Best of Mixerr Album Reviews! Page 305

Alicia Keys - The Diary of Alicia Keys album review

Alicia Keys - The Diary of Alicia Keys is a wonderful album with a gold sound. The album has timeless pop songs such as You Don’t Know My Name, If I Ain’t Got You, Dragon Days, and Heartburn were included on the album. Those timeless pop songs are what helped the album age great like wine. You can tell by listening to the songs that she puts all of her heart and soul into her songs.

The Diary of Alicia Keys helped Alicia Keys have a successful run during the early part of the 21st century. She stayed afloat and relevant by penning top charting songs everyone can relate to. Alicia was a hit machine when she was younger. Not only that, this album of hers are laced with beautiful piano ballads. Her talent easily shows whenever she plays the piano. Those piano ballads made the album enjoyable.

Honestly The Diary of Alicia Keys should have been on the same level as her debut album Songs In A Minor was. That is because this album had singles that were more top charting than her debut album. Yet somehow The Diary of Alicia Keys got overshadowed and overlooked.


Songs like If I Ain’t Got You are timeless. This song would and could be a hit today or 90 years ago. This is one of those songs that never gets old. It’s crazy how many people come back to listen to this every day. Clearly this song is a masterpiece.

This mellow pop piano ballad is about the different ways people search for the needs they desire in life. People search for what matter to them the most. The song was inspired by things going on in Alicia Keys' life in 2001. Alicia was a hit machine when she was younger. You can tell that Alicia put all of her heart and soul into this song when recording it.

The piano gives the song a mellow feeling and a slow vibe. The horns section gives the song a very jazzy feeling to it. Pianos and jazz are always a perfect combination.

Lyrics such as these are what made the song If I Ain’t Got You memorable. Especially the pre-chorus chorus. Now the lyrics “Hand me the world on a silver platter” are what made the song If I Ain’t Got You memorable and stand out the most. Those are the lyrics that will stick in your head for a lifetime.

[Pre-Chorus]
Hand me the world on a silver platter
And what good would it be?
With no one to share
With no one who truly cares for me

[Chorus]
Some people want it all
But I don't want nothin' at all
If it ain't you, baby
If I ain't got you, baby
Some people want diamond rings
Some just want everything
But everything means nothing
If I ain't got you, yeah

Some people live for the fortune. Some people live just for the fame. Some people live for the power. Some people live just to play the game. Some people think that the physical things. Alicia has been there before but that life's a bore. That life is so full of the superficial.

Some people want it all. But Alicia don't want nothin' at all if it ain't him and if she ain't got him. Alicia isn’t asking for much in comparison to what other people in the rest of the world ask for, search for, and desire. Some people just want everything such as diamond rings. But everything means nothing if she doesn’t have got him in her life.

Some people search for a fountain that promises eternal youth. Some people need 3 dozen roses and that's the only way to prove you love them. Hand her the world on a silver platter and what good would it be? With no one to share. With no one who truly cares for her.

Some people want it all. But Alicia don't want nothin' at all if it ain't him. Some people want diamond rings. Some people just want everything. But everything means nothing to her if she ain't got him. Nothing in this whole wide world doesn't mean a thing to Alicia if she ain’t got him with her. This is explained in the lyrics to the outro for this song.

[Outro]
If I ain't got you with me, baby
Ooh, ooh
Said nothin' in this whole wide world don't mean a thing
If I ain't got you with me, baby


Dragon Days is the underrated uptempo piano pop ballad which did not receive the credit truly deserved when released. Alicia is the princess locked in a dungeon of a castle we call life. She is waiting for the prince to find and rescue her from the pain and misery she currently is facing. At the very end of the song, Alicia gives love to the prince in return for rescuing her.

Like a damsel in distress, she is stressin' him. Her castle became a dungeon. She is longing for him to save her from this pain and misery she currently is experiencing. He is her knight in shining armor. She sees his face in a silver moon all over the lagoon and it feels like dragon days. And the fire's hot like the desert needs water.

Alicia need to be saved. She is missing him. She is desperate for him. Do you know what that means? She feels like an addict must feel when he fiends. In an act of desperation, she gets lost in her dreams. Because like a lady in waiting she is waiting for him. Like a prisoner tied over alligator waters waiting for her prince of paradise to come.


Samsonite Man is about the man Alicia wants to be with but he has to go somewhere. He’s the man that every lady wants. However he turns out to be a disappointment instead after giving Alicia many years of heartache and pain.

He's a man so full of style and grace. Any woman would be impressed with him. Any woman would want to be with him. He takes a smile and paints it on your face. This man makes you feel as if you've been blessed and promises things so special. Seems to come right from a song. Soon as you begin to feel secure. You turn around and he is gone. Packin' his bags, he’s gotta go. He's a Samsonite man.

Maybe he is just a rolling stone wandering from here to there. Searching for a place to call his own. You wonder if he even cares. So many years of heartache and pain is all you seem to know him for. Is it you or is it he to blame? Whenever he walks out your door.

If the wind blows him in Alicia’s direction, he comes through to rendezvous. He forgets about his good intentions only to leave her lonely and confused. It'll never be the same for Alicia.

She tells him, “Mr. Samsonite man, pack a bag. That is my suggestion. From here on out, you will be leaving at my discretion. Said I know the game, baby. And it'll never be the same. 'Cause now I got him.”

Alicia finally realizes that this man disappointment instead after giving her many years of heartache and pain. She tells him, “Mr. Samsonite man, pack a bag. That is my suggestion. From here on out, you will be leaving at my discretion. Said I know the game, baby. And it'll never be the same. 'Cause now I got him.”

Alicia finally realizes that this man disappointment instead after giving her many years of heartache and pain. So she politely suggests he pack his bags during the bridge and outro. He will leave at her discretion.

[Bridge]
