Lady Wray - Queen Alone (Promo Version) album review
Nicole Wray and Terri Walker return again as Lady Wray for 2016 on Big Crown Records! (Big Crown Records is Truth & Soul Records.) As the years pass by through time, both songstress members improve their craft in singing. Leon Michels lent a hand in producing some of the tracks. His signature style and sound in terms of production are heard throughout the album. The gritty rnb sound represents the sound of this album.
Nicole Wray does it again on Do It Again! She sings to her hearts content straight from her soul. The horns fanfare set an ultimatum for this single being one of the high points with her singing. It represents the breathtaking soul saving return of Lady. Anyone notice how the drum production is heavy? Classic old soul meets gritty rnb sound on Do It Again. One has to wonder if Do It Again has an emotional back-story. Do It Again is about a failed relationship that Nicole is willing to get back into. Complexities of love are difficult to understand not to mention staggering.
The guitar solo performed for In Love is beautiful! The acoustic rhythmic guitar used is simply beautiful. Classic soul meets the new neo soul sound on the song In Love. Her singing on this song sounds very similar in comparison to Ella Fitzgerald. Nicole's in love so don't mess it up. Love is not a good thing to ruin. Complexities of love are difficult for many to understand. Both Nicole and Terri explain they are in love. In Love seems very similar to a Bill Withers song.
Smiling is an instant feel good anthem serving as a reminder to keep our heads up and to keep a smile on our faces in order to deal with whatever life has planned for us described by Big Crown Records and Nicole Wray. Leon Michels & Thomas Brenneck contribute in terms of production. Bubblegum pop meets gritty classic soul.
Make Me Over is a down and out tune. A lusty tale. Nicole finds herself asking for a little help so she can get a break from being strapped for cash promising to take care of her man as soon as her check comes in. She lets her guard down during the duration of the song. Her expensive taste leads to empty pockets. Make Me Over is a gritty soul song.
Underneath My Feet is a happy love song about how Nicole Wray let her guard down when she let a man sweep Nicole underneath her feet by his love. It's another gritty soul song.
Guilty is a Nicole Wray solo based off of her own life experiences. She wrote Guilty about her brother being incarcerated which is also what this song is based on. Nicole missed her brother during his sentence of incarceration. She wrote this song herself. A bluesy chorus represents the vocals of Guilty.
Let It Go was a great way to end this album. Let It Go deals with how to let go of the internal drama in your life. It's better to let the drama go. We all need to let go and move on in life.
5/5*****!!
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Lady Wray - Queen Alone album review
Nicole Wray returns again as Lady Wray for 2016 on Big Crown Records! Leon Michels lent a hand in producing some of the tracks. His signature style and sound in terms of production are heard throughout the album. The gritty rnb sound represents the sound of this album.
Nicole Wray does it again on Do It Again! She sings to her hearts content straight from her soul. The horns fanfare set an ultimatum for this single being one of the high points with her singing. It represents the breathtaking soul saving return of Lady. Anyone notice how the drum production is heavy? Classic old soul meets gritty rnb sound on Do It Again. One has to wonder if Do It Again has an emotional back-story. Do It Again is about a failed relationship that Nicole is willing to get back into. Complexities of love are difficult to understand not to mention staggering.
The guitar solo performed for In Love is beautiful! The acoustic rhythmic guitar used is simply beautiful. Classic soul meets the new neo soul sound on the song In Love. Her singing on this song sounds very similar in comparison to Ella Fitzgerald. Nicole's in love so don't mess it up. Love is not a good thing to ruin. Complexities of love are difficult for many to understand.In Love seems very similar to a Bill Withers song.
Smiling is an instant feel good anthem serving as a reminder to keep our heads up and to keep a smile on our faces in order to deal with whatever life has planned for us described by Big Crown Records and Nicole Wray. Leon Michels & Thomas Brenneck contribute in terms of production. Bubblegum pop meets gritty classic soul.
