Keyshia Cole - A Different Me

The sexier side of Keyshia Cole huh.  I don't know about you but this is a good look for Ms. Cole.  I think this new look fits her...its actually believable.  Really I feel like people have been waiting for this from her.  Everyone knows that she can really sing...its just nice to hear her voice on softer tracks.  The album starts out with Keyshia's introduction of the sexier side of her in a catchy intro that will have your head noddin.  The next track sounds sort of like a play on a gospel song with the organ and the way she's leading the background singing.  I really could've done without this song.  But then the real album starts.  She brings you into her thoughts of love and romance.  The tracks are nice with strong beats and melodic harmonies.  Her voice lays down on them like an exhausted head on a soft pillow.  She sweetens the deal even more with the added touches of Monica, Nas and 2Pac.  In her outro she asks if you enjoyed yourself...if you enjoyed meeting the sexier side of her...I must say it was a very nice experience Ms. Cole.  There are a lot of songs that could be singles on this one...they will have a hard time picking them.  Good Luck!

Repeat Action

The whole thing!

Brandy - Human

Brandy is another pretty consistent artist...and over the years she seems to put out better and better music.   I really thought that her last album was her best...but she topped that.I  I must admit that I liked her working with Timbaland...but Rodney Jerkins brought it on this one.  This is her best...ha.  I get the feeling that I'll be saying that about the next one in 5 years.  She seems to take her time with each one....maybe to make sure its that sh%#.  Anyway....I don't know where to even start with this album.  I mean as soon as you put it in and start listening you will be taken.   The first song The Definition sets the tone perfectly...hard tracks with meaningful lyrics.  If you like that....go ahead and get the album cause it only gets better.  Rarely do you hear albums where the songs compliment each other.  Its almost as if Rodney Jerkins took some time to survey the playing field out there and pulled the best out of each sound out today and placed them perfectly in this album.  The whole thing can be put on random or repeat.  Please listen to it at least once with a quality set of earphones to really hear the work put in on this one. 

My Favorite (Don't get me wrong I love the whole thing, but if i had to choose one right now)

Torn Down - This is probably my favorite on the album.  Brandy explains how strong a love can be.... Don't tell me I can't build Rome in a day just cause they couldn't do it/If I took a whole lifetime try'na find a way I'd be feeling useless/I'm gonna love you right now/ And its so strong don't know how/ Can't be torn down.  The track on this song encompasses all of the sounds of music out today...the guitar, a hard beat, tantalizing synth melodies dancing all around the beat.  This song is the masterpiece of the album.  

 

Bilal - Love For Sale

Bilal's second album Love For Sale was never released in the US.  I think it was released on LP overseas.  This is a real tragedy for all the music lovers out there because this is definitely an album that needs to be heard and would sell wildly in the US.  Bilal has developed a strong fan base... a fan base that has been wondering what happened to him recording another album.  If you can find it online...get it...you will not be disappointed...this will be one of my favorites for a long time.  His style is very unique within the Neo-soul realm.  This album is not like the first one...it has more mid tempo tracks instead of up tempo tracks.  Each one creeps into your soul as you listen.  Its the type of music that you listen to while you are doing something like work to keep you going.  I guess its hard to explain really.  I just hope you get a chance to hear it.  What a loss to the label holding this album and to the artist.

Musiq Soulchild - OnMyRadio

Musiq Soulchild is one artist that you can count on.  He always delivers a finished product...I know I can buy his cds and like just about every song.  Well OnMyRadio is no different.  The cd starts with two well put together upbeat songs that get you ready for the rest of the cd.  The one thing I think he did better on this cd than the rest is the slower songs.  He really brought it on these slow songs...each one has some real flava to it.  The first one If U Leave gets the help of Mary J.  The next one Deserve U More has a little old school sound to it as he makes a plea to a lady that he is the one that she should be with.  Dear John the next slow song should be heard in a quality system...it has a nice bass filled beat to it.  For me that's what makes the song (you know I am all about some nice tracks).  So Beautiful is probably my favorite slow song on here.  This is the song you need to put on when yo woman wants to put on that special night outfit with the heels or something...yall know what I'm talking bout.  That outfit that makes you just sit back and enjoy each curve on her body.  Try that.  But this cd is not all about the slow songs.  He brings his usual strong, upbeat, soulful tracks also.  Check out Special.  It almost has a go-go feel to it.  Then there's one of my favorites on the cd...Money Right.  This song is beggin for a few bars from Andre 3000.  When you hear it  you will know what I mean.  He teamed up with Damian Marley on I Wannabe to make a song that should be played on a feel good sunny day.  And you already know about the single Radio...with its dirty south club beat.

