What? You were expecting Cake to open up a new bag of tricks when their schtick has remained almost exactly the same for a decade and a half? Fat chance. Although they’ve gone nearly seven years without releasing new material, the Bay Area band keeps things the same as they ever were with their latest album, Showroom of Compassion. Lead singer John McCrea’s vocals are still as dry as the desert, the lyrics are still a bit off-kilter, and the […]
Posts tagged "album reviews"
Albums That Time Forgot: Duncan Sheik’s “Daylight”
Until John Mayer blew the scene wide open, times weren’t so good for pop/rock singer-songwriters. Whatever you might think about Mayer, he certainly led the new vanguard of earnest white guitar strummin’ dudes to Top 40 radio. One of the only artists to break through the door in the Nineties was Duncan Sheik. Most folks whose memories get jogged at the mention of Duncan’s name are familiar with his one big hit, 1996’s “Barely Breathing”. That song gained Duncan a […]
Blerd’s Notes: A Guide To The Music Of Prince (Part Two)
Originally published 11/1/10 When dealing with someone whose released approximately 600 albums during his lifetime, it’s best to go piece by piece. When it comes to Prince, we’re gonna go five at a time. When we last left the Purple Yoda, he was on the verge of megastardom. “1999” was his biggest pop success, and set the stage for… “Purple Rain” (1984)– By the time “1999” hit, Prince was feeling himself so much, he convinced his label (and film studio […]
Albums That Time Forgot: Dag’s “Righteous”
The live funk band died (at least commercially) back in the mid Eighties, after Prince proved that you could replicate the sound of 8 men with a synthesizer. This coincided with a decline in fortunes for many of the large funk bands that had been popular in the previous decade. Even the funk bands that stuck around, like Cameo, underwent a drastic reduction in personnel. The days of TV variety shows having to build extra stage to fit the members […]
Albums That Time Forgot: “Urban Renewal-An R&B Tribute to Phil Collins”
While I’m trying to figure out whether I want to review Phil Collins’ “Going Back” album, I thought I’d clue you guys in to an album that I bet you never even knew existed. Yes, “Urban Renewal” is a real album. Yes, it includes a sea of contemporary R&B and hip-hop artists remaking Phil Collins songs. Although some of you may wonder whose harebrained idea this was, believe me when I tell you that the idea was sound in theory, […]
Reflection Eternal’s “Revolutions Per Minute”: Worth the Wait?
Guess what, folks? I’m also now writing for Eat Sleep Drink Music. My first review is of the long-awaited album by Reflection Eternal (AKA Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek) called “Revolutions Per Minute”. Make sure you check out my review here !
"Still Standing": Monica Might Wobble But She Won't Fall Down
Hard to believe it’s been a decade and a half since Monica Arnold stepped onto the music scene. Her first hit single, “Don’t Take it Personal (Just One of Dem Days)”, topped charts when she was all of 14 years old-a pretty amazing feat. Over the years since, she’s recorded albums of varying quality while maintaining a presence on the charts. She’s also undergone quite a bit of personal drama, mostly on the boyfriend side (one committed suicide in her […]