Make Me Over is a down and out tune. A lusty tale. Nicole finds herself asking for a little help so she can get a break from being strapped for cash promising to take care of her man as soon as her check comes in. She lets her guard down during the duration of the song. Her expensive taste leads to empty pockets. Make Me Over is a gritty soul song.
Underneath My Feet is a happy love song about how Nicole Wray let her guard down when she let a man sweep Nicole underneath her feet by his love. It's another gritty soul song.
Guilty is a Nicole Wray solo based off of her own life experiences. She wrote Guilty about her brother being incarcerated which is also what this song is based on. Nicole missed her brother during his sentence of incarceration. She wrote this song herself. A bluesy chorus represents the vocals of Guilty.
Let It Go was a great way to end this album. Let It Go deals with how to let go of the internal drama in your life. It's better to let the drama go. We all need to let go and move on in life.
5/5*****!!
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DJ Kridlokk - Mutsi album review
Mutsi is an electronic album that came out the Scandinavian country of Finland in 2014 on cassette. Mix the electronic ambient sounds of DJ Krush & DJ Shadow and you have the result of this album. The soundscape is truly ambient in a mellow mood. DJ Kridlokk is a virtuoso in what he does. some songs seem rushed and fast paced however. Sure the album may be quirky to mainstream music fans. But that's only because DJ Kridlokk is a DJ in the underground music scene. The Mutsi track sounds very similar to a warped sci-fi electronic track. Notice the warped auto-wah effect on the electronic keyboard used on Mutsi for example. That's what gives Mutsi a warped sci-fi feel. Teepait is a heavy percussion ridden song over ambient electronic music. X is a slow electronic solo. Notice how warped the sound is.
4/5****
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Raw Deal - XXV Years album review
Livin' In The Dope Game describes the lurid criminal activity that details how K-Mill led his lifestyle. The whiny G-Funk sine gives away an eerie vibe of hauntedness at the very beginning of the track. G-Funk meets gangsta rap on this track. K-Mill and Troubleman are vocal on here.
Here we are with 6 homies getting locced out and shermed out in a dope house. They appear to be plotting their next move. Everything is going smooth as Raw Deal has block sowed up. The guns are safe in stash spots. But keep a gun on your person just in case something were to happen.
XXV Years (25 Years) is about a lifetime sentence K-Mill was facing for a murder he committed during his activity of crime. K-Mill had to murder a sucka in an act of self defense. When someone is trying to kill you, you fight back. Various acts of self-defense are used on the assailant. Whether it was intentional or not is clearly unknown.
What can you do when you're facing 25 years? Maintain your innocence and defend yourself. That's what people usually do. Some fight back with assault.
K-Mill and Troubleman put us as the listeners on another level on On That Other Level. They take us to another level of the game with this track the best way they know how. Raw Deal reflects as a duo on this song.
If you are looking for longevity in duration in his album, then you're out of luck. The XXV Years album only consists of 4 songs making resemblance to an EP. Your expectations will be let down if you are looking for that. The songs are under 5 minutes at best making the album short and inconsistent in quality. The rawness in lyrics of this album is what makes XXV Years funky. Raw Deal comes with raw materials in their lyrics.
Raw Deal was a rap group from Flint, Michigan consisting of Kenny Miller (K-Mill) and Kimoni O. Jackson (Troubleman from Freaky Live) in the 1990s. K-Mill was the brains behind the Raw Deal group and Troubleman was the bread behind the group. Troubleman was responsible for the finances of Raw Deal and studio time for recording sessions on their albums. He took care and responsibility of the financial aspect for the group. Gangsta rap is what this group was about. The group only put out 2 EPs on cassette only.
XXV Years is the highest sought after album in Flint rap by music. The album XXV Years sells within the range of $400 to $700 on eBay and other online stores! With $400 being the lowest average price and $700 being the highest average selling price. Only a certain amount of copies were pressed which is why hardcore rap collectors want this album.
4/5****!
