enough bands trying to sound like Fall Out Boy. Bayside works that guitar pop territory, but stands apart from many of its peers by building an unusually tight blend of riffs and lead guitar lines into its catchy songs.

J.J. Grey & Mofro: “Country Ghetto” (Alligator Records) — Grey and his band, Mofro, have for years been typecast as a jam band, and as such may have been dismissed by some as just another group playing somewhat aimless roots music. “Country Ghetto” emphatically refutes that notion with a set of potent, well-crafted songs that are strongly rooted in soul and blues.

The Actual: “In Stitches” (Softdrive Records) — There’s nothing innovative about the Actual’s debut on Scott Weiland’s Softdrive Records. But in a way, that makes this CD more impressive. Any band that can write punk-tinged hard rock songs like “Permanent Kitten” and “If You See Her” that stand out within such a basic and familiar sound is doing something right.

Mando Diao: “Ode to Ochrasy” (Majesty/EMI Music Sweden) — This Swedish quintet’s songs at times sound like they could fly off the rails at any moment. And this sense of impending musical chaos — not to mention a talent for crafting catchy Brit-rock-styled melodies — gives “Ode to Ochrasy” an appealing edginess and charm.

Honorable Mention: Eastern Conference Champions: “Ameritown” (Suretone Records); The Alternate Routes: “Good and Reckless and True” (Vanguard Records); William Tell: “You Can Hold Me Down” (New Door/Universal Records); The Electric Soft Parade: “No Need to be Downhearted” (Better Looking Records); Johnathan Rice: “Further North” (Reprise Records); Shout Out Louds: “Our Ill Wills” (Merge Records); The Mother Hips: “Kiss the Crystal Flake” (Camera Records); The Klaxons: “Myths of the Near Future” (Geffen Records); The Silos: “Come on Like the Fast Lane” (Bloodshot Records); The Loose Salute: “Tuned to Love” (Graveface Records)

What with Prince giving his CDs away in the Daily Mail and Radiohead forcing us to take up night classes in computer programming just to be able to hear their new record, it’s refreshing to find a band that just want to be heard. Unfairly tagged with “The New Kooks” tag, The Days make breezy summer choons that make you feel like you’re mucking around on the beach with a load of curvy bikini-clad hotties/hunky speedo-wearing love-Gods (delete as applicable), when in reality you’re stuck on the M25 in a never-ending spiral of traffic. We caught up with Luke, Dan, Harry and Tim to chat about those bloomin’ Kooks comparisons, touring with The Fray and their aims for 2008.For those people who are new to The Days, can you tell us how the band came together?Luke: “Me and Dan are brothers, and we’ve been playing in bands together since we were ten. When we got to about 18, we decided we were going to form a new band and started looking for drummers. Harry came on board about two years ago and Tim joined a year later - just a before we got signed.”Does having brothers in the band affects the dynamic of the group?L: “It’s quite good actually. We do fight a bit, but I think having two brothers in the band brings us closer together as a unit. We can be really open with each other, so getting things done can be a lot quicker. That attitude rubs off on everyone else - we all tell each other exactly what we think. If someone plays something crap, we’ll let them know.”How would you describe your music in one sentence?L: “We always like to concentrate on melody and getting big, catchy tunes going. After that we obviously want a big punchy, piano rock sound. We just make catchy tunes, really.”Dan: “We focus on the songs.”Why do you think people are tipping you for big things in 2008?L: “People have said our music has got a lot of escapism to it and a real summer vibe, which is nice.”Tim: “It presents something different from most rock music at the moment, which comes from the London scene. We’ve stayed out of the scene and honed our songcraft down here and it embodies a different landscape.”You been compared a lot to The Kooks. Do you get worried about being pigeon-holed by those comparisons?D: “We don’t mind being compared to The Kooks or anyone for that matter. We do take inspiration from different bands, but at the same time we like to think we have got something very different and fresh.”How much fun were the big tours you’ve just done supporting The Fray and Rooney?Luke: “Yeah, we had a really good time actually. The Fray were really cool with us. We went go-karting with them for one day in Manchester and we had a right good laugh. Hanging around with other bands is the really cool thing about doing all this - there’s always lots of beer! We did a long tour, so by the end of it, the whole thing was getting pretty knackering.”Do you find it difficult playing to audiences when not many people know your records?Harry: “We’re at a stage with the band where we’re keen to get as many fans as we can, so we have to do it. “T: “The songs are truly catchy as well, so, by half way through, most people feel like they know us already. When we get people singing along at support gigs it’s good stuff.”L: “It’s fine because just playing to people and getting our music heard is great. Also, there’s not a lot of expectation for a support act. It can be tough because the crowds often aren’t warmed up, but we just take it as it comes. Obviously we prefer playing our own shows though.”You’ve released the track ‘You’re a Rock’ for free on your MySpace. Do you get worried about recouping money for your record label when you give your music away like that?D: “Obviously bands do have to make money and record labels do have to make money, but it’s just about keeping going and developing. For us it’s not about earning millions of pounds and going out and having a great life. It’s about earning enough money to make this our life and make this a career.”With MySpace, Facebook and all this modern techno-babble nonsense, do you think young bands have to work harder to market themselves?L: “I think these online communities actually make it a lot easier for bands like us to get our music out there and build a fanbase. It’s a lot quicker than it ever would have been before.”D: “The obvious downside is that there’s a lot more people doing the same thing. Certainly MySpace has grown and there’s a lot more bands on that than there used to be.”What’s your main aim for 2008 as a band?L: I think we want to grow, get a bigger fanbase, get the album out and hopefully sell some records.”T: “Hopefully the album will draw people to the gigs, so we can actually have some real gigs on our own. We just want more people listening to our music. It doesn’t matter how we do it.”The Days’ Digital Spy tour blog can be found here. Their Evil Girls EP is out now.

