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Craig Hoffman's top 10 albums of 2020

Let's hear viewers' opinions on Craig's picks
Posted by Fred Steiner on Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Reviewed by Craig Hoffman
This year has seen fewer releases and no live concerts. Still, in 2020, several artists made worthy efforts in creating good to great albums. The full reviews for each release on this list are found in the links to the (Ada) Icon.

Do you agree with this list? Let the Icon know in the comments or on Facebook!

Folklore - Taylor Swift
Swift’s new direction is a good one for this album. Folklore is a commercial and critical success. While unlikely to go down as the artist’s best album, there is more than enough creativity, artistry, and variety to keep the Swifties happy.  

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Icon music review: The top 10 - Best Christmas singles

Here's Craig's list - What's on your top 10 list?
Posted by Fred Steiner on Thursday, December 3, 2020

Reviewed by Craig Hoffman
With the Christmas season around the corner, it is the perfect moment to rathe ten best Christmas songs. Do you agree with this list? Let the Icon know in the comment section!

“White Christmas” by Bing Crosby
“White Christmas” is perhaps the most famous Christmas song of all-time. It’s sold more than 100 million copies around the world. It’s a can’t miss tune for anyone celebrating the holiday season. 

Written in 1942, it’s still a perfect tune for those who can’t get back home for the holidays this year. That includes this reviewer in 2020.

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How the pandemic has affected my generation

And, some healthy things we can do to cope 
Posted by Fred Steiner on Wednesday, December 2, 2020

 By Amelia Alexander
Amelia, an Ada HS student, is the Icon's newest columnist. Writing twice a month, this is her third column. Click here to read her most recent column. You will find all her future columns on our "Columnists" page.

COVID has caused a lot of uncertainty for everyone. This past spring, the majority of us were afraid of the virus, the economic uncertainty of the shutdown, and the uncertainty of remote learning.  

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Icon book review: "Magic Lessons"

Alice Hoffman does indeed spin a charming spell, one that sparkles with literary magic
Posted by Fred Steiner on Sunday, November 29, 2020

Review by Robert McCool
Alice Hoffman's latest chronicle of the remarkable Owens women s “Magic Lessons” (ISBN9781982108847). It completes the enchanting trilogy “Practical Magic (1995) and “The Rules of Magic” (2017) began.

Ms. Hoffman explains the reason she writes most succinctly with a quote from her Aunt Jet, a character in  “”The Rules of Magic” - “she opened a book and therefore was saved, discovering that a novel was as great as any spell.”

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Icon music review - My Gift - Carrie Underwood

A few tunes on My Gift are worth listening to while preparing dinner for the family. But one can skip buying it
Posted by Fred Steiner on Sunday, November 22, 2020

Reviewed by Craig Hoffman
American country music singer Carrie Underwood is out with My Gift. This is her seventh album and first Christmas-themed effort. Underwood won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005.

Her debut single, “Inside Your Heaven,” made her the only country artist to enter at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Underwood’s debut album, Some Hearts (2005), featured crossover hits “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and “Before He Cheats.” She won three Grammy Awards for the album, including Best New Artist. The Christmas album dropped in September. 

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Icon music review – Positions by Ariana Grande

Positions is a solid effort for Ariana Grande, although there is nothing new here
Posted by Fred Steiner on Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Reviewed by Craig Hoffman
Positions is the sixth studio album by American singer and actress Ariana Grande, released on Oct. 30, 2020, by Republic Records.

The album builds on the R&B and trap pop elements of Grande’s earlier efforts, Sweetener (2018) and Thank U, Next (2019). There is also a good amount of hip hop, neo-soul, and funk featured on Positions. 

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