Howard, who wrote her first song at age 7 while growing up in tiny Salyersville, Ky., is a 23-year-old country delight with a voice as clear as a chime and a head full of intelligent lyrics and bright melodies. Forgive has the inevitable touches of bluegrass and gospel, plus a surprising amount of optimism and romance for a modern woman singer. Howard also provides fresh stock for the tavern jukebox, with the wry Larry Cordle/Leslie Satcher song "Jesus and Bartenders": "They both know a man in trouble when they see one/ And they're both willing to listen when he talks." There are moments of Celine Dion syndrome when Howard lapses into an "ah-ee-ah-ee-ah" segment on "Memorized." But overall, Howard's taste is an impeccable blend of Salyersville and Nashville.
Bottom Line: Forgive is divine
Natalie Cole (Verve)
Natalie Cole, jazz singer. It could happen. On 1991's "Unforgettable" she combined sampling and sentimentality to perform a Grammy-winning duet with her father, the late Nat "King" Cole. On this ambitious new disc the onetime pop princess favors sultry tunes associated with jazz legends. Cole gamely fronts a 14-karat band with a string section as she sings songs recorded by such hard-to-top stylists as Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McCrae. Once again a duet proves to be a standout: "Better Than Anything," with vocal phenom Diana Krall, is a light, upbeat romp.
Throughout, Cole scats and riffs, but she seldom astounds: She is a hard-paddling duckling among swans. Jazz-hounds may snarl that the dense but rapturous arrangements (one highlight is Roy Hargrove's buttery flugelhorn solo on "I'm Glad There Is You") don't leave Cole enough room for interpretation and that even the mellow selections seem ready to morph into Broadway glitz. Cole's fans, however, will approve of this bold change in direction and celebrate a bright voice that makes old notes new.
Bottom Line: Classy Cole cuts
Original Broadway Cast Recording (Sony Classical)
Broadway doesn't generate hit songs these days, alas, but even if it did, would any of the songs from this crowd-pleasing new Broadway musical (based on John Waters's 1988 movie) make it on the radio? With songs written by composer-lyricist Marc Shaiman and lyricist Scott Wittman, this soundtrack is all showstoppers and no show. Nearly every track is a big, bombastic number, and though many songs are a lot of fun and the production brims with restless energy, the pacing seems forced. The singing is spotty, except for the powerful, gospel-R&B voice of Mary Bond Davis on "I Know Where I've Been." The mix needs more moments of quiet romance like "Without Love": "Without love, life is like a beat that you can't follow/ Without love, life is Doris Day at the Apollo."
Bottom line: Rent the movie instead
Lifehouse (Dream Works)
With its rumbling guitars and the growling depth charge that is lead singer Jason Wade's voice, Lifehouse often knocks on the door of Pearl Jam (whose producer, Brendan O'Brien, they employ as a mixer), but they're too polite to break in. A pretty guitar line or a pep-rally rhythm section always brightens their efforts to be dissolute; Wade is stuck being the Backstreet Boy of grunge.
But this cultured Pearl had enough hooks to make "Hanging by a Moment" radio's most-played song last year, and they can still deliver an over-heated, lung-belaboring power ballad (such as the title track) with a soupçon of subtlety, a trait that eludes such base-metal bands as Nickelback. There isn't a lot else Lifehouse can do; an attempt at a Red Hot Chili Peppers-style groove called "Wash" doesn't.
Bottom Line: Mostly lifeless
"It was 3 in the afternoon, and I was just waking up from the previous night's festivities," recalls Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, 34, of his New Year's Day 2002 marriage proposal to No Doubt's Gwen Stefani, 32. "I put shorts on to make sure I was dressed. My dog Winston, a Hungarian sheepdog, and his girlfriend were on the bed with us at the time, so it was crowded. And it was cute, you know?"
A 40-minute proposal ensued, followed by Stefani's gleeful acceptance. The couple, who met while touring together in '95, will stage two ceremonies—one in London Sept. 14 for his clan and another in L.A. Sept. 28 for hers. In addition to critiquing caterers ("I'm in charge of the food because I like to cook"), Rossdale has been busy recording "Adrenaline," a solo single on the XXX soundtrack, and preparing to return to the studio with Bush by year's end. For now, he's looking forward to the wedding, the first for him and Stefani. Then "we'll finally be alone, and it will sink in, the reality of it."
- Contributors:
- Ralph Novak,
- V. R. Peterson,
- Kyle Smith,
- Julie Jordan.
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
