Category: Rock, R&B, Pop, Soul, & Metal/Symphonic

SUMMARY:               RUNNING TIME: 74:00 Min.

Released by Epic Records in October 1998, this album is a highlight package from the televised VH1 Diva Live: An Honors Concert for the VH1 Save the Music Foundation.  Recorded on April 14, 1998, at New York City’s Beacon Theatre, the roster of female celebrities consist of: Mariah Carey; Celine Dion; Gloria Estefan; Aretha Franklin; Carole King; & Shania Twain.  Most of the singers supplied her own band.  For multiple tracks concluding the concert, the six ‘Divas’ team up.

The fourteen tracks included are:

                                                                       Running Time:                     

1. Mariah Carey – “My All”                                   5:44
2. Mariah Carey – “Make It Happen”                      5:28
3. Gloria Estefan – “Turn the Beat Around”             5:06
4. Gloria Estefan – “Heaven’s What I Feel”              4:53
5. Gloria Estefan – Mega Mix                                3:32

“Dr. Beat/Conga/Rhythm is Gonna Get You/1-2-3/Get On Your Feet”

• Shania Twain – “Man! I Feel Like a Woman”       4:33
• Shania Twain – “You’re Still the One”                  3:37
• Aretha Franklin & Mariah Carey – “Chain of Fools”  4:23
• Celine Dion – “River Deep, Mountain High”          5:48
• Celine Dion & Carole King – “The Reason”      5:58
• Celine Dion – “My Heart Will Go On”               5:12    
• The ‘Divas’ – “You’ve Got a Friend”                      5:28
• The ‘Divas’ – “A Natural Woman”                       5:14
• The ‘Divas’ – “Testimony”                                    9:45    

REVIEW:

Unlike watching the actual concert (there’s some moments of a predictable ego-fest where two octave-blasting stars try upstaging each other), this highlight CD is a treat for fans.  Hearing snippets of banter from the performers to the audience between songs is a nice supplement, too.  Instead of a typical Grammys team-up, hearing these performers in succession, as well as together, the vocal chemistry is readily there. 

If anything, VH1 Dives Live delivers a welcome blast of female-powered Late 90’s nostalgia.   

PACKAGING:

Epic Records does a solid job providing the CD’s necessary details without going overboard.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     8 Stars

Note: As enjoyable as this album is, it’s a shame that one wasn’t produced for 1996’s original VH1 Honors concert (featuring Gloria Estefan, Natalie Merchant, Bryan Adams, & Sheryl Crow, among others).  Among the highlights is Peter Gabriel unifying the other talent as back-up singers on an all-star rendition on “In Your Eyes.”  

SUMMARY:                          RUNNING TIME: 61:00 Min.

Capitol Records released this Soul/R&B album in 1987.  Audrey Wheeler’s eleven tracks are:  

                                               Running Time:

1. “Irresistible”                                           5:11
2. “Love on The Inside”                             4:57                                          
3. “Forget About Her” (with Laundon Von Kendricks)   5:36
4. “Somewhere in Your Life”                           3:58
5. “Time for Passion”                                     5:13
6. “I Miss You, Love” (with Larry Graham) 5:59
7. “Don’t Lose Your Touch”                             5:02
8. “Let It Be Me (Je T’Appartiens)”                 4:59
9. “Irresistible” (bonus extended version)  6:10
10. “Forget About Her” (bonus Club Mix)   6:37
11. “Irresistible” (bonus UK Remix)             7:33

REVIEW:

Incorporating welcome jazz beats, “Let It Be Me” very much resonates as a template for mid-80’s R&B.  On most of these tracks, Audrey Wheeler’s vibrant sound surpasses what are otherwise mostly average tunes for the genre.  Case in point: her classy talents are on full display in Tracks # 1 and # 7, as they both might have been Top 20 hits. 

Yet, the repetitiveness factor kicks in too soon, as she relies heavily on “Irresistible” – it’s included a whopping three times.  Even if it meant resorting to an industry cliché, Wheeler ought to have tried at least one nostalgic R&B cover; at least, it would have better showcased her vocal range vs. hearing the same song yet again. 

Overall, Wheeler’s appealing presence ensures that her album delivers the necessary goods.  The insurmountable problem facing “Let It Be Me” is that it doesn’t overcome similar-sounding competition from the same era.       

