Kids At Work - Kids At Work album review
The Kids At Work album by the male R&B trio Kids At Work is one of Teddy Riley’s lesser known works in terms of his music production. Not too many people know or knew about this album. This production work by him was overlooked back when their album was released in 1984. Kids At Work was one of Teddy Riley’s first groups. The group was also produced by Gene Griffin who had produced for Guy and Aaron Hall.
This album was not a success in terms of sales as their debut failed to make a dent on any of the Billboard charts. None of their singles charted. If any of their singles charted, they fell off the charts shortly but very quickly. The trio disbanded not long after the release of this album. All 3 members went on to have successful careers in the music industry since then. Teddy Riley is now a successful platinum producer in the music industry.
One of the reasons why Kids At Work did not take off was because of them and CBS trying to capitalize on that popular New Edition sound of the time. New Edition was popular at that time and nearly every R&B group was trying to similar to them.
She’s My Baby is a 6 minute long funky soul jam where funk meets soul music. This song is one of Teddy Riley’s lesser known works where he sings and plays those funky synths your hear using a keyboard. Of course She’s My baby is a love song. Bobby Brown later used the chorus of She’s My Baby on his song "She's My Lady".
Timmy Gatling sang the lead vocals for She’s My Baby. Clurel Henderson was the background lead singer for this song and Teddy Riley was the lead singer for the chorus.
The song Singing Hey Yeah will remind you of those high school dances and the good times during those good old days. The mid tempo vibe gives the song a calm chilling nostalgic feel. This was the song which made everyone happy. This song will have you thinking about old good memories.
Singing Hey Yeah was one of the songs which did not fare well in terms of sales despite being released as their buzz single to radio stations. CBS had to press up 45 vinyls. That didn’t work either. That is why a lot of people never heard of this song. Singing Hey Yeah is definitely a rare classic. A classic which old heads, 70s babies, and 80s babies will only remember.
She's So Bad is a high definition hi-fi sound version of So Bad Togetherness mixed by Teddy Riley himself. The song is similar to what you would expect to hear from Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Sheryl Crow, New Edition, or Bobby Brown. She's So Bad is Togetherness revisited. The song definitely has that Michael Jackson vibe.
LaVaba Mallison, Timmy Gatling, and Teddy Riley sang the background vocals on She's So Bad although it was Teddy Riley who sung most of the vocals.
Reggae Kids is Teddy Riley’s lesser known works. It’s nice and quite different to hear a reggae song on a soul single. The song has an upbeat dance vibe. Reggae kids are swinging to the beat. Teddy Riley’s voice is similar to Michael Jackson when he sings on this song.
All N' All is a piano driven soul song accompanied by the smooth vocals of Teddy Riley. The song uses soft delicate beats and instrumentation. The delicate instrumentation is what stands out on All N' All. The song is about remembering time shared together. Nothing but good times.
Sugar Baby was the first song which Kids At Work put out in 1983. The song has similar to a song from Hall & Oates due to the percussion and musical style.
LaVaba Mallison, Timmy Gatling, and Teddy Riley sang the background vocals on She's So Bad although it was Teddy Riley who sung most of the vocals.
4/5****!
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Agony - Freaky Demo album review
What’s the story behind the Agony - Freaky Demo demo? This album review will explain exactly what you want to hear.
The Agony - Freak Demo demo album was recorded at Boomin Studios in Flint, Michigan and was engineered Ahmad Weston in 1995 which was when recording took place. Production was also done by him. The demo had a more hip hop influenced sound than any of the albums in Flint at that time. The genres and sounds of hip hop, jazz, and electronic all meet each other on this album.
Ahmad Weston was the producer, composer, and main artist behind the Agony album. He was the backbone and brains behind everything in the group. Ahmad Weston was an engineer for Boomin Records at that time. He also engineered at Boomin Records for many years.
Agony’s album was a demo issued on cassette. This demo cassette was pressed up in limited quantities. Possibly less 300 copies of this demo cassette were ever pressed. Today the Agony - Freaky Demo demo cassette is regarded as one of a kind treasure. This album is of those Boomin Records mystery tapes in a cluster of several albums that were recorded at Boomin Records from 1991 to 2005.
Side A is labeled as Dramacide and Side B is labeled as Traumacide.
Da Crib uses a jazz hop oriented sound where jazz meets hip hop. Freeform jazz also meets upbeat jazz with a touch of funk. The grand piano gives that away. Ahmad uses distorted bitcrushed synths and keys on this song. Agony uses a fast paced style of rapping on this song.
