Best of Mixerr Album Reviews! Page 121

Latif - Philadelphia Healing EP EP review

Latif’s Philadelphia Healing EP is a Latif is a breath of fresh air much needed talent in today's R&B scene. The songs are genuine and have real emotion to them as you listen to the whole album. His smooth songs are worth the listen and streaming. By releasing this EP, he made a pledge to bring back that quality Philadelphia soul sound and respect for the city he loves. The EP was released to SoundCloud in 2012 as a digital EP for streaming.


The Healing (Intro) is where Latif brings back that quality Philadelphia soul sound in a smooth manner through signing. He plans to stop the violent Philadelphia mentality through his singing. This is evidenced when he sings:

Wake up wake up wake up wake up, my people
Listen
It's time to say 'so long' to the Philly mentality
And time to say 'hello' to the protest music
The life music
The spiritual music
You dig?

He wants people to wake up and listen. It's time to say 'so long' to the violent Philly mentality and time to say 'hello' to the protest music. Where there's promise, there's hope. Where there's faith, there's love. And where there's love, there's forgiveness.

Latif represents Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And our cultural significance can no longer be ignored or denied. You know, let's stay clean to our originality, people. Let's bring back the feeling. Latif bring to you that healing The Philadelphia healing.


Days Of Our Lives is This song describes a regular week in Latif’s life. This is where Latif focuses on every day out of the week. This song also is about the ups and downs, the joys, along with the simple things in life.

Latif starts off by focusing with Monday. The first day of the week. He wakes up in a rush, gets his kiss from his girlfriend, and then leaves. His girlfriend calls him in an hour asking him how he made off. He responds by saying, “I’ll be working late, baby. Don't have to wait up”

He’s at it again on Tuesday. Grindin' it for his girlfriend as hard as he can. So she can have the funny things that finally costing her. Wednesday is hump day as it is halfway through the week.

On Thursday night is when he makes love to his girlfriend. Sweet as a grudge. The ups and downs, the joys, the simple things. I trust your every moment thoroughly. These are the days of our lives. If you would take a care and enter my life, you would wanna deal it. You'd get a real prospect of this love, me and my baby. They get into it by fussing and fighting but nothing too crazy. The creed is absolved after things calm down.

Friday night was supposed to be their movie night as they have that scheduled for every week. But it slipped his mind. He did not call his girlfriend after work. Latif was hangin' out with the boys. By the time he got home after a long night drinking, she was angry and mad.

The day of Saturday is when he cooked breakfast. He apologized for Friday because he knew he neglected her. Sunday was their holy day at church. The choir sang the perfect melody. A preacher came to preach the words of love.

It's tough. Well after everything, there's love. We got us. All we ever need is love.  Relationships can work if you want them to. Just try to make it work. It's not about all the material things. Unconditional love is gonna make it all worth it.


Money is a song about how this girl is after Latif’s money.

Some girl at the mall who is in love with Latif robbed him of his money. She seemed genuine at first. Au contraire, mon frère. She had her way with words. She talked him into giving her some money. That is how Latif was robbed out of his money. She had her eyes on nice things and would've done anything for money. She really didn't want love.

He messed up and gave his heart to her. She was too greedy. Someone tried to tell him not to trust that chick, but he went all in and bought a cost for the hell of it. He couldn't pay her rent. She deposited pain and left a deficit. He paid the rent and loved somebody who only wants.

She had finally met her match. She worked for an aggressive pimp. He's wondering, “Where my paper at?” “You got robbed? Really I don't care. Shoot. You'd better bring it all back if you can blister up” She's a hoe now.

He knows it's wrong but doesn’t care. As cold as this world is, Latif can only look out for himself. Money's the root of all evil.

4/5****!

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Azealia Banks - Icy Colors Change EP review

Icy Colors Change is the first Christmas holiday project from Manhattan/Bronx pop star and rapper Azealia Banks. The EP was released on December 20, 2018 by eOne Music as a digital EP. The recording process for this EP lasted from December 2017 to December 2018. Azealia Banks gives the holidays a breath of fresh air by releasing this digital EP with a few Christmas related songs.

Azealia Banks plans to release all of the songs included on the EP to her upcoming Christmas album later in December 2019. All songs are expected to be fully mixed and mastered on vinyl next Christmas. For now, Azlealia states her Christmas album as a “work in progress as a part of a full holiday project”.


Icy Colors Change was released in December 26, 2017 as a digital single. This song of hers was included on her Christmas holiday EP due to the widespread coverage of the title track itself. She wrote this song to spread holiday joy. This song is an original Christmas song written by her. Icy Colors Change samples Lone - Airglow Fires. This song is appropriate for the happy holidays.

