Suthern Merchandise - Suthern Stress album review
Blasted is about how Suthern Merchandise blasts on these fools in these SA Town streets and Texas streets. Blastin' on dem fools! Blasted is a revenge laced track about giving payback to rivals and enemies as Blasted is a no holds barred type of track. The Suthern Merchandise group is taking no shorts or any losses on this track right here. Blasted is gangsta rap from Texas at its finest.
It's easy to be a soldier when there's no war on Live and Die Like a Soldier. Real talk. Real shit! Being a soldier in these city streets is not an easy task to accomplish. The mission is to get rich as possible and turn your cash (income) legit. People say you can’t be a soldier if there is no war. However that statement is not always proven to be true or accurate. Henceforth the title of this track. Live and Die Like a Soldier is gangsta rap from Texas at its finest.
N 2 Deep is about being deep in the game. Deep in the game of life. N 2 Deep is also about being in too deep in a lifestyle of criminal activity. The mission is to get rich as possible and turn your cash (income) legit. However law enforcement is the biggest concern of the game.
Gangstas In A Playin Mood is a sex song. It has those heavy guitars and heavy bass. You can’t stop Gangstas In A Playin Mood. Ricé's production shines all over the place as he is solely responsible for producing this track. Sex rap meets gangsta rap with such bravado on top of provocative lyrics.
The title speaks for itself on Money Talks. It has a super heavy bass line with that G-Funk. Money talks and bullshit walks on Money Talks. Ain’t a god damn thang funny.
A Brand New Game talks about how new the game was in 1997. Suthern Merchandise brought forth a brand new game for the year 1997 on the track A Brand New Game. Ricé and K-Sam produced the track A Brand New Game.
One In The Trunk is about killing rivals, enemies, and random people. One In The Trunk is about getting revenge for a friend that had been killed by an enemy. This track is another track with a super heavy bass line and that G-Funk stye laced rap. Ricé's production shines all over the place as he is solely responsible for producing this track. Take notice of the heavy whiny G-Funk sine used on this particular track. One In The Trunk is gangsta rap from Texas at its finest.
Suthern Stress is a 7 minute long posse cut featuring all members of Suthern Merchandise. Each and every member kicks a verse of rap. Black Jay and Lady Lunatic stand out the most on the 7 minute long posse cut Suthern Stress.
This album is one of the most rarest Texas rap albums out there along with Lil Sin - Frustrated By Death, P.K.O - Armed and Dangerous, P.K.O - Don’t Fuck With Texas, and Jhiame - Screamin' Dat Pimpin'! For some reason, San Antonio rap gets overlooked. This album has super heavy bass, doo-dooism, gangsta rap, Rock, sex, and heavy guitars. Suthern Merchandise was a rap group and a record label in 1997 that came from San Antonio, Texas.
5/5*****!!
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Gina Thompson - Nobody Does It Better album review
This album is very average with the same repetitive beats. Most of these songs sound repetitive because it all sounds the same. She needs to stop relying on other peoples beats. Her voice was too soft. Yet too sultry. The album went 2x platinum all thanks to Puff Daddy and Missy Elliott. Gina Thompson's Nobody Does It Better album is still a bland R&B/Soul album though. This is one of those albums where its better to buy the singles instead of the whole album. You can see the maturity in her first album.
3/5***
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311 - Transistor album review
First of all, 311 is an awesome band! Both their older stuff and newer stuff a crossover of rock-reggae type of sound. You don’t typically get that with rock bands. You may think this 311 album sound very typical that it almost sounded like Pop music. It was during that 1997-1999 period. Well, you are wrong. Transistor is a crossover of the rock-reggae type of sound not typically heard at that time.
Color is a “colorful” instrumental song henceforth the title. Color is as “colorful” as Borders if you listen carefully to the melody and tune. Borders is somewhat a colorful song.
The song No Control tackles on the issues of emotional abuse. A lot of things are out of your control. So don’t let people emotionally abuse you for things that are out of your control. It doesn’t matter if you’re a rock star or a child.
