Archive for November, 2006

PAC’S LIFE - 2PAC

Each posthumous 2Pac release has sounded less and less authentic — maybe because it’s hard to make a dead rapper’s old verses seem creative and relevant. ‘Pac’s 2002 double-disc “Better Dayz” trumped 2004’s primarily Eminem-produced “Loyal to the Game,” which is more bearable than the new “Pac’s Life.” Here, the reflective moments of the […]

November 28th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

LITTLE DRUMMER BOY — LIVE - MARK KOZELEK

Via his work with Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon and his startling transformations of AC/DC and Modest Mouse songs, Mark Kozelek has become a master of setting his emotional tumult to indelible music. And while his studio work swings from bare-bones acoustic introspection to Crazy Horse-worthy jams, Kozelek in concert is usually a […]

November 28th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

OPEN - DOMINIQUE EADE & JED WILSON

This album of captivating minimalism is simply vocalist Dominique Eade and pianist Jed Wilson’s accompaniment. Eade possesses a lovely, remarkably flexible voice. Her range is as impressive as her clarity, and she adds a fine interpretive gift to all these attributes. Eade composed seven of the album’s 11 tunes, including “Go Gently to the Water” […]

November 28th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

FOREVER, FOR ALWAYS, FOR LUTHER: VOL. II - VARIOUS ARTISTS

Luther Vandross’ remarkable voice was silenced with his death in 2005, his legacy continues to inspire. Case in point is this follow-up to the 2004 Verve album that included interpretations of Vandross classics, most notably by Ledisi and Lalah Hathaway. This outing finds volume-one players Dave Koz and Kirk Whalum covering more Vandross […]

November 28th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

STAND - MICHAEL W. SMITH

For the first time, Michael W. Smith lets go of the production reins and turns to Matt Bronleewe on “Stand.” The result is a more organic, earthy-sounding record that has a personal, intimate feel, especially on the poignant “How to Say Goodbye.” Co-written with longtime friend Amy Grant, the song was inspired by Smith’s […]

November 28th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

Happy Feet - Original Soundtrack

Soundtrack to a comedy adventure–Happy Feet is set deep in Antarctica. Into the land of the Emperor Penguins where each needs a heart song to attract a sould mate, a penguin is born who cannot sing. Our hero Mumble, son of Memphis and Norma Jean, is the worst singer in the world…however, as it […]

November 28th, 2006 - Posted in Album Reviews

SanDisk SDMX4-2048 Sansa e250 2 GB MP3 Player with SD Expansion Slot

The Sansa e250 MP3 players are the created by the leaders in flash memory and provides everything you need for music, photo, and video clip playback. The very attractive, sleek design includes a 1.8 TFT color screen with advanced navigational features and an easy to use interface. You can also avoid scratches and cracks […]

November 27th, 2006 - Posted in Music Gadget

Apple 30 GB iPod video Black

Apple iPod - Continuing its tradition of hardware and software innovation and design, Apple has released a new iPod that surpasses the last. This update to the 5th generation iPod with video playback features the same 2.5″ display, but now it’s 60% brighter! Perfect for iTunes 7, which ushers in movie and video game […]

November 27th, 2006 - Posted in Music Gadget

Tri-Fold Wireless MP3 Shower Mirror from Discovery Channel

Do you fancy the idea of installing a speaker in your bathroom, but you’re not at all pleased with the thought of bringing electrical-powered devices into a humid environment? Well, it seems that this is exactly the reason behind the development of the Tri-Fold Wireless MP3 Shower Mirror presented by the online outlet of […]

November 27th, 2006 - Posted in Music Gadget

The Holy Bible Plays Your MP3s

The first thing that came to my mind when I’ve come across this title was the image of a usual Bible (yep, that little black book) pimped up with speakers and playing today’s (rather unholy) songs. However, the truth of the matter is even stranger than my imagination. Thus, it seems that the Koreans […]

November 27th, 2006 - Posted in Music Gadget, Music Store

Snoop Dogg rolls out “Blue Carpet”

“You’re about to witness the eighth wonder of the world,” Snoop Dogg intones about “Tha Blue Carpet Treatment,” his eighth record and one focused squarely on the street-level gangsterism that fueled his rise from the hoods of Long Beach, Calif., to the top of the game.
“It’s not about what I’m doing or where I want […]

November 27th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Lionel Richie stuck on nostalgia

Tuesday’s American Music Awards featured a flashback segment with Lionel Richie in a heavily sequined jacket from his trophy-winning peak in the mid-1980s.
There were no trophies to be had Friday at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, and for all intents and purposes his concert also was a rewind experience. Richie has a new album, […]

November 27th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Jay-Z of all trades presides over “Kingdom”

Anyone eager to hire a globally known rapper might want to check out the Web site supporting Jay-Z’s Hewlett-Packard commercial. The interactive desktop provides a glimpse of Jay’s intriguing resume.
Most of his accomplishments are well known, and they’re no less impressive when gathered in one place: president/CEO of Def Jam since early 2005; co-owner of […]

November 27th, 2006 - Posted in Music News

Under-the-radar titles among year’s top jazz releases

As the year edges toward its close, it’s time to reflect on albums that flew under the radar within the jazz community. Two significant CDs, both released in the fourth quarter, deserve note as recordings that were among 2006’s best but didn’t raise much of a ruckus when they hit store shelves.
The first is pianist […]

November 27th, 2006 - Posted in Music News