Lee has a more soulful sound than his tour mate, but like Jones, he makes sure every note by every instrument counts. If that sounds like Norah Jones - well, she plays on two cuts and invited Lee to open her European shows beginning last spring. O’Neal may have a remarkable voice and her recording is Nashville state-of-the-art, but “Brave” doesn’t have the courage to address life - and motherhood - as it is: complex and, often, quite difficult. The latter song, for example, resembles Bobbie Gentry’s classic “Fancy,” but its feel-good ending lacks the grit of Gentry’s original. On “Brave,” though, even songs about heartbreak (“When Did You Know?”), incurable disease (“Ready When it Comes”) and exotic dancers (“Devil on the Left”) are ultimately cheery and redemptive.
O’Neal had a baby a little over a year ago, so it’s understandable that four of her record’s eleven tracks would touch on the joys of motherhood. Unfortunately, her latest recording, “Brave,” is relentlessly upbeat and has no such conflicted moments. Jamie O’Neal’s massive 2000 country hit “There Is No Arizona” had a relaxed, country/hip-hop groove that worked well with her megawatt alto and the song’s subject matter of lost love. Welcome back, Rob we missed ya! - Wayne Parry Halford’s return from nearly a decade of self-imposed solo exile seems to have re-energized the band, and while “Angel of Retribution” doesn’t match the band’s 1982 high water mark “Screaming For Vengeance,” it’s still better than 90 percent of the other drek out there passing itself off as heavy metal. Downing’s blistering twin guitar attack to great effect. Tracks like the powerful opening opus “Judas Rising” and the fist-pumping “Deal With The Devil” show everyone how the big boys do it, showcasing Glenn Tipton and K.K. In their first album since Halford rejoined the legendary British quintet, Judas Priest seems primed to reclaim their perch as the most dominant band in heavy metal (not that there’s much competition nowadays). Rob Halford slips back into his old job as lead singer of Judas Priest as seamlessly as a fist in a black leather glove. Johnson’s schtick is quite different: he makes being mellow cool once again. But his music is nothing like those bands whose fascination with an untamable surf made for wild guitar solos. In fact, Johnson is arguably a side-shot from his surf rock predecessors. Like the Beach Boys and California surf culture, Johnson’s knack lies in his ability to harness Hawaii, a culture far away from the melee of the mainland, and make it appealing to those who know nothing of it.
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