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MUSIC ZONE
Saurabh & Gaurav
The Union —
Elton John and Leon Russell (Decca)
 The
Union is a mutual display of affection from both sides — Elton
and lyricist Bernie Taupin’s nostalgic tales are infused with
gospel, rollicking country and rock ’n’ roll while Leon’s
croaky voice adds southern authenticity. The Best Part of the
Day is the perfect table setter, suiting both men with its
strolling piano groove and blend of darkness and light. Icons
such as Neil Young and Brian Wilson provide guest vocals on the
14-track epic, along with legendary R&B organist Booker T
Jones, steel guitarist Robert Randolph and a 10-piece gospel
choir. The soulful backing singers drive Heart Should Have
Turned to Stone and the salty stomper Hey Ahab, with
Elton soaking up the evangelical zeal. Tracks like Jimmie
Rodgers’ Dream and the pounding rocker Monkey Suit
find Elton returning to Tumbleweed Connection territory while
the lachrymose duet When Love Is Dying has the melancholy
nobility of a future standard, akin to Bonnie Raitt’s I Can’t
Make You Love Me. Most of the songs are written by Elton and
Bernie, with occasional contributions from Russell and Burnett. If
It Wasn’t for Bad is a rollicking, fun-loving jaunt that
benefits from Russell’s signature sense of humour. The song’s
key, titular line brings on a smile: "If it wasn’t for
you, I’d be happy`85 If it wasn’t for bad, you’d be
good."
Best track:
Heart Should Have Turned to Stone
Worst track:
Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody)
Rating ***
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Album of
the month
Cee Lo
Green — The Lady
Killer
(Elektra Records)
 Green’s
first solo outing since the Gnarls Barkley breakthrough
sets stadium-size melodies, horns and strings to detailed
encapsulations of Saturday-night transcendence and
Sunday-morning love pains. Whether he’s delivering
baritone balladry on Bodies or wailing with
intensity on Bright Lights Bigger City, his vocals
are absolutely flawless. On the ballad, Old Fashioned,
Green drops his voice a register for a verse, seemingly as
homage to Otis Redding, before airing it out to declare
the strength of his love. From the reserved pop
sensibilities found in Wildflower and Fool for
You to the intensely beautiful Bodies and Love
Gun, everything is where it should be. The surprise
comes at the very end. Producer Paul Epworth cues up a
majestic organ, a robotic break-beat and a strangely
familiar guitar pluck. Of course, all is revealed when Cee
Lo sings the opening lyric of No One’s Gonna Love You:
"It’s looking like a limb torn off." Bright
Lights Bigger City is a musical composition of immense
scale. Green’s vocals are unsurprisingly catchy but the
lyrics, subtly sad and empty when compared to the musical
accompaniment, are also a huge part of what makes this
song a winner. From joy to sadness to anger, The Lady
Killer explores every cranny and cleft of relationships
and, on a wider scale, life.
Best track: Bright
Lights Bigger City
Worst track:
Cry Baby |
Speak Now —
Taylor Swift
(Mercury)
 Since
her debut in 2006, Taylor Swift has skyrocketed from a country
music icon to global superstar. In 2008, she was the highest
selling recording artist in the US and in 2009, her second album
Fearless was the best-selling album of the year. With
songs like Love Story and You Belong with Me
seemingly the perfect blend of country twang and pop charm, it
was clear that this girl was going to go far. With Swift’s
third album Speak Now, the transformation to pop star
seems almost complete. The opening track Mine follows in
the tradition of past hit tracks because of its rich
storytelling and the Romeo and Juliet aspect. The great
accomplishment of this album, though, is that Swift is at her
most musically adventurous when she’s most incensed. The
Story of Us and Better Than Revenge describe a young
woman, who is, at turns, sharp and snide, but who is nonetheless
defined by relationships. Dear John is the most
criticised and anticipated song on the album where Taylor Swift
admits that the song is about her ex-boyfriend, John Mayer. Mean,
meanwhile, is sharply aimed at detractors who criticise her
voice and achievements. Written entirely by Swift, with
production from Nathan Chapman, Speak Now is a
beautifully wrought country album that displays the emotional
agility and vocal subtlety of its leading lady.
Best track:
The Story of Us
Worst track:
Back To December
Rating **
Robert Wyatt,
Ros Stephen & Gilad Atzmon — For the Ghosts Within
(Domino)
 Since
his early days in Soft Machine, Robert Wyatt has always
travelled a distinct but indefinite territory, a place where
jazz and popular song bleed into each other and are informed by
a wider culture of poetry, politics and painting. The Ghosts
Within typifies the uniqueness of Wyatt’s opus, though on
this occasion, it’s not just his. Violinist, composer and
tango player Ros Stephen plus saxophone tyro and political
writer Gilad Atzmon make this an equilateral triangle of
talents. Wyatt is in fine voice and on top form throughout,
singing on seven of the songs, whistling on another, and humming
on yet another. As Wyatt mixes his own work with versions of Laura,
Lush Life, and In a Sentimental Mood, it is
tempting to draw a comparison with Joni Mitchell’s Both
Sides Now. Cover version of Chic’s At Last I Am Free
is primarily a mood piece, with Wyatt singing just the lines
"At last I am free/I can hardly see in front of me."
A particular highlight here is the closer, What A Wonderful
World. The total simplicity, even understatement, and
sincerity with which Wyatt approaches this make it simply
stunning and graceful. Where Are They Now? is a springy
Arab-meets-Latin jump with vocals by Shadia Mansour and Ramallah
Underground’s Stormtrap. Add in some stirring originals such
as the gorgeous Lullaby for Irena and the title track,
and you’ve another Wyatt album to make you cheer his
consistent high standards.
Best track: What
A Wonderful World
Worst track:
Maryan
Rating ***
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