This Fruit Punch, which contains no actual fruit juice, is the highlight of the Rockstar Punched collection, but it would’ve made more sense to save the (Punched) name for this drink alone. The double jab is a bit redundant. It tastes like Hawaiian Punch or Tropical Punch Kool-Aid with carbonation.
my rating : 3 of 5
This song; about going to, and having fun at, a lavish nightclub; represents each member of Lucy Pearl at their best. That means Raphael Saadiq and Dawn Robinson, over one of Ali Shaheed Muhammad’s sleekest beats, have rarely, if ever, sounded better.
They both have nice singing voices, but it’s the melodies that sell it, especially during the verses. If not for Robinson’s background vocals during the chorus, they’d easily upstage it and throw everything off balance. Not that the drinks aren’t doing that already.
There are no red cups in this establishment. That’s Cristal or Dom Pérignon in those glasses. Everyone’s feeling a little tipsy and a little frisky as they shake their bodies; Robinson’s being one of the most attractive among them; on the packed Dance floor.
my rating : 5 of 5
2000
These are the Best of Bush’s Baked Beans. It’s more the “extra brown sugar” than the “thick/rich” texture that make them the tastiest of the various varieties. They’re good with hamburgers but even better with hot dogs and sausages, especially as a bun topping.
my rating : 4 of 5
Without even factoring in Robbie Lawler’s “perfect” career-ending victory over Niko Price or any of the other impressive knockouts from the Prelims, UFC 290 stands as one of their better events. Newcomer Bo Nickal actually matches Lawler by taking out his opponent in the same amount of time. A revamped Dan Hooker also impresses with a split decision victory over Jalin Turner.
The biggest surprise of the night, other than Dana White arriving with President Trump, is Robert Whittaker’s second-round TKO loss to Dricus Du Plessis, though it’s no surprise to Du Plessis. He predicted he’d do exactly what he did. Still it’s odd seeing Whittaker lose to someone other than Israel Adesanya, who promotes his upcoming bout with Du Plessis with a post-fight encounter.
What ends up being perhaps the best fight is the one I cared the least about; Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno putting his belt on the line against Alexandre Pantoja. Pantoja beat him twice before and does it again here, but they’re well matched. The main event goes about as I expected with Alexander Volkanovski retaining his (Featherweight) title relatively easily against Yair Rodríguez.
my rating : 4 of 5
2023
Light is right. I can’t detect any Vanilla. This Monster tastes like milk with a little coffee (Java) and sugar; the can takes a shot at Starbucks by boasting how it has “way less”; added. You could probably match its exact flavor with the correct ratio of just those three ingredients, but it “tastes good” as advertised.
my rating : 4 of 5
Not only does the Crust Rise; it’s “Italian-Seasoned”. That makes it taste better than plain bread, though it’s of course the Pizza itself that’s the best part. Is it as good as a pie served fresh from the Palermo Villa? Probably not, but it’s damn good for one you buy from the store and bake at home.
my rating : 4 of 5
Ferocious Beauty is a stretch, but this album sounds pleasant enough on the whole. That has less to do with the vocal melodies of Margo Timmins than her band. Their music; mostly modern folk; is soft and soothing to the point where one wonders if the project would’ve been stronger as an instrumental. The best song is Circe And Penelope, based on the characters from Homer’s Odyssey.
my rating : 3 of 5
2023
![Freschetta Kitchen Fresh Pizza [ Naturally Rising Crust ] : Pepperoni](https://marcellee.com/posts/120230.jpg)
The Kitchen Fresh bit is somewhat of a misnomer; it comes boxed from the grocery store; but this is one of the better frozen pizzas available. That’s partly due to the Naturally Rising Crust; it’s main selling point; which comes out soft and fluffy.
I like to eat the crust first, in fact, before getting to the yummiest part; the pizza itself, made with “mozzarella and parmesan cheeses”. It’s also topped with Pepperoni, which are a tad disappointing because they’re not as crispy as they look on the box.
my rating : 4 of 5
This Super Enrgy drink isn’t bad at first sip; it does taste like Mango Peach; but the more you drink the worse it gets. The can promotes the fact that there are “no artificial sweeteners”; it’s “made with monk fruit and stevia”, but that’s part of the problem. It’s not sweet enough to counter its nasty beer-like aftertaste.
my rating : 2 of 5
Don’t Waste Your Time listening to this album if you’re looking for something new and original. Almost every song is a partial cover of a song from the 1970s or 1980s. That’s also what makes it sound better than it should, especially during the chorus breaks where most rap music falters. The best track is Thigh Ride, based on the Tawatha single.
my rating : 3 of 5
1991
This goes from being a song that’s barely good to something special near the end. That’s when the busy, albeit funky, beat is stripped down to its bare bones; muffled drums, a piano and orchestral synths; to reveal a beautiful chorus.
What was unappreciated until that point is the harmonies and melodies of Stevie Wonder’s background vocals. It’s a throwback to his 1970s heyday and, on a hymn about “God”, damn powerful. I wish the whole song sounded like that.
my rating : 4 of 5
1995
I’m no Patriot, but you don’t have to be to enjoy these Cupcakes; a “limited edition” because they’re made specifically for Independence Day. They apparently come in two designs; the top red and white colors swapped; but the key is to not eat too many as the sugary sweetness; they would taste better without the creamy filling; can become overwhelming.
my rating : 4 of 5