Movie Review: Premium

The film Premium tries to combine two seemingly incompatible types of films into one. It's part Hollywood satire in the vein of Hollywood Shuffle and part romantic drama about a man who's forced to grow up if he wants to get anywhere in life.

The main character of Premium is Reggie “Cool” Coolidge (Dorian Missick). Cool is a struggling actor who lives with his mother (Tonya Pinkins) and her boyfriend Phil (Frankie Faison). While auditions for parts, hoping they'll be something other than stereotypes, he works at Phil's gas station as an attendant. It's here that he encounters his childhood friend (and ex-fiancee) Charli (Zoe Saldana). Charli's in town because she's about to get married. Cool escorts Charli home after a freak hit-and-run accident involving her car and meets Ed (Hill Harper), her new fiancee. Things go downhill for Cool before they get better as he tries to deal with his feelings for Charli, more bad auditions, and other changes in his life.

Given the ambitious mix of satire and romantic drama, it makes sense that Premium has a lot working for it and and a lot working against it. The cast is pretty strong. Dorian Missick anchors the movie as Cool and does a great job. Rising star Zoe Saldana, recently cast as Uhura in the next Star Trek movie, also puts in nice work in her role as a woman torn between her former love and her current one. The supporting cast also does fine work here as well.

The actual storyline and structure of the film is hit-and-miss. The early scenes, focusing on Cool's failed auditions, are pretty good. One scene, where Cool is told that he isn't “black enough” (by a black director no less), is great. Cool's off-the-cuff monologue is genuinely compelling and is capped off by a shocking, bitterly hilarious twist. Once these early sequences end (and the main romantic plot begins), the film starts to drag a bit.

There are some excellent individual scenes in the romantic portion of the film. A flashback where Charli is reading lines with Cool to help his acting is clever and sweet. Another scene, where Cool, Ed, and Charli are all at the dinner table, is uncomfortable (in a good way) as Cool and Charli talk about their relationship in a way that keeps Ed in the dark. The rest of these scenes, although peppered with pretty realistic dialogue, feel slow-moving.

Despite its flaws, Premium is a hard movie not to like. The actors are engaging and I like the way it tries to combine two different styles of film even if it's not entirely successful. Frankly, it's nice to see a movie about African-American adults that doesn't resort to buffoonery, stereotypes, or a man in drag. Hopefully, we'll continue to see more movies like this in the future.

CD Review: Ms. Kelly by Kelly Rowland

As a solo artist, Kelly Rowland has long lived in the shadow of fellow Destiny's Child member Beyonce. Now with Ms. Kelly, her first solo album in nearly five years, Rowland tries to re-establish herself outside of her former group. While she delivers a solid album that successfully distinguishes her from Beyonce, she doesn't do quite enough to separate herself from the rest of the R&B pack.

Rowland effectively reintroduces herself on the hit single (and album opener) “Like This” which features Eve. Over a smooth midtempo Polow Da Don track, Rowland asserts herself: “The girl they used to know done changed / Now they sayin' Miss before they mention my name....”

She also throws her “good girl” image to the wind with “Work.” This fast track features Rich Harrison-esque drums and a chorus where Kelly frantically spouts come-ons to her lover (“Put it in!” “Go hard!”) and tells him “don't come around if you let me down.” Even though this song's tempo might feel more like Beyonce's territory, Rowland handles it very well and makes the song fun and sexy as opposed to dirty or trashy.

After “Work,” the album slows down a bit and it's here where you find some of its best tracks. Two songs deal with romantic regret. “Flashback” has Rowland wondering if she made a mistake in breaking up with her ex. “Still In Love With My Ex” takes it one step further as Rowland tells her current man that she still has feelings for her ex. “The Show” is a duet featuring Tank that works mainly because of their harmonies. While “This Is Love” comes awfully close to being sappy (with lines that compare love to “a diamond in the sand”), great vocals and stripped-down production keep it from becoming cheesy.

The flaws of Ms. Kelly are relatively minor but they add up. Since the more upbeat tracks are front-loaded at the beginning of the album, the slower songs kind of run into each other. The album itself is quite short and runs for less than 44 minutes. Although shorter is usually better when it comes to albums, Ms. Kelly could have used one or two more upbeat tracks mixed in among the slower ones at the end of the album. While the album doesn't have any truly bad songs, it also doesn't have a real standout track.

Ms. Kelly is a good showcase of Kelly Rowland's talent. Rowland sounds good on most of the tracks and the differences between her and Beyonce are clear. Although there are small hints to her Destiny's Child days (“Ghetto” is essentially a smoothed-out retread of “Soldier”), Kelly stands by herself here. Now that she's distinguished herself from her former group member, Kelly now needs to work on making herself stand out from other female R&B singers. Ms. Kelly is a good start and one hopes that Kelly's next album will succeed in further setting her apart from her peers.

CD Review: Music Is My Savior by Mims

In the intro of Music Is My Savior, the debut album from NY rapper Mims, he talks about how music saved his life and kept him “in the right place at the right time.” The title of the album shows how thankful he is that music kept him from a rougher, potentially sadder way of life. Hearing something like that at the beginning of a debut album really makes you hope that the album will be something special. Unfortunately, that's just not the case.

Music Is My Savior isn't as bad as some would lead you to believe. However, it isn't that good either. It's an album that lies smack dab in the middle. There are times when he's pretty decent and there are times when he's almost embarrassing. The end result is something mediocre.

There are some good things about Music Is My Savior. The album's two singles, “This Is Why I'm Hot” and “Like This” are both fun songs. The part of “This Is Why I'm Hot” where various regions are referenced musically (with small clips from songs like “Jesus Walks”) is clever and helps the song stand out. “Like This” is just a nice little club track.

There are also some other good tracks. “Doctor Doctor” has Mims talking to his psychiatrist about his problems. The beat works well with the material. On “Don't Cry,” the album's outro, he talks about his life. The first half of the song, where Mims raps over some sparse piano, works really well. However, once Purple Popcorn enters the picture, the song becomes a little overblown and cheesy. Still, it's one of the album's better tracks.

For the good tracks on Music Is My Savior, there are also some annoying ones. The worst songs on the album are cursed with really weak hooks. If you thought the chorus to “This Is Why I'm Hot” was bad, you'll want to run from tracks like “Superman”: “Hold up / Wait / Look up in the sky / It's a bird / It's a plane / No it's me cause I'm fly / I'm fly / I'm fly / I'm fly....” Then, there's the awful “Big Black Train,” where Mims croons: “Shorty wanna ride / Don't worry about a car / Cause we can take a ride on my big black train....” Other tracks like “Just Like That” don't make much of an impression.

Music Is My Savior may not end up being the worst hip-hop album of 2007, but overall it's an underwhelming debut. There are some nice moments on this album and some songs I wouldn't mind listening to again. However, they are overshadowed by the good amount of bad or just unimpressive tracks. Also, it doesn't help that Mims doesn't have a distinctive flow. There are times when he sounds too much like other NY rappers, particularly Jay-Z. If Mims can distinguish himself more and focus more on his lyrical content, then he just might make a good album instead of a so-so one.

CD Review: Gutterfly by Lifesavas

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Lifesavas (made up of rapper Vursatyl and producer/rapper Jumbo The Garbageman) have made one of 2007's best hip-hop albums with their latest release Gutterfly. Drawing inspiration from blaxploitation films and other sources, Gutterfly features a surprising array of guest stars and top-notch lyrics and production. It's positive and socially conscious without being preachy or pretentious.

