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Dave Koz's complete 180 twist Off the Beaten Path is full-fledged musical proof that digging deep and exposing certain vulnerabilities can yield dead-on results. The saxman's first two hits (including the gold "Lucky Man") were solid pop/funk gems, but heavy on the slick, urban-tinged production machinery. If it ain't broke, don't fix it? How droll and uninspiring. Instead, Koz has chosen to veer slightly off the smooth and onto a rockier, less certain road for a more organic, acoustic-oriented experience, all of which reflects the sweeping changes in his life these past few years. A combination of high energy and tight synergy with his supporting players shines through from the raw, fast, and furious folk-to-rock fusion drive-time cut "Don't Look Back" to a wild, brassy, and bluesy "Wake Up Call" and on through the polyrhythmic alto jam "Follow Me Home" (featuring violin and Irish pennywhistle). Hootie & the Blowfish would envy the Jeff Lorber-tinged Southern rocker "Flat Feet," a true barn burner that features call and response between Koz and Greg Leisz's pedal steel guitar. The trappings may have changed, but the sweetheart in Koz's soul isn't far away melodically, judging by the silky "Lullaby for a Rainy Night" and "I'm Ready." Hard to say where Sausalito meets the Southern porch swings, but there's a definite John Grisham film score feel on many of the cuts. Guest wise, it might be more fun to mention Stevie Nicks asking Koz to "Let Me Count the Ways," but Brian Mann's accordion actually makes more impact. ~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide
U2's off the Island
Band leaves label of 27 years and heads to Mercury Records; new company will release its third 'best of' album, to be titled U218 Singles.
Irish rockers U2 have left Island Records after 27 years, switching to fellow Universal Music Group subsidiary Mercury Records, a Universal spokesman said today.
U2
"We foster strong relationships at Universal Music," the spokeswoman told Reuters. "We have the best artists and the best executives and we're proud of how closely they work together."
U2's move to Mercury, which is for distribution outside the US, follows a similar move by Jason Iley, the former general manager at Island, who left to become president of Mercury in May, along with A&R manager Richard O'Donovan. The band made a similar switch with respect to its US affiliation seven years ago, when it followed producer Jimmy Iovine to Interscope and released All That You Can't Leave Behind, the 2000 album that put them back on top of the charts.
The British paper the Telegraph reported that one of the main reasons U2 left Island was the label's lack of assistance on its latest project, the third installment in its series of 'best of' albums. According to the Independent, Island's "hands off" approach to the project alienated U2 from the label. Island Records management denied this claim.
In a post on its Web site, U2 also said today that it has named that upcoming 18-track hits compilation U218 Singles. As previously reported, the package will include two new tracks recorded with producer Rick Rubin at the historic Abbey Road Studios last month. The first is a cover of the Slits' "The Saints Are Coming" with Green Day, which will be released as a charity single through Mercury.
A bonus live CD will be offered with the release for a limited time, made up mainly of songs from the Milan stop on last year's Vertigo Tour. A DVD follow-up featuring videos for the songs on U218 Singles has also been announced.
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