Backstreet Boys, "In a World Like This" (K-bahn, BMG)
Backstreet's back, all right!
Not all right, actually.
The Backstreet Boys managed to bring fifth member Kevin Richardson back into the fold for an eighth album and a world tour to celebrate 20 years of making music. "In a World Like This" is also the first to come out from under their own label, K-bahn, after parting with longtime partner, the now defunct Jive Records.
The boys collaborate mostly with producers Martin Terefe and Morgan Taylor Reid on the 12-track album that lacks the immediate hooks that their earlier hits had. Bsb's album is a grown-up mix of tunes talking about love and commitment, but the songs bleed into each other despite not being similar. The group is too concerned to show us how they've matured to remember that it's sexy vibes that sell.
"Breathe," "Feels Like Home," "Permanent Stain" and "Make Believe" are average,...
Backstreet's back, all right!
Not all right, actually.
The Backstreet Boys managed to bring fifth member Kevin Richardson back into the fold for an eighth album and a world tour to celebrate 20 years of making music. "In a World Like This" is also the first to come out from under their own label, K-bahn, after parting with longtime partner, the now defunct Jive Records.
The boys collaborate mostly with producers Martin Terefe and Morgan Taylor Reid on the 12-track album that lacks the immediate hooks that their earlier hits had. Bsb's album is a grown-up mix of tunes talking about love and commitment, but the songs bleed into each other despite not being similar. The group is too concerned to show us how they've matured to remember that it's sexy vibes that sell.
"Breathe," "Feels Like Home," "Permanent Stain" and "Make Believe" are average,...
- 7/29/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
-- The Lonely Island, "The Wack Album" (Republic Records)
The Lonely Island pull another magic trick out of the fun box – and it's their third studio record, "The Wack Album." The Weird Al Yankoviches of the 21st century tackle sexual etiquette, double standards, general stupidity and wardrobe malfunctions with the help of Solange, Ed Norton, Pharrell, Too $hort, Kristen Wiig and Robyn, among many others.
The jester minstrels' lead single, "Yolo," is an anthemic track deriding the oft-used acronym with guest vocals from Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamar. "3-Way (The Golden Rule)," originally released in 2011 with Lady Gaga and their always game collaborator Justin Timberlake, offers a classic R&B sound.
Another standout on the 20-song list is the tongue-in-cheek "Hugs," where the threesome – led by Andy Samberg – lay the rules for a good platonic "upper body grip," while the bouncy "You've Got the Look" reveals an unexpected side of Hugh Jackman,...
The Lonely Island pull another magic trick out of the fun box – and it's their third studio record, "The Wack Album." The Weird Al Yankoviches of the 21st century tackle sexual etiquette, double standards, general stupidity and wardrobe malfunctions with the help of Solange, Ed Norton, Pharrell, Too $hort, Kristen Wiig and Robyn, among many others.
The jester minstrels' lead single, "Yolo," is an anthemic track deriding the oft-used acronym with guest vocals from Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamar. "3-Way (The Golden Rule)," originally released in 2011 with Lady Gaga and their always game collaborator Justin Timberlake, offers a classic R&B sound.
Another standout on the 20-song list is the tongue-in-cheek "Hugs," where the threesome – led by Andy Samberg – lay the rules for a good platonic "upper body grip," while the bouncy "You've Got the Look" reveals an unexpected side of Hugh Jackman,...
- 6/18/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
-- Daft Punk, "Random Access Memories" (Columbia)
On its wildly anticipated fourth studio album, "Random Access Memories," helmeted duo Daft Punk go harder, better, faster, stronger than ever before.
The eight-year wait for new music paid off as Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter weave an intellectually seductive sonic landscape with a rewarding amount of catchy beats. It's the first time Daft Punk leaves the computer at home, using only live instruments, a modular synthesizer and vintage vocoders, the latter of which are heavily employed.
The 13-track record investigates the boundaries of art versus science through time by sampling a `70s and `80s sound as interpreted by machines invented in 2040. But make no mistake, there are about two songs that put the spunky D in Edm and both are Pharrell's contributions – "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself to Dance."
