Musically, there are two sides to singer/songwriter Ben Folds: either you get the sincere, solemn songs that harvest strong emotions such as "Brick" or "Landed"; or you get the silly, off-kilter comedy songs that make people laugh but don't generally do much else such as "Song for the Dumped" and "Rockin' the Suburbs."
After 2004's Songs for Silverman was created using largely the former, the critical backlash caused Folds to make his newest release, September's Way to Normal, filled to the brim with the comedy that got him notice in the first place. The problem with going back to his roots in this case is that, when placed side by side with his serious songs, his comedy material just doesn't seem to hold water. By having two incredibly moving ballads on his latest release, the rest of the album tends to suffer in comparison.
The album starts off well enough: "Hiroshima" and "Dr. Yang" are silly songs that sound good and flow well, although "Dr. Yang" suffers from too much going on musically. "You Don't Know Me" is also a good song that both meanders silliness and respectability and also features Regina Spektor's wonderful vocals, and the following "Cologne" and its intro make the first half of this album incredibly strong.
However, after "Cologne," which is a beautifully painful ballad, we are treated to two songs that, after following such a strong and serious song, fall short. "Errant Dog" and "Free Coffee" just don't have the same strong music that the first few songs do, and the content is simply lacking. "Free Coffee" is not only about nothing but trivial matters, it also has an annoying effect that Folds created by putting metal on top of the piano strings and distorting the notes. The result is less than listenable.
"Kylie From Connecticut" is another song that shows where Ben Folds strength really lies and is a fantastic song to close out the album. However, with the two songs shining as highlights on the album, all of the other songs that fail to reach the same sort of stature just look that much worse next to them. It has gotten to the point where I only want to hear three or four songs on the album, and it is only the fact that these songs are so good that the album is worth listening to.
Scoring:
Replayability: (16/20) As stated, this city is worth listening to for "You Don't Know Me," "Cologne," "Kylie Connecticut," and occasionally "Bitch Went Nuts," which doesn't fail to make me laugh. Otherwise, the songs just don't measure up.
Music: (16/20) Ben Folds is without doubt a wonderful piano player, and in several songs his skills are on display. However, the effects in songs like "Dr. Yang" and "Free Coffee" ruin the songs.
Lyrics: (15/20) This is a case of two Ben Folds as well: in the two serious songs his lyrics are poignant and thoughtful. However, in the other songs it seems he sort of just settles for whatever lyrics he could think of.
Completeness: (15/20) The CD flows well enough until tracks 7 and 8, where it slows down to a halt and then limps slowly to the big finale of "Kylie From Connecticut." Add in the fact that most of the songs are inherently skippable, the entire product isn't exactly complete.
Emotional Pull: (16/20) Again, what the rest of the album lacks in emotional content, "Cologne" and "Kylie" make up for in spades.
Total Scoring: 78
Grade: C+
The more I talk about the two serious songss, the more I realize that Songs for Silverman wasn't nearly as bad as the rap it received, and that maybe Folds gets attention for the wrong type of music. At the very least, if he wants to make an album that is more comedic, he'd be better off making it entirely so as not to run this risk of some songs far outshining others.
Check, Check Plus, X
Hiroshima √
Dr Yang √
The Frown Song √
You Don’t Know Me √+
Before Cologne √
Cologne √+
Errant Dog X
Free Coffee X
The Bitch Went Nuts √
Brainwascht √
Effington √
Kylie from Connecticut √+
Happy New Years, everyone! I hope 2009 is good to everyone, and I hope it continues the good luck I've had in 2008. One thing's for sure: tons of new music to look forward to. Everyone have a good one.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Best Albums of 2008, What To Look For in 2009
It's been a busy holiday so far, so I haven't really gotten to listen to a lot of CDs that I'd like to. However, in a year as strong as this one for good music, I figure a recap of some of the year's best albums would be a good way to segue into what we're looking forward to in the first few months of 2009.
*Note: the albums recognized by me will likely be in the last half of the year seeing as I haven't reviewed any of the CDs before that point. There are plenty of good CDs out there that will not get mentioned, so apologies in advance.
Eric Hutchinson - Sounds Like This: A fresh sound that really took me by surprise. There's enough different genres on this album to appeal to everyone.
Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.: Great comeback album after the sort of weak Mr. A-Z. It shows that when Mraz wants to, he can make emotional, probing music that isn't just based around a cool rap verse.
The Killers - Day And Age: Despite not getting a lot of attention from the media at large, The Killers delivered a big follow-up to the slow-moving Sam's Town and showed that the world should take notice.
Guns N Roses - Chinese Democracy: Crazy, right? I thought this CD would be terrible after all the build up, but Axl Rose managed to put out an enjoyable album that was a tribute to their old sound mixed with a new type of music that suited them even better.
Looking Forward to the Best Albums of 2009
Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream: The 16th studio album from Springsteen coincides with his performance at the halftime of the Super Bowl. Hopefully the legendary songwriter can get some new fans during the performance just in time for his album release.
Chris Cornell - Scream: Early indications mark that this album is going to be more of an R & B album as opposed to Cornell's grunge roots. If nothing else, his collaboration with Timbaland is sure to be interesting.
Mos Def - The Ecstatic: With Kanye West among the rumored producers and Slick Rick and Talib among the confirmed guest stars, the rapper-turned-actor-turned-rapper-again has the potential to really take early 2009 by storm.
U2 - No Line on the Horizon: Even though the band trashed all of their songs produced by Rick Rubin, there is still a big buzz of positive energy focused on their first album since 2004.
Enough of my forward looking. Before the new year is done I should have my CD review on Ben Folds' latest done and ready, and then we can look forward to the mystery that is 2009.
Happy Holidays everyone, and hope 2009 is as good as 2008 was.
*Note: the albums recognized by me will likely be in the last half of the year seeing as I haven't reviewed any of the CDs before that point. There are plenty of good CDs out there that will not get mentioned, so apologies in advance.
Eric Hutchinson - Sounds Like This: A fresh sound that really took me by surprise. There's enough different genres on this album to appeal to everyone.
Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.: Great comeback album after the sort of weak Mr. A-Z. It shows that when Mraz wants to, he can make emotional, probing music that isn't just based around a cool rap verse.
