When the most exciting producer in pop music himself puts out a CD, the thrill is in the discovery: The world may have already suspected that Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, and a small army of other singers owed 75% of their fame to the stockpile of skittering beats Timbaland built and then graciously set them upon, but here’s a chance to prove it. Or it might have been in less welcoming hands. Shock Value is a far-reaching and ambitious disc; a masterpiece, even, in its own way.
Big choruses, cheeky lyrics, and crunchy hooks dominate this Canadian punk-pop outfit’s fifth album. The defiant “I Refuse” and giddily obstinate “Opinion Overload” were made for moshing, but the band also play with other styles with great success. The peppy “I Don’t Wanna Be Sad” has swinging verses and a gospel-tinged refrain, and the Nelly-assisted “I Don’t Wanna Go to Bed” is propelled by a popping bassline and slick horns. “Singing in the Rain” adds an island lilt to Simple Plan’s catchy riffing.
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LL Cool J hosts the 58th annual event, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Scheduled to perform: Adele, James Bay, Justin Bieber, Andra Day, Ellie Goulding, Sam Hunt, Tori Kelly, Kendrick Lamar, Little Big Town, Chris Stapleton, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, The Weeknd. Also: Lady Gaga performs a tribute to David Bowie, the cast of Broadway’s “Hamilton” perform.
What we have here is an excellent compilation of 90 tracks from the first years of Elvis’s success. The majority of the hits are on the first two discs, with the third being, in the main, a collection of his finest religious recordings from the period. All the early hits are here; “Heartbreak Hotel”, “All Shook Up”, Jailhouse Rock”, “Love Me, Tender”, “Hound Dog”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and many more. Some of his best early performances, such as “That’s All Right” and “Mystery Train” are also included, as are some of the film songs, such as “GI Blues”, “Wooden Heart”, “Loving You” and many others.
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