Category: reviews

audio review : Heartbreaker ( song ) … Michael Jackson

The best part of this song is the bridge. “I never thought that I would stop dreaming about you, stop being without you,” Jackson sings over a layer of harmonious background crooning to the girl with the “come-get-me” thighs. It’s a beautiful 28 seconds or so near the middle of a song that would be better if it sounded more like it. The busy electro-funk beat flows along with kinetic energy, but Jackson’s verses and chorus; a simple chorus that is barely catchy; pale in comparison.

Aside from the bridge, The King Of Pop doesn’t really flaunt his crown until the end, where he does his signature ad-libs, minus the “hoo”s and “hee”s, over the final chorus section while the beat perks, twists and turns, as if it’s tryng to compete. In fact, the beat goes on even after the vocals are over in a display that’s too expeditious to dance to but dazzling nonetheless. The song doesn’t need guest rapper Fats, but, at a mere eight bars, his verse, which is decidely decent, doesn’t distract.

my rating : 4 of 5

2001

album review : Invincible ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

audio review : The Don Killuminati [ The 7 Day Theory ] ( album ) … 2Pac ( posthumous )

audio review : The Don Killuminati [ The 7 Day Theory ] ( album ) ... 2Pac ( posthumous )

2Pac sounds angrier and more aggressive than ever, as if he’s ready for war. “It’s not about east or west,” he declares, “It’s about ‘niggas’ and bitches… riders and punks.” He wastes no time categorizing the latter with rival rap peers. Biggie and Puff make the list, of course, but this time as mere afterthoughts amid an army of faceless targets. If it’s true that all Eyez are on him, he’s finally starting to crack. He can’t black them all, so when he swings, he only hurts himself by leaving his legacy an unfocused mess. None of these beefs, I bet, will mean much 7 months from now, let alone 7 years.

2Pac, a thug rapper who doesn’t have the wit or wordplay to make full diss songs that interesting anyway, is best when he’s in deep poetic thought. Blasphemy, featuring one of the only beats I’ve heard on a major record label release that doesn’t sound like it was distorted on purpose, is a prime example; though there’s a “dada” vocal loop that should’ve been set louder in the mix. Or perhaps he’s best slow-jamming with the ladies. Just Like Daddy is the album’s best song; not necessarily for its verses, but for the passionate vibes of its beat with 2Pac and a girl singing a catchy hook over it.

The way these songs, which are mixed and mastered with murky expediency, blend to and from each other gives the album a sloppy mixtape vibe. In a sense, it seems rushed, as if it’s something he felt he had to make and put out as quickly as possible. With that, it stands in dark contrast to the polished presentation of his last. That album has California Love on it, featuring Dr Dre. This one has the sequel, To Live And Die In LA, without “gay-ass” Dre. I bet the two of them would, or, depending on the depth of this “Makaveli” thing, will, have a friendly laugh about that line in 2003.

my rating : 3 of 5

1996
 

Gaz :

Cool review. I still remember getting home and putting the CD on for the first time. I had it cranked up on my parents’ Marantz stereo. I just about shit myself during the intro. BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG… “You niggaz still fuckin’ talkin’? You niggaz is still fuckin’ breathin’?”

I will never forget that.

video review : The Bling Ring

video review : The Bling Ring

A few years ago, a ring of teenagers were arrested for burglarizing several Hollywood Hills homes. Many of their victims were famous celebrities. Paris Hilton was one of them. It was a story that warranted media attention and got it, but a movie? The answer is no, but here it is; a somewhat fictionalized take on the scandal, one that comes across as more of a box office cash-in than a work of art.

Sofia Coppola directs by summarizing and glamorizing. The protagonists, all or most of whom are already out of jail in real life, are stupid but trendy; annoying but cool; in a typical Californian pop-culture sort of way. When they’re not burglarizing, they’re sniffing coke and partying. That’s especially the case for ring leader Rebecca. The plot revolves mostly around her and her friend Marc.

my rating : 3 of 5

2013

Cheerios

Cheerios

Eating a bowl of Cheerios is a bland affair. Almost any of its variants tastes better. The only reason to eat it is that it’s not only the healthiest among them but one of the healthiest cereals on (in) the market.

