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Album reviews: Justin Bieber, R Kelly, Hinder ARTIST: CHRISTINA AGUILERA, CHER ALBUM: BURLESQUE: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK NEW YORK (Billboard) – The soundtrack to “Burlesque,” Christina Aguilera’s first star vehicle, could be a continuation of her 2006 album “Back to Basics.” And why not? It showcased her distinctive flair for the big band style. The soundtrack comes on the [...] Black Eyed Peas lacking on sixth album The Black Eyed Peas, “The Beginning” (Interscope) The Black Eyed Peas’ “The Beginning” is a nonstop party, but the effort is not without a few clanging missteps. Perhaps the purveyors of feel-good anthems are trying too hard to live up to that title, creating songs that sound as big as earlier [...] Nicki Minaj’s ‘Pink Friday’ is uneven Nicki Minaj, “Pink Friday” (Cash Money Records) There is a lot of anticipation surrounding the release of Nicki Minaj’s debut CD “Pink Friday.” And there should be. This year, Minaj’s had 15 songs appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with seven of them hitting the Top 40. It’s a feat that few [...] Kanye West’s great ‘My Dark Twisted Fantasy’ only lacks fun “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” (Roc-A-Fella Records) We knew well before “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” that Kanye West is a tortured genius. He had made enough headlines and leaked enough music to make that clear. The main question left for his fifth album was, what’s in it [...] Review: Kid Cudi’s ‘Mr. Rager’ album perplexes Kid Cudi, “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager” (Universal Motown) Kid Cudi’s sophomore album “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager” arrives heavy with lo-fi experimentation and personal pot stories that certainly must mean something to the man behind the microphone, if no one [...] Review: Cee Lo Green delivers gems on third solo album Cee Lo Green, “The Lady Killer” (Elektra/Asylum) Six years have passed since Cee Lo Green released a solo album, and on “Lady Killer,” the Gnarls Barkley vocalist and former Goodie Mobb member combines the boldness and grit of both musical ventures to deliver some unforgettable tracks. From the gun [...] Master Shortie – ‘A.D.H.D.’ The UK hip-hop scene has been blowing up for a while. With the likes of Chipmunk, Tinchy Styder, DJ Ironik, N-Dubz and Dizzee Rascal all garnering serious mainstream success, several acts are trying to follow in their footsteps and appeal to the larger mass market. Master Shortie is slightly different to the majority of [...] Dilated Peoples – ‘The Release Party’ The story of Dilated Peoples is one of underground success, major label dreams, major label nightmares and a return to its essence. And while DJ Babu, Rakka Iriscience and Evidence are many years deep into the game, the true story of Dilated Peoples has never fully been told…until now. 10 years in [...] Dessa ‘A Badly Broken Code’ Review In a lot of ways, Dessa is a music critic’s nightmare. Debut records are supposed to be easy: you let it sit with you for a while, leisurely note your thoughts as they come, then organize those thoughts into something coherent. There’s always the matter of context, of course, but most [...] Ace Hood – Ruthless Review The Broward County monster does once again a second time in a row, this time less ‘Gutta’ and more ‘Ruthless.’ Since the last album, Ace has been known for his lyrical punchlines and furious delivery, there is no doubt or question in this young artist’s talent. Between Khaled and We the Best, [...] |
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