Similar to great hip-hop albums like De La Soul's De La Soul Is Dead, Gutterfly is a concept album. The intro, “Welcome To Razorblade City,” introduces listeners to this album's world. Razorblade City takes the place of Portland on this album while the members of Lifesavas take on other personas. Vursatyl became Bumpy Johnson and Jumbo The Garbageman became Sleepy Floyd. Interludes between songs tell the story of the two characters and how they tried to survive and thrive in the hood.

There are no real skits on the album and unlike something like Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves, none of the songs have the Lifesavas or guests really rapping in character. However, the songs on Gutterfly adhere to the themes present in the album's “story.”


“Double Up,” the album's first real song, turns some simple vocal samples into a beat layered with flute and other sounds. The song deals with the risks and choices you make in life. This might make you think that the song is somewhat serious or downbeat. On the contrary, Lifesavas use some fun wordplay and lyrics to get the message across. The real highlight of this song is the final verse where Vursatyl and Jumbo go back and forth. It sounds sort of like a routine, the way the two of them play off each other here. What makes it better is that they realize this mid-verse and give us references to classic comedy routines (Abbott and Costello's “Who's On First?”) and classic cons (the shell game).

Legendary group Fishbone contributes to “Dead Ones,” a song that sounds a lot more upbeat than the title suggests. The pouding drums and the sing-songy chorus (“La la la la la la la la... / To my dead ones.”) help mask the bleakness of the first parts of the song: “...And there's no survival / Snuffed out underachievers / Consumed with self-denial / Told them they wouldn't make it / And they believed it....” However, a sung breakdown in the middle tells the song's real message: “We strive / Keep a dream alive / When your dream dies / You got to bring it back to life....”

One of the album's best tracks is the heartfelt “Long Letter.” This song has Lifesavas directing their verses to people who are no longer with them. While the song starts off about people who have passed on, it really takes a turn when they direct their verses to a friend who is serving in Afghanistan. The two verses at the end of the song capture many of the feelings of the families of those who serve in the military. The shock at (and acceptance of) someone going into military service is talked about here: “How could you risk your life as a full-fledged G.I.? / It hurt at first / Understand / But see I / Respect the path you chose as a man....” As are the worries and sleepless nights for those who are left behind: “It's a war goin' on / Oh and / We watching CNN just prayin' you come back again....”

Gutterfly is an excellent album that proves that socially conscious doesn't always mean cerebral and boring. Lifesavas have crafted an album that's fun and intelligent, things that are usually mutually exclusive in hip-hop today. This album should not be forgotten when it's time to make the Best of 2007 lists.

Amy Winehouse's Back To Black: Great, Gimmick, Or Both?

Amy Winehouse has gained a lot of critical acclaim for her second album (and first U.S. release) Back To Black. It's features the style of 1960's pop/soul updated ever so slightly for the 2000's. This is certainly a fun album to listen to and in the current music landscape, it feels fresh. However, as I listened to this album, cynicism came creeping in. So, I wondered...is Back To Black a good album, a fun gimmick or perhaps both?

First, let's deal with the easy stuff. Produced by Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, this album has a wonderful sound that replicates the sound of old-school soul with ease. Winehouse herself has an intriguing voice, one that is unique enough to elicit comparisons to multiple artists.

Winehouse pens all the tracks on this album and she has a knack for crafting catchy, clever lines. Although "Rehab" is quite dark when you think about it (it's about an intervention, after all), a smile certainly comes to my face when I hear her sing "They tried to make me go to rehab and I said no no no." "Love Is A Losing Game" is a nice confection, one that seems like it's over far too quickly. "You Know That I'm No Good," has a nice hip-hop element to it and it's easy to see why Ghostface Killah borrowed it for his album More Fish.

In the first paragraph, I mentioned one word that sends chills down the spines of many music fans...gimmick. Usually, that word is reserved for the prefab, the manufactured, the artists who blatantly do whatever it takes to attract an audience, quality be damned. Nearly every boy band is a gimmick, playing to the vulnerable hearts and minds of tween and teenage girls who want to see and hear cute guys sing love songs. The more I thought about Amy Winehouse, the more I thought about the idea of a gimmick.

Much of Amy Winehouse's buzz comes from her reviving 1960's-style pop/soul, something that actually sounds gimmicky. Why? Well, what better way to attract baby boomers (the people who were actually alive when this style of music was made) than to make new music that sounds similar to what they remember?

Then, you can also draw in younger fans because most aren't familiar with the music of the 1960's and they'll be drawn to what seems new to them. Winehouse is young herself and they will be able to relate to that as well as the way she uses modern tactics such as hip-hop references and bad words (since those things weren't around back in the day).

Music critics can get sucked in too since they are probably glad to hear something R & B/soul-ish that isn't R. Kelly or Akon, isn't produced by Timbaland, isn't "pretentious" neo-soul, and isn't sung by someone who has no business singing.

Thoughts like this entered my mind in part because I think Winehouse walks a fine line between reviving a sound and simply imitating it. There has to be something more to her than "Look! She makes pop/soul that sounds just like it used to!" if she is to really stick around. There are glimmers of that on Back To Black ("You Know That I'm No Good" has hip-hop drums) and I hope there's more on her next album.

I like Amy Winehouse's Back To Black. It's well-made and fun to listen to. Amy's got a nice voice and she can write some good lyrics. Even though that cynic in me pops up to wonder why I'm listening to her instead of listening to the greats that inspired her, I decide to hold it back. All I should really want as a music fan is to have good music to listen to. If Amy Winehouse has some gimmicky elements about her, then she has some gimmicky elements about her. However, she's a good artist and Back To Black's a good album. Why should I complain?

10 Years Later

March 9, 2007 was the 10 year anniversary of The Notorious B.I.G.'s death. Just like when the 10th anniversary of 2Pac's death came around last fall, it's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since Biggie's death. It's also incredibly sad to think that in 10 years no one has been charged with anything surrounding the murder of Christopher Wallace (just as no one has been charged in the murder of Tupac Shakur).

You usually don't forget the day you found out about an event like this and 10 years later, I haven't. It was Sunday morning and I was asleep. My dad came by my open door and woke me up. He told me “Biggie got shot.” I said “What?” and then my dad told me that Biggie was dead.

On the 10th anniversary of his death, my mom asked me to pull out my Biggie CDs so we could honor his memory. We listened to most of Ready To Die before my dad and sister came home. With the TV muted, we finished Ready To Die and got through about half of disc 1 of Life After Death before moving onto other things.

In listening to Ready To Die and Life After Death right after each other, I noticed how different each album was. Sure, I knew that Biggie's style changed after Ready To Die, but it's jarring to hear how animated and urgent he sounded on Ready To Die immediately followed by how calm and calculating he sounded on the darker tracks of Life After Death. You rarely see such a dramatic change between albums in hip-hop anymore. The only real difference between, say, Ludacris's last two albums is his subject matter. With Ready To Die and Life After Death, Biggie really made two distinct albums in sound right down to the way he actually rapped.

While I'm reluctant to call Biggie the greatest rapper of all time (in part because I am reluctant to call anything “the greatest of all time”), I do think he was one of the greatest. Even though he died way too young, that early death solidified his greatness. The only two albums he ever finished are both classics. He never had to make a comeback. He never released a garbage album. However, there is no question that I'd rather have a living Biggie making music than a Biggie who, because of his death, stays forever great.

So, grab your copies of Ready To Die and Life After Death (or even Born Again or Duets) and celebrate one of the greatest to ever do it.

