What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Collection Volume 2 -- CD

Larry Carlton

1997 GRP Records

Tracklist
1. Osaka Cool (5:39)
2. Heart to Heart (4:23)
3. March of the Jazz Angels (5:16)
4. Honey Samba (5:08)
5. Pure Delight (5:32)
6. Ridin' the Treasure (5:26)
7. Those Eyes (4:19)
8. Lots About Nothin' (6:15)
9. Farm Jazz (4:43)
10. The Gift (5:12)
11. Remembering J.P. (4:48)

 

[Dennie]

VH1 Storytellers -- CD

Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson

2002 American Recordings

2 legends doing what they do best, February 26, 2005
By DanD - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE)

This is one of those intimate, legendary concerts that people dream of attending. And while you probably weren't there, you will at least FEEL like you were there, as you listen to this CD--all the songs, all the anecdotes, all the banter...it's captured on VH1 STORYTELLERS, one of the best CDs you could ever hope to purchase.

How good is this album? Well, if the 5-star rating wasn't evidence enough, and if the presence of two of the best singer/songwriters ever isn't enough, the how about a recap of the album's highlights: namely, all fifteen tracks. Two voices, two guitars...songs such as "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and "Funny How Time Slips Away" are given new life, with other classics (such as "Crazy," "Always on My Mind," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Don't Take Your Guns to Town," and "Me and Paul") revitalized and sounding as sweet as ever. Cash's haunting Vietnam-era track "Drive On" blends in perfectly with Willie's autobiographical "Me and Paul"--two songs of different subjects, with different atmospheres, blending together because they are performed by two friends.

Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson are the best music can get, and they're on one album. Can you resist? Probably. But why the heck would you want to?

1. (Ghost) Riders In The Sky
2. Worried Man
3. Family Bible
4. Don't Take Your Guns To Town
5. Funny How Time Slips Away
6. Flesh And Blood
7. Crazy
8. Unchained
9. Night Life
10. Drive On
11. Me And Paul
12. I Still Miss Someone
13. Always On My Mind
14. Folsom Prison Blues
15. On The Road Again

 

[Dennie]

Greatest Hits Vol. 2 -- CD

Randy Travis

1992 Warner Bros. Records

Greatest Hits, Volume 2 is the second of two greatest hits albums released on the same day in 1992 by country music artist Randy Travis. Three new songs were recorded for this album and one, "Look Heart, No Hands", was released as a single and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The other newly recorded songs were "Take Another Swing at Me" and "I'd Do It All Again With You". This album has so far been Travis' last album to be certified platinum by the RIAA.
1. "Look Heart, No Hands" (Trey Bruce, Russell Smith) - 3:10
* previously unreleased
2. "Forever and Ever, Amen" (Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz) - 3:33
3. "No Place Like Home" (Overstreet) - 4:07
4. "Is It Still Over?" (Ken Bell, Larry Henley) - 3:11
5. "He Walked on Water" (Allen Shamblin) - 3:25
6. "Take Another Swing at Me" (Paul Craft) - 2:12
* previously unreleased
7. "Promises" (John Lindley, Randy Travis) - 4:00
8. "Diggin' Up Bones" (Al Gore, Overstreet, Nat Stuckey) - 3:00
9. "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)" (Max D. Barnes, Troy Seals) - 3:11
10. "It's Just a Matter of Time" (Brook Benton, Belford Hendricks, Clyde Otis) - 3:56
11. "I'd Do It All Again With You" (Travis) - 2:30
* previously unreleased

 

[Dennie]

Shaking The Tree - Sixteen Golden Greats -- CD

Peter Gabriel

1990 Geffen Records

Amazon.com

Peter Gabriel has never been one to stand on tradition. The former Genesis singer bends and hammers fashionable pop forms to his liking (à la his massive MTV-fueled hit "Sledgehammer") or uses the obligatory soundtrack assignment to explore the world music that has been his obsession for decades (as in "Zaar" from Passion). This 16-track anthology explores the width--and, crucially, depth--of Gabriel's rich post-Genesis music, from the post-prog obliquities of "Solsbury Hill" and "Here Comes the Flood" to the African musical and political concerns of the title track (available only on this collection) and the epic "Biko." But what makes the compilation even more compelling is the way it eschews the chronology of its decade-plus body of music, instead weaving and segueing Gabriel's music into a tapestry of compelling mood and color. It's a rewarding listening experience for fan and novice alike. --Jerry McCulley

1. Solsbury Hill
2. I Don't Remember
3. Sledgehammer
4. Family Snapshot
5. Mercy Street
6. Shaking the Tree
7. Don't Give Up
8. San Jacinto
9. Here Comes the Flood
10. Red Rain
11. Games Without Frontiers
12. Shock the Monkey
13. I Have the Touch
14. Big Time
15. Zaar
16. Biko

 

[Randy]

Dennie,

Larry Carlton Collection is one of my all time favorites and I have also thought many times of posting it on the "Stellar Recordings" thread.

