Wednesday, February 05, 2014

NEW RELEASES: RUBEN STUDDARD - UNCONDITIONAL LOVE; JOHN BUTLER TRIO - FLESH & BLOOD; CHARISSE - THE GOOD LIFE

RUBEN STUDDARD - UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Unconditional Love is filled with some of the most romantic songs Studdard has ever recorded including "My Love" by Paul McCartney and Wings, The Carpenters classic, "They Long To Be (Close To You)" which includes Stevie Wonder on harmonica and Bonnie Raitt's poignant, "I Can't Make You Love Me". Additional tracks include a steamy version of Teddy Pendegrass' "Close The Door" which was produced by singer Eric Benet who also produced Studdard's breathtaking version of the Boz Scaggs hit "Love, Look What You've Done To Me." The album also contains a soaring duet with Lalah Hathaway of "If This World Were Mine." You can catch Ruben's TV Appearances as he will appear on Kelly and Michael on Monday, February 10, and on The Today Show on Friday, February 14 (10am hour)."Silky, classy, sexy, romantic -bring you to your knees - this is how I describe the incredible voice of Ruben Studdard. He feels every note and every word he sings. He is a man with an extraordinary voice..." - David Foster

JOHN BUTLER TRIO - FLESH & BLOOD

The sixth long player from the rootsy Australian trio (and first outing in four years) finds bandleader John Butler occupying a more introspective and nostalgic headspace than he has on previous outings. Butler has always been a cerebral gent, although one prone to crafting stadium sized activist anthems like "Earthbound Child" and "Fire in the Sky," but there's a more settled vibe to Flesh & Blood that suggests a possible sea change. Opener "Spring to Come," which begins with the lyric "Lost my love, lost my light" and concludes with the line "After a lonely long night comes the sun," sets the mood, offering up a solid foundation of fluid fingerpicking and circular, warm weather rhythms and melodies for Butler to opine over. It's a tone and sentiment that occurs frequently throughout the album's surprisingly concise (for a jam band) fifty-two minute runtime, and it serves the trio well, especially on more contemplative cuts like "Bullet Girl," "Only One," and the lovely and languid Ainslie Wills-assisted "Young and Wild." To be fair, JBT fans looking for bolder, more familiar strokes have more than a few traditional roots-rock offerings to sift through, some of them solid (the dark and immersive "Cold Wind" and the fun, if not a tad derivative "Livin' in the City") and some of them not (the turgid, reggae/blues-rock epic "Blame it on Me" and its throwaway, whitebread counterpart "Devil Woman"), but it's in the more refined, self reflective moments where Butler, bassist Byron Luiters, and drummer Nicky Bomba really come alive. ~ James Christopher Monger / cduniverse

CHARISSE - THE GOOD LIFE

Charisse is best known for writing her deeply romantic filled ballads.This CD is slightly different where as her romantic ballads now have a more upbeat flavor to them. Continuing with her smooth writing style the songs are fun, mid tempo with hints of Contemporary Jazz,R&B and Pop.Charisse has definitely expanded her songwriting skills by not only writing, and performing all of the songs, but by playing every instrument that you hear. This Cd is a feel good compilation of timeless music for everybody. If you love good music, you will love this CD. Track include: Rhythm of Life; Love How You Love Me; When I'm With You; Rain' The Good Life; Taking My Time; Ooh Ooh; This Silence; Maybe This Time; Reflection; Dance With Me; and  This Silence (Instrumental Bonus Track). ~ cduniverse                 

                                 

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