CD Review: The Price Of Fame by Bow Wow

It's usually hard for child actors to transition into more adult roles and what's true for actors can also be true for artists. This is the lesson of Bow Wow's fifth album The Price Of Fame. The artist once known as Lil' Bow Wow tries his best to continue his maturation process on this album but it doesn't work. Even though he's almost 20 years old, Bow Wow still sounds like he's still in adolescence as opposed to young manhood.

The signs of maturation you might expect to see on an artist's fifth album (let alone an artist who has become an adult right before our eyes) aren't prevalent on The Price Of Fame. The most obvious example is in the songwriting. Bow Wow has used ghostwriters ever since he first came on the scene but that makes sense since he was a child. However, even now, he still relies on them. Bow Wow is credited as a writer on only three of the album's songs. He should be writing most of his own songs by now and exercising the writing skills he hopefully worked on over the course of his career. While it's well-known that many rappers use ghostwriters, they at least try to appear as if they write their own music. Bow Wow will never gain more respect as an artist if he doesn't grow as a writer.

Another problem with this album is the way it tries to have it both ways when it comes to its audience. Bow Wow is in the unique position of having been a heartthrob to girls his entire career. Not only does Bow Wow have longtime fans who grew up with him, he is continuing to gain new female fans because he's still pretty young. On this album, Bow Wow tries to stay sort of family-friendly while trying to come off as hard at the same time. Bow Wow curses but the words get blocked out (and there is no “unedited” version of the album). It just doesn't sound right and you wonder why Bow Wow didn't just decide to either not curse at all or appeal to all ages with edited and explicit albums.

The previous things I mentioned would not stand out as much if the music was very good. Unfortunately, that's not the case on this album. The thing isn't that the songs are bad but that they are generic and mediocre. Longtime collaborator and mentor Jermaine Dupri produced most of the album and it seems like he's lost a lot of his golden touch. A lot of the songs sound too similar to each other and the line between them blurs sometimes. Listen to “Damn Thing” and “Bet That” and see how much is actually different between the two songs.

Not everything about The Price Of Fame is bad. “Shortie Like Mine” featuring Chris Brown is a light, enjoyable song. The hidden track “I'm A Flirt” featuring R. Kelly is better than most of the album. It's catchy, fun, and should be one of the singles officially released from the album. The album's highlight, however, is “Outta My System.” On this song, Bow Wow presumably talks about his public breakup from singer Ciara. He talks about how his feelings still linger even though he doesn't want them to: “I'm too attached / My heart won't let me fall back / I got it bad / That's what you can call that...” This is the one song from the album that feels real and I wish there were more songs like it.

Ultimately, The Price Of Fame is pretty disappointing. On one hand, I worry about being too hard on Bow Wow. After all, he's still better than some of the grown folks making hip-hop today. On the other hand, he's been in the game for a while and it's time he started to step up. Even if he uses ghostwriters for the rest of his career, Bow Wow needs to figure out if he wants to truly grow up or not. It can be done as evidenced by Lil' Wayne, who guest starred on the album. If Bow Wow can do that (and maybe take a little more chances), his career can last through albums six, seven, and beyond.

CD Review: The Evolution by Ciara

Two years is not a whole lot of time but in the music business, it can be. In the two-plus years since Ciara's debut single "Goodies," she's sold many albums, won a Grammy, and suffered through a public relationship (and breakup) with rapper Bow Wow. Now, she has used that whirlwind two-year period as the inspiration for her sophomore album The Evolution. Filled with many radio-ready songs produced by top hitmakers, The Evolution is a very enjoyable album even if it's not exactly as profound as it wants to be.

Considering that Ciara was slapped with the label "crunk n' b" after "Goodies," it's funny that the very first song on The Evolution, "That's Right," was produced by crunk pioneer Lil' Jon. However, this time around, Lil' Jon's beat is actually liberating rather than limiting. The song begins with Ciara saying "Every time I call he come, but it's time I think about me...and what I need" which is one of many possible references to her high-profile ex. The song itself has Ciara blowing off a night with her man to go out and have fun with her friends.

Ciara highlights the double standards in how the actions of men and women are perceived in "Like A Boy." She rattles off all the things men can get away with and wonders if she did then "would the rules change up or would they still apply." The interesting thing about this song is that Ciara doesn't sound so much angry or annoyed by the double standards so much as a little envious. "Like A Boy" does kind of make you wonder why women put up with things that men would not.

You get transported back to the 1980's on the excellent lead single "Promise." Producer Polow Da Don provides Ciara with a slinky, sexy beat that's worthy of Prince himself. The lyrics don't exactly break new territory but Ciara sounds pretty good as she coos her way through the song.

On the song "Get In, Fit In," Ciara encourages the listener to "Take a chance and try something different / Don't be scared / You might make a difference..." and she certainly does here. In style, it feels more like an electronic song than anything R & B. She adopts a robotic, monotone style for the lyrics and the "da da da" bridge. If that's not unusual enough, she follows U2's lead and bungles numbers in a foreign language (she says "one, two, three" in Japanese but messes up the "three").

While most of The Evolution is fun, uptempo music, there are a couple of times where Ciara slows things down. On "So Hard," Ciara deals with her reluctance to take her current relationship to the next level because the previous one ended so badly. She tries to move past her previous relationship but keeps comparing her man to her last one.

The album ends with "I Found Myself," a song that has her addressing her growth into adulthood, especially since Ciara turned 21 only a couple of months before this album's release. She talks not just about growing up, but also her hopes and dreams as she says "someday, I'll be the perfect wife" and looks forward to new relationships ("I'm not gonna give it up just because the last one let me down"). There is a lot of sincerity in her voice here, especially since she co-wrote this song (like she did every other song on her album).

Two things hurt The Evolution a bit. First, it's a little too long. There are 18 songs here (including interludes) and it feels like too much of a good thing. The album drags a little bit in the middle and as the songs slow down towards the end, it starts to feel pretty long. What also hurts this album a bit are the interludes. Even though they are short and serve to emphasize the theme of evolution on the album, they are unnecessary. You will skip them after the first listen, especially since the text of the interludes is printed throughout the CD booklet.

Overall, The Evolution is a very good album for Ciara. Her music is fun, catchy, and easy to like. Ciara is not exactly the best singer out there but she never tries to take her voice to places it shouldn't go and the crop of producers make her sound good.

What makes her stand out, however, is the way she handles herself. Ciara wants to have fun, have a relationship, and continue to grow as a person. She's a good girl but not a goody two-shoes. Considering that many young black women are bombarded with sexually demeaning images in hip-hop videos, Ciara's image is refreshing. While it might be a little premature to consider yourself evolved at 21, Ciara has certainly grown up. If she continues on the path she's on, she could really be a force to be reckoned with and I can't wait to see that happen.

CD Review: Hip Hop Is Dead by Nas

In the title of his new album as well as in his hit single of the same name, Nas asserts that hip-hop is dead. The sheer thought of the man behind the classic album Illmatic declaring hip-hop dead sent shockwaves through the industry with artists ranging from Big Boi to new labelmates Ludacris and Young Jeezy expressing disdain at Nas's remarks. With Hip Hop Is Dead, Nas has made one of his better albums, one that proves that hip-hop has life in it yet.

A few themes pop up throughout Hip Hop Is Dead. The first theme is a feeling of nostalgia for older days and earlier generations of hip-hop. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the song “Where Are They Now.” Driven by a James Brown sample, “Where Are They Now” name checks virtually every notable rapper of the late 1980's and early 1990's. He bemoans the fact that many of these artists have been forgotten by newer generations: “Rap is like a ghost town / Real mystic / Like these folks never existed...” He also gives them praise, calling them “the reason that rap became addictive” and any artists he doesn't mention in the verses, he shouts out at the end of the song.