It’s toasted whole grain oats and not much else. You’d have to read the ingredients list to even know there’s a tiny amount of sugar added. It’s also GMO-free, which makes it a top breakfast choice for healthy living.

my rating : 3 of 5
 

nica :

Sorry you only grant unsweetened Cheerios 3 stars! I love them so much and am so disappointed that only the sweetened Cheerios are now available for sale in the stores here in Austria. Hard to find healthy, unsweetened cereals these days, it appears.

audio review : Sorry For The Wait 2 ( mixtape ) … Lil Wayne

audio review : Sorry For The Wait 2 ( mixtape ) ... Lil Wayne

I like No Type. It’s a conceptual cover of the Rae Sremmurd song. Lil Wayne sings the whole way thru and that’s part of why it stands out. He has a knack for subtle melodies, which makes it better than the retarded original. In fact, if this can be credited as an official Lil Wayne song, and I don’t see why it can’t, I’d place it among his best.

The rest of the mixtape is okay; his raps are still better, if only slightly better, than average; but the Sorry title theme is rather senseless. At best, releasing a mixtape to promote an upcoming album; as other rappers have also been doing lately; runs the risk of the former being better than the latter, which, of course, defeats the purpose.

my rating : 3 of 5

2015

audio review : Compositions ( album ) … Anita Baker

audio review : Compositions ( album ) ... Anita Baker

The title should be Romantic Compositions because romance is what this album is all about. Anita Baker calls it “love”, an amorous and intimate relationship between two people, and these songs are dedicated to “you”. That means every one is sang as if the man, or woman if she’s into that, is listening to a personal message. It’s nice music; imagine jazzy soul ballads floating on quiet storm clouds; but nothing to fall in love with.

my rating : 3 of 5

1990

video review : Casino

video review : Casino

This story takes place in Las Vegas back when most of the dirt wasn’t confined to its surrounding deserts. The Tangiers (Casino) is run by The Mafia, a secret organization of criminals working together for one common goal; to make money, illegally and abundantly. The figurehead boss is a guy named Ace Rothstein. It’s his “love” life, with a woman named Ginger, that stretches thin your suspension of disbelief. As wise as he is when it comes to making money, you’re supposed to believe he’d be stupid enough to fall for (trust/marry) such a leech.

The most interesting character though is his best friend Nicky Santoro, or Joe Pesci playing (basically) the same mobster he played in Goodfellas. With Robert De Niro by his side and Martin Scorsese at the helm, this feels like a sequel; a great one that does an even better job of watching relationships deteriorate over time. Non-diegetic monologues set the tone right from the beginning. Ace Rothstein is, at one point, on top of the world. By the end, it’s the two closest people in his life, and their selfish traits, that set the inevitable downfall into motion.

my rating : 5 of 5

1995

audio review : Blood On The Dance Floor [ History In The Mix ] ( album ) … Michael Jackson

audio review : Blood On The Dance Floor [ History In The Mix ] ( album ) ... Michael Jackson

This album has two titles because it is essentially two sets of songs, two EPs, combined into one.

Blood On The Dance Floor consists of five songs that are new not in the sense of being recent creations; it’s obvious from the start that, despite Sony’s deceptive promotion, the title track is a relic from the Dangerous era; but in the sense that they’ve never been released. They’re new to us, in other words, and, with the exception of the aforementioned title track, they sound awesome. Dare I say, with no hesitation, that three of the five; Morphine, Ghosts and Is It Scary; rank among Michael Jackson’s very best. He sounds irritated, even manic, on these songs; the kid who once sang ABC is now screaming drugs, sex and murder; but the rhythms are riveting. The melodies? Magical.

