DJ Play, The Premiere CD Review Column

By Daniel E. Klatt

If I said some of my favorite things, bedtime stories involving picking on a rare bird, you would say I'm sadistic and you would send me lots of letters and boycott my homepage forever and I would fade into obscurity before the bird would land.

But in this case I'm talking about the Material Girl, an Eagles tribute album and a pianist doing covers of mainly musicals, along with lesser known pieces you likely will enjoy. Let's put away the toys and talk about the noise.


POP ROCK

Madonna, Bedtime Stories, (Maverick Recording)


Madonna's stories are more reflective and less controversial than her previous works, for the most part.

"Survival" introduces what she describes in the song as her story. Here she even tells critics if they respect her, then they can expect it from her. She also admits she's not a saint or angel.

The ambitious blonde offers a little of her sexual mores-busting side in "I'd Rather Be Your Lover." She offers to act out the roll of her lover's favorite family member: sister, brother or mother.

"Don't Stop" is the best example of the major flaw in this recording. There's no life expressed. Especially this song sounds as though the only live element of the track is Madonna's voice, and the rest of the music comes from a synthesizer.

The artificial sounds, especially the repetitive drum beat, leave listeners dry, similar to powdered milk - it doesn't quite match the quality of the real thing.

Otherwise, the song probably accomplishes all it sets out to, to create a meaningless number people can move their feet to.

"Secret" deserves all the airplay and Billboard awards it receives. Shhh, don't tell anyone, but Madonna is pretty talented if one looks at her work through all the mud everyone throws on it. Here is a good example of her talents at work.

"Take a Bow" is a better example. The lyrics are creative and something most listeners can relate to. The music, her voice, everything works together to produce what will stand out among Madonna's best songs.

"Forbidden Love" has a sound radio should have uncovered and "Love Tried To Welcome Me" almost captures the same sound that "Rain" did on Erotica, a song which took the charts by storm.

Bedtime Stories is not a sleeper, but it's not something everyone will want to curl up with, either.

Click here for a library of Madonna Midi files.

OO


JAZZ

Mike Strickland, My Favorite Things, (MSP Records)


The acoustic pianist here has chosen to record his favorite songs, which he has enjoyed performing during his 25-year career.

He performs "Norwegian Wood," by the Beatles, which includes Strickland's interpretations of the song most listeners will find familiar. The new version can't match the quality of the original, and almost sounds like a Muzac trashing of the Beatles' song, except that Strickland hopes to entertain listeners with his version, rather than coerce them into buying laundry detergent and vitamins.

His piano style seems catored to "Fur Elise/Windmills of Your Mind," from "The Thomas Crown Affair." The name may sound unfamiliar, but semi-cultured listeners will have heard the famous piano song, which Strickland performs well.

Almost everyone also will enjoy Strickland's rendition of the famous Peanuts' song, "Linus and Lucy," which the pianist and his band perform close to the original. This song makes listeners remember the Peanuts' specials they probably watched on television as a child or with their own youngsters.

The title track to "Beauty and the Beast" reminds listeners more of the hit song with vocals rather than the movie, but the instrumental still sounds good. It conjures up sentiments that viewers experienced during the movie, especially the love scenes. Another highlight of the release is the title track, made famous from "The Sound of Music." Strickland's version sounds almost as good as the song sung by several leading women throughout the decades. This song and the Peanuts' classic may haunt listeners well after the disc stops spinning, because both are so catchy.

Strickland also records music from "Phantom of the Opera," "Schindler's List," and other lesser known songs that people who hear the disk will probably consider great just from the pianist's versions.

Overall, the disc is fun to hear and full of good music, either because of his work or in spite of it.

OOO


BLUEGRASS

Nashville Superpickers, Pickin' on the Eagles, (CMH Records)


The Nashville Superpickers make the Eagles' best songs soar to new heights.

"Hotel California" starts about the same as the famous original, but it becomes more lively on this version and actually sounds better. The nearly five-minute recording could hold listeners' attention for two or three more minutes easily - it sounded so good it seemed to end too soon.

The "Pickin' on" version of "Witchy Woman" doesn't match the quality of the original, because Don Henley's sassy voice gives the Eagles' version a quality banjos, guitars, dobros and fiddles can't duplicate. This version still sounds good, but it lacks the element that makes the song stand out.

On "Heartache Tonight," the band's instruments translate the song well, but part of the original's strength is the lyrics, the story of heartbreak, which the music can't mimick without changing the whole character of the song. "Take It Easy," however, shines as an example of the successful conversion to bluegrass and country. The song quickly moves through the verses of the original and sounds great.

"I Can't Tell You Why" also translates well into instrumental. The tangy quality of Timothy Schmidt sounds great converted to the twangy steel guitars of the Nashville Superpickers, in fact, a little better than the original, too. "Lyin' Eyes" suffers without the beautiful harmonies of Glenn Fry, but "Tequila Sunrise" sounds at least as interesting as the Eagles' classic.

Another song that fails in comparison to the original is "New Kid in Town," which, too, sounds almost empty without Fry's outstanding vocals. "Seven Bridges Road" is the most melodic song the Eagles perform, however it does translate well to instrumental. The Superpickers' version sounds interesting, melodic and brings a real western sound to the track.

Overall, picks and tones may break bones, but imitation is the best form of flattery, and the Nashville Superpickers' music is a great contrast to the songs the X generation grew up with.

Click here for a link to bluegrass resources on the Internet.

OOO1/2


Ratings are based on a scale of up to four discs, with one meaning the music is a waste of listeners’ money and four denoting an excellent disc that belongs on everyone’s shelf.

(C) 1995 Daniel E. Klatt Enterprises.

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