Tag: parties

Sassy : The Birthday Storm ( book ) … Sharon M Draper

Sassy : The Birthday Storm ( book ) ... Sharon M Draper

A Florida hurricane threatens to ruin Grammy’s birthday celebration. That’s the gist of the plot, but its nature bits; the Storm, the beach, the turtle eggs; are the pleasant parts. Sassy and her Sack; the magical practicality of the latter is probably the most unrealistic element of the story; are rather annoying.

my rating : 3 of 5

2009

audio review : All For You ( song ) … Janet Jackson

This is Janet Jackson’s best song ever. That’s thanks in part to an old Luther Vandross (Change) sample her loyal superproducers, Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis, decided to bring back to life. It’s a gorgeously slinky beat to match Jackson’s gorgeously slinky vocal melodies.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that the song dances around the cliché concepts of sex; the part in which she tells a stranger she’s going to “ride” his “package” is uncharacteristically graphic for a radio single; and romance instead of just being the classic party anthem it’s meant to be.

my rating : 5 of 5

2001

audio review : All For You ( album ) ... Janet Jackson

video review : Bitch I’m Madonna ( song ) … Madonna ( featuring Nicki Minaj )

video review : Bitch I'm Madonna ( song ) ... Madonna ( featuring Nicki Minaj )

There’s a party going on and I wasn’t invited. The scene; people having crazy fun at what looks like a lavish rooftop hotel suite in or near Los Angeles; is awesome. I especially dig the part where host Madonna prances her way up a red-lit graffiti-laced staircase and tongue-kisses a random girl. It’s nice to see she’s still being a slut in her 50s.

What the video would do better without are the cringey cameos from celebrities who obviously aren’t at the party. Having Beyoncé in your video, lip-syncing to your song, makes for ultimate bragging rights, even for a VIP like Madonna, but it also makes for an awkward edit. The one exception is Nicki Minaj, who at least raps on the song.

my rating : 4 of 5

2015

audio review : Babylove ( song ) … Morris Day

This is a party anthem for sugar daddies. The club is packed with “sexy people”, but it’s the young ladies Morris Day is after, “as long as you’re 21”. What he means is 21 years old, no younger and not much older, and who could blame him? The best meat is fresh meat. There are no girls in jail though, so Jerome is posted at the door, checking state IDs and driver’s licenses.

Pedophilic undertones and all, the song is a banger. A louder beat (drums/bass), less cluttered production and more melodic ad-libs; the one at 3:08 is the best part of the song for me; could push it up to classic status, but it’s still the jam as is, mostly because of a set of hooks catchy enough to go fishing. “Calling on the sexy ones,” it goes, “Girls are sure nough fine.”

my rating : 4 of 5

2021

audio review : Jam And Lewis [ Volume One ] ( album ) ... Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis

audio review : LTJ Bukem and MC Conrad performing at the Electronic Beats festival in Cologne

“If you don’t know what to do,” MC Conrad suggests, “learn learn learn to boogie.” That’s easy to do at the Electronic Beats festival, especially during this gorgeous DJ set by LTJ Bukem. It’s a compilation of drum and bass tracks mostly from his Good Looking record label, but it’s Conrad’s signature vocals over the top that make it special.

The way he addresses the crowd, by shouting echoed commands to the beat, should be annoying. It isn’t. In fact, it’s exhilarating, especially when he goes from rhythmic to melodic, making the songs he’s singing over sound even better than they did as instrumentals. He also seems to be freestyling, which makes it even more impressive.

my rating : 5 of 5

2002