Posts Tagged ‘Sheryl Crow’

  
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Popdose Contest: Win a “Spectacle” Prize Pack

by Ken Shane

Spectacle: Elvis Costello with ...The second season of Spectacle: Elvis Costello With … is upon us. Year two of the acclaimed Sundance Channel music series debuted last week with Elvis welcoming Bono and The Edge. This week’s installment, premiering on December 16, will feature an all-star cast of songwriters, including Sheryl Crow, Jesse Winchester, Neko Case, and Ron Sexsmith. Future guests for this season include Levon Helm, and Bruce Springsteen.

This being the holiday season and all, we are happy to give our loyal readers an opportunity to win a Spectacle prize pack. The winner will get all of the items depicted in the photograph and a copy of Spectacle Season One on DVD. To win this great prize pack, all you need to do is send an e-mail to ken with the correct answer to the following question:

Elvis Costello’s guests on season one of Spectacle included the duo known as She & Him. One half of this duo is songwriter M. Ward. What well known actress completes the pair?

The deadline for entries is Friday, December 18, at 5:00 p.m. est. At that time I will choose a winner at random from all the correct entries.

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Monday, November 16th, 2009

CD Review: Sheryl Crow, “Tuesday Night Music Club: Deluxe Edition”

by Jeff Giles

419EvNEi4bL._SCLZZZZZZZ_[1]She’s released six studio albums in the last 16 years, and none of them have sold fewer than half a million copies. Regardless of how you feel about Sheryl Crow’s music — and my own feelings aren’t terribly warm — in purely commercial terms, she’s one of the most important artists of the last decade and change, and whatever her own artistic merits might be, her success helped open the floodgates for other female singer/songwriters during a time when the pop landscape was more male-dominated than ever. It all started with 1993’s Tuesday Night Music Club, which receives the deluxe reissue treatment from Universal this week, adding a disc of non-album tracks, B-sides, and unreleased material to the original album, plus a DVD containing every TNMC video and a new documentary.

She’s pop/rock royalty now, but in the early ’90s, Sheryl Crow was teetering on the edge of becoming a music business casualty; her greatest claim to fame was her stint as a backup vocalist on Michael Jackson’s Bad tour, and her intended debut album had been rejected by her label. Add all this to pop music’s generally jaded vibe at the time, and it isn’t hard to see how Crow could fall in with a group of ferociously talented burnouts looking for a little low-stakes jamming between dispiriting corporate gigs. Thus was born the Tuesday Night Music Club, a loose confederacy consisting of David Baerwald, Bill Bottrell, Dan Schwartz, Brian MacLeod, and Crow’s then-boyfriend (and future cult legend), Kevin Gilbert. Crow wasn’t the best songwriter in the bunch, but she was the best singer, and by far the most easily marketable, so it also isn’t hard to see how the sessions quickly turned into woodshedding for Crow’s second pass at her solo debut. (more…)

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Friday, August 14th, 2009

Bootleg City: Top 17 Songs of the ’90s

by Robert Cass

For this special edition of Bootleg City, I’m spotlighting the top 17 songs of the ’90s, a decade we can all officially start nostalgicizing on January 1, 2010. Until then we’re in limbo, if you’ll pardon the expression — the untimely deaths of Michael Jackson and John Hughes in the past six weeks have put a damper on the last blast of ’80s nostalgia in this decade. But life goes on, of course, as does pop culture’s never-ending look backward.

From top to bottom, here are the top 17 songs:

1. But Anyway (Blues Traveler)
2. Put a Lid on It (Squirrel Nut Zippers)
3. 6th Avenue Heartache (The Wallflowers)
4. It’s a Shame About Ray (Lemonheads)
5. Strong Enough (Sheryl Crow)
6. Hey Dude (Kula Shaker)
7. The Freshmen (The Verve Pipe)
8. The Good Life (Weezer)
9. Where You Get Love (Matthew Sweet)
10. Mom’s a Surfer (a.k.a. My Mom Can Surf) (G. Love & Special Sauce)
11. St. Teresa (Joan Osborne)
12. Low (Cracker)
13. Landslide (Tori Amos)
14. Desperately Wanting (Better Than Ezra)
15. Who Will Save Your Soul (Jewel)
16. Super Bon Bon (Soul Coughing)
17. Galileo (Indigo Girls)

(more…)

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Monday, August 10th, 2009

Jesus of Cool: We Wuz Robbed! Great #2 Hits of the ’90s

by Jon Cummings

Casual observers of this series have probably wondered, more than once, why I’m bothering to track those rock-era singles that, like a dolphin rejected from Sea World, couldn’t quite jump through the brass ring. After all, who really cares about chart placements? And isn’t Number Two practically as good as Number One, particularly when everybody’s making so much money? But if there’s one decade that proves why this stuff is vitally important … to somebody, at least … it’s the ’90s.