Icy Colors Change is where Azealia Banks sings and raps about a relationship forming over the holidays.
The song begins off slowly as Azealia sings, "I see colors changing/Every holiday is amazing with you/Happy holidays to you, baby." A minute into the track is where Azealia starts rapping. This is where the energy builds.
"This that flow you been missing/Dashing young Vixen/Fly like Blitzen, back on my business/Ice on my neck, frosty and vicious/What's on your wish list?"

The changing of seasons is represented through the changing of colors which is inevitable. This is exactly how the changes followed Azealia’s love throughout the whole year.

The changing of seasons is represented through the changing of colors that’s inseparable, and how it followed. She also does a play on words with the homophone of “icy” and “I see”. This is hinted in the first line during the intro.: "I see colors changing/Every holiday is amazing with you/Happy holidays to you, baby." When the leaves fall, icy colors change.

Azelia wants to spend the winter holidays together with her lover because they’re so in love. She and the lover grew close during the quick passage of time through 3 seasons.

She anticipates the first fresh blade of green and young blue hydrangea all alone. Pink rhododendrons will all be gone by June. But now that we have grown so near beneath the August sun. She says to the lover of hers, “let's catch some shade beneath the fading trees/Of all the seasons jewels, it took/One autumn afternoon to fall in love with you” She asks, “How do you feel about the pale moon and stars above?”

When Azealia sings “I whip that Benz like "what a slay” ” she treats and refers to her butter beige Mercedes Benz as if it where the slay you would see Santa Claus use or children play on.

Azealia compares picking out the Christmas tree to picking weed in Amsterdam when singing “We pick out the tree like Amsterdam, damn” Amsterdam is infamously known for its laid back weed policies and weed cafes.

Azealia gets fly like Blitzen as she shows off how cool her style is. She gets busy like the reindeer who soar on Christmas Eve. Her attractive flair is evident in her sense of fashion as Azealia herself is a beautiful, feisty woman. She, herself, is a young vixen with an attractive flair. This is evident at the end of the second verse. Read a portion of the lyrics below.:

Got what you want, my love is like Christmas
Candles, kisses, diamonds, frigid, fashion district
Sip this witches brew, first class ticket to you
Fantasies come true when I kick it with you
In the winter wonderland when you hold my hand
Came back on the block where the guns go blam

Her lover is the same old sweet person she knows. She sees her lover through her rosy colored shades. Azealia needs love.

The third verse is where her and the lover get naughty at a party. You could feel it in the air if you were there. This is indicated when she raps “See lights in the night/Party over here, we getting naughty over here” They kiss each other on the lips under a mistletoe. Now they are in love and are constantly hitting each other on their cellphones.

They are at home during the outro. What sort of déjà vu's lays upon them? Wood blocks of A-B-C strewn through the hall and gold champagne for two adorers. Red garland drapes the tree.

She knows their love will grow farther. This is referenced when she sings, “Our love will grow and take us farther” and “Now I've a reverie of you and/You're a ray, a view of sun/A star ablaze the moonlit water” Their love will grow farther instead of further.

Azealia feels the soul connection of true love when she sings “When your arms are 'round my waist, I feel the world” and “A song to celebrate our love.” She knows the love is true love.


What Are You Doing New Years Eve? is a rendition of Ella Fitzgerald - What Are You Doing New Years Eve?. This song was most famously performed by Ella Fitzgerald.

Azealia wonders what will when the bells all ring and the horns all blow. This is evident when she sings, “Will I be with you or will I be among the missing?” She is aware of the couples she knows are fondly kissing. Maybe it's much too early in the game. She asks her lover, “What are you doing New Year's, New Year's Eve?”

She wonders whose arms will hold her lover good and tight when it's exactly twelve o'clock that night. Maybe she’s crazy to suppose she would ever be the one you chose out of the thousand invitations you received.


Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a cover of Judy Garland - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas originally performed the 1944 movie Meet Me in St. Louis.

Sleigh Bells (Indie Rock Demo) is the bonus song to her Christmas holiday EP. It was only released in digital format. A touch of indie rock used on this Christmas song. The song can be described as a distorted, lo-fi indie punk rock cover of Sleigh Bells. Just hear those sleigh bells. Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up!

5/5*****!!

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702 - 702 album review

702’s self-titled album was a platinum success back in 1999. The album had futuristic soul anthems for the ladies and sweet love songs. Missy Elliott was not as vocal on this 702 album as she was on their debut album No Doubt. She took more control of the production side of this 702 album similar how she did with their debut album. The best selling singles off this album were Gotta Leave, Where My Girls At?, and You Don’t Know thus making this album a platinum success gone right.