Producer Will.I.Am uses Nat King Cole's “Unforgettable” as the backdrop for “Can't Forget About You,” another song that continues the theme of nostalgia. Nas reminisces about the past (“Can't forget when the first rap Grammy went to Jazzy”) and looks forward a future with a “Straw hat / On the porch.” Also present on this song is the next theme prevalent throughout Hip Hop Is Dead: a frustration with the current state of hip-hop. Nas says bitterly that “Heinous crimes help record sales more than creative lines.”

The theme of disappointment with some of the current generation of hip-hop appears more prominently on “Carry On Tradition.” The song is all about continuing the traditions of previous generations and Nas uses the opportunity to talk about the way some newer artists (who remain nameless) don't do that. He chides them on their ignorance of early hip-hop (“Let's see who can quote a Daddy Kane line the fastest?”) and the way they use acclaim for their “bricks” to hate on bigger, more established names.

While the themes of notstalgia and disappointment with current hip-hop dominate a good portion of the album, much of it is just filled with music that's thoughtful and sometimes daring. An example of the latter would be “Who Killed It?” Nas, who once rapped from the perspective of a gun, attempts his best Edward G. Robinson impression to tell a film noir-esque tale on this song. Although the quality of the song is debatable, you have to give Nas credit for trying something truly different. Something like this would usually be the domain of indie rappers and you have to wonder if we'll see another mainstream rapper try something so out there.

“Black Republican” is the long-awaited collaboration between Nas and former rival Jay-Z. The end result is pretty good with the two of them showing off their contrasting styles from the hook (where Nas calls himself a “black militant” as opposed to the title) to their verses. The dramatic classical music sample adds to the spectacle.

Even though Nas titled his album Hip Hop Is Dead, the album serves to prove that hip-hop is far from dead. In fact, with all the controversy over the album title, anyone who listens to it will realize that Nas doesn't actually think hip-hop is dead. He is just frustrated with the way things are right now, just as some fans who grew up with him are. Hip-hop has survived being called a fad, censorship, tragedy, introduction to suburbia, and even police raids against mixtape DJ's. It's not going anywhere but that doesn't mean we can't demand more from it. That might really be the message of Hip Hop Is Dead.

CD Review: Fantasia by Fantasia

American Idol season three winner Fantasia is back with a slick new sound on her self-titled sophomore album. This album finds Fantasia continuing to come into her own as an artist and establishing herself as more than just a reality show contestant. Featuring a Who's Who list of top R & B producers, Fantasia is a solid album from start to finish.

The album opens with "Hood Boy," the current single featuring Big Boi of the hip-hop duo OutKast. The song is another twist on the same territory covered by songs such as "Soldier" by Destiny's Child. What makes this song more than a retread is how fun it sounds. From its catchy, sample-driven beat to Big Boi's verse (the only guest appearance on the album) and the energy Fantasia puts into singing the song, "Hood Boy" just hooks you from the start.

The same feelings you get from "Hood Boy" also crop up again on the hilariously named "Baby Makin' Hips." Producers Dre and Vidal use a horn-driven Al Green sample to provide the backdrop for this song for the girls with an actual figure. Fun is the key here again and you can't help but almost laugh (in a good way) when you hear lyrics such as Watch when they walk by / Guys get the wandering eye / They rather get smacked / Than not look back...."

There is more to Fantasia than fun songs on this album, however. When she gets serious, she's actually at her best. Songwriter Diane Warren and producer Babyface team up to provide her with the ballad “I Feel Beautiful.” Fantasia has always been known for having a big voice but on this song, she refrains from a lot of vocal operatics. By toning her voice down, it gives her a bit of vulnerability. Knowing what we do about Fantasia's life from her book and TV movie Life Is Not A Fairytale, the lyrics of the song carry a little more weight: "You tried to keep me down on my knees / I got myself back up on my feet / I found the strength to set myself free / And I feel / Beautiful..."

Other songs on Fantasia show her strong side. On "Not The Way That I Do," she chastises her man for thinking that he can get away with stuff his ex let him do. "Two Weeks Notice," one of three songs produced by Missy Elliott, has Fantasia leaving her man after feeling unappreciated. After hearing too many excuses from her man, Fantasia gets sick of it all on the uptempo "Bore Me (Yawn)."

Fantasia is a pretty good sophomore effort. She shows quite a bit of range here whether she's fun, sexy, angry, or vulnerable. With so many producers on this album, it would've been easy for her to be lost in the barrage of different approaches and sounds. However, since there is only one guest star, there's no one else to potentially muddy things up and make the album lose focus. This album shows that Fantasia is secure in how she presents herself and secure in her talent and these are the reasons why she still has a viable music career today.

CD Review: Once Again by John Legend

Despite its title, John Legend's new album Once Again is not a retread of the concepts found on his critically acclaimed 2004 debut Get Lifted. In fact, the sound is quite different. While the production on Once Again is modern, the sound is very retro. It's the closest we'll ever get to hearing what soul artists in the 1960's and 1970's would've made if they had 2000's era technology.

When the album starts with the song “Save Room,” you feel as though you've entered a time machine. The bass and electric organ hit you and you're transported back to the 1960's. The lyrics are sexy but not explicit: “This might just hurt a little / Love hurts sometimes when you do it right / Don't be afraid of a little bit of pain / Pleasure is on the other side...” There is even a breakdown that sounds straight out pop songs of the 1960's as well.

On “P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care),” we are taken to the 1970's. This funky love song is all about the joys of expressing affection in public. The song has a light, fun sound to it that makes lyrics about making love in places like a restaurant, a job, and “your mama's house” seem sweet-natured rather than dirty and kinky.

Hendrix is referenced on the Raphael Saadiq-produced “Show Me.” Featuring a slow, guitar-driven beat, this song has Legend singing in a higher pitch than usual and revealing a previously unheard side of himself. The influences of Hendrix and Otis Redding can be heard on “Slow Dance” with its bluesy guitar and chorus.

Not every song on Once Again tries to sound retro. “Again” will remind some of the song “Ordinary People” from John Legend's debut. Although there is more instrumentation on “Again” than “Ordinary People,” the piano is at the forefront on this song. Also, the subject matter, which deals with how Legend keeps returning to a relationship even though it doesn't work, is close to “Ordinary People.” Despite the similarities, it stands out from his hit song and is almost as good.

“Coming Home” also eschews the retro format and is one of the album's best songs. The song is sung from the point of view of a soldier away at war. It isn't political or overly dramatic and its low-key approach works in its favor. When Legends sings lyrics such as “I go to sleep and feel your spirit next to me / I'll make it home again / I pray you'll fall in love again...” you can't help but feel the emotion behind the words. This song is unlike any of John Legend's other work and it's hopefully a preview of what he does next.

Even though high-profile producers such as Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, and Will.I.Am worked on Once Again, it doesn't feel like most modern R & B albums. It's a welcome throwback to the earlier days of soul music. A project such as this could have easily sounded like a cheap imitation of old-school music or a “neo-soul” album gone bad. What keeps Once Again from going that route is John Legend staying true to himself. While you can hear the influences of other artists in his songs, he never tries to actively imitate anyone in the sound of the music or in his singing. Even when samples are used on some songs, things are augmented enough that the song doesn't feel like a ripoff of someone else's work.

Once Again may not be as fresh to the ear as Legend's debut Get Lifted was but it's a solid album from start to finish with not a bad song to be found. It's one of the best albums released in 2006 and is worth picking up.