4 1|2/5****(.
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Vallejo - Stereo album review
The 2002 Stereo album should have gone 5x gold or 8x platinum and hit the BillBoard! Stereo should have at least gone gold. This album was excellent. No filler tracks on any of the album. This album was released on their indie label Vallejo Music Group (VMG) which is distributed by BCD Music Group and Select-O-Hits. Vallejo is a great Latin-rock crossover group.
The Stereo album was written in the span of 2001-2002. Sony and RED Distribution were supposed to be the distributors for the Stereo album in 2002 which due to label politics and marketing did not work out well. Vallejo was to import their album to Mexico, but instead Sony imported Stereo to Japan. That was against the Vallejo bands wishes causing them to depart with Sony. The band parted ways with Sony in January of 2002.
5/5*****!!
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Santana - Milagro album review
The album Milagro is the most overlooked Santana album of all time. As many of you know, Santana plays a wicked style of Latin Rock. Milagro has a selection of memorable songs such as Milagro, Saja, Grajonca, A Dios. and Somewhere in Heaven.Standout tracks are Saja, Milagro, Somewhere in Heaven, and A Dios. This may not have his greatest album, but Milagro is worth a listen.
4/5****
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The BB Kingz - B.B. King Kong album review
For those who don't know, The BB Kingz consists of Bazerkowitz and Black Mikey. They worked on the B.B. King Kong album from 2011 to 2012 which was released in 2012. It's a collaboration album. The album features Orko, Damu, and Bazerk. Black Mikey goes reggae like he did in the 90's which is dope! Also for those who don't know, B.B. Kingz is what Killafornia Infection eventually morphed into. B.B. King Kong is the best collaboration album of 2012! The album is filled with originality with lyricism and dope beats! From start to finish, this album is definitely straight up dope!! This album is a reminder that San Diego Hip Hop/Rap is alive for those of you who all thought Hip Hop and Rap was dead.
4 1|2/5****).
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Greenstreet - SWSX '96 album review
This live album is very much Jazz Rock. This album is more of an EP than an album because it only has four songs. The first track is Back East. It starts of with a bit hard rock, then hard rock with a jazz saxophone. The drums are on point. Great guitar noodling at the end! The second track is Face To Face which is more Jazz Rock. The third track Lost Pearl is a little more Jazz than Rock. The fourth track, which is the last track, is Moonpole.
5/5*****!
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XTC - Nonesvch album review
Even thought this album might be a 5/5***** album to the ultra hardcore XTC fans, it's really a 3/5*** album to most rock music collectors. Nonesvch is one of those album you will keep seeing Nonsvch in stores such as Half Price Books and so on. It’ss like the gift that keeps on giving. (Despite the album being very rare.) Colin Moulding wrote five songs for the album. Nonsvch did not do too well in the UK and the US. 1992 was just not a good year for XTC.
3/5***
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Fleetwood Mac - Mirage album review
This album was released on Warner Brothers in 1983. This is their thirteenth album. Although to Mirage should have been released in 1978 or 1981. All that touring in the US during 1981 made this album sell better resulting sales reaching 4x platinum and later 5x platinum. This album contrasted the previous album. This an ok but good album.
4/5****
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OCreep - The Revolver EP EP review
For those who don't know, OCreep is from Orange County, California. (Orange, California to be exact.) YaBoY CeeZ presents this on the front cover. Pocket Fulla Cash has beehive dope electronic organ piano synths (electronic synths). Very robotic. You will really like it. A movie sample from a church ceremony is used on Got The Deck. Got The Deck will remind you of the song Twisted by P.K.O. The Sound has tight beat drum programming. The Sound is similar to that West Coast G-Funk sound.
5/5*****.
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5 Below - Endz Meet EP review
This is an EP of 4 songs. 5 Below was group of 5 MC's Southeast San Diego. Speedy Marv, June Bug Spade, Hustle Mann, Preacher, and Brooke Style were in 5 Below in 1996. 5 Below - Endz Meet is a long forgotten project and product.
