Bloggerhythms

All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release is a thoroughly entertaining coffee table book that is a chronological reference guide about their recording career. It's a massive volume that is chock full of information that needn't be read as a cohesive whole. The five pound, 653 page, encyclopedia covers all of The Beatles' songs. The inspiration behind every track is discussed, along with details of how each one was constructed and recorded in the studio, which Beatle played what instrument, and what support outside musicians contributed during their guest appearances. We also learn a lot of background and biographical information because quite often the quartet's personal lives fueled a song's creation. Also included are many photographs that you've probably never seen before. The book begins in Hamburg where the band, recording under the name "The Beat Brothers" and with Pete Best still on board, served as a backup group for Tony S...

Some singers are outstanding in any format. They are the ones who can easily rise above the restrictions that are sometimes thrust upon them by record companies and popular trends. The great Annie Haslam, on this self-titled, eleven song CD that is her attempt at staying relevant after her time in the spotlight had passed, is one of them. Here, away from Renaissance, she succumbed to the very trendy synthesizers and electronic drums that took over pop music during the era this album was created. The electronics, of course, wash all musicality and originality out of her arrangements. Fortunately, the English prog-rock singer uses her gorgeous five octave range to minimize the distractions. Haslam is so good here that the listener frequently doesn't even notice the mundane music behind her and by the album's mid-point she offers up two co-written tunes, "She's the Light" and "Celestine," that almost take her back to her roots. There are enough touch...