The rest of the tunes explore variations of the symbiosis between man and artificial constructs.
On its wildly anticipated fourth studio album, "Random Access Memories," helmeted duo Daft Punk go harder, better, faster, stronger than ever before.
The eight-year wait for new music paid off as Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter weave an intellectually seductive sonic landscape with a rewarding amount of catchy beats. It's the first time Daft Punk leaves the computer at home, using only live instruments, a modular synthesizer and vintage vocoders, the latter of which are heavily employed.
The 13-track record investigates the boundaries of art versus science through time by sampling a `70s and `80s sound as interpreted by machines invented in 2040. But make no mistake, there are about two songs that put the spunky D in Edm and both are Pharrell's contributions – "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself to Dance."
The rest of the tunes explore variations of the symbiosis between man and artificial constructs.
- 5/20/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Various Artists, "Music From Baz Luhrmann's Film The Great Gatsby" (Interscope Records)
"The exhilarating ripple of her voice was a wild tonic in the rain." Daisy Buchanan from "The Great Gatsby" gets to be reincarnated on the film's soundtrack under the guise of artists such as Beyonce, Lana Del Ray, Sia and Florence Welch. Their honeyed charm work on the listener in the same indiscriminate, intense manner that Buchanan's does on the narrator and her entourage.
The Jay-z-produced musical roller coaster mixes electronica, hip-hop and rock with jazz-age sounds into a breathy, sexy, dangerous, electric result. It was to be expected from the master of mind-blowing pastiche, director Baz Luhrmann, to create a totally anachronistic companion to his lush film that works to drive the story's point home – illusionary love, the excess of the leisure classes, the curse of money.
The songs, which meander in themes among partying, murder and heartache,...
"The exhilarating ripple of her voice was a wild tonic in the rain." Daisy Buchanan from "The Great Gatsby" gets to be reincarnated on the film's soundtrack under the guise of artists such as Beyonce, Lana Del Ray, Sia and Florence Welch. Their honeyed charm work on the listener in the same indiscriminate, intense manner that Buchanan's does on the narrator and her entourage.
The Jay-z-produced musical roller coaster mixes electronica, hip-hop and rock with jazz-age sounds into a breathy, sexy, dangerous, electric result. It was to be expected from the master of mind-blowing pastiche, director Baz Luhrmann, to create a totally anachronistic companion to his lush film that works to drive the story's point home – illusionary love, the excess of the leisure classes, the curse of money.
The songs, which meander in themes among partying, murder and heartache,...
- 5/6/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
-- LL Cool J, "Authentic" (429 Records)
LL Cool J knows how to play well with others.
On his 13th studio album, "Authentic," he delivers an eclectic mix of songs with a variety of guest singers that elevate the material to a worthy listening experience. This is not a rap album, but more of a hip-pop/hip-rock one, hitting all the right notes from romantic to raucous to punk.
The 12-track record sees a roster of stars lend their voices, including Eddie Van Halen, Snoop Dogg, Travis Barker, Monica, Seal, Earth, Wind & Fire and Brad Paisley (not "Accidental Racist," thankfully. Their other collaboration, "Live for You," is a rock ballad that is enjoyable.)
From the sarcastically cinematic intro "Bath Salt," to the delightfully cheesy lust song "Between the Sheetz," to the vivacious, Charlie Wilson-assisted "New Love," the rapper sounds fresh.
There's nothing wrong with pandering when one tries to hang on to artistic relevance,...
LL Cool J knows how to play well with others.
On his 13th studio album, "Authentic," he delivers an eclectic mix of songs with a variety of guest singers that elevate the material to a worthy listening experience. This is not a rap album, but more of a hip-pop/hip-rock one, hitting all the right notes from romantic to raucous to punk.
The 12-track record sees a roster of stars lend their voices, including Eddie Van Halen, Snoop Dogg, Travis Barker, Monica, Seal, Earth, Wind & Fire and Brad Paisley (not "Accidental Racist," thankfully. Their other collaboration, "Live for You," is a rock ballad that is enjoyable.)