Da Crib is a song about how Agony attempts to persuade a fine female to come over to his crib. He wanted her over at his house right now. They have plans to do some shit.
BJ is not paying for anything that’s going to leave a rash. He uses petroleum on the end of rubber condom for sexual intercourse. In 9 months he could say the child is not his. Fucking bitches twice was sure damn nice. They had to pay the price the same week.
Freaky Demo is an East Coast rap styled hip hop song with a touch of jazz hop. Notice the boom bap beats and medium bass. The beats give away an East Coast rap vibe. Hip hop meets jazz on Freaky Demo. Lady Lo and Stamina rap here too. Freaky Demo is a posse cut.
The group Agony seeks to break out people with their complex features in the style of rhythm and poetry which is rap. Stamina is doing damage worldwide with his East Coast style of raps. Just like that. Take flight as he is in command. He is bringing death and destruction to your label and production team. Stamina needs to supersede over all MC’s. Stamina sounds very much similar to Big G of MOSS when he raps. He raps 2 verses on Freaky Demo.
Panthers is a song dedicated to the Black Panthers. Agony takes a pro-black stance in this song. This hip hop song uses a hodgepodge of samples. Lady Lo raps here too.
Agony had to learn a hard lesson on Panthers. Catching drama keeps him stressing. Days are getting longer. He doesn’t know how to adhere to all of this drama. Winter is almost through and he is getting evicted from the crib. His baby mama is pressing charges against him. So it’s time for him to lay down a track at Boomin Studios. He plays his song over again. Agony believes his life goes faster when he’s loyal to the game.
Agony tells black people to raise their fists up. He says, “We can take this nation if we get pissed enough.” Until black people fight the war for justice, they will never see peace.
Lady Lo raps after Agony. Her verses came hard in the paint. She wants to get high of that endo (marijuana) and black power. She is high as hell and ain’t gonna give it up. Lady Lo shows much love and appreciation to the Black Panthers. Gangstas and thugs have her back.
The song Voodoo is about voodoo magic. You can feel a vibe of uncertainty and tensity as you listen to the song. The beats Ahmad used on this song are thick and so is the bass.
Voodoo opens up with a calm opening on a dark night. Crickets can be heard chirping in the background. A kick drum is used throughout the song. There is a numbing blaze. Agony creeps in through the air. Something eradicates the body and then play up on the fears. Agony has that voodoo. The song makes references to voodoo magic.
All I Seen uses thick beats and low bass over a hodgepodge of samples. The beats used are snares, toms, and kicks. Female vocals sampled from a classical music composition are used on this song. The words from the classical music composition say, “All I see are my shadows” . The classical music composition is layered over an organ you would hear playing in an old horror film.
There are 2 downsides. One downside is the instrumentation and vocals are not equally balanced on a 50/50 level. The instrumentation overlaps the vocals making listening to the vocals very difficult. The other downside is not being able to hear the vocals.
Agony takes us into his mind. Things he shares are not wholesome or pretty. He discusses how generations and nations breed terrorists. Terrorists are bred off of hate and fear. Not to mention corruption. Agony wants to get up and fight the feelings he has been facing. It’s hard to be alive. The struggle continues.
The lyrics “It’s hard to be alive/The struggle continues” make frame of reference to how living every day is a struggle. Daily living is a struggle. The lyrics “Earthbound/we are walking dead” represents the insanity we face on Earth.
Agony shows us he is aware of the violence. These lyrics are an example “Yesterday we played in the rain/Todays streets lay with blood stains” These lyrics exemplify a violent chaotic world.
Agony gets some stress off his chest in the form of rapping on Amerika. The song uses medium bass over soft processed beats.
Agony has some stress to kill. He shares his true genuine feelings. He’s keeping it real. Distance is getting the best of him. He claims the government hates people and separates them. Sadly this fact is true. It’s really a separate but equal type of deal. It’s evil what the government does.
All I Seen (Straight Soul Mix) uses a different sound than the original. This version of the song uses a much darker sound. Some of the lyrics are retained from the original version. This version uses an angelic chorus which signing in harmony in the background throughout this song.
Agony uses a robotic voice to discuss the evil and wickedness in this world. Sometimes he just can’t take it. What can a person do? Sometimes it’s based on where a person lives. It’s hard for a young black male to live in this world. He tries to keep his soldiers strong and army tight.
