Category: reviews

audio review : Edutainment ( album ) … Boogie Down Productions

audio review : Edutainment ( album ) ... Boogie Down Productions

Boogie Down Productions isn’t about making you dance. It’s about providing knowledge, the kind that centers around uplifting the black race. It’s stuff you must learn, no matter what color you are, but you won’t learn about it in that boring history class with the old white teacher, so it’s up to KRS-One; a Teacha in his own right; to put the equivalent of a book in your head. He does that with rap music, which, as the title cleverly suggests, educates and entertains.

The album is enveloped around a college lecture. “Black people have created every music you hear out here in the street today,” he claims. Even if you don’t subscribe to his ideology, which would border racism itself if not for a song that explains he’s not just a “black man speaking out of ignorance”, you can’t deny the quality of the music. The rhymes are thoughtful and the beats; the Breath Control sequel, a reggae joint, being the best among them; are funky-fresh all the way.

my rating : 4 of 5

1990

audio review : The D-Boy Diary ( albums ) … E-40

audio review : The D-Boy Diary ( albums ) ... E-40 audio review : The D-Boy Diary ( albums ) ... E-40

E-40 showed us his Ghetto Report Card, Ball Street Journal and Block Brochure, so why not his D-Boy Diary? It’s an interesting read if you focus on the verses; he’s still a charismatic rapper; but you’ll have a hard time finding a good song among the 42 presented here. Too Many dumb hooks over cookie–cutter trap beats; All Day being an impressive exception to the latter.

my rating : 2 of 5

2016

audio review : We Got It From Here [ Thank You 4 Your Service ] ( album ) … A Tribe Called Quest

audio review : We Got It From Here [ Thank You 4 Your Service ] ( album ) ... A Tribe Called Quest

Fans of A Tribe Called Quest; a rap group from the 1990s; should be relatively happy. This new album, as far as beats and rhymes go, sounds a lot like their old ones. In fact, listening to Q-Tip’s voice, you’d think it was. It’s as if he hasn’t aged. Phife Dawg died earlier this year, which means a major part of the album, which is reportedly titled by him, was recorded before he died. It was also reportedly recorded not long before, as a new project, as opposed to stale leftovers from previous albums.

The best parts are the aforementioned beats, one of which I wish backed guest verses from De La Soul or the Jungle Brothers, Black Sheep even. Enough, Q-Tip’s charismatic rap of which is my favorite part of the album, could’ve been a sequel to La Menage. But that’s nostalgia talking. Busta Rhymes is featured. Andre 3000, Kanye West, Anderson Paak; they only manage to annoy. This final Quest album is ultimately decent, though it is off-putting how it comes so long after the others.

my rating : 3 of 5

2016

audio review : Joanne ( album ) … Lady Gaga

audio review : Joanne ( album ) ... Lady Gaga

Fans expecting Lady Gaga to return to her electro-synth roots after that ill-conceived jazz album she made with Tony Bennett will be disappointed. There are hints of nostalgia; Dancin In Circles and Perfect Illusion are vintage Gaga; but Joanne is ultimately another detour, this time on the back of a horse thru the world of contemporary country music. Left behind are the pulsating club beats that have always generally been the best part of a Lady Gaga song.

Those beats are what almost made Artpop, her previous solo album, good. Even its worst songs; Donatella and Swine; are laced with innovative production. Joanne, while not bad, is comparatively mundane. So its worst; the sappy Million Reasons; is a chore to get thru. The dreamy coda of Angel Down is enchanting though; it’s a shame the whole song doesn’t sound like that; and Joanne, the song, has some interesting vocal melodies happening on the chorus.

my rating : 3 of 5

2016

audio review : Say Thank You ( song ) … Jill Scott

“I used to be stuck,” Jill Scott declares, “inside a lie that ain’t nowhere near the absolute truth.” She’s also stuck in the past. It’s the early 1970s and the genre is psychedelic soul. At least that’s what the music, produced by Andre Harris, suggests. There’s no singing, just a poetic monologue presented as if Scott is standing on stage in a dank after-hours jazz lounge with only a few tipsy people listening.

my rating : 4 of 5

2015

audio review : Woman ( album ) ... Jill Scott

White Castle Cheeseburgers

White Castle Cheeseburgers

This grocery store version of White Castle cheeseburgers; the best tasting fast-food burgers I ever had; doesn’t quite match-up to a fresh batch from the restaurant, but it’s not far behind. The trick is to let the sliders, kept frozen, thaw in the refrigerator before “use” as the back of the box instructs. That way they have a chance to cook (heat-up) thoroughly when you zap them in the microwave oven or, if you’re really feeling yourself, steam them on the stove. Add crinkled pickle slices for maximum deliciousness.

my rating : 5 of 5

audio review : Braver Than We Are ( album ) … Meat Loaf

audio review : Braver Than We Are ( album ) ... Meat Loaf

Bat Out Of Hell 3 came a decade too early. This should be it. The first two Bat albums consisted of Jim Steinman songs. The third broke that tradition. Braver, the title of which comes from a song I’ll get to shortly, takes it back. Every song is composed by Steinman, though they’re not really new. Most were performed years ago by other singers, the oldest going back to the 1970s. That makes this a Meat Loaf cover set.

Listen for an epic entitled Going All The Way Is Just The Start, a quote of which also titles the album. It’s one of the best songs Meat Loaf has ever sang and Jim Steinman has ever composed. Why it doesn’t Start the set like the similarly majestic Anything For Love did on Bat 2 is a mystery to me. Godz, a quirky military anthem, is fun, but Going All The Way is in a class by itself. Everything else here pales in comparison.

my rating : 3 of 5

2016

audio review : Going All The Way Is Just The Start ( song ) … Meat Loaf ( featuring Karla DeVito + Ellen Foley )

This is an epic power ballad that rivals Anything For Love from Bat Out Of Hell 2. This is how part 3 should’ve began. Both songs have Meat Loaf on the main stage, singing his heart out with the help of, in this case, two female guests. Karla DeVito and Ellen Foley actually come close to stealing the show with their vocals, which are decidedly stronger than that of their leading man.

