True Urban Legends

i put up the old linkage: here's the goodie: http://www.nightlifemagazine.ca/magazine/view/673

incest is best, puts the family to the test.

well, other than the pickup from nat creole: http://theindustrycosign.com/site/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=7109

(this was a terrible movie, but i couldn't resist this ridiculously hot shot) but the album, yes. As I Am is strangely reminiscent of the last album, but the third album is always tough, ain't it? this time, she's traded the braids up for a weave, lost Kanye, but found God. the result is more of the same, though "Go Ahead" doesn't have the spunk of "Karma", calling yourself a "Superwoman" is like anointing yourself "Brick House" (you just can't say it about yourself), and for all intents and purposes, this is a gospel album. I guess her and Kirk Franklin are trading places...it is no wonder that "No One" is all over the radio, its requisite two word chorus/hook/verse is just what heavy rotation ordered, and it's no less annoying when John Mayer sings it live in NYC nightclubs (trust me, I know this) and like the second album, the middle tracks are the strongest. "Like You'll Never See Me Again" is the first time I believe her and the breathy voice (better than the trapped throat voice), though I get the sneaking suspicion that they're all going to have this theme of regret and shouldawouldacoulda that comes out of grief (I know homegirl must be hurting so I'ma let the rain effect go). "Lesson Learned" is the breakup with a heart of gold song, with the notable, "falling down ain't falling down if you don't cry when you hit the floor", she has a point here. and I don't mean to be nitpicky, but isn't it "reckless" and not "wreckless"? (sigh) the days when we used to proofread...somebody, anybody! "Teenage Love Affair" doesn't make much sense, because, how old is this woman? but I guess if she wanted to make a pre-quel to "You Don't Know My Name", she succeeded, because it works as that, down to the spoken interlude, it's just not as fly. "I Need You" is when she starts falling off again, professing love in binaries and all ("up needs down, no needs yes). she tries the whole Amy Winehouse thing with "Where Do We Go From Here", sorry sis, try some of the crack, maybe it will be better. though not to be a complete hater, I'm totally feeling this from that track, "sometimes I feel so heavy-hearted but I can't explain because I'm so guarded." amen.

we are on the verge of a december column on incest (puts the family to the test). deets at:

http://www.nightlifemagazine.ca/magazine/view/593

an interview with Mister J Medeiros at:

http://www.shotgunreviews.com/2007/11/24/pro-mises-of-pro-gress-j-medeiros/

and of course,

reviews on Eternia, 9th Wonder, and Median in Pound #40, you can't miss Kanye's face.

peas,
your girl

so, like viruses morphing into antibiotic-resistant versions of themselves, the federslime prototype may have a superbug incarnation. this came as a result of a joking gmail chat with one of my favorite emcees over his previous defense of the britney (which he currently cedes), and the gossip that she may be preggers again. to quote my wifey, "some people just need to be sterilized", and while i think that's a bit harsh, i wonder just how many minimes the girl (not quite a woman) needs to have at her disposal to drop on their heads. so of course, the question, "who's lucky sperm is it this time" comes up, and the answer, j r rotem. hmmmm....homeboy actually has some talent though, and connex enough to be producing jlo (though we're not going to talk about the new album again, i think she may be better off as momzilla) and kevin michael (at least on the entourage soundtrack, which has weird versions of everything, BOO to the dead prez remix) so i guess i can't write him off as just wanting to jump start his career, or can i? (as you can see above, not even 3LW, er, cheetah girls are safe!)

madame and her checked baggage are obviously canadian, i can tell from the shoutouts in her liner notes. her cover art (bigup to stylist julia che) looks anything but canadian, and that is impressive, as is the crucial inclusion of ali shaheed muhammed to her producers list, bigup. her voice is pretty good, but like her canadian counterparts (other than ivana, because woman's shits are bangin' live and on wax) she probably represents way better live. she doesn't really offer anything remarkably memorable lyrically, and this is a background/shopping/driving record that i would pull from when doing the score of a meloncholy love movie (like garden state). the duets ("get ur number" and "this love is") are nice, though it would be great if she would list who the male vocalists/rapper are...it's nice to see chin injeti and wade o brown (some of our canadian idols) lacing a track, and factor, you did good. here's hoping that she'll get the quick major label co-sign and release another album to build upon before her momentum runs out. her tracks start with promise, but don't move enough, and the metaphor can be extrapolated out to her whole project, as a whole, she's travellin' a little too light.

just taking a kat nap. a wise man (named canibus) once said, "if you got 9 lives, i'll take 8 off your hands right now". so, this one was a surprise in my mailbox, but who doesn't like surprises, right? homegirl has the energy of adrienne from 3LW or the cheetah girls, or whomever they are now, complete with cheesy "latina-attitude" intro, but hey, crossover market, right? and to be fair, it's clear that she has talent, kinda like a spanish-singing rihanna that actually has a range (vocal, not rover courtesy of jigga). the production has a definite island feel, and this is a pure pool party/tropical album because the ballads don't quite work. they make you ask the question, "is it possible to typecast yourself in 6 songs on a debut album?" then of course, you slap your forehead, because of course you can...just look at ciara's entire career. the most pertinent unintentional (i'm sure) comment on being a product of the industry? "i'm the textbook definition of a rebel". uh huh.

in that slightly dodgy way that anyone who has to reassure you to "trust me" is. when his first album dropped, i was blown away by how slick the production was, and this bookend (let's be honest, who really knows or cares how many came in the middle of these two-he's like the UK's musiq in this respect) reflects both vocal and production growth. he has gorgeous phrasing, a well-rationed falsetto (skill in itself), and good use of known samples in a fresh way. that being said, "6 of 1 thing" is a blatant rip of the amerie version, though in a will.i.am does it better than fergie miraculous way, his version is more palatable because he's not bringing the shrill beyonce-biting vocals. (funny how we've gotten to a point of writing about the circle of biting, i digress). what craig david (what is it with the double first names, people?!) doesn't realize is that he is too clear of a singer (that 15% mumbling-you know, think badu, janet jackson, toni braxton is key) and we can hear every (sometimes trite) lyric that comes out of his mouth: "so hot it's like she's drinking, taking a piss", "streets so crowded with hustlers and dreams", nobody needs to sing about whips (scroll down to my comment to prince on this one), and "top of the hill" is the only track that completely does not work, because homeboy isn't going to cross into the conscious soul-brother realm of parable, this accoustic adventure "to the ghetto" sounds like it was made for a soundtrack to the Olympics. Also, british rappers will always sound like ali g. and the only thing worse than them t.i. rappers (that are injected to give r&b songs more "street cred") is foreign versions. to "girl i will ride for you, give my life for you", i reply, please cd, don't hurt 'em. (sarcasm heavily employed-had to make it clear since it's the internet and all).