| From This Week In Texas Music
On the reality television juggernaut that is
American Idol, head dawg
Randy Jackson has become as famous for judging young would-be musicians as he is for his work with musical giants like
Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. With
Randy Jackson’s Music Club, Volume One, the first release on his Dream Merchant 21 imprint, Jackson returns to his off-screen roots by producing a 12-track disc featuring a veritable who’s who of music heavyweights. Covering every musical genre from pop and R&B to country and gospel,
Randy Jackson’s Music Club, Volume One is an ambitious project that, while never hitting any serious lows, certainly has some moments that stand head and shoulders above the rest. The album’s first single “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow,” Paula Abdul’s first new recording in ten years, is a prime example of one of disc’s high points. Never known for out of this world vocals, Abdul’s great strength has always been in finding the perfect pop grooves to highlight her limited range. “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow” is such a track. What could quite easily have been a disaster for Abdul after such a long break from recording is instead a triumph, which is a testament to Jackson’s skill as a producer.
From there, the CD enters a bit more pedestrian territory with the marginally entertaining “What Am I Afraid Of” from
Trisha Covington, the dismally derivative throwaway track “Like” by
The Crunk Squad (featuring
Ghostface Killa) and the sappy “Who’s Gonna Love You Now” by
Kelli Love. Thankfully the disc picks up again with more original tracks like the bluesy “Wang Dang Doodle” which interestingly pairs soul legend
Sam Moore with neo-soul diva
Angie Stone and the mid-tempo hand-clapper “Real Love” with vocals courtesy of
Katherine McPhee. The genre bending disc ends on a note as high as the one that kicked it off with the hair-raising gospel number “I Understand” featuring vocal powerhouses
Kim Burrell and
Bebe Winans backed by a heavenly choir of soul-shouting voices. Though at times feeling like a sampler of what might be yet to come from Jackson’s new label,
Randy Jackson’s Music Club, Volume One stands on its own as a collection with tentacles that cut across a number of charts for months to come. >>
Buy the CD
Kylie Minogue /
All I See (Single)
>>
Buy the CD
Natasha Bedingfield’s hit single “Love Like This” featuring Sean Kingston finds a second life courtesy of these dance floor ready mixes from Johnny Vicious and Kings of Tomorrow. Yet more reasons to fall in love with this infectious pop ditty. Until next time… Cheers! |
The same can be said of “Just Walk On By”, a funky, soulful jam sung with gusto by Joss Stone. Young, fresh, and filled with that old-school vibe with which Stone has become known for investing her music, this track is probably the disc’s best and would certainly make a strong second single. 
The first single from Aussie pop princess Kylie Minogue’s upcoming album,