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The iconoclastic record collector, who has spent his life collecting tens of thousands of vintage 78s and lending them out to roots-music anthology labels, has finally taken center stage in a CD that gives the world a sampling of the old-time tunes he keeps stored in his climate-controlled Maryland basement
Naldi taps his Italian-American roots for these traditional songs by various composers that encompass every emotion, from yearning and joyous passion to fear and loss artist Chink Santana and himself, and they add nothing (and neither do the corny, stupid skits between tracks) Unfortunately, Gotti replaces him with fellow Murder Inc And the same can be said for the 21-year-old Ashanti, who, despite her limited talents, manages to keep the listener entertained on "Chapter II," the follow-up to her multiplatinum, self-titled debut
Among the included tracks are the upbeat "Be Yourself" and "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" and the trancelike "Trigger Hippie" and "World Looking In The outtakes give a glimpse into the world of an Elvis recording session, complete with flubs, jokes and alternate takes to well-known tunes
Simone's original compositions often reflected her involvement in the civil-rights struggle
â€â€? Ted Anthony, AP Writer
But despite all its fluff, cotton candy is still a tasty guilty pleasure Songs such as "Mississippi Goddam" and "Four Women" are searing in their power and originality Along with having the distinction of being one of the purest practitioners of the genre recording today, Spear's particular brand of Rastafarianism is the most coherent and most clearly identifies with the teachings of Marcus Garvey
"Down in the Basement" is a sampling of 24 records that most of today's world has probably never heard, from early jazz to blues to the wild-sounding roots music that would, by the late 1930s, evolve into what we now consider country music It's more akin to a trashy novel â€â€? and it's good beach listening
â€â€? Jim Collins, AP Writer
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"Parts of the Process" (Sire-Reprise, $22 You may not love it all; it's so different from so much we're accustomed to listening to
And that may be the album's biggest fault
The rest of the album is devoted to proper Italian texts, including some refined "parlor" songs by Francesco Paolo Tosti, who was Queen Victoria's singing teacher The horn arrangements throughout the album are stellar On "Rock and Roll," he sings of the delights of pop music
â€â€? Jim Collins, AP Writer
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"Close Up" (BMG Heritage, $69 98) â€â€? Nina Simone
The incomparable singer, pianist, composer and arranger Nina Simone died in April, leaving a body of work that defies categorization But what makes this recording special is the heart-wrenching spontaneity of the tenor's warm voice â€â€? plus a few playful vocal turns, like a thrilling trill for "O Sole Mio
On "It Wouldn't Be the Same," Price's velvety Texan drawl complements Nelson's grizzled pipes, as Nelson's acoustic guitar and the accompanying fiddles stagger like a drunk 98) â€â€? Various Artists
Too often these days do we forget where music came from â€â€? where the roots of today's slickly produced standards lie BMG Heritage has compiled 31 of her classics on a new two-disc collection titled, "Anthology It's a song about relationships, as is "I've Just Destroyed the World I Live In," "Deep Water" and "I'll Keep on Lovin' You
Listen to this album "
The third disc is packed with virtually every outtake from Presley's 1960s sessions at RCA's Studio B in Nashville, Tenn Her voice is pleasing yet thin, her music often relies on R&B hooks from the past, and her songs are lyrically weak (if she couldn't use the word baby, many of her songs might be instrumentals) Never overpowering, they instead grace the tracks with soulfulness
Each disc focuses on a particular point in the King's career "
â€â€? Scott Bauer, AP Writer
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"O Sole Mio: Neapolitan and Italian Songs" (Romeo Records-Qualiton, $14 The best song, one that comes close to the freewheelin' lives Nelson and Price have known, is "Home in San Antone "Can't Stand It" is completely different, a melancholy ballad dominated by acoustic guitars and symphonic instruments On "Freeman," Spear sings about the familiar themes of self-determination and equal rights for African descendants and for all people Other standouts include "The Old Ark's A'Moving," a whimsical retelling of Noah's saga by John "Seven-Foot Dilly" Dilleshaw, and a spirited piece by the father of country music, Uncle Dave Macon 99) â€â€? Burning Spear
Jamaica native Winston Rodney has been writing and performing reggae music as Burning Spear for over 30 years 98) â€â€? Elvis Presley
To the producers of Elvis Presley's "Close Up": Thank you, thank you very much for combing through the Elvis vault and releasing the four-disc, 89-track set
Spear is capable of being playful as well as profound The song combines what sounds like a speeded-up version of the theme from "The Twilight Zone" with computer-enhanced vocals and a guest appearance by rapper Big Daddy Kane