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AJ Vincent - AJ Vincent EP review
Musician AJ Vincent provides us an album of various instruments played by AJ over his own words. Some could say that this EP is an instrumental album because AJ Vincent is a virtuoso at playing many different instruments. But that's not the case as words are spoken by him on this EP/album. The EP was recorded, produced, and mixed by AJ Vincent himself. The music and words are all originals by AJ Vincent himself. Indie underground producer Ned Stewart contributes to the mix by mastering this EP.
Dulce may sound dull to music fans at first, but if you take time out of your schedule and listen to the song, you might find Dulce rather soothing due to its instrumentation. Dulce may seem to be resemblance to a rather dull track, however, that's not the case here. Ballroom Song is a swanky upbeat song written, composed, and played by AJ Vincent. The notable highlight for Ballroom Song is its swanky upbeat tempo. My Quilt is a smooth soothing AJ Vincent solo. He performs on many instruments for this song. Savvy showcases his savviness as a solo musician. Nothing more needs to be said here.
4/5****
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Willie Nelson - Night and Day album review
Night and Day is Willie Nelson's first ever instrumental album! Willie Nelson proves to be a daunting force to be reckoned with. This Willie Nelson album is similar to a soundtrack for a film. Sound of and on this album can be and is described as distinctive, soundtrack, and different. The instrumentation is hardly simplistic. Just listen to Vous et Moi and Nuages. Willie's guitar performances are as distinctive as his singing because Willie himself is the centerpiece of it all. The remarkable similarities are the tone and texture. He sets standards on Honeysuckle Rose.
5/5*****!
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Popul Vuh - Hosianna Mantra album review
Hosianna Mantra is modern new age ambient music. This album is filled with slow and smooth soothing ambient music from the New Age music genre. Slow and mellow are two words to describe this album. Elements of religion can be found when listening to the album. For instance, by listening to Blessing and Not High in Heaven you can hear the religious references.
Not everyone can understand this album because Hosianna Mantra was recorded during the beginning stages of electronic music. (Being that Hosianna Mantra was recorded and released in 1972.) This album is in fact an example of early electronic music which is why it sounds horrible to many listeners. However fans of New Age music will disagree with this album review and statements made. Modern New Age music fans might like this album. However everyone has unique tastes. The Hosianna Mantra album was highly praised by music critics in its day receiving an average of 4/5**** stars.
Kyrie is an annoying song with repetitive lyrics, or rather yet words resembling a chant. Kyrie is a chant rather than an actual song. The band is just chanting than singing actual lyrics. The song Kyrie must have been dedicated to a woman named Kyrie Eleison. Possibly an ex-girlfriend or a past lover.
The band Popul Vuh gets historical and mythical on Hosianna Mantra by paying tribute and homage to Mayan mythology which is where the name "Popul Vuh" derives from interestingly. Popul Vuh honors Mayan mythology. The band Popul Vuh starts off the song by chanting "Hosianna, Hosianna" at the very beginning oddly and interestingly. They praise and honor Son of David by chanting "Thy Son of David". Instantly, this is where in the song that Popul Vuh gets religious. Hosianna Mantra ends with an 'amen'. Some might consider this song rather repetitive because of its nature in lyrics. However this song is a hymn in Mayan mythology. Oddly, Hosianna Mantra is the longest song on the album!
Popul Vuh gives blessings to everyone on the song blessing by using Old English (Ye Olde English). Blessings to those in the city and countryside. Blessings through birth, life, and death. This is where Popul Vuh gets religious.
Ah! is a rather slow soothing, mellow, instrumental song by Popul Vuh. 3 to 4 minutes of pure instrumental music. Some parts of the song sound rather distorted and off key.
2/5**
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Terra Deep - Wanderer album review
Wanderer is heavy metal meets black metal. The loud sounds of heavy metal mix well with the dark mood of black metal. This album and Terra Deep have sounds similar to Cannibal Corpse, 16 Volt, Anal Cunt, Ozzy Osbourne, and Cock Ball Torture since they all fit into the mold of the rock music genre themselves. One can wonder if Wanderer is an instrumental album because of the way the album was mastered. Some of the songs came from a demo and their previous Starlight Lodge album in 2011. Most of these songs were handpicked by Terra Deep from the Starlight Lodge album and a demo. Only 4 songs were taken from a demo.
