Death cab for cutie

''I will possess your heart'' is the work of a genius. The bass guitar starts, a simple hook and how they build on it. Beauty also lies in continuity. Background patterns emerge. keyboards and then others chip in. It haunts. Music is like as if different elements of nature are doing what they are supposed to do. When the vocals start it is as you don't need it. But then the pattern reminds you. Lyrics is another twist. Lovers beware. This song could haunt you.

Anyway this is genius at work. Great work.

Chris Daughtry

I was intrigued by this song 'Home'. Great song. It somehow keeps coming back to me. The lyrics, the tune, the rendition, rock ballad style is good. .....'Staring out into the night, trying to hide the pain, going to the place where, feeling good will never cost a thing.....i am going home....the place where i belong, where love has been enough for me..these places are getting old, I am going home...'

It seems its been years since a 'Rock' Album hit the #1 position. 'Daughtry' the album did it. Deserves accolades folks. The other number 'Its not over' was the first to get video released. Way to go for an idol contestant who couldn't make it to the tops.

John Mayer

Genuine - Singer, write, guitarist, I am being ambitious in saying this - he is molding himself in a way - what Eric Clapton is giving us; in his mature years. Daughters, to Waiting for the world....all reflects originality. What one shouldn't forget about John is his command and confidence over his guitar. As Albums get produced, 'Continuum' - growth is seen. With many years now gone - producing music - for more heavier things - John can collaborate with other artists. But request here is to choose with care - complimentary - is what John should look for.

Nickelback - Genuine folks

It has sometime - since - this Canadian group has been onstage. The early hits - Someday - sealed their fate in the rock school of history. But it is equally important for bands to keep creating. Creation is the key after - all. So I liked their album - All the right reasons - songs - I would say mostly belonging to the same type of music - but the band did try - and experiment. The song 'Rockstar' is bold. Self conceding lyrics - but well delivered.

Recently - the number - If everyone cared - is good, socially - politically - relevant.

Good going - folks. Let the band not hurry - join the rock rat race. Fans will always like something new.

Carrie Underwood has a bright future......

This country musician is getting cross-over fans! Good news for country. I liked her no. 'Before He Cheats'; slightly bold lyrics - power vocals. Good one!

Timbaland: Most Prolific composer - year 2006

Collaborating with Justin Timberlake, to Nelly Furtado to PCD; Timbaland has proven to be the most prolific composer of this year. Melody, Fuse it with Electronic instruments, also create new vocal sounds; Timbaland has done it all right this year. Is there an award for the most prolific hits producer? Something like that....

Review: Jay-Z's Kingdom Come

This album has parental advisory for explicit lyrics, guess the clean cut is not yet out.

Kingdom Come: the Title song is a typical song of assertion. Most of Rap artists seem to be stuck with this theme. But the presentation is good, great beats, well-cut. Lyrics go....I am the Hip-Hop Savior, after this flow, you might owe me a favor- Kingdom Come; I am showing growth, I am in charge....step aside, Superman is here....I run the streets, the streets don't run me...but music composition is well-done. very different.

Show me what you got - not again any different in terms of lyrical content - song about the ladies - but with Jay -Z, this one has come out with great orchestration.

Lost One - Slow number with Crisette Michele, very different sounds - but lyrics do reflect maturity, reject the explicit content. Lyrics go...she lost one, let go to get one....One thing with Jay-Z is his extraordinary ability to compose with R & B kind of vocals, present it in integrated manner. Good number in all respects.

Do you wanna ride: Great music, so well suited to be sung with John Legend; the beats is top-notch, surprised why Jay-Z did not make this the debut video - it would reached, appealed a wider audience; not much of lyrics; but a experiment - a project in Jay-Z's own words - an absolute success.

I made it: is song for all the moms, the struggles/ the grease/ they go through. Popular theme. Not unique/ Same goes for the numbers with Beyonce - the but the one 'Hollywood' - is well done, again Jay-Z's extraordinary ability to fuse power vocals with Rap liners is amazing. Lyrics in this number is intelligent - a pot-shot on the Fame seekers.

Minority Report with Neyo - is a political statement- for the victims of Katrina. Well executed number, the sound of rain, back-ground commentary can set the listener thinking. Lyrics go...telescopic planes didn't pick you....Helicopters.

But I am particularly impressed with the number 'Trouble'. Lyrics go....I tried to pretend that I am different, but we are all the same....never gonna change....stops the overflow, when the levee breaks, papers writing stories like didn't they know, this is what happens when they made the rapper a CEO....with my hands in the cookie jar know one thing, I am going to take the cookie, not leave my ring/ end/This one number alone, for its lyrical content has taken this album to a new level. I would say, there is phenomenal maturity in this one. It could go down as the one with the best lyrics in the recent times.

Overall - Kingdom Come is a refreshing break-away from the existing sounds in the rap market. Lyrics I wish weren't so explicit, but I guess if one reflects the sound of the streets, wherever it is art cannot be different for different genres.

Good One Jay-Z. You have set a new bench-mark for yourself I guess.

Avril Lavigne - Keep Holding on

This is a good song. Typical of Avril numbers. This one combines all the elements. I wonder what classifies numbers into Rock or Pop genre. Coming back, for those who have heard 'complicated' ; 'Nobody's Home'....Keep holding on is the best of all her numbers.

This artist is young, there is talent, but typical of all the artists out there - it is difficult to try and then do something different. Best wishes to this artist..