Where My Girls At? was a song written and produced by Missy Elliott. Missy Elliott does no wrong when it comes to production. She knows what she’s doing when she is hands on. That electronic futuristic upbeat sound you hear came from Missy Elliott. Where My Girls At? is a ladies anthem for all the ladies out there. The song was a hit for 702 as it went gold instantly within less than a year.

For those who did not know, this song was originally for TLC to be included for their third album FanMail, but somehow this song ended up in the hands of 702. Thus the end was result was a solid gold hit.

The first of the chorus to this song makes it very clear this song is a ladies anthem.

[Chorus]
Where my girls at?
From the front to back
Well, is you feelin' that?
Put one hand up
Can you repeat that?
Tryna take my man


You Don't Know is a soulful upbeat 702 song with an acoustic vibe which was produced by Soulshock and Karlin. The beats are smooth and fit in with the R&B sound. R&B meets pop on You Don't Know. A portion of this 702 song uses autotune. The song is about what a girl has to do to make a man see that they should be together.

Why did he leave? She gave him everything. So why does he wanna tell her lies? He means so much to her. It’s hard to believe so. Now what does a girl got to do to make you see that we should be together? You and me. She obviously wants his love. He just doesn’t know. You don’t know.

He doesn’t know what he does to her. She doesn't know what to do about their relationship. She is all over him. Now he can't see that he is hurting her. Of course she can't take no more. This is made evident in the lyrics, “You don't know what you do/Got me all over you/And I don't know what to do about us” and “Baby, yeah/Can't you see/You're killing me”. He has got her loving him.


Make Time is about how a man with bad time management skills does not make enough time for his lady. This lady is irritated by his bad time management skills to no end. She thinks and know her does not spend enough time with her.

This man only calls his lady when he has free time or is free of any duties and work. He says he wants to be the one. But he knows too well that it ain't good enough for her. He is always dippin’, hangin’ around with his friends. She tells him,”You better make time if you wanna be with me. You better think twice if you wanna be with me.”

There's other places she can be if he is not there. He might see her out there with someone else. He can only blame it on himself if that occurs. This lady is feeling him without a doubt. But she knows she can do without him.

She proceeds to tell this man, “So don't you call me on the phone late at nite when you don't wanna be alone.” and “If you wanna take a ride, you better make the time.” She does not want to be a part-time lover nor does she want them to be part-time lovers. It's gotta be one or just another.

4/5****!!

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Play - Play album review

Who remembers the mini-album Play - Play? If you were a child, tween, or teen during the beginning of the 21st century, then you will probably remember the female Europop group Play. Play came from Sweden, the breeding ground for tween/teen Europop groups such as ABBA, A-Teens, Supernatural, and Ace of Base. The album is nothing short of sweet pop sounds and love ballads with that early '00s sound. If love songs are not your cup of tea, then this album is not suggested for you. The album is nothing too special as these love songs have material similar to what you have before by love songs from other artists and musicians.

Now their 2001/2002 mini-album was packaged as an EP by Columbia on CD. Remember those? This album is a nostalgic trip from the early part of the millennium. The Play mini-album was released to the United States in 2001 and was released to the rest of the world in 2002. 


Play lets us know it’s them against the world on the song Us Against The World. The song has that early 00’s pop sound and vibe. Play's 2001 hit song Us Against the World was featured virtually everywhere in the early '00s. The song was featured in the Mary-Kate & Ashley film Holiday in the Sun and Disney's TV show Lizzie McGuire.

There is nothing better than to talk to you. If you have a problem, Play will be here for you as it’s them against the world. There is no one else that can say this. It's us against the world. They wonder if we are meant to be. The song is a testament of true love.


Hopelessly Devoted is a non-discreet love song about how a girl is in love with a boy only to have her heart broken by him. She ends up being hopelessly devoted to him.

There's no gettin' over that boy. He broke this girl’s poor heart. She cried her eyes out. Now she is heart broken. There's no gettin' over that. She is just a fool who's willing to sit around and wait for him. Can't you see? There's nothing else for het to do because she hopelessly devoted to him.There's nothing to hide she he pushed her love aside. Her heart holds on to the end.


Disco Hippie was written in the year of 2000 before their debut album Us Against The World was completed. This song is where Europop meets disco. The song is a man whom Play refers lovingly to as “disco hippie” who is electronic gadget freak that is obsessed with electronics.

To these girls, disco hippie is a cute man. The disco hippie is a man who is an electronic gadget freak. Lyrics from the chorus “Disco hippie got a world in his hand” refers to how he always has an electronic gadget in his hand.  Play makes a reference to this when they sing, “It's the same/So strange like a game or a boy/You really got me going” This is also referenced in the chorus as well.

CHORUS:
Disco hippie got his head in the sand
Disco hippie got a world in his hand
Suppa sonic technotronic machine
Disco hippie you're da man

The girls of Play want to dance with him. They make this vocally clear when they sing at the very beginning of the song, “C’mon, girls!/Let's dance!” Disco hippie, you're the man.


