This love song is the seventh track off Bruno Mars’ 2010 album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans.
REVIEW:
Somewhat reminiscent of Marc Anthony, Bruno Mars pitches an impressively smooth pop sound on this tune. Even more so, Mars puts forth here an endearing tribute to the doo-wop genre. Intertwining pop and R&B, the instrumentals are terrific backing up Mars. This track is certainly worth a download for home and work playlists.
Appearing as Track # 9, Nick Cave recorded this Late 60’s-style rock tune for 1995’s Batman Forever soundtrack.
REVIEW:
There’s a curious irony here (intentional or not): this track is far more appropriate for a different Val Kilmer movie. Instead of visualizing Kilmer’s take on Batman, Batman, this song brings to mind The Doors. Channeling Jim Morrison, with some Tom Jones later thrown for good measure, Nick Cave’s moody “There is A Light” sounds as if it’s a long-lost The Doors song.
There’s no mistaking that the song’s edgy melody is practically out of The Doors’ playbook. If construed more as a homage vs. blatant copycat-ism, this tune is okay for casual listening. While “There is A Light” won’t score any originality points, fans of The Doors might find Cave’s song a welcome, if not intriguing, download option.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
Note:Besides Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose,” other tracks from this album worth considering are Brandy’s “Where Are You Now?” and The Devlins’ underrated “Crossing The River.”
This ballad was recorded by John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band for 1989’s Eddie & The Cruisers II soundtrack. For the film, Cafferty handles actor Michael Paré’s vocals. The song itself narrates a montage sequence of Eddie Wilson’s new mid-80’s band bonding on the road between gigs outside Montreal.
REVIEW:
Reminiscent of the original Eddie’s“Boardwalk Angel,” one might even construe “NYC Song” as its own sequel of sorts. Not only is the tune’s storytelling well-defined, “NYC Song” benefits from John Cafferty’s vocals being in solid form. Further, this song’s low-key, semi-acoustic sound gives it a classy ambiance. Accordingly, this track certainly deserves consideration as a download option for soft rock playlists.
From the soundtrack of 1979’s Moonraker starring Roger Moore, this James Bond tune was recorded by Welsh singer Shirley Bassey. This song has since been re-released on some compilation albums, primarily multiple updates of the Best of Bond … James Bond (which includes the franchise’s theme songs to date).
Note:Best of Bond .. James Bond includes a 40th anniversary edition in 2002 and a subsequent update in 2008 for Chris Cornell’s “You Know My Name” from Casino Royale.
REVIEW:
It’s an impressive hat trick for Shirley Bassey, including 1964’s “Goldfinger” and 1971’s “Diamonds Are Forever,” as she maintains the record with three Bond title songs. Considering this time she is tasked with cooing about about a space shuttle (or, in the song’s context, the film’s villain), it’s up to Bassey to somehow transform the song into an analogy to seeking the perfect soul mate in marriage.
To her credit, her vocal magic has never sounded better. By poignantly bringing the lyrics to life, Bassey transforms “Moonraker” into a shockingly good, almost dreamy love song. Even if the gentle “Moonraker” isn’t a Top 5 Bond theme, it is definitely worthy of re-discovery. Bassey’s classiness alone makes this song an underrated gem.
Going a step further, her song is frankly the most enduring asset of the dubious ‘Bond Goes to Outer Space’ concept. Aside from its box office popularity at the time, “Moonraker,” in terms of actual cinematic merit, rates among the worst-ever Bond films. Just like she does with “Diamonds Are Forever,” Bassey’s title song admirably tries distracting viewers from how lousy the movie actually is.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
Note:For a “Moonraker” instrumental, try Lifestyles’ 2001 Night at the Movies two-disc set. Its orchestral rendition of “Moonraker” (on Disc 1) is a great choice for any relaxation/sleep aid playlists.
It’s the ninth track off U2’s seminal 1987 album, The Joshua Tree.
REVIEW:
Much like “Running to Stand Still” and “Red Hill Mining Town,” from this same album, this track isn’t another U2 radio hit. Even if it could be construed as glorified filler, “One Tree Hill” provides a well-played insight into the band’s distinctive style. Before deciding if it merits a solo download, think of this song as really more of a companion piece to the album’s big hits. Still, for listeners downloading The Joshua Tree in its entirety, “One Tree Hill” proves a track worth hearing.
Performed by Patti LaBelle, this upbeat track appears on 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop film soundtrack. It’s one of LaBelle’s two appearances on this album (the other of which is “Stir It Up”).
REVIEW:
In high-caliber form, Patti LaBelle’s sassy vocals makes “New Attitude” an underrated asset for Beverly Hills Cop. In fairness, maybe it’s not as enduring as the tracks by The Pointer Sisters — “Neutron Dance” and Glenn Frey — “The Heat Is On.” However, this breezy R&B tune makes an invaluable contribution setting up Eddie Murphy’s ‘Axel Foley,’ for his amused exploration of downtown Beverly Hills.
LaBelle’s energetic effort is further bolstered by a catchy mid-80s melody that makes the track ideal for 80s’ playlists and even for workouts. The same applies to LaBelle’s other Beverly Hills Cop track, “Stir It Up,” as her two songs work well in tandem.
It’s the third track from Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ 1988 Up Your Alley album.
REVIEW:
With a spot-on rock melody outshining its vague lyrics, “Little Liar” comes off all too repetitive. Also, one might also notice Jett’s uneven vocal performance. Initially, she goes softer for a tune that is borderline ballad – it’s a welcome approach, considering how many of Up Your Alley’s tracks blend together. Yet, during this tune’s mid-section, Jett’s husky voice sounds at times practically hoarse. Her vocals, fortunately, return to normal headed into the tune’s finish. Overall, “Little Liar” is likable, but a distinctively 80’s melody is most certainly its best asset.
This live 1993 performance of 10,000 Maniacs comes from their MTV Unplugged album recorded from the same-named cable TV series. Natalie Merchant was still the group’s lead vocalist at the time.
REVIEW:
This low-key, piano-driven ballad enjoys a beautiful sound, though Natalie Merchant’s soft vocals are initially almost too faint to be audible. Once her thoughtful voice comes to life, this tune transforms into possibly the album’s underrated gem. Concluding their MTV Unplugged concert, 10,000 Maniacs chose this album’s finale well.
From her 1990 album, Have You Seen Me Lately?, Carly Simon wrote and performs this track.
REVIEW:
This track is vintage Carly Simon. Her vocals are timeless, as “Holding Me Tonight” sounds as though it could easily have been recorded anytime in the 70’s, 80’s, or 90’s. As much as Simon’s fans will enjoy this breezy tune, it’s not likely that casual listeners will be disappointed. For any easy listening or romantic pop playlists, “Holding Me Tonight” earns a spot.
This cover is the fifth track on The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s 1998 Dirty Boogie album. The original tune is a rock instrumental dating back to 1959, as performed by duo Santo & Johnny (Santo & Johnny Farina).
REVIEW:
Given a few orchestral-style style twists, Brian Setzer’s take on “Sleep Walk” (or “Sleepwalk,” as The Dirty Boogie calls it) is an ideal rock instrumental. Timeless in a way that makes one imagine the Late Fifties, this track is a musical gem.