What an amazing album.

 

[Dennie]

Making Movies -- CD

Dire Straits

1980 Warner Bros. Records

The essential Dire Straits album, August 3, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Making Movies (Audio CD)

Although it produced no hit singles, "Making Movies" is beyond question Dire Straits' masterpiece. Mark Knopfler's ripping guitar forms the backdrop for seven beautiful, haunting, fiercely personal cuts. Every song perfectly captures a deep human emotion, from the bitter heartache of "Romeo And Juliet" to the angry defiance of "Solid Rock" to the steamy lustfulness of "Expresso Love". There are no weak songs, though the bouncy and playful "Les Boys", which ends the album, seems a bit out of place compared to the six deadly earnest songs that precede it.

Yes, the album owes a heavy debt of gratitude to Springsteen, with many cuts building on the Boss's signature guitar/organ/piano framework. But, Knopfler's vocal delivery and deft guitar work, plus the band's sparser and cleaner arrangements, never allow you to forget that you're listening to Dire Straits. Only "Tunnel Of Love", which sounds like a cross between "Thunder Road" and "Sandy" strays a little too far into Bruce's territory but for that the boys can be forgiven.

One tip: this album must be heard in its entirety to be fully appreciated. It will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotion, something that no greatest hits album can ever duplicate.

All songs written by Mark Knopfler, unless otherwise noted.

"Tunnel of Love" (Mark Knopfler, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 8:11
"Romeo and Juliet" – 6:00
"Skateaway" – 6:40
"Expresso Love" – 5:12
"Hand in Hand" – 4:48
"Solid Rock" – 3:19
"Les Boys" – 4:07

 

[Dennie]

Dennie,

Larry Carlton Collection is one of my all time favorites and I have also thought many times of posting it on the "Stellar Recordings" thread.

What an amazing album.

What an amazing Guitarist! Good Call Randy. I don't know why Larry Carlton is not more well know, but maybe we can change that!

Dennie

 

[Dennie]

Who I Am -- CD

Alan Jackson

1994 Arista Records

One of Alan Jackson's Best CDs, May 25, 2004
By Jeffrey T. Munson (Dixon, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Who I Am (Audio CD)

I am a big fan of Alan Jackson, and "Who I Am" is, in my opinion, his best CD. There are two excellent re-makes of earlier songs on this CD, "Summertime Blues" and "Thank God For The Radio", and they are both very good. I especially like Jackson's guitar playing on "Summertime Blues". This CD spawned several other hits as well, such as "Livin' on Love", "Gone Country", "I Don't Even Know Your Name", and the title track. All songs on this CD are typical Jackson: great ballads intermixed with some fun, up-tempo songs. This disc has a little bit for everybody. Country fans are sure to enjoy this fine CD from Alan Jackson.

"Summertime Blues" (Jerry Capehart, Eddie Cochran) – 3:12
"Livin' on Love" (Alan Jackson) – 3:49
"Hole in the Wall" (A. Jackson, Jim McBride) – 3:33
"Gone Country" (Bob McDill) – 4:20
"Who I Am" (Harley Allen, Mel Besher) – 2:46
"You Can't Give Up on Love" (A. Jackson) – 3:06
"I Don't Even Know Your Name" (A. Jackson, Ron Jackson, Andy Loftin) – 3:49
"Song for the Life" (Rodney Crowell) – 4:32
"Thank God for the Radio" (Max D. Barnes, Robert John Jones) – 3:19
"All American Country Boy" (Charlie Craig, Keith Stegall) – 3:18
"Job Description" (A. Jackson) – 4:41
"If I Had You" (A. Jackson, McBride) – 3:33
"Let's Get Back to Me and You" (A. Jackson) – 2:52

Note: On the back of the album, "Let's Get Back to Me and You" is listed as track #14, with no #13 on the packaging. A short message on the back reads: "That's right folks, I am just a tad superstitious - AJ."

