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Editor - 5/3/2011
It's a fantastic album, the first with the new label Island Def Jam with Pop, R and B, great dance tunes and polished vocals. Producers and songwriters include RedOne and Lady Gaga, Tricky Stewart and Stargate. With all this talent and the distinctive J-Lo voice it couldn't really fail.
The first track "On The Floor" and the Latin influenced "Pappi" are destined to become top dance floor anthems. The title track "Love?" is her personal questioning of love. "Until It Beats No More" is a sensitive, passionate number and Jennifer's number one hit "On The Floor" including a rap by PitBull and a tug at the 1980's Lambada makes the album worth every penny. The last track "Hypnotico" written by Lady Gaga and RedOne is unforgettable.
Although 41 years old and the mother of twins, Lopez is acknowledged as a sexy, latin diva with a great voice. She is undoubtedly talented and incredibly energetic having been a successful actress , an entrepreneur and a judge on American Idol as well as a singer. She has dominated the club scene since 1999 with her first album "On The 6" and there is no doubt that with this album she is here to stay. Loyal fans have long awaited this album and they will not be disappointed.
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Gareth - 4/27/2011
A lot has been written in the press about the Vaccines regarding the quick signing and rise, their connections and their wealth. However if the music is no good then the people won't listen.
The album, although recorded in a studio does sound raw and under produced, by no means a bad thing, many albums in the past that could have been good have been ruined by over production.
This albums sound is uncomplicated, raw and catchy. The lyrics are not ground breaking but very basic, the vocals are not the best but they do the job and are cleverly supported in places by distracting but good backing vocals. In places you can't really hear the vocals due to them being set amongst the music. The music in itself is simple but catchy, with similar chords being used throughout the album. All this said, this album is brilliant and somehow, when all put together it just works. Its sound of carelessness, whether that be staged or not, makes it have that feel of a late seventies punk record, not necessarily the sound, maybe in some ways but more the feel of the record, somehow it seems to have a feel of the undertones about it.
The opener 'Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra), a fine example, you can't really fully here the words but you can't help but find yourself humming or partially singing along when the 'Ra Ra's' come in. If you like one song on this album you will probably like them all, as they are all in a similar vain. 'Blow It Up' again, although not lyrically clear is very catchy. Every song on this album as a song/sound that ends up getting to you and makes you want to sing along, somehow it just works.
The current single 'If You Wanna' is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head and has a faint beach boys sound about it. The another previous single from the album was 'Post Break-Up Sex', a good tune but maybe due to its subject matter may have put some people off from giving the band a fair listen.
Track 11 'Family Friend' starts as a slower track that builds and gets louder. This is the final track on the album but after it fades and a short interlude of silence there is the secret or bonus track called 'Somebody Else's Child', which is a piano song, which in itself sets it apart from the album.
This album is worth a suck it and see, raw, uncomplicated and catchy, not lyrically clear in places but the overall sound of the songs makes you want to listen again and again.
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Kenji Lloyd - 4/19/2011
In April 2008, Yellowcard announced that they would be going on an indefinite hiatus, less than a year after releasing their brilliant record, Paper Walls. With most bands, an 'indefinite hiatus' is generally a sure sign that the band aren't going to be coming back, but the same thing cannot be said of Yellowcard. They assured their fans that they would be back - they didn't know when, but they promised they would be.
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes is their highly anticipated, sensational return. It is everything a true fan of Yellowcard could ask for, and so much more. Simply put, it is sheer musical genius. Back in August 2010, the band officially announced they were reforming and would be coming back as soon as they could with a new record that their fans would love, and they have definitely made good on that promise.
The band's first single off the album was 'For You, And Your Denial', and it is spectacular. Despite being the first new music they've written in several years, it shows that nothing has changed; their brilliant song-writing capabilities are as persistent and undying as ever. The opening solo violin melody ushers you in to the same Yellowcard you know and love, whilst bringing with it an entirely re-energised and animated sense of immediacy that only a band that truly loves what it's doing can create.
