If the last album was a "good girl gone bad" then this album is "bad girl gone even worse." Now musically, this album is decent, full of top-notch production and even has a pretty consistent theme as far as sound goes... and there's my problem. The theme is dark. The lyrics are dark (and profanity-laced). The imagery is dark. Not that this album doesn't have its moments of beautiful honesty ("Stupid In Love" and "Fire Bomb" for example).
I'm just missing the light of the sun-kissed island girl we met with "Pon De Replay" or even the slightly edgier fun of "Umbrella". But this Rihanna... this chick is just acting out.
Shakira - She Wolf (J-Graded B-)
Shakira takes a bold step out of the latin-pop world into urban-pop market. Collaborations with Lil Wayne and Timbaland make it apparent that Shakira's inner la loba likes modern hip-hop/R&B. While it might seem like she's pandering to black folks, it's not that way at all. Shaki's witty lyrical content is still on full display, especially on songs like the titular track and "Men In This Town". This is well-crafted pop album that attempts to bring Shakira up to speed with what the other pop/R&B divas are doing, while not losing what makes her unique, and she succeeds.
Jay Sean - All Or Nothing (J-Graded D)
British-Indian R&B star Jay Sean has already conquered the music charts in various countries throughout Europe and Asia, and now he's set his sights on the U.S. market. Through a partnership with Cash Money Records (of all labels), he releases his Stateside debut All or Nothing. It's obvious from the material (and his image) that he's competing with the Usher's and Ne-Yo's of the world. Does he succeed? Not entirely. Yes, he has a smooth voice and cool moves, but the shallow and redundant lyrical content send this ride into Dullsville quickly. If it's all or nothing, Jay, I may have to opt for nothing... well, can I just download "Down"?
Boyz II Men - Love (J-Graded - B-)
Boyz II Men are the kings of harmony. Even minus their resident bass singer Michael McCrary, the other three members can sing the mess out of most any song. While the well-chosen range of songs spans genres and eras, the tendency to over-sing (Wanya, I'm talking to you) and unnecessarily rearrange takes the soul out of what could have been some nice moments. Overall, it's still a solid, romantic listen and worth picking up.
Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster (GUEST REVIEWED BYTWYLA M.)
Who hasn’t raised their eyebrow a few times at the antics of Lady Gaga? Sometimes she can make you very uncomfortable, very intrigued, and even a little scared, well a lot scared! But, outside of the blood packets and the super strange outfits is some real music. The 8 new songs that turned The Fame into The Fame Monster are worth a listen! The enchantment of having a Bad Romance with Alejandro is pretty sweet. From the sound of Dance in the Dark this may just be her next “radio joint” but her cannibalistic/ dominatrix tendencies come out a little in Teeth, be careful with this one around the kiddies. All in all an album for any road trip, sleeping is something you won’t do.
Twyla top picks: "Bad Romance", "Alejandro", "Telephone"
Hey you guys, today is a pretty good day for music (at least the music I listen to). Some of my favorite contemporary artists are releasing albums or have released albums recently, so I figured I'd give you guys a quick run-down of my reviews. Let me know what you thought about these sonic goodies!
Res - Black.Girls.Rock! (J-Graded - A)
It's been 8 years since Res burst on the scene with her video for "They-Say Vision" and changed my musical world with her unique blend of neo-soul, rock, hip-hop with some reggae vibes for good measure. Her sophomore album was recorded for Geffen Records, but never released... until now! You can't hold a true artist down, man! Not only has Res taken matters into her own hands, but she's made the album available as a FREE download on her website. So there's absolutely no reason why you can't go check it out. Trust me, you won't regret it. The mood is overall more chill than her debut. Acoustic guitars abound, and Res's raspy vocals have gained a more smooth, seasoned flavor. Yet, the grit and self-awareness that made her stand out on her debut are still in full force. If you're a fan from How I Do, or you've never heard of Res, take a listen. Again, it's FREE!
