On Fat Joe's fifth album, "Loyalty," Joe makes sure everything he does is big. He's livin' large, pimpin' out while in charge and representing New York City to its fullest by not crushing it.
David Gray practically came out of nowhere in 2000 with an album that’s sold more than 2 million copies in the United States due to the overnight smash hit “Babylon,” which seized the airwaves and drifted into the ears of countless listeners. But surprise, surprise, it was actually the Irish artist’s fifth album.
Another hard rock band has emerged from the smoldering heat of the California music scene. And you might think to yourself, “Here we go again, another Incubus-sounding rip-off.” The truth is, Trapt almost signed with Immortal Records, but was dropped because it didn’t sound enough like Incubus, even though the label is kicking itself right now. What’s the deal with Incubus, anyway?
Duncan Sheik always finds a way to make his music everlasting. With his immediate success ensuing the incessant appeal of “Barely Breathing” off of his 1996 debut, Sheik continues to relentlessly capture the very essence of timeless romanticism in his music. Six years have come and gone, and with his fourth album “Daylight,” Sheik parades and dabbles in the same formula that made him so beloved in the first place.
Dave Grohl is all over the place these days. The ex-drummer of Nirvana has clearly found his niche as a frontman and guitarist, even though he still drums once in while, like on the Queens of the Stone Age’s new album. With Nirvana’s new self-titled compilation of old songs, which includes the last song ever recorded by the trio, “You Know You’re Right,” and the litigation which prolonged its release, Grohl has been pretty busy the last year and a half. Yet he still found time to finish the Foo Fighters’ fourth record “One By One,” which exhibits a newfound coming of age for the group.
Dana Glover has a sultry voice that emanates with Southern charm as her long, brown, wavy hair gently caresses her beautiful features. But this is about her music so we’ll focus on that, regardless of the fact that Glover has been a model since the young age of 16.
Some people just have what it takes to make it. Others just dwindle into a never-ending circle of disappointments.
Despite a strong belief that nothing good will ever come out of Ann Arbor, the melodically aggressive quartet TapRoot is set to make people think otherwise.
Tom Petty is an artist who’s never struggled with creative excellence since he hit the music scene in the 1970s. Today, Petty has created a definitive hybrid of American music.
During the summer of 1999, I had a chance to check out a free Ozomatli show. The venue for the Spanish hip-hop group’s show couldn’t have been any cooler: San Francisco’s Amoeba Records, the largest independent music shop on the West Coast. After returning from the show, I started listening to Ozomatli’s self-titled album and noticed something right away that hadn’t been at the show. That something was the attention-grabbing, haunting voice of rapper Chali2na, who appeared as a special guest on numerous tracks. That album remains a favorite of mine, largely because of the distinct vocals and lyrical talent of Chali2na. And with Jurassic 5’s newest album, “Power in Numbers,” the effect is very much the same.
There’s just something special about a musician who takes 10 years to release a new album. It’s undeniable proof Peter Gabriel just wants things done right. His 12th solo album, “Up,” is crammed with soaring melodies, shimmering drums exploding into nostalgic dreams and rich tapestries of high-tech ambiance blended with Gabriel’s breathy voice. At times, it’s hard to distinguish whether Gabriel transforms into the electronic tinkering of Nine Inch Nails or appeals more to fans of the eclectic atmospheres of Beck and Moby - it’s simply that good. But be warned: This album’s title is devious of its content.
Austin, Texas’ Western Keys makes the kind of music that fluctuates from sweet and simple melodies to twisted and torn tunes that are ridiculously catchy and entertaining indie rock. Ben Dickey’s voice is addictive in its imperfection as it breaks and jumps around the songs, never sticking to routine.
After the appropriate and exotic overtones of Beck’s last record, “Midnite Vultures,” he returns with “Sea Change,” what many critics believe to be his best effort. Gone are the strobe lights and whacked-out disco beats that plastered his last disc, and thankfully he’s returned to the inspirational songwriting that surrounded 1998’s “Mutations.” Instead of ranting about “Sexx Laws” and “lobotomy beats,” we see the calm, collected side of Beck, as most of the songs have minimal percussion and emphasize his diverse musical talents. But most noticeably, the lyrics and overall mood display a sad and helpless man. There are many answers flying around the media trying to explain why this record is so much more melancholy compared to “Midnite Vultures” or even “Odelay,” but the real answer is simple: Beck is a striving musician who won’t settle for anything less than making a completely different record each time he walks into the studio. I find it difficult to immediately label this as Beck’s greatest collection, as some publications have boldly proclaimed. But I will go as far as to agree that this record is at the forefront for this year’s “Album of the Year.” The seas have changed yet again for Beck, and for that, we thank him.
The Lansing locals of Hyperbole never leave you guessing who their musical influences are. This five-piece band has produced a decent album filled with tunes closely resembling its idols Blink-182, A New Found Glory and Saves The Day.
East Lansing’s Pushing 33 has been playing its heart out in the local scene the last four years. Formerly called Under Construction, the band has changed its lineup a few times, altered its name and revamped its tunes into catchy acoustic rock that reminds listeners of the soul of Dave Matthews Band and the appealing image of John Mayer. Its sophomore album, “The View From Here,” never ceases to amaze as it overflows with memorable tunes that don’t just sound good, but also sound really, really good.
On Lifehouse’s sophomore album, “Stanley Climbfall,” the band has opted to throw aside the somber acoustic ambiance of its 2000 debut album and smash single “Hanging By a Moment” and spur forward with harder guitar-driven tracks, which thrust the band into a new direction. Lifehouse’s double-platinum debut album “No Name Face” was about self-discovery.
The Foolish Heads are unfortunately breaking up this October, so the band put everything it had into the latest release “The Moment That You’re In.” This rockin’ Shelby Township five-piece have produced an album that covers six songs recorded in order of creative inspiration.
Here are the ingredients behind Souljahz: three attractive siblings, one love for God, inspirational modern music and a vibe that grabs on and makes you take notice. On its major label debut, 17-year-old Rachael Washington and brothers Je’Kob, 21, and Joshu’a, 22, produce a powerful Christian album that collides with modern music, fusing hip-hop, funk and Latin rhythms. Combining influences ranging from Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder to Wes Montgomery and the Fugees, Souljahz has created music beyond its years. Coming from San Diego, the threesome appeared at local churches and talent shows, garnering an amazing following and spawning such potential that their father sold his business to manage them. The album begins with the anthemic “Let Go,” which transitions between an R & B hook and a church choir vibe.
Live albums are always a gamble for artists. It is such a difficult task to capture the same energy on stage and squeeze it onto a small disc.
When listening to Jimmy Fallon’s “The Bathroom Wall,” I am reminded of the several reasons I stopped watching Saturday Night Live. The departure of Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri and Molly Shannon were a big loss to the show.