There isn't a single track on the album that isn't worthy of its place there; nothing will have you reaching for the Next Track button. It's one of the few albums that you will love playing right through from start to finish, which is exactly what you want from an album.
The album opens with 'The Sound Of You And Me', the perfect track to start the record, with an even greater sense of urgency than the lead single and some of their greatest harmonies to date. Since harmonies are one of the many things Yellowcard do so well, you can be sure that this track is something to fall in love with.
It works its way through soon-to-be crowd favourites 'With You Around' and 'Hide', with beautiful moments of repose in 'Hang You Up' and 'Sing For Me', and utter anthemic tracks like 'See You Smiling' and 'Soundtrack'.
When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes marks a defining moment in Yellowcard's career. They announce their own return, on their own terms, with an album that is by far some of their best work in all their many years of making music. Here's to hoping that it will be the first of many brilliant albums to come following their hiatus. One thing can be said without a shadow of a doubt: they are returning with an album they are deservedly so proud of to share with their fans.
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Joel - 4/13/2011
This is an insane album to fit all music genres. There are some mainstream songs such as 'Black and Yellow' and 'No Sleep'. But at the same time 'Top Floor' and 'The Race' are examples of how (in my opinion) Wiz Khalifa should sound and stay (like his older music). Overall i would give this album 9 out 10.
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Alex Thomas - 4/13/2011
Having got 2008's 'Take It To The Limit' with its Def Leppard-esque sound, I was intrigued to find that Ozzy's producer had in fact stepped into the breach to record this monster. With that in mind, the Hinder sound is still there although a lot of heavier in places especially with the title track and 'Waking Up The Devil'.
One downside is that album is far too short, shorter than their last offering, but on the upside is addictive from beginning to end and you will find yourself listening to the album all the time.
Check out 'Striptease', says exactly what we want to say, but afraid to!
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Alex Thomas - 4/13/2011
Got into Megadeth by accident when a kid from School told me to check them out.
This album is a pure monster and chock full of hits which you never expect to find on a metal album although it is a mix of hard rock too.
Dave Mustaine's snarling vocals add atmosphere to the album with the striking solos too.
My favourites are 'Skin O' My Teeth', 'Sweating Bullets', 'Symphony Of Destruction', 'Psycotron', title track and 'Ashes In Your Mouth'.
There are a few weak tracks like 'High Speed Dirt' but listen to the album all the way through and it fits in perfectly.
Definitely the best Megadeth album...ever!
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Alex Thomas - 4/7/2011
This was supposed to be Ozzy's swan song in 1995 but if it had been, well I think this stands out as his finest hour. Being only 16 at the time, I was hooked after watching his video for 'Perry Mason' on a UK rock show called Raw Power. From that moment on I was a huge fan and still are having bought all of his albums since. I have to say that it is the 1990s that he came of age and this album is definitely a brilliant choice for anybody to get into Ozzy!
The stand outs are 'Perry Mason', 'See You On The Other Side', 'I Just Want You', 'Ghost Behind My Eyes' and 'Tomorrow'. Putting these aside, the whole album is filled with rockers and ballads and worth listening to from beginning to end. There are no dud tracks, maybe 'My Little Man' and 'My Jekyll Doesn't Hide' but all in all one quality album.
Like the saying goes, they don't make albums like this anymore!
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Gerard HACKETT - 4/5/2011
The Walkabouts are truly a cult band. They are Americans whose "folkie, indie rock" is popular in Europe. This is the Walkabout's 7th album, first released in 1993, and many consider it their finest work. Quoting from Chris Eckman's liner notes: " This is a collection of other people's songs..... All of them shared a powerful pull.....Some were played by the band, and others by musicians we greatly admire...It has never made sense to us that songs should be tied down to one specific voice or place.... Sometimes songs like to travel. Hopefully, we've given these songs that chance."