And Ashanti, who co-wrote most of the tunes along with co-executive producer and mentor Irv Gotti, does show some artistic depth in spurts
Case in point is the disc's first single, the dreamy "Rock Wit U (Awww Baby)," which features Ashanti cooing sweet nothings
Simone's repertoire was filled with very astutely chosen cover songs that in her hands seem like her own compositions
Elvis enters to the strands of "Also Sprach Zarathustra," plays a host of his most popular songs, thanks the guy who brings him his scarves, and then makes his exit after crooning "Can't Help Falling in Love
It's basically a 30- second song repeated over and over, but it's a tune that's hard to get out of your head It's raw, it's often racy â€â€? and, unlike so much of today's Top 40 music, it always feels real "
Her recording career began in 1959 with a cover of Gershwin's "I Loves You Porgy," which immediately brought her recognition; it is included here
"Chapter II" isn't one of the year's best R&B albums â€â€? heck, it's not even the best of the month Sound Bites: Audio Reviews
Jul 3, 7:55 AM EST
Ashanti
As a singer-songwriter, Ashanti has all the substance of a vat of cotton candy But the answer is surprisingly simple: They lie in Joe Bussard's basement The second consists of outtakes from four movies: "G " Most everything is worth a listen, if only to enjoy the trippy combinations of different sounds and front woman Skye Edwards' sweet and versatile voice Blues," "Flaming Star," "Wild in the Country" and "Blue Hawaii " Upbeat and bouncing, it grabs the album with a taste of Texas just when the whole project is falling down
Spear's personal philosophy is central to his music and lends a feeling of authenticity to his songs "
More than half of the 23 songs are sung in the dialect of Naples, many in minor keys reflecting the melancholy of that city's greatest love songs, most often heard today as encores to vocal recitals "Sinnerman," "Strange Fruit" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" â€â€? all included on "Anthology" â€â€? are imbued with that unique Nina Simone soul 98, Lost Highway) â€â€? Willie Nelson and Ray Price
Willie Nelson and Ray Price worked together as relatively young men on Price's "San Antonio Rose," on which Nelson played bass
Simone moved easily through various musical styles â€â€? jazz, soul, rock and pop â€â€? often on the same album For example, on "Carry On," a defiant Ashanti sings forcefully as she tries to persevere over a broken relationship; "The Story of 2" is a highlight, even though it borrows from the old Rick James tune "Dream Maker
Included here is one of the rarest records in existence â€â€? "Original Stack O'Lee Blues," by Long Cleve Reed and Little Harvey Hull, a haunting, melodic rendition of the fabled Stagolee ballad There's a format they follow through much of it, both in what they sing about and the way the band backs them The first, "What's Your Name," is a strange combination of techno and rap
â€â€? Rachel Kipp, AP Writer
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"Run That By Me One More Time" ($14
Now the men, both in their 70s and legends in their own right, reunite on "Run That By Me One More Time," a collection of sad ballads and melodies thick with memories of an earlier time 98) â€â€? Morcheeba
Even non-Morcheeba fans will get deja vu listening to "Parts of the Process," their greatest hits collection
â€â€? Nekesa Mumbi Moody, AP Music Writer
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"Freeman" (Burning Spear, $17
â€â€? Ryan Lenz, AP Writer
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"Nina Simone: Anthology" (BMG Heritage-$13 But odds are you'll be surprised at how much you do enjoy
"Parts of the Process" also includes two new tracks "
Conspicuously absent on this disc is frequent duet partner Ja Rule; except for a flashback sequence in the beginning of the album, his gravelly voice is nowhere to be found â€â€? probably a good thing, given his overexposure and recent falloff in street cred " Each begins with a moaning violin, but the sound quickly becomes repetitive deeper into the album
â€â€? Verena Dobnik, AP Writer
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"Down in the Basement: Joe Bussard's Treasure Trove of Vintage 78s, 1926-1937" (Old Hat, $20 I Her intense, expressive alto, while lacking polish, could stir any listener
Naldi delivers the songs with lyric elegance and impeccable technique to an orchestral accompaniment "
Elvis has left the building, but he sounds more alive than ever on "Close Up Their songs have been used in movies, advertisements and television shows, and anyone who regularly goes clubbing has likely grooved to Morcheeba's combination of electronica, soul, hip-hop and rock The first offers 20 tracks from 1957
The album is not without its memorable tracks, though 99) â€â€? Ronald Naldi
Metropolitan Opera tenor Ronald Naldi's "O Sole Mio: Neapolitan and Italian Songs" is the perfect soundtrack for either a romantic evening â€â€? or a romance gone sour
The highlight is the fourth disc, an entire 1972 concert from San Antonio His voice is often slightly off-pitch, but rather than jarring the listener, it's arresting in its believability and creates some uniquely beautiful harmonies with the backing vocals |