Endz Meet is about the daily hustle and daily struggle. Well, the daily struggles of 5 Below. Speedy Marv tells us that he is a self-employed business man. He gives D-Bo a fresh package of linen sheets. 5 Below was looking to put 619 on the map even thought DJ Candyman, Super Slim, Vicious Beat Posse, Big June, Jayo Felony, Lil Rob, Lil Uno, Knightowl, Crhymes, Mitchy Slick, Mz. Kitty, Silhouette, and Black Mikey have already done so. Highway 5 is a song about traffic.
3/5***
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Baldy Loc - Overtime album review
Overtime by Baldy Loc was released on Repdatent in 2007 although Overtime has that old Mobstyle Records sound from the 1990s. Think neo-gangsta like 50 Cent, G-Unit, Nino (P.K.O.), Shot Callers, 220, La Chat, Gangsta Boo, and DJ Quik. Singles are Sara, Fealingz, and Ghetto Sad Song. This album is considered to be bangin West Coast shit! Fedy samples Atomic Dog by George Clinton. Fedy is one G-Funk track you'll never get bored of.
5/5*****!
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Mr. Cas - Redemption album review
The intro is about redemption. Mr. Cas was asking for a shot at redemption in the year 2009. He was asking for a shot of redemption that year so he could make a comeback into music with this solo album of his. He wants to redeem himself with this track.
Wes Wuz At? is about bringing the West Coast back. Mr. Cas makes a comeback on this album by attempting to bring the West Coast back and resurrect the West. Wes Wuz At? has a G-Funk vibe and a West Coast vibe to it. He redeems himself with this track.
Good Thang features Kokane on a vocoder. Kokane brings out that West Coast G-Funk vibe.
Basically the whole album has that neo-soul/G-Funk sound to it. Baldy Loc and Big Silk of NBH (New Breed of Hustlas) Maceo, Sonya, Mr. Get Money, and King are on the album as well. 2009 was the year Redemption by Mr. Cas was released.
5/5*****!
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Small World - Mary J album review
This was released in 1994 on Flint City Fresh label out of Flint. This sounds a lot like R&B because the sample for Mary J is song by The Isley Brothers. There is another song on there called Dub Accappeela that was pretty tight. Small World is very similar to BODK (Brothers Of A Different Kind). They came in 1993 which is the same time that Small World did. Small World will also remind you of the Flint female rapper Lyric Da Queen. Small World - Mary J seemed a bit cookie cutter to me of what was out there at that time. Plus the album was a bit too short.
3/5***
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Eric Hisaw EP review
While this cassette looks like a full album that have 14 to 16 tracks, it has the standard 3 tracks similar to an EP. This cassette has that Austin rockabilly sound that Greazy Wheels did along with the country-folk genre that dominates Austin. It was recorded live in 1995 at one of his concerts in a bar or something. So it has that Austin live sound. (Which is a bonus for collectors out there.) This cassette could be very are so don't pass up any opportunities to own this cassette.
3/5***
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Voodoo Mob - 210 Soldiers single review
The single 210 Soldiers was released on cassette only in 1997 on 210 Records outta San Antonio, Texas. Long forgotten rap label Hated Family funded the single as well contributed to its production. Half the songs on this single are instrumentals. 210 Soldiers is a San Antonio rap classic! All bass heads and rap heads will enjoy and appreciate the heavy usage of bass this single has to offer. Underground rap fans will dig this!
Voodoo is a prime example of the rap sub genre called Doodooism. Doodooism is heavy bass and heavy percussion with usage of reduced treble. Voodoo relies heavily on the usage of bass. A low pitched vocal sample saying "voodoo" is looped every 2 seconds. The rhythms are presented in a gloomy style meshed into horrorcore sound. Samples are incorporated into the sound of this track. This track is similar to something you would hear from Twice Tha Power, Spooky G & Blackjack, DJ AK, Brown Tribe, Tribe 46, Chuy Loko, DJ Trini B, Namik, Kyle Lee, Mr. Irok, or PKO.