Leona Lewis - Echo (J-Graded: B+)
Leona is one of the contemporary voices to watch, with comparisons to Mariah, Whitney and even Toni. While she doesn't quite have the clout of any of the above divas, the "I'm just a girl who wants to sing pretty songs" approach is pretty endearing to me. With help from frequent collaborator Ryan Tedder (frontman of OneRepublic) and other notables, Leona has crafted a solid, cohesive pop album.
Norah Jones - The Fall (J-Graded C+)
Norah has been accused of being "boring" several times over, but for me, this is the first album of hers that I found to be a snoozer. Well... let me take that back... to be fair, I like this album much better than Norah's last effort Not Too Late, which I thought was a little too helter-skelter; however, I just couldn't get into this album that much. On the plus side, you can tell that Norah is experimenting with an edgier, more guitar-oriented sound. Also, the songs on the album grew much more enjoyable toward the end, and with collaborators like Ryan Adams and James Poyser, you CANNOT deny the musicianship on The Fall. I'll put it like this: After a moderately enjoyable first listen to this album, I just don't find myself inclined to give it a second listen.
John Mayer - Battle Studies (J-Graded A-)
John Mayer follows up one of my favorite albums Continuum with the appropriately-titled Battle Studies. You would swear half these songs are about Jennifer Aniston or Jessica Simpson or some other starlet he's been connected with, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. John is one heck of a musician, blending blues, soul, and light-rock into the (mostly) radio-ready stew that is this collection of 11 songs.
Carrie Underwood - Play On (J-Graded - B)
Carrie was not my favorite performer on American Idol, but since her victory she has blossomed into one of my favorite country-pop queens. Her musical stylings a la Martina McBride/Faith Hill are in tip top form on her recently-released third album. From the brassy "Cowboy Cassanova" to the heartwrenching "Mama's Song", Carrie comes across as very secure about her place in the musical world and the real world as well. Play on, Carrie, play on...
OneRepublic - Waking Up (J-Graded C+)
Now as much as I love this band, I wasn't floored by this album. HOWEVER, you can definitely sense their growth as musicians. They experiment with orchestration and compositions that segue from one song to another; toward the end they even escape from the radio-ready time length of 3 - 4 minutes, one song clocking in at 6:07 seconds. If you're a 1R fan, pick this one up. If you're just a casual listener, then preview the album and download (LEGALLY) what you like.
Hey guys, do you remember Kimberly Nichole from a previous Indie Files spotlight? Well, her debut album "The Yellow Brick Journey" dropped last week, and I love it! Check out her web site HERE, where you can purchase your copy. Support indie music! :)
Lyndriette, Brave, Seven and Audra make up the new girl group RichGirl. Here's five reasons I'm all about this group right now, and really believe they have what it takes to make a mark on the mainstream music scene.
1. They all fine! Just look at the "fashion" shot above. Yeah... wow. But a lot of girl groups can take good pictures... but still... man... ok... moving on to my next point...
2. They can all sing! It's been a while since there was a girl group where you would listen to the parts of the song to pick out who was singing where. Not to bash Electrik Red, but you can obviously tell only two of the girls "sing", and honestly it's not that impressive. But in this group, Seven and Lyn will take it to "chuch" and Audra and Brave give you those crisp, pretty vocals.
3. They're opening up for Beyonce. Yes, they are the opening act for Beyonce's "I Am" Tour. Lyndriette in particular is reminscent of an early Beyonce and the entire group recalls the magic of Destiny's Child, so it's safe to say that B's crowd might just appreciate these girls.
4. They've got a super-producer on their team. Rich Harrison is responsible for Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" and Amerie's "One Thing" among other hits... he knows how to craft catchy hits and how to make females sound good against his bombastic backdrops. First single "He Ain't With Me Now Tho" is evidence that Rich has tricks up his sleeve just for his girls.
5. They can harmonize! Okay, yes, I already said that they can sing individually, but a lot of great singers aren't so great at harmonizing. In the vein of En Vogue and, yeah, Destiny's Child, these girls will break it down for you a capella.
