4Play

Dec. 6, 2006

KT Tunstall - KT Tunstall’s Acoustic Extravaganza - Virgin
Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall first surfaced out of nowhere earlier this year with her single “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” which Tunstall promoted to great effect by appearing on various TV shows to perform the song with nothing more than herself, her guitar, a series of foot pedals to make guitar loops, and a tambourine that she stamped her thick boots onto with gusto.  It was surprising to see this woman make such dense, interesting music without a band, and thankfully, the rest of her album is just as much of a surprise.  Melding folk, pop, and a sound that’s all KT, she throws all of her emotions into songs like “Miniature Disasters,”  and slows things down in a pretty way with ballads like “Throw Me A Rope” - several of the songs are from her debut disc, but others are extra treats only heard as B-sides or rarities.  Previously available just through the singer’s website, this disc is now on wide release; great news for KT fans.
 

Army of Anyone - Army of Anyone - Firm Music
Influenced by ‘70s rock and comprised of ‘90s music veterans Dean and Robert DeLeo (brothers), formerly of Stone Temple Pilots, singer Richard Patrick (Filter, NIN), and drummer Ray Luzier (cough - David Lee Roth), Army of Anyone takes their first step out with this effort, which showcases the musicians’ varied but focused roster of rock influences and the previously underutilized talents of the DeLeo brothers, who are both determined, melodic players and writers of some darned catchy songs.  With a full, rich sound centered around those dense, layered guitars and hooky vocal lines, there’s a bit of an STP feel to certain songs (“Generation” being one of them), but Patrick has a far different approach than STP’s Scott Weiland, and nails both melodies and harmonies with spot-on pitches and smooth tones, which makes songs like “A Better Place,” “This Wasn’t Supposed to Happen,” “Stop Look and Listen,” and “Leave It” both quite listenable and pretty rockin’, too.
 


Nellie McKay - Pretty Little Head - Black Dove/Hungry Mouse
When Columbia Records refused to release Nellie McKay’s sophomore effort as a double-disc - 23 tracks in all - McKay told ‘em buh-bye and released the disc herself on her own label.  Combining everything from Peggy Lee-esque vocals to folk-pop, Jewel-style yodeling, big Broadway sounds, and even rap, McKay is one artist that takes risks of all sorts, and, for the most part, it pays off.  The album itself is a bit scattered with so many influences jostling for space, but it’s definitely not a boring listen, from songs like the retro-sounding “Long and Lazy River” to “Pink Chandelier”  to her duets with alt-country singer k.d. lang (“We Had It Right”) and beautifully-voiced popster Cyndi Lauper (“Beecharmer”)   .McKay’s own voice isn’t typically pretty in tone, but it’s got a lot of zest, and she’s proficient at translating her vocals into emotions, from extreme perkiness to poignant sadness; and jumping genres from song to song will keep your ears on their toes.
 


Foo Fighters - Skin and Bones - RCA
Recorded at the legendary Pantages Theater in Los Angeles, this set most recollects the feel of Nirvana’s 1994 unplugged disc, and features a host of guest musicians including keyboardist Rami Jaffee (Wallflowers), violinist Petra Haden, and guitarist Pat Smear, who, incidentally, was part of that 1994 Nirvana session.  Showcasing prettier arrangements of Foo songs, it’s refreshing to hear these pop tunes from a completely different angle, and singer Dave Grohl even seems to temper his sometimes trying-too-hard vocals into a more quietly emotional version, which is nice to hear.  Some of the songs slide right in to their new feel, like “Walking After You” and “Times Like These,” and some of the others benefit greatly from being stripped of their rocker bombast, such as the newly sensitive “My Hero” and “Everlong” and kinder and gentler takes on “Marigold” and “Big Me.”  Once you get used to hearing the songs in this new Foos format, you’ll likely wish that the album was a bit longer, but, hey, that just leaves room for Skin and Bones: Unplugged Part Two, right?