The old, the new & the borrowed

The something old would be the tribute album to Sly & the Family Stone called Different Strokes by Different Folks, while something new would be the debut CD of former pro skateboarder Matt Costa. Something borrowed would inevitably be the High School Musical soundtrack, as no sooner had I brought it home then my two younger boys expropriated the CD, claiming it as theirs!

Sly & the Family Stone and Various Artists – Different Strokes by Different Folks (Epic/Sony)

As I’ve often said, the true purpose of tribute albums such as this one for Sly & the Family Stone should bring new listeners back to the featured artist and his/her recordings. This one is no different, an impressive cast of willing artists are brought together and while sparks fly here and there, the original versions of several songs are still the best versions.

Will.I.Am on Dance to the Music (the trick now is finding an album without this ubiquitous Black Eyed Pea); John Legend and the adoptive (?) Joss Stone on Family Affair; Maroon 5 on Everyday People; Moby lost in Love City; John Mayer and Buddy Guy on a bluesy You Can Make It If You Try; D’Angelo, Isaac Hayes and Chuck D on Sing a Simple Song – and you get an idea of the variety of people assembled for this outing. Janet Jackson and DJ Reset even come up with a sampled medley of Thank You and Janet’s Nation 1814. A lot of thought placed into this effort and it will hopefully motivate young music lovers of funk and R ’n B to seek the originals.

Matt Costa – Songs We Sing (MCA)

Recording under Jack Johnson’s Brushfire label, a division of MCA-Universal Records, one would be forgiven harboring expectations of Matt Costa as similarly positioned to Johnson as acoustic singer-songwriter. There’s that side to Matt’s output as evidenced by the carrier single Cold December, but a number of tracks into the CD, and we see just how different Matt can be. The track Astair does still have that acoustic feel, but already we sense something darker and textured at play.

With a voice that’s more whine-y than Johnson’s droll baritone, Costa reminds me of a moodier Belle & Sebastian or Aqualung. Tracks like Songs We Sing and Yellow Taxi demonstrate how ready Costa is to use electric instruments and produce a much more layered sound to his music. If the two acts mentioned are to your liking, then Costa’s CD will be a welcome addition to your playlist.

High School Musical (EMI)

I know there are those out there who’ll have eyebrows hitting the ceiling to see me even reviewing this CD; but hey, if my two younger boys know the lyrics by heart to several of the tracks, and jumped on me to "steal" this CD to their music library, I felt obligated to give it even the most cursory of listens, and not be some musical snob. Yes, from the made-for-TV Disney Channel special, and straight to the hearts and minds of most children below 14, this is the soundtrack to the omnipresent High School Musical, or how I like to refer to it, Fame, the Prequel.

The music? It’s bubblegum pop for the 21st century. It’s slick and savvy, preprocessed and good to go. A dash of very safe R ’n B, innocent rap and hip-hop treated with softeners, and a sprinkling of chorus-ready sing-a-longs – perfect for the intended demographic. They even have an Asian version of Breaking Free, with Vince Chong, our own Nikki Gil and Alicia Pan handling the vocals. I won’t argue with its success, so if you have a child of the intended age in your household, you better grab a copy soon, and see child smile!