Posted on 11/04/2009
Ladies are definitely in the house when it comes to R&B, and anytime someone reaches a level of success, we see a lot of carbon copies, or since we are in the computer age, perhaps digital clones would be a more apt description. Joy Jones, known for her work with Bugz In The Attic, falls into the path of those duplicate singers only to interrupt the cookie cutter approach,...

Posted on 11/04/2009
Inspired in part by the classic Kevin Smith film Clerks, Chicago-bred and Washington Metropolitan area based artists, The Paxtons, aim to paint a picture of a fictional summer involving their exploits on their self-produced latest mixtape, Work. The loose concept unravels early on but it’s hardly a detriment, as what’s left in its wake is mostly enjoyable. Choosing to rhyme over extremely obvious loops and breaks, it all presents itself...

Posted on 11/04/2009
It’s never a good thing to listen to an album with your face tightened, staring aimlessly at your boom box like something smells bad. Unfortunately, that’s just what I endured every time I listened to Ultraviolet, the debut album from Chicago rapper Kid Sister. On one hand, I totally understand the purpose of this recording as a dance heavy project perfectly suited for the club. But on the other hand,...

Posted on 10/26/2009
Being English, I’m ashamed to say I’ve no idea how popular The Wendy Williams Show is stateside. But judging by Noisettes’ singer Shingai Shoniwa's (how sibilant can you get?) endearingly hysterical reaction to being anointed the ‘next big thing’ by Wendy herself, I’d guess it’s rather significant. Their rousing performance of “Never Forget You” seconds before might have started the hype, but there’s enough evidence on Wild Young Hearts to...

Posted on 10/26/2009
Raashan Ahmad has released one of those interim albums. You know, the ones that musicians record while they’re on tour promoting another album (in Raashan Ahmad’s case his debut album The Push) because they’re tired of performing the same old ish. This new album, Soul Power, is weirdly orchestral and weirdly Oakland; the beats are more like instrumentation, and Raa’s sporadic delivery just screams “Bay Area.” All this makes Soul...

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Posted on 10/26/2009
Let’s be clear: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are not overly complex. The group is not going to wow listeners with thought provoking lyrics or confuse them with intricate, ambiguous songwriting. Instead, what this band does is pound consistently with its brand of dance-heavy electronic drum and bass. Such is the case on the New York City trio’s latest recording, It’s Blitz!, the group’s third full-length album and sixth release overall....