CD Review: The Outsider by DJ Shadow

When an actor plays a particular type of role well, he runs the risk of being typecast. The same thing can also happen to artists. With his albums Endtroducing... and The Private Press, DJ Shadow has staked out a claim as an avant-garde hip-hop innovator. Endtroducing... is considered a classic in many circles and has influenced countless artists and DJs.

Apparently tired of being typecast, DJ Shadow's newest studio album is appropriately titled The Outsider. Instead of evolving and tweaking the formula that worked on his two studio efforts (and, to some extent, on his U.N.K.L.E. work), DJ Shadow tries his hand at everything from hyphy to britpop. The result is something that most listeners won't be able to make much out of.

The first actual song on the album, "This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way)," signals DJ Shadow's intentions. After that song, we get a stream of hyphy tracks. For those who don't know, hyphy is a style of hip-hop from Northern California (where DJ Shadow is from). They begin with "3 Freaks," a goofy song that's mindlessly enjoyable. Featuring rappers Keak Da Sneak and Turf Talk, the song features an unusual but catchy electronic beat. The other two hyphy tracks are forgettable.

Shadow next dabbles in a little southern hip-hop with "Seein' Thangs" featuring David Banner. Banner, who is from Mississippi, angrily raps about everything from Bush stealing votes to the urban legend that the government purposely blew up the levees and flooded New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. "Broken Levee Blues" follows this track and it seems to be DJ Shadow's tribute to the Hurricane Katrina victims. It's a straight-up bluesy instrumental with no adornments whatsoever.

"Artifact" is the closest we get to "normal" DJ Shadow. The frenetic, drum-filled instrumental lasts but a couple of minutes and makes you long for the DJ Shadow of old. "Triplicate / Something Happened That Day" kind of feels like older DJ Shadow except it doesn't build up to a beat or anything, really. After this, things really start to get uneven.

"Erase You" sounds sort of like a half-hearted U.N.K.L.E. song with Chris James singing over a drum-heavy beat. "What Have I Done" is by far the worst song DJ Shadow has ever done. It feels like a parody of new age music with vocalist Christina Carter saying things like "We all are together" and "I am your healing spirit" over acoustic guitars and airy background vocals. You're tempted to stop the CD and open up your CD player to make sure you're listening to a DJ Shadow album.

Chris James reappears on "You Made It." James channels Thom Yorke and/or Chris Martin on a song that apes early Radiohead and current Coldplay. That somewhat pitiful song is followed by "Enuff," arguably the best hip-hop song on the album. Q-Tip and Lateef The Truth Speaker appear on this song and it's quite enjoyable (and not hyphy).

With The Outsider, DJ Shadow has thrown his fans for a loop. On this album, Shadow is a jack of all trades and a master of none. Things could have been better if Shadow had settled on one direction for the album. Some of the traditional hip-hop tracks weren't bad and the thought of DJ Shadow as beatmaker for hip-hop's best is a tantalizing one. A pure hyphy album from Shadow would not be his greatest work, but at least it would have been consistent and somewhat enjoyable. Even a pure pop album would at least be interesting.

By combining all these types of songs together without some sort of underlying theme, The Outsider feels awkward and disjointed. There is absolutely nothing wrong with an artist wanting to do different stuff from what they normally do. The key thing is for the artist to realize that they can't be good at everything.

CD Review: Release Therapy by Ludacris

The best word to describe Atlanta rapper Ludacris is fun. No other rapper looks like he has more fun doing what he does than Luda whether he has giant-sized arms in the video for "Get Back" or dresses up as various Austin Powers characters in the video for "Number One Spot." Filled with a naughty sense of humor and clever one-liners, Ludacris has delivered consistently since his 2000 major-label debut Back For The First Time. However, Luda hasn't gotten much respect in some hip-hop circles and has been criticized as being "goofy" and a "nursery rhyme rapper."

Things started to change for Ludacris in 2005 when his acting career got off to an auspicious start with serious roles in Hustle & Flow, Law And Order: SVU, and the Academy Award-winning Crash. These roles helped people see Chris “Ludacris” Bridges as more than his hip-hop persona and gained him acclaim. Seeking more respect for his music, Ludacris takes things a little more seriously on his new album Release Therapy. While there are few differences between this album and Ludacris's previous four albums, there are enough to convince his detractors that he is talented enough to stand with his peers.

The most notable difference between Release Therapy and Ludacris's previous albums is the lack of skits. This album comes in at a lean 14 songs which includes an intro. This is significant because the skits on Ludacris's previous albums were quite good and usually on par with (or sometimes better than) the music. Fortunately, Luda doesn't need skits this time around.

The songs closest to what we normally expect from Ludacris are found in the first half or so of the album. The Neptunes, who produced Luda's hit song "Southern Hospitality," return to work with Luda on two tracks of differing quality. The hit single "Money Maker" is actually one of the album's weaker songs. Luda's lyrics here are generic come ons that are devoid of the cleverness of previous songs. The Neptunes' beat is equally generic with the powerful orchestral opening being the best thing about it. The Neptunes and Ludacris fair a lot better on "Girls Gone Wild." Ludacris rides the dark, electronic beat like no one else and the lyrics are clever and much better than "Money Maker."

On the second half of the album, Luda gets more serious. On "Tell It Like It Is," Luda doesn't mince words. He talks about everything from how to get started in the music business to his issues with Chingy: "We never took no money from Chingy / Thought I was cool with him / I wish his ass well / But I don't want nothin' to do with him." The now infamous "War With God" has Ludacris going after an anonymous rapper. Is Luda dissing T.I.? Young Jeezy? Rick Ross? Himself? Everyone will have their own opinion after hearing this song. One thing that especially makes it stand out is the fact that Ludacris puts the typical hip-hop boast in reverse, celebrating his lack of criminal experience: "I never claimed to be nothin' than who the fuck I am / Never sold cocaine in my life but I'm still the fuckin' man."

"Slap" is the song for anyone who has ever wanted to do or say something because your day or your life has been rough. Ludacris says in song all the things we'd "like" to do but would never do ("I feel like killin' my boss today"). Beanie Sigel, Pimp C, and C-Murder all appear on "Do Your Time," a song dedicated to all those in prison. The guest stars outshine Luda here because all of them have actually spent time in prison.

Release Therapy is one of Ludacris's better albums and it should do just as well as his previous ones. It's not as much as a departure for Ludacris as you'd expect. His sense of humor is still intact even though it's de-emphasized a bit. His flow is still very good and his one-liners are here in spades. What will make people take notice is the quality of the serious songs here. Before, Luda's fun songs were always a little bit better than his attempts to be serious. This time around, the serious songs are really good. Any further questions about Ludacris's talent should finally be put to rest.

CD Review: The Makings Of Me by Monica

Three years after the release of After The Storm, Monica returns with her fourth album, The Makings Of Me. She has delivered a solid release filled with several good songs. Only a couple of missteps keep the album from going to the next level.

The album opens with "Everytime Tha Beat Drop," which features Dem Franchize Boyz. It's by far the worst song on the album. Even though both Monica and Dem Franchize Boyz are both from the ATL, this collaboration doesn't work. It feels like a calculated attempt to capitalize on snap music that came a year too late. Even though Monica's still pretty young, she's been in the business for over 10 years. This song feels like a step backward. Fortunately, the rest of the album is better.