    BEIJING, Dec. 27 — Cui Jian, the godfather of
Chinese rock music, will perform at the Beijing Workers’ Indoor Arena on Jan. 5.
But weak ticket sales so far might result in a disappointing return to the place
where he once blasted open the gates.

    In 1986, Cui Jian debuted at the Workers’ Indoor
Arena with a trailblazing rock show, creating an alternative genre for Chinese
music fans.

    His comeback two decades later has so far sold only
about 5,000 tickets, half of the total seats, the Beijing Evening News reported.

    On Tuesday, the 46-year-old rocker met with the media
in Beijing to discuss next weekend’s show for the first time. He said he felt
pressure to satisfy both old and young fans, and if there were fewer people than
he expected at the show, he would be “very disappointed.”

    Fans at the concert can expect to see Cui Jian lead
his band in a set chronicling his legendary career, but the singer didn’t like
calling the show nostalgic. “It’s out of my way to get nostalgic,” he said,
adding that sometimes old stuff can still hold up today.

    The concert was announced on short notice, a fact to
which its organizer ascribed the unsatisfactory ticket sales. Promotion for a
show usually requires one to two months; Cui Jian’s allowed for only 20 days.

    Tickets, capped at 800 yuan (US$108.8), are being
sold for less than other shows held recently at the Indoor Arena. Tickets to
Taiwan rock singer Shin’s show on December 24, for example, sold for as much as
1,180 yuan.

    The organizer is now hoping to see a surge in
purchases over the last a few days.

    Cui Jian, who is now rarely seen in solo settings,
never veers far from the rock stage. He still headlines rock concerts
periodically, including this year’s Beijing Pop Festival.

    (Source: CRIENGLISH.com)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Eagles are typically categorized as rock music but they would probably happily accept an offer to play on the Grand Ole Opry, the venerable country music radio show performed live in Nashville, singer Don Henley says.

“That would be an honour,” Henley told the Associated Press recently.

And why not? The group that once epitomized the excesses of ’70s rock stardom has the biggest-selling country album of the year so far with “Long Road Out of Eden.”

The double-disc set, The Eagles first studio album in 28 years, has sold two million in the United States and topped Billboard’s country album chart for four weeks since its Oct. 30 release, edging out country stars Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift.

While the Eagles have always had a kinship with country music, they have mostly been thought of as a rock band with country influences. Today, they are placed squarely in the country camp, but Henley is not complaining.

“As long as we’re on the charts. Any chart will do,” he joked from his Dallas home.

“I’m sort of proud of that,” he continued. “I’m glad that we’ve been accepted because there is some rather pointed political commentary on this album. Others have found the going to be difficult. I think we’ve been around for so long that people know what to expect from us and just take what they like.”

Henley, 60, cannot totally explain the success of “Long Road Out of Eden.” While some of it may be Baby Boomer nostalgia, he believes it comes down to the quality of the work.

“People ask ‘Why are you still doing this? You’ve accomplished everything. There’s nothing left.’ I never hear painters being asked why they still want to paint after 60 or novelists why they want to write after age 60,” he said.

“It’s insulting, as if we’re only doing it for the money and the glory and not for the creative and spiritual aspect. Writing songs and performing for people is my life. It’s what keeps me young and interested and curious and vital.”

