Ghostface Killah, the “body” of the Wu-Tang Voltron, has returned with Fishscale. With guest appearances including Cappadonna, “The Chef” Raekwon, and even the late great Notorious B.I.G., this is a must listen for all hip-hop fans. Read more…
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What is Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere? It’s DangerDoom with Cee-Lo in place of MF Doom minus the Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It is an interesting collaboration that sounds unsure of what it wants to accomplish. An instant hit, its first single “Crazy” has caught on unlike any other song yet this year. That doesn’t make its verse-bridge-chorus structure, super-looped drums and bass, and shrieking chorus everyone’s cup of tea. Is it possible for a single to be played out before the album is even released? Quite frankly, yes. Read more…
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The occasional paradox of a double album is audible in Ben Harper’s Both Sides of the Gun. Disc one feels organic, with Harper sounding personal and passionate. “Waiting For You” and “Morning Yearning” reflect a well-composed orchestration of vocals, strings, piano, and drums. Harper’s guitar sneaks in as percussion shifts from brushes on snare to tambourine. The simplicity of “Never Leave Lonely Alone” reminds one of Vince Guaraldi’s jazz stylings. This disciplined approach to minimalism is the best thing about the first half of Both Sides of the Gun. Read more…
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The thing you’ll like best about Bitter:Sweet’s The Mating Game is its unobtrusiveness. Producer Kiran Shahani is the star here, while Shana Halligan’s vocals support each track’s tonality. Our fearless duo has executed an impressive one-two combination that is certain to delight. Read more…
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Universal Music Group, not Prince, benefits most from his signing a one-album deal with them. It’s too bad they didn’t quite get what they paid for with a finished product like 3121. Read more…
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