The Wildy's World Top 60 Albums/EPs of 2010

We're back!  I hope you all had a great Christmas, Hannukah, Winter Solstice of whatever else you may celebrate.  And of course, Happy Kwanzaa!  It's time for the Wildy's World Top-60 albums or EPs of 2010.  This list is compiled from albums reviewed on Wildy's World during 2010 and may occasionally include an album from late 2009 as well. This is a proprietary list, meaning it's generated entirely by me.  You may disagree with some of the choices or the placement, and I invite respectful discussions of opinions in response to the postings.  Anything rude or unintelligent will be zapped ASAP. 

Today we have numbers 60-41.  Click on the album name to link back to the original Wildy's World review.  Original reviews include artwork and links to artist sites and purchase points.  Without further adieu...

60. Anna Kaelin – Anna Kaelin

59. Hugh Morrison – Robert Burns Rocks

58. Colin Gilmore – Goodnight Lane

57. Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People

56. Rooney – Eureka

55. Joy Ike – Rumors

54. Anna Coogan – The Nocturnal Among Us

53. Jon Troast – Living Room

52. Dropkick Murphys – Live On Lansdowne, Boston MA

51. Waking Ugly – Waking Ugly

50. Jason D. Williams – Killer Instinct

49. Billion Dollar Babies - Die For Diamonds

48. James Hurley – Tempest In A Teacup

47. Corinne Bailey Rae – The Sea

46. Original Cast Recording – Ordinary Days

45. Maidens IV – Celtic Fire

44. Rachael Sage – Delancey St.

43. Never Shout Never – Harmony

42. Gangsta Grass – Lightning On The Strings, Thunder On The Mic

41. Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez – The New Bye & Bye

We'll be back tomorrow with numbers 40-31.  See you then!

Joy Ike - Rumors

Joy Ike - Rumors
2010, Joy Ike

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Joy Ike has had a sun kissed couple of years. Her debut album, Good Morning started to earn Ike national recognition with a rash of positive reviews. The folks in Pittsburgh know well how talented Ike is, as she's been voted Best Solo Artist by Pittsburgh City paper two years running. Ike's second album, Rumors, features the sort of lush songwriting she has become known for, along with mature, honest and deep emotional perspectives woven into lyrics that read like pure poetry. Love, life and spirituality dot Ike's songs like dapples of sunlight, and stylistically she plays in the same concentric circles as artists such as Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae, India Arie and Laura Nyro.

Rumors opens on a pop ballad note with "Sweeter", a song more about the anticipation of love than the real thing. Ike's tremendously rich voice raps around the melody like a second skin for a truly pleasurable listening experience. "Nomad" is about striking out on your own path. Full of conviction and belief, it's a powerful message wrapped up in a lush folk/pop arrangement with hints of R&B woven in. "Like A Picture" is a song of faith that references God and His know ability, particularly through art. It's a moving personal dialogue that's more musical philosophy than evangelism. On "Plans", Ike exposes an unrequited or lost love, speaking to the object of her affection and letting him know the door is still open. It's the sort of blatantly honest songwriting that Ike has a knack for and features Ike at her vocal best.

"Untitled" is a beauty. You'll do yourself a favor by listening to it yourself. It's one of those rare numbers where attempts to describe the song simply can't do it justice. "Give Me Truth" is a metaphysical pursuit of understanding; a powerful tune that ranges as much musically as the soul may strive to find meaning. "Eat It All Up" is one of the more obtuse lyrical moments on the album; one of those songs where each listener will have to decide for themselves what it means. Ike invests a lot of energy in this song, but its energy of a subtle kind that taps you on the shoulder when you're not looking rather than grabbing you outright, and the arrangement and Ike's voice are a perfect blend. "Rumors" is a beautiful creation about the hard work it takes to make a relationship work. It's more of a running monologue that tells a story of how a marriage fell apart and how it was put back together. Sung a bit like a prayer, "Rumors" will inspire. Ike closes with "Power", a contemplative exploration of wrong but well-intended choices. It's not so much a song of regret as of recognition; a place to start anew and move on.

Joy Ike is an Artist. Her blend of songwriting savvy, melodic touch and lyrical deftness are striking, but it's her voice that will wrap you up and drag you along for the ride. Rumors is a distinct step forward for Ike, showing a broadening maturity in perspective in sound without sacrificing a bit of the energy or pizzazz that made her debut album such a charm. Put Joy Ike on your wish list of new albums for 2010. Rumors is one not to be missed.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Joy Ike at http://www.joyike.com/ or www.myspace.com/joyike.  Rumors is available in digital formats from Rumors and iTunes.  If you'd like to have Rumors on CD you can order directly from Ike's website.

