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Raining Tacos Saga (Childrens)
The Raining Tacos Saga started out simply enough, with the internet hit Raining Tacos. The song came out on YouTube on August 27, 2012, but was released fully on June 29, 2012. Which then came an animated video by Ryan A. Boone (Bum), and immediately became a hit. It was sung on elementary school playgrounds all across the USA, and was edited a billion times. It got 47,884,205 views, and 648k likes. Sometime after that, the Raining Tacos (Night Bandit TacoStep Mix) was released, and that wasn't as much of a hit with 69,276 and 1k likes. 2 years later, Hailing Taquitos was released as a sequel to Raining Tacos. This video, also animated by BooneBum, got 7,127,491 views and 77k likes. Afterwards, Parry Gripp decided to make an entire storyline out of it. The next part was entitled TacoBot 3000, about the titular character and no Mexican food being precipitated. After that was Quesadilla Explosion, and then Raining Tacos (on Christmas Eve), which came out on the Christmas album, Jingle Burgers. After that, was Taco Spaghetti, about how taco + spaghetti = yum. The most recent and final edition to the saga (for now) is Tortilla Avalanche.
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Elgar: Violin Concerto (Classical)
Of his Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61, Edward Elgar had this to say: "It's good! Awfully emotional! Too emotional, but I love it." That was understandable, given that the work was written for a violinist, Fritz Kreisler, with a highly emotional style, but since the work's first recording by violinist Albert Sammons, there have been other ways of playing it, faster, more muscular, more sweeping. The good news is that with this magnificent 2024 recording by violinist Vilde Frang and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under conductor Robin Ticciati, listeners can have the best of both worlds. Frang is no sentimentalist, although she offers an emotionally rich Andante movement. However, her concerto is toward the slow side, just under 50 minutes (close to the speed at which Elgar took it as conductor in the premiere performance), and it allows detail and subtlety of affect without losing the long line. Frang, in fact, constructs a big structure that begins with the remarkable hushed soloist's entry in the first movement and does not flag until the end, in a finale that often feels positively exuberant here. The much-vaunted stamina requirements of this concerto certainly come into play here, and Frang surmounts them in a performance that grabs the listener's attention and will not let go. Ticciati is an intelligent accompanist who does not drop Frang's momentum. This is a splendid recording of one of the most difficult concertos -- technically and emotionally -- in the classical repertory. This recording made classical best-seller lists in the late summer of 2024. ~ James Manheim
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Look Up (Country)
Ringo Starr releases a brand-new country music album, produced and co-written by T Bone Burnett via Lost Highway Records. This stunning collection features 11 original songs, recorded this year in Nashville and Los Angeles. This album features Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Lucius, Larkin Poe, and Alison Krauss.
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American Railroad (Folk)
The new album from The Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens, is the culmination of four years of research, collaboration, and music-making, having brought Silkroad artists all across the United States to uncover and uplift the stories of those who built the transcontinental railroad and connecting railways across North America. "We shed light on those who have been erased or overlooked throughout American history and merge with it Silkroad's unique ability to amplify voices from a multitude of backgrounds and cultures," Giddens says. "The result is a tapestry of stories, traditions, and music that have shaped our multifaceted cultural identity, and that must be heard and recognized. I hope audiences will leave with a clearer sense of where we come from, how we got here, what it cost us, and that we collectively reflect on where we're headed."
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Entity (Jazz)
In a joyous reunion after a long, 7-year hiatus, the Neil Cowley Trio reconvene giving rise to a creatively inspired recording, 'Entity', their 7th studio album.
In 2006 the Neil Cowley Trio burst onto the scene with an exciting sound that fizzed with energy; their muscular anthems, galloping grooves and tender moments placed them at the forefront of the new 'post jazz' movement, paving the way for 6 highly acclaimed albums over 10 years. Cowley then pressed 'pause' to pursue a solo career - no less successful - with a focus on electronica. Now, stirred by his extended time of solitary music making, he makes a firm statement about the joy, comfort and the rewards of human connection in the digital age. Joining Cowley are his close musical allies, bassist Rex Horan and drummer Evan Jenkins; three friends giving their all to each other.
Cowley is a brilliant composer and dazzling pianist and the trio flame still burns bright. 'Entity' is a magnificent return to form cementing the 'Neil Cowley Trio sound' - head-nodding wonky grooves, killer melodies, emotionally charged pieces with a glass like fragility laced throughout. It is a mature, sophisticated album of deeply impassioned music, delicate beauty, hooks aplenty and an ode to friendship.
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& (Pop/Rock)
Bastille's fifth studio album is a collection of story songs, including "Intros & Narrators," and "Blue Sky & The Painter." Dan Smith says of the release, "I've always loved writing story songs and using tales of other people as a way into making music and talking about my experiences in life. Over the last few years, I've been working on a whole load of songs about people who I think are fascinating and whose lives really spoke to me."
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I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Pop/Rock)
The second part of Teddy Swims' debut album follows the massive success of Part 1, which includes his multi-platinum global smash hits, "Lose Control" and "The Door." This self-taught Atlanta-born vocal powerhouse has swiftly risen to the forefront of the music scene in 2024 with record breaking songs, sold-out global tours, and iconic performances. With a voice that effortlessly blends genres, including R&B, soul, and pop, Teddy Swims has captivated listeners with his raw emotion. His voice, full of soulful resonance, carries the weight of lived experience and his lyrics delve into themes of love, loss, and self-discovery.
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GNX (Rap/Hip-Hop)
GNX is the sixth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. Titled after the Buick Regal model, and a follow-up to Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022).
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Gratitude (R&B)
Mary J. Blige, the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul," has been an overwhelming presence in the R&B scene. Her songs, her sound, her attitude, and her way of life - her entire existence has earned her the respect of fans and artists, and has had a major impact on the scene. She has completed her new album, "GRATITUDE," which expresses her gratitude to her fans and her presence here now. She commented on the album "GRADITUDE". "Look at my life right now. I'm always full of gratitude. I feel good, I have work, I have opportunities, I'm healthy, my family is healthy, I have people who care about me and love me, and I have great fans. So I'm really grateful to my fans who have loved me and supported me for so many years."
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Wicked (Soundtrack)
Features performances by the stars of Universal Pictures' new cinematic event, Wicked, with music and lyrics by legendary Grammy and Oscar winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The soundtrack includes songs performed by Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda. In addition, the soundtrack features the musical talents of Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University's regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Olivier Award winner and Emmy nominee Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; and pop culture icon Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz. Based on one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on stage for the past two decades, the spectacular, generation-defining film adaptation of Wicked is destined to be the most talked-about films of the holiday season. The official soundtrack track list includes iconic Wicked songs "Defying Gravity," "Popular," "Dancing Through Life" and more, performed as you've never heard them before!
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Ad Astra (Vocal)
Classical crossover trio group Il Volo release an album featuring eleven previously unreleased tracks, bringing together a unique fusion of pop, symphonic music, and traditional opera.
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Mercer County Library System
2751 Brunswick Pike Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648 609-882-9246
https://mcl.org
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