From the sarcastically cinematic intro "Bath Salt," to the delightfully cheesy lust song "Between the Sheetz," to the vivacious, Charlie Wilson-assisted "New Love," the rapper sounds fresh.
There's nothing wrong with pandering when one tries to hang on to artistic relevance,...
- 4/29/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
-- Michael Buble, "To Be Loved" (Reprise Records)
Canadian crooner Michael Buble projects a strange dichotomy in his eighth studio album, "To Be Loved." It combines old and new, happy and blue, romance and more romance. His evident penchant for the golden standards, which he covers with aplomb, is what saves the record from sounding too modernly hollow. It's also the reason it sounds uneven, meandering from harried contemporary pop like "Close Your Eyes" to the smooth, seductive Dean Martin tune "Nevertheless (I'm in Love With You)."
The four originals on the 14-track album were all co-written by Buble, but apart from his joie de vivre and emotive voice, they mostly fail to capture the imagination. Not even the Bryan Adams collaboration on "After All," or Buble's deceivingly upbeat single, "It's a Beautiful Day," can save it from a big yawn chain.
Buble is at his best when reclaiming beloved classics as his own.
Canadian crooner Michael Buble projects a strange dichotomy in his eighth studio album, "To Be Loved." It combines old and new, happy and blue, romance and more romance. His evident penchant for the golden standards, which he covers with aplomb, is what saves the record from sounding too modernly hollow. It's also the reason it sounds uneven, meandering from harried contemporary pop like "Close Your Eyes" to the smooth, seductive Dean Martin tune "Nevertheless (I'm in Love With You)."
The four originals on the 14-track album were all co-written by Buble, but apart from his joie de vivre and emotive voice, they mostly fail to capture the imagination. Not even the Bryan Adams collaboration on "After All," or Buble's deceivingly upbeat single, "It's a Beautiful Day," can save it from a big yawn chain.
Buble is at his best when reclaiming beloved classics as his own.
- 4/22/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
"10," the sixth album from New Kids on the Block, offers up the boy band brand of catchy pop adapted to modern tastes – easy, swaying hooks melded with unexpected Euro beats, sensitive lyrics and vague echoes of retro sounds.
But make no mistake, these guys are here to conquer your heart all over again, even going as far as to issue an Enrique Iglesias-doppelganger sounding tune, "The Whisper."
In a world where true pop romance is dead, this 12-track album separates the men from the boys in the musical arena. They sing with confidence on the touching ballad "Back to Life" (a wink to their phoenix-like rebirth?), issue a playful, energetic party invitation on the first single "Remix (I Like The)" and let emotion pour in "Miss You More."
Their swagger in "We Own the Night" puts to shame their contemporary counterparts who sing in only one direction. They may...
But make no mistake, these guys are here to conquer your heart all over again, even going as far as to issue an Enrique Iglesias-doppelganger sounding tune, "The Whisper."
In a world where true pop romance is dead, this 12-track album separates the men from the boys in the musical arena. They sing with confidence on the touching ballad "Back to Life" (a wink to their phoenix-like rebirth?), issue a playful, energetic party invitation on the first single "Remix (I Like The)" and let emotion pour in "Miss You More."
Their swagger in "We Own the Night" puts to shame their contemporary counterparts who sing in only one direction. They may...
- 4/1/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Midi Matilda, "Red Light District Ep" (Five Seven Music)
San Francisco-based electro pop duo Midi Matilda pulls the rug out from under your feet with their six-track debut Ep, "Red Light District." Having joined forces just a year ago, with names like Logan Grime and Skyler Kilborn, they couldn't have been anything other than a pair of poets in disguise as musicians. Their peppy sound strides the line between modern pop and homage 1980s with aplomb and manages to capture a certain joie de vivre and a youthful hopefulness without sounding derivative.
"Day Dreams" transports you to a wistful day of reverie and "Love and the Movies" veers into a strange time-bending territory where you feel you've heard bits and pieces of the synth, yet you're dislocated into the unknown. And "Ottawa" pulses through your feet with lyrics like: "Unsure lady, if there's room for you and I, you're pouring...