The album’s first single, “How Long,” is a sturdy country rocker that recalls early hits like “Take it Easy.” The song reached No. 24 on the country singles chart, their best showing since “Lyin’ Eyes” went to No. 8 in 1975.

The second single, “Busy Being Fabulous,” is due out next month and feels more pop than country, but Henley says the Eagles have always been a “musical mutt,” influenced by all forms of American music.

“We don’t sit down and calculate or target anything,” he said. “It’s hard enough just to write songs, and they come out in various ways. We’ve always done that. ‘Hotel California’ had a lot of different material, and so did ‘One of These Nights.’ So it’s not like this album is radically different.”

What is different, though, is country music. There’s been a lot of cross-pollination between rock and pop and country, and “country music is now akin to what my generation was listening to in the ’60s and ’70s,” Henley said.

“Certainly, country is one of the last bastions of good songwriting - and of singing in tune,” he added.

Though they are most closely identified with Los Angeles, the Eagles have strong ties to Nashville. Henley has sung duets with Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire and Kenny Rogers. It was Rogers who brought Henley and his then-band Shiloh from Texas to California in the late ’60s to produce their album.

More recently, guitarist Joe Walsh joined Kenny Chesney for some shows, and all of the Eagles - Henley, Walsh, Glenn Frey and Timothy B. Schmit - performed together at last month’s Country Music Association Awards.

All of this is gratifying, Henley says, but these days the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has other things to think about.

“Frankly, right now I’m more focused on my daughter’s 12th birthday coming up,” he said.

Gram Parsons knew how to live.

“The simple facts are these,” David Meyer writesin “Twenty Thousand Roads: The Ballad of Gram Parsonsand His Cosmic American Music,” a new biography on thepioneer of country-rock music. “Gram Parsons lookedlike a movie star, sang like an angel, wrote like a poet,slept with every woman he wanted, took the most and the bestdrugs, hung out with the coolest people, and set the musicaltrends for the next two generations.”

But it was his death that made Parsons a legend.

And like everything else he did, Gram Parsons made surethat it was a spectacular parting shot.

After he died from a drug overdose on Sept. 19, 1973, hisfriends granted the 26-year-old musical prodigy’s lastrequest by stealing his body at the Los AngelesInternational Airport, from where it was to be shipped toLouisiana for a proper burial, and returning it to hisspiritual hideaway at California’s Joshua Tree NationalMonument, where they set fire to the casket in a primitiveattempt to cremate his body.

Thirty-five years later, that story - along with a musicallegacy that inspired and influenced everyone from the Byrdsand the Rolling Stones to Emmylou Harris and LucindaWilliams - has made Parsons even larger in death than he wasin life.

“His personality is inseparable from his music,”Meyer says. “His music has a lot of power and drawspeople in, but also it’s the idea of the way he livedand died.

“He has one of the most famous deaths in rockhistory, and certainly one of the strangest.”

Before the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt made country-rockcommercial, it was Parsons who paved the way.

A native son of Waycross, Ga., Parsons grew up in WinterHaven, Fla., where his family made (and squandered) afortune in Florida’s citrus industry. He idolizedElvis, and by his early teens, he was already playing incover bands. Rich and spoiled, he got away with in talentwhat he lacked in discipline.

Although he was reared in the cradle of country music, itwasn’t until his abbreviated stay at HarvardUniversity, where he left after one semester, that Parsonsheard Merle Haggard for the first time and decided that wasthe music for him.

He later helped steer the seminal ’60spsychedelic-rock band the Byrds in a country direction withtheir groundbreaking “Sweethearts of the Rodeo”album in 1968, and within that same year, he

Although the wily guitarist doesn’t want to make a to-do about it, Everette Bigbee is set to bounce back into action this Wed. Dec. 26 at Art’s Bar (413 Coleman Blvd., (843) 849-3040) with the special rockin’ event “Everette Bigbee’s Birthday Jam.” Bigbee began hosting weekly “open mic” events on Mondays at Art’s in Mt. Pleasant three years ago. Ev can hang with the best musicians in town, through wild psychedelic freak-outs, power ballads, fiery blues, and Southern rock. Happy birthday, Everette.

