OneRepublic - Dreaming Out Loud [2007]
When a remixed version of “Apologize” wound its way onto Timbaland Presents Shock Value in early 2007, OneRepublic was faced with an odd predicament — the group had a number one pop hit without an accompanying album. Dreaming Out Loud corrects that problem, delivering a marketable brand of piano-led pop/rock that recalls the melodies of [...]
Sugababes - Taller in More Ways [2005]
Sugababes were one of the most consistently successful British pop acts of the 2000s, with an unparalleled string of innovative Top Ten singles and solid if not faultless full-lengths. Their fourth, the awkwardly named Taller in More Ways, was no exception — indeed it was their first album to hit number one, and among their [...]
Juno Reactor - Gods & Monsters [2008]
This is the seventh awakening of Juno Reactor, which has transformed its sound through film music. From The Matrix films (”Reloaded” and “Revolutions”), to his work in the Japanese films “Brave Story” and “Dimension Bomb”, composer Ben Watkins’ fascination with Japanese animation makes its way to this release. The evolution of Juno Reactor defines the [...]
Madonna’s eleventh, and final, studio album for Warner Bros., Hard Candy is a brilliant up-tempo collection that adds a hip-hop beat to the cultural icon’s club sensibilities, thanks to collaborations with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and Nate “Danja” Hills. Following her previous studio album, 2005’s Confessions On A Dance Floor, which debuted #1 and [...]
30 Seconds to Mars - A Beautiful Lie [2005]
It’s easy to take potshots at actors turned musicians, since it often seems like the actors are taking advantage of their celebrity by turning into recording stars. This ignores two facts: first, often these actors have been playing music for as long as they’ve been acting; and second, who’s to say that these critics, if [...]