San Francisco-based electro pop duo Midi Matilda pulls the rug out from under your feet with their six-track debut Ep, "Red Light District." Having joined forces just a year ago, with names like Logan Grime and Skyler Kilborn, they couldn't have been anything other than a pair of poets in disguise as musicians. Their peppy sound strides the line between modern pop and homage 1980s with aplomb and manages to capture a certain joie de vivre and a youthful hopefulness without sounding derivative.
"Day Dreams" transports you to a wistful day of reverie and "Love and the Movies" veers into a strange time-bending territory where you feel you've heard bits and pieces of the synth, yet you're dislocated into the unknown. And "Ottawa" pulses through your feet with lyrics like: "Unsure lady, if there's room for you and I, you're pouring...
- 3/4/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Various Artists, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" (Summit Entertainment/Chop Shop/Atlantic Records)
It's a sad goodbye from "The Twilight Saga," which sees its last installment, "Breaking Dawn – Part 2," hit the big screen this week. The soundtrack reflects a chocked up melancholia that lingers over the sound like dust over old boxes of family photos.
This final film steps away from the romantic dilemmas of previous outings into a tense confrontation between vampire factions. Yet the album is more focused on delivering a soulful sound that is neither too arcane, nor too mainstream. It's just quirky enough to be embraced by the hordes of teenagers who've grown up alongside Bella and Edward.
Nikki Reed, who plays Rosalie Hale in the film, makes an appearance on the instrument-stripped piano ballad "All I've Ever Needed," alongside her husband and former "American Idol" contestant Paul McDonald. Green Day,...
It's a sad goodbye from "The Twilight Saga," which sees its last installment, "Breaking Dawn – Part 2," hit the big screen this week. The soundtrack reflects a chocked up melancholia that lingers over the sound like dust over old boxes of family photos.
This final film steps away from the romantic dilemmas of previous outings into a tense confrontation between vampire factions. Yet the album is more focused on delivering a soulful sound that is neither too arcane, nor too mainstream. It's just quirky enough to be embraced by the hordes of teenagers who've grown up alongside Bella and Edward.
Nikki Reed, who plays Rosalie Hale in the film, makes an appearance on the instrument-stripped piano ballad "All I've Ever Needed," alongside her husband and former "American Idol" contestant Paul McDonald. Green Day,...
- 11/12/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
New York — Snoop Dogg has rapped in songs where gay slurs have been tossed about.
He's even said them, part of a long list of rappers who have freely used the f-word – the other f-word – in rhyme.
For years, anti-gay epithets and sentiments in rap have largely been accepted, along with its frequent misogyny and violence, as part of the hip-hop culture – a culture that has been slow to change, even as gays enjoy more mainstream acceptance, particularly in entertainment.
But while perhaps glacial, a shift appears to be on the horizon.
"People are learning how to live and get along more, and accept people for who they are and not bash them or hurt them because they're different," Snoop Dogg said in a recent interview.
Frank Ocean may be largely responsible for that. The rising star, who revealed on his blog last month that his first love was a man,...
He's even said them, part of a long list of rappers who have freely used the f-word – the other f-word – in rhyme.
For years, anti-gay epithets and sentiments in rap have largely been accepted, along with its frequent misogyny and violence, as part of the hip-hop culture – a culture that has been slow to change, even as gays enjoy more mainstream acceptance, particularly in entertainment.
But while perhaps glacial, a shift appears to be on the horizon.
"People are learning how to live and get along more, and accept people for who they are and not bash them or hurt them because they're different," Snoop Dogg said in a recent interview.
Frank Ocean may be largely responsible for that. The rising star, who revealed on his blog last month that his first love was a man,...
- 8/23/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Various artists, "Sparkle: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" (RCA Records)
Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin's union for the soundtrack of the 1976 musical drama "Sparkle" made for an instant soul classic, so the 2012 remake already has a lot to live up to. The burden for greatness is shared among the main cast, which includes Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, Carmen Ejogo, Tika Sumpter and Cee Lo Green. Sparks emerges as the leading lady of the album. She shines bright on various collaborations and her three solo tracks: It's another winning moment for the former "American Idol" champ.