The Killers - Day And Age: Despite not getting a lot of attention from the media at large, The Killers delivered a big follow-up to the slow-moving Sam's Town and showed that the world should take notice.
Guns N Roses - Chinese Democracy: Crazy, right? I thought this CD would be terrible after all the build up, but Axl Rose managed to put out an enjoyable album that was a tribute to their old sound mixed with a new type of music that suited them even better.
Looking Forward to the Best Albums of 2009
Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream: The 16th studio album from Springsteen coincides with his performance at the halftime of the Super Bowl. Hopefully the legendary songwriter can get some new fans during the performance just in time for his album release.
Chris Cornell - Scream: Early indications mark that this album is going to be more of an R & B album as opposed to Cornell's grunge roots. If nothing else, his collaboration with Timbaland is sure to be interesting.
Mos Def - The Ecstatic: With Kanye West among the rumored producers and Slick Rick and Talib among the confirmed guest stars, the rapper-turned-actor-turned-rapper-again has the potential to really take early 2009 by storm.
U2 - No Line on the Horizon: Even though the band trashed all of their songs produced by Rick Rubin, there is still a big buzz of positive energy focused on their first album since 2004.
Enough of my forward looking. Before the new year is done I should have my CD review on Ben Folds' latest done and ready, and then we can look forward to the mystery that is 2009.
Happy Holidays everyone, and hope 2009 is as good as 2008 was.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Album Review: Fall Out Boy - Folie a Deux
Fall Out Boy has always been an interesting band to me, but in an effort to prevent this review from turning into an essay I will only explain this briefly.
By having an introverted bass player who writes all of the band's sharp and poignantly lyrics and having a lead singer who, among other things, is a producer and good friends with most of the popular music industry, Fall Out Boy teeters the line between band with substance and MTV's Flavor of the Week. By mixing intelligent lyrics with a knowledge of what sort of music sells, Fall Out Boy is essentially what would happen if the smart nerd and the popular student council president ruled the school.
Through their emergence on the music scene to Folie a Deux, the Chicago-based band's fifth album, Fall Out Boy has embraced both sides to their coin quite fervently. So it isn't a surprise that the album, which is named after a medical condition for shared psychosis, is the biggest example of that bond yet.
From the opening "Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes," it is apparent that Pete Wentz's lyrics are still as confusingly in tune as ever, as he questions his place in the world of love: "I’m a loose bolt of a complete machine/What a match:
I’m half doomed and you’re semi sweet." All of the matrimonial happiness that should have lifted Wentz's spirits didn't lyrically, and the result is that Fall Out Boy's words are just as strong as ever.
Comparatively, Patrick Stump's composition of the songs shows that he is very comfortable being categorized as a pop artist. The lyrics are spliced with intermittent "woahs" and falsettos, almost to the point of annoyance. This has become the style of the band since their last album, Infinity on High: Pete loads the feelings, and Stump launches them in a style that radio listeners love.
The biggest problem with Folie a Deux in comparsion to Infinity on High, though, is that in this most recent album the mix doesn't always go well. What would normally be an instant classic in "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet" is marred by Depeche Mode-like low notes. Similarly, "America's Suitehearts" is almost doomed from the start with the line "You could have knocked me out with a" followed by a painfully high-pitched "feeeather."
Luckily, the duo combine to make very good choruses for most of the album. What hasn't changed is that Fall Out Boy still can make consistently catchy music. What has changed is the journey to that point is not as smooth.
Besides having catchy choruses, most of the songs run together and aren't exactly highly memorable, mostly because Fall Out Boy still subscribes to the interesting method of making the song title as long as the song itself. The titles usually merit a chuckle, but an unfortunate consequence is that the song loses an identity and sometimes doesn't immediately connect with the listener.
When it comes down to it, this album was saved almost entirely by "What a Catch, Donnie," the eighth track.
While the other songs are enjoyable, it isn't until "What a Catch" that you truly see how far as a band Fall Out Boy has come. The lyrically-simple-yet-thick song is accompanied beautifully by Stump's vocal work, and the arrangement of having guest stars sing excerpts from their earlier songs is a great touch. It creates an epic feel that Fall Out Boy has never reached before.
Besides "What a Catch, Donnie," there are a few songs that are good the whole way through: "The (Shipped) Gold Standard" and "Tiffany Blews" are well-crafted pop songs that continue to impress through repeated lessons.
In the end, it isn't that any of the songs on Folie a Deux are particularly bad; it's just that none of the songs really catch a hold of the listener besides the few that were listed above. It's not the best they could do, but it certainly wasn't the worth either, and whether or not you get this CD you need to get "What a Catch, Donnie," their best song to date.
Scoring:
Replayability: (17/20) Most of the songs have catchy choruses, and that's worth listening to a few times, but "What a Catch, Donnie" and "The (Shipped) Gold Standard" are the real reasons for listening to this album more than once.
Music: (15/20) This score isn't as high as it could be because, for the most part, the pop accoutrements that Stump creates does not capture the mood of Wentz's lyrics. This is the first time that their connection was off, and it made the album less enjoyable as a result.
Lyrics: (17/20) Pete Wentz's lyrics are still witty and poignant, and his mixing of simple elements in different songs actually helps make the songs better.
Completeness: (17/20) It is a solid album with no real let-downs except for the end of "20 Dollar Nose Bleed," when they do the dreaded speaking thing that has haunted the other albums. They should really not continue that trend.
Emotional Pull: (16/20) I'm not sure what it is, but the relatability of their music is much lower than usual. It may be the extra pop treatment, but something about the album makes it less powerful in that respect. The songs that received Check Pluses are the main contributing factors to this score.
Total Scoring: 82
Grade: B-
Check, Check Plus, X
Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes √+
I Don’t Care √
She’s My Winona √
America’s Suitehearts √
Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet √
The (Shipped) Gold Standard √+
(Coffee’s for Closers) √
What a Catch, Donnie √+
27 √
Tiffany Blews √
w.a.m.s. √
20 Dollar Nose Bleed √
West Coast Smoker √
Due to the holidays and all, I might not be as active as I'd like to be over the next few weeks. But if there's some music news or an album I want to review, you will be the first to know.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
By having an introverted bass player who writes all of the band's sharp and poignantly lyrics and having a lead singer who, among other things, is a producer and good friends with most of the popular music industry, Fall Out Boy teeters the line between band with substance and MTV's Flavor of the Week. By mixing intelligent lyrics with a knowledge of what sort of music sells, Fall Out Boy is essentially what would happen if the smart nerd and the popular student council president ruled the school.