That hope was abundantly realised here, more so than any other "covers" album I can think of. Anyone who follows Uncut magazine's favourites such as Arcade Fire, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Lambchop's Nixon, Wilco, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, etc. will be delighted to discover this "Buried Treasure".
The full Track Listing is not given on this page. It is:
Satisfied Mind (by Rhodes & Hayes)
Loom of the Land (by Nick Cave)
The River People (by Robert Forster)
Polly (by Gene Clark)
Buffalo Ballet (by John Cale)
Lover's Crime (by Pewee Maddux)
Shelter for an Evening (by Gary Heffern)
Dear Darling (by Mary Margaret O'Hara)
Poor Side of the Town (by Johnny Rivers)
Free Money (by Patti Smith & Lenny Kaye)
The Storms are on the Ocean (by The Carter Family)
Feel Like Going Home (by Charlie Rich)
Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone (Traditional)
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Sean Anderson - 4/1/2011
These latest reissues (Kinks, Kinda Kinks, Kink Kontroversy) should be snapped up by any Kompletist. The deluxe versions are impressive and well worth it. They're in very nice, chunky digipaks like the VGPS one, which was released years ago. They fold open first to the original sleeve notes (in the case of Kinks) and entertaining newspaper/magazine cuttings. Completely folded out, there are the two discs, EP front and back covers and the sleeve for the booklet. The booklets are well presented and informative, with more newspaper cuttings, photographs and quotations; however, there are some pretty bad errors, one of which is the misspelling 'Davis' that sticks out like a sore thumb and in some cases the wrong word is even used, e.g. 'compromise' instead of 'comprise'. I didn't let this spoil my enjoyment.
I get the impression that a good job has been done with the remastering. Listening to the first disc of Kinks, there is a lot of punch: it seems they've managed to give the bass a boost without distortion because the vocals are a crystal clear overlay. The harmonica was noticeably sharp. I'm very happy with the bonus tracks, but why is there no Oobadiooba?! They could easily have included it. Similarly, with Kinda Kinks, they could've included the See My Friends BBC sessions, although there are already two versions of said song on that CD. (And the BBC session of I Am Free is unfortunately absent from Kontroversy, and still only available on bootlegs.) The order of the tracks is generally good, but irritates me on a couple of occassions. Both the Kinksize Session and Kwyet Kinks tracks are featured, but in the wrong order for some reason. This can be changed on a playlist, though.
It's interesting how they're swapping around bonus tracks on the albums. The When I See That Girl Of Mine demo no longer appears on The Kink Kontroversy like before, but it does appear on Kinda Kinks. From this, I'm guessing that the Something Else deluxe version will not feature Polly or Wonderboy and that Arthur will not feature King Kong (these tracks are now on the VGPS deluxe and it doesn't seem that they want to duplicate content).
As for the album itself, it is a typical 60s rushed recording, but that shouldn't take away from it - it has an excellent spontaneous feel. Containing more original material than the first album's collection of 50s rock hits and Talmy-penned material, Kinda Kinks is an interesting mix of sounds.
There is clearly a lot of influence from the Motown sound and Dancing In The Street (a Martha and Vandellas classic) is indeed covered, but this is probably one of the weaker tracks - an acceptable cover, but one that does not live up to the original.
There are some decent lively rock/pop numbers such as Got My Feet On The Ground, Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight and Come On Now. In terms of what The Kinks are capable of, these tracks are so-so, but still great listening and good to dance to. By far the best example of 60s pop and some of the Kinks' best on this album is Tired of Waiting For You.
Completing the album are some sweet ballads such as Don't Ever Change and the stripped-back, folk-style Nothin' In This World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout That Girl is worthy of mention.
If you're not convinced by Kinda Kinks, the purchase is surely worth it for the bonus disc. This is the 60s album curiosity - many bands produced excellent singles and EPs, which were then left off their albums. Now, though, in the days of CD reissues, this is a blessing, a win-win situation (or perhaps a curse where wallets are concerned).
