“Blurred Lines” is the song of the summer. That’s not mere conjecture; that’s almost scripture at this point. “Blurred Lines” is a big old Smash Hit, the kind we only get a couple of a year, the kind that everyone knows the words to. They know T.I.’s vowel-heavy guest rap, Pharrell’s every “whoo!”, the sly way Robin Thicke himself barely conceals a chuckle as he croons “what rhymes with hug me?”… the song’s massive, and why shouldn’t it be? With […]
Posts tagged "R&B"
Shuggie Otis, Inspiration Information + Wings Of Love: Album Review
A gifted, prodigiously talented soul/funk recluse, Shuggie Otis’s music certainly deserves to be canonized; all the accepted pieces of pop-culture folklore are there, from the Rolling Stones sideman offer to the eventual artistic blackout, and so it stands to reason that when Otis’s music finally reaches the masses, it will be transcendent. Which, as it turns out, is a bit of a foolish way to think; there’s no easier way to shatter transcendence than to expect it. In 2013, we’ve […]
Mr. Biggs Is Back!: Check Out Ronald Isley’s “Dinner & A Movie”
Six decades in the music industry, and the man still has it. Check out Ron Isley’s latest.
A Few Words About Brian McKnight’s More Than Words
Does Brian McKnight’s new album give you those classic slow jam vibes? Check out our review and find out…
BIG DADDY KANE: STILL GETTIN’ THE JOB DONE
Still so full of action, his name should be a verb. Kane talks to Popblerd.
Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience: Spin Cycle
OK, so how good is “The 20/20 Experience?” I mean, really?
Note for Note: A Complete Guide to the Discography of Boyz II Men (Part One)
Get your harmony vocals tightened up and ready to go–we’re taking a look at the discography of Boyz II Men in a 2-part series.
Diggin’ in the Crates: “Stoney and Meatloaf”
It’s accepted music lore that Meat Loaf ripped through popular music on the back of a silver black phantom bike like a bat out of hell with his solo debut, appropriately titled Bat Out Of Hell. It was a work of massive, lusty hubris, composed by master songwriter and closet freak Jim Steinman, and it married 1960s adolescent yearning to a Spector-esque wall of sound – complete with horns, resplendent grand pianos, wall-to-wall vocals, and charmingly pretentious spoken-word excerpts – […]
Spin Cycle: Estelle’s “All Of Me”
Sometimes simply being refreshing is enough. Take Estelle: she’s a good singer, but not a vocal powerhouse. She’s a fine emcee, but not a magnetic one. And yet, 2008’s Kanye duet “American Boy” was such a shot in the arm; the London vocalist’s flirtatious interplay with Ye was engaging, the hook burrowed deep into the brain, and the splashy electro-funk production sounded like both a fresh diversion and a remarkably spot-on prediction of the direction pop music would take in […]
The Viewfinder: Eric Benet’s “Real Love”
As a commenter on Eric Benet’s page writes, “this man has been through some stuff.” While the mainstream pop audience only knows Eric for his brief turn as Mr. Halle Berry, the fact is that the Milwaukee-reared singer/songwriter has been a mainstay in the R&B world for two decades. There have definitely been some personal and professional ups and downs along the way, but Eric is still here, still making music, and after a lengthy stay with Warner Brothers Records, […]
The Jukebox From Hell 07: “If I Were A Boy”
If you and I are friends – and if we’re not, we probably should be – you’re undoubtedly scratching your head right now, wondering why I’m about to lay into Beyonce. After all, I’ve been a vocal and unabashed fan of Lady B even before she went solo; I’ve got love for Miss Knowles (Mrs. Z?), and I don’t care who knows. She’s one of the finest pop stars of our time, a classy performer with an ear for a […]
Spin Cycle: Betty Wright & The Roots’ “Betty Wright: The Movie”
Ms. Betty Wright and the legendary Roots crew have joined forces for a soul triumph. Check out our review.