Fugees - The Score album review
How Many Mics is the Fugees posse cut. How Many Mics is very street rap/freestyle rap oriented. Not too many can do what the Fugees can do the right way.
Fu-Gee-La comes with an upbeat reggae dancehall melody. Elements of heavy percussion and rhythmic pianos are added to this reggae melody on top of Haitian accents. The track Fu-Gee-La describes the troubling lifestyle of a refugee. Fu-Gee-La samples Ooh La La La by Teena Marie. The mood however ever seems to be fairly dark.
The Fugees rendition of No Woman, No Cry is absolutely beautiful. The The Fugees rendition of No Woman, No Cry is a tribute Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry. The acoustic arrangements match up with the vocals well!
Mista Mista has an upbeat reggae dancehall melody. You can feel this reggae melody easily as the Fugees take you on a reggae tour. Reggae meets rap on Mista Mista. Mista Mista in some fashion is a tribute to the reggae music genre.
The Score is one of the greatest albums of all time! (Not to mention the greatest album from 1996.) You can listen to this album without hardly skipping any tracks. The production value is well arranged. The volume is set at an equal level on the equilibrium. So the listening experience is enjoyable.
However after this album, the Fugees never recorded another album ever. The Score and Waiting To Inhale to me was telling the market that rap groups were falling apart and no longer popular as in the mid 90's.
This album is a must have! Hands down!!
5/5*****!!
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The Reynolds Number self-titled album review
Follow You starts off with a soft piano sound not pop piano. The person on the track sound like Eddie Van Halen and Bobby Steele of Misfits.
Follow You by The Reynolds Number has that traveling on the road feeling as if you're in an RV on a desert road. On some days it's hard to get up and eventually it will all add up. At night, two lovers will make love.
Awake is a track that sounds like it came from Moby as in the early Moby sound from 1991-1995. Awake is about staying up late at night and spending time together. Grow sounds a little bit more mainstream.
Grow is about a boy who is becoming a man. Good things are ahead of him in his path. As the Father said he would. The Father says "Sit up, Brother. There's nothing I would never change." During all those years.
Aaji sounds a little bit more electronic. Aaji just needs to be longer. All Fall Down is where the album really picks up. When It Begins picks up as All Fall Down did. Sleep Child Sleep is the same. Down The River Bed is a calm song. Prophet is a piano solo track.
This album has music that would be suitable for a soundtrack in a movie. This album just needs to be longer.
5/5*****
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Lil Sin - Frustrated By Death album review
Frustrated By Death by Lil Sin was released in 1996 on BLVD Records out of San Antonio, Texas. Ricé, C-Ordell, Inez, Darryl Surratt, Mike McGarity, and Finnesse 1 produced the album.
Denise James is on the vocals with Ricé as well.
The intro starts off with harmonious church organs and church bells in the background. Hands can be heard clapping. A priest is speaking at a funeral where everyone is gathered. Lil Sin is the one who is being buried. The priest talks about how Lil Sin was a rebel and a soldier. Lil Sin was bad to the bone.
On the title track Frustrated By Death, Lil Sin learns that death is inevitable. He sees things clearly in a whole other world. His sanity is gone. Ricé, a well known producer from San Antonio, is in the background vocals. Ricé sure knows how to put together a masterpiece song. On Frustrated By Death in 1995, Lil Sin was going through grief due to the his homeboy Gangsta Horne (Winston Horne) had died in a driveby with Crips. Lil Sin was dealing with death.
On the song Gangsta Horne, Lil Sin expresses his feelings towards the loss of his friend Winston Horne (Gangsta Horne). Lil Sin was going through grief due to the fact that his friend and homeboy Gangsta Horne (Winston Horne) had died in a driveby with Crips. All it took was one blast from a gat. Lil Sin is in a fucked up situation. Lil Sin can't bring Gangsta Horne back. Tears are there from Lil Sin.
Red Eyes is a song dedicated to all those weed smokers out there smoking joints, smoking on blunts, puffin' on blunts, and drankin' on tanqueray. Another G-Funk laced track! Lil Sin feeling high as a kite smoking up in Plentz Park down in the East Side of San Antonio with C-Ordell and Lil Acid. BLVD is getting high too! Ain't nothin' but a BLVD thang!
For those who don't know, this version of Final Cry is a remix from the original version of Final Cry that was on C-Ordell's Under Investigation in 1995. The original version had that Southern US swang to it. C-Ordell was on it too. Both songs deal with the death of Lil Sin's father, Ronald Warner Sr. (R.I.P.). It has that heavy guitar production by Ricé and C-Ordell. It has that G-Funk sound also.
