Night and day music

These two new releases are loaded with great music. While Alicia Keys continues in the tradition of soulful, R&B-influenced, torch songs which are perfect when winding down, or at the end of a long day (the night music of our title); the music of Phoenix never ceases to amaze — this French band has come up with the perfect mix of bubbly pop/rock and electronica grooves — great for long drives and as “pick me up” kind of music (our day music).

Alicia Keys — The Element of Freedom (Sony BMG). This is the fourth studio album of 12-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys — a two-time visitor to our shores. Categorized as a neo-soul songstress, there isn’t really anything new in the formulation of the CD. What stands out though, is the impressive number of songs that made it to the CD, turning the album into a suite of midtempo songs that deal with heartbreak, separation and freedom. The duet with Beyoncé Knowles, Put It In a Love Song, heralds the two tracks that are written in a more upbeat manner, but she quickly reverts to form, seeming to say, “What was I thinking?” I loved the version of Empire State of Mind that’s found here, done as a straight-up hip-hop ballad, with no Jay-Z in sight. 

Phoenix — Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (available on Amazon). Throughout its four albums, Phoenix has progressively moved from being pure electronica, garage pop, to a more sophisticated, yet accessible, brand of music. With music that’s immediately identifiable, it’s intelligent pop/rock arrangements with lyrics characterized by whimsy. It seems that being a French band recording in English, the band members are, at times, more concerned with rhyming than with actually making sense. Wolfgang stands as the most consistent of its albums, the bulk of the songs, like Lisztomania, 1901, Fences, Lasso and Rome becoming immediate favorites of mine. Love Like a Sunset sees them showing off their more introspective side; but it’s the fast numbers that really shine, and make one happy there is a Phoenix.