You know the old saying, “Everybody knows why the dove cries.” Agony tries to get ahead in life by increasing his knowledge through education.
The lyrics “It’s hard to be alive/The struggle continues” make frame of reference to how living every day is a struggle. Daily living is a struggle. The lyrics “Earthbound/we are walking dead” represents the insanity we face on Earth.
Agony shows us he is aware of violence. These lyrics are an example “Yesterday we played in the rain/Todays streets lay with blood stains” These lyrics exemplify a violent chaotic world.
Cum Wit Me has a tropical Caribbean vibe and feeling. The feeling is mellow and calm. A soft piano seems to have been used. Agony learned his lessons. His confessions keep him going. Agony is a state of psychosis. He learning the game of life while getting drunk. He invites us to come with him.
The Beat Down is a lyrical beat down.
Hypocritic is song where the group Agony calls out hypocrites. On this song is where Agony switches their style of rapping. They rap in the form of fast paced style of Memphis rap. Coincidentally this song has that eerie vibe you hear in Memphis rap. Synths Ahmad used on this song give away an eerie unsettling vibe.
4/5****!
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Lil Mo - 4Ever/Ten Commandments single review
4Ever was one of Lil Mo’s moderately successful singles that got airplay on MTV and BET. That song was her hottest song of 2003.
It's obvious from that Lil Mo is happy with her new marriage and her firstborn child. She states she's really to settle down and have some kids on the song 4ever. She's ready to live life. It's ride or die and do or die for Lil Mo! She's ready to get married and be in a marriage.
Lil Mo and Fabulous make a great duo! Fabulous raps and Lil Mo sings resulting in a perfect combination. That's why whenever they both collaborate, their songs turnout to be a success with fans alike. This isn't the first time Fabulous and Lil Mo have collaborated. Check out songs such as Superwoman, Sumtimes I, and Can't Let You Go!
Lil Mo is at the point in her life where she is tired of playing games. She is ready to settle down, to buy a house, change her last name and have some kids. She is ready for the life to live and all love has to give.
Lil Mo shows maturity in this song. She went from being Superwoman to a wife. These lyrics highlight her maturity as a woman: “Ready for the life to live/And all love has to give/I been your superwoman for so long/Ready to be your wife”
Now that love's taken over, she is 100% sure that it's here to stay. There are no issues standing in her way. Both of them aren’t going anywhere.
Let's make it official. Together for always. Marriage will be crazy, baby. Can you live with it? To have and hold forever. Baby ride or die till death do us part. Let's make love last forever. Let's make it last forever.
Lil Mo’s Ten Commandments was a cover of Notorious BIG - Ten Crack Commandments. However this version of Ten Commandments is for the ladies. Lil Kim’s raps gives the song a flavor of East Coast rap and raunchy sex rap. Lil Mo wrote herself a manual on how to keep your man. Those are her 10 commandments.
5/5*****!!
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Lil Mark - Do To Me single review
Lil Mark - Do To Me is an erotic electronic dance single released in 2005 by Doubledown Recordings. All the songs on this single are fairly upbeat. The sounds of electronic music meet dance music.
Do To Me is an erotic electronic dance song where dance meets the sounds of electronic music. The electric synths stand out and give the song an erotic dance vibe. The repetitive lyrics “do to me” are draws in the ear and compels the listener to listen to this song.
Together is the last song on the No Numerical Order single which uses an array of electronic synths and distorted keys to match the sound of dance music. All of the recording and production was programmed by Lil Mark himself. Phil Austin mastered together.
5/5*****!!
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Johnny P. - Connect The Dots album review
Connect The Dots is the wholesome debut album from Chicago singer Johnny P. This album gave him his wholesome image in the world of R&B. The album is a blend of funk, teen pop love ballads, and contemporary R&B/soul uptempo dance tunes. Of course this album is going to filled with a reasonable amount of love songs. If you enjoy New Edition, Tevin Campbell, Whitney Houston, Sam Cooke, Patsy Cline, Jackie Wilson, Patti LaBelle, Marvin Gaye, or Bobby Brown, you will definitely this album!
Johnny P sings in a tune reminiscent of Michael Jackson sings. You can obviously tell where his inspiration to be a singer came from. His voice is truly reminiscent of Michael Jackson.