On 11 Overs, Lil Sin has crack cocaine on his lap and the laws are on his ass, fool. Ya'll better come with it! Be damned if Lil Sin gets caught!
Check it out while you motherfuckers hear Lil Sin on this track. Peep game. Niggaz be packing glocks. Dope sales and clienteles got Lil Sin nervous. Lil Sin thinks of fatal thoughts of dying young while in the process of selling crack cocaine. Ain't no shorts in the drug game. Lil Sin says he's on a late night creep. He cooked 11 Overs. He does get caught in the middle of the song. He don't trust nobody no more. His income gets larger and larger. This is a gangsta rap track!
38 Reasons has that G-Funk sound to as nearly all Hip Hop/Rap albums did in the mid 90s. Ricé is singing in the background vocals.
Lil Sin never sleeps on his enemies. Lil Sin has fatal thoughts of being killed. He does commit a homicide by killing someone which he admitted to in this song. Lil Sin is quick to start static with his automatic. He is basically robbing people. Lil Sin is smoking weed in at the crib in the middle of the song. Lil Sin is feeing high. He had killed someone and now he's in a sticky situation. Lil Sin dedicated this song to 2Pac. The song was recorded in 1995.
On Streets, the streets have taken Lil Sin under and now he lives a life of crime. Lil Sin is high. He is killing people. The glock is in his hand. Talking about murder in the first degree and putting people in body bags. The streets are nothing nice. Lil Sin is paranoid. The laws are catching up to him.
I love the beats and the electronic bass. The production is on point! This is a gangsta rap track also!
Mind Keeps Wondering is the next song. On this song, Lil Sin wonder what life is like in the afterlife. Lil Sin wonder what happens to him after death.
Denise James is singing the background vocals. Denise James has been featured on albums by others in the San Antonio area such as C-Ordell, New Def'nition, Mr. Joshay, Suthern Merchandise, Lady Lunatic, Marques Callaway, Nino, P.K.O., and many others!
Whatever It Takes samples Anita Baker - Whatever It Takes. This song is about searching for true love. It has that mid 70s Stax sound to it. Love should be given. Anyone can say they love someone. Don't fall back on your words. 3 quarters into the song, you can hear a couple having sexual intercourse.
Bounce'n & Floss'n is jump a joint to bump to in your ride. The bass samples a bit So Ruff, So Tuff, by Roger Troutman of Zapp. It has that 80s soul and that 90s G-Funk sound! Something to listen in your Lowrider while 3 Wheel Motion. References to Stevie Wonder, former San Antonio rap group P.K.O., and Nino of P.K.O. are made.
Party'n Wit Sin is a party joint. It has that 90s G-Funk sound. Ain't no party like a Lil Sin party. Ain't no party like a Boulevard Records party either!
Playa Hatas has some sick ass bass added to it. C-Ordell is on this track playas! Lil Sin goes straight reggae on this track! C-Ordell kicked ass with his southern funky flow! Right with perfect timing. Denise James is the female in the background vocals.
Nina is a song about his girlfriend. The girlfriend of Lil Sin that is. Love is forever. Another G-Funk cut.
Deadman Talk'n is a C-Ordell solo. It has some sick ass bass lines and heavy blaring horn synths used on this track. Another G-Funk cut. It's shorter than all songs on the rest of the album. It should have included Lil Sin because this is his album.
The sixteenth track is the radio version of Mind Keeps Wondering. It is slightly remixed from the ninth track on the album. On the outro, a Sister is singing at the funeral of Lil Sin.
[A side note for those who don't know, Lil Sin (Ronnie Warner Jr.) is from the Eastside of San Antonio (Eastwood). He started out on BLVD Records with Clyde Williams III aka Sugabear and C-Ordell in 1995 while working on his debut album Frustrated By Death and C-Ordell's Under Investigation album. They both got him started in the music business. So did his father Ronald Warner Sr. (R.I.P.). Lil Sin is now on his own label called SoufField and has been since 2001. Lil Sin is a mix of Scarface, 2pac, Tha Realest, Tela, and Devin The Dude.]
This has to be one of the most wanted G-Funk/Hip Hop/Rap albums to have ever come out of Texas and San Antonio along with Suthern Merchandise - Suthern Stress and many others! Frustrated By Death was Lil Sin's best album!
All of Lil Sin's albums are underrated classics! Lil Sin's albums always are very underrated. Other than that; Every time Lil Sin releases an album, it usually sells around 300,000 copies.
