2/7/2020 releases of Note

Last week brought the surprising releases of new singles from Demi Lovato and Hayley Williams, as well as three tracks from Billy Ray Cyrus.  This week looks to be rather interesting, with four notable releases scheduled.

Birds of Prey album-An album of pop, rap and alternative pop singers who are all women tied in to the new DCEU movie about Harley Quinn and the Gotham City superheroine group Birds of Prey.  The Birds of Prey traditionally include Black Canary, who is a professional singer who has the "Canary Cry," a hyper-sonic scream that can shatter windows and flip over cars.  A song is credited to her on the album.  Another typical member of the group is the Huntress, who is typically depicted as a crossbow-wielding super-sniper who wants revenge on the mob.  In this movie, the character will be played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who played Ramona Flowers in the Scott Pilgrim movie.  The album features songs by Normani and Megan Thee Stallion, Saweetie, Halsey and K.Flay.  I have heard Normani and Megan Thee Stallion and Saweetie's tracks and they are really good, fitting the movie and Harley's character.  Halsey and K.Flay also do great work and I look forward to hearing their songs. 

Green Day-Father of All...: The major alternative rock band is back with an album that takes aim at the BS of the current administration.  I thought for a while I wouldn't like Green Day due to how political they are, then I saw Billie Joe Armstrong in the Joan Jett documentary and heard some of their music on Spotify which helped with some of the anxiety and anger I was feeling politically at the time, so I'm hoping this will help a lot of people who feel isolated and roughed up right now.

 Richard Marx-LIMITLESS: I mainly know Richard Marx as a songwriter rather than hearing him sing his own music, but he does have a nice rock-pop style and I feel this album will be worth checking out.

J.J. Cale-2 Meter Sessions #461: J.J. Cale is a 1970s blues musician responsible for songs covered by more popular artists, such as "After Midnight," (Eric Clapton) "Call Me The Breeze," (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and "Crazy Mama" (Billy Ray Cyrus).  There aren't many of his more famous songs on this album, but it's always nice to hear such an influential artist, especially since J.J. Cale passed away in 2013.