Etta James - Time After Time CD

Time After Time songs Adele's 2009 debut album, 19, was a Grammy-winning smash hit that revealed the British singer/songwriter's knack for bittersweet soul and folk-infused love songs that brought to mind an infectious mix of Dusty Springfield and Terry Callier. The album earned her a ton of fans, and interest was high for the inevitable follow-up. In many ways, her sophomore album, the similarly age-appropriate-titled 21, is a continuation of the sounds and themes Adele was working with on 19. She is still the bluesy pop diva with a singer/songwriter's soul and seemingly bottomless capacity for heartbreak. The best thing the album does is to showcase Adele's titanic vocal ability, which -- more than a few times on 21 -- is simply spine-tingling. Last time around we got the gauzy, Callier-esque folk-soul ballad "Daydreamer" to slowly draw us into the album; here, Adele immediately injects us with the propulsive gospel fever-blues anthem "Rolling in the Deep." While the track certainly owes a heavy debt to the punk-blues of Beth Ditto and the Gossip, it is also ridiculously sexy and one of the best singles of any decade. Elsewhere, we get tracks like the blues-inflected Ryan Tedder co-write "Rumour Has It" and the old-school-style soul cut "He Won't Go," which are terrifically catchy, booty-shaking numbers and exactly the kind of songs you want and expect from Adele. Similarly enthralling is the centerpiece of the album, the mega-ballad showstopper "Take It All." Co-written by her "Chasing Pavements" partner Francis White, the song begins with Adele proclaiming "Didn't I give it all?" Delivered starkly at first with Adele set against simple piano accompaniment and later backed by a gospel choir, it's an instant-classic sort of song in the tradition of "The Rose," "And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going," and "All by Myself" that could stand over the years as a career landmark for the singer and a cathartic moment for fans who identify with their idol's Pyrrhic lovelorn persona. Ultimately, Adele does give us her all on 21, and for now that is enough. ~ Matt Collar Editor: Dana Nielsen. Photographer: Lauren Dukoff. Personnel: Adele (vocals). Recording information: AirStudios, London, England; Angel Studios, London, England; Eastcote Studios, London, England; Harmony Studios, West Hollywood, CA; metropolis Studios, London, England; Myaudiotonic Studios, London, England; Patriot Studios, Denver, CO; Serenity Sound, Hollywood, CA; Shangri La Studios, Malibu, CA; Sphere Studios, London, England; Wendyhouse Productions, London, England.

Time After Time CD music Originally released on Argo (4003). Includes liner notes by Andy McKaie. Digitally remastered by Erick Labson (MCA Music Media Studios, North Hollywood, California). When Etta James signed with Chess Records in 1960, the label decided to pair her raw, bluesy singing with a full backing band and lush orchestrations. AT LAST!, her Chess debut, shows the formula working to fine effect, as it highlights the singer's facility with different approaches including torchy balladry, jazz crooning, growling blues, and R&B shouting. She sounds equally at home on Willie Dixon stompers ("I Just Want To Make Love To You"), standards ("Stormy Weather"), and down-tempo soul workouts (the beautiful title track). James performs several duets with Moonglows vocalist (and then-boyfriend) Harvey Fuqua, including Dixon's "Spoonful," the duo's self-penned "My Heart Cries," and the chart-hit "If I Can't Have You." The emotionally wrenching "All I Could Do Is Cry" (the lyrics have the singer watching her beloved marry another), and soothing, romantic "Trust in Me" were hits on both the pop and R&B charts, assuring the singer's name recognition and paving the way for her future successes. AT LAST! is a fine set of R&B, blues, and jazz songs that showcase James's versatility and powerhouse pipes. Reissue producer: Andy McKaie. Personnel includes: Etta James, Harvey Fuqua (vocals); Riley Hampton Orchestra. Producers: Leonard Chess, Phil Chess.

Time After Time buy CD music Though he's created some of the most essential, elemental blues in musical history, B.B. King has never shied away from exploring different directions, and some might say he's occasionally ventured too far afield. ONE KIND FAVOR should silence those doubters; with the help of superproducer T-Bone Burnett's roots noir approach, it finds King delivering gritty, impassioned interpretations of the tunes that influenced him in the 1950s. From his soulful, syncopated take on Blind Lemon Jefferson's country blues classic "See That My Grave is Kept Clean" to the Chicago-style stomping takeover of the Mississippi Sheiks' "The World Is Gone Wrong," King proves that at the age of 82 he can still turn out fiery, energetic music as undeniably vital as anything being produced by artists a third of his age. Arrangers: Darrell Leonard; Geoff Muldaur. Personnel: B.B. King (vocals, electric guitar); Johnny Lee Schell (guitar); Jeffrey Clayton, Keith Fiddmont (alto saxophone); Rickey Woodard, Thomas R. Peterson, Charles Owens (tenor saxophone); Ernie Fields Jr. (baritone saxophone); Darrell Leonard, Snooky Young (trumpet); Ira Nepus (trombone); Randall Aldcroft, Alexander Iles (euphonium); Dr. John (piano); Neil Larsen (Hammond b-3 organ); Nathan East (acoustic bass); Mike Elizondo (electric bass); Jim Keltner, Jay Bellerose (drums, percussion). Audio Mixer: Mike Piersante.

