Adam Salsman [dot] com

People bash on the internet. They really do. But if it weren’t for the intertubes, I would never have found my latest musical crush, Ms. Sara Bareilles.

I don’t really know much about her, to be honest. I’ve been busy, I’ve been lazy, and I just haven’t done my research, shame on me.

All that being said, she’s amazing. A sweet voice, piano-driven music, with jazz, blues, and folk influences. She’s not reinventing the wheel, she’s not blowing us away with some amazing new thing. Sara Bareilles is just enjoyable, delicious pop/rock music.

Did I mention she’s cute? Yeah, there’s that too.

Before the accolades-o’-plenty, there’s one thing that disappoints: The album, all 12 tracks, come in under 50 minutes. Selfishly, at 12 tracks, I have expectations of 55 - 60 minutes.

Anywho, on to the good stuff: The album, all 12 tracks, are fun, playful, easy on the ears, and make you pray you could have one evening with Ms. Bareilles (Dinner only! Not even all that other stuff).

Of the dozen offerings, Love Song, Love on the Rocks, Bottle It Up, and Many the Miles are my favorites. That jazzy/pop style that Norah Jones brought back to mainstream, but in a sleepy way, Sara brings with a pop kick.

In the end: It’s a solid, if short, offering in the “best of 2007″ list of my heart. Not too sweet, not too serious, just good music. And, hell, I even pick up distinct flavourings of Bonnie Raitt. So, you know, that can’t be bad.

Technorati Tagged: Sara Bareilles | 2007 | Pop Rock | Best Of

If this were the late 90s/early 00s (all over again), I feel like people should be clamoring harder about Amanda Marshall. Sadly, she snuck by my radar a few years back, and I only recently discovered due to a blog post on one of the music blogs I frequent.

Marshall’s “Everybody’s Got A Story” is completely planted in the pop/rock field of the aforementioned time period. A few years later, it clearly sounds as though it were a period piece, but that makes it no less enjoyable. On the contrary, if you can suspend your current musical sensibilities, this is one hell of a fun album.

The title track is reminiscent of any number of tracks off of Natasha Beddingfield’s last album, just clean fun pop. Colleen (I Saw Him First) is a cute, mellow tune about two life long friends arguing over a boy. Sunday Morning After is a great tune for anyone who’s partied, perhaps, a little too hard on Saturday night; I think we can all relate to at least part of this tune.

In the end: The album feels like a throwback to an earlier time, because, really, it is. It definitely illustrates how the face and sound of pop music has changed, but it’s still an enjoyable piece, one that has a few tunes to keep your foot tapping. And, hey, if nothing else, she’s cute.

Technorati Tagged: Amanda Marshall | Pop Rock | 2002

I love Michelle Branch. Her music, her varied and random TV appearances (including a favourite, Buffy, The Vampire Slayer), and how beautiful she is. So, it’s not a huge leap for me to follow her to this pop-country side project, even if the whole “pop-country” genre hurts my soul.

Michelle Branch, joined by Jessica Harp, combine to form the Wreckers. Two beautiful woman, who are clearly very talented. And yet, the combination brings a very average album. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t bad, despite it’s pop-country feel. But, really, the Wreckers are like the Battle of the Network Stars: Individually, talented; Together, bland.

The disc, Stand Still, Look Pretty, barely fills have a CD, sliding in just under 45 minutes, spread across 12 tracks. The ladies’ voices play well together, but I can’t help but think they would do better somewhere without that country twang.

Leave the Pieces, the lead off track, does feature a violin (in that country feel) which I enjoy, and it does a good job of starting the album off; Stand Still, Look Pretty, ye olde title track, may actually be the best on the disc, with a very simplistic construction; I listen to Rain, and i feel there’s this amazing jazzy/bluesy song hidden just beneath the surface; and Crazy People, while not particularly memorable, was the only track left and I needed one more to mention.

In the end: Michelle Branch completists, New Country fans, and anyone willing to take a leap will enjoy this. I’m not saying avoid it, but there are better albums that came out this summer. Give them a chance.

On the web: I’m at a loss to find anything on the mighty interwebs to offer for this band. Perhaps that’s a sign?

Technorati Tagged: Michelle Branch | The Wreckers | Country | 2006