Through their emergence on the music scene to Folie a Deux, the Chicago-based band's fifth album, Fall Out Boy has embraced both sides to their coin quite fervently. So it isn't a surprise that the album, which is named after a medical condition for shared psychosis, is the biggest example of that bond yet.
From the opening "Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes," it is apparent that Pete Wentz's lyrics are still as confusingly in tune as ever, as he questions his place in the world of love: "I’m a loose bolt of a complete machine/What a match:
I’m half doomed and you’re semi sweet." All of the matrimonial happiness that should have lifted Wentz's spirits didn't lyrically, and the result is that Fall Out Boy's words are just as strong as ever.
Comparatively, Patrick Stump's composition of the songs shows that he is very comfortable being categorized as a pop artist. The lyrics are spliced with intermittent "woahs" and falsettos, almost to the point of annoyance. This has become the style of the band since their last album, Infinity on High: Pete loads the feelings, and Stump launches them in a style that radio listeners love.
The biggest problem with Folie a Deux in comparsion to Infinity on High, though, is that in this most recent album the mix doesn't always go well. What would normally be an instant classic in "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet" is marred by Depeche Mode-like low notes. Similarly, "America's Suitehearts" is almost doomed from the start with the line "You could have knocked me out with a" followed by a painfully high-pitched "feeeather."
Luckily, the duo combine to make very good choruses for most of the album. What hasn't changed is that Fall Out Boy still can make consistently catchy music. What has changed is the journey to that point is not as smooth.
Besides having catchy choruses, most of the songs run together and aren't exactly highly memorable, mostly because Fall Out Boy still subscribes to the interesting method of making the song title as long as the song itself. The titles usually merit a chuckle, but an unfortunate consequence is that the song loses an identity and sometimes doesn't immediately connect with the listener.
When it comes down to it, this album was saved almost entirely by "What a Catch, Donnie," the eighth track.
While the other songs are enjoyable, it isn't until "What a Catch" that you truly see how far as a band Fall Out Boy has come. The lyrically-simple-yet-thick song is accompanied beautifully by Stump's vocal work, and the arrangement of having guest stars sing excerpts from their earlier songs is a great touch. It creates an epic feel that Fall Out Boy has never reached before.
Besides "What a Catch, Donnie," there are a few songs that are good the whole way through: "The (Shipped) Gold Standard" and "Tiffany Blews" are well-crafted pop songs that continue to impress through repeated lessons.
In the end, it isn't that any of the songs on Folie a Deux are particularly bad; it's just that none of the songs really catch a hold of the listener besides the few that were listed above. It's not the best they could do, but it certainly wasn't the worth either, and whether or not you get this CD you need to get "What a Catch, Donnie," their best song to date.
Scoring:
Replayability: (17/20) Most of the songs have catchy choruses, and that's worth listening to a few times, but "What a Catch, Donnie" and "The (Shipped) Gold Standard" are the real reasons for listening to this album more than once.
Music: (15/20) This score isn't as high as it could be because, for the most part, the pop accoutrements that Stump creates does not capture the mood of Wentz's lyrics. This is the first time that their connection was off, and it made the album less enjoyable as a result.
Lyrics: (17/20) Pete Wentz's lyrics are still witty and poignant, and his mixing of simple elements in different songs actually helps make the songs better.
Completeness: (17/20) It is a solid album with no real let-downs except for the end of "20 Dollar Nose Bleed," when they do the dreaded speaking thing that has haunted the other albums. They should really not continue that trend.
Emotional Pull: (16/20) I'm not sure what it is, but the relatability of their music is much lower than usual. It may be the extra pop treatment, but something about the album makes it less powerful in that respect. The songs that received Check Pluses are the main contributing factors to this score.
Total Scoring: 82
Grade: B-
Check, Check Plus, X
Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes √+
I Don’t Care √
She’s My Winona √
America’s Suitehearts √
Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet √
The (Shipped) Gold Standard √+
(Coffee’s for Closers) √
What a Catch, Donnie √+
27 √
Tiffany Blews √
w.a.m.s. √
20 Dollar Nose Bleed √
West Coast Smoker √
Due to the holidays and all, I might not be as active as I'd like to be over the next few weeks. But if there's some music news or an album I want to review, you will be the first to know.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
Friday, December 12, 2008
Music Abuse! U.S. using music to torture prisoners.
So Trent Reznor and other artists are being used to fight terrorism. At first this has sort of a comedic value, and many interesting and humorous situations come to mind:
"I'll tell you nothing."
"Oh really? Are you sure you want to face the consequences?"
"I'm strong, I can withstand any torture..."
"Even...HANSON?"
"Mmm bob dip a dop..."
"NO! NO! THE AGONY! THE PAIN!"
But after the chuckles pass away, some serious problems arise. First of all, shouldn't an artist be okay with this sort of thing? I mean, I know people play artist's music for all sorts of purposes they don't know about, but that's mostly for raves and things (although those are considered torture by some parties). How do you feel if you know that your song is being used in a waterboarding lab somewhere? Obviously not good if they're banding together to express their disapproval.
Secondly, they are saying in the articles that some of these guys lost their minds due to the blasting of loud music. Isn't that counterproductive? Don't you want your terrorists to be in a sane state when they give you information?
Plus that whole "torture is evil and wrong" thing. But I'm not a politician, so I won't weigh in there.
Either way, it's music abuse, and that's just not cool.
"I'll tell you nothing."
"Oh really? Are you sure you want to face the consequences?"
"I'm strong, I can withstand any torture..."
"Even...HANSON?"
"Mmm bob dip a dop..."
"NO! NO! THE AGONY! THE PAIN!"
But after the chuckles pass away, some serious problems arise. First of all, shouldn't an artist be okay with this sort of thing? I mean, I know people play artist's music for all sorts of purposes they don't know about, but that's mostly for raves and things (although those are considered torture by some parties). How do you feel if you know that your song is being used in a waterboarding lab somewhere? Obviously not good if they're banding together to express their disapproval.