To put it simply, the Billboard Hot 100 charts of that decade were messed up. (I put it somewhat less than simply in a long-winded column last year.) The pop radio format split in two, resulting in charts that rarely reflected anybody’s actual listening experience. Major labels stopped manufacturing singles for many artists (mostly white ones) in an effort to sell more albums, which resulted in huge radio hits that never qualified for the Hot 100. The advent of precise technology for measuring retail sales and radio airplay resulted in singles topping the charts and staying … and staying … and staying. And as I discussed last week, superstars like Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Boyz II Men were so desperate to top the charts, and keep up with the competition, that they conspired with their labels to withhold the retail releases of their new singles until the songs peaked at radio, then flooded the marketplace with discounted product to ensure #1 chart debuts.

As a result of these and other, more random developments, the #2 singles of the ’90s were a fascinating bunch. There were huge hits that were simply blocked by huger ones, and great songs that stalled behind ones whose popularity now leaves us scratching our heads. There were oldies that re-emerged after decades, and the two longest-running chart hits of all time (for the moment). So away we go – and, as always, at the end of the column I’ll list some additional singles that were stranded at third base so we can argue which ones most deserved to score.

11. (tie) “Right Here, Right Now,” Jesus Jones; “P.A.S.S.I.O.N.,” Rhythm Syndicate; “Every Heartbeat,” Amy Grant; “It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over,” Lenny Kravitz; and “Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave),” Roxette. What do these wildly disparate singles have in common? They all were blocked from the top spot during the summer of ’91 by the same song, Bryan Adams’ treacly Robin Hood anthem “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You.” (It was the first of three Adams soundtrack singles – all of them god-awful, in my opinion – to top the charts during the ’90s.) Adams spent seven weeks at #1 while holding off five different competitors – the highest number of second-place finishers thwarted by the same single since Percy Faith’s “Theme from A Summer Place” was #1 in 1960. The only one of the five to earn a second week at #2 was – surprise – “P.A.S.S.I.O.N.” In honor of that fact – and because its video is the only one of the five to feature fire (fire! fire!), scantily clad dancers and an atrocious white-boy rap — I’m happy to showcase it here. (more…)

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Friday, July 3rd, 2009

CHART ATTACK!: Michael Jackson Edition

by Jason Hare

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What the hell, I’m jumping on the bandwagon. I don’t have too much to say about Michael Jackson’s death (okay, maybe a little bit at the end of this post), but I did love the man’s music. Like so many of you, I grew up with Thriller, bought Bad the day it came out, and threw up a little when he kissed Lisa Marie on national television. So this week, I thought I’d review some of Michael’s many songs that graced the Top 10 over his career.

A few notes before we begin: would you believe that Michael never had a song at #9 or #8? It’s true. So I took a few liberties across the chart, but every song did indeed reach the Top 10. Also, I don’t think I’ve really come to terms with the fact that Michael Jackson is actually dead (how come there haven’t been any conspiracy theories brought forth yet about this all being a ruse, and Michael is actually living in hiding somewhere with John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Olivia Newton-John’s boyfriend?), so forgive me for switching tenses here and there. I know I did it, I’m too lazy to edit it now. Okay, enough explanation — it’s time for CHART ATTACK!’s Michael Jackson Edition!

10. Off the Wall — Michael Jackson Amazon iTunes
9. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) — Michael Jackson Amazon iTunes
8. Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) — The Jacksons Amazon iTunes
7. Human Nature — Michael Jackson Amazon iTunes
6. In the Closet — Michael Jackson Amazon iTunes
5. Scream — Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson Amazon iTunes
4. Got to Be There — Michael Jackson Amazon iTunes
3. Remember the Time — Michael Jackson Amazon iTunes
2. Man in the Mirror — Michael Jackson Amazon iTunes
1. The Love You Save — The Jackson 5 Amazon iTunes

10. Off the Wall — Michael Jackson
Peaked at #10 on 4/12/80

I’ve known this song for years and years, but I always thought it was called “Enjoy Yourself.” Nope, that’s actually a song by the Jacksons that reached #6 in 1974. This one is written by Rod Temperton, formerly known as “the white guy in Heatwave.” This marked the beginning of a very lucrative collaboration between Temperton and Jackson, as Temperton wrote “Off the Wall,” “Burn This Disco Out” and the awesome “Rock With You” for Off the Wall, and “Thriller,” the underrated “Baby Be Mine” and the just-as-mediocre-as-you-remember-it “Lady in My Life” for Thriller. Apparently Rod had a knack for writing album title songs. Anyway, “Off the Wall” features some lame lyrics and an inexplicable chimp in the opening (no, it’s not Bubbles — this was 1979, remember?), but a great hook in the chorus. That’s really what this song’s all about. If the bassline sounds familiar it all, it might be because Rod wrote a very similar part in Heatwave’s “Boogie Nights.”

Michael performed this one live frequently, both with the Jacksons (Destiny, Triumph and Victory tours) and solo, doing a pretty credible job on the Bad Tour as well. Sheryl Crow’s in the background of this video, singing backing vocals, but good luck finding her under all her hair.

9. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) — Michael Jackson
Peaked at #10 on 11/26/83

Oooh yeah! Now we’re talking! I love every single thing about this song. It’s funky, it’s got a killer groove, great vocals and awesome synths. Minor points off for any song where Michael feels the need to talk, especially when trying to sex someone up, but it really can’t stop this one from kicking ass. The Pretty Young Things echoing back the “na na na na na” part are Janet and LaToya, not that you could possibly tell.

“P.Y.T.” was originally written by Jackson and Greg Phillinganes as a slower R&B song. Quincy Jones heard it, and apparently liked the title…and nothing else. He and James Ingram re-wrote the song into the version we all know and love. Here’s the original demo that was rejected; will.i.am later mixed the demo for the Thriller 25 album, and this version has been edited by DJ U-Tern, apparently. It’s the only version I can find.

Michael Jackson — P.Y.T. (Demo) (U-Tern Edit) (download)

In 2002, Monica sampled “P.Y.T.” for her single “All Eyez on Me,” which is actually quite good. Jackson actually gave the masters to Monica, and you can hear a few ad-libs not present on the original record near the end.

Monica — All Eyez on Me (download) (more…)

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Friday, March 13th, 2009

Bootleg City: Fleetwood Mac, “Rumours”

by Robert Cass

For all those Sheryl Crow fans who were disappointed when they found out she wouldn’t be filling in for Christine McVie on Fleetwood Mac’s current reunion tour, I’ve replaced McVie’s vocals with Crow’s in the Rumours (1977) outtakes below. I couldn’t afford Crow herself, though, so I hired an impersonator. But she turned out to be a Cher impersonator, not to mention a he, so I ended up recording the vocals myself, even though I too am a he, despite what the nearsighted doctor first told my mom on September 25, 1975. But de facto Fleetwood Mac leader Lindsey Buckingham was the source of the studio-altered “female” vocals on the Mac’s 1987 hit “Big Love,” so it’s not like I’m operating without precedent here. Please enjoy my Sheryl Crow impression, and if it still sounds like Christine McVie, then there must be something wrong with your subwoofer.

(more…)

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Friday, August 15th, 2008

Chartburn: 8/15/08

by The Chartburn Panel


Mainstream Rock: Steve Winwood, “Higher Love” (1986)

David Lifton: You couldn’t get a more perfect crossover record than this in 1986: A classic rock legend duetting with an R&B diva on a modern-sounding piece of synth pop-soul. I loved “While You See a Chance” from 1980, so it was good to hear him back on the charts, and shortly after that, I began learning about Traffic and the Spencer Davis Group.

Beau Dure: I don’t begrudge Steve Winwood his ’80s success, but “While You See a Chance” is a worthier song than this.

Ted Asregadoo: I’m not sure if it’s the buildup of toxins in my body due to overexposure to this song, but it seems that ever since “Higher Love” came out, I have not been able to escape it. It might be the fact that I spent 11 years working at an Adult Contemporary station where this song never went away, but I can’t even appreciate it for any of the reasons stated. It’s sludge to me.

Dw. Dunphy: I just had to smile when this came out. Many of Winwood’s contemporaries who were still in “the biz” were so far away from where they once were, in style, in sound, and then he just shows up as soulful, youthful and cool as ever. He did it yet again this past winter at the Clapton / Winwood shows. Clapton, brilliant though he may be, looked ancient next to Steve.

The whole Back in the High Life album is darn near perfect, especially “Freedom Overspill.” You’ll get nary a snarklette from me on this. (more…)

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Wednesday, March 12th, 2008

Mix Six: “Gals With That Country Sound”

by Ted Asregadoo

mixsix.gifDOWNLOAD THE FULL MIX HERE

Life is full of contradictions, isn’t it? For example, I’m not a fan of country music, yet I like songs and artists who fuse country elements into their songs. Go figure. Lately, those country sounds have been popping up on my iPod when I’m driving to work. So I decided to grab some of those songs and add a few others and throw them into the musical blender and see how it all mixes.


“33 RPM Soul,” Michelle Shocked

Back in the days when I had more disposable income, when it came to artists I really liked, I would buy almost every recording they produced. Michelle Shocked was one of those “gotta buy everything” artists. I instantly liked her after seeing the video to “When I Grow Up” on MTV. By the time she released Arkansas Traveler, however, I was starting to fall out of love with her — but not completely! I still love the pop goodness of this track, even though the rest of the CD is kind of uneven. (more…)

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Wednesday, January 16th, 2008

The Year in Rock: 1996

by Darren Robbins

Welcome to a series I began at He’s A Whore and am proud-as-punch to continue here at Popdose. While not able to mention everything that happened, I’ve touched upon some of the key events that made 1996 what it was, warts ‘n’ all.


Kiss announce plans to reunite with original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss as part of a “farewell” world tour.

In March, Phil Collins announces his decision to leave Genesis.

That same month, the Sex Pistols announce plans for a reunion tour marking the 20th anniversary of the band’s formation. (more…)

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