You may remember Johnny P as the man who sung the hooks for Do Or Die’s songs or Scarface's Smile. This man has got one of the best voices to come out of Chicago next to R. Kelly, Chaka Khan, and Miki Howard. Johnny P (John Pigram) was one of Chicago’s most underrated singers who did not get the recognition or shine truly deserved. Sadly he never received any mainstream recognition. This R&B album suffered from a lack of promotion.
Love Is Just Around The Corner serves as the opening for the album. Love Is Just Around The Corner is surprisingly upbeat instead of mid tempo or downtempo as one would think otherwise. The song uses a touch of funk, soul, and pop. Nevertheless Love Is Just Around The Corner is a great song.
Love is just around the corner. Practically next door. Love just moved into his neighborhood. Who could ask for anything more? He plans on buying her a sweatshirt to show everyone love is just around the corner. She belongs to Johnny. He would like to be the one to get close to her heart. Love is in the places you would least expect or expected to find.
Connect The Dots is a sweet love ballad with a pop-oriented sound. Connect the dots and you will see what a picture of love is. A couple who loves each other. Connect The Dots was issued on 45 as a buzz single as well by Columbia.
Traffic Jam blends funk into New Jack Swing giving it a funky sound. The beats are funky as well. The funky beats follow the uptempo pace. There’s a traffic jam on the dance floor. Traffic Jam serves as the uptempo dance tune.
Street Fighter is the rock jam of this album. The sounds of funk and rock meet each other on the song Street Fighter. You can tell by just listening to the synths, bass, and key notes. Street Fighter is a song about a tough street fighter named Johnny P and how he can to be that way.
Johnny P was born in the heart of the city. Concrete and bricks. Something about his mama’s kisses and something about his daddy’s fists is what made Johnny P the tough street fighter he is today. He won’t back away from a fight.
These lyrics represent the motivational part of the song.: “When you learned you way around, you learn to get up/When you’re knocked down, get up off the ground and keep the next round/Street fighter” Whenever you get knocked down by tough times, you pick yourself up and keep on pushing through life. That is what those lyrics mean.
He knows how to jump over roof tops. He knows how to deal with the people on the street. Johnny can’t change who he is.
Please Say You Want Me is a cover of The Schoolboys - Please Say You Want Me. However this version is more slow tempo than the original doo-wop version. Johnny P sounds very similar to an early 80s Michael Jackson on Please Say You Want Me.
Johnny tells a girl to please say, “You want me to be your guy.” He has always wanted her to be his love. When there's stars up in the sky, then she will realize that she should belong to Johnny.
He has cried so much for her. Johnny hopes she does decide to be his love and to realize that they belong together. He tells her “Please say you want me. Please say you want me to be your love.” “Please say that you love me. Please be mine. Please say that you care for me. Then I'll stop this crying over you.”
Unsurprisingly True Love is a slow jam. He sounds similar to Michael Jackson on True Love. True Love is a song you would expect to hear from Michael Jackson. The song is a representation of what true love is.
Hide And Seek is another upbeat uptempo dance tune which is also a love song. Johnny plans to find this woman. He shows no signs of stopping. She is playing hard to get. He doesn’t want to play the hide and seek game with her.
I've Got Lorraine is a tale about young teenage love. It’s another teen pop ballad.
People tell them they are too young to be in love. They would like to see them break up but they’ve just begun dating. Their love is not a game. Johnny has not been the same since he got Lorraine. Lorraine is the girl Johnny is dating.
Lorraine's so dependable. She makes some time to love her man. Why can’t they make people understand that their love is here to stay? They will find a way. Now Johnny knows the meaning of true love. He doesn’t know why she loves him, but Johnny is glad she does love him. She’s so adorable. Everyday she makes some time to love her man. Johnny’s got Lorraine.
Radio Ears is the Johnny P answer to Zapp - Radio People. The song is about a girl who listens to the radio everyday. She falls in love with the DJ and the songs played.
Do You Yo-Yo is yet another uptempo dance tune.
Johnny fell in love with this star tonight. She’s hard to stop and she looks so lovely. They danced all night. He tells this star, “We’ll keep on dancing until you say you love me.” He wants to know one thing. Do you yo-yo? You can feel the heat as they both had danced the night away. This is what happens when two hearts meet. One kiss can start a chain reaction.