 

[Dennie]

Drive -- CD

Alan Jackson

2002 Arista Records

Amazon.com

He sings straight, writes songs without a half dozen Music Row hacks pitching in their two cents, and keeps the music basic. On Drive, Jackson mixes wistful visions with satire, sorrow, and eloquence, using old cars--"Drive (For Daddy Gene)"--to explore growing up and, on "Work in Progress," spoofing a woman obsessed with "improving" her man. As usual, he explores love's joy ("When Love Comes Around") and anguish ("The Sounds"). His flair for thoughtful, evocative expression reaches its zenith with his classic September 11 commentary "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," included in both the studio version and the song's live debut on the CMA Awards. Non-originals, including the Mark Irwin-Irene Kelley tune "A Little Bluer Than That," fit the album's tone. "Designated Drinker," a duet with George Strait, is a pleasant vocal event, though it's rendered mundane by the quality of the other material. Yet again, Jackson zaps Nashville's fallacy that any recipe for success requires generous helpings of dated pop and rock. --Rich Kienzle

All songs written by Alan Jackson except where noted.

"Drive (For Daddy Gene)" – 4:02
"A Little Bluer Than That" (Mark Irwin, Irene Kelley) – 2:54
"Bring On the Night" (Jackson, Charlie Craig, Keith Stegall) – 4:04
"Work in Progress" - 4:07
"The Sounds" – 3:23
"Designated Drinker" – 3:52
(A duet with George Strait)
"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" – 5:06
"That'd Be Alright" (Tim Nichols, Mark D. Sanders, Tia Sillers) – 3:41
"Once in a Lifetime Love" – 3:25
"When Love Comes Around" – 3:07
"I Slipped and Fell in Love" (Harley Allen, John Wiggins) – 2:55
"First Love" - 3:14
"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) – 5:47
Live from the 35th Annual CMA Awards
spoken intro by Vince Gill

 

[Dennie]

Always Never The Same -- CD

George Strait

1999 MCA Nashville

Amazon.com

George Strait's work in the '90s is like a hall of mirrors: each new million-seller mirrors the previous million-seller, which mirrors the one that came before. And yet the master's touch never fails, and the music charms and sometimes thrills. Drawing again on his steady stable of writers--Jim Lauderdale, Dean Dillon, Steve Bogard, and Jeff Stevens--and adding Melba Montgomery's careful pen, Strait's latest is a fitting end to a decade he helped define for country music. The material isn't especially impressive given the routine, radio-safe themes, and Strait's band--the crème de la crème of Nashville (Randy Scruggs, Stuart Duncan, Paul Franklin)--plays impeccably but with little distinction. Still, even the middling material, delivered in Strait's lush, plangent tenor, has hit potential. Except for the two-beer ballad "That's the Truth" (one to drink, one to cry into), which explores the borders of deception and honesty, and the soaring, climactic "Meanwhile," which very convincingly weaves reality and fantasy, Always Never the Same is good but never great, consistent but never classic. --Roy Kasten

"Meanwhile" (Wayland Holyfield, Fred Knoblock) - 3:36
"Write This Down" (Dana Hunt Oglesby, Kent Robbins) - 3:41
"That's the Truth" (Steve Leslie, Melba Montgomery) - 3:19
"What Do You Say to That" (Jim Lauderdale, Montgomery) - 3:04
"Peace of Mind" (Aaron Barker, Dean Dillon) - 3:16
"That's Where I Wanna Take Our Love" (Hank Cochran, Dillon) - 3:20
"Always Never the Same" (Marvin Green, Terry McBride) - 3:06
"One of You" (Kostas, Lauderdale) - 2:35
"I Look at You" (Steve Bogard, Jeff Stevens) - 3:31
"4 Minus 3 Equals Zero" (Lonnie Williams) - 3:11

 

[Dennie]

Greatest Hits -- CD

Patty Loveless

1993 MCA Records

Later Years of MCA Hits, March 16, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Patty Loveless - Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

This compilation, released by MCA to capitalize on Loveless' catalog of material after she jumped ship to Epic with hubby Emory Gordy, Jr., misses the mark for a "Greatest Hits" package. Lots of her best vocal work is missing from her first two MCA CD's: "Wicked Ways," "Half Over You," and a pair of top-drawer Steve Earle-penned gems: "Some Blue Moons Ago," and "A Little Bit In Love" were also excluded. (Strange, considering Earle was also an MCA artist at the time.) "The Night's Too Long," which cracked the top 5, is left out. Her big hits are here, but Loveless' impeccable song choices makes it necessary to own all of her early MCA CD's to get a true feel for her scope as an interpretive artist and pioneer of the late 80's/early 90's New Traditionalist movement in Nashville.

