CD Spotlight
Country:
Carrie Underwood: "Play On"
This is the third album from "American Idol" Winner, Carrie Underwood, and it features all the types of songs that we loved from her first two albums. For everyone who thought "Before He Cheats" and "Last Name" were the best, there are songs like "Cowboy Casanova" and "Songs Like This." The collection also features songs to make us think like "Change" and ones that make us cry like "Temporary Home."
And we admit, we're a little biased about this next song because we think Sons of Sylvia are some of the most talented musicians EVER, but dueting with them on "What Can I Say" produced a stellar ballad. This is one of the best showcases of Carrie's vocal ability and Ashley Clark is the perfect compliment to it.
We promise... fans of the powerhouse female vocalists like Martina and Trisha won't be disappointed.
Here's a track listing for you!
1. Cowboy Casanova
2. Quitter
3. Mama's Song
4. Change
5. Undo It
6. Someday When I Stop Loving You
7. Songs Like This
8. Temporary Home
9. This Time
10. Look at Me
11. Unapologize
12. What Can I Say (Featuring Sons of Sylvia)
13. Play On
"Play On" should be available at most places where CD's are sold or you can order on-line by Clicking Here!
Brad Paisley: "American Saturday Night"
He's the reigning CMA "Male Vocalist of the Year" (for the third consecutive year), but his vocals are just one of the reasons he's a country music superstar. He's also an incredible songwriter and plays a mean guitar. When you add all that talent to a good looking guy with a wicked sense of humor, what else could he have been but one of this generation's top music makers?
"American Saturday Night" is Brad's seventh album and that collection includes a Christmas album and a mainly instrumental album. His latest effort is a testament to the fact that Brad and his team haven't lost the gift of writing and recording songs that are current and relevant as proven by his latest number one, "Welcome to the Future." Even though he's on his way to being country music royalty, and he's married to a successful actress, he still identifies with the average music fan and creates music for them with songs like the title track "American Saturday Night." He can also write love songs like nobody's business as heard in the sweet ballad "Then."
It's been ten years since Brad hit the music scene and he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. And we thought we loved him then.
The songs on this album are:
1. American Saturday Night
2. Everybody's Here
3. Welcome to the Future
4. Then
5. Water
6. She's Her Own Women
7. Welcome to the Future (Reprise)
8. Anything Like Me
9. You Do the Math
10. No
11. Catch all the Fish
12. Oh Yeah, You're Gone
13. The Pants
14. I Hope That's Me
You can pick up "American Saturday Night" at most places where CD's are sold or you can order on-line by
Clicking Here!
Taylor Swift: "Fearless"
So this recommendation is for the five of you out there that don't own this album already because it's already sold like a gazillion copies! There's a reason for that! This young woman was not even 18 when this album was released and she wrote or co-wrote every single track on the album. And not only are every single one of them good... most of them are really, really, really good!
We also give her props for being one of the few young performers in the entertainment industry who seems to take her role model status seriously and wants to do right by her young fans. We don't expect to see any inappropriate picture scandals any time soon, nor do we expect her to shave her head and take an umbrella to a car window.
We do anticipate more great music from her in the near future (the sooner, the better please)and we're sure we will be joining in as she sings our life with her words.
1. Fearless
2. Fifteen
3. Love Story
4. Hey Stephen
5. White Horse
6. You Belong With Me
7. Breathe
8. Tell Me Why
9. You're not Sorry
10. The Way I Loved You
11. Forever and Always
12. The Best Day
13. Change
"Fearless" should be easy to find at most places where CD's are sold or you can order on-line by
Clicking Here!
David Nail: I'm About to Come Alive
If Nashville and New Orleans had a son, he would be newcomer, David Nail. And if that son sang and wrote music, it would sound a lot like David's debut album on MCA Records, "I'm About to Come Alive." The 11 track compilation perfectly combines a smooth, soulful jazz style with rocking, country songs. The result is a solid CD that any city would be proud to say it influenced.
In reality, David hails from Kennett, Missouri. In fact, the last track on the album is titled "Missouri" but we'll get to that in a minute. The first song on the album, "Mississippi," is a smooth ballad sung from the point of view of a southern boy stuck in the fast-paced, city life that adulthood turned him into. He longs to get back to the simpler days and just wants some time to soak in the feeling that the slower paced life in Mississippi provides.
The second song is the title track "I'm About to Come Alive." This one tells the story of a couple stuck in a relationship where one person feels like the other person just doesn't see them and that the couple isn't moving forward at all. The "other" person is begging for more time saying that things are going to get better.
The third song on the album is "Red Light" and was the first single from this album. This melancholy song is about a girl who breaks up with her man "at a Red Light, in the sunshine, on a Sunday." The world is just going on around them but his whole world is destroyed while he's just sitting there waiting on a light to change.
Track six is a tune dedicated to reminiscing about the long, summer days when life was a little easier. "Summer Job Days" pays tribute to that time in life where you're not exactly out in the real world, but you have a little bit of responsibility.
The more up-tempo, "This Time Around" is track number nine on the album. This one is about a guy asking for a second chance at love with someone who didn't think he was living up to his potential the first time around. He thinks he's ready now.
"Turning Home" is David's second single and is track 10. This is a mid-tempo song about the feelings conjured up when a person heads back home after being gone for a while. There's nothing like being home.
