Joss Stone - My Daughter's Review

My daughter and I listened to "Mind, Body & Soul," the new CD from Joss Stone. While I can give my reaction later, let me tell you what she thought.

First, she's 11-years-old, but has good taste in music. She's tends to listen to lots "mouse" music, but she always has an opinion about things I play. As for Joss Stone, she didn't immediately take to it. Songs such as "Right To Be Wrong," "Jet Lag," and "You Had Me" elicited the comment that this would never end of the "mouse" radio station because it either "wasn't fast enough or had a good beat to dance to." In my mind, this was not turning into a good experience, and I was surprised.

As we listened more, she began to warm up to her voice, in particular. "She sounds a lot like Kelly Clarkson," she uttered. I wondered how long it be before the names Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff made their way into the review.

After dinner, I continued to subject her to this CD feeling certain that her opinion would definitely get better. I was right. "Sleep Like A Child," "Torn and Tattered," and "Understand" finally brought out what I believe was coming from the beginning. "I really like the way she sings," she proclaimed. "Who wrote her lyrics? Did you say she was only 16? She's very smart."

When I asked her to give me a rating on a scale of 1 to 10, my little child, with no hesitation, bestowed an "8" on Joss Stone's "Mind, Body & Soul."

New Planets Discovered

In case you have not been around recently, bands and labels have begun posting their music on websites for people to download and check out. Here are some of the gems that I have recently discovered:

1. Tilly & The Wall - It's Peter, Paul & Mary with electric guitars. A little country, a little rock & roll, a lot of fun.
2. Eric Mingus - "Shake Up The World" - If you combine the poetry of Lou Reed and Gil Scott-Heron with a Vernon Reid/Living Colour vibe, you have Eric Mingus. Mingus' bio alone is a tremendous read and his music is equally as powerful.
3. Eenie Meenie Records - This is a small California-based record label that offers captivating sounds. For example, try DJ Me, DJ You. The duo of Ross Harris and Craig Borrell creates sounds that will have you searching for your 70's outfits. Check out "Fresh Technology," which you can download off the Eenie Meenie website. While there, listen to High Water Marks. This group brings an incredible resume to the table. Their sound backs it up. Finally, go grab yourself a copy of the new Ulysses CD. Pre-release purchase gets you an autographed silk screen poster, and an exclusive CD featuring a Robert Schneider EPK and his live performances from Sea Level Records.

Mos Def - The New Danger

Poet, actor and hip-hopper Mos Def takes time out of his acting and TV gigs to lay down a scrumptious new album. He even sings, as on the late track "The Beggar." Most hip-hop connoisseurs will say that combining several genres onto a hip-hop CD is tantamount to suicide. I vociferously disagree. Mos Def pulls it off with flair.

He channels the Doors on one track, adds BB King style guitars to two others tracks, pays homage to Marvin Gaye and pulls several other tricks out of bag. Throughout the whole, there are few lags. He keeps the beat going with instrumentals, vocal tracks and straight-up rap.

Very much worth purchasing.

****

The Great Beyond

As far back as I can remember, music has been a part of my life. I can remember my maternal grandmother playing 45 RPM records on her console stereo and being fascinated by the sounds that emerged. I was astonished when I learned that my paternal grandmother and her six sisters were all musicians. I recently learned that my father was a musician, although he probably hasn't touched an instrument in over forty years.

Still, today I find music to be very stale. What we are fed by major record companies in tantamount to mold on bread that has been left out for five days. Thus, I began a quest to search out great music that radio wouldn't dare touch (with the exception of college radio). It is here that the idea of "The Great Beyond" was born.

I began to scour independent magazines such as Magnet, Elemental, Under The Radar, and others seeking new music. From there, I hit websites and found that the wealth of music available for my ears to discover was astonishing.

My hope is that this will become a local radio show in Albuquerque, NM. My pie-in-the-sky dream is that it might go national. In the meantime, keep checking back for reviews, interviews, and what/who magazines are covering. My first reviews will be posted shortly. Some may go back in time, but most will be timely.

I have discovered some cool music that deserves attention. I hope you enjoy what comes from my heart, but please understand that these are only my opinions. Your voice is welcome. Enjoy and welcome to "The Great Beyond."

Thank you for your time,
Sal Treppiedi