Monica again collaborates with Missy Elliott on The Makings Of Me, this time on three of the album's 10 tracks. The best song of the three is "A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me)." A sample from Curtis Mayfield's "The Makings Of You" drives the song as Monica puts a spin on R. Kelly's "You Remind Me Of Something." Unlike R. Kelly's song, Monica's comparisons of her man to her Gucci shoes because "every time you walk past, all the girls be lookin' at you" sounds sweet as opposed to objectifying. The only issue with this song (and the other two songs produced by Missy) is the fact that Missy can't stay quiet.

Other high-profile producers work with Monica on this album and for the most part, give her good stuff to work with. The Underdogs are behind the boards for "Sideline Ho," a blistering song where Monica takes the other woman in her man's life to task. This song is a bit rougher than what we're used to hearing from Monica but she somehow keeps herself from crossing the line between angry and over the top. Jermaine Dupri produces "Why Her?", a song where Monica asks her man that very question as he decides to choose another woman over her. Even though this song sounds uncomfortably close to the songs Jermaine Dupri produced for Mariah Carey, Monica's performance makes it stand out from the likes of "We Belong Together."

Overall, The Makings Of Me is a pretty good album. A couple of things keep it from becoming a great album. First, there are a couple of lackluster tracks. Apart from "Everytime Tha Beat Drop," the Swizz Beatz-produced "Raw" is also nothing to write home about. While the chorus is catchy, the rest of the song feels tired. Also,the album should have been a bit longer. It tops out at a little more than 38 minutes long. This album could've benefited from two or three more songs, provided that they weren't filler or unnecessary skits. Other than that, The Makings Of Me is a nice little album. It may not be her best work, but it's definitely worth picking up.

CD Review: Future Sex/Love Sounds by Justin Timberlake

When you first listen to the strains of “Future Sex/Love Sound,” the opening song of Justin Timberlake's new album, you're not really sure if you're listening to a Justin Timberlake song. Slinky electronic beats drive things as Justin sings in a lower register than we're used to. Things get even crazier on “Sexy Back,” the hit single and second song on the album. Justin's voice is not only lower but also electronically distorted. The f-word is even tossed around.

Neither of these two songs sound like what non-Justin fans would expect from him and that's the point. Future Sex/Love Sounds is Justin Timberlake's breakthrough album, an album that makes listeners take notice. It is a fun album to listen to and makes us eager to hear what he does next.

A lot of the credit for Future Sex/Love Sounds has to go to producer Timbaland. He produced the hit single “Cry Me A River” from Justin's debut, Justified, and is behind the boards on 10 of the 12 tracks on Future Sex/Love Sounds. In Timbaland, Justin has one of the most inventive and eclectic producers in music, one who will use any and every sound imaginable to make a good song. In Justin, Timbaland has finally found a male artist whose willingness to break boundaries and try new things ranks up there with the powerhouse female artists he's worked with in the past.

The power duo (joined by producer Nate Hills) try out multiple genres of music while still keeping things pop enough to make them crossover friendly. The aforementioned electronic excursions of “Future Sex/Love Sound” and “Sexy Back,” offer us a Justin we haven't heard before. “Chop Me Up,” which features Academy Award-winning rap group Three 6 Mafia, gives us a taste of dirty south hip-hop. We get taken back to Minneapolis (complete with that signature Prince “sound”) on the smooth ballad “Until The End Of Time” and on the funky “Sexy Ladies.”

Interludes that appear between songs help keep things from sounding too disjointed. The “Let Me Talk To You” interlude that appears between “Sexy Ladies” and “My Love” works so well that they kept it in the video for “My Love.” Other interludes sound like they could've been songs by themselves. I like the way Timbaland's drums combine with guitars and piano on the “I Think She Knows” interlude that is after “LoveStoned” and the harmonies on the “Set The Mood Prelude” make you wish it could've somehow been a song all on its own.

There are two songs on the album that are not produced by Timbaland. These songs are polar opposites in terms of quality. “Damn Girl,” produced by and featuring will.i.am, is not one of the album's shining tracks. The beat isn't bad but of all the guest appearances on the album, will.i.am's feels the least necessary. “Another Song (All Over Again),” produced by Rick Rubin, is one of the best songs on the album. Rick Rubin has the uncanny ability to bring out the essence of artists and he works his magic on Timberlake. The backing music is the most understated on the whole album and Justin's voice is front and center. He just sings his heart out here without any special effects and the result is great.

Future Sex/Love Sounds is an album that should result in Justin getting some more fans. Instead of taking the easy route of jumping onto the pop/rock bandwagon or making stuff that sounds like Justified 2.0, he tries new things. It's difficult for an artist to balance the desire to do something different with the necessity of appealing to his fans, but Justin Timberlake manages to do so on this album. If he can keep this up, he can have a nice, long career if he wants it.

CD Review: Mr. Brown by Sleepy Brown

Best known for contributing his smooth vocals to OutKast's hit single “The Way You Move,” Sleepy Brown has waited a long time for his chance to shine. As part of Organized Noize, the production crew behind OutKast's first two albums, he helped shape the sound of southern hip-hop. After the success of his first single “I Can't Wait” from the soundtrack to Barbershop 2, he saw his album, Grown And Sexy, shelved by his then label Interscope Records. Now signed to Big Boi's Purple Ribbon Entertainment, he's finally released his debut album, Mr. Brown. It's an enjoyable album with an old-school feel that should appeal to contemporary and classic R & B fans alike.

Given Sleepy Brown's long track record of hip-hop production, you might expect to see a slew of guest stars on his debut. For better or worse, that isn't the case on Mr. Brown. The focus is squarely on Sleepy Brown. With the refrains of “It's me” in the chorus, “I'm Soul,” the album's opener, reintroduces listeners to Brown. However, there's more chorus on this song than lyrics and those lyrics are a little lacking: “Everybody's watching me / Say pretty lady /Are you hungry? / We can go somewhere / Get some buffalo wings / That's soul.”

Things do get better later in the album and there are some very good songs to be found on Mr. Brown. “One Of Dem Nights” is a full-scale trip back to the 1970's with its funky sound and use of live instruments. “Me, My Baby, & My Cadillac” uses a sample from “Maybe Tomorrow” to become a fun, catchy song that should be the next single if it isn't already. Brown adopts an electronically deepened pitch for the freaky, Prince-esque “Oh Ho Hum.” Brown and guest star Joi trade come ons on the song and its funky, lumbering pace makes it seem shorter than it is. “I Can't Wait,” which features OutKast, is also included on the album, although it gets an unnecessary string-filled intro.

Sleepy Brown does what he can to show himself off on Mr. Brown and for the most part, the results are good. The album does have its share of shortcomings, though. For one thing, many of the songs sound too similar to each other and make too little of an impact. It would have been nice for there to have been one or two more collaborations with other artists to help break up the monotony. Also, there are times (such as on the song “Dress Up”) where Sleepy Brown sounds less like himself and more like Pharrell Williams (who ironically appears on the song “Margarita”). Yet, there are relatively few R & B artists making the type of music Sleepy Brown does on this album and that makes Mr. Brown worth listening to. I think Sleepy Brown certainly has a future as a solo artist and I hope that next time, he can bring us an album that can stand up to the old-school greats he admires.

CD Review: Idlewild by OutKast

In the months, weeks, and days the release of the movie and album Idlewild, the media's focus was not focused on either. Instead, all that was talked about is whether or not OutKast had broken up or was about to break up. The media cited the numerous delays in getting the album and movie out and rumors flew that they bickered over how to market the album and movie. Many wondered how Big Boi and Andre 3000 could do another album together after Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Solo discs (even those packaged together as a double album) usually mean the beginning of the end for a duo or group.