Time After Time album for sale The Duke Meets the Earl seems like an obvious album, pairing two of New England's finest contemporary blues guitarists, Duke Robillard and Ronnie Earl, who both share the same sort of hard, clear tone in their playing (Earl actually replaced Robillard in Roomful of Blues when the latter left the group for a solo career). For Earl, who has been working in a kind of jazz blues hybrid style in recent years, it marks a return to straight blues, and with guests like Jimmy McGriff and Mighty Sam McClain aboard on select tracks, The Duke Meets the Earl has the feel of a super session. Throughout, Earl's guitar is featured in the left channel and Robillard's in the right, leading to some wonderful guitar dialogues, particularly on an epic, nearly 16-minute-long version of Walter Price's "My Tears." Another extended workout occurs on "A Soul That's Been Abused," an Earl original, which features McClain on vocals and stretches out to just over 13 minutes. McGriff brings his Hammond B-3 magic to two cuts, Eddie Taylor's "Lookin' for Trouble" and B.B. King's "I Need You So Bad," while the B-3 part on "A Soul That's Been Abused" is handled by Dave Limina. Other highlights include covers of T-Bone Walker's "Two Bones and a Pick," Magic Sam's "What Have I Done Wrong," and Earl's smooth, clear slide style on another original, "Zeb's Thing." With only eight tracks, but clocking in at over 70 minutes, The Duke Meets the Earl gives these two fine guitarists plenty of room to talk to each other, and the result is a classy set of no-frills contemporary blues, with just the slightest hint of jazz to keep it all smooth. ~ Steve Leggett Live Recording Liner Note Authors: Ronnie Earl; Duke Robillard. Recording information: Dogearz Recording, Portland, ME; Duke's Mood Room, Pawtucket, RI; Wellspring Studios, Acton, MA. Illustrator: Ed McConnell. Photographer: Holger Petersen. Personnel: Ronnie Earl (guitar, slide guitar); Ronnie Earl; Dave Limina, Jimmy McGriff (Hammond b-3 organ); Rod Carey (bass instrument); Jesse Williams (acoustic bass, double bass, electric bass, bass guitar); Mark Teixeira (drums); Duke Robillard (vocals, guitar); Mighty Sam McClain (vocals); Matt McCabe (piano). Audio Mixers: Duke Robillard; Huck Bennert.

Time After Time CD music Otis Rush has the home-court advantage on this live set recorded in Chicago, and he had just recently made his first album for Delmark--the great COLD DAY IN HELL--when he played this gig. Consequently both the musicians and a number of the tunes on the setlist hail from that album, though a couple of those are also Rush classics he'd recorded before, like this disc's title tune. This is mid-period Rush at his best, ripping into the songs with ferocious abandon, and really stretching out on the six-string (though never in a self-indulgent fashion). When "Cold Day In Hell" (DMK #638) was released in 1976, it was the first full-length album Otis Rush had out in quite some time. Later that year, a live show at The Wise Fools was recorded which was broadcast on Chicago's WXRT and used as a promotional Audio Mixers: Steve Wagner ; Ken Rasek. Liner Note Author: Steve Tomashefsky. Recording information: The Wise Fools Pub, Chicago, IL (01/1976). Personnel: Otis Rush (vocals, guitar); Otis Rush; Bob Levis (guitar); Chris Mason (alto saxophone); Rawl Hardman (tenor saxophone); Bob Stroger (bass instrument); Alberto Gianquinto (electric piano); Jesse Lewis Green (drums). Additional personnel: Chris Mason, Rawl Hardman.

Time After Time buy CD music Duke Robillard pays homage to T-Bone Walker with this collection of swing, big band and blues songs. The bubbly and bouncy "Lonesome Woman Blues" has a be-bop Count Basie feeling as his supporting players are given brief solos to shine, particularly the horn section. There is far more substance and style to this approach than a rehashed run-through à la Brian Setzer. This fluidity continues, albeit a bit slower in tempo with the swinging "T-Bone Shuffle" which carries the same head-bobbing groove. Here the horns lead the way but Robillard makes his presence felt on guitar near the homestretch, and throughout the stellar "Pony Tail." The barroom blues and drum brushes on "Love Is a Gamble" takes things down to a creepy crawl, bringing to mind Dr. John or Delbert McClinton. An early favorite has to be the rousing and toe-tapping "Alimony Blues," an indication that Robillard wants to pay tribute in the right way by nailing each song beautifully. The same can be said for the finger-snapping "T-Bone Boogie," which just touches a guitar style of Chuck Berry in its introduction and also near the closing rave-up. The ebb and flow of the album is probably its greatest strength, as "Blue Mood" has Robillard up to his waist in the blues. The lengthy nine-minute epic "I'm Still in Love With You" seems to sag in parts, partly because the momentum isn't consistent for the song. It also brings to mind Fats Domino often. "Born to Be No Good" has a better fate, especially with Robillard evoking the styles of B.B. King and Clapton circa From the Cradle on this number -- meticulous and deliberate but quite engaging. "This has been an inspirational project of the highest order for me," Robillard says in the liner notes. The end result is another charming record. ~ Jason MacNeil Live Recording Tributee: T-Bone Walker. Personnel: Duke Robillard (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Duke Robillard; Gordon "Sax" Beadle, Sax Gordon (tenor saxophone); Jesse Williams (double bass); Mark Teixeira (drums); Billy Novick (clarinet, alto saxophone); Doug James (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); John Abrahamsen (trumpet); Al Basile (cornet); Carl Querfurth (trombone); Matt McCabe (piano). Audio Mixer: John Paul Gauthier. Liner Note Author: Duke Robillard. Recording information: Lakewest Recording, West Greenwich, RI. Photographer: Laurene Robillard.