Formerly of the Music Farm staff, longtime scenester Jimbo Webb recently started as operations manager and talent buyer at Halligan’s Restaurant & Bar in West Ashley (3025 Ashley Towne Center, (843) 225-4347). With sponsorship from 98X, he helped kick off a new weekly local music showcase called Free Live Music Friday. “We are going to try and host a Friday night free concert series each and every week, featuring local and regional bands,” says Webb. “We’ve improved the PA system and the lighting rig, and we want to promote these shows as concerts instead of bar gigs.” Upcoming shows include local groovers TrickKnee on Fri. Dec. 28, Charlotte power trio Blanco Diablo on Fri. Jan. 4, and local rockers Broadside on Fri. Jan. 18. Check out www.halligansonline.com for more info.

Music legend Izaear Luster “Ike” Turner — a singer/guitarist/arranger, soul legend, and member of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame — died last week at his home in San Diego at the age of 76. He scored a hit in 1951 with what Sam Phillips called “the first rock ‘n’ roll record ever” — “Rocket 88.” Through the 1960s, he and wife Annie Mae Bullock (a.k.a. Tina) performed with his blistering soul revue, The Kings of Rhythm, and formed a unique and often stormy musical partnership. Visit www.iketurner.com for more.

Singer/songwriter Dan Fogelberg, known best for the soft-rock “Leader of the Band” and “Same Old Lang Syne,” died on Dec. 16 at his home in Maine after battling prostate cancer. He was 56. I can still remember “jamming” in the Simons Center rehearsal room on the drum kit to songs off The Power of Gold with my first drum teacher, Shani Diggs, accompanying on piano. See www.danfogelberg.com for more. —T. Ballard Lesemann

No single album truly broke from the pack this year, but here is a list of essential artworks from 2007 that have more than just quality in common - every one of them will grow on you, revealing new pleasures with each successive listen.

1. Arcade Fire, “Neon Bible”

Win Butler and his fervent, paranoid Canadian comrades are teetering on the edge of the mainstream, but their sophomore album is an exquisite, ambitious journey into modern man’s heart of darkness.

2. Patty Griffin, “Children Running Through”

The Austin songbird flits between folk, rock and country, evoking childhood and poignant reverance. It’s arguably Griffin’s best yet, in a career littered with brilliance.

3. Brandi Carlile, “The Story”

The 26-year-old she broke through thanks to “Grey’s Anatomy,” but she’s no pop lightweight: “The Story” is a breathtaking blend of gritty style and heartbreaking substance.

4. Amy Winehouse, “Back to Black”

What began as a breakout year dissolved into tear-soaked tabloid tragedy, but despite Winehouse’s personal problems, “Back to Black” resonates as a defiant, defining masterpiece.

5. Bruce Springsteen, “Magic”

The Boss roared back with his best E Street disc since, well, the last one (2002’s “The Rising”). It stars one of the year’s classic singles, Girls in “Their Summer Clothes.”

6. Miranda Lambert, “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”

The fire-breathing East Texan kicked down Nashville’s door with this feisty, fearless record, as loaded with melody as it is attitude. It’s the sound of a legend in the making.

7. Spoon, “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga”

Aggressively refining their sound and simultaneously writing some of the most straightforward pop songs of their career, Austin’s premier indie rockers deliver a moody gem.

8. Teddy Thompson, “Up Front and Downlow”

The scion of a revered British folk family does old-school country proud, dusting off some classics and serving up an original that fits snugly alongside the standards.

9. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, “Raising Sand”

An unlikely pairing, but the results are hard to argue with. Producer T Bone Burnett guides rock’s golden god and the bluegrass queen as they make sweet, sinister music together.

10. Travis, “The Boy With No Name”

These Scots have struggled mightily to connect with American audiences, but if a polished, emotionally engaged collection such as this fails to take hold, then we don’t deserve `em.

Preston Jones: pjones@star-telegram.com

ANOTHER TAKE ON THE TOP 10

1. Silverchair, “Young Modern”

Once a teenage Nirvana clone, these guys have matured into a pop-savvy outfit that taps the talents of Beach Boys arranger Van Dyke Parks and singer-songwriter Daniel Johns’ recovery from anorexia and reactive arthritis to create a bracing work that balances the mainstream and the experimental.

2. Wu Tang Clan, “8 Diagrams”

The combustible hip-hop group returns with a hard-edged, spare, minimalist yet soulful and psychedelic knockout that rumbles like a California earthquake.

3. Cafe Tacuba, “Sino”

The Mexico City musical adventurers - who blend a love of folkloric traditionalism with a passion for everything from punk to prog-rock, Brian Wilson to XTC - turn out their strongest album yet.

4. Amy Winehouse, “Back to Black”

Too bad she insists on being train-wreck tabloid fodder, because her British take on American R&B and jazz is fresh, and the backing by roots heroes The Dap-Kings is inspired.

