Tag Archives: jessie james

CD Reviews from Morgan-Jessie James, Morningwood and Foreign Cinema

Jessie James
(Self Titled: Jessie James)
Island Def Jam Records

I will only say this one time, and one time only: I am not a country music fan. Granted I have my ‘Guilty Pleasure’ songs, like Honky Tonk Badonkadonk by Trace Adkins, Who’s Your Daddy by Toby Keith, Taylor Swift, and that ever popular Cotton Eyed Joe song (I have yet to learn the dance), but I would much rather keep them off my iPod and on a hard copy disk that I can enjoy in solitude.

Jessie James is country music singer that I would keep on repeat in a CD player, in my room, while in solitude (to save my reputation, of course). She’s got some power country-twanged vocals that remind me of my younger days where I’d jam out with my mom to her Shania Twain CD while we cruised in our ol’ 1992 Pontiac Grand Am. Kickin’ it old school. I do recall seeing James’ music video for her single Wanted on MTV awhile ago, and if I took the time to wait to see who the singer was, and then remember her, she must be something to look out for. So if you like Shania Twain, Gretchen Wilson, and wear Guy Harvey shirts a lot, go pick up Jessie James’ self-titled album now!!

Morningwood
(Diamonds & Studs)
Capitol Records

Everyone has heard the song Nth Degree, right? Well, if you haven’t, then you are seriously living under an anti-pop culture rock. The “Morningwood” concept was sparked by a conversation between the duo Chantal Claret and Pedro Yanowitz at a cocktail party in the Dakota Building on Central Park West, and came up with the name the next morning. After their self-titled album, which dropped in 2006, gave them the cred they needed to continue making sweet music, even after their first album was quite a flop. Diamonds and Studs has more of a rock vibe compared to the ’06 album, and really emphasizes the talent these two have. They create great music together. If you have a chance, take a listen to some of the songs off this album (you can also hear some of their songs in the Sex in the City Movie and the single is the theme song for Daisy of Love!), and then check them out on tour with Jet and Papa Roach this November.

Foreign Cinema
(Non-Synchronous Sounds)
Parallax Sounds

I’m currently struck by sounds that should be in some crazy, dark, overly-artistic intellectual Sundance Film or, at least, in the crazy Donnie Darko sequal S. Darko. Foreign Cinema is comprised of Dave Han, the San Fran singer/guitarist of the band Astral, and contributed bass parts by Natty D, who resides in Goiania, Brazil. Foreign Cinema describes their genre as, “shoegaze, triphop, and dub… balances light and dark, with ethereal warmth and interjected groove to create a romantically dark world…”

Well… interesting description.

Honestly, I don’t know what the genre “shoegaze” is, nor do I know of “triphop” or “dub.” I don’t know how I can even express my opinion on this. Basically, if you watch a lot of weird indie films, or have seen either Donnie Darko or S. Darko, then you’ll understand what I mean by weird. Artistically weird. I can’t say that I like it at all since it confuses, so I’m going to leave with this: If you know those odd genres, like crazy indie films, and like Depeche Mode (They have a cover of one of their songs on this EP) then go ahead and take a whack at it. But if you start seeing giant bunnies that make you do really crazy stuff, like flood your school, than don’t say I didn’t warn you. (If you get the reference, kudos)