GrooveOut Shorts

Courtney Love
America’s Sweetheart
How could you hate Courtney Love? I mean how could you not like Courtney Love? Most folks fall hard to one side or the other, but you have to admit she’s carved out a significant place for herself, and she’s really done it with her bare hands. She’s not a great songwriter, nor a gifted guitar player, definitely doesn’t have a great voice, and isn’t even what you would call classically beautiful. What she is, though, is very convincing. It is precisely that which makes her a good actor, and it’s also ultimately what makes her records more listenable. Since the disbanding of her 13-year-old rock band Hole back in 2002, she has been quiet on the music front, but it has apparently been a time of some exile and work. Pairing up with co-writer Linda Perry (Pink, Christina Aguilera), famed lyricist Bernie Taupin, and a tremendous lineup of musicians including Wayne Kramer (MC5), Jerry Best (Dio), and Kim Deal (Pixies, Breeders), Love hasn’t exactly bested her former rock outfit, but she has nevertheless penned a somewhat fitting follow-up. The songs are a lot tamer in their delivery and the lyrics don’t have the same pensive looks-could-kill glare for which she’s been known in the past, but it feels like the record she wanted to make. In that, she is again convincing us, and she’ll likely continue to do so as long as she’s got a record deal. From Virgin/EMI (www.virginrecords.com). —Lance Walker

Indigo Girls
All That I Let In
Amy Ray and Emily Sailers, known to their fans as the Indigo Girls, are both superb songwriters with distinctively different styles. This album includes empowering, upbeat songs written by the duo. “All That I Let In” is an optimistic song that has a tragic beginning—Sailers wrote the title track after losing an activist friend in a car accident. With a combination of folk, rock, and alternative sounds, the Indigo Girls have become one of the most critically claimed duos of their genre. From Epic Records (www.epicrecords.com). More info: www.indigogirls.com. —Andrea Rodricks

Justin Tranter
Tear Me Together
Considering the fact that he is portrayed in various stages of death and malice on his record cover and inserts, Justin Tranter isn’t worried about being sexy. No, this openly gay singer just wants to get the message across—and the message is gonna take you all over the place. Tranter is a study in restlessness, which is evident right away by the title of the record. Despite the dark tone of his record cover, the songs are actually bright and fairly positive. Tranter sings pop songs that echo his off-Broadway involvement of years past and, more recently, his time spent in smoky rock clubs all over the East Coast. But beyond that, you could go so far as to call him a modern-day Liberace. Don’t quote me on that one … unless it catches on. From 3rd Verse Records. More info: www.justintranter.com. —LW

Elizabeth White
Dance for Rain
Brilliant acoustical arrangements are backed up by straightforward, heart-on-her-sleeve lyrics on Dance for Rain, the second release by up-and-coming singer/songwriter Elizabeth White. Her soft and soothing vocals blend easily with her soulful and earnest guitar, and the music composition itself is harmonious enough to give legends like Melissa Etheridge and the Indigo Girls a run for their money. Dance for Rain would be a therapeutic soundtrack to almost any emotional situation life can throw, from a romantic evening spent curled up in front of a fireplace to the solitary aftermath of a tearful break-up: a must have for any fan of the female folk-rock genre. —Thomas Blanton

Josh Zuckerman
a totally new sensation
Openly gay Josh Zuckerman has made the rounds. The young Jersey singer/songwriter/musician grew up playing in bands in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, before joining the international group “Up With People,” traveling with them for two years to various spots around the globe. Aside from their likely countless high school auditorium gigs (I know I sat through them three or four times in high school), his stint in Up With People included a performance at the 1996 Olympics to an audience of over 40,000. He has been brought back down to Earth a bit now, releasing his own collection of songs borrowing from alt-country and pop, focusing on vocal harmonies and a lifetime’s worth of songwriting finally coming to bloom. From PLH Records. For more info: www.joshzuckerman.com. —LW

Sophie B Hawkins
Wilderness
The musically accomplished Sophie B. Hawkins is a singer/songwriter with a terrific voice and provocative lyrics. Wilderness is her first independently recorded and released album on her own label, Trumpet Swan Records. Hawkins is as natural and creative as ever—you can hear it in her voice. The album is a journey into the wilderness of the soul—finding that place that is untouched by any other. She went against everything everyone told her and put out her most liberated album to date. From Lightyear Entertainment (www.lightyear.com). More info: www.sophiebhawkins.com. —AR

Rebecca Luker
Leaving Home
On Leaving Home, Rebecca Luker—a passionate and lyrical soprano called “radiant” by The New York Times and “the most beautiful voice around” by The Washington Post—returns to her roots to reinterpret the music of her formative years: the folk and rock compositions of iconic music figures Joni Mitchell (“River,” “Chelsea Morning”), Billy Joel (“You’re My Home”), Carly Simon (“Boys in the Trees”), John Lennon and Paul McCartney (“She’s Leaving Home”), and Janis Ian (“Getting Over You”). Also included are contemporary songs from the worlds of pop and theater that echo the story-telling spirit of classic works. From PS Classics (www.psclassics.com). —Troy Carrington

Simply Red
Home
Any jazz or easy-listening music fan will enjoy this album and the memorable music of Simply Red that brims with a lot of soul and laid-back grooves. The soulful vocals of Mick Hucknall can be heard on Bob Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" and late reggae legend Dennis Brown's "Money in My Pocket." Few artists can claim the worldwide superstar status of Simply Red. From simplyred.com (www.simplyred.com). —AR

JC Chasez
Schizophrenic
There are some who will forever stand in the shadows of giants, and there are others who will just eternally feel their wrath. JC Chasez’s N’Sync bandmate Justin Timberlake got over on every viewer of the 2004 Super Bowl by ripping off part of Janet Jackson’s wardrobe during the halftime show, exposing her breast and infuriating millions of unwitting fans. The ultimate punishment for that act came a few days later, though, when Chasez was dropped from the customarily tepid Pro Bowl halftime show. Not his fault, no, but someone had to take the blade on that one, and pretty boy Chasez was the NFL’s obvious choice. Viewers might not have really missed anything, though—there is nothing incredibly special about the songs on Chasez’s solo effort. It is a collection of somewhat aimless dance tracks, some with great vocals and others with really interesting backing tracks, but this record doesn’t really feel like it’s about anything. Chasez is a vehicle for the product, a voice and a face—but not much more. The content just feels really, really thin and lacking. To his credit, though, he does escape the trap of N’Sync for a bit. The platoon of producers he brought on for this record at least did him the favor of making the recordings sound a lot different and a lot more interesting than the band that made him famous. In order to step out of the band’s shadow, however, he’ll have to convince everyone he’s actually got something to say. From Jive Records (www.jiverecords.com). —LW

Little Richard
Get Down With It: The Okeh Sessions
The “architect of rock and roll” exploded into the American consciousness in the mid-’50s and continues to make his mark on music history entertaining fans worldwide with his unique blend of music and a hard-to-match energy. The dynamic sound of these previously unreleased tracks along with old favorites embodies his musical influences. Excellent arrangements make this a superb album. It’s no wonder Little Richard continues to be an active performer and music icon. From Legacy (www.legacyrecords.com). More info: www.rhythmandsoul.net or www.sonymusic.com. —AR

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