Voodoo Mob gets stupid low and slow with the bass settings on Slow and Low Bass. The bass is low and super heavy. Low bass has always been prevalent in San Antonio hip hop and rap along with San Antonio culture. Also low bass has always been a part of the music scene there. The dubs are killer.
Kill is a horrorcore rap oriented track hence the title so on. Kill comes with a super hype bass overdub. As the bass intensifies later in the track, the more the bass becomes hyper. The dubs are killer. The dub and the overdub is what sets the Kill recording track apart from the other tracks on this single.
5/5*****!!
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Ericka Yancey - Ericka album review
Ericka Yancey's debut album titled Ericka is a highly sought after album considered as a huge collectors items among fans of R&B/soul fans which is due to the limited amount of copies in quantity the album was pressed up in. In 1997, RCA Records only pressed up a certain limited amount of copies of her debut album as promotional copies to radio stations and record companies around the world. Internal conflicts with the record company is what led to this album from seeing a proper release as a retail release that was originally intended to be available in stores.
The version of Ericka with the silver CD is issued with a "not for airplay" watermark. Also pay attention to the silver lining which is a silver ring in the middle of the CD. Silver lining to this CD is one way to certify this version of Ericka is not a bootleg, cutout, in-store edition, club edition, or a CD-R. The only official pressings of the Ericka album are the versions with the black CD and a one with the silver CD.
Ericka represents how neo-soul harmony is supposed to be done. RnB meets the harmony of neo-soul on this album. Ericka Yancey could have made a name for herself in the neo-soul market had RCA not sabotaged the release for this album. Her career basically ended with this album unfortunately. She could have been on top where Angie Stone, Jazmine Sullivan, Usher, or Jill Scott are today.
4/5****!
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The Junkers - To Jest Oi! album review
Oi! Hey! All you punk rockers and skaters out there! Looking for some tunes to rock out to or thrash out to? Well this The Junkers album is perfect for you. Coming with the Oi! sound in the rock music culture from Poland is Polish rock band The Junkers. The Junkers go all out against the norm on this album with their lyrics and brave charisma. This album will sure ply unite rockers alike with a same mindset of The Junkers. The band's essence from their presence gives out such bravado and notably brave charisma. While not famous for their music, The Junkers have certainly made their niche in the underground Polish rock scene within the Oi! subculture.
Lyrics to the songs inside this Junkers album are excessively violent and obnoxious. An element of brashness is present in their own lyrics inside their songs. The Junkers go on a crusade against political corruption with violent brash lyrics. Brash is a word best to describe this album. All of the lyrics are sung in the Polish Polski language of course being that the band originates from Poland.
However this The Junkers album was pressed up as a limited edition album. Only 1,000 copies of To Jest Oi! exist. Which is no surprise since The Junkers appear on a variety of local independent record labels and underground record labels instead of a big name record company.
5/5*****!!
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Shamen 12 - Masterpiece Theatre album review
Masterpiece Theatre is an iconic masterpiece album from the San Diego rap scene that has long been forgotten. Most often both hip hop and rap from San Diego tends to get overlooked. This album is no exception. The album has that raw San Diego funk sound with a grimey hip hop sound and gritty production. Most of the production quality is rather low budget sounding and very low tech by today's musical standards. Most of the joints on this album are sampled instrumentals of songs from various genres of music. If you like Black Miley, The Green Eyes, or Orko, then you will love this album.
5/5*****!!
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52nd Street - Children of the Night (US Bonus Track Edition) album review
This 52nd Street album that was released in 1985 on CBS/RCA had a bonus track. The bonus track was similar to the bonus track found on the Japanese edition. Both the US and Japan have similarities. Tell Me How It Feels (Extended Mix) is the bonus track off this album. Extended mixes of Tell Me How It Feels and I Can't Let You Go featured in this album. 52nd Street is an example of Brit Pop.
