Review: Common - Finding Forever

One of Chi-town’s rap gods is back and he’s looking to be here… forever.

Rapper Common, or more commonly known as Com, follows up 2005’s Grammy nominated Be with Finding Forever, his seventh studio album in 15 years.

What has he been doing in between albums you ask? Well for one, he started an acting career. With starring roles in Smoking Aces and the upcoming American Gangster, not to mention making this album, he’s been busy to say the least.

The title Finding Forever, is the quest to make “forever music,” according to Com. He says the album’s title “really means to find a place in music where you can exist forever.”

“I’m becoming more confident in who I am as a person, as a man,” Common said. “And I think, too, that at a certain point you just got to be like, ‘Man, I’m just going to make some music that feels good.’ I can’t be thinking too hard about what this cat is thinking over here or what’s going on in hip-hop. I ain’t even paying attention to that. I’m just making music. I write love songs, point blank, and I ain’t ashamed of it,” Common stated.

The quest for forever begins with the first single “The People.” With Kanye West on the track and Com on the raps, it’s easy to “find peace in beats and breaks.” The second single, “The Game,” also features ‘Ye on the beat with scratching/mixing by DJ Premier. With this one, you see Com’s harder side as he talks about his status in the rap game: “My favorite was Kane, now I’m dope with weight in the game / You was hot, but can’t stay in the flame.”

After the intro, the first song entitled “Start the Show” has ‘Ye on the beat with a slow pace. One lyric stands out in particular: “With twelve monkeys on stage, hard to see who’s a gorilla / You was better as a drug dealer.” It makes you wonder if Com going at 50 Cent and G-Unit with this one.

“Drivin’ Me Wild” features British pop star Lily Allen and a nice flow by Common. The song is the supposed third single off of the album. “I Want You” showcases will.i.am on the beat and single for a very sexy and sultry track.

The album is executive produced by West. Nine of the 11 songs (not counting the intro) feature his beats. On “South Side,” Kanyeezy spits a hard verse, but gets a tad bit annoying on the hook. Com delivers blistering verses as well: “Your career is a typo / Mine was written like a haiku.” The track is sure to be a Chicago anthem.Throughout the album, you may think you are listening to the late James “Dilla” Yancey on several songs. But in reality, you are hearing Kanye’s best Dilla impression. According to Com, Kanye tried to chop the samples similar to Dilla’s style as a way of honoring him.

However, there is one Dilla beat on the record found on the song “So Far To Go.” The track features a guest spot by R&B singer D’Angelo. The original version can be found on J.Dilla’s The Shinning. For this version, Com spits entirely new verses. Having Dilla on the album ties in with it’s title because in Com’s eyes, and many others, Dilla and his music are forever.

So has Common found ‘forever?’ That still remains to be seen. He insists that “those that doubt Com will soon believe.” While the album is amazing, the effort falls just short of Be. Even still, Common on his worst day is better than 90 per cent of other rappers in the game on their best day.

Album Grade: B+

Standout Tracks:

- The People

- The Game

- Southside feat. Kanye West

- So Far To Go

- Break My Heart

Also read this review @ http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/08/02/080320.php

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Review: Sum 41 - Underclass Hero

Sum 41’s new album, Underclass Hero, hasn’t come without its hardships on the band. They were nearly killed during a 2004 documentary shoot in the Congo. The band also split with their management. Most recently, it was announced that long-time member and guitarist Dave “Brownsound” Baksh was leaving the band. Underclass Hero is their sixth studio release and first effort since 2005’s Chuck.