The best chunk of the song comes at about the final third, starting with the “prayer” bit; one of what sounds like three uplifting chorus sections. The magic is in the melodies, though the anthemic lyrics are also well composed. Both are credited to the legendary Jim Steinman with input from sidekick Don Black. This is Broadway musical music; a near-twelve-minute extravaganza.

my rating : 4 of 5

2016

audio review : Braver Than We Are ( album ) ... Meat Loaf

audio review : Crazy Bout Ya ( song ) … Mercedes ( featuring Master P + Ms Peaches )

The title should be Crazy About Ya, as the chorus says. That refrain is sang and harmonized by Mercedes in what for No Limit is a surprisingly lovely melody. Even her verse and bridge vocals are ghetto classy. Master P is annoying, but at least he’s relevant. He plays the role of her boyfriend, a thug whose dangerous lifestyle is starting to break their relationship apart. Ms Peaches comes in as an odd third person. She raps the role of Mercedes but mentions her own name, which makes no sense.

If not for that massive fuck-up; having Ms Peaches on the song at all; Crazy About Ya could reach classic “love” song status. For a better structural balance, I’d just have Master P do a second verse where Ms Peaches is then move and extend his monologue (talk) to the final chorus section instead of the one before the bridge. That’s all it would take. The acoustic guitars, which seem to play live continuously, from the beginning of the song all the way to the end, already sound gorgeous.

my rating : 4 of 5

1999

audio review : And The Anonymous Nobody ( album ) … De La Soul

audio review : And The Anonymous Nobody ( album ) ... De La Soul

The problem with this De La Soul album is that there isn’t enough De La Soul on it. Almost every song includes a guest vocalist and often those guests steal the show. The Memory ballad is all about the glossy vocals of Estelle. Drawn is literally a Yukimi Nagano song. Lord Intended becomes a Justin Hawkins solo before the halfway point. It’s conceptually off-putting, odd even, how many bars go by with featured singers taking the place of the guys whose album this is supposed to be.

It’s not like the songs are good enough to get away with it. The rhapsodic changes of Snoopies; it’s not this but another song that features Snoop Dogg; is jarring. Most are so-so, though it’s worth mentioning that the Trainwreck beat, while amateurish, is quirky and cute. It’s also worth mentioning that Exodus, an “outro that’s also an intro”, could be something remarkable if it’s enchanting chorus and orchestration were developed into a proper song with actual rap verses.

my rating : 3 of 5

2016
 

Machiventa :

“The problem with this De La Soul album is that there isn’t enough De La Soul on it.”

Exactly! For me the concept, guests, music, and feel of the album are incredible, it just needs more Pos and Dave! It feels like all the Kickstarter funds went into paying the collaborators and actual making of the album, with them ultimately not having enough rhymes written to compliment the music. Maybe they were going for that intentionally but it leaves me wanting to hear more of them.

audio review : Blonde ( album ) … Frank Ocean

audio review : Blonde ( album ) ... Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean is sort of annoying. It’s not so much how he sounds; though the Chipmunk voice effect he occasionally uses is silly; it’s more the juvenile things he sometimes says. An early interlude suggests he gets it from his Mom. “Don’t try to be someone else,” she commands via phone, “Be yourself and know that that’s good enough.” Generic advice like that is as useless as hot air on a summer day. What’s wrong with trying to be better than good enough? At one point, her son mentions Michael Jackson. If he tried to be (like) him, he’d be diversifying his voice by using it for more than just the whiny crooning he does on these songs.

But that’s not fair. There’s nothing wrong with a one-trick pony if the trick is good “enough”. And when it comes to whiny crooning, Frank Ocean is a talent. It’s specifically his melodic compositions that impress. A lot of people can sing well. Far fewer have the ability to compose vocal melodies people want to hear. He’s having a hard time evolving those melodies into full songs though. His previous album, Channel Orange, is better than this one. That’s not just because of the vocals but also the music. Lacking are pulsating thumpers like Thinkin Bout You and Pink Matter. Andre 3000 is back, but this time he’s rapping to a drumless piano riff.

my rating : 3 of 5

2016

Great Value Ice Cream : Two Much Fun [ Peanut Butter Cup | Cookies And Cream ]

Great Value Ice Cream : Two Much Fun [ Peanut Butter Cup | Cookies And Cream ]

Don’t get it confused. This Peanut Butter Cup is not the same as the solo one from Great Value. That one has chocolate fudge swirls. This one has peanut butter swirls. I guess they figure this one already has enough chocolate from the Cookies And Cream side, but that difference in swirls makes for a difference in taste. This one tastes significantly better, at least for those of us who prefer the taste of peanut butter over chocolate. The only chocolate found in this Peanut Butter Cup is the outside of the Reese’s-like cups themselves.

Why this superior version of Peanut Butter Cup isn’t available by itself is beyond me; I hate how it seems these companies can’t make a peanut butter product without adding that massively overrated flavor; but it’s a damn shame it isn’t. The solo Peanut Butter Cup is good. This one is great; a fact offset by the fact that it’s forced to share a carton with Cookies And Cream, the taste of which pales in comparison. Nevermind the fact that it’s hard, if not impossible, to spoon out all of one without inadvertently spooning out some of the other.

my rating : 4 of 5