4/5****
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Trash Can Tribal - 333 album review
This Trash Can Tribal album is an album that surfaced from the Toledo underground rock scene in the mid 90s. Trash Can Tribal is from Toledo, Ohio for the record. It is quirky to find a music product from a city such as Toledo, Ohio which is not a music mecca or a music haven such as Nashville, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Detroit, Santa Monica, or Austin, Texas.
What this album lacks is originality and consistency. Consistency is what grabs the listeners attention to the point where they themselves will have a desire to listen to the album from start to finish. Consistency is what keeps the listeners attention focused on the album. The lyrics need to have consistency as well. The lyrics need to be original, have true meaning behind them, have substance, not be lackluster, and have appeal. Consistency is key to a good album.
Authenticity what this album lacks. As read from the liner notes on the back cover for this album, "This recording contains no authentic sounds." It means all the sounds have been digitally sampled in a modernized way. Using digitally samples sounds is not very authentic or original in any way. That method of recording music has been done before by many musicians. More instrumentation is what could have this album sound better that it did. Using live instrumentation would made this album extremely better. Authenticity inside of recording methods, production techniques, and sampling is what an album such as this particular one needed. Authentic instrumentation is needed as a recipe for a good album.
Originality is what this album lacks also. A blend of originality and authenticity is what makes listening to an album worthwhile. More originality is better than none at all. Originality inside production, lyrics, instrumentation, music arrangements, ensembles, woodwind selections, and style is what makes albums great and good to listen to.
To sum it all up… What this album lacks is originality and Not to mention less instrumentation. Much less bravado. Originality, consistency, lyrics, substance, and authenticity are what makes a great album.
3/5***
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Frenndz - Dance Time single review
Frenndz - Dance Time is a reggae single from Houston, Texas. At the time this single came out, Houston had a small burgeoning reggae scene. This single can be considered a long lost forgotten product from that era. Frenndz, Natty James, Major Riley, Papa Reu, and Klondike Kat are examples of Houston reggae. Take time to listen. Dance Time is an example of dancehall reggae music. Frenndz uses dancing through the power of music as dancing often eases the tension. Dance Time is a piece of musical satisfaction. Take time to listen and you'll see what I mean.
5/5*****!
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Daddy D - Game Recognize Game album review
Game Recognize Game is a rap album filled with OKC funk sprinkled with East Coast flavor. Which is why you hear that East Coast rap sound on this album. Daddy D represents the best of in Oklahoma rap. The album truly has a fulfilling and burgeoning potential on top of a talented showcase of rap from OKC and Oklahoma State. Queen Latifah of Flavor Unit lend a helping hand in production. She was a big name producer who contributed to this album.
Elektra should have done better in terms of promoting this album with their promotion and marketing department. But since the Elektra label was invoked, it's not surprising because Elektra is known for their lackluster promotion techniques and unprofessional marketing schemes. Their marketing tactics are known to be terrible. Not to mention questionable.
4/5****
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Robert Palmer - Irresistibility album review
A small selection of his classic tracks are thrown together on this album. His new singles True Love and Stone Cold from his Rhythm & Blues album are included on this album. The selection of songs chosen for this album are a selection of songs Robert Palmer fans will truly enjoy! Performances on this album are truly great to listen to. Half of the songs on this are heartfelt love songs written by Robert Palmer himself. It a lot of ways, this album is something you expect to hear from Elton John or Ringo Starr.
4/5****
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The Nightowls - Good As Gold album review
Good As Gold is one of those albums that will make you want to dance! Not to mention renew your soul and renew your spirits! Think gospel rock! Just with a touch of classic Rhythm & Blues mixed with rock. A touch and tone of classic Rhythm & Blues.
The first song is Break My Heart Tonight. You will love the live horns selection used on this song. It's an appropriate title for a love song or a love ballad. Production is on point. Ryan Harkrider does the singing!
Good As Gold is the title track. Can't Shake The Feeling is a love song. So is Nice To Know You. One Of Those Days reminds me of Vallejo's Just Another Day song. I Don't Mess With That is a fast upbeat Jazz track.
5/5*****!
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