The record starts off with the title track and first single that quite frankly, sounds like every other Sum 41 song. Listen to it a few times. Doesn’t this song sound distinctly familiar? Anyway, the rest of the album sounds like someone else’s, not Sum 41’s. “With Me” could easily be mistaken for Yellowcard and “March of the Dogs” might as well be a Green Day song.
So, did they just decide to jock everyone else’s style or what? Here’s a prime example on the album: “So Long, Goodbye.” Green Day anyone? “Good Riddance?” Anyone?
Now, I’m not necessarily saying that these songs are so awful. What I am saying, or asking, is what happened? Sum 41 used to have their own sound. Now, they just sound like everyone else.
There are a few upsides. “Count Your Last Blessing” ends up a nice track with some palm-muting and piano. But again, it just sounds a little bit too much like Linkin Park. On “King of Contradiction” they get pretty heavy and return to a little bit of their punk side. I’ll get back to you on the rest of the upsides.
“Ma Poubelle” is a little diddy sang in French (I don’t speak French, so if someone wants to get back to me on that, it would be great). “Best of Me” turns out pretty weak. The album is also littered with several anti-Bush references (Confusion and Frustration In Modern Times, March of the Dogs, The Jester).
There is one huge factor in all this that can turn the tables for this album: the lyrics. Underclass Hero is lyrically far better than anything Sum has ever done. Several times, I found myself not liking the songs as they first began, but liking them by the end.
However, it just doesn’t sound like the old Sum 41. You can say it’s because they’re “growing up.” You can say it’s because they switched their style up. You can say it’s because they lost a piece of the puzzle when their guitarist left. You can say that when frontman Deryck Whibley married Avril Lavigne, it softened him up (See: “Best of Me”).
Maybe you will say that Whibley thinks this album is way deeper than it actually is. Maybe you will say the album isn’t all that bad because, hey, change is good. I happen to think that different is good… and I think it is time to start listening to something different.
Album Grade: C

Also read this review @ http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/07/24/124455.php

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Review: T.I. - T.I. vs. T.I.P.

The battle within continues for rapper T.I. or should I say rapper T.I.P.? Either way, they’re both on the fifth studio release for the rapper(s) entitled… you guessed it, T.I. vs. T.I.P.

Most T.I. fans thought the dispute between the two was settled back on the rapper’s second album with a song of the same title. But the feud has resurfaced and is now an album itself. The album is a concept record divided into three parts: T.I., T.I.P. and T.I. vs. T.I.P.

“It’s the struggle of power between two personalities within one self,” T.I. explained. And with each segment “separated by a narrative explaining who each personality is.” There are three interludes/songs on the album: Act I, II and III. Part one is about T.I.P. coming to power and making wild demands of his record label. Part two is about T.I. waking up and hearing people saying he did things that he doesn’t even remember. On the final segment, T.I. and T.I.P. collaborate.

For those who don’t know or might have a hard time telling the two apart, T.I. is a laid back business type. His flow is smooth and somewhat lazy. T.I.P. is a self described loose cannon. His flow is aggressive, fast and has an “I don’t give a fuck” attitude.

“Big Things Poppin” is the first single off of the album, the beat provided by Manny Fresh. It’s been a hot song since it’s release and shows T.I.P.’s hard-hitting raps. The second single, “You Know What It Is” was produced by Wyclef and has a club-like feel to it. The two singles show the contrast of the rapper’s personas.

On “Watch What You Say To Me,” T.I. teams up with rap great Jay-Z to send a message to the fake rap busters out there in the game. As expected, Jay steals the spotlight with his verse: “I hear you baitin’ me lately/I’ve been doin’ my best to stay hater-free/Still, watch what you say to me/Sooner or later I’ll take you up on your offer and put you all in your place like I’m replacing your father/You talking to the author/The architect of The Blueprint/My DNA in your music/Mothafucka’ you stupid?”

The track “Hurt” features Alpha Mega and Busta Rhymes on the guest spots. The double bass makes for a fast-paced track. Producer Just Blaze laced the beat for “Help Is Coming,” a track where T.I. says, “Say hello to the man who can save hip-hop.”

Undoubtedly, the song everyone will be talking about will be the collabo with rapper Eminem. Known for having split personalities of his own, Em teams with T.I. for a laid back track called “Touchdown.”

While it’s really cool to hear the two on the same track, the song is flat out boring. Em’s verse is disappointing with his fake southern drawl and rapping about things that don’t even seem relevant to him.

“Tell ‘Em I Said That” and “Respect This Hustle” are both hard songs with a beats provided by Timbaland protégé Danja (pronounced ‘Danger’). The song “We Do This” also adds a nice track to the album.

However, songs like “Raw,” “Show It To Me” featuring Nelly and “Don’t You Wanna Be High” are decent, making you say “Ehh” when you hear them. It makes you wonder why songs with Lil Wayne, Akon, and Ciara were left off of the album.

