Billboard Album Review - Lionel Richie - Just Go
June 15, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - R & B
Billboard Album Review - Lionel Richie - Just Go
Billboard.com Album Review - Lionel Richie - Just Go
Billboard Album Review - Ruben Studdard - Love Is
June 15, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Pop, New Album - R & B
Billboard Album Review - Ruben Studdard - Love Is
Billboard Album Review - Ruben Studdard - Love Is
Billboard Album Review - Vanessa Williams - The Real Thing
June 15, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Pop, New Album - R & B
Billboard Album Review - Vanessa Williams - The Real Thing
Billboard.com Album Review - Vanessa Williams - The Real Thing
Chrisette Michele - Epiphany
May 22, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - R & B
Chrisette Michele - Epiphany - Album Review
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Chrisette Michele - Epiphany
“When it comes to love, Chrisette Michele is tired of the BS. On the title track, she lightheartedly warns, “I think I’m just about over being your girlfriend,” against an easy piano-based beat, and pours her silky vocals atop hollow drums and slinky piano strokes on the breakup song “Blame It on Me.” The Ne-Yo-assisted “What You Do” finds Michele schooling her partner on how to prove his love for her with his actions. She continues to lay down the law on “Porcelain Doll” and “Another One,” both of which find her claiming she is a “grown woman” over a choir-like production and acoustic guitars, respectively. But not all is heartbreak on the mature-sounding set. Backed by guitar riffs, Michele confesses her forbidden love for a young man on “Notebook,” while coming clean about a thought-consuming love affair on “All I Ever Think About.” —Mariel Concepcion”
Ciara - Fantasy Ride
May 13, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - R & B
Ciara - Fantasy Ride - Album Review
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Ciara - Fantasy Ride
“On her oft-delayed third studio album, Ciara attempts to keep it real, grown and sexy. On the intro track, “Ciara to the Stage,” the Atlanta artist chants flirtatiously, over a smooth, hip-swaying production, and tantalizes her lover with a private strip tease on “Love Sex Magic,” featuring Justin Timberlake—the album’s highlight. Much of the rest of the album could use more of that personality. On “High Price,” where she takes her vocals to an opera-like pitch, and her collaboration with the-Dream, “Lover’s Things,” whose faint tenor would seem like an ideal match, Ciara seems to go almost unnoticed. Thankfully, “Work,” featuring Missy Elliott, has Ciara showing fly-girl antics over a house-like, clap-laden production, and the breakup song “Never Ever,” featuring Young Jeezy, which samples “If You Don’t Know Me by Now,” pick up the slack. —Mariel Concepcion”
The Soul of Hip Hop - Volume 1
April 28, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Hip Hop, New Album - R & B
The Soul of Hip Hop - Volume 1 - Album Review
Building sonic bridges between the past and the future, hip-hop has steadily sampled its way from trendy fad to global force. Playing a major role in that transition: the venerable Memphis label Stax Records. Its deep well of soul, R&B and funk courses throughout the work of such forward-thinking rap/hip-hop acts and producers as Public Enemy, Ice Cube, DJ Quik and DJ Hi-Tek. Featuring classic and little-known tracks by Isaac Hayes, David Porter, the Emotions and others, this 14-track collection doubles as a fascinating aural history about how the past inspired the hip-hop generation. One example is the Dramatics’ 1971 song “Get Up and Get Down,” which has been sampled by a diverse lineup ranging from LL Cool J, N.W.A and Redman to Raekwon featuring Ghostface Killah—proof positive that old school can still be cool. —Gail Mitchell
Booker T - Potato Hole
April 26, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - R & B
Booker T - Potato Hole - Album Review
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Booker T - Potato Hole
“”Potato Hole” comes loaded with good news for fans of sweet soul music. Not only is it Booker T. Jones’ first solo outing in decades, but he’s backed on these 10 instrumentals by the Drive-By Truckers, as well as Neil Young. But the guests’ reverence for Booker T. is clear—the Truckers, as they did when they recently backed Bettye LaVette, know when to muscle up (on “Pound It Out”) and how to hang back (on moving, B3-powered track “She Breaks,” a sweet, shimmering number filled with references to Booker T.’s awesome past). For fans of left-field covers, “Potato Hole” (a 19th-century African-American term for the place where smuggled food was stashed beneath slave quarters) also sports a surprisingly boppy version of “Hey Ya,” a nice raw trudge through Tom Waits’ “Get Behind the Mule” and a sweet take on the Truckers’ own “Space City.” —Jeff Vrabel”
Keri Hilson - In A Perfect World
April 1, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Pop, New Album - R & B
Keri Hilson - In A Perfect World
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Keri Hilson - In A Perfect World
“Keri Hilson has already proved adept at penning ultra-catchy tunes (Britney Spears’ “Gimme More,” Omarion’s “Ice Box”) and showcasing her vocal chops (on Nas’ “Hero” and Timbaland’s “Scream,” among others). On her album debut, the 26-year-old singer/songwriter lays her vocal and writing skills over boom-bap productions for a set that is delightfully flirtatious (”Return the Favor”), heartfelt (”Energy”) and full of diva antics (”Get Your Money Up”). On the perceptive “Intuition,” over a looping beat, she questions a cheating boyfriend, while on the Lil Wayne-assisted “Turning Me On” she instructs cat-callers (”Better recognize a lady/ that ain’t the way to do me”) over a bass-heavy, Polow Da Don production. Hilson taps into her vulnerable side on tracks like the guitar-laden “Slow Dance,” co-written by Justin Timberlake, and the ballad “Make Love.” On “Knock You Down,” featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo, she confesses, “I never thought I’d be in love like this,” over a high-hat drum pattern. —Mariel Concepcion”
Leela James - Let’s Do It Again
March 24, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - R & B
Leela James - Let’s Do It Again
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Leela James - Let’s Do It Again
“Leela James’ outsized, soul-steeped voice was first harnessed on the 2005 Warner Bros. set “A Change Is Gonna Come.” James has lost none of that mesmerizing talent as listeners revisit a time when both singers and songs overflowed with substance. Covering songs ranging from the Rolling Stones and Bootsy Collins to James Brown and Phyllis Hyman, James delivers a fresh take on R&B/pop old-school heritage. A keen example: her version of the 1984 Womack & Womack nugget, “Baby I’m Scared of You”—enlivened by a “steppers” dance groove. She switches gears to fiery passion on Angela Bofill’s “I Try” and dives into hip-hopped funk on Betty Wright’s “Clean Up Woman.” Recorded live in the studio, the album deliciously captures James’ multifaceted musical aura. At the same time, it also sparks a desire to hear her cut loose the next time on an album of original material. —Gail Mitchell”
The Dream - Love Vs Money
March 17, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Hip Hop, New Album - R & B
The Dream - Love Vs Money
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The Dream - Love Vs Money
“The-Dream has definitely bypassed the sophomore slump with “Love Vs. Money.” The songwriter-cum-singer pushes the envelope production-wise (incorporating more of his Prince influences, among others) as well as lyrically: Check out “Sweat It Out,” which finds him crooning over a thumping bassline about a woman sweating out her hair after steamy sex. While sex is a recurring theme throughout the album (”Put It Down,” “Let Me See That Booty,” “Kelly’s 12 Play”), the-Dream also taps into raw emotions on tracks like “Love Vs. Money” and “Love Vs. Money Pt. 2,” which are this album’s collective version of “Nikki.” On them, he scornfully belts lyrics like, “I should’ve known money couldn’t match love” over pulsating beats. —Mariel Concepcion”