A chain of well-known songs oft seen on compilations (Everybody's Gonna Be Happy, Who'll Be The Next Line, Set Me Free, I Need You, See My Friends (an early experiment with the Indian sound)) is followed by the great Kwyet Kinks EP (notably featuring Ray's first social commentary A Well Respected Man).
If you already have a Kinda Kinks reissue with bonus tracks, the new content includes the very basic but interesting and unusual 1965 demos (intended to sell songs to other artists) found previously on bootlegs and a harder alternative take of See My Friends with a more prominent guitar as well as recordings from the BBC sessions, one of which - Hide And Seek - is not available on the BBC sessions CD.
Overall, Kinda Kinks is a hint at what is to come and the bonus disc is packed with gems, but if you want a really good album and some of Ray's renowned social commentaries and cannot buy all the CDs, the new deluxe Kontroversy might be a better choice - or, even better, you could wait for the deluxe editions of Face To Face and Something Else, both brilliant albums.
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Richard Ely - 3/31/2011
In troubled times like these, we could all do worse than follow the example set by Robert Wyatt in 1973/4. Consider the story: after being edged out of the Soft Machine, of which he was a founder member, in 1971, Wyatt sets up a new band, Matching Mole, to explore his own free jazz leanings. When M.M. came to an end, he decamped to Venice with his set designer fiancee Aoife, to consider his next move. In idyllic settings, he composes the songs that will make up Rock Bottom. Returning to the UK, he feels energised and ready to embark on the next chapter of his musical life; then disaster strikes - during a party that June, Wyatt falls out of the window of an upstairs room, breaks his spine and is told that he will be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
For a percussionist, this would normally have spelled the end of the road: but Wyatt has always been so much more than that. After a period of therapy, he decides to return to the music he composed, a seeming lifetime ago; he calls in some of his 'heavy friends' - Mike Oldfield, Ivor Cutler, Mongezi Fezi, Carvan's Richad Sinclair - and goes about the taping of Rock Bottom: an album that laughs in the face of tragedy by celebrating the good things around him, principally his (by now) wife Aoife.
Rock Bottom is a stunning incorporation of Wyatt's influences up to this point and shows his unique songwriting technique (he always felt song lyrics should be written closer to natural speech) at its most characteristic. The opener, Sea Song, is still probably his most famous composition - a disturbing reflection on unlikley emotional compatability fitted to an appropriately unsettling backing, all weird time signatures and spooky mellotron (this number has more recently been covered - brilliantly! - by the Unthank Sisters). And the old side/album closers, Little Red Riding Hood../Little Red Robin Hood represent the same story told from subtly different angles. Elsewhere, Aoife is a touching, but hardly saccharine, tribute to the woman who did so much to make this stage of Robert's life possible....
To call the music 'jazzy' would not be totally inaccurate, but wouldn't really do justice to the subversive mix of styles that we encounter here. Yes, you'll notice traces of the early Soft Machine sound (the first two albums, in particular) but this really is music without category - file under 'individual' would be the best description!
That said, this is probably not the best introductory album for those seeking a 'way in' to Wyatt/the 'Canterbury Sound': for that, go for Soft Machine 1-3, or any of the early albums by Caravan. But make sure you eventually get to Rock Bottom: it really is one of the essential albums of the 1970s.
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David Backhouse - 3/31/2011
Before buying the new Queen remasters myself, I read countless reviews on various sites and forums and I found that NO ONE actually did any technical reviews on the albums!
As a Queen fan of 25 years, I've bought this album and all the others at least THREE times, the last two times being the USA remasters of 1991 and the Japanese remasters of 2001. As such, what I wanted to know before I spent anymore money on the same albums yet again was "How do they differ in sound quality from previous releases and should I buy them yet again?"
The answer is "Yes, I should buy them again", and here is why:
The albums have been re-mastered by Bob Ludwig, who is remowned as the best in the business.