Rachel McGoye - Ghetto Gloss [EP]

Rachel McGoye - Ghetto Gloss [EP]
2010, Rachel McGoye

Rachel McGoye is a small-town Florida girl who made her way to Los Angeles by way of the Berklee College Of Music. Miscalculated relationships, jobs waiting tables and oft-stolen bicycles dotted McGoye’s path, but she emerged with her impressive sophomore album Beautiful Disaster in 2008. McGoye’s fourth release, an EP entitled Ghetto Gloss, is scheduled for release on August 31, 2010 (although it appears to be already available on both Amazon and iTunes). The EP is an impressive step forward for McGoye, raising her stylish songwriting a notch while maintaining the same pop sensibility and propensity for catchy melodies.

McGoye opens with "Ghetto Gloss", a positive statement of self that could turn out to be anthem for young ladies all over. Don't be surprised if this song ends up as the theme song for a reality series about instilling young women with confidence and a sense of self. "Love Me Good" is a pop-oriented love song that's almost Top-40 material. The arrangement here is perhaps a bit tame and folk-rooted to really make it on commercial radio, but the song is certainly good enough. Re-imagine this in a slicker arrangement and McGoye has a major hit on her hands. Which doesn't change the fact that the version McGoye put out is probably better than one that would ascend the charts, and truer to McGoye's muse. "Love Seed" finds McGoye fighting for a relationship that's perhaps lost its initial luster but fulfills her. It's a mature love song that sees beyond infatuation into the day-to-day struggle even the best of relationships can be. Once again McGoye eschews pure commerciality for an honest, appealing arrangement that has its own commercial appeal. Ghetto Gloss closes with "Oh My, My", a song with a more pop/dance orientation that keeps to McGoye's folk/pop sensibility. It might be the catchiest song on the EP for radio purposes and is very well-written; a song of moving on written in positive, self-focused terms.

Rachel McGoye charms with her silky alto on Ghetto Gloss, offering up a distinct folk/pop sound that stays true to her acoustic style but brings in elements of pop and even dance music for sound that, if not original, is highly appealing in its freshness. Add to that top-notch songwriting and a deft touch for delivery, and McGoye has a real winner on her hands with Ghetto Gloss. It will not be at all surprising if at least one of these songs breaks big for McGoye, as she shows all the components of being a star on Ghetto Gloss.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Rachel McGoye at http://www.rachelmcgoye.com/ or www.myspace.com/rachelmcgoye.  Ghetto Gloss drops August 31, 2010, although it appears already be available on Amazon.com as both a CD and Download, as well as on iTunes.

Review: Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea

Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea
2010, Capitol Records

In 2006, Corinne Bailey Rae proved the old adage about years of work turning into an overnight success. Her self-titled debut album debuted at #1 in the UK and crashed the Top-20 in the US, selling four million copies in the process. Today she returns with The Sea. You might expect that Corinne Bailey Rae would follow the standard pop star path, working with big producers to craft a successful follow-up record. If you think that’s Bailey Rae’s path you haven’t been listening to her thus far. Bailey Rae entered The Sea on the same down home basis, working with friends to craft a highly personal song cycle of love and loss.

The Sea opens with Are You Here, a sultry, reserved love song. Bailey Rae has a compelling voice, but we knew that already. She doesn’t overpower you, but draws you in and makes you never want to leave. Are You Here is a great start. I’d Do It Again is a sweet love song commemorating the premature loss of her husband Jason Rae in 2008. It’s a complicated love song and fetchingly honest. Feels Like The First Time gets a retro 1970s feel; moderately upbeat and mildly funky. On The Blackest Lily, Bailey Rae again hits a great retro feel. The melody is the cornerstone here, a powerful and moving progression with great movement. Bailey Rae is incredibly convincing.

Closer comes down a step, going for more of an easy radio vibe. It’s a little too tame and too stereotypical compared to the rest of The Sea, but Bailey Rae bounces back nicely on Love’s On It’s Way. It’s a contemplative tune, ala Norah Jones; sweet, mellow and vulnerable but with a palpably powerful core. The power here is hope or something very much like it. I Would Like To Call It Beauty has an old school jazzy feel to it. Bailey Rae’s voice is at its most idiosyncratically beautiful here. Paris Nights/New York Mornings is strong, but Paper Dolls is absolutely exquisite. Paper Dolls is a song of empowerment that manages to avoid being preachy. This is all done to a melody that will have you singing/humming long after the CD stops playing. Driving For Hearts is decent, but not quite at the level of the rest of album. Bailey Rae closes strong with the title track. The Sea is melancholy; the finest songwriting on the disc. Bailey Rae shines like the sun on a quiet, vulnerable performance that plays like a force majeure.