"If My Heart Had Windows" (Dallas Frazier) – 3:02
"Blue Side of Town" (Hank DeVito, Paul Kennerley) – 3:19
"Don't Toss Us Away" (Bryan MacLean) – 4:11
"Timber, I'm Falling in Love" (Kostas) – 2:30
"The Lonely Side of Love" (Kostas) – 3:02
"Chains" (Hal Bynum, Bud Reneau) – 2:27
"On Down the Line" (Kostas) – 3:10
"I'm That Kind of Girl" (Matraca Berg, Ronnie Samoset) – 3:06
"Hurt Me Bad (In a Real Good Way)" (Deborah Allen, Rafe VanHoy) – 3:0
"Jealous Bone" (Rick Giles, Steve Bogard) – 3:21

 

[Dennie]

Go~Go Boots -- CD

Drive-By Truckers

2011 ATO Records

Drive-By Truckers will release Go-Go Boots on February 15, 2011 on ATO Records. Go-Go Boots is their eleventh record and was produced by their longtime producer, David Barbe.

Go-Go Boots builds on their roots with the old Muscle Shoals country-and-soul sound. 'We recorded nearly 40 songs last year and into this year and fairly early on divided it into two separate albums' explains DBT co-founder Patterson Hood. 'The Big To-Do, releases first, was the more straightforward 'rock' album. Go-Go Boots is what I sometimes (semi-jokingly) refer to as our country, soul, and murder ballad album. Those elements definitely play into it, but it's a little more open ended than that.'

Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley continue to be the chief songwriters of the group, continuing a musical partnership that has lasted over twenty-three years. Bassist, Shonna Trucker, flexes her songwriting muscles once again by contributing two original songs to the album. Brad Morgan (drums), John Neff (guitar/pedal steel) and Jay Gonzalez (keyboards) round out the current Drive-By Truckers lineup.

"I Do Believe" (Hood)
"Go-Go Boots" (Hood)
"Dancin’ Ricky" (Tucker)
"Cartoon Gold" (Cooley)
"Ray’s Automatic Weapon" (Hood)
"Everybody Needs Love" (Hinton)
"Assholes" (Hood)
"The Weakest Man" (Cooley)
"Used To Be A Cop" (Hood)
"I Hear You Hummin'" (Tucker) (bonus track - vinyl only)
"The Fireplace Poker" (Hood)
"Where’s Eddie" (Hinton)
"The Thanksgiving Filter" (Hood)
"Pulaski" (Cooley)
"Mercy Buckets" (Hood)

 

[Dennie]

Tomorrow The Green Grass -- CD

The Jayhawks

1995 American Recordings

This cd that actually deserves 5 stars, October 18, 2000
By Jesse - See all my reviews
This review is from: Tomorrow the Green Grass (Audio CD)

I listen to a lot of cd's. You could almost say it's an addiction. Most of the ones I buy these days, I listen to 3 or 4 times, then forget about. I guess listening to such a wide variety of music over the years has made me a little hard to please. Something's really got to stand out to get my attention. You can see where I'm going here - these guys got my attention! This Jayhawks cd is almost constantly in my cd player - not because I have to justify buying it by listening to it a certain number of times, but because I honestly can't wait to hear it again. I have to force myself not to listen to it over and over because I'm afraid I'll get tired of it like I always do, but so far it just gets better each time. Heck, I have to force myself not to listen to each song 2 or 3 times in a row! A prize like this more than justifies all the money I've thrown away on disappointments that end up collecting dust in my cd collection, and believe me I've wasted a lot of money over the years. If you decide to get this one, do yourself a favor and listen to it at least 5 or 6 times before you make a judgement, and especially before you post a review. Something this good just can't be fully appreciated with one listen. The 5 star rating gets thrown around a lot, and I'm as guilty as anyone, but these guys really deserve it.

