New Releases, June 20: Nelly Furtado, Madonna, Keane
Nelly Furtado “Loose”
“Loose,” Canadian singer Nelly Furtado’s first new album since 2003’s “Folklore,” looks like it will mark a recovery from the disappointing sales of its predecessor. The new cut “Maneater” is now spending a second week at No. 1 on the UK singles chart, helping to lead the album to a No. 5 debut on the UK album chart.
In the US, lead single “Promiscuous,” a duet with her “Loose” collaborator Timbaland, currently sits at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Furtado made a splash in 2000 with her hit “I’m Like a Bird,” from her debut set, “Whoa Nelly.”
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Madonna “I’m Going to Tell You a Secret”
If you didn’t get what you wanted on Madonna’s Confessions tour–namely, the old hits–you might want to give this CD/DVD set a spin. The Material Girl delivers the goods with “I’m Going to Tell You a Secret,” which documents the pop star’s Reinvention World Tour of 2004. The collection includes such fan favorites and chart toppers as “Vogue,” “Like a Prayer,” “Music” and “Into the Groove.” The disc also includes a version of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
Unlike some CD/DVD sets, which offer more for the ears than for the eyes, “I’m Going to Tell You a Secret” could be well worth watching. The Reinvention tour was one of the most elaborately staged productions of recent years.
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Keane “Under the Iron Sea”
Don’t call Keane a bunch of slackers. In 2004-05, the band toured its native UK four times and made five treks through the US, which included opening for U2. The group also visited Mexico, Japan, and Australia, and played at the massive Live 8 show in London.
Somehow, amid all this touring activity, the band found time to record a follow-up to 2004’s “Hopes and Fears.” The first single from this 11-track new set is titled “Is it Any Wonder?”
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Corinne Bailey Rae “Corinne Bailey Rae”
Corinne Bailey Rae is already a big star in Great Britain. The singer’s eponymous debut entered the UK album chart at No. 1 back in March–making Bailey the first female British artist to accomplish that feat with a debut record of original songs. Since that impressive start, “Corinne Bailey Rae” has gone on to achieve double-platinum certification in the UK.
Now, Rae is hoping to capture the hearts of fans living on the other side of the Atlantic. The vocalist, who has been compared to both Norah Jones and Macy Gray, is certainly getting plenty of valuable exposure. Notably, she is scheduled to appear June 27 on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” and iTunes recently selected Rae’s song “Put Your Records On” as its Single of the Week.
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Gram Parsons “The Complete Reprise Sessions”
Gram Parsons helped write the book on country-rock with his solo albums “GP” and “Grievous Angel.” “The Complete Reprise Sessions,” a set that no self-respecting alt-country fan should be without, presents remastered and expanded versions of both of those landmark albums.
The inclusion of a third disc in the set–which features alternative takes from the recording sessions for those two albums–is what will really have big Parsons fans standing in line to buy “The Complete Reprise Sessions.”
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Guster “Ganging Up on the Sun”
Guster, a group that manages to appeal to both Phish-heads and frat boys, returns with its first studio album in three years. “Ganging Up on the Sun” was co-produced by Ron Aniello, who is the same guy who helmed the controls for Guster’s last outing, “Keep It Together.”
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More new releases:
Marc Cohn, “Greatest Hits” (Rhino)
Paula Cole, “Greatest Hits” (Rhino)
Counting Crows, “New Amsterdam: Live at Heineken Music Hall February 6, 2003” (Geffen)
Cute Is What We Aim For, “The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch” (Fueled by Ramen)
Dragonforce, “Inhuman Rampage” (Roadrunner)
Front Line Assembly, “Artificial Soldier”
Donell Jones, “Journey of a Gemini” (Le Face)
Salif Keita, “M’Bemba” (Decca)
Carlos Libedinsky, “Narcotango” (Tademus)
Lordi, “Arockalypse” (BMG)
Willie Nelson, “Willie Nelson: The Complete Atlantic Sessions” (Rhino)
Old 97’s, “The Best of Old 97’s” (Rhino)
Diana Ross, “Blue” (Motown)
Walter Trout, “Full Circle” (Ruf)
Underoath, “Define the Great Line” (Tooth and Nail)
Soundtracks and scores:
Battlestar Galactica: Season 2 (La-La Land)
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