Musiq Soulchild has released another must have for the collection.

My Favorites

Until

Deserve U More

Special

Money Right

So Beautiful

Radio

88 Keys - The Death of Adam

Glad to see this cd finally came out.  I think I heard the song Stay Up from this cd about a year ago on a Kanye West You Can't Tell Me Nothin mixtape.  I think 88 Keys has a mixtape out too....haven't heard it tho.  This cd follows a story line about a guy named Adam.  And it was executively produced by Kanye West....so that should tell you something.  The first song is a light-hearted song about a guy's "morning wood"...hence the name Morning Wood.  "Your morning could/start off on the right foot if she takes care of the morning wood".  The next song is Nice Guys Finish Last.  The track on this song sounds like a Kanye West track...real soulful.  The song  Handcuff 'em is another song with a real soulful beat that will make you listen over and over again.  I guess 88 and Kanye have the same style cause 88 is a producer himself...so I'm sure he had a lot of input.  Each song has a little narrative at the end which leads you into the next song.  So the next song on the album is Stay Up (Viagra)...and it features Mr. West.  The song is exactly about what the title says...ha.  This cd really is pretty funny.  You really got listen to (Awww Man)  Round 2?...it's hilarious.  But anyway...the cd goes on telling this story about Adam who eventually winds up dead.   Check 88 Keys out its worth the money....buy it.  

Tracks That Will Get Repeat Action

Nice Guys Finish Last

Handcuff 'Em

Stay Up! (Viagra)

(Awww Man) Round 2? 

Dirty Peaches

MILF (featuring Bilal)

Another Victim

Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak

Let me start by saying Kanye is a genius in that studio.  This album is appropriately titled cause he definitely uses 808s throughout the whole thing and its all about heartbreak.  Dubbed a breakup album, it starts with Say You Will.  This song sounds like it could've been made for Sade.  Its almost like he was listening to Sade as he created this song.  One thing he does on this song and throughout the album is let the beats ride at the end.  Artist don't do that anymore.  Another thing is the killa string arrangements.  To me hot beats laced with nice, intricate string arrangements shows attention to detail and care for the art of music.  Kanye is killin it on this album.  The next song Welcome to Heartbreak talks about missing out on a lot of the normal things in life when you are living the "good life".  The song is pretty deep.  Amazing is a song that will start off kinda weird to you but will have your attention and head bobbin before its over.  Paranoid...this 80s retro sounding song should be every man's anthem....ha.  "You worry bout the wrong thangs...the wrong thangs"....its real catchy.  Its real funny that the tracks are so ridiculous and the songs are so catchy that you don't even get too concerned with the fact that Kanye is singing....with the auto-tune that T-Pain brought back.  The next song RoboCop is probably the best example of how good strings laid over an 808 drum beat can sound.   This song is a continuation of the song Paranoid really.  He talks about a woman checking up on you like she a RoboCop....."Up late night like she on patrol/Checking everything like I'm on parole/I told her some things she don't need to know/She never let it go".

In the song Bad News Kanye talks about getting dogged by a lady.  Wonder how true the lyrics on this album are?  Hmmm....oh well.  The beat on this song is strong and keeps that head goin up and down as you listen to what he is saying.  Kanye had some things to put out there on this release and he knew just how to do it...put it on hot tracks.  Most people will listen to it if its on a hot track.  See You In My Nightmares is truly a breakup anthem for anyone that has recently gone through one...a bad one I should say.  Kanye joins up with Lil Wayne on this one.  I know...who hasn't done a song with Lil Wayne....ha.     

I could go on and on about this album and Kanye's skills but you need to hear it for yourself. Go ahead and get this one in yo collection.  You will not be disappointed.

Songs To Repeat

The whole album.

Slim - Love's Crazy

What happened with 112?  All I can say is that I'm not feeling this album yet.  Two tracks....So Fly and Sweet Baby.  Sweet Baby takes you back to the 112 days.  This ultra-smooth track will definitely make you go see yo lady if you aren't already with her.  Just picture yourself on your way to see her in your car (or dream car) riding down the highway at a slight high rate of speed...at night.  Just put this on repeat and ride.  Yall know what So Fly sounds like so there's nothing to describe.  Check him out for yourself though...you may feel different....who knows I may like the whole thing at a later time.   