In The Mix, which remixes selections from the History album for both club and radio play, is a lot less interesting. There are standouts. At least one of these new mixes, namely the Classic Frankie Knuckles rendition of You Are Not Alone, might even be better than the original. My favorite part is the singing we couldn’t hear because it faded-out on the original. “Got to stop living alone,” Michael repeats over organs and joyous synth sounds, but on the whole, this set, much like his skin, pales in comparison to what came before it. David Morales ruins This Time Around. Hani’s Earth Song omits the entire choir section. They Don’t Care About Us, the best song on History, gets lost in the mix.

my rating : 4 of 5

1997

video review : Goodfellas

video review : Goodfellas

These “good” fellas are ruthless mobsters. When they need money, they take it and dare whoever it is they’re taking it from to go to the cops. If you cross them, they’ll whack you, bury your body and go out for drinks. They’re organized criminals, wiseguys, above the law in more than enough ways to keep things running smoothly for themselves. As a kid, Henry Hill always wanted to be one of them.

Goodfellas focuses on him doing just that. The first third is mainly backstory and the plot doesn’t really shoot-up until the final third. That’s when the Lufthansa heist goes down and things begin to fall apart. The movie is too long and some of the acting seems caricatural; Karen is particularly annoying; but it’s an interesting glimpse into the (real) life of the Lucchese crime family.

my rating : 4 of 5

1990

Entenmann’s Snack Size Powdered Donuts

Entenmann's Snack Size Powdered Donuts

The best way to eat these is not to put a whole donut in your mouth but to bite it in half. Less is more, or at least better, here. That probably has to do with the donut-to-powder ratio, which assures each piece is covered in tasty whiteness. When it comes to donuts, it doesn’t get much better than this.

my rating : 5 of 5

Fruity Pebbles

Fruity Pebbles

Fruity Pebbles; imagine flattened Rice Krispies tie-dyed in various colors; tasted better when I was a kid. That taste was never really fruity, despite the name, but the distinct (artificial) flavor it does have was stronger and sweeter.

Maybe The Flintstones became health-conscious and decided to include less sugar. Maybe my taste buds changed over the millennia. I don’t know, but the experience of eating Fruity Pebbles has gone from great to merely good.

my rating : 4 of 5

audio review : The Tonite Show ( album ) … EMC

audio review : The Tonite Show ( album ) ... EMC

Yay. They got rid of Punchline. He was an average rapper in a group with three good ones. Now, as a trio, EMC stands as one of the better the pop world has to offer. I say “pop” relunctantly because, though the name Masta Ace may ring a bell to rap fans, they’re hardly known compared to Chief Keef. That’s only part of the reason their Tonite Show concept, in which they imagine themselves guests on The Tonight Show with Jimmy “Falcon”, is so disconcerting. Another is that they already made an album called The Show. But the main reason is that the constant skits; there’s one before and after almost every song; bring the quality of the album down.

It’s a lesson Masta Ace still hasn’t learned after all these years. Ever since the Disposable Arts set, released back in 2001, every one of his albums, solo and collaborative, have been basically ruined with silly skits. They worked for the first two De La Soul albums because they, the skits, were somewhat amusing. These aren’t. That means the songs would have to be amazing to overlook them. These aren’t. The beats are decent, so it ultimately comes down to a lack of catchy hooks. The song with the best one, which also happens to be the song with the best beat; a smooth girl gamer entitled Signtology; is an easy favorite. It’s also the only favorite.

my rating : 2 of 5

2015
 

Jason Friedman :

Agree, they need to tone down on the amount of skits. Skits have no replay value, you listen to them once and that’s it. The second time listening to the LP, you’re hitting the skip button to get to the next song. The 12 songs that are actually songs on this album are INCREDIBLE. You can hear the quality of each song from start to finish. Loved the album, less skits next time. The 12 actual songs get 5 stars, easily.

kyle :

u are a hater too the fullest bring the price down because u think u know wat ur talkin about oh and disposable arts was so good so wasnt long hot summer so stfu fagget