5/5*****!!
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Lil Sin - Who Got Yo Back album review
Drum programming is superb on Tha Game Done Changed. Tha Game Done Changed is about music biz and life in general has changed. Use your brain and the game will be good to you. Game will be good to you if you let it.
The lovely jazz style grand piano notes are beautiful on the song Money Situations. Be careful who you trust you money with.
Love It Or Hate It explains that Lil Sin is here to stay whether you like it or not. Love It Or Hate features former BLVD Records artist Mr. Joshay with his southern twang. Ricé makes an appearance at the beginning of the song. To all you haters, Lil Sin is here to stay.
The fourth track is Free. This song was a hit back in San Antonio, Texas during 1998 to 2000. This song features both UGK members Bun B and Pimp C (R.I.P.) with their trill flows. Add that with extra bass and heavy guitars. This version of Free is the OG version and not the remixes from Livin'-N-Sin and My Secret which both dropped in 2000. The remixes features both UGK members Bun B and Pimp C (R.I.P.) as the original version did. Both versions are off the chain!
BLVD Funk is that club skating rink type of joint or at the club. It's all about that BLVD Records sound. Straight outta San Antone! We got that BLVD Funk in yo trunk! Something to bump and grind to.
Watch For Tha Slip has that crime detective action feel of theme music. Add that with the drama in the bass. Mrs. Good Pussy has that upbeat jazz walking viola bass to the song. This is one of those songs to have sex to. It's really baby making music to sum it all up.
The next track is the title track called Who Got Yo Back. You can hear the sounds an alien UFO weird loopy sound, the Chinese zither, a Koto, a tambourine, and bells. The song is about who really has your back and who doesn't have your back. Be careful who you make friends with and who you're friends are.
Rollin' Stone features King 13 (R.I.P.). He was a local producer/artist from San Antonio as well. They talk about their fathers on this one. This is a fast paced upbeat song.
Sin To Win is one of the best tracks on the album along with Free, Who Got Yo Back, Watch For Tha Slip, BLVD Funk, and Mrs. Good Pussy. In the beginning, you can hear the birds chirping. It will remind you of summer. This track is perfect. This track is about the topic of sin. It's about sin really. Sin is only human nature, playa.
Fly has that 70s feel of funk to it. Fly features the duo NOLA (Knuckleheadz). They are from New Orleans, Louisiana. You can hear a hawk in the track.
Trapped In The Balla features BLVD Records label mates Mr. Joshay and Lil Sin. SoufField gets mentioned too. (That's Lil Sin's label right now.)
Danga is another underrated track along with Fly. The song gets fast paced real quick. Danga is similar to Trapped In The Balla.
The last song is Whateva It Takes which features Denise White.
Whatever It Takes samples Anita Baker - Whatever It Takes. This song is about searching for true love. It has that mid 70s Stax sound to it. Love should be given. Anyone can say they love someone. Don't fall back on your words. 3 quarters into the song, you can hear a couple having sexual intercourse.
5/5*****!!
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Lil Sin - Livin'-N-Sin album review
The poetic introduction on Poetry is very good. Poetry is a collection of poetry written by Lil Sin.
Free is the remix version. This is the remix version of Free and NOT the original version from Who Got Yo Back on BLVD Records. Both UGK members are on this song. This version of Free is more southern rap oriented with fast paced bounce music beats that the one on Who Got Yo Back.
Texas Boys features both Big Mello and SPM. A great Texas Rap combination! (This song was done before SPM got locked up.)
Danger is a remix of the track called Danga off of the Who Got Yo Back album from 1998 on BLVD Records. It is death themed obviously.
The title says it all on Just Sex which also features Devin The Dude. Just Sex a song about taking your clothes off and having hot sex. Nothing but sex.
Livin'-N-Sin is about the we livin' in was built through many sins. So who are you to be judging other people for their sins? Sin is only human nature, playa. It has that action crime detective theme music sound to it. It's fast paced guitars, the bongos match up with the beat, and there's a mello organ in the background. It has that James Bond detective theme type of feel. Livin'-N-Sin has that mystery themed feel.
Sin Sermon explains the evolution of Black music. From the early dawning origins of Blues to the spawning popularity of Jazz, from the infancy stages of Rock to the starting of Comedy, and to the beginning of Hip Hop/Rap.
5/5*****!
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Lil Sin - Still Here album review
Still Here was released on CD in 2005 on Lil Sin's SoufField label.
