Alan Jackson
A-
Good Time
(Arista Nashville)
ALL ALAN, ALL THE TIME: For his 15th studio album, country traditionalist Alan Jackson outdid himself with a batch of 17 original songs. That's all A.J., folks. He wrote every single one of them ... alone. It's a first for him, and a rarity given Nashville's healthy songwriting community that provides countless country stars with radio hits galore. Perhaps he took cues from Vince Gill, who set the standard with 2006's These Days, a four-CD batch of 43 self-composed gems.
THE JACKSON PRIMER: Good Time, launched by the bluesy-fun title track, is Alan Jackson in a nutshell. "Small Town Southern Man" brims with his trademark warm baritone and easygoing melody, not to mention lyrics about real people and real life. But the list of great tunes is endless – "1976," "Country Boy" and "I Wish I Could Back Up," which is perhaps the most universal country ballad of the last 10 years. Also, pay attention to the disc's final two tracks: the clever "If You Want to Make Me Happy" and the country-soul rouser "If Jesus Walked the World Today."
BOTTOM LINE: Sure, there are a few tepid numbers, namely "Right Where I Want You" and "This Time." But the 17-cut collection never feels padded and it's quintessential Alan Jackson. This man is bound for the Country Music Hall of Fame. You just wait.
Mario Tarradell
Ghostland Observatory
B-
Robotique Majestique
(Trashy Moped)
TECHNO-COLOR: Austin's Ghostland Observatory is on the cusp of international stardom thanks to its fusion of glam rock and house-mix electronica, its do-it-yourself mantra and its festival-stealing live sets. Though recordings aren't the group's strength, mastermind Thomas Ross Turner (along with singer-guitarist Aaron Behrens) sought to beef up the tones for this full-length CD by tracking drums and other sounds in his father's West Texas barn. He also aimed for a more brooding feel, mixing and mastering the album in techno's world capital of London.
A DARKER PALETTE: Out of the "Funeral for a Friend"-like intro "Opening Credits," "Heavy Heart" starts thinly but ends up sounding like a heartbroken android on the hunt for a rebound. "No Place for Me" pulsates with cacophonous overdriven oscillations. The CD then slams into a concrete wall for the next four tracks, which drag with unimaginative and simplistic rhythms. Then, the jam anthem "Holy Ghost White Noise" (this CD's equivalent to Paparazzi's "Midnight Voyage") raises an eyebrow, which is then seared off by "HFM," an erotic techno-punk rant that's easily Ghostland's most frenetic track to date. Faith is then re-established by the closer, "Club Soda," a ravishing dance-synth tour de force.
BOTTOM LINE: Robotique Majestique is like poblano mole sauce: dark, exotic and mysteriously festive but with a flat and fleeting aftertaste. Strangely, though, you'll crave it again later.
Mike Daniel
Cheri Dennis
B
In and Out of Love
(Bad Boy Records)
AN EXTENDED WAIT: Since elementary school, Cleveland native Cheri Dennis nurtured her vocals in the church choir, but it was only after her arrival in New York City that she landed her first professional gig, singing background vocals on rapper Mase's 1999 release, Double Up . As Bad Boy's lone female solo artist (since Faith Evans' departure in 2001), the twentysomething Ms. Dennis finally gets her moment to shine on this oft-delayed, yet enjoyable, debut.
FAITHFULLY FRUITFUL: Ms. Dennis' girlishly coy soprano matches well with the production prowess of Diddy, Mario Winans, Rodney Jerkins and Timbaland. "Dropping Out of Love" is a lilting dismissal of her man's affections, and "Act Like You Know" is a spicy, neck-swiveling refusal to a boyfriend's attempt to suddenly control her. "Showdown," which Ms. Dennis co-wrote, reveals her kinkier side and invites the object of her affections to join in. Some of the up-tempo tracks are too cluttered and end up overwhelming her delicate delivery ("Portrait of Love," "Spaced Out").
BOTTOMLINE: In and Out of Love is worth the wait and can further cement Bad Boy's return to its former glory.
Lorrie Irby Jackson
The Gutter Twins
A-
Saturnalia
(Sub Pop)
DARK AND DEEP: Rock 'n' roll overflows with aspirants to the title of dark poet; by substance-abuse credentials alone, Velvet Revolver's Scott Weiland qualifies. But Mark Lanegan (the Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age) and Greg Dulli (the Afghan Whigs and Twilight Singers) have enough musical experience to deepen sinful shtick into redemptive art. As the Gutter Twins, they make Saturnalia more than a revel in bad behavior.
THE VIRTUES OF VICE: Mr. Lanegan's lowdown wheezing growl and Mr. Dulli's higher-pitched desperate rasp are too jagged to harmonize, but both evoke a sense of reaching toward the light from unspeakable shadows. The glimmering acoustic layers of "The Body," the tribal urban blues of "Seven Stories Underground" and the slowly unfolding epic rock of "Circle the Fringes" look for heaven along a path strewn with temptations.
BOTTOM LINE: Fraternal twins rise up from the gutter.
Jon M. Gilbertson
Waco Brothers
B
Waco Express: Live & Kickin' at Schuba's Tavern, Chicago
(Bloodshot Records)
ENERGY TO SPARE: Chicago's blistering country-rockers crank up the energy, not to mention the amps, at one of their fair city's regular haunts. These guys don't play games. They march onto the stage armed with electric six-strings, drums, bass and a pedal steel guitar to bang out short, action-packed tunes. Waco Express sports 16 tracks taking up 53 minutes. No time to waste, that's for sure.
COWPOKES A'BURNING: One of the best scorchers is "Cowboy in Flames," a rapid-fire number that takes a galloping beat and speeds it up to the nth degree. It's probably the most countrified nugget here. Well, there's also "Death of Country Music," a snarky stab at the slick pop-country fare out there. The Waco Brothers are clearly on the other end of the Top 40 country spectrum. However, even the group's in-your-face formula runs dry after a while. Some of these songs do bleed into each other.
BOTTOM LINE: But hey, no problem: For a momentary rush of fuel, put on a cowboy hat, dust off the air guitar and jam on the back porch. Remember not to thrash too hard.
Mario Tarradell
Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King
B+
Blood Brothers
(Alligator)
BLOOD ON THE TRACKS: The Dallas bluesmen hit a career high point on their 11th album (and first for Chicago-based Alligator). There are 14 tracks – but no filler – on a disc that moves from tough to tender and serious to funny (the Albert Collins-ish "Flamethrower"). It's a tossup as to what's better: sultry ballads such as "The Pleasure Was All Mine" or breakneck boogies such as "Midlife Crisis, Midnight Flight."
TWO AXES, BOTH SHARP: Vocalist Bnois (pronounces "buh-noise") King isn't a blues shouter, he's a subtle conversationalist. But fireworks arrive when he and Mr. Kubek start to duet on electric guitar. The standout is "Stop Drinking," which is eight minutes of Shakespearean drama.
BOTTOM LINE: The title of "Freezer Burn" sums up these two: They're cool as ice, but they bring the pain.
Thor Christensen
•Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King perform a CD-release concert Friday at 9:30 p.m. at Pearl at Commerce, 2038 Commerce St. Tickets are $13 to $15. www.pearlatcommerce.com.