Secondly, they are saying in the articles that some of these guys lost their minds due to the blasting of loud music. Isn't that counterproductive? Don't you want your terrorists to be in a sane state when they give you information?
Plus that whole "torture is evil and wrong" thing. But I'm not a politician, so I won't weigh in there.
Either way, it's music abuse, and that's just not cool.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Album Review: Common - Universal Mind Control
Common has always been a bit of a background player in the world of hip-hop. He gets the critical acclaim that a suburban poet of his nature deserves, but for the most part gets looked over in the general radio scene. After he was nominated for a grammy for Be, it became universally accepted that Common's type of music is deep and powerful, and his lack of commercial success was due to that fact.
In the past two albums, it seems that Common wants to shed that image and join Kanye West and others like him in the limelight, and Universal Mind Control is his most obvious attempt yet. While the latter half of the ten-song album shows glimpses of Common's strong flow and conscious storytelling, the first half begs to be played on the dancefloor.
The bumpy ride begins with "Universal Mind Control," which is only worth listening to for the Neptunes-crafted beat and nothing else. The man who preaches for equality and hope sounds out of place here: "Gucci - Rock'n, Coochies - Pop'n/Movie - Watch'n
Booties - Shop'n/Body - Move'n, Show'n, Groov'n, styl'n and being fly." The same is true for "Punch Drunk Love," "Make My Day" (which is saved by Cee-Lo's catchy chorus), and the unexcusably cheesy "Sex 4 Sugar." If there were any songs at the beginning of an album to discourage listening all the way through, these would be them.
Luckily, things pick up a little at "Announcement" and "Gladiator," where Common brings his more-familiar "King Common" persona as he challenges rappers and navigates issues in Culture with clever wordplay. Then he follows it up with the inspiring "Changes" and the odd-yet-enjoyable "Inhale." The autobiographical "What a World" and the dance-influenced "Everywhere" help to keep the album on a good note, but it feels like the damage has already been done by the sex-loaded front of the album.
On his last album, Finding Forever, Common had two songs about sexual encounters back-to-back at the end of the album, and it ruined the CDs otherwise stellar flow. It seems that he hasn't learned his lesson here, as the first four songs completely take the energy out of the album and should only be listened to if you're planning a party with people who don't listen to rap lyrics or don't understand English.
It simply feels as if Common was out of his element, and while part of the blame can be attributed to Pharrell Williams for his over-production, a large part of the blame has to rest on Common's shoulders because of his need to gain a larger audience. Whether or not this album accomplishes that goal, as a whole it has caused this album to suffer.
Scoring:
Replayability: (15/20) There are a few songs that merit multiple listens, especially "Changes" and "Gladiator" for its scathing yet enjoyable attack on culture. However, except for "Make My Day" the first four tracks are hard to listen to.
Music: (19/20) Although the lyrical content isn't where it usually is with Common, Pharrell Williams has definitely created intoxicating beats and given some songs a nice groove to nod to.
Lyrics: (15/20) Common hits some of his highest highs on this album in "Gladiator" and "Changes," but also his by far his lowest lows in "Universal Mind Control" and "Sugar 4 Sex."
Completeness: (12/20) I mentioned that the beginning of the album almost makes you want to quit listening to it the first time through. That is not the sign of a complete album by any means. The last sex tracks have a certain flow to them but can't completely make up for the train wreck at the beginning.
Emotional Pull: (14/20) "Changes" and "What a World" are almost completely responsible for getting the score this high, which is disappointing because one of Common's biggest strengths has always been creating a voice that most of his listeners can identify with. Other than the songs above it is mostly absent here.
Total Scoring: 75
Grade: C
In his quest to make a hit, Common has sacrificed his voice and his consistency, two things that made Be such a classic.
Check, Check Plus, X
Universal Mind Control X
Punch Drunk Love X
Make My Day √
Sex 4 Sugar X
Announcement √
Gladiator √+
Changes √+
Inhale √+
What a World √
Everywhere √
Lot to look forward to next week. Well, not a lot, but it will be interesting to see if Fall Out Boy can continue balancing pop and intelligence with their new album.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
In the past two albums, it seems that Common wants to shed that image and join Kanye West and others like him in the limelight, and Universal Mind Control is his most obvious attempt yet. While the latter half of the ten-song album shows glimpses of Common's strong flow and conscious storytelling, the first half begs to be played on the dancefloor.
The bumpy ride begins with "Universal Mind Control," which is only worth listening to for the Neptunes-crafted beat and nothing else. The man who preaches for equality and hope sounds out of place here: "Gucci - Rock'n, Coochies - Pop'n/Movie - Watch'n
Booties - Shop'n/Body - Move'n, Show'n, Groov'n, styl'n and being fly." The same is true for "Punch Drunk Love," "Make My Day" (which is saved by Cee-Lo's catchy chorus), and the unexcusably cheesy "Sex 4 Sugar." If there were any songs at the beginning of an album to discourage listening all the way through, these would be them.
Luckily, things pick up a little at "Announcement" and "Gladiator," where Common brings his more-familiar "King Common" persona as he challenges rappers and navigates issues in Culture with clever wordplay. Then he follows it up with the inspiring "Changes" and the odd-yet-enjoyable "Inhale." The autobiographical "What a World" and the dance-influenced "Everywhere" help to keep the album on a good note, but it feels like the damage has already been done by the sex-loaded front of the album.
On his last album, Finding Forever, Common had two songs about sexual encounters back-to-back at the end of the album, and it ruined the CDs otherwise stellar flow. It seems that he hasn't learned his lesson here, as the first four songs completely take the energy out of the album and should only be listened to if you're planning a party with people who don't listen to rap lyrics or don't understand English.
It simply feels as if Common was out of his element, and while part of the blame can be attributed to Pharrell Williams for his over-production, a large part of the blame has to rest on Common's shoulders because of his need to gain a larger audience. Whether or not this album accomplishes that goal, as a whole it has caused this album to suffer.
Scoring:
Replayability: (15/20) There are a few songs that merit multiple listens, especially "Changes" and "Gladiator" for its scathing yet enjoyable attack on culture. However, except for "Make My Day" the first four tracks are hard to listen to.
Music: (19/20) Although the lyrical content isn't where it usually is with Common, Pharrell Williams has definitely created intoxicating beats and given some songs a nice groove to nod to.