While the album T.I. vs. T.I.P. is a great concept, the record doesn’t meet the standards of what hip-hop fans might expect. And even though T.I. is a very skilled rapper, he is not skillful enough, nor creative enough, to pull of the dual personality battle on wax. It is often hard to tell which songs are T.I. and which are T.I.P. What we are left with is another average-at-best album from self-proclaimed King.

Album grade: C/B-

Standout Tracks:

- Big Things Poppin

- Watch What You Say To Me feat. Jay-Z

- Hurt feat. Alpha Mega and Busta Rhymes

- Tell ‘Em I Said That

You can also read this review @ http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/07/09/095324.php

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Review: The White Stripes - Icky Thump

Effect and cause: the last song on the new White Stripes album or an explanation of the new White Stripes album? Effect: listening to Icky Thump repeatedly, several times a day or hour. Cause: Jack and Meg White. Regardless of my circular reasoning and logic, The White Stripes are back and better than ever with Icky Thump, their first studio release since 2005’s Get Behind Me Satan.
The album starts off with the first single, also the same title as the album. It’s laden with heavy drums and a xylophone-sounding guitar. The song also contains some of the best rock lyrics written in a long time, great not only for its cleverness, but also its cultural significance:
“What Americans? What? Nothing better to do? Why don’t you kick yourself out, you’re an immigrant too. Who’s using who, what should we do? Well, you can’t be a pimp and a prostitute too.”
The album was recorded in Nashville over a three-week period. The band and the studio’s surroundings may have had something to do with the country influence of certain tracks like, “You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You’re Told)” and “Effect and Cause.”
However, the use of bagpipes and Mexican horns have unexplainable influences, but sound pretty damn cool anyway. Those bagpipes can be found on back-to-back songs, “Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn” and “St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air).”
“Prickly Thorn” also features what sounds like a mandolin and continues directly into “St. Andrew,” where Meg says her words over a frantic bagpipe and guitar. The song makes you wonder if they’re talking about Detroit’s very own St. Andrew(’s Hall)…but no. St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. Bagpipes. Scotland. Saint Andrew. Get it?
The upbeat “Conquest” starts off with blaring Mexican horns and is on the mission from the start because…well, it’s a conquest. On “Bone Broke,” Jack resembles King Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys at times during the verses. “300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues” has a laid back, funky feel with the verses. Jack’s guitar wails and aches during the solos.
“Little Cream Soda” is one of the best songs on the album. Jack lets off frenzied, poetic verses. The guitar rocks heavily distorted riffs and sharply played solos. The drum skills of Meg White can be attested to in this song for all you doubters out there.
Jack and Meg go back and forth over a blues riff on “Rag and Bone.” It almost sounds as if they were improvising the words right off the top of their heads as they recorded the song. Although comparisons could be made throughout the album, “I’m Slowly Turning Into You” sounds quite like a Zeppelin song. The breakdown riff is so heavy and so bluesy, you might wet yourself. The “lala-la-lala-la” over the screeching guitar at the end of the song is superb. One of the best on the album, without a doubt. Tracks like “A Martyr For My Love For You” and “Catch Hell Blues” are definitely good, but when compared to other songs on the album seem only decent.
As a whole, the record is truly flawless. The experimentation mixed with the rawness of the music creates another almost entirely different album than anything we’ve heard from The White Stripes. While Meg’s consistent and steady drumming may go unnoticed by some, Jack’s ear-piercing guitar riffs will make your brain bleed and your eardrums fall out. Looks like they’ve done it again.
Album grade: AThis review can also be read @ Blogcritics.org

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Review: Various Artists - Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur

As John Lennon remains a symbol of peace, in life and death, so do his songs and lyrics. In remembrance of him and his message, the album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, brings together several artists to echo that message of peace to the rest of the world.The group Amnesty International has a long tradition of activism powered by music. It is more evident than ever with Instant Karma. More than 50 international recording artists and over 30 record labels have come together for this project.
The album will be a benefit project to support Amnesty International’s campaign. It will help focus attention and mobilize activism around the crisis in the Sudan. That crisis has place millions of people outside of their homes in Dafur and neighboring countries. The crisis, beginning in February of 2003, is genocide at the hands of the Janjaweed militias, bands of fighters backed by the Sundanese government.In addition to spreading awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, the project also encourages individuals to take a stand by putting their name to Amnesty International’s global petition, at the instantkarma website, which declares, “As a citizen of the world, I demand and end to the killing and mass atrocities in Darfur, Sudan.”
Aside from the cause, the Instant Karma album boasts a heavy line-up of world-wide artists. Big time acts such as Aerosmith, Christina Aguilera, Black Eyed Peas, Green Day, Lenny Kravitz, and R.E.M. just to name a few. Other artists like Ben Harper, Jakob Dylan and Jack Johnson also contributed to this double CD collection. All of the acts put their own spin and style on these classic Lennon songs, such as “Power to the People,” “Gimme Some Truth,” and “Mother.”
The 23-track album starts off with an amazing version of “Instant Karma” by U2. The song is about as close to the original as you’re gonna get. Aerosmith teams with The Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars for an interesting version of “Give Peace A Chance.” Aerosmith provides great rock verses while the Refugee All Stars back it with a reggae-style chorus.
Lenny Kravitz gives “Cold Turkey” a funky feel and former Wallflowers lead singer Jakob Dylan and Mexican rock band The Jaguares perform their own renditions of “Gimme Some Truth.” Country duo Big & Rich put a down-south twist on a good version of “Nobody Told Me.”
“Working Class Hero” is performed by Green Day and is an amazing punk-rock version to the Lennon original. The song is the first single off of the album. One of the best songs on the album is performed by English songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae. Her rendition of “I’m Losing You” is performed with a beautiful voice, accompanied by an electric piano, making it a really funky and soulful track.
Songs like Avril Lavigne’s version of “Imagine” and Christina Aguilera’s version of “Mother” are decent at best and show some of the low points to the album. But then again, who will ever do it as good as Sir John Lennon himself? Exactly.
All in all, a very nice and heartfelt album full of classic Lennon songs. The cause is on-point and so are the artists with this one.
For more information, visit www.instantkarma.org.

Album Grade: B
Standout Tracks:
“Instant Karma” by U2
“Give Peace A Chance” by Aerosmith
“I’m Losing You” by Corrine Bailey Rae
“Working Class Hero” by Green Day

Also read this review @ http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/06/13/095801.php

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Review: Maroon 5 - It Won’t Be Soon Before Long

Sexier. Stronger. Lyrically darker. Those are the words used by front man Adam Levine to describe Maroon 5’s second studio release It Won’t Be Soon Before Long.

Those fans thinking they will hear something similar to Songs About Jane, think again. Levine and co. break all preconceived notions about their band. The band used four different producers, bringing a different feel to the album.

Levine said the album “sounds more like Maroon 5” and hopes it will help change perceptions of who they really are. He also said that they’re “becoming their own band.” And by becoming their own band, they stick to their original blueprint for success with some minor changes in the mix.

The 2005 Grammy Award winners took almost five whole years to completely their sophomore effort, the follow-up to 2002’s Songs About Jane. During those five years, co-founder and drummer Ryan Dusick left the group due to injuries suffered from touring. He was replaced by Matt Flynn, who gets his first opportunity to show his skills on this album.

The twelve song album starts with an 80s-sounding song called “If I Never See Your Face Again.” Levine sings with a player’s attitude and confidence. The guitar is funky, just like the beat, giving the track an extremely sexy feel.

But the funk doesn’t stop there. The second track and first single “Makes Me Wonder” is a smash hit of major funk proportions. It’s as catchy as wildfire and has been tearing up the charts. Despite the upbeat sound and funkiness, the lyrics are fairly cynical by Maroon 5 standards.

“Kiwi” also incorporates the funk theme of previous songs. At first, you might think you’re hearing a Michael Jackson song. The track comes complete with Prince-like influence and a very nice guitar solo.

“Wake Up Call” is scheduled to be the second single off of the album. The song has a hip-hop-esque beat, something different for M5. On this track, we hear what Levine spoke of when he said lyrically darker.