Because of the age of the recordings and, more importantly, the fact that Queen would do multiple overdubs on their master tapes, it would seem likely that creating a new mix from those multitracks was not possible.
Instead, they have opted to remaster the albums from what is known as the "flat mix master". This is the stereo mix created from those multitracks and so the first thing you will notice is how clear the recording is.
All previous remasters were created using stereo mixes a few generations down, and therefore all sorts of 'impurities' had been added to them :(
The remastering process apparantly involves adjusting numerous frequencies to bring out and seperate the instruments and vocals.
What this has resulted in is a much wider stereo seperation than ever before. With stereo you tend to have sounds that only appear on the left or the right channels, sounds which appear more on one channel than the other and sounds which appear equally on both. The latter is known as the "centre channel".
With Queen II especially, this centre channel is now clearer because the other stuff has somehow been seperated out and moved further left or right. Instruments stand out more than before and I'm now hearing cow-bells and guitar work that I've never previously heard because they were buried under so much else.
Roger's Drumming and the sound of his cymbols are crisper than they have ever been, and John's bass really shines.
March of The Black Queen is the stand out track for me. There is so much going on in this song that it used to sound quite muddy - not anymore. I'm literally blown away with how good it sounds.
Queen II has always been my favorite Queen album and I am VERY familiar with how it sounds, but this new remaster makes it sound fresh and a joy to discover anew.
Thanks Queen. You could have just put the same old sounding albums out all over again, but you didn't.
You spent some money producing the best they've ever sounded and put a HUGE smile on an old fans face :)
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susan seaman - 3/30/2011
when hearing the opening i was thinking my this is awful from a band that has so much to live up to after the huge black parade, hated the opening so much i tossed the cd aside, then in a moment of boredom listened again and thought this isnt so bad with the upbeat nanananannna, then the melancholic bulletproof heart things started to improve sounding like mcr of old, sing again is a new mcr but very likeable, planetary go when i first heard it i thought was just some soppy pop group but then got into the song and wow love it...bouncy shouting dancey keep still if u can bit of a teen anthem like teenagers xx the rest of the album is a mixed bag of old and new but worth buying for mcr fans new and old xxx
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Josh Stephenson - 3/30/2011
It may have been five years since The Strokes released the disappointing First Impressions Of Earth, but it seems band tensions have not subsided in that time as Angles is a (fittingly) fractured album. Much has been made of the scrapped sessions under producer Joe Chicarelli, coupled with the fact lead singer Julian Casablancas was distant from the recording process means that Angles lacks cohesion and a full band vision. Despite all of this, Angles is the closest the band have come to capturing the magic of their debut album since sophomore album Room On Fire.
Lead single 'Under Cover Of Darkness' is a throwback to the Is This It sound with duelling guitars combining with Casablancas always-evocative voice making it the most instantly accessible track of the album. As Casablancas sings 'Everybody's singing the same song for ten years' you get the feeling that The Strokes have finally come to terms with their success and are comfortable in moving forward. It turns out that 'Under Cover Of Darkness' is the black sheep of the album though as the rest of the album is a change in sound with varying levels of success. 'Machu Picchu' starts off with a reggae infused riff before exploding into an Albert Hammond Jr. hook master class with Casablancas singing 'I'm just trying to find a mountain I can climb'. If The Strokes are going to continue develop their sound, this is definitely the way to go about it. Further brilliance is found on 'Taken For A Fool', which combines a new wave sound building to one of the catchiest choruses I've heard in a long time.
Whilst 'Machu Picchu' and 'Taken For A Fool' develop the trademark Strokes sound to great effect, other songs aren't as successful. 'Games' for example uses lots of synths to poor effect and feels like one of the many average, electronic infused 80's throwback songs we've had in recent years. 'Gratisfaction' (ignoring the horrible name) has the exact kind of riff you've heard in every Thin Lizzy song since the dawn of time, whilst Casablancas does his best Billy Joel impression and is ultimately a terrible song. 'Metabolism' seems to be going for dark and disturbing, but comes off as dull and whiny with Casablancas singing 'I wanna be outrageous but inside I know I'm plain'.