Track Listing
1. Blue
2. I'd Run Away
3. Miss Williams' Guitar
4. Two Hearts
5. Real Light
6. Over My Shoulder
7. Bad Time
8. See Him on the Street
9. Nothing Left to Borrow
10. Ann Jane
11. Pray for Me
12. Red's Song
13. Ten Little Kids

 

[Dennie]

Boss Organ -- CD

Melvin Rhyne Quartet

1994 Criss Cross Jazz

An all time great, a hidden gem, April 1, 2001
By A Customer
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Boss Organ (Audio CD)

I got a reccomendation to try Melvin Rhyne out when I went into a West Village Jazz shop. I asked for some Jimmy Smith, and the guy said, "Let me turn you onto something special. He still and a copy of this Milwaukee artists album Boss Organ on vinyl, and we sat and shared a cigarette together while I enjoyed my first listen. I have replayed this cd literally hundreds of times since then, and each time I find a new little treat it in. Really a mavelous little album - its a gem none of your friends will have heard of. My Highest Reccomendation.

1. Hattush's Blues
2. Full House
3. You And I
4. Born To Be Blue
5. Shades Of Light
6. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
7. Bear's Tune
8. Jeannine

 

[Botch]

Tomorrow The Green Grass -- CD

The Jayhawks

1995 American Recordings

This cd that actually deserves 5 stars, October 18, 2000

Just got into these guys from my musician's forum lately, and they did a gig in SLC not too long ago, wish I'd attended. :handgestures-thumbup:

 

[Dennie]

Back At The Chicken Shack -- CD

The Incredible Jimmy Smith

1960/1997 Blue Note Records

Awesome!, February 20, 2005
By Claude Lapointe "maaaars" (Quebec, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Back at the Chicken Shack (Audio CD)

I agree 100% with Guy from New Haven. And even though I don't possess all of Jimmy's albums, this has to be his best... Maybe the the best jazz album ever!!! Never heard anything so groovy; it's B3 organ, Tenor Sax and good rhythm galore!!!

I don't know which track is best because they're all stunning but to name a few, maybe "Minor Chant" by Stanley Turrentine (who brilliantly plays the sax throughout the album), stands out a little... not by much though. "When I grow too old to dream": what a sweet melody!... Messy Bessie (by Jimmy) is so good, I would have appreciated a finale instead of the fade-out we got (but that's okay). And technically, the 1960's Blue Note pure, clear, and no-fuss analog recording sounds flawless.

If you're jaded with the traditional organ-drums-guitar formation, check this out because tenor saxophone truly adds a uniquely elegant and amazingly powerful dimension to Jimmy's already great sound! This will put a smile on your face and make your head bounce!

"Back at the Chicken Shack" (Jimmy Smith) — 8:01
"When I Grow Too Old to Dream" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg) — 9:54
"Minor Chant" (Stanley Turrentine) — 7:30
"Messy Bessie" (Smith) — 12:25
"On the Sunny Side of the Street" (Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh) — 5:45 (Appeared as a CD-only bonus track, not part of the original LP configuration).

 

[Dennie]

Tomorrow The Green Grass -- CD

The Jayhawks

1995 American Recordings

This cd that actually deserves 5 stars, October 18, 2000

Just got into these guys from my musician's forum lately, and they did a gig in SLC not too long ago, wish I'd attended. :handgestures-thumbup:

It's my second "Jayhawks" album and I'm liking them more and more!


Dennie

 

[Dennie]

Magic Theater -- CD

Shadowfax

1994 Earthbeat Records

From the New Age "Remembrance" to the jazzy "Night Passage" to the World Music sound of "Imaginary Islands," Shadowfax has proven once again the depth of its talent and interest. Hot on the heels of the group's 1992 Grammy-nominated hit album Esperanto, Magic Theater proves to be a showcase for Shadowfax's unique musical abilities. Expect a captivating assortment of music to match the assortment of electric and acoustic instruments. ~ MusD

Track Listing
1. Imaginary Islands
2. Hey! Your Hat's on Backwards
3. Secret Gathering
4. Ebony Wind
5. Castaneda's Boogie
6. Baker's Dozen
7. Night Passage
8. Remembrance
9. How Much Does Zimbabwe?
10. Spirit Door, The

-----
Shadowfax: Chuck Greenberg, Phil Maggini, Stu Nevitt, Armen Chakmakian, Ramon Yslas.Personnel: Phil Maggini (vocals, flute, keyboards, upright bass, fretless bass); Stuart Nevitt (vocals, acoustic bass, electric bass, drums, snare drum, cymbals, percussion, sound effects); Danny Heines (guitar, acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar); Andy Abad (guitar, electric guitar); Chuck Greenberg (alto flute, woodwinds, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, lyricon); Glenn Morrison (flugelhorn); Armen Chakmakian (piano, electric piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Ramon Yslas (congas, bongos, shaker, percussion, chimes, sound effects); Aaron Gross (dumbek).

