Coming Home “ Leon Bridges
If you’re a big fan of good soul music, then Coming Home is one that you must have. You’ll get a bit of Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and a whole lotta Sam Cooke. This is pure soul gold. In fact, Bridges does sound like Cooke reborn. Nominated for ‘Best R&B Album’, Coming Home has that smooth silky voice and relaxed grooves that make you want to put your legs up and just let the music take you over.
Pageant Material - Kacey Musgraves
They say country music hit a roadblock some time ago, losing ground to the multiple genres within rock and the juggernaut that is R&B/Rap. But in Kacey Musgraves, there’s a little bit of old country. Pageant Material is her second big-label album, nominated for Best Country Album. Here, she comes up with lines fit for bumper stickers, pays homage to greats like Willie Nelson and gives you an insight into what small town life is still like. This ain’t no roadblock, this is pageant material!
Beauty Behind the Madness “ The Weeknd
Canada has produced a few great artists like Bryan Adams, Alanic Morissette, Sarah McLachlan and (sic!) Justin Bieber. Now, we have The Weeknd. We don’t why one ‘e’ is missing from the name, but this lad certainly has his musicality about him. You know that song, “Can’t feel my face”? Yes, that’s him. There are more like it. His voice goes up and down octaves like it’s child’s play, and his heavy bassline laden funk/R&B groove makes your head bob. Oh, he’s a rapper. Now, push play.
Compton “ Dr Dre
He will always be known as the producer with the Midas touch, who had a hugely influential album called The Chronic, as well as a member of the infamous group N.W.A. The world of Dr Dre is down and dirty, with language that will irritate your parents, and grooves that just make you want to shake some booty. Compton is a tribute of sorts to the place where N.W.A was born, where gangsta rap made its bones. From One Shot, One Kill to For the Love of Money, to the track that kicks the album off Talk About It, this is one ‘massive’ rap album.
Before this World “ James Taylor
And then there’s old JT, the steady hand at making albums that just make you smile. James’ voice can make ladies swoon, make men want to pick up the guitar and try their hand at being a troubadour. But, that is James Taylor’s domain now. He’s the stand out old school man at this Grammy awards, the legend amongst the pretenders of sorts. Listen to Angels of Fenway or Montana and try and not melt back in your seat, while your mind conjures up sepia-toned images of what life could be like. Before this World will definitely make your forget everything else. It’s so worthy of a thousand listens.