Lyrics: (15/20) Common hits some of his highest highs on this album in "Gladiator" and "Changes," but also his by far his lowest lows in "Universal Mind Control" and "Sugar 4 Sex."
Completeness: (12/20) I mentioned that the beginning of the album almost makes you want to quit listening to it the first time through. That is not the sign of a complete album by any means. The last sex tracks have a certain flow to them but can't completely make up for the train wreck at the beginning.
Emotional Pull: (14/20) "Changes" and "What a World" are almost completely responsible for getting the score this high, which is disappointing because one of Common's biggest strengths has always been creating a voice that most of his listeners can identify with. Other than the songs above it is mostly absent here.
Total Scoring: 75
Grade: C
In his quest to make a hit, Common has sacrificed his voice and his consistency, two things that made Be such a classic.
Check, Check Plus, X
Universal Mind Control X
Punch Drunk Love X
Make My Day √
Sex 4 Sugar X
Announcement √
Gladiator √+
Changes √+
Inhale √+
What a World √
Everywhere √
Lot to look forward to next week. Well, not a lot, but it will be interesting to see if Fall Out Boy can continue balancing pop and intelligence with their new album.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Lonely Island's New Video is So Awesome That I...
"Jizz in My Pants"
Saturday Night Live member Andy Samberg's music group, Lonely Island, finally released their first single, and it is as crude as it is funny. There are some big guest stars in the hilarious video, such as Molly Sims, Jamie Lynn Sigler, and an especially funny cameo from Justin Timberlake.
I think it will be hard for the Lonely Island's music aspirations to completely take off, especially considering the other comedians who released comedy music while they were hot, such as Jimmy Fallon and Tom Green. In those cases, first their music disappeared from airwaves and then they disappeared soon after. I hope that sort of thing doesn't happen to Samberg, who is as responsible for SNL's apparent resurrection as anybody. But with his success mostly coming off of songs like this one, I'm pretty sure I have nothing to worry about.
Enjoy!
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
Saturday Night Live member Andy Samberg's music group, Lonely Island, finally released their first single, and it is as crude as it is funny. There are some big guest stars in the hilarious video, such as Molly Sims, Jamie Lynn Sigler, and an especially funny cameo from Justin Timberlake.
I think it will be hard for the Lonely Island's music aspirations to completely take off, especially considering the other comedians who released comedy music while they were hot, such as Jimmy Fallon and Tom Green. In those cases, first their music disappeared from airwaves and then they disappeared soon after. I hope that sort of thing doesn't happen to Samberg, who is as responsible for SNL's apparent resurrection as anybody. But with his success mostly coming off of songs like this one, I'm pretty sure I have nothing to worry about.
Enjoy!
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Album Review: Scarface - Emeritus
Scarface is not the type of rapper you'll find doing the late night performance circuit, or collaborating with one of your favorite pop stars for heavy music rotation. He's just not that high profile guy.
By the same token, he isn't the underground rapper who isn't accepted because he defies convention. In fact, Scarface fills his albums with the same sort of material that bogs down popular hip hop today: respect, money, violence, and a claim to being the best around. Any hopes for his presumed final album, Emeritus, to bring out the sentimental side of Scarface are destined for futility: Scarface does exactly what he has done through 9 albums, and even if the result isn't satisfying, it's reliable.
The beginning of Emeritus hits hard once you skip the intro from J. Prince that, while being interesting, doesn't warrant more than one confused listen. After that is the accurate "High Powered" and the only two great songs on the album: "Forgot About Me" and "Can't Get Right." The former is a jam-packed collaboration song with Lil Wayne and Bun B, and both do what they're supposed to (Wayne even makes fun of his multiple guest appearances by renaming himself "Featuring Lil Wayne" in the song). The latter is a soulful song of mourning for trying to break out of the hard way of life and finding it impossible. Bilal's guest vocals contribute wonderfully to this purpose.
However, the rest of the album kind of moves along after that, with few songs sticking out for good reasons. Songs like "Who Are They" and "We Need You" only stand out for their grating choruses. The other songs aren't particularly bad, but they also aren't particularly good. There are no one-liners, no big points, nothing that makes you stop and say "this is why I'm listening to this album." Scarface seems content on this album to just go for the ride, not realizing that he might be the only one in the car.
The music is done well in some parts and mediocre in others. The disparity is such that when the Cool and Dre-produced track "Forgot About Me" hits, the other songs following it sound poorly made as a result. There was certainly ambition in the production, as evidenced in the flutes in "I'm Still Here" and certain string arrangements throughout the album. To that end, the music created a somber mood for the majority of the album as Scarface continues to contemplate why there is still so much hatred in the world while simultaneously glorifying guns and murder.
Scarface is one of those rappers who calls himself "your favorite rapper's favorite rapper," and by listening to this album it is apparent how his body of work as a solo artist and as part of the Geto Boys influenced a lot of today's hip hop acts. But for a potentially final album, Emeritus isn't going out with a bang: more like the pop of a cap gun.
Scoring:
Replayability: (15/20) Several songs might be worth a listen or two, but the only two songs that will really warrant several plays are "Forgot About Me" and "Can't Get Right."
Music: (17/20) Where it's good, it's good. The beats help give the album a real, gritty feel that complements Scarface's simple subject matter...
Lyrics: (13/20) Which costs him here. The problem with his lyrics is that they are nothing new. He doesn't sample anyone else's lyrics, but he doesn't say anything different or interesting in any of the songs.
Completeness: (15/20) "Who Are They" and "We Need You" curb the album's momentum, but not by much: for the most part the transitions are smooth from track to track and the mixing was properly done. A lot of the beats towards the end of the album take elements of beats from the first few songs, and it gives the album a complete feel.
Emotional Pull: (11/20) There is absolutely nothing here to grasp onto. Seeing as this could be his last album, there should be a lot of pathos-inspiring elements reminiscent of Jay-Z's Black Album (no matter the outcome with that), but there is absolutely nothing here that you haven't heard a million times. There is no tearful goodbye, no big stunt to remember him by: this is who he has always been, and it doesn't get a reaction.