PACKAGING:

Without running times, the tracks are listed on the back cover.  Wheeler’s husband, Will Downing, presents an introduction to the album.  Along with the musical credits, Wheeler includes her thank-you’s. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:            6½ Stars

SUMMARY:                                RUNNING TIME: 49:00 Min.

Released by Island Records & Interscope Records, U2’s tenth studio album was released in late 2000.  The album’s eleven tracks are:

                                                                  Running Time:

1. “Beautiful Day”                                             4:07
2. “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of”     4:31
3. “Elevation”                                                   3:46
4. “Walk On”                                                   4:55
5. “Kite”                                                           4:26
6. “In a Little While”                                         3:38
7. “Wild Honey”                                                3:46
8. “Peace on Earth”                                            4:47
9. “When I Look at the World”                            4:17
10. “New York”                                                   5:29
11. “Grace”                                                          5:29

All That You Can’t Leave Behind subsequently scored seven Grammys over the next two years.  At 2001’s 43^rd Annual Grammys, Track 1 (“Beautiful Day”) won Song of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal, and Record of the Year. 

In 2002, in addition to a nomination for Album of the Year, three separate tracks won: specifically, Track 2 (“Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out of”) won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal; Track 3 (“Elevation”) won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal; and Track 4 (“Walk On”) won Record of the Year.  The album concluded with 2002’s Grammy for Best Rock Album.   

Note: This album made Grammy history as the first and only effort to win Record of the Year two consecutive years.

REVIEW:

Given its slew of accolades, the album’s projection of a mature, self-reflective vibe should seem impressive.  Yet, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, from a production standpoint, comes off as both overdone and dated.  Competing against U2’s vintage sound, the album clearly can’t escape the era from which it was released. 

Listening to these songs years after the fact only highlight the album’s sonic limitations. The biggest offender would likely be Track 4: “Elevation;” still, others like the simplistic Track 11: “Grace,” age much better. For the most part, this assortment of tunes presents a reverse sort of anachronism. 

Specifically, the album resembles less traditional U2 and more so the bands it subsequently influenced, such as Coldplay.  All That You Can’t Leave Behind tries too hard to emulate classic U2 that that it becomes a sanitized, rock-influenced pop record lifting their 80’s run.  Unfortunately, this album falls short of the edgy, alternative rock that the U2 of the ‘90s and their contemporaries were putting out a decade prior.

The band goes too far backwards into their thought-provoking roots vs. pushing forward a new and more unique experience.  This creative strategy can largely be attributed to the underwhelming reception to their two prior records; hence, returning to their original sound made sense purely from a commercial standpoint.

The result is deliberately superficial, and, therefore, more accessible than other U2 works; yet, to deeper music fans, this bland effort could play like shallow U2 fluff seeking mainstream relevancy.  While there’s some solid hits and decent deep cuts, All That You Can’t Leave Behind represents a step down from The Joshua Tree and other ground-breaking U2 albums.

PACKAGING:

Including a solid casing, the standard CD accessories are all here.  The CD’s contents are accurately listed.

ROSCOE & BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:       5 Stars

SUMMARY:                             RUNNING TIME: 45:00 Min.

Released by Curb Records in 2004, One Love is the debut album of American Idol alum Kimberley Locke.  Besides covering a familiar pop standard, Locke delivers eleven original tunes – one of which is a duet with fellow Idol contestant Clay Aiken.  The songs are:

                                              Running Time:

1. 8^th World Wonder                        3:59
2. Have You Ever Been in Love      4:17
3. Wrong                                       3:17
4. I Could                                      4:20
5. Without You (with Clay Aiken)    4:31
6. It’s Alright                                 3:19
7. Coulda Been                               3:45
8. Before                                        3:54
9. You’ve Changed                         3:23  * Locke is a credited co-writer
10. Now I Can Fly                           3:47
11. I Can’t Make You Love Me         3:22
12. Over the Rainbow                       3:45

REVIEW:

Simultaneously exuding charm and radiant vocals, Locke’s first album proves a welcome treat.  In entertaining fashion, her songwriting team and musicians conjure up sufficient variety shifting between R&B/soul and mainstream pop.  Unsurprisingly, though, both Locke’s vocal style and her songs tend to resemble original American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson. 

That isn’t a detriment so much, as her material seems almost factory-made by Curb Records.  Still, Locke’s considerable talents shine on One Love, as this classy album merits a chance at re-discovery.  

PACKAGING:

Including a sturdy casing, it’s all standard-issue materials.  The CD’s contents are accurately advertised.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     7½ Stars