Big hooks abound on this forceful debut by power pop whiz kids Nick Wheeler and Tyson Ritter. Though not yet old enough to legally buy an alcoholic drink in the year 2002, All American Rejects are capable songwriters, accomplished vocalists, and skilled instrumentalists. Guitar-driven and underpinned with a humane-sounding drum machine cranking out frenetic backbeats, each cut on this self-titled debut brims with harmonies that recall the early Who and classic Beach Boys. Bolstered by the brash bar band bravado akin to the Replacements, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Fastball in all their ragged glory, All American Rejects passionately render songs about girls, love, self-doubt, and youthful abandon. Cuts such as "Too Far Gone" employ a sympathetic orchestral backdrop, while tracks including "Drive Away," "My Paper Heart," and "One More Sad Song" prove that loud guitars and a broken heart make great rock & roll. A talented band destined for great things, All American Rejects are primed to be embraced by the masses.

Last update: 30-11-2007 11:13

After an EP on Jim Adkins' Western Tread label in early 2003, Arizona's the Format jumped to Elektra for Interventions and Lullabies, an album of accessible and often charming modern rock. The appropriately titled, airwave-ready "The First Single (You Know Me)" gets things off on the right foot, with a sugary, anthemic chorus propelled by chiming acoustic and electric guitars. While there are several enchanting, mellow moments, including the breathtaking, string-touched "On Your Porch," and "Give It Up," the pair's commercial aspirations on a ballad like "Tune Out" have singer Nate Ruess and multi-instrumentalist Sam Means coming closer to Goo Goo Dolls-like anonymity than any credible outfit should be comfortable with. That said, the majority of the time the Format sound pretty darn original, hopping from the waltzing, banjo-touched "A Mess to Be Made" to the punchy energy of "Sore Thumb" with great ease.

Last update: 30-11-2007 10:51

Last update: 30-11-2007 07:32

Initially released simply as Enya, The Celts shows that the style she became famous for on Watermark was already well under way. With production and lyrical help fully in place thanks to her husband-and-wife gurus Nicky and Roma Ryan, Enya's combination of Celtic traditionalism and distinctly modern approach finds lush flower here. All the elements that characterize her music -- open, clear nods to her Irish heritage, any number of vocal overdubs to create an echoing, haunting feeling, and layers of synth and electronic percussion -- can be found almost track for track. The flip side is that those who find such a combination to be gloopy mush won't be at all convinced further by her work here. It's understandable why folk music traditionalists and anti-mainstream types would get the hives, but those not coming from that angle will find much that's rewarding. Given that The Celts is a commissioned piece of work, it actually stands on its own quite well. The charging surge of the title track functions both as a fine introduction and its own stirring, quietly powerful anthem, a good sign for the rest of the album. There are a couple of slight missteps -- an electric guitar solo disrupts the string-and-vocal flow of the truly lovely "I Want Tomorrow," for instance. Generally, though, her musical instincts serve her very well, with many striking highlights. The appropriately three-part "Triad" showcases her ear for vocal work excellently, while both versions of "To Go Beyond," especially the second, which closes the disc with an exquisite extra string part, also are worthy of note.

Last update: 30-11-2007 07:09

 Review by Matt Collar at allmusic.com

While Duran Duran have worked steadily since their 1993 comeback, The Wedding Album, they haven't always sounded as stylish and creatively tuned-in as they do on 2007's Red Carpet Massacre. Perhaps it's because there hasn't always been a definitive sound for the band to catch onto in the way that adult alternative informed the mature aesthetic of The Wedding Album. Interestingly, rather than go for the sound of more obvious neo-new wave bands like the Killers, Red Carpet Massacre finds the original lineup of vocalist Simon LeBon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor, and drummer Roger Taylor — guitarist Andy Taylor left prior to recording — hooking up with modern dance-pop producers Danjahandz and Timbaland for a sound that at once returns the band to its edgy, club-oriented roots while also updating its sound to fit in on the radio next to such contemporary Timbaland-helmed acts as Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado. In fact, Timberlake even co-wrote and produced the very "FutureSex/LoveSounds"-ish ballad "Falling Down." These are darkly atmospheric, pulsating tracks that make the most of Duran Duran's longstanding knack for moody, somewhat cheeky dance-rock. To theses ends, dark disco cuts like "Nite-Runner" and "Skin Divers," with their dominatrix whip beats, high-pitched choruses, and obligatory Timbaland raps, are both deliciously hedonistic and crisply appointed electro-soul numbers. Similarly, tracks like the synth-driven title cut and the angular and oddly funky "Zoom In" come as close as the band has been in years to re-creating its own glamorous and neon-coated '80s aesthetic.

Last update: 30-11-2007 11:39