I'm Gonna Make You Love Me was their song which featured Chris Trousdale of Dream Street. The song was a moderate hit single for the group in 2001. This song has that early 00’s pop sound.

This song is about a girl who does everything in her power to make a boy love her. She does everything for him to show him that her love is true. She’ll sacrifice for him and always do what's right for him. This girl is going to shower him with love and affection.


I Don't Get Down Like That is about how a girl tells a boy that she is taken and is already dating someone else. She does not get down like that or play any sort of games. Yet somehow this boy can take ‘no’ for an answer and constantly keeps on bugging her out in the world.

These lyrics explain how this girl don’t get down like that.:

I told you the scenario
I made it crystal clear
I spelled it out from A to Z
But which part of no don't you hear?

I told you I'm already taken
And that's a move I won't be makin'
I made a vow I'm never breakin'
It's a matter of fact that I
Don't get down like that
Ya know I've got a one and only
And you don't really even know me
But every day you try to phone me
And I never call back cause I
Don't get down like that

The boy made a move at the movies where she and the girls were at. He tried to call and paged her too. She was already getting tired of him at this point. She don't play and never strays. You'd best believe as it's not her way to deceive.

These explain clearly what happened during that event.:

At the movies with my girls and me
You made a move, thought I didn't see
Then you look surprised - Don't you even try
You tried to call and ya paged me too
I think I'm gettin kinda tired of you
And the same ol' line - do you think I'm blind?


Is It Love is a short but sappy love song. It’s nothing special of what you’ve heard before or already. The lyrics are simple and very kiddy. No wonder this song became a kid pop sensation.

2/5**

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Brain Bucket - Squid? album review

Brain Bucket - Squid? is a very rare obscure indie rock album from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that was released on cassette by Intestinal Confetti Records in 1996. Not much is known or can be found out about this album which makes this album very obscure to say the least. Most of these songs are upbeat heavy rock songs. The lyrics can be considered obscene to some listeners. Some songs are sexually explicit such as Foot Fetish and Gas Pump Bimbos. Overall the album is not very interesting and has simple lyrics with rehashed topics.

Foot Fetish is about the band’s foot fetish of course. The song starts off with an upbeat drum kit and heavy rock guitar. Brain Bucket describes what exactly turns them on when it comes to their foot fetish, “Tantalizing toes, hypnotizing hips/are friend of mine/That’s the way it feels”

Gas Pump Bimbos is a short, but heavy dark indie rock song about women who pump gas and what their ways are. The lyrics are obscene and sexually explicit. Beginning of this song starts off with, “fill it up/fill me up/jack me off/make me wild/gotta find a way to release” This song is considered repulsive to say the least.

The song You’re Fat is a song about what of women the band members of Brain Bucket like. Apparently one of the members of Brian Bucket likes fat women and is considered to be a chubby chaser. The topic and concept of this song is nothing new. Many rock bands and musicians have covered topics about girls numerous times in the past before.

Cadence starts off with a drum solo from a snare drum. The song gets upbeat quickly. The song Cadence is mostly notable for its drum solo.

The song Tick is a moderate pace, mid tempo rock song compared to all of the other songs on this album. Tick is about anxiety and nervousness hence the vibe of anxiety. Most of the terms used in this song are one syllable words which are fairly simple.

3/5***

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Lil Eddie - ASAP EP EP review

The Lil Eddie - ASAP EP was released on vinyl by Big3 Records in 2004. This is one of two of his EP’s he released in the 00’s. Half of this EP is filled with love songs of course. 20% of the EP is dance songs. Many of these Lil Eddie songs are filled with raw emotion and high energy in terms of singing. This EP is yet another under appreciated Lil Eddie EP that did not get noticed by mainstream media.

Spanish Fly is a soulful song laced with heavy bass and a Latin percussion selection. The beat is hot! You’ll never get enough or get tired after listening to this song. Mario Winans produced Spanish Fly for Lil Eddie in 2004. Spanish Fly is a drug which makes one horny. 

Footwork is a song where rock music meets dance music. The instrumentation is perfectly arranged. Percussion matches up with bass and electric guitar. Unsurprisingly the song is about dancing. This song much different from the average Lil Eddie song you would hear. It is truly refreshing to hear Lil Eddie experiment with sounds from different genres of music.

4 U uses a much more futuristic stye of production and futuristic sound. Electronic music meets soul music on 4 U. The beat you hear at the beginning of this song is coming from a kick drum. Overall the beat is fire! Lil Eddie never ceases to amaze his audiences. There is something special about his voice which makes him worth listening. 4 U is a love song.

Safety Lock is something for the ladies.

5/5*****!

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