Bloggerhythms

Last week Bloggerhythms posted the first part of the top 10 CDs of the decade and counted down numbers 10 through 6. In case you missed it here is part 1 . Today we continue with the final 5. 5. The Corrs - Home (2006) Nothing I'm writing here about The Corrs is new. I've said before the band would have done far better artistically if they had stuck to their roots and played what is obviously their first love, Celtic folk music, but then they probably wouldn't be millionaires. Here, as a tribute to Jean Corr, their late mother, they celebrate both her memory and their heritage. The siblings took the songbook of Jean's band and added their trademark sound to the twelve tracks (most of them in an acoustic setting) to record Home , the best work in their catalog. 4. The Cat Empire - Two Shoes (2005) There isn't another band in the world as unusual as The Cat Empire. Bloggerhythms always gives points for uniqueness, especially if it's well done, and Two Shoe...

Another decade is rapidly drawing to a close so its time to ask where the past ten years will find itself in the annals of American history? When someone speaks about "The Roaring 20s," "The Sexy 60s," or "The 70s," (also known as "The Me Decade") people instantly conjure up certain images and news events associated with those time periods. Will this decade eventually do the same and acquire a nickname that will stereotype it forever? Is there a common cultural theme to identify the first decade of the still young century? If you have a good moniker for where we are today please let me know. As always, there was lots of news. The decade marked the election of the first mixed race President of the United States, but for most Americans, the single most important historical event was the tragedy of September 11, 2001 and its aftermath that we are still living with today. The past ten years were not the best years for war or peace, or for many...

Rhino's Billboard's Greatest Christmas Hits, Volume 1 (1935-1954) and Volume 2 (1955- Present) contain twenty classic songs, ten on each disc. All were top 40 hits or million sellers over the decades since they were recorded. Most have become perennial classics, heard every December, until you can't stand it anymore. Volume 1 contains Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" and Gene Autry's original versions of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and "Here Comes Santa Claus." Also included are "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," from twelve year old Jimmy Boyd, a one hit wonder in 1952, Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby," and "All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)" by Spike Jones.   Volume 2 is even better due to the presence of much loved Christmas songs such as Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock," "The Chipmunk Song," Elvis's "Blue Christmas," Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Aroun...

Putumayo has always released a lot of high quality American jazz compilations as part of their international focus on music and Putumayo Presents: New Orleans Christmas is no exception. Just from reading its title there should be no surprise that New Orleans Christmas is a jazz and blues CD. All eleven tracks feature artists who are natives of the Crescent City or have a long time affiliation with the town's jazz scene. One of the many jazz veterans who appear on the disc is Lars Edegran, an unknown to the general public even though he has had a long and impeccable career in the business. Edegran is a former Academy Award nominee, garnering the honor in 1979 for the soundtrack to the Louis Malle film, Pretty Baby . On "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" a big band frames Big Al Carson, a popular New Orleans R&B singer for a rousing version of this often tired old classic. Singer and trumpeter James Andrews does his best Louis Armstrong on "Christmas...