Pawnshoppe Music Reviews

Basically most came from the FYE store and 60 percent off used stuff. Not like we wanted to pay 20 bucks them anyway.

Patti Scialfa-23rd Street Lullaby (Columbia 2004) Mrs. Bruce Springsteen's second album and she's still feeling her way around the recording studio but this shows a bit of the spark that would make her next album Play It As It Lays her classic. Too many Sheryl Crowisms espeically on Love (Stand Up), and hubby only makes a cameo on three tracks. But it does amaze me that her albums are not overproduced like Bruce's last three. Good in spots but not a consistant listen. B-

Rainbow-Down To Earth (Polydor 1979) Graham Bonnet replaces Dio on this and Richie Blackmore goes for a more mainstream sound. This record gave us All Night Long and Since You've Been Gone, which was covered by Head East, The Currie Sisters and few others. Record got panned by the media but Martin Popoff gave it a 10 and called it an instant classic. Wouldn't go so far in terms of saying that but it does have its moments. Side note: Roger Glover, former Deep Purple, produced and played bass. B+

Gretchen Wilson's Greatest Hits (Columbia 2010) Funny how country radio made her an overnight sensation with Redneck Woman and then after three albums Sony Nashville kicked her to the curb. Her best was the overlooked One Of The Boys and she could cover Billie Holliday as well as Heart, perferred her God Bless The Child over Barracuda. She was also a better rocker than balladeer (All Jacked Up, Here For The Party) and sometimes the Muzik Mafia could give her some decent stuff. Of course, nothing ever came close to the hell yeah of Redneck Woman and her video of being Momma Badass striking the fear into Kid Rock and Hank Jr. And she could throw in a bitchslap to Miranda Lambert on Homewrecker but unlike Lambert, Wilson's songwriting couldn't keep up with the more feisty Lambert and sometimes John Rich comes more as a liability than asset. Still Greatest Hits presents Wilson as a great singles artist and party animal in a course of three albums. Side Note: Wilson's latest album is called I Got Your Country Right Here on her own Redneck label. Here's hoping she's does good although Sony Nashville dicked around with her the last year or so. Grade B+