Total Scoring: 71
Grade: C-
Check, Check Plus, X
High Powered √
Forgot About Me √+
Can’t Get Right √+
Still Here √
It’s Not a Game √
Who Are They X
Soldier’s Story √
Redemption Song √
High Note √
We Need You X
Unexpected √
Emeritus √
Sticking with the hip-hop theme I've brought upon myself, today Common releases his 8th album, Universal Mind Control, which is waiting for me when I get off of work. Expect the review soon.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
By the same token, he isn't the underground rapper who isn't accepted because he defies convention. In fact, Scarface fills his albums with the same sort of material that bogs down popular hip hop today: respect, money, violence, and a claim to being the best around. Any hopes for his presumed final album, Emeritus, to bring out the sentimental side of Scarface are destined for futility: Scarface does exactly what he has done through 9 albums, and even if the result isn't satisfying, it's reliable.
The beginning of Emeritus hits hard once you skip the intro from J. Prince that, while being interesting, doesn't warrant more than one confused listen. After that is the accurate "High Powered" and the only two great songs on the album: "Forgot About Me" and "Can't Get Right." The former is a jam-packed collaboration song with Lil Wayne and Bun B, and both do what they're supposed to (Wayne even makes fun of his multiple guest appearances by renaming himself "Featuring Lil Wayne" in the song). The latter is a soulful song of mourning for trying to break out of the hard way of life and finding it impossible. Bilal's guest vocals contribute wonderfully to this purpose.
However, the rest of the album kind of moves along after that, with few songs sticking out for good reasons. Songs like "Who Are They" and "We Need You" only stand out for their grating choruses. The other songs aren't particularly bad, but they also aren't particularly good. There are no one-liners, no big points, nothing that makes you stop and say "this is why I'm listening to this album." Scarface seems content on this album to just go for the ride, not realizing that he might be the only one in the car.
The music is done well in some parts and mediocre in others. The disparity is such that when the Cool and Dre-produced track "Forgot About Me" hits, the other songs following it sound poorly made as a result. There was certainly ambition in the production, as evidenced in the flutes in "I'm Still Here" and certain string arrangements throughout the album. To that end, the music created a somber mood for the majority of the album as Scarface continues to contemplate why there is still so much hatred in the world while simultaneously glorifying guns and murder.
Scarface is one of those rappers who calls himself "your favorite rapper's favorite rapper," and by listening to this album it is apparent how his body of work as a solo artist and as part of the Geto Boys influenced a lot of today's hip hop acts. But for a potentially final album, Emeritus isn't going out with a bang: more like the pop of a cap gun.
Scoring:
Replayability: (15/20) Several songs might be worth a listen or two, but the only two songs that will really warrant several plays are "Forgot About Me" and "Can't Get Right."
Music: (17/20) Where it's good, it's good. The beats help give the album a real, gritty feel that complements Scarface's simple subject matter...
Lyrics: (13/20) Which costs him here. The problem with his lyrics is that they are nothing new. He doesn't sample anyone else's lyrics, but he doesn't say anything different or interesting in any of the songs.
Completeness: (15/20) "Who Are They" and "We Need You" curb the album's momentum, but not by much: for the most part the transitions are smooth from track to track and the mixing was properly done. A lot of the beats towards the end of the album take elements of beats from the first few songs, and it gives the album a complete feel.
Emotional Pull: (11/20) There is absolutely nothing here to grasp onto. Seeing as this could be his last album, there should be a lot of pathos-inspiring elements reminiscent of Jay-Z's Black Album (no matter the outcome with that), but there is absolutely nothing here that you haven't heard a million times. There is no tearful goodbye, no big stunt to remember him by: this is who he has always been, and it doesn't get a reaction.
Total Scoring: 71
Grade: C-
Check, Check Plus, X
High Powered √
Forgot About Me √+
Can’t Get Right √+
Still Here √
It’s Not a Game √
Who Are They X
Soldier’s Story √
Redemption Song √
High Note √
We Need You X
Unexpected √
Emeritus √
Sticking with the hip-hop theme I've brought upon myself, today Common releases his 8th album, Universal Mind Control, which is waiting for me when I get off of work. Expect the review soon.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Freshly signed artists Hey Champ wraps up tour with Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco's 1st and 15th Records has taken a different turn from most rapper-based record companies. First comes the signing of Matthew Santos, Lupe's reliable hookman, and in October Lupe signed Rockford, Illinois electro group Hey Champ.
Hey Champ's myspace
Lupe has taken them with him on tour for the past few months since their signing, and last night in College Park was their last show. They have an interesting sound and it seems to almost complement the style that Lupe Fiasco brings to mind. After the break, Hey Champ is going to do a few local shows and hopefully work on a complete album under the FnF label.
Good signing for the fledgling label, and hope to see more from these guys soon.
Hey Champ's myspace
Lupe has taken them with him on tour for the past few months since their signing, and last night in College Park was their last show. They have an interesting sound and it seems to almost complement the style that Lupe Fiasco brings to mind. After the break, Hey Champ is going to do a few local shows and hopefully work on a complete album under the FnF label.
Good signing for the fledgling label, and hope to see more from these guys soon.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Coldplay Accused of Plagiarism...Again
So Joe Satriani has filed suit against Coldplay for apparently stealing one of his riffs for the song "Viva La Vida." Things are getting heavy for Chris Martin and the boys: first the Creaky Boards cry plagiarism and now this.
This most recent accusation is sort of a hard pill to swallow for a few reasons:
1.) "Viva La Vida" was released in May of 2008. The Creaky Boards complaint was made a month after, which is an appropriate time to react to the supposed pilfering of one of your songs. Seven months is not an appropriate amount of time, especially when "Viva La Vida" was on TV and radio for months straight and is now finally starting to lose steam.
2.) Even if the riffs are somewhat similar, over the course of time there have been many songs that sound somewhat alike and have been passed off as simply a coincidence.
3.) That being said, these songs don't really sound very much alike. If it is that riff after the first bit, then I think Satch is just being picky.
I'm sure that this will go away just like the last accusation did. But if I'm Chris Martin, I would be proud of myself: apparently the song he wrote is so good that everyone wants a piece of the action.
This most recent accusation is sort of a hard pill to swallow for a few reasons:
1.) "Viva La Vida" was released in May of 2008. The Creaky Boards complaint was made a month after, which is an appropriate time to react to the supposed pilfering of one of your songs. Seven months is not an appropriate amount of time, especially when "Viva La Vida" was on TV and radio for months straight and is now finally starting to lose steam.
