New Music Tuesdays!

We have 9 New CD’s released this week. Well 9 that I’m going to review I should say.

Let’s get right to it.

Madonna – Hard Candy

The Queen of reinventing herself Madonna is back with her umpteenth CD Hard Candy. I’ve never been a big Madonna fan but there have been several of her past hits that I grooved to over the years.

Hard Candy is another one of  those “dance” CD’s. With production from the likes of Pharrell and Timbaland this CD is a little funkier then what some might expect. I found myself bobbin’ my head and dancing in my chair.

Lyrically it’s whack as hell!!! But it’s definitely got a nice beat and you can dance to it.

If mindless funky-dance tracks are your thing then you best go get Madonna’s Hard Candy.

I really don’t have any “standout” tracks for this CD.

Wait I do have a standout track:
4:00 minutes is my shit!

Santogold – Santogold

I will admit I don’t know a dang thing about this chick. Slaus mentioned her to me and I looked her up.

I don’t know how to describe her sound other than alternative for lack of a better word.

It’s not a blow me away type of CD but its not horrid either.

As I’ve been sitting here working on some things this CD has been playing and I have yet to hear a song that will make me go ewww so that’s a plus.

If you don’t like this type of alternative/new wave/punk-rock music then you won’t like this CD at all.

I can’t tell you whether to get this CD or not. It is truly one of those CD’s that you just have to be into in my opinion. If you are a strict hip-hop head or an R&B junkie you might not like this CD but if your mind is open to all genre’s of music then definitely give Santogold a chance you might be surprised.

I really don’t have any standout tracks for this CD.
 
The Roots – Rising Down

One of the few live bands in hip-hop The Roots come with their 10^th CD release Rising Down.

This was a tough review for me mainly because I’m not a big hip-hop fan. So I asked Babyfaced our Weekend Sip writer to help me out.

This is his review:

If you’re looking for a catchy beat to hop and snap to, not going to happen.

If you’re looking for a song that you can start a new dance to, nope not here.

If you’re looking for a CD that takes you back in the day where you had a tight lyric over a smooth azz beat to keep ya head bobbin, yeah you’re in the right spot.

The Roots have done it again with another slept on banger!

This CD has guest appearances by Talib Kweli, Common, and Chrisette Michelle to add more fuel to the fiyah.

Standout tracks:

I Will Not Apologize – addressing the current “Hip Hop” situation,

 Rising Up – serious azz lyrics with a soulful hook and a mean go-go beat, (my personal favorite)

The Show

This CD will have you wanting to buy a boombox, blasting this cd, and carrying it to the nearest neighborhood B-Ball court to bust out a quick game of 21.

 

Estelle – Shine

John Legend’s protégé Estelle comes with her first US release Shine.

I’m still on the fence with this one.

I get so far into the CD thinking oh this is OK then the next thought is I don’t want to hear this anymore.

It’s just an OK debut for me. It doesn’t have that WOW factor that you might expect especially with the guestlist it has: Cee-lo and his teeth, Kanye West, John Legend, Swiss Beatz and Wyclef Jean.

As long as I could stand to listen to it…nothing really stood out to me.

Lyfe Jennings – Lyfe Change

Lyfe Jennings comes with his 3^rd CD release Lyfe Change.

Let me say it now NOTHING will compare to the classic 268-192, NOTHING!

On this CD Lyfe steps out of his comfort zone and works with other producers, as well as having more guest artists: Wyclef Jean, TI, Snoop Dogg.

Lyrically you are getting the same thought provoking lyrics as before just sung to a slightly different musical sound.

He again tackles issues that aren’t always heard in R&B. The track It’s Real talks about AIDS. GREAT song with a GREAT message.

The best thing about this CD is his ass is not talking between tracks. This is a collection of songs not so much storytelling as his previous releases.

Overall this is a solid 3^rd effort from the Toledo, OH native.

Standout tracks:

Keep on dreaming

Never never land (if he would shut up talking at the end)

Brand New ft TI (one of my favorite favorites)

It’s Real

Hmmm (how do you make humming sound good?)

Old School ft. Snoop Dogg

Us (This interlude needs to be a whole dang song!)

Will I ever (he really could have just done this song and left it at that, beautiful song)

 

Angela Johnson – Angela Johnson presents A Woman’s Touch Vol. 1

 

 

I don’t know who this chick is seriously. I found her on www.soultracks.com (great website by the way) so I decided to check her out.

This is the US release of this CD. It was released internationally in February of this year.

I LOVE this CD.

Let me say that again.

I LOVE this CD. From what I gather Angela Johnson is a singer/songwriter/musician/producer who has brought together some amazing R&B and jazz talents to give you A Woman’s Touch Vol.1.

 

 

Guest artists include: Eric Roberson, Rahsaan Patterson, Gordon Chambers, Julie Dexter, Claude McKnight (yea Brian’s brother) and many others.

Standout tracks:

Every dang song!

Just go get it!

Lil Mama – VYP Voice of the Young People

Yep she finally released her debut CD….that’s about all I’m going to say about that.

Raven-Symone – Raven-Symone

Shhhh Kwame did it. LOL Yea polka-dot wearing Kwame is behind the boards on a few tracks on this CD.

This is a pop/R&B CD with a slight twist….Raven can actually sing.

This is the CD you get for your pre-teen, teenage daughter when you don’t want them to listen to Bust it Baby or Touch my body.

I plan on giving this CD to my great-niece.

I do have a standout track

In Your Skin – I just like the message….get comfortable in your own skin.

Go Raven!

Earl Klugh – The Spice Of Life

I haven’t had a chance to listen to all of this CD yet. But I just like the mellow sounds of this acoustic guitarist/composer.

From the few tracks I have heard its something I’ll be looking to add to my collection.
Earl Klugh just makes pretty music.

That’s it Folks! Whew!

My head is spinning from the various musical genre’s I have listened to this past week.

I don’t know what comes out next week and at this point I’m too tired to care.

Happy Listening!