Robin Thicke - Something Else

Today's "blue eyed soul".  Remember Hall and Oates, The Police, Tears for Fears and on and on?  Remember how much soul they had?  Just take all that and put it in today's music....you have Robin Thicke.  Really this guy is real R&B.  I just felt the need to shout out the white groups with soul from the 80s...ha.  For real this cd is something special.  Robin can sing...or sang.  His production is on the disc is really nice.  He gives you different looks at his abilities - from laid back smooth lounge sound of You're My Baby to the stepping sound on Sidestep.  He throws a percussion filled sound at you like Sade on Ms. Harmony and then hits you with a head boppa on Tie My Hands featuring the special touches of Lil Wayne.  You can lay your lady/man down to the guitar laden Cry No More or reminisce on Marvin Gaye in Loverman...he reminds you a lot of him in this song.  

Something Else to me is just that...something else.  There something on there for everyone.  

Notables

You're My Baby

Sidestep

Magic

Ms. Harmony

Loverman

The Sweetest Love

Cry No More

Tie My Hands

Everybody's a Star

Ebb and Flow

Styles P - Phantom Gangster Chronicles Vol. 1

Really....you may want to check out Styles P - Phantom Gangster Chronicles Vol. 1.  Dude can rap....plus the tracks are crazy!  Its only an EP so it has a few songs but its worth gettin.  True Hip Hop  

My favorites:  The Hardest featuring AZ, Where I'm from, Don't Want It

OLD SCHOOL ALERT!!!

All you music lovers get the song Stay With Me by DeBarge.  Its the original for Biggie's One More Chance Remix and Mariah Carey's I'll Be Lovin U Long Time. 

Q-Tip - Renaissance

Before you get this cd...and you must...pull out some old Tribe Called Quest and listen to it.   This cd puts in that mind frame.  Usually its hard for an artist to come back and release music relevant to the current time period.  He has accomplished this with this cd.  I can understand why he's holding a drum machine on the cover cause the tracks are ridiculous....his lyrics are on point too.  For me this cd starts at Gettin Up, the first single.  This is a feel good song that will....get you up or your mood anyway.  Gettin Up flows right into the next song, Official.  Oh man...yo neck is really about to be sore from the the head bobbin.  Cause the cd just continues with the next hard track for You.  And on and on it goes.  I was real pleased to see that he got with Raphael Saadiq on WeFight/WeLove.  He also has two other songs Norah Jones and D'Angelo that are just as pleasing.  Q-Tip definitely picked the right people two work on this cd.  Renaissance is a true audible pleasure...especially if you are a Tribe Called Quest fan from back in the day.  Q-Tip still got it.  Buy it!!!

Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman

It is my opinion that Ne-Yo is one of the most talented writers and producers ever.  He writes about a wide range of topics.  And he is one of the only writers nowadays that writes smooth bridges in his songs that add a lot of character to the songs.  Dude is truly talented.

Year of the Gentleman starts out in the club with Closer and Nobody.  Closer with its house-like feel and Nobody with its hard club beat get yo head noddin real quick.  Then he slows you down with the tantalizing Single....which should definitely be heard in a nice clear, high quality sound system.  The next song Mad is a typical slow Ne-Yo song.  It talks about not going to bed mad at your significant other...ha...easier said than done...or in this case sung.  I would say most couples have gone to bed mad at each other....for a few straight nights probably.  Then we come to Miss Independent...he blew my mind with this one.  The track is ridiculous and the lyrics talk about a dream woman for most men...most men that have their own anyway.  The core beat to the song sounds reggae inspired but the rest of the elements in the track do not sound reggae influenced.  It all comes together nicely though.  Why Does She Stay....uh because yo azz is paid...ha.  This song sounds good a typical Ne-Yo slow song for the women to love.  Fade Into the Background will get yo head noddin.  It has a nice sunny day feel to it that will definitely get some repeat action.   This is another song that has to be listened to a little louder volume than the rest...of course in a nice sound system.  Pay attention to the other sounds in the track.  Oh yeah do that with Miss Independent too.  One thing I always pay attention to with Ne-Yo's tracks are the string arrangements...always on point! 