2.) Even if the riffs are somewhat similar, over the course of time there have been many songs that sound somewhat alike and have been passed off as simply a coincidence.
3.) That being said, these songs don't really sound very much alike. If it is that riff after the first bit, then I think Satch is just being picky.
I'm sure that this will go away just like the last accusation did. But if I'm Chris Martin, I would be proud of myself: apparently the song he wrote is so good that everyone wants a piece of the action.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
My Top Comeback Albums
Time released an article chronicling the best comeback albums in honor of Britney Spears trying to resurrect her career. While the list does have some pretty good albums, I decided to create my own list of albums that helped me get over a band's past mess-ups.
Incubus - Light Grenades. After the successful reception of Make Yourself and Morning View, bassist Dirk Lance left the band for creative differences. Judging by the subsequent release of A Crow Left of the Murder, Lance took all of the creativity with him. The CD was full of overambitious concepts and riffs without melodies. After the lone abberation in their long career, Incubus got back on track with Light Grenades, which brought back the interesting sound that listeners know and love.
Eminem - The Eminem Show. The Marshall Mathers LP may have marked Eminem's most successful album, but it also was followed by a rough patch in Eminem's personal life. He was arrested for attacking a bouncer and his marriage to Kim was in shambles. However, Eminem took all of that negative energy and rolled it into a 19 track masterpiece that stands, in my opinion, as his best album to date. He referenced the incident in several tracks, including as a skit in "The Kiss," and with help from Jeff Bass and Dr. Dre turned something that could have been career-killing into the best-selling album of 2002.
Tool - Lateralus. Tool took the 90s by storm and essentially created the genre of progressive metal, or at least brought the genre to a bigger stage. With thrashing guitars, haunting lyrics and disturbing music videos, Tool had much success with 1993's Undertow and 1996's Aenima. But after a long legal dispute with their record company and a tarnished image thanks to their stance on the Napster/music sharing controversy, many Tool fans were thinking their third studio album might never come. Butin 2001 Tool released Lateralus, an album that took all of Tool's strengths and made them better, especially with the moving title track and epic songs like "The Grudge."
There are more, but they will be saved for another time.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
Incubus - Light Grenades. After the successful reception of Make Yourself and Morning View, bassist Dirk Lance left the band for creative differences. Judging by the subsequent release of A Crow Left of the Murder, Lance took all of the creativity with him. The CD was full of overambitious concepts and riffs without melodies. After the lone abberation in their long career, Incubus got back on track with Light Grenades, which brought back the interesting sound that listeners know and love.
Eminem - The Eminem Show. The Marshall Mathers LP may have marked Eminem's most successful album, but it also was followed by a rough patch in Eminem's personal life. He was arrested for attacking a bouncer and his marriage to Kim was in shambles. However, Eminem took all of that negative energy and rolled it into a 19 track masterpiece that stands, in my opinion, as his best album to date. He referenced the incident in several tracks, including as a skit in "The Kiss," and with help from Jeff Bass and Dr. Dre turned something that could have been career-killing into the best-selling album of 2002.
Tool - Lateralus. Tool took the 90s by storm and essentially created the genre of progressive metal, or at least brought the genre to a bigger stage. With thrashing guitars, haunting lyrics and disturbing music videos, Tool had much success with 1993's Undertow and 1996's Aenima. But after a long legal dispute with their record company and a tarnished image thanks to their stance on the Napster/music sharing controversy, many Tool fans were thinking their third studio album might never come. Butin 2001 Tool released Lateralus, an album that took all of Tool's strengths and made them better, especially with the moving title track and epic songs like "The Grudge."
There are more, but they will be saved for another time.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Album Review: 8Stops7 - In Moderation
I've mostly taken it upon myself to do new album reviews since that is the nature of the music beast: it is all about what is new and happening right now. This is why I plan on reviewing CDs from Scarface and Akon among others in the coming weeks.
But sometimes a CD that is a little bit older just takes hold of you and won't let go, even after almost ten years. This sort of CD deserves a review, especially since it's from a band that never really got much publicity after the release. And since I mentioned one of their songs in the pick-me-up thread, I figured I should give them a little more attention.
8Stops7 is a rock band from Ventura, California that broke onto the music scene with the 1999 release In Moderation, and quickly got national notice for the singles "Satisfied" and "Question Everything," even getting a spot on the soundtrack from the show Friends. The problem was no one bought the album and Reprise records subsequently dropped 8Stops7 from their label.
If anyone had heard this album, they never would have had to be dropped.
In Moderation was -- and, 9 years later, still is -- the quintessential modern rock album. Every element to this album is nearly perfect, from the mood-setting thrashing guitars to the chilling vocals from Evan Sula-Goff, from the pulsing rock anthems to the moving ballads. This album was crafted with obvious care from top to bottom, from track to track, and it hits all five of the RRC criteria pretty flawlessly.
The guitars slash in some songs and whisper in others. The same can be said about Sula-Goff's voice, which has a surprisingly strong range. The lyrics aren't just splattering of angry words together but true stories. Every song has substance, from "Satisfied"'s battle with addiction to "Regression"'s letter from a child school shooter. There are songs about love and loss, songs about fathers dying and lovers' insanity. Each song is a story that draws the listener in and envelops them in a style that is uniquely 8Stops7's own.
8Stops7 released another album which is nearly impossible to find, and is planning on releasing another one in the coming year. I have tried desperately to find the second album because this first one had such an overwhelming effect on me. It has been 9 years since I first purchased this album and it still can bring out whatever emotion is needed: sadness, happiness, fear (from the end of "Better" which is a truly haunting song).
I reviewed this album because while there have been many good albums this year, I still feel like something's missing, and I wanted to show that there is an album that most people missed which should be discovered and given the attention it deserves.
Scoring:
Replayability: (20/20) "Not Alive," "Question Everything," "Regression," "Uninspired," "Esteem": each of these songs deserve multiple listens, and it takes many listens to "Esteem" to get your head around the subject matter. The songs are deep and moving and require multiple listens to truly enjoy.
