AltWeeklies Wire
Jay-Z's Latest 'Blueprint' is Still Less Inspired and Less Fluid than the Firstnew
Mostly, the album is Jay's attempt to get hip -- or hipster -- as he enlists a crop of fresh new talent discovered by Kanye West to help him sound relevant. Unfortunately, much like a 40-year-old divorcee who hits the town with her daughter's friends, it's clear that Jay doesn't quite fit in among this crowd, and The Blueprint 3 suffers for it.
Whitney Houston's New Album is Almost Absurdly Gimmick-Freenew
I Look to You sounds out of time, and if one didn't know better, one might suspect it was released a decade or two ago. But the timeless approach works. There's something extremely refreshing about a performer who refuses to kowtow to whatever they're calling the newest generation of brats.
'If Tomorrow Comes ...' Doesn't Really Work as an Albumnew
Maino doesn't have enough variation in his style, too many of the songs sound alike, and the narrative skits throughout are not especially believable or interesting. Still, in an era when the traditional long-version album has all but disappeared as an art form, it's hard to hold these complaints against him.
'Far' Feels More Serious Than Regina Spektor's Previous Albumnew
Sure, this is an album that contains a line about constructing a computer out of macaroni pieces, but sturdy production and easy, memorable piano melodies manage to ground nearly all of the songs.
Tags: Far, Regina Spektor
Asher Roth Is 'Asleep'new
Being a privileged white guy from the Philly suburbs doesn’t disqualify Asher Roth from legitimate hip-hop MC status—not being able to spin an interesting yarn does.
Jim Jones' 'Pray IV Reign'new
While many established rappers are being downsized from major-label deals to "independent" contracts, Harlem MC Jim Jones is climbing up the food chain.
Bishop Allen's 'Grrr...'new
Poor Bishop Allen. They were Vampire Weekend before Vampire Weekend was Vampire Weekend.
'Brass Knuckles' is Nelly's 'Thriller'new
Brass Knuckles shows an artist who, having been deemed irrelevant, has come back hungry, utilizing every name in his Rolodex and teaching himself some new tricks.