Overall I like this cd but I wish it had some more of those chart toppin tracks Ne-Yo gives other artists.

Montell Jordan - Me and U

I'm was just sitting here checkin out Montell Jordan's new cd...only one song I can say to purchase is Me and U.  Personally I'm not feeling the cd.  Montell has always been able to deliver one or two hot tracks but never a whole cd.   Get Me and U....you won't be disappointed.  Its a smooth track that'll make that head bob.  Definitely one to have a drink to.

Estelle - Shine

Estelle...what can I say?  She shocked me with this one.  This cd is one of those pleasant surprises that come in life sometimes.  I knew about the first single American Boy and I liked the song when I first heard it...even if it uses the same beat from Will.I.Am's song "Impatient".  I really only thought she would have that one song....until I read that John Legend was involved...that made me look into it further.  I'm hooked now.  She talks a lot of junk for the women out there...but its cool.  Sometimes the strong English accent throws you off but the music is so nice you keep listening.  You can tell she's a fan of hip hop by the sometime hip hopish element she brings to the tracks.  The funny thing is she can give it you on an upbeat hip hop/RnB track or a reggae inspired track...she can even give it to you on a slow, smooth RnB track.  Versatility is hard to find these days....but she does it well.  

Tracks that deserve repeat:

American Boy

More Than Friends

Come Over

So Much Out The Way

In the Rain

You Are

Pretty Please (Love Me) - nice video

Conya Doss - Still...

Conya Doss' cd didn't immediately grab my attention but definitely gets better the longer you listen.  Listen to this cd for the first time chillin wit yo lady/man or just sittin back with a glass of wine and your head will start to nod to the tracks as you start to really feel Conya.  Her songs are written with a lot of meaning and she sings them with a lot of feeling.  Her voice lays over the tracks like a warm blanket on you in the middle of winter.  You can understand how she's been able to make it as an independent artist.  I don't know what else to say...its worth purchasing....especially if you are a fan of Neo-soul.

Songs To Repeat

Can't Stop

What I'd Do

Its Over

How About Us

Come Over

Let Me Love You

Jazmine Sullivan - Fearless

I think I'm going to go ahead and start a music review blog.  There is so much good music out there that never gets heard....I just want to help promote it.  Radio doesn't do a good job at that.  I know you get tired of hearing the same stuff over and over again.  So I'm going to try and introduce people to some different stuff to listen to.

Lets start with Jazmine Sullivan.  For me this was a shocker....truly a pleasant shocker.  I don't know why cause artist associated with Missy Elliot usually have a nice sound.   Remember Tweet?  What happened to her?  Why did people sleep on her so much?  Anyway....Jazmine Sullivan is definitely worth buying.  Its rare nowadays that you can listen to every song on a cd....you can with this one.  Standout songs like Lions, Tigers & Bears really display her vocal ability coupled with hypnotic, string filled track.  I truly appreciate tracks with melodic string arrangements.  Maybe its because I know what it takes to come up with this stuff.  Another standout for me is Dream Big.  Jazmine and Missy almost step into the house world and  give you a club track guaranteed to have yo head bobbin.  A beautiful thing...strong, beautiful voice over a club track.  What else you want?  Oh you want some smoothed out hip hop r&b huh.  Well check out Live a Lie...hard is all I can say.  I'm tellin you...this girl is the truth.  I mean I could continue to tell you but what you need to do is buy her music.  No I don't get paid for this.  I just enjoy good music and wanted to put it out there for people.  If someone wants to pay me...fine....ha.  

I'll be back with another cd or artist to talk about next time.   

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I will probably talk about some golf too since thats one of my loves right now.

My first day in this blog.  I just wanted to have a place to place my thoughts on today's music...more specifically R&B and Hip Hop.  Please know that these are my opinions on things.  My first thought is why don't DJ's mix anymore.  All you hear are playlist of different songs...and this is called a mixtape.  What?  I really don't understand.  I've even heard of cases where DJ's in clubs will use an iPod to play music....in a club now....come on.  This is ridiculous.  Can we not blend the music like it is supposed to be.  There is plenty of software that will allow you to do it digitally these days.  

Anyway....in the future I will be providing my thoughts on different cds as they come out.  I have several friends that like to come to me and ask about how a certain artist sounds.  So I figured other people could get something out of it. 

More to come....