Corinne Bailey Rae caught lightning in a bottle with her debut album four years ago. It would be easy to assume The Sea might suffer the usual sophomore jinx, but just listen to the album once and you’ll know that’s not true. If anything, Bailey Rae has grown as both a performer and songwriter in the last four years, seasoned by both the joy and pain; love and loss. It’s impossible to predict what the commercial response will be to The Sea, but artistically, Corinne Bailey Rae’s star just got a few shades brighter than it’s ever shone before. The Sea is amazing; a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Corinne Bailey Rae at http://www.corinnebaileyrae.net/ or www.myspace.com/corinnebaileyrae. You can purchase The Sea on CD from Amazon.com or in stores everywhere. Expect wide digital distribution, including iTunes and Amazon.com.

Review: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
2009, Rhino Records

In reviewing the 2007 Chipmunk Movie soundtrack, Undeniable, we noted that Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. would be mortified to hear his Chipmunks voiced as they were. That really hasn't changed for The Squeakquel. The voices still sound over-processed, losing all of the low-tech charm of the original Chipmunk recordings. Whether it’s the basic recording technique or the use of software to modify the voices, the sound just doesn't work for anyone familiar with the original. That being said, anyone young enough to have missed the 1980's cartoons will likely be charmed by this soundtrack (and likely the movie), particularly if they liked 2007’s Undeniable. Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel features singing voices of Ross Bagdasarian Jr. (Alvin); Steve Vining (Simon) and Janice Karman (Theodore). Additionally, we are introduced to the Chipettes: Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor (all voiced by Janice Karman).

The Chipmunks open with a cover of The Kink's You Really Got Me, although it's really a cover of the Van Halen version). Its predictable stuff for The Chipmunks; decent but not a standout track. The Chipettes are next with Hot N Cold (Katy Perry). The vocal effects here are even more cloying than on the Chipmunk recordings. Pink's So What works a bit better for the Chipettes, although the vocalizations still sound highly electronic. Dead Or Alive's You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) gets the Chipmunks treatment, keeping the same feel as the original. This actually works as well as anything on the soundtrack and might even chart as is. The Chipettes tackle Beyonce's Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) in perhaps the biggest misstep on the album. Between the vocalization issues (or EFX issues, if you prefer) and a striving for sound over melody, the franchise seriously begins to lose the heart that made it work for all of these years.

The Chipmunks tackle an overly modernized version of Stayin' Alive that relies more on bass than rhythm to drive the track, leading into The Chipettes brightest moment. The Song features Queensberry and is probably the best offering on the disc. The Chipmunk's It's Ok, on the other hand, is nearly impossible to decipher. The speed, effects and lack of any sense of diction on the song make it an aural mess (albeit with a catchy melody). The Chipmunks move into even shakier territory on Peaches & Herb's Shake Your Groove Thing.

The Chipettes pipe in next with Corinne Bailey Rae's Put Your Records On, an ill-advised choice by the music supervisor on the movie. Rae is one of those artists you just don't cover unless you either have a distinctive take on her song or you can really walk the walk. The novelty treatment here just pales in comparison to the original. Perhaps even more amusing is the Chipmunk's take on Foreigner's I Want To Know What Love Is. The song is redone in full electronic arrangement that's more about beat than melody, which is the essential core strength of the song. The vocal harmony effect here is nice, but is brought down by the electronic buzz in the vocals. Sister Sledge's We Are Family gets updated as an electro-rock hybrid at super-speed. Once again, sound is given importance over such elements as melody, harmony and pacing. The result is a wreck in the happening. The wheels never come off the car because the computer keeps it together, but there's little gratifying in the end result. The Chipettes' No One and The Chipmunks' I Gotta Feeling close out a disappointing set.

The Chipmunks, in essence, have crossed over the line from character to commodity. Cheap/easy computer animation and electronic effects tied to a desire to appeal to the lowest common entertainment denominator have stripped Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.'s creations of their inherent humanity. They are now officially a product rather than their long-standing status as cultural icons. If you're interested in The Chipmunks, I would suggest you take the time to listen to some of the older recordings made by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. There was more craft, humor and humanity in one of those original recordings than you'll find in either movie soundtrack. Good natured humor and an essential love for the characters has been replaced by a cynical, hollow humor driven more about return on investment than a desire to entertain.

Rating: 1 Star (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Alvin And The Chipmunks at http://www.chipmunks.com/. You can purchase Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Kristina Train - Spilt Milk

Kristina Train - Spilt Milk
2009, Blue Note Records

Kristina Train was destined to wind up where she is. Yesterday, Blue Note Records released Train’s debut album, Spilt Milk. Blue Note has pursued Train for several years, but at her mother’s assistance she went to college before pursuing her dream. In the process, Kristina Train learned more about the world, but she also learned more about herself. More confident and self-assured than she was at nineteen years of age, Train approached Spilt Milk with a clear idea of what she wanted to accomplish. Recorded and produced by Jimmy Hogarth (Corinne Bailey Rae, Duffy, James Blunt, Spilt Milk makes Train’s influences abundantly clear without sounding like anyone other than Kristina Train. Shades of Aretha Franklin, Raelette Mable and Karen Dalton can be heard, but the voice that emerges can be no one than the Savannah Georgia native with the wonderfully textured voice.