And now we're back to that last track, "Missouri." It's not exactly a sweet homage to the state where David grew up. It's a little more complicated than that. It's actually a plea from a man who is truly unhappy and asking his girlfriend to just go ahead and leave him. The singer delivers the line "misery" instead of Missouri. It's a little heartbreaking.
Overall, this album has a really mellow vibe that supplies the perfect soundtrack for days when you're not exactly in the mood to rock out. The vocals are good and so is the music which is heavy on the piano. "I'm About to Come Alive" is a respectable showpiece for a new artist. David and Missouri should be proud.
Here is a the complete track listing for you:
1. Mississippi
2. I'm About to Come Alive
3. Red Light
4. Again
5. Clouds
6. Summer Job Days
7. Strangers on a Train
8. Looking For A Good Time
9. This Time Around
10. Turning Home
11. Missouri
Pick up this CD at most places where CD's are sold or have it shipped right to your door by ordering here:
David Nail: I'm About to Come Alive
Pop/Rock
John Mayer: "Battle Studies"
Some of us here at EnterTeenment are addicted to this latest release from noted guitarist, John Mayer. While some critics slammed him for leaving the "out of the box" music he's been known to create to focus on a more pop-driven album, we can't get enough of the mellow, laid-back vibe that "Battle" provides.
The first song, "HeartBreak Warfare" compares losing a love to being at war and anyone who has ever truly cared for someone, only to see them end up with someone else, can truly relate. Lyrics like "Drop his name, push it in and twist the knife again, watch my face as I pretend to feel no pain," relate to anyone who has ever had a broken heart.
The third track on the album, "Half of my Heart," features Taylor Swift in a perfectly understated accompanying role. The song, about trying to rationalize between the part of the heart that wants to be in love, and the other part that says "Maybe this isn't the best thing or the right time," flows easily and has you singing along without you even realizing it. Having Taylor on background vocals is just an added bonus to the already happy listening experience.
"Assassin," is the sixth track on the disc and another one of our favorites. It's about how the guy thought he was so good at being a player but then he falls for the one girl who is just as much a player as he is. Suddenly he's not so sure about this whole "love 'em and leave 'em thing."
Track number nine, "Edge of Desire" is another favorite. This ballad describes the longing to be with that one special person. A few of our favorite lines are "Don't say a word, just come over and lie here with me, 'cause I'm just about to set fire to everything I see. I want you so bad I'll go back on the things I believe. There, I just said it, I'm scared you'll forget about me."
A lot of people are trying to analyze this effort to see how much John's break-up with Jennifer Aniston affected his music. It may be no coincidence that the common theme among most of the songs is comparing love to war. It's unfortunate that whoever John is singing about has caused this much grief for the musician. His pain, however, is our gain.
A Complete Track Listing for: John Mayer - "Battle Studies"
1. Heartbreak Warfare
2. All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye
3. Half of my Heart (with Taylor Swift)
4. Who Says
5. Perfectly Lonely
6. Assassin
7. Crossroads
8. War of My Life
9. Edge of Desire
10. Do You Know Me
11. Friends, Lovers or Nothing
You don't need to head to the front line to find John's latest CD. It should be available at most places that sell CDs. You can order on-line by
Clicking Here!
Glee: The Music, Volumes 1 & 2
For those people scratching their heads and wondering what all the buzz surrounding this new television series is about, we have two words for you... SHEER TALENT! "Glee" is set in a High School in Ohio and centers around a group of kids from completely different social circles. The only thing they have in common is the fact that they love to sing. When a teacher whose passion is music wants to revive the school's "Glee" club, it's anything but easy to get everyone on the same page. When the group focuses on making music, the results are fantastically fun to watch and hear.
The folks behind the scenes of this FOX breakout hit have assembled a cast of phenomenal talent which has resulted in some show-stopping numbers. Borrowing some of their cast from Broadway (Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele), and combining them with relative newcomers who could be on Broadway (like Amber Riley, Cory Monteith and Chris Colfer) has proven to be a winning formula both on television and in CD sales.
Though we warn parents of teenagers under the age of 17 to preview the show to see if some of the subject matter is right for their teenager, we haven't found anything wrong with the music from the series which is now available on two separate CD's. The first collection gets bonus points for featuring Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth and her amazing vocals.
Years from now we will be telling future generations about how these talents got started on a little show called "Glee." What can we say? This music just makes us happy!
The track listing for “Glee: The Music, Volume 1:”
“Don’t Stop Believin’”
“Can’t Fight This Feeling”
“Gold Digger”
“Take a Bow”
“Bust Your Windows”
“Taking Chances”
“Alone”
“Maybe This Time”
“Somebody to Love”
“Hate On Me”
“No Air”
“You Keep Me Hangin’ On”
“Keep Holding On”
“Bust a Move”
“Sweet Caroline”
“Dancing with Myself”
“Defying Gravity”
Track Listing for “Glee: The Music, Volume 2”
“Proud Mary”
“Endless Love”
“I’ll Stand By You”
“Don’t Stand So Close To Me / Young Girl”
“Crush”
“(You’re) Having My Baby”
“Lean On Me”
“Don’t Make Me Over”
“Imagine”
“True Colors”
“Jump”
“Smile” (cover of Lily Allen)
“Smile” (cover of Charlie Chaplin)
“And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”
“Don’t Rain On My Parade”
“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
“My Life Would Suck Without You”
Pick up both of these titles at most retail outlets where CDs are sold. You can also order on-line by clicking here
Glee: The Music, Volume 1
and here
Glee: The Music, Volume 2