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

Everything I Love -- CD

Eliane Elias

2000 Blue Note Records

Amazon.com

Pianist and singer Elaine Elias's Everything I Love, a foray into the classic American songbook, is a departure for the Brazilian-born pianist, whose previous releases have mostly covered the music of her native country (as on the excellent Eliane Elias Sings Jobim). But Elias sounds anything but out of place, bringing a refreshing sense of discovery and excitement to material that can sound a little too well worn in less-skilled hands. While Elias raises her warm and understated voice on a few tracks, this is mostly a piano-trio album that rotates between the veteran team of bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Jack DeJohnette and the younger talents of bassist Christian McBride and drummer Carl Allen. There are moments where the two rhythm sections seem to divide into a neat old-guard and new-guard approach--like when McBride and Allen get funky on Elias's "Bowing to Bud"--but it's actually the tracks with Johnson and DeJohnette that stretch the farthest, particularly on the three tunes with long introductions, "If I Should Lose You", "Alone Together," and "Autumn Leaves." It's here that Elias touches the essence of the improvisational jazz, especially on "Introduction #1/If I Should Lose You", where the trio somehow morphs from a jagged, sensitive free-form beginning (reminiscent of DeJohnette's work with Keith Jarrett's Standards Trio) into the tune without sounding contrived or out of place. --Ezra Gale

Track listing

1. Bowing to Bud
2. Nostalgia in Times Square
3. Beat of My Heart, The
4. I Fall in Love Too Easily
5. Everything I Love
6. Introduction #1 / If I Should Lose You
7. They Say It's Wonderful
8. I Love You
9. That's All It Was
10. Introduction #2 / Alone Together
11. Woody N' You
12. Blah Blah Blah
13. Introduction #3 / Autumn Leaves

 

[Dennie]

Possibilities -- CD

Herbie Hancock and....

2005 Hear Music

Snobbery seems to be the only reason not to love this disc, September 24, 2005
By M. Emrich "embo55" (Denver, Co.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Possibilities (Audio CD)

The reviewers that do not like for the most part are true jazz purists. They have an indignance about this that reminds me of Bob Dylan being booed the first time he pulled out his electric guitar at a folk festival in the mid 60's. Come on this is great stuff. One of the best songs John Mayer has ever recorded is the discs opener "Stitched Up". The keyboards are killer. This song is a turn it up real loud and drive down the coast highway on a sunny day kinda song. At least it was until gas started climbing to 5 bucks a gallon. Don't turn that cd player down yet. The next song has Carlos Santana and Angelique Kidjo joining Herbie. If you don't move to this song, you're dead. the disc's biggest surprise is the third cut with Christina Aguilera singing Leon Russel's classic "Song For You". OK, here's my snobbery showing but who would have thought she had those pipes. Been a long time since I'd heard a "Song For You" and I love Herbie's arrangement. Paul Simon's colloboration is surprisingly the discs weakest collaboration. The disc has two other standout tracks. Annie Lennox is the only artist that I know of where everything she's done for the last quarter century has been a constent improvement over her earlier work. "Hush, Hush, Hush" is a great little Annie Lennox fix until her follow up to "Bare". "When Love Comes to Town" teams up Jonny Lang and Joss Stone for a bluesy rendition of the U2 song. It is my second favorite song to John Mayer's. They could do the entire grammy show with this cast of performers. Hell, maybe they will.

1 STITCHED UP (FEAT JOHN MAYER)
2 SAFIATOU (FEAT SANTANA AND ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO)
3 A SONG FOR YOU (FEAT CHRISTINA AGUILERA)
4 I DO IT FOR YOUR LOVE (FEAT PAUL SIMON)
5 HUSH, HUSH, HUSH (FEAT ANNIE LENNOX)
6 SISTER MOON (FEAT STING)
7 WHEN LOVE COMES TO TOWN (FEAT JONNY LANG AND JOSS STONE)
8 DON'T EXPLAIN (FEAT DAMIEN RICE AND LISA HANNIGAN)
9 I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU (FEAT RAUL MIDÓN)
10 GELO NA MONTANHA (FEAT TREY ANASTASIO)