Avicii feels ‘flat’ on new album Stories – Keith gets playful on ‘35’

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Avicii, “Stories” (Island)

Avicii, the Swedish DJ, producer and mega-hit maker, is out with his second major studio album “Stories,” which arrives feeling like a move toward minimalism within an electronic dance music genre predicated on bigger and bolder sounds. If this is a safe route, Avicii might have avoided it.

Avicii — Tim Bergling in real life — has seen fit to largely eschew the by-the-book crescendos have become commonplace on hit-seeking EDM tracks. He implores the listeners to hear more individual instruments, piano and guitar, and listen for the story on “Stories.” It’s an admirable artistic attempt, but falls mostly flat as the album lacks the punch of a signature song.

“Stories” gets close to the mark with “Broken Arrows,” featuring stellar vocals from Georgia-hewn country star Zac Brown. Even better is “True Believer,” featuring vocals and piano by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Both tracks are solid and will surely benefit further from lush remixes to come.

Unfortunately, what we get on “Stories” isn’t enough. The tracks aren’t crafty enough to be experimental and are too plodding to get the blood pumping. With his hits “Levels” and “Wake Me Up” behind him, this is an underwhelming next step forward for Avicii.

Donnie Fritts, “Oh My Goodness” (Single Lock)

Donnie Fritts’ infrequent recordings are cherished for their laid-back southern soulfulness and their sweetly tender emotion — sometimes heart-wrenching, sometimes wry and witty.

‘Oh My Goodness” is Fritts’ fourth album in 41 years. Like the others, it wonderfully captures the reflections of a thoughtful, reserved, and amazingly expressive man.

The songwriter and session keyboardist toured in Kris Kristofferson’s band for decades and contributed hit songs to Waylon Jennings (“We Had It All”), Charlie Rich (“You’re Gonna Love Yourself In The Morning”), Joe Simon (“Easy To Love”) and Dusty Springfield (“Breakfast In Bed”). He’s occasionally played character roles in films, most notably three films directed by the legendary Sam Peckinpah.

This time around, Fritts benefits from the production of John Paul White, in his first project since leaving the Civil Wars, and cohort Ben Tanner of Alabama Shakes. The younger, fellow Alabamians keep the arrangements spare and packed with feeling.

Fritts’ voice is, as it always has been, a weathered instrument, and it’s perfect for slipping layers of emotion into new tunes, such as a brilliant cover of Amanda McBroom’s “Errol Flynn,” as well as updates of long-time Fritts favorites like “The Oldest Baby In The World” (co-written with John Prine) and “Memphis Women And Chicken.”

John Grant, “Grey Tickles, Black Pressure” (Partisan)

Synthesizers throb and gurgle while violins rise and fall above drums both digital and real. There’s brass and a bass and even a bass clarinet. But the most ear-catching instrument on any John Grant album: Grant’s voice.

Blessed with an elegant baritone, effortless delivery and two-octave range, Grant could sing lame power ballads and make a handsome living. He’s not into pretty, however, and while “Grey Tickles, Black Pressure” benefits from fetching melodies, the 12-song set is also filled with edgy arrangements and whimsical lyrics regarding a wide range of subjects. Grant addresses his HIV diagnosis (the title cut), his battle with addiction (“Magma Arrives”), and even Hitler and decoupage (“You and Him”).

The singer and songs are so strong they would benefit from unplugging the synths in favor of a more organic approach. And the cover art is awful. But the album is engaging from start to finish — the closing cut is a child’s recitation of 1st Corinthians 13:4-8. Maybe it will become a hit.

Joe Jackson, “Fast Forward” (Work Song/Caroline)

Joe Jackson knows it’s a big world and on “Fast Forward,” his return to pop songwriting, he has bridged the Atlantic Ocean to record four songs each in New York, Amsterdam, Berlin and New Orleans.

Backed by different musicians in each city, “Fast Forward” is held together by Jackson’s still-clear voice, congenial piano-playing and sharp compositions.

