Sly the Family Stone released its aptly titled debut, "A Whole New Thing," 40 years ago. The multiracial, multi-gender group from the San Francisco Bay area was indeed a timely breath of fresh air in 1967, mixing soul, funk, rock and R B into one intoxicating musical brew. To commemorate, Epic/Legacy has packaged the first seven albums in a box set titled "The Collection.
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Having the complete collection allows us to follow the evolution of the band through historical liner notes, photo s and, of course, the music. Lyrically Sly Stone, born Sylvester Stewart, touched on uplifting themes ("You Can Make It if You Try," "Dance to the Music," "Underdog"), but he wasn't afraid to take on social issues ( "Babies Makin' Babies," "There's a Riot Going On").
The best album start to finish is "Stand!
" Released in 1969, it features four charting tunes. "Everyday People" reached No. 1 on Billboard's pop and R B charts.
Each reissued CD in "The Collection" has been touched up in the production area and includes bonus tracks.
Jeff Maisey, Lifestyles Magazine
Tracks to download: "Underdog," "Stand," "Everyday People"
First, Bjork is on here, so you know it can't all be good.
Actually, someone must have told Bjork to tone down the weird on "The Boho Dance.
" The dishonor of worst-weirdest offering goes, sadly, to Elvis Costello's "Edith and the Kingpin."
Loose interpretations, such as Prince's soulful "A Case of You" and Sufjan Stevens' trumpet-rich "Free Man in Paris" won't remind you of the originals, but they're also the best tracks here.
Other offerings - "Blue" by Sarah McLachlan and "Help Me" by k.
d. lang - are beautiful but duplicates of the originals.
Recording for this began in 1999, which may help account for the tracks lacking a common thread.
Two of Mitchell's biggest hits, "Big Yellow Taxi" (recently covered by Counting Crows) and "Both Sides Now," are missing. They'll wait for a more comprehensive, and perhaps more even, tribute album.
John Warren, The Pilot
Tracks to download: "A Case of You," "Free Man in Paris," "Dreamland"
With "Country Ghetto," lead singer/main songwriter JJ Grey focuses his keen eye on Southern rural culture while furthering the Americana roots sound he calls "front-porch soul.
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Grey loves to pass himself off as a good ol' po' boy from northern Florida's swamplands, but his engaging songs tackle a host of indigenous subjects. Topics include the marginalization of Southern culture, slices of rural country life, decrying the development of his beloved Sunshine State's wild lands, ongoing cultural and social wars and the plight of po' Southern folks, white and black - but Grey's opinions, Dixie boosterism and dead-on observations aren't preachy or boring.
He wisely informs each song - titles include "War," "Country Ghetto" and "Turpentine" - with dollops of country blues, raw rock and lots of funkified Stax-Volt soul.
Backed by the groove-happy Mofro, Grey adds a believable, raspy voice somewhere between Otis Redding and Tony Joe White.
Mofro's sound is a visceral blend of roots styles. On warm summer evenings, slap this sucker on, head for the front porch and rock 'n' groove all night.
Eric Feber, The Pilot
Tracks to download: "War," title song, "Tragic"
So what separates these Disney or former Disney divas and their music?
And Hilary Duff's latest CD, "Dignity," proves it.
Hayden Panettiere.
Ashley Tisdale. Lindsay Lohan. You'd have to be a tween or teen to tell them apart.
That's why singers like Duff and others do well in the not-so-musically-savvy market. I just wonder how many of these girls (and guys) will grow up and listen to their pubescent idols.
Maybe I'm not being fair as I approach middle age, but listening to Duff's CD made me feel smug about the music I chose as a teen, including The Beatles, R.
E.M. and The Cure.
Nowadays, it's about techno beats, distorted vocals and, well, sameness. Admittedly, Duff's CD is danceable with some positive messages, albeit trite: "You got to know yourself to be yourself, it's a struggle every day," Duff sings on "No Work, All Play."
Nonetheless, she's left Lizzie McGuire in the dust and has embarked on her adult-music career, although the voyage's success remains unclear.
Toni Guagenti, The Pilot
Tracks to download: "Stranger," "Outside of You," "Play With Fire"
Shirley Murdock gained breakthrough success with a distinctive alto sound that laced desperate ballads like "As We Lay" and "Go On Without You," but love changes things - especially the love of Jesus Christ. So much for musing about sleeping with another woman's husband and lusting after an unfit man.
In several interviews, Murdock said she never left the church but formally got into gospel music in 2002 with "Home.
" She and her husband, Dale DeGroat, take the production reins on her latest, "Soulfood."
Mid-tempo track "I Love Me Better Than That" gets plenty of local airplay and encourages a woman to ditch a no-good man and recognize who she is in the eyes of Christ. The funk comes through on "The F.
O.G. (The Favor of God)" and "Praise Him," while the choir vibe explodes on "Shout Now" and "The Invitation/Nothing but the Blood.
" Though the project may not hit a home run with die-hard contemporary gospel fans, it's surely full of R B-inspired sounds that veteran Murdock fans can appreciate.
DeAnne M. Bradley, Link
Tracks to download: "F.
O.G.
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