Train opens with the title track, sounding like a sultrier, worldlier version of Norah Jones. Train mixes the modern silk of Jones with the classic Rhythm N Blues sound of artists like Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner and newcomer Melinda Doolittle. Spilt Milk plays like a classic tune with a theatrical feel to it. No Man's Land keeps that classic R&B/Soul feel in a diva-like performance from Train. The melody is one that will get stuck in your brain, and you'll find yourself swaying along. Don't Remember and Don't Beg For Love have similar styles, leading into the Turner-esque It's Over Now, a song steeped in the history of R&B but which could very well chart today.

Train has a true Diva moment on You're Still Going To Lose, showing the presence and dramatic sense to command attention with the right material. This is the biggest highlight of the album. Moon Rivers And Such is more in the Norah Jones realm, but the gentle rasp and power in Train's voice set her apart. Train is able to capture a classic sound while coming across young and hip here and throughout the disc, an unusual quality that should do well for her. Call In The Maker is one of the more intriguing songs on the disc; mixing elements of Gospel, Soul and The Blues in a dynamic performance that sounds like it might have come right out of Muscle Shoals. Half Light is all about regrets that stem from entering (or re-entering) a relationship you shouldn't be involved in. The writing here is nuanced, but Train is chomping at the bit here to break out and the song never quite allows that opportunity. Train closes out with Far From The Country, a classic love song with a Motown feel to it.

Kristina Train has an amazing voice, and she gets to display it amply on Spilt Milk. The down-tempo nature of the album might restrict here a tad here and there; the moments when she's allowed to truly soar are tempered by slower material that's not conducive to the big impressive belt she's capable of, although they do happen. Along with folks like KT Tunstall, Melinda Doolittle and Joss Stone, Kristina Train looks to bring some old school magic to modern music. Look for Spilt Milk to garner Train a lot of critical praise and expect her to be around for a good long while.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kristina Train at http://www.kristinatrain.com/ or www.myspace.com/kristinatrain. You can purchase Spilt Milk as either a CD or download from Amazon.com. You can also download Spilt Milk through iTunes.

Review: Joy Ike - Good Morning

Joy Ike – Good Morning
2008, Joy Ike

Pittsbugh, Pennsylvania’s Joy Ike is a musical late bloomer. The 25-year-old singer/songwriter just started writing and performing 3 ½ years ago, but is already considered the gem of the Pittsburgh music scene by both insiders and outsiders. The Nigerian born former publicist has acquired a reputation for lyrical depth and social conscience while delivering strong pop arrangements reminiscent of folks like Corinne Bailey Rae, Norah Jones and Fiona Apple. Ike’s second album, Good Morning, was released in 2008 to rave reviews in and around the Pittsburgh area, as well as some on the national scene.

Good Morning opens with a brief vocal intro, a Capella, that displays just what a gorgeous and warm voice Ike possesses. Ike steps out of a reverb chamber into real time like an angel stepping from your dreams into the now. You spend the next twelve songs hoping she won’t leave. Strongman is a piano-driven pop song with hints of soul, like an interesting hybrid of Tori Amos and Alicia Keys. Warriors Get Your Gear On is a wonderful, lyrically dense pop song projecting a somewhat serious perspective on a light and airy pop arrangement. Remember is a gem of a song, sounding like a soliloquy from a Broadway Pop musical. It’s a song about saving the world, or having the courage to try.

Jacob & Esau is a peppy, funk-tinged piano pop tune that sounds like Tori Amos stylistically and is wonderfully vibrant. Unconditional is a song of longing and devotion; certain mix-tape material in a piano-pop format. You’ll want to make time for the melancholy flavor of City Lights and the regretful beauty of Oh I Fight. Other highlights include the hauntingly beautiful and powerful Love Is; Hey, Where Are The Kids; the gospel-tinged The Least Of These and Hope. Hope is very similar in ideals to Rent’s Seasons Of Love, though different in style.

Joy Ike is the real deal; a singer/songwriter with something to say and ample to talent to deliver it. A warm and inviting voice wrapped up in strong and generous piano-driven pop/rock arrangements is the general recipe for Ike, who may be the best thing to come out Western Pennsylvania in a decade or more. Good Morning is an exciting introduction. Nice to meet you, Joy Ike, we hope to hear much more from you.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Joy Ike at www.myspace.com/joyike or http://www.joyike.com/. You can purchase a copy of Good Morning at www.cdbaby.com/cd/joyike2.