The longest song on the album, the six-minute “Fast Forward” muses about generation gaps and modern life, how “Everyone is a genius, but no one has any friends,” all amid a yearning Regina Carter violin solo.

In the New York section, a cover of Television’s “See No Evil” has Bill Frisell’s torrid solo masterfully evoking Tom Verlaine’s original, adding his own twists. The returning Graham Maby, Jackson’s longtime bass player, and drummer Brian Blade complete a dream team.

In Berlin, Jackson turns to his angry not-so-young man persona on “Junkie Diva” and “If I Could See Your Face.” The first is an unnecessarily harsh dirge about Amy Winehouse in which her death holds no lessons. In the second, Jackson takes on Islamic extremism and honor killings. “Good Bye Jonny,” a 1938 German cabaret song, brings proceedings to a halt, with Jackson needlessly stretching his vocals to accommodate melodrama that feels out of place with the rest of the tracks.

In contrast, the quartet of tunes recorded in New Orleans with members of Galactic glides by with power and plenty of local zest, even if it’s Beethoven being quoted instead of Professor Longhair on “Ode To Joy.”

Toby Keith, “35 mph Town” (Show Dog/Universal)

For the first time in a decade, Toby Keith let two years pass between albums. As prolific as he is consistent, Keith took time off from recording — and returns “35 mph Town,” an album as entertaining as his best.

Considering he writes nearly all of his material_including nine of 10 new songs_a break allowed him to cherry-pick the top tunes. Not that the veteran country star has been slipping: 2013’s “Drinks After Work” and 2010’s “Bullets In The Gun” also were high-water marks in his 22-year career.

“35 mph Town” highlights Keith’s playful side: “Good Gets Here” and “Every Time” poke fun at his foibles, while Americans” joins a long list of Keith tunes addressing blue-collar workers’ tendency to blow off steam by tipping back a few.

Keith continues country music’s fixation with island rhythms on “Rum Is The Reason” and “Sailboat For Sale,” the latter a duet with Jimmy Buffett, the man responsible for country’s tropical obsession.

Even when walking on familiar ground, though, Keith’s clever lyrical twists and narratives make the trek fresh and fun. Long may he keep cruising, at whatever speed he wants.

Selena Gomez, “Revival” (Interscope Records)

Sophomore albums are notoriously tricky propositions, but Selena Gomez’s second solo venture, “Revival,” breezes through to the finish line — the dance floor —with 11 nearly impeccable tracks that skip from the 1960s to the ’80s to right this minute.

On “Revival,” Gomez continues her foray into a heady mix of electronic dance music pop accessorized with rapping from A$AP Rocky, writing from Charli XCX, soulful pianos, steel drums, and her own chameleon voice, showcasing her pipes in the piano-accompanied “Hands to Myself” and with warm, rich vocals in the serious yet jubilant “Revival.”

The first single from the album, “Good for You,” her biggest hit to date, is a subtle electro tune. But the song’s flow suffers with A$AP Rocky’s bewildering (if trendy) interlude — a minor hiccup on an otherwise seamless album. “Same Old Love” starts off with a whimsical ‘60s feel, but morphs into a punchy bass dance track.

Also:

NEW YORK: long-awaited new album will be out shortly — and that it’s going to defy expectations. The R&B superstar, who has not put out an album in three years after nearly annual releases since her 2005 debut, announced on Instagram that the new work would be called “Anti” and is coming “soon.” While staying mum on the music, the 27-year-old revealed the cover of the record.

Painted by pop artist Roy Nachum, it depicts a child Rihanna with a golden crown over her eyes, holding up a balloon over a blood-red backdrop. Offering an ambitious explanation of the “Anti” theme, Rihanna wrote that she and Nachum believed they have “changed the history of album art.”

“By continuing to follow her own instincts, her work strives to make an impact by doing the very antithesis of what the public expects,” her Instagram posting said.

The Barbados-born singer, known for her rich voice and talent holding long notes, has released a string of top-charting singles including “Only Girl (in the World),” “Rude Boy” and “Diamonds.” (Agencies)

By Ron Harris

This news has been read 9273 times!