Poor Side Of Town serves as the closer for this album. His voice is truly reminiscent of Michael Jackson in terms of singing. Johnny P covered Johnny Rivers - Poor Side Of Town on the song Poor Side Of Town. On this cover version of Poor Side Of Town is a funk soul version of that song with a mixture of funk. This version is much different from the original pop-soul version from 1966.
Uncannily his voice sounds similar to an early 80s Michael Jackson. Honestly if Michael Jackson sang this song, it would have been bigger thus becoming a #1 pop hit on the BillBoard.
How can the woman Johnny is dating tell him how much she misses him? The last time Johnny saw her, she wouldn’t even kiss him. That rich guy she has been seeing must have bought her love with money. To him she was nothing more than a little plaything. It was not much more than an overnight thing. To Johnny she was the greatest thing he had ever found. It's hard to find nice things on the poor side of town.
Johnny welcomes the girl who was dating the rich guy to the poor side of town at the end of Verse 1. “So welcome back baby/To the poor side of town”
Johnny can't blame her for trying as he is trying to make a living on the poor side of town. However there is just one problem as he has got one little hang up. Johnny can’t make it without the girl he once dated. He is well aware of this factoid.
He asks her, “Are you gonna stay now? Will you stay now? Will you stand by me, girl?” He proceeds to tell her, “They can't keep us down with you by my side. Together we can make it from the poor side of town, baby. Baby, baby.”
(So tell me how much you love me)
(Come be near to me and say you need me now)
Oh, with you by my side
This world can't keep us down
Together we can make it baby
From the poor side of town
5/5*****!!
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Lil Mark & Joseph Jeffries – Stonned Again EP EP review
Lil Mark & Joseph Jeffries – Stonned Again EP was a split EP released by the posh British electronic label Baker Street Recordings in March 2007. Joseph Jeffries takes over this EP more than Lil Mark does as he did most of the production and recording. All of the songs on this EP are instrumentals.
Lil Mark’s song Wall uses thin layered electric synths over heavy processed beats. One has to wonder if Lil Mark used an SP1200 for the beats. The electric synths have no delay. This song will have you in a trance or daze.
Joseph Jeffries produced and wrote Tick Tock himself. Tick Tock uses a huge presence of heavy bass over thickened beats. The distorted blips blend in well with heavy bass. Notice how some of the synths are distorted as well. Not to mention muffled. Tick Tock has an upbeat electronic dance vibe similar to Lil Mark’s song Wall. The song is perfect for a good workout at the gym. Joseph Jeffries also produced U Know I Do.
5/5*****!!
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Inland Knights – Blown Out single review
Inland Knights – Blown Out is an electronic deep house single released on 12" inch vinyl in 2002 on Doubledown Recordings. This single is one of the more overlooked electronic singles from the state of California. Most of the songs on this album are driven by a bassline over deep house sounds. The sounds of modern house are mind-blowing.
Blown Out is one of the funkier songs on the album that is driven by a bassline. You can hear the modern house sound that’s inside of Blown Out. Blown Out by a loud presence of high quality deep house music. The electric synths have no delay.
Move That Thing is driven by deep house sounds over heavy rattling bass on the speakers. The song has a tribal feeling too. The heavy rattling bass on the speakers blends in perfectly well with the groove. Move That Thing is perfect for the dance floor, club, and lounge.
Can't Stop is driven by a loud presence of high quality produced electronic music and deep house. The synths from the keyboards have a punch in them.
5/5*****!!
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Chocolate Tribe – Conquistadores Chocolate EP review
Chocolate Tribe – Conquistadores Chocolate is a deep house EP with deep house tracks laced with thick layers of instrumentation. Much of this EP is proper house music from the 90s. Many of the songs on this EP have a tribal feeling due to the heavy bass and authentic percussion used.
Conquistadores Chocolate has a tribal feeling due to the drums and bass used. The bass is quite heavy. Conquistadores Chocolate is an electro-house styled deep house track. The percussion has a Brazilian vibe which in turn gives the track an authentic feeling. Now the lyrics may be repetitive and can get annoying very quickly but that’s house music for you.
Jam Vibe uses soulful vocals samples over tribal beats. The repetitive soulful vocal samples are what draws the listener into this song. Jam Vibe is a synth driven house track which is considered to be a deep house track.
Memory Track is another deep house track which uses heavy bass and percussion. Memory Track has a tribal feeling which in turn gives the track a deep house feeling. Soulful vocal samples and light percussion over several layers of instruments used is one way to describe Memory Track.
4/5****
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