Tag: romance

audio review : Move ( song ) … Beyoncé ( featuring Grace Jones + Tems )

This song doesn’t really vibe until the chords drop halfway in. That’s when it goes from just a bassy party anthem; the scene is the ballroom of a five-star hotel; to something special. It’s an example of how effective the addition of one music instrument can be, but it should’ve sounded that way from the start.

The queen is faultless though as she struts a path thru the crowd. The title is literally her telling them to get out of the way, though it also serves as a command to dance. She’s headed to the VIP section, but not before grabbing a glass of Champagne and sharing a kiss with some guy who doesn’t look like Jay-Z.

my rating : 4 of 5

2022

audio review : Renaissance ( album ) ... Beyoncé

video review : Avatar : The Way Of Water

video review : Avatar : The Way Of Water

James Cameron’s Avatar is comparable to his Terminator movies in that a so-so science fiction flick is followed by a sequel that totally blows it out of the ocean. The Way Of Water at the start seems underwhelming, too much like a visual and narrative rehash of its predecessor, until you’re spirited away to a new world and the brilliant title concept comes into play.

The gist is simple. Several years have passed. “The sky people”, led by a resurrected and vengeful Colonel Quaritch, have returned to Pandora. The Sully family; Jack and Neytiri now have three kids of their own and two they’ve adopted; are therefore forced to leave the Omatikaya in order to keep them safe from harm, which eventually endangers their new Metkayina friends.

Everything about this Avatar is better than the original. It’s an aquatic, ultimately Titanic, adventure. The characterization is especially improved. Jack and Neytiri are actually likable here and their daughters, along with their son’s potential girlfriend Tsireya, provide plenty moments of cuteness. It’s a tulkun (whale) named Payakan though who’ll steal your heart.

my rating : 5 of 5

2022

video review : Avatar : Fire And Ash

audio review : Play It Again Shan ( album ) … MC Shan

audio review : Play It Again Shan ( album ) ... MC Shan

MC Shan must’ve been on that Rock Stuff when he decided to include on his third solo album a song by M And M. Their “groove”; a chorusless demo; is easily the worst here. The best, which, true to the liner pictures, ends the set on a romantic note, is How I Feel About You; the heartbreak beat of which is quite beguiling. Ain’t It Good To You? Yeah, it is. I also like Ran The Game and Funkin.

Shan, with his sneakily clever rhymes and charismatic vocal inflections, is fun to listen to. It’s when nothing interesting’s happening during the breaks that the album falters. The vocal samples on Time For Us To Defend Ourselves, which protests police brutality, are quite effective, but the Richard Pryor bits on Death Was Quite A Surprise and Music You Can Dance To won’t induce any encores.

my rating : 3 of 5

1990