This has to be Lil Sin's most underrated albums next to his other albums such as Who Got Yo Back and My Secret. The album has that 90s/2000's San Antonio sound with that Doo-Dooism sound with the bass guitars and heavy synths. Poppa Squali produced a majority of this album.
Drum programming throughout out the whole album is on point! Production is on point! Still Here is more rock oriented although it still has that Hip Hop/Rap sound though.
Lil Sin marks his return in the Intro. Lil Sin discusses his previous successes in the Intro. Lil Sin was the man who brought you Frustrated By Death, which later brought Who Got Yo Back. Who Got Yo Back was rated 4 mics in the Source Magazine and 3 ½ mics in the Murder Dog Magazine. And now Lil Sin returns as Young Namar.
The title track Still Here lets us know that Lil Sin isn't going no where.
He takes on a journey of his music career. Lil Sin also talks about how he toured 1,000 cities across the world! He talks about he and BLVD Records had made connections and deals with different people such as Bun B, Pimp C, Ant Banks, Lady Lunatic, and whole bunch of other people. Also different companies such as BLVD Records, Unstoppable Records, PRC Recordings, Villain Recordz, Tone City Recordz, Mendez Productions, Big Ballin' Recordz, Southwest Wholesale, and Select-O-Hits.
It has that rock feel to it. Especially the drum programming. Poppa Squali has great piano skills.
Cop A CD has an Arabic flute beat to more of a Middle Eastern beat. More of a Middle Eastern feel to itself. It's a lot different from any other Lil Sin song. It's a great song! Cop A CD should have been a bit longer.
On the song Success, Lil Sin again show cases his previous successes. In 1996, Frustrated By Death sold over 300,000 copies. In 1998, Who Got Yo Back sold over 300,000 copies! In 2000, My Secret sold 300,000 copies. 2000 was the same year that Livin'-N-Sin sold around 1,000,000 copies!! (Platinum status for those of you who believe Lil Sin or not!!)
As Lil Sin put it "It ain't about the money, nigga. It's in your heart." Not about selling out to mainstream music.
I think Lil Sin might be giving us a hint to why he's not BLVD Records anymore and now on his own label SoufField along with PRC Recordings with Santee. Lil Sin mentioned he's not well off financially because his brother is gone but he’s glad to spiritually independent.
[This applies for both the songs Still Here and Success. As I said before… For those who don't know, Lil Sin (Ronnie Warner Jr.) is from the Eastside of San Antonio (Eastwood). He started out on BLVD Records with Clyde Williams III aka Sugabear and C-Ordell in 1995 while working on his debut album Frustrated By Death and C-Ordell's Under Investigation album. They both got him started in the music business. So did his father Ronald Warner Sr. (R.I.P.). Every time Lil Sin releases an album, it usually sells around 300,000 copies.
Clyde Williams III aka Sugabear ran BLVD Records from 1995 to 2001 in San Antonio, Texas.
BLVD Records, Youngsta Records, Suthern Merchandise, and Tone City Records were running things in the 90s when it came to Hip-Hop/Rap. San Antonio had an up and coming Hip Hop/Rap scene in the early to mid 90s. Such as P.K.O., Twice Tha Power, Brown Tribe, Tribe 46, MC Falcon, Chuy Loko, C-Ordell, K-Sam, Nino (Pony J), C-Stud Ville, Princess Kaos, Choice, DJ Trini B, and many more!!! Record labels such as Youngsta Records, 210 Records, On Time Productions, Big Ballin Recordz, Mendez Productions, PRC Recordings, Villain Recordz, and 3rd Degree Entertainment were up and coming record labels in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s.
Lil Sin is now on his own label called SoufField and has been since 2001. He says it feels good to be on his own independently.]
Can't Wait is about sexual intercourse. It's also about getting sprung. Basically it's just sexual intercourse between love couples. Can't Wait is one of those late night love songs. Can't Wait carries into a loving relationship with his girlfriend.
Can I (Next 2 U) is about Lil Sin loving relationship with his girlfriend. It's about settling down, getting married, having kids, and investing in their homes. The loves never ends until death. The song was done in 2004.
In the middle of Can I (Next 2 U), Lil Sin finds out that his girlfriend had cheated on him with another man. His feeling are hurt so bad. The human beatboxing can be heard. Can I (Next 2 U) songs like a song that came out of the late 80s.
The human beatboxing can be heard at the very beginning of Jonny. Jonny was produced by Popa Squali.
Jonny saw the gangster lifestyle at an early age. Jonny chose to live his life in a maze and now he wishes he could turn it all back. He's in jail obviously as a consequence. Jonny was a fighter in school and on the street. Now he's lost a friend. 25 to life is what he's dealing with.