Music: (18/20) The guitars from this album were much like the guitars from most the post-grunge rock era: heavy, distorted, and talented enough to carry a track. What really helps this score is that the shift in musical styles completely carries the album's momentum, and the solo in "Esteem" really captures the essence of the song completely.
Lyrics: (18/20) The pain is evident in "Regression": "These idle hands don't know their worth/I've covered them in blood, but this still fucking hurts." Similarly, the simple yet powerful lyrics in "Good Enough" display a much more hopeful theme: "But maybe tomorrow you'll wake up to find out/If I'm not good enough for now I'm good enough to wait for you."
Completeness: (20/20) This album was mixed and arranged perfectly, starting with the highs and mixing in the lows effortlessly. A variety of different emotions and moods are covered in the CD, and they flow naturally through one another.
Emotional Pull: (19/20) Spilling over from the last score, the emotions are powerfully on display throughout the entire album, climaxing at the end of "Forget," where Sula-Goff ends the CD with the full-circle: "When I need to find what I'm missing/And I can't recall what it was I believed in/Take me home." The ride is full of identifiable moments that listeners can relate to.
Total Score: 95
Grade: A
8Stops7 hits it right on nearly every chord, every vocal, every song. It may be hard to find, but it is on Amazon for 7 dollars, and that's a STEAL. This album is great from start to finish. Here's hoping that the other material they have and will put out can live up to the same standard.
Check, Check Plus, X
Satisfied √
Not Alive √+
Question Everything √+
Regression √+
Good Enough √+
Better √+
Uninspired √+
Esteem √+
Wider √
My Would-Be Savior √
Forget √+
Like I said, the next few album reviews should happen this week, as there is plenty of more hip hop, plus other albums coming out this week and next.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
But sometimes a CD that is a little bit older just takes hold of you and won't let go, even after almost ten years. This sort of CD deserves a review, especially since it's from a band that never really got much publicity after the release. And since I mentioned one of their songs in the pick-me-up thread, I figured I should give them a little more attention.
8Stops7 is a rock band from Ventura, California that broke onto the music scene with the 1999 release In Moderation, and quickly got national notice for the singles "Satisfied" and "Question Everything," even getting a spot on the soundtrack from the show Friends. The problem was no one bought the album and Reprise records subsequently dropped 8Stops7 from their label.
If anyone had heard this album, they never would have had to be dropped.
In Moderation was -- and, 9 years later, still is -- the quintessential modern rock album. Every element to this album is nearly perfect, from the mood-setting thrashing guitars to the chilling vocals from Evan Sula-Goff, from the pulsing rock anthems to the moving ballads. This album was crafted with obvious care from top to bottom, from track to track, and it hits all five of the RRC criteria pretty flawlessly.
The guitars slash in some songs and whisper in others. The same can be said about Sula-Goff's voice, which has a surprisingly strong range. The lyrics aren't just splattering of angry words together but true stories. Every song has substance, from "Satisfied"'s battle with addiction to "Regression"'s letter from a child school shooter. There are songs about love and loss, songs about fathers dying and lovers' insanity. Each song is a story that draws the listener in and envelops them in a style that is uniquely 8Stops7's own.
8Stops7 released another album which is nearly impossible to find, and is planning on releasing another one in the coming year. I have tried desperately to find the second album because this first one had such an overwhelming effect on me. It has been 9 years since I first purchased this album and it still can bring out whatever emotion is needed: sadness, happiness, fear (from the end of "Better" which is a truly haunting song).
I reviewed this album because while there have been many good albums this year, I still feel like something's missing, and I wanted to show that there is an album that most people missed which should be discovered and given the attention it deserves.
Scoring:
Replayability: (20/20) "Not Alive," "Question Everything," "Regression," "Uninspired," "Esteem": each of these songs deserve multiple listens, and it takes many listens to "Esteem" to get your head around the subject matter. The songs are deep and moving and require multiple listens to truly enjoy.
Music: (18/20) The guitars from this album were much like the guitars from most the post-grunge rock era: heavy, distorted, and talented enough to carry a track. What really helps this score is that the shift in musical styles completely carries the album's momentum, and the solo in "Esteem" really captures the essence of the song completely.
Lyrics: (18/20) The pain is evident in "Regression": "These idle hands don't know their worth/I've covered them in blood, but this still fucking hurts." Similarly, the simple yet powerful lyrics in "Good Enough" display a much more hopeful theme: "But maybe tomorrow you'll wake up to find out/If I'm not good enough for now I'm good enough to wait for you."
Completeness: (20/20) This album was mixed and arranged perfectly, starting with the highs and mixing in the lows effortlessly. A variety of different emotions and moods are covered in the CD, and they flow naturally through one another.
Emotional Pull: (19/20) Spilling over from the last score, the emotions are powerfully on display throughout the entire album, climaxing at the end of "Forget," where Sula-Goff ends the CD with the full-circle: "When I need to find what I'm missing/And I can't recall what it was I believed in/Take me home." The ride is full of identifiable moments that listeners can relate to.
Total Score: 95
Grade: A
8Stops7 hits it right on nearly every chord, every vocal, every song. It may be hard to find, but it is on Amazon for 7 dollars, and that's a STEAL. This album is great from start to finish. Here's hoping that the other material they have and will put out can live up to the same standard.
Check, Check Plus, X
Satisfied √
Not Alive √+
Question Everything √+
Regression √+
Good Enough √+
Better √+
Uninspired √+
Esteem √+
Wider √
My Would-Be Savior √
Forget √+
Like I said, the next few album reviews should happen this week, as there is plenty of more hip hop, plus other albums coming out this week and next.
Sit tight til the next grade,
RRC
Monday, December 1, 2008
Wale: when is this dude gonna make an album already?
"5 Minutes"
He's had some mixtapes, sure, but the Washington, D.C. rapper is sick and really needs to get something out there. He has the flow of Jadakiss but the mindset of Lupe, and I think the combination is something hip hop really needs right now. "5 Minutes" is a pulsing track that affirms in my mind Wale's skills.
Get this kid on an album yesterday!
He's had some mixtapes, sure, but the Washington, D.C. rapper is sick and really needs to get something out there. He has the flow of Jadakiss but the mindset of Lupe, and I think the combination is something hip hop really needs right now. "5 Minutes" is a pulsing track that affirms in my mind Wale's skills.
Get this kid on an album yesterday!
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