5. Jay-Z, “American Gangster”

Jay-Z storms back with a masterful album energized by the spirit of the `70s R&B that underpins Ridley Scott’s film of the same title. (Note: this album is NOT the movie soundtrack, not officially related in any way.)

6. Gaudi + Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, “Dub Qawwali”

The pure, booming voice of the late Sufi Muslim Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is transformed by being paired with Italian DJ Gaudi’s deep reggae grooves. Purists might balk, but they’re probably too busy on the dance floor.

7. Editors, “An End Has a Start”

This group from Northern England plugs into that region’s appealingly bleak musical history (Smiths, New Order) to create an updated, shimmeringly guitar-drenched version of its own.

8. Salim Nourallah, “Snowing in My Heart”

The Dallas singer-songwriter pens exquisitely heartfelt songs but, like Crowded House or Ray Davies, never lets his melancholy overwhelm the melody.

9. Fat Freddy’s Drop, “Based on a True Story”

This New Zealand septet’s bass-heavy, horn-splashed reggae-rock takes a few listens to appreciate - the songs build slowly with layer upon layer of groove - but it soon becomes irresistible.

10. M.I.A., “Kala”

The controversial female rapper of Sri Lankan descent mixes up a rowdy and noisy but intoxicating blend of Asian, African and hip-hop styles.

Showbiz, a film to be released in 2008, is a story about the glitter and litter, shine and sleaze and lure and allure underneath the glamour industry. The films stars Tushar Jalota and Mrinalini Sharma in the lead roles and Gulshan Grover in a significant role and is produced by Mukesh Bhatt. The Bhatt hut is known to be the runway for many newbies, like the yester Aftab Shivdasani, latest Emran Hashmi and Kangna Ranaut, so on. All of them have rooted themselves very quickly and found their own place in the glitzville. Lets hope it works for Tushar Jalota too.

The music is composed by Lalit Pandit, the branch from Jatin-Lalit duo. The style seems appropriate, it is set out to mushroom rockstars. After all, it is Showbiz, a plot about a drummer and a singer, who becomes a fever and icon to the youth overnight. It is a take on media, how media creates and destroys, thrives on a soaring star’s plight. Keeping the plot in mind, some songs sound very fit into the movie, while others beat us to death.

Tu mujhse jab se mila (Shukriya)
Sung by KK. Lalit adapts himself to the signature Pritam style, that you will go back to the album once more to check the credits to be sure. The digital madness and the sheer electro pulse in the track stand out in your senses. Sultry guitar work boasts, screeches and shimmers throughout the song. KK renders passion, frame by frame, or I should say note by note. The rap version by Earl is promising too.

Mere falak ka tu hai sitara
Sung by KK. Here is a treat for our drummer dude. If this is his performance on stage, I hope Tushar Jalota knows how to act while playing drums on the screen. Have you noticed how our actors play guitar in the songs. When a serious lead is playing in the song, our actors stand with their left hand at the top of the guitar, just swinging their body. I always wished, they put some research into where your hand should be for rhythm and lead, if not the exact fret. The song shovels oodles of rock on you and heart thumping drum interlude.

The unplugged version borrows very sweet pings from guitar, piano and of course, flute. Stretch your ear for the flute interlude, it is lovely. The unplugged version was the winner for me and proves KK’s strength, demanding an encore.

Kaash ek din aisa bhi aaye
Sung by my favorite Shaan and Shreya Ghosal. Lalit slips back into his backyard quietly and digs out a beaten tune and wastes ‘apna Shaan’. I am mad, no furious! Though the pair delivers on vocals, the song falls short of emotion.

Duniya ne dil toda
Sung by KK. A strike straight on ‘Deewana deewana ho jaaye’ from Rishtey composed by Sanjeev Darshan, you have ‘Duniya ne dil toda’, ‘nuf said!. ‘Deewana deewana ho jaaye’ was a lovely song, albeit made a bad movie choice. Rishtey sank but, the song was remembered for the lovely Sunidhi Chauhaan and oh-so-beautiful, Shilpa Shetty. The song does not sound Indian as much and I am sure it must have been a strike on something else, but we are innocent until proven guilty, in Showbiz.

Meri ibtida
Sung by Shreya Ghosal. The lyrics are very mediocre, but the short song is mellow and sweet.

Lalit Pandit has had many hits and misses. One of the good composers around, we would expect to see many more good albums from him, although this one falls short in a few songs. When the music is so-so, the movie should pull through for the rest, but looking at the lead pair in the shot above, I have my doubts.