With that said, Houston has become the focus of the film and soundtrack since she died earlier this year. Her songs here should have served as a high note for the icon, but unfortunately her swan songs – "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" and "Celebrate" with Sparks – falter as the singer struggles to find her once sparkling,...
Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin's union for the soundtrack of the 1976 musical drama "Sparkle" made for an instant soul classic, so the 2012 remake already has a lot to live up to. The burden for greatness is shared among the main cast, which includes Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, Carmen Ejogo, Tika Sumpter and Cee Lo Green. Sparks emerges as the leading lady of the album. She shines bright on various collaborations and her three solo tracks: It's another winning moment for the former "American Idol" champ.
With that said, Houston has become the focus of the film and soundtrack since she died earlier this year. Her songs here should have served as a high note for the icon, but unfortunately her swan songs – "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" and "Celebrate" with Sparks – falter as the singer struggles to find her once sparkling,...
- 8/13/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
R. Kelly, "Write Me Back" (RCA Records)
Dear R. Kelly,
You've gone and done it again. I don't know what's going on with two back-to-back, rather wholesome and anachronistic albums, but your eleventh "Write Me Back" feels like a breath of fresh air on the contemporary urban scene. You may be trying to subvert expectations of your chosen genre, you may be showing off your voice, maybe you are preaching a newfound understanding of relationships, but it doesn't matter. What matters is that you've single-handedly produced and written an album with a voice.
Mixing 1970s funk and soul, `50s beats, church organ sprinkles and `90s nostalgia R&B was an excellent idea. Those sounds, coupled with romantic lyrics, may sound like a cheesefest, but that's what makes the dish so delicious.
You start off with vivacious ode "Love Is" and meander through retro beats and ballads with a purposeful gait.
Dear R. Kelly,
You've gone and done it again. I don't know what's going on with two back-to-back, rather wholesome and anachronistic albums, but your eleventh "Write Me Back" feels like a breath of fresh air on the contemporary urban scene. You may be trying to subvert expectations of your chosen genre, you may be showing off your voice, maybe you are preaching a newfound understanding of relationships, but it doesn't matter. What matters is that you've single-handedly produced and written an album with a voice.
Mixing 1970s funk and soul, `50s beats, church organ sprinkles and `90s nostalgia R&B was an excellent idea. Those sounds, coupled with romantic lyrics, may sound like a cheesefest, but that's what makes the dish so delicious.
You start off with vivacious ode "Love Is" and meander through retro beats and ballads with a purposeful gait.
- 6/25/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
By Cristina Jaleru, The Associated Press
Various artists, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 Original Soundtrack" (Atlantic Records). Scroll down to listen to selections from the soundtrack.
Just about everyone is familiar with the "Twilight" tale of romantic woe between a vampire and a human. The first part of the fourth and final installment, "Breaking Dawn," out in theaters on Friday, finally sees the two star-crossed lovers, Bella and Edward, get married; hence, the soundtrack brings about a vibe of a love that has finally settled into something coherent. But along with fulfillment, the lyrics are touched by a strange sadness (Maybe they're just channeling werewolf Jacob's grief at being left out of this).
Bruno Mars, the most prominent name on the soundtrack, wails with torment on "It Will Rain": "Cause there'll be no sunlight/If I lose you, baby/There'll be no clear skies/ If I lose you,...
Various artists, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 Original Soundtrack" (Atlantic Records). Scroll down to listen to selections from the soundtrack.
Just about everyone is familiar with the "Twilight" tale of romantic woe between a vampire and a human. The first part of the fourth and final installment, "Breaking Dawn," out in theaters on Friday, finally sees the two star-crossed lovers, Bella and Edward, get married; hence, the soundtrack brings about a vibe of a love that has finally settled into something coherent. But along with fulfillment, the lyrics are touched by a strange sadness (Maybe they're just channeling werewolf Jacob's grief at being left out of this).
Bruno Mars, the most prominent name on the soundtrack, wails with torment on "It Will Rain": "Cause there'll be no sunlight/If I lose you, baby/There'll be no clear skies/ If I lose you,...
- 11/15/2011
- by Gazelle Emami
- Huffington Post
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