‘Lost in Transition’
Sixpence None the Richer (Tyger Jim Records)
Matt Slocum, co-founder and guitarist of Sixpence None the Richer, says the group has fully changed since they broke up in 2004 and reunited three years after. But that doesn’t reveal itself as a metamorphosis in the songs on their new album, “Lost in Transition.”
After the split, Sixpence released an EP and a Christmas album, but they officially return with their first full-length album, delivering a familiar sound while not daring to break into any new territory.
The album opener, “My Dear Machine,” is a decent track, with some fine and fuzzy guitar work highlighted by lead singer Leigh Nash’s smooth and strong voice. Unfortunately, the song gets overpowered by horns near the end. Sixpence does well to slow things down on “Safety Line,” the most heartfelt song on the album.
After this somewhat strong start, the Nashville, Tenn.-based band runs into an inevitable truth for most ’90s-era bands looking for a renaissance. Hits are hard. And their yesteryear radio staples like “Kiss Me” and “There She Goes” are tough to replicate for the listener’s sweet spot. New tracks like “Failure” and “Give It Back” are musically passable, but are ultimately wordy misfires that tell us nothing of the transformative time that is allegedly the underpinning of this album.
— Ron Harris, Associated Press
‘Perfectly Imperfect’
Elle Varner (RCA Records)
Elle Varner’s debut album is titled, “Perfectly Imperfect,” but she should have called it “Perfect.” The newcomer’s 11-track set is pure excellence, full of R&B gems that are silky, smooth and jamming.
Her voice — raspy at times, soft at others — is the focal point of the album as it glides over songs and adapts to the different beats, which include hip-hop (“Only Wanna Give It to You,” ”I Don’t Care”), funk-soul (“So Fly”) and contemporary R&B (“Welcome Home”).
“Stop the Clock” is flavorful and addictive, thanks to its dramatic beat and the sound of handclapping dominating the chorus. “Refill,” a Top 10 R&B hit, is velvety and could easily be a TV jingle.
Producers Oak & Pop, best known for their work on Nicki Minaj’s “Your Love” and Big Sean’s “Marvin and Chardonnay,” helm most of the songs, though Varner’s father, Jimmy Varner, co-writes and produces some of the tracks, and her mother, Mikelyn Roderick, works as a vocal producer and background singer. Varner, a graduate of Clive Davis’ music school at New York University, co-wrote each song, and she’s got a skill with the pen.
On “Not Tonight,” the twentysomething is magically vulnerable, singing about being too scared to approach a man she’s interested in. She starts off slow, building her vocals and words, and it makes for a touching track. “Stop the Clock” is a future hit.
She’s also exposed on “So Fly,” a perky outtake about being insecure about her weight and image. On the song, the big-haired, hipster-looking Varner — in a beautiful tone — asks: “How can I ever compete with 34 Double D’s?”
With that voice, and with this album.
— Mesfin Fekadu, Associated Press
‘We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash’
Various Artists (Legacy)
Johnny Cash was a big-tent artist, drawing followers from every corner. “We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash” is a perfect example of this.
The DVD/CD release chronicles a concert held earlier this year in Austin, Texas, to celebrate what would have been Cash’s 80th birthday. Drawing musicians from not just the world of country music, but also from rock, pop and folk, “We Walk the Line” shows just how wide-ranging an influence the American icon remains.
The concert included a few key acts from the outlaw country music world like Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, Cash’s longtime friends and collaborators. And Jamey Johnson and Shooter Jennings take over for Cash and Waylon Jennings in a moving re-imagining of The Highwaymen with Nelson and Kristofferson.
The rest of the lineup comes from all over the map and includes Ronnie Dunn, Brandi Carlile, Andy Grammer, Shelby Lynne, Lucinda Williams, Sheryl Crow, Train’s Pat Monahan, Iron & Wine and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, who steal the show.
The concert really doesn’t get rolling until the Chocolate Drops show up midway through with a rolling, rollicking rendition of “Jackson.” And Dom Flemons pulls out the reed flute and totally enlivens the concert-ending group singalong of “I Walk the Line.” Not to be missed.
Like all such tributes, some of the song-artist pairings are head-scratchers. But there are some great moments: Nelson’s guitar playing, Johnson’s rumbling voice standing in for Cash on “Highwayman,” Grammer’s strangely beautiful shuffling take on “Get Rhythm,” Dunn’s sense of humor and horn section, and a crackerjack band led by Don Was and Buddy Miller.
— Chris Talbott, Associated Press