In 2005, rapper Kanye West featured lead singer Levine on the song “Heard ‘Em Say” singing the hook. Levine expanded the hook into the song “Nothing Lasts Forever” for this album, one of the standout tracks. It’s a really mellow track with great lyrics.

Another fast-paced song, “Can’t Stop”, provides a great rock song with a funky edge to the album. With this song, listeners can hear the sexier side of M5 that Levine spoke about.

“Won’t Go Home Without You” and “Not Falling Apart” are tracks that sound similar to the typical Maroon 5 fashion heard on SAJ. The songs have a distinct Police/Sting sound to them.

The piano and singing on “Better That We Break” are reminiscent of a Beatles song, but with classic Levine sounding vocals. The sad, downtrodden song will touch anyone who has broken up with a significant other and had a tough time with it.

“Goodnight, Goodnight” and “Little Of Your Time” are relatively weak songs and sound whiny at times. They are the downsides of the album, without a doubt.

The album closes out with “Back At Your Door,” a bluesy love ballad. It almost sounds like the type of song you might hear a female lounge singer performing.

All in all, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long constitutes a solid sophomore effort by Maroon 5, especially with all the accompanying pressure to deliver from fans and critics. They have done just that…deliver.

Album grade: B

Standout Tracks:

“If I Never See Your Face Again”

“Makes Me Wonder”

“Nothing Lasts Forever”

“Back At Your Door”

Also read this review @ http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/06/05/111648.php

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Review: Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight

Different strokes for different folks.

Isn’t that how the saying goes?

Linkin Park shows a few different strokes that people aren’t used to on their third album, Minutes to Midnight.

Twelve new songs can be found on Minutes, their first studio release since 2003’s Meteora.

The band said the work they put into Minutes totaled about three years.

Linkin Park had from over 100 songs to choose from for this album and were very selective in their choices.

“What I’ve Done” is the first single off the album and is a fairly mediocre song of the typical Linkin Park fashion.

The album starts off at a blistering pace after the intro.

“Given Up” is a fast paced, heavy song of the more normal sounding Linkin park.

“No More Sorrow” is an anti-establishment song and a very heavy track. The opening in particular sounds damn-near like an old Metallica song. It’s probably the heaviest Linkin Park song ever produced.

The question I have been asking (and undoubtedly Linkin Park fans everywhere) about Minutes is: Where is Mike Shinoda?

“Bleed It Out” is one of the few times Shinoda is distinctly heard on the album. It’s one of the best songs on the album and another great “normal” L.P. song.

Shinoda co-produced the album with Rick Rubin.

It may seem like he’s absent from the record but in reality, Shinoda is singing a lot more. He does a lot of the harmonies. He also sings a couple of songs solo.

“In Between” features Shinoda alone, first time ever singing solo on a Linkin Park record.

Shinoda is also by himself on “Hands Held High,” another anti-war song. It’s one of the high points on the album because of the raw emotion put into the song.

With Rubin producing, you can expect him to deliver a different sound from any given band on any particular album.

He has the power to bring out the different side of a band and that’s exactly what he did with this Linkin Park album.

You wouldn’t have dreamed hearing these types of songs on previous L.P. albums.

Instead of heavy techno-laced beats, you get a what seems like, crisper version of Linkin Park.

It’s evident with songs like “In Pieces” and “The Little Things Give You Away.”

“In Pieces” is a unique song with a fast paced techno beat mixed with an 80s sound, complete with a guitar solo.

“The Little Things Give You Away” closes out the album and is way different than any other L.P. song ever recorded.

It includes acoustic guitar AND a guitar solo. The song has more of a classic rock type song structure.

Chester Bennington is featured heavily on the album, which equals more singing.

Less Mike Shinoda equals less rapping.

Which all comes together to make a unique rock record.

All in all, Minutes is not the type of record you would expect to hear from L.P.

Some Linkin Park fans may discard the album, calling it blasphemy.

Critics may do the same.

But neither should EVER fault a band for exploring unchartered territory.

Album grade: B-

Stand out tracks:
“Given Up”
“Bleed It Out”
“Hands Held High”
“No More Sorrow”

Also read this review @ http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/06/02/215851.php

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