One question remained about Idlewild the album...what kind of album would it be? Would it be a welcome return to the pre-Speakerboxxx/The Love Below OutKast of Stankonia, Aquemini, and ATLiens? Would it be a soundtrack to the film, what with its supposed 1930's influences or would it be another Speakerboxxx/The Love Below where Dre and Big Boi do mostly separate tracks? Well, Idlewild is not a single one of those things...it's all of the above. However, the end result is not as good as their previous efforts.

When you listen to the first two of Idlewild's sprawling 25 tracks, you might think you're going to listen to a normal OutKast album. There is a typically odd (but funny) skit that opens the album followed by “Mighty O,” a song that features both Dre and Big Boi rapping over a beat produced by Organized Noize, the production collective that produced most of OutKast's earlier efforts. Even though this fun song (with its take on Cab Calloway's “Minnie The Moocher”) is one of the weaker efforts on the album, it's just nice to hear them rapping together. “Hollywood Divorce,” featuring Lil' Wayne and Snoop Dogg is a bit better. The other skits on this album (the ones that don't features lines from the Idlewild movie, anyway) are also reminiscent of older OutKast. I laughed at “No Bootleg DVDs” where a bootlegger claimed that he could make a grill in three minutes and it reminded me of the nutty interludes on Stankonia. That's where the comparisons to old-school OutKast end, though.

Most of the songs on Idlewild fall into two categories. Either they feel like they could've been on Speakerboxxx/The Love Below or they are Idlewild soundtrack songs. “Morris Brown,” one of the best songs on the album, may have been the best song to not get on Big Boi's Speakerboxxx disc. Produced by Andre 3000 and featuring a great performance by the Morris Brown College marching band, it's an incredibly fun song to listen to. Even Bryan Barber's colorful, cartoony video doesn't do this song justice. Turn this song up on a good stereo and try not to jam along with it. Dre's “Idlewild Blue (Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me)” is pretty good as well with Dre's signature electrofunk combined with a bluesy acoustic guitar. Just like on The Love Below, Dre's singing is bad yet at the same time good enough to not be annoying.

The songs that act like a soundtrack to the movie Idlewild are good enough to wonder what a true Idlewild soundtrack would've been like. “PJ & Rooster,” the song played in the TV commercials for the Idlewild film, is a nice 1930's influenced song with a style similar to “Roses” where Dre sings and Big Boi raps. “Makes No Sense At All” is, as the song says, “Bull shit / Yeah, pretty much” but it has a goofy charm fueled by the way Andre 3000 (in character as Percival) talks to himself. However, the stand out “soundtrack song” is most certainly “Call The Law.” Although Big Boi makes an appearance, the song really belongs to Janelle Monae, a singer on Big Boi's Purple Ribbon record label. If that song is any indication, she could have a nice career ahead of her.

Even though both Dre and Big Boi have denied that OutKast is breaking up, a three-song sequence on the album seems to tell another story. The songs “Chronomentrophobia,” “The Train,” and “Life Is Like A Musical” seem to be OutKast's way of dealing with their seemingly imminent breakup. On the second verse of his song “Chronomentrophobia,” Dre says some things that hint at the end of OutKast: “Hope that when I'm gone / Ya'll remember this / What we stood for / Fuck that fame and that glitz / Well it's / Beginning to look a lot like the ending...”

While “Chronomentrophobia” is pretty subtle, Big Boi's “The Train” is a little more straightforward. With lush production (provided by Big Boi himself), snippets of dialogue from the Idlewild movie (“God don't make no mistakes”) and vocals by Scar and Sleepy Brown, Big Boi seems to give OutKast a grand sendoff. The sung chorus, with lyrics such as “It's been a good long road / Now it's time for me to go” and “Gotta spread my wings / And fly up high” drive home the point and Big Boi makes references not only to OutKast's past but also the fact that he readily goes on stage by himself to perform OutKast's music.

Unlike the previous two songs, “Life Is Like A Musical” doesn't hint at a breakup. In fact, it almost acts as a response to “The Train.” If “The Train” is OutKast's big send off, then “Life Is Like A Musical” is the epilogue. On the song's only verse, Dre sings about reassuring Big Boi that despite anything that happens, they are still friends. The song ends with Dre singing “Don't let 'em / Don't let 'em / Don't let 'em / Don't let 'em / Change us / Change us/ Change us / Change us...”

The best words to describe Idlewild the album are “not quite.” It's not quite a “real” OutKast album, not quite a rehash of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, not quite a soundtrack to the movie Idlewild, and not quite up to the level of their previous albums. This album is also not as bad as some music critics have made it out to be. There are plenty of good songs to be found here, even if many of them aren't all that radio-friendly. If there is one constant running through the album, it is that no matter how much the two of them differ, Dre and Big Boi will probably be friends for life. Friendships like that are rarely seen in artists, let alone regular people. I guess what's said in “A Bad Note,” the final song on Idlewild, really is true for OutKast: “A bad note ain't a bad note if it's a good note.”

CD Review: Game Theory by The Roots

After 2004's The Tipping Point, The Roots make their return with Game Theory, their first album on new label Def Jam. You might think that by moving to Def Jam that The Roots decided to make easily accessible, more mainstream hip-hop music. That's hardly the case. Game Theory is a hard-hitting, musically complex album that is not just one of the group's best albums but also one of the best of the year.

The first thing you'll notice upon listening to Game Theory is that it's actually an album. What I mean by that is that it's really meant to be listened in one sitting. The marketers at Def Jam obviously knew this as they decided to put three songs in the first video from the album. There is a consistency in the quality of the songs on this album that is admirable and rare. That's not to say that the songs on Game Theory are so alike that they are indistinguishable. Each one of them is quite memorable.

After a very short intro, the album gets off to a blistering start with "False Media," an indictment of the current state of America from kids being on Ritalin to the Bush administration. Like most of the songs on this album, this song could not be described as conventional. The chorus is done in spoken word, the beat changes completely towards the end of the song, and Black Thought only does one verse. Despite that, the song never feels like it's meandering or even "experimental." It does what it set to do and makes way for the next song.

Throughout the album, samples are cleverly used. You may not even be able to tell that Kool And The Gang's "Jungle Boogie" and The Ohio Players' "Ecstasy" are even sampled as short vocal bursts from the songs are woven into the tapestry of "Don't Feel Right." The song is driven by a deviously simple piano riff and the vocals of Maimouna Youssef on the chorus. Radiohead's "You And Whose Army" is turned into a laidback jam on "Atonement." Then, there is "Can't Stop This," the album's final track which was produced by the late J. Dilla. Musical and vocal samples are interwoven in a brilliant, almost seemingly random way that will really make you wish J. Dilla was still alive. The second half of the song is turned into a tribute to the producer as voice mail messages are put over music.

Although Game Theory is firmly a hip-hop album, other genres of music make appearances in some of the songs. "Here I Come" has a Nine Inch Nails-esque feel to it created in part by the guitars and the electronic elements. "Baby" has a very old-school R&B feel while "Clock With No Hands" has a modern soul feel to it. "Livin' In A New World" has a sound reminiscent of light, 1960's pop which is ironic considering that Black Thought's lyrics are decidedly dark: "Yo, they got high powered lenses on the cameras outside / It ain't nowhere to run, it ain't hardly nowhere to hide."