'Life Is Simple In The Moonlight' closes the album and was the only track solely penned by Casablancas. It's the only song to cross the four-minute mark and manages to tick off all The Strokes trademarks and feels like the band at their most comfortable. Ultimately Angles is a frustrating album most of it feels like a return to form whilst progressing forward at the same time, but while opening up the creative process to the rest of the band may have sedated some dissatisfaction, it has ironically made the band sound even more disjointed. As a Strokes fan there is plenty to love on this album, but if The Strokes are going to continue to be relevant the band are going to have to let Casablancas retake creative control, or this may end up been the final swansong for one of the 00's greatest bands.
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Baraka - 3/30/2011
Young and hot girls will not leave you indifferent!
Here, a concentration, the most popular sets this year!
http://hotwildteens.com/
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Nariece Sanderson - 3/29/2011
We Are The In Crowd crash straight into the rock scene with energy and pop-punk melody. This EP is full of charm and feel good teenage hits. Tay Jardine starts of the album with strong and pure vocals, joined by Jordan Eckes (guitarist). A sharp collision of boy/girl vocals gives this album a strong, cutting edge but incredibly promising sound, matched gracefully by guitar distortion, bass, drums and synths. I recommend this album to teens (and adults) everywhere - its going to be the soundtrack to my summer for sure!
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lisa rhodes - 3/27/2011
Id heard a few of Adele's previous songs before this album, thought they were good but I did not expect what i got from listening to this album, and that was to be completely blown away! There is not one bad song on here, every song is heartfelt and the lyrics are so true to life, you really feel what she is saying. There is a mixture of tempo's throughout the album, from the slow emotional style of 'Someone like you' to the more upbeat blues type sound of 'Rumour has it' and 'Rolling in the deep'. It really is one of the best albums I have heard in a long time.
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wendy mccartney - 3/25/2011
this is the first John Barrowman CD for me, and I was very impressed. What comes across is that he enjoys what he does, and has a belting voice. A choice for John Barrowman fans of all ages.
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Joe Stevens - 3/23/2011
Chris Brown's "F.A.M.E." is his 4th studio album release, and in my opinion his best release to date. "F.A.M.E." features a number of genres including dance, hip-hop, R&B and pop with Chris Brown managing to pull off all genres down to his great vocals and surprisingly impressive rapping skills, which are highlighted in the track "Look At Me Now" alongside rap veterans Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne. "F.A.M.E." features an impressive list of guest appearances with artists from many genres of todays music scene such as worldwide pop star Justin Bieber to Pittsburgh icon Wiz Khalifa who shot to fame after his 2010 mega hit "Black & Yellow". There is something for everyone in F.A.M.E. from a teenage fan obsessing over Chris and Justin on "Next To You" to the hip-hop knockout "Love The Girls" featuring rap heavyweight The Game.
Just from the album artwork which was created by one of Chris Brown's favourite artists, renowned graffiti artist Ron English, you get a feeling that Chris has had perhaps his greatest control over the content of this album. He's been let loose with his creativity which has allowed him to produce some of his greatest work to date which his evident with his US no.1 break-up song "Deuces" with Young Money star Tyga and CBE's Kevin McCall, as well as his UK Top10 feel good track "Yeah 3x". There is no shortage of music in "F.A.M.E." with an impressive 18 tracks filled with potential chart hits alongside love focused songs such as the rather explicit "Wet The Bed" featuring Illinois born rapper Ludacris. However a more vulnerable side of Chris Brown is shown in the track "Should've Kissed You" in which he sings about failing multiple times in trying to get a girl, in stark contrast to the themes of "Wet The Bed". His vulnerability is most present in Chipmunk's "Champion" which is featured as an additional track on the album. The lyrics "I used to see my momma getting beat down, is that the real definition of me now?" are an obvious reference to the assault incident with his ex-girlfriend Rihanna, but shows how he has progressed and put the past behind him which is evident when he raps "I fell off, back on my feet now, headed to the sky can't even see down". Another surprise collaboration on "F.A.M.E." is with euro-pop sensation Benny Benassi (the man behind club hit "Satisfaction") on Chris's track "Beautiful People". You can see the track as an Ibiza floor filler but also features feel-good lyrics such as "Don't let them bring you down no, the beauty is inside you, don't let them bring you down, cos you start your life today" which is an impressive change to the usual sexual themes of many euro-pop dance tracks. However there are a couple of tracks that are rather generic and don't really stand out from the mostly impressive "F.A.M.E." album such as "Beg For It" and "Say It With Me", but the quality of every other track more than makes up for these minor drops in quality on what is otherwise an incredible album.
