R&B rookie the Dream has already proved adept at penning ultra-catchy tunes. Exhibit A: Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” Exhibit B: J. Holiday’s “Bed.” The same elements that made those songs such irresistible hits are what make this singer/songwriter’s debut so impressive: lingering melodies, plenty of “ehs” and even a few “ellas.” Realizing that repetition is the […]
The biggest revelation on Wu-Tang’s first record in six years isn’t the Beatles “reinterpolation” “The Heart Gently Weeps” or even that the album actually came out. It’s that the project is as strong as it is — for all the years of obligatory infighting, there’s a cohesion and strength to these “8 Diagrams.” RZA […]
As strong a representation as you’ll find anywhere in Dave Matthews Band’s burgeoning catalog of concert releases, “Live at Piedmont Park” is notable for the ferocity of the band’s playing on tracks like the seriously funky “Louisiana Bayou,” a Latin-tinged “You Might Die Trying” and “Cornbread,” one of three new songs here. There’s also […]
This song-by-song re-creation of Judy Garland’s iconic 1961 Carnegie Hall performance, staged there by Rufus Wainwright in 2006, seems better-suited to a cabaret act. Wainwright tries valiantly, but his persona is too affected to do what Garland did with this material: all standards, but rearranged for maximum drama and sung by the troubled star […]
This Philadelphia-based MC, one of several Jay-Z proteges who have yet to attain that level of fame, describes in more detail than most rappers the criminal demimonde that gangsta rap alternately glorifies and laments. And Beanie Sigel knows what he’s talking about: In addition to three previous studio discs, his resume reflects several run-ins […]
Mario is certainly a fine singer, and his 2004 ballad “Let Me Love You” remains a modern R&B classic. Problem is, he’s failed to consistently hold our attention. While third album “Go” shows a necessary maturation, the disc is short on standouts. At 21, Mario still struggles to find his adult sound, hitting dead […]
Trent Reznor has become something of a nouveau-marketing poster boy lately, and from the liner notes of this remix disc, you might think it was just another interactive, nontraditional, brand-positioning tactic. “Included on this DVD is everything you need to get started remixing every track from ‘Year Zero,”‘ it reads, going on to break […]
Wyclef Jean has spent the 10 years since the original “Carnival” in projects of scattered ambition and success, some that hit (”Hips Don’t Lie”) and some that didn’t (anyone remember his reworking of “The Gambler” with Kenny Rogers?). But hip-hop loves its Roman numerals, and it was probably only a matter of time before […]
One can’t help but proceed with caution when an album is named after Attention Deficit Disorder, especially when the artist caught his break by beatboxing on a reality TV show where he used to sing the praises of 311. But skeptics can relax: “American Idol” season six runner-up Blake Lewis’ debut is indeed a […]
Visual artist/writer David Shrigley is a strange talent. Two years ago, he released an LP-size book, “Worried Noodles,” filled with idiosyncratic song lyrics but no actual songs, along with his silly and demented drawings. Now, 29 of indie rock’s most notable acts have tried their hand at musically interpreting his works on this double-disc […]
This is only the third album Chicago blues artist Lurrie Bell has released in the last eight years, and it’s his most convincing effort during that span of time. The record is a solid testimony to Bell’s Chicago pedigree. He’s working these tunes with a sturdy group of session players, including Felton Crews, Kenny […]
This CD/DVD memento from Al Gore’s day of global-warming awareness kicks off shakily with Madonna’s “Hey You,” an acoustic ballad about saving the world that doesn’t sound serious enough to advocate saving the last piece of pizza for tomorrow’s breakfast. Other bummers follow: James Blunt’s “Wiseman” (call it “Motel California”), Damien Rice and David […]
On her debut for indie upstart Big Machine, Trisha Yearwood digs into a comfortable sweet spot midway between slick Nashville bang and rugged roots-music twang. With its rich combination of polish and pain, that’s precisely where her voice belongs. The material is strong throughout, but highlights include “Nothin’ ‘Bout Memphis,” rich with horns; “The […]
With an all-star team of writer/producers (Stargate, the Underdogs), 17-year-old “American Idol” champ Jordin Sparks releases a first effort that’s all over the map — and works. The best news is that nobody’s trying to mold her into a fly ho or a torchy diva; these 13 songs sound like exactly what she should […]