With all the varied and interesting music on display, it's easy to overlook just how good Black Thought is on this album. His anger is evident on many songs. "Take It There" talks about how bad things are in his hometown of Philly without glorifying things: "I'm from the side of town / Where shots get sprayed around / Where the expectancy rate be twenty-eight around...Have your whole view on life beyond jaded." He also reminisces on growing up and thinks about where he is now on "Clock With No Hands": "Sittin' in the staircase, holding back tears / Lookin' over mad years of photographs / Pictures of some places, I ain't ever goin' back / Some people I used to love, why I ain't show 'em that."

Game Theory is The Roots' best album since 2002's Phrenology and certainly one of the best albums of the year, hip-hop or otherwise. With a running time of only slightly more than 47 minutes, this album doesn't waste time with interludes or even a hidden track. Even with the variety found here, it never feels like a collection of songs. It always feels like a cohesive album. It's one that is often dark, angry, and challenging without sounding like an art project gone wrong. If you're sick of the direction hip-hop is going today with the likes of Yung Joc, Rick Ross, and "snap" music, listen to Game Theory and have your faith in the genre restored again.

CD Review: In My Mind by Pharrell

Pharrell Williams is one of the most multifaceted people involved in popular music today. He and childhood friend Chad Hugo make up the production duo known as The Neptunes. They have worked with a dizzying array of artists from Britney Spears to No Doubt to Jay-Z. In addition to producing hits for a variety of artists, Pharrell often lends his vocals to the tracks he produces. His familiar falsetto can be heard crooning the hooks on many Neptunes-produced tracks and he also raps as witnessed on Snoop Dogg's hit single "Drop It Like It's Hot." Pharrell is the frontman for the rock group N.E.R.D. who have released two albums so far. He and Chad also run a record label, Star Trak, which is the home to such artists as Clipse, Slim Thug, Robin Thicke, and Snoop Dogg. Pharrell has a clothing line (Billionaire Boys Club) and his own line of sneakers (Ice Cream). He is collaborating with Marc Jacobs to design a jewelry line for Louis Vuitton and will become the first black male to be the face of that legendary label.

Pharrell Williams is the epitome of crossover potential.

This is why his debut solo album, In My Mind, has been hotly anticipated. When left to his own devices, what kind of music would this producer/artist turn out? Well, the answer is...more of the same stuff he's done in the past. It's not a bad album but your mileage will vary depending on your expectations. If you're expecting nothing more than Pharrell singing and/or rapping over some club-friendly beats, then you'll like this album. If you're expecting an album near the level of The Chronic or even The College Dropout, you'll be disappointed.

In My Mind, which was originally rumored to be a double album, has two distinct parts to it. The first part (songs 1-7) is hip-hop while the second part (songs 8-14) is R & B. The first part is only slightly better than the second part if only because it's easier to listen to Pharrell rap for a period of time than it is to listen to him sing. Two of the album's best songs are contained in the first part of the album. "Raspy Shit" doesn't blaze any new lyrical trails but the bluesy, bass-heavy beat stands out. It's immediately followed by "Best Friend," a song that gives us a rare glimpse into Pharrell's past. As he reflects on his childhood during the verses, the chorus has his best friend encouraging him to open up: "You won't even know you're hurt sometimes/Until you in conversations/It comes out in the lines/So let it out, P/Let it out, P."

"Angel" is probably the best song on the album's second half. Even though it's kind of cheesy and some of the lyrics are kind of silly ("She got an ass like a loaf of bread/You want a slice"), the music really hooks you from the beginning with piano and those familiar Neptunes drums. Also, it's just long enough to not wear out its welcome but ends up leaving you wanting more. "Number One," the current single, is a song that really could've been better than it is. It has a nice, bouncy, fluttery beat that's reminiscent of old-school Michael Jackson. However, Kanye West almost ruins the song with his annoying (and neverending) ad-libs and a subpar verse. Unlike Kanye, Nelly doesn't do anything to ruin "Baby," a song with one of the more unusual beats on the album. A pounding drum keeps things going as electric guitar and synths seem to fight each other to dominate the proceedings. "Our Father" is an appealingly simple ode to Jesus Christ over a smoothed out beat. Pharrell really sounds kind of innocent as he sings out things like "Thank you for my brothers/Thank you for my daddy" and for some reason, that innocence makes the song sound a little more sincere than other rappers' songs about God.

If there is one big problem with In My Mind, it is that many of the songs are just average. Collaborations that should have been great end up being more "meh." "That Girl" featuring Snoop Dogg is no "Beautiful" and Jay-Z doesn't really even try on the 80's-sounding "Young Girl." "You Can Do It Too," a jazz-flavored song that tries to inspire people to chase their dreams, doesn't really make that much of an impact despite an appearance by Jamie Callum. Other songs like "Stay With Me" just fade into the ether.

Listening to In My Mind really gives you an idea what impact Chad Hugo has on The Neptunes' sound. Pharrell produced this album all by his lonesome and for all the interesting, bouncy beats on this album, something still feels missing. Pharrell is immensely talented as a producer but the beats on In My Mind are missing the elements to push them into the inventive yet simple brilliance of the best Neptunes tracks. The bonus track, "Skateboard P Presents: Show You How To Hustle," comes the closest with its gritty, organ-driven beat.

In My Mind is not a bad album. It will probably be in my CD rotation for a few weeks. Even a lackluster Pharrell song is still more creative than some of the stuff on the radio right now. However, this album is not as good as you want it to be either. Pharrell at the very least probably has a long career ahead of him as a producer and if he decides to make another solo album, I hope he spends less time sticking within predefined boundaries and more time breaking them instead.

Third Times The...

A lot of artists (especially hip-hop artists) suffer from the "sophomore slump" where the follow-up to a successful debut album is a critical and/or commercial disappointment. This happened to rapper Bubba Sparxxx with his 2003 album Deliverance. This ambitious album combined country and hip-hop in a way that was thoughtful as opposed to silly. The album didn't sell well and as if to add insult to injury, Bubba's label (Timbaland's Beat Club) folded not long after it was released.

Now, he returns with The Charm, his first album on Purple Ribbon Entertainment, the label run by OutKast's Big Boi. With a "new" sound and tight construction, The Charm is indeed the perfect title for Bubba Sparxxx's third album.

The most noticeable difference between The Charm and Bubba's earlier albums is the overall sound. On Dark Days, Bright Nights and Deliverance, Timbaland provided most of the beats. This time around, most of the beats are provided by Organized Noize, the collective that was responsible for much of the production on OutKast's early albums. Their sound is not unfamiliar to Bubba since they produced a few tracks on his previous albums. However, it certainly bears little resemblance to Timbaland's frenetic beats.

One of the refreshing things about The Charm is the way it's constructed. It's been trimmed of all excess stuff as there are no skits or interludes to be found. Also, no filler songs have been added to pad the album's running time. It's simply 11 songs of which most are pretty good.

There are a variety of songs to be found on The Charm. "Ms. New Booty," the album's first single, is a fun piece of fluff from hot producer Mr. Collipark. Bubba addresses everything from his fall from success to white rappers on "Represent" and Big Boi produces the dark "Ain't Life Grand." Frankie J supplies vocals to the pop-inflected love song "Run Away" and Bubba's lyrics keep the song from feeling too sappy.

On "Hey! (A Lil Gratitude)," the song that reunites Bubba with Timbaland, he says "Ain't no excuses/ Just gotta be more the shit." That pretty much sums up Bubba's approach to this album. He doesn't spend time whining about how his last album didn't do as well as it could (or should) have. Instead, he focuses on making good music. While the thoughtfulness and introspection contained on Deliverance are missed, The Charm succeeds in giving listeners a bunch of good songs that they will rarely need to skip. This album should hopefully cement Bubba as an artist that's here to stay and it proves that he still has a lot left to give.