This Bang; a stylistic revamp of their original Piña Colada; will inevitably be compared to Chocolata. The Whole Lotta bit fits this one better though; because the rhyme makes more sense, not because it’s any more flavorful. The rumless coconut/pineapple taste is more akin to Champagne.
my rating : 3 of 5
Big Daddy starts the new (1990) decade with a Taste Of Chocolate; his third album in as many years. It’s Hard Being The Kane, he claims, as if having “girls in more areas than a Sky Pager” is a lifestyle most guys can sympathize with. Mr Pitiful is his response to Biz Markie’s Vapors.
The raps are smooth, often clever and occasionally brilliant. At one point he speaks of a kid who “smelled like he washed in Oil Of Oh Shit.” The beats are funky. The songs falter mainly at the breaks where, for some unknown reason, guest Barry White never actually sings.
my rating : 3 of 5
1990
I don’t think Robin Williams, despite being a comedy icon, was funny in the least, so the worst parts of this documentary for me are the career highlights; clips from his shows, movies and interviews. It gets interesting when it delves into the details of the underlining theme; the Lewy body dementia that ultimately led to his suicide; via anecdotal accounts from his wife and friends.
my rating : 3 of 5
2020
The Prince Of Darkness seduced the ladies on his previous album. This one is for waxing the ass of competitive rappers. “I’m making the nonbelievers believe what I’m dishing up,” he proclaims, sometimes straddling the line between clever and corny, “and people that’s still fans will be air conditioners.”
The best songs are the first two and last two, or last two before the Nuff Respect bonus Remix, along with the sole romancer; a Very Special duet with Salt N Pepa’s DJ Spinderella. Stop Shammin, the beat of which is produced by Easy Mo Bee, is another highlight, though the breaks get clamored with noisy samples.
my rating : 3 of 5
1993
![audio review : TP3 [ Reloaded ] ... R Kelly](https://marcellee.com/posts/122763.jpg)
TP doesn’t really stand for 12 Play anymore. The charm of the original album is that there are only 12 songs. This one has 19, or 15 if you don’t count the Trapped In The Closet sequels. The inclusion of five Chapters instead of limiting it to one song, or perhaps hiding the set as bonus tracks, makes for an incredibly awkward playlist.
After being Saved by Jesus and doing a club dance called the backslide, R Kelly is nonetheless Reloaded. He’s Kickin It With Your Girlfriend, Touchin on her body, about to Hit It Til The Mornin. This is the worst TP in the trilogy, thanks in part to that messy Closet, but at least it sticks to raunchy romance, which fits the theme.
my rating : 3 of 5
2005
It would make more sense for the concept if Burning Sun and Sunriser were switched around, but at least they have proper titles. Most of the others; not the songs but their titles; sound like they’re still in the demo stage. It’s also odd how the album starts with the longest songs, leaving what’s supposed to be the second half considerably shorter than the first.
Technical gripes aside, there is decent music to be heard. Deep Forest; now a pseudonym for Éric Mouquet; may no longer hold the mystique of its 1990s heyday, but this project fares well enough. Nothing matches Sweet Lullaby or Lament; the vocals here are limited to short bits; but Allison is pretty and Who Did That has the potential to be a (dance) club favorite.
my rating : 3 of 5
2023
The Gold color, Greek design and stony texture; you can actually feel it; give the can a premium, almost epic feel. This drink is based on the mythical “nectar of ambrosia” with “the heavenly fresh flavor of biting into” a “perfectly ripened golden pineapple”. Those last bits are, of course, silly promotional hyperbole.
my rating : 3 of 5
Tom DeLonge is back. That should be good news for longtime fans. The rest of us won’t notice much of a difference as Blink-182; a “punk rock kid” band growing old; continues on. The title suggests this album, of which nostalgia is the main theme, may actually be their final. If that’s the case, it’s a decent farewell. The Fuck Face and Turn This Off bits are funny. Song highlights include Fell In Love and Other Side.
my rating : 3 of 5
2023
These; “fillets of kippered herring”; are among the healthiest Snacks you can eat. You wouldn’t know it by taking a quick glance at the box, which brings to mind movie theater candy. These aren’t as tasty, but they’d be better without the salt. The “naturally smoked” flavor; made with oak, ash, maple and beech chips; also adds an interesting touch.
my rating : 3 of 5
This; Snoop’s second album; is bound to be compared to his Doggystyle debut. The cover photo; the rapper wearing and surrounded by black; also brings to mind 2Pac’s All Eyez On Me. It isn’t up for either challenge; Tha (Dreless) Doggfather is actually the weakest Death Row release so far; but it does include a few bangers and Bouncers.
my rating : 3 of 5
1996
![video review : Travis [ The True Story Of Travis Walton ]](https://marcellee.com/posts/122247.jpg)
The title implies a full biography, but this documentary, which starts off interestingly but loses its way, is about the one thing Travis Walton is known for; his alleged alien abduction. The incident, which supposedly happened in Snowflake (Arizona) back in 1975, is presented as a True Story, but the evidence is mostly limited to eyewitness accounts from his six logger buddies.
my rating : 3 of 5
2019
This isn’t really a Diddy album in the traditional sense, but it starts like one. When he first raps on the opening Love song; his voice hasn’t changed much after all these years; it brings about a sense of late 1990s nostalgia. Bad Boy was on top of the rap world back then and a major player when it came to the modern soul genre commonly referred to as “R&B”. This is more of a compilation album with strong emphasis on the latter.
There are twenty songs here and every one has a singer on the hook, most of whom are quite famous. That says more about Diddy’s clout than his artistic skills as the mogul bows out of whole songs like he’s still talent scouting for Uptown Records. You won’t fall in Love with most of them; the constant crooning rarely results in memorable melodies; but The Weeknd steals the show with his feature and HER shines on the Space closer.
my rating : 3 of 5
2023