The streets can make you or break you. It's really hard to trust your click. Nobody knows who you are anymore. Jonny used to be a rap star with a plush lifestyle. All the cars and women are gone. Jonny messed up his life. Jonny acts gangsta when he isn't. Jonny thinks he's a baller when he's broke. Jonny smoke pot when the situation is hot. Information was leaking in the club by hoes. Jonny wasn't expecting thugs to have slugs. Jonny's family is on the line.
The feds are getting closer to Jonny thanks to a snitch. US Marshals are on foot. Jonny hasn't eating in weeks and he's running out of places to hide. Money is tight. So he decides to take a trip to Port Aransas, Texas. Maybe Jonny will do good in Kansas and do damage. He's still laying low of course.
The song Gangsta is about who's gangsta or not. Look at this fat ass faggot sagging his pants and wears a colorful rag on his head. The colors seen on the American and British flags. (Bloods & Crips reference for those who don't know.) With that pistol in hand you want to act like you're all bad when you're really not. Just ready to put some people into body bags. That's how you really want to represent your gangs? That's just a sad case of dumbness.
A snitch is at a club. Some thugs slip something into his liquor. Outside the club is where the thugs catch the snitch slippin'.
Be Glad has that Rock sound to me. That's what I think. Lil Sin explains why you'll never have a friend like him. There is no friend like Lil Sin. If you do find a friend like Lil Sin, it won't be him. It will be someone else.
On Neva Been Here, Lil Sin explains the relationships with his 2 sons, Trevion and Kevin. He's trying to be the father he can be. He's no longer into that gangsta lifestyle he was in when he did Frustrated By Death with C-Ordell in 1996. He's trying to do the family thang. He was also living Austin at the time. During that time in 1995 to 1996, Lil Sin was living in Boston. He went back to back from Boston to San Antonio while having to kids. (2 sons Kevin and Trevion.) Lil Sin wants be there more for his kids.
Moments In Love samples the Art of Noise song Moments In Love.. Except the tempo, speed, and pitch have been altered. Also there is extra drum programming to accompany this song. This song is about have sexual intercourse.
The human beatboxing can be heard at the very beginning of Space Rain. This song has more of an electronic feel to it. It's Young Namar. This is probably another sex song. I can hear drum samples also.
The last track is Thank U. Gangsta Horne (Winston Horne) is mention on this track. He died in 1995. It's a shame. His parents are mentioned as well. This song is dedicated to everyone who helped Lil Sin in his music career. Lil Sin is the man to all of his fans when the mics in his hands. Lil Sin would be shooting people and selling drugs if he didn't rap and do the family thang. His kids gotta eat too. Lil Sin's not trying to be gangsta anymore. He's trying to do the family thing. (Family thang.) That was in 1996. He's gotta focus on the present and future.
This album is really good. If you get the chance, buy it! You won't regret it! Lil Sin has never put out a bad album. Lil Sin is a mix of Scarface, 2pac, Tha Realest, Tela, and Devin The Dude.
5/5*****!!
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Vallejo - Leftovers album review
Leftovers by Vallejo is an overlooked album. Only 1,000 copies Leftovers by Vallejo of were ever pressed on CD. It was really meant to be a digital download album only. This is basically a collection of outtakes and remixes from Vallejo. Leftovers is for all the hardcore Vallejo fans and Latin lovers.
Tono's Montreaux will remind you a lot of Bonzo's Montreaux from Led Zepplin's Coda album! It's almost exactly like Bonzo's Montreaux which is a drum solo! Tono's Montreaux is a tribute to Bonzo's Montreaux.
XXX 96 Mix was more instrumental than the album version. It will remind you a lot of the local ATX electronic band OHN. XXX 96 Mix was possibly meant to be an instrumental.
Snake In The Grass was on the soundtrack of True Blood. All you True Blood fans should know that!
Natasha appeared on the Japanese version of Vallejo's self-titled album and so did Irishman. For some reason in 1997 when Vallejo was signed to TVT Records, TVT decided to not include Natasha and Irishman on the US version of their self-titled album. TVT sucks!
Dynamite Wack was diss song aimed at Dynamite Hack when they did a shit ass cover version of N.W.A.'s Boys In The Hood. Which wasn't funny at all! Somehow Dynamite Hack got to hit a chart at #12 and #2 on the BillBoard, thus killing any chance for Vallejo's albums to chart back in the year of 2000. Dynamite Hack even made front page news on the Austin Chronicle because of this.
3/5***
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