"F.A.M.E." is a fantastic album from Chris Brown which offers a wide range of genres, all pulled off with great conviction from an artist that has incredible talent both vocally and in his song writing/producing ability. "F.A.M.E." is an essential buy for both Chris Brown fans and those just interested in great music across some of the most popular genre's of today.
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Gareth - 3/22/2011
Take that's 3rd album since reuniting and their first with all five original member including Robbie Williams who appears to defiantly take centre stage on this album. This may be a good or a bad thing depending on your feeling towards Robbie. An eye catcher from the off with its bright yellow and red front cover art work. Once you start to listen, this album is a full on assault of the sensors. The music and backing on the album sounds far more electronic and up beat than previous Take That releases, which makes it sound contemporary yet in places crosses that fine line between contemporary and retro parody and in places somehow seems to emulate an 80's electro pop sound found on an Erasure album. pastiche
For most of the album there seems to be in place, a pulsating beat driving it forwards as though marching, striving and reaching forward 'progress.
The opening song 'The Flood' starts slowly but quickly builds, introducing the beat with main vocals from Robbie and Gary. This then continues straight into 'SOS' with Mark taking on lead vocal duty along with Robbie. The songs 'Wait', 'Pretty Things' and 'Eight Letters' are the slower songs on the album and are more in the way of what you would have previously expected from the lads. Many songs seem to cover the subjects of unity, re uniting, growing in moving forward, and regret of the past and in things that were not said and done before.
Howard contributes lead vocal to the song 'Affirmation', with Jason singing the bonus track tagged on the end of the album after 'Eight Letters' finishes. Mark sings a song called 'What Do you want From Me?', which seems as though it should be a personal discussion to be had between him and his wife, obviously written after the outing of marks love life in the press during the making of this album. None the less, a strong vocal performance and an attempt to be positive in putting things right.
A very good album from start to finish, although I would say, with the dominant feature of Robbie Williams and his obvious input into the production of the album, it does sound far closer to a Robbie Williams solo album of recent years, than in does a Take That release. With the recent speculation that Robbie Williams may again be leaving Take That to pursue his solo career, you have to wonder if this was a poorly thought out decision by Gary and the rest of the lads, to have ever invited Robbie back into the fold. Gary has also recently stated that he has always seen the future for Take That as a four piece. Although its apparent that the Take That machine is big enough at this point in its career to easily move past this second Robbie era without too much trouble, you have to wonder, has this brief 5 piece reunion (if that's what it proves to be) left Take That, the four piece with an album they will struggle to be able to continue playing live in years to come due to the all to strong presence of Robbie Williams on a majority of the tracks.
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Felicity Sim - 3/18/2011
This is the follow-up to Marling's 2008 'Alas I Cannot Swim' and after buying this album on a whim I was thrilled when I listened to it for the first time. It really is a wonderful album. This is modern-day, sophisticated folk music and Laura Marling sings with great maturity and passion about her transition from a girl into an independent woman. It is an incredibly emotive album and I doubt anyone will be able to refrain from tapping their foot along to the insistant beat. Absolutely my favourite album of 2010.