5/5*****!
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Frank Ocean - channel orange album review
Channel Orange is a modern R&B album heavily ridden with the usage of auto tune. Channel Orange is modern R&B. The albums mood is described as mellow. If smooth mellow modern R&B is what you're looking for, then you should buy this album.
Frank Ocean is an example of how to use auto tune right. Frank Ocean is one of the few artist and musicians out there who know how to use auto tune correctly. Take his performance at the 2012 Grammy's for instance. It's not horrible but he needs some practice. That way he can have a more sensible album come out next time around. Some music fans might not agree. Hey! Give the kid a break. At least he's trying.
4/5****!
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J.D. Walker - Slippin Away single review
The Slippin Away single featured versions of Slippin Away that weren't on his 1995 album called Career Criminal. The original version of Slippin Away is included on here along with a remix that you will not find on his album. This is the very first version, the original version, of Slippin Away.
Object of a Playa is about the lifestyle of a career criminal in the rough and rugged Chicago streets. Just living in these streets is a serious task. Sex, money, and drugs are the main priorities here. After all criminals value these ideologies.
Reasons as to why these songs were not included on his album are truly a mystery anyone has yet to figure out. Add the criminal sounds of gangsta rap and ghetto tech thus you have this single. The gangsta rap sound is fairly prevalent. Take Object of a Playa for example.
5/5*****!
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J.D. Walker - Object of a Playa single review
Object of a Playa is another song that did not make it to his Career Criminal album for whatever reason. Object of a Playa is about the lifestyle of a career criminal in the rough and rugged Chicago streets. Just living in these streets is a serious task. Sex, money, and drugs are the main priorities here. After all criminals value these ideologies.
The single featured versions of Slippin Away that weren't on his 1995 album called Career Criminal. The original version of Slippin Away is included on here along with a remix that you will not find on his album. This is the very first version, the original version, of Slippin Away.
Reasons as to why these songs were not included on his album are truly a mystery anyone has yet to figure out. Add the criminal sounds of gangsta rap and ghetto tech thus you have this single. The gangsta rap sound is fairly prevalent. Take Object of a Playa for example.
5/5*****!
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Nu-Vue - Culturversy album review
This album called Culturversy was produced under the direction of Yaya Victor Jones. However Yaya Jones is not alone in taking credit for this album. This album features a wide array of musicians who contributed to this album inside the liner notes. A total of 7 people are responsible as they are the band members of Nu-Vue. Yaya is the main star concerning the musical aspect. That shouldn't be too surprising. DJ Two is the DJ. Take the 'thank you' notes for instance. Mix culture and controversy and the result is Culturversy. There is controversy in every culture. Culture does cause controversy. After all they both often clash together. Ear Drum Boogie is a percussion heavy ridden song. The most notable drums used are the Roto Toms. Yaya Victor Jones plays these instruments on this song. Mother Love is a mellow toned down to earth spoken word track. I'm a dreamer is a timid mellow song.
4/5****
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Variety of Sinz - Blaze For The New Year album review
It's hell in the beginning and heaven in the end when you are listening to the album as the words suggest on the album cover (front cover). Variety of Sinz bring out to you the hellish rap sounds of horrorcore, grimness, and acid rap along with that Flint Town sound with additions of spoken word from Revelation Records and Boomin' Records. Variety of Sinz can be compared to rap groups such as Natas, Project Born, Twiztid, The Dayton Family, Tnt, ICP, House of Krazees, Top Authority, and Cobane Boyz among others.
The intro begins during a dark grim stormy night that quickly turns into a hellish nightmare. Mood easily/quickly gives a negative feeling onto the listener or audience comparatively speaking. This track is known as the Stormy Night Intro.
Hellavish is a hellish song. Dark grim tales of horror are told. Hellish actions are committed by Variety of Sinz during a dark stormy night. There is no turning back after listening to this song after a day. Hellavish is a reprise to the Stormy Night Intro. The mood and vibe is dark. That's how music fans would consider this song.
It's mind over matter on the track Mind Over Matter. Think of the term 'mind flip' when you listen to Mind Over Matter. The mood is brooding and eerie. Variety of Sinz doubles up as a team on Double Up. Double Up is a posse cut that is a good solid group effort. Mind Flip is about decision making.
The sounds of Other Side can be described as dark, negative, brooding, and hellish in key terms. Hellish is one word to describe this track. The mood and vibe is considered to be both dark and negative. Notice how the mood is brooding negative for instance. It's a fight between heaven and hell on the Other Side track. They wonder if they will either end up in heaven or hell during this track.
Variety of Sinz wonders if the group themselves will make it into heaven after committing hellish action that are considered to be a sin inside the track Other Side. They think heaven is too far on the other side for them to go. Besides their homies in hell (life) they would hate to see each other die.
You can hear negative sound in the mood and vibe of Bigger Balls when you listen to the beginning after 15 seconds. A keyboard organ playing down tempo notes easily gives away a negative eerie vibe and mood. A female vocalist is the angelic voice in the background chorus. This female vocalist is singing solo however on such short notes. Rap meets spoken word on Bigger Balls.
Variety of Sinz put out an album on cassette and its not selling in high quantities as the Top Authority - Rated G album is. They wonder why their album is not selling as many copies as the Top Authority- Rated G album is selling in terms of album sales. So now they wonder who has the bigger balls hence the title of this track. Variety of Sinz compares themselves to the rap group Top Authority on this track right here. They contemplate and wonder why their albums are not selling as well as the Top Authority album that are circulating around the city of Flint, Michigan.
5/5*****!
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Variety of Sinz - Liquid Sinz album review
Liquid Sinz is a compilation album Variety of Sinz put out on cassette and CD in the year 2000. Liquid Sinz is filled with never heard before posse cuts along with some of their greatest hits such as Bigger Balls and Hellavish. Also the album is filled with new songs. Spoken word meets horrorcore and acid rap on this album as on all their others. The compilation album, Liquid Sinz, is a solid group effort worth every minute listening to.
You can hear negative sound in the mood and vibe of Bigger Balls when you listen to the beginning after 15 seconds. A keyboard organ playing down tempo notes easily gives away a negative eerie vibe and mood. A female vocalist is the angelic voice in the background chorus. This female vocalist is singing solo however on such short notes. Rap meets spoken word on Bigger Balls.
Variety of Sinz put out an album on cassette and its not selling in high quantities as the Top Authority - Rated G album is. They wonder why their album is not selling as many copies as the Top Authority- Rated G album is selling in terms of album sales. So now they wonder who has the bigger balls hence the title of this track. Variety of Sinz compares themselves to the rap group Top Authority on this track right here. They contemplate and wonder why their albums are not selling as well as the Top Authority album that are circulating around the city of Flint, Michigan.
Hellavish is a hellish song. Dark grim tales of horror are told. There is no turning back after listening to this song after a day. Hellavish is a reprise to the Stormy Night Intro from the 1994 album Blaze For The New Year that was released on cassette. The mood and vibe is dark. That's how music fans would consider this song. Mood easily/quickly gives a negative feeling onto the listener or audience comparatively speaking. It just gets worse from there.
The intro begins during a dark grim stormy night that quickly turns into a hellish nightmare. Hellish actions are committed by Variety of Sinz during a dark stormy night. During the course of this hellish song, hellish actions are being committed by people in society. Such actions leads to dark grim tales to be told.
Variety of Sinz comes at you live and direct on the track Live & Direct. Live & Direct was produced by Ghetto Symphony at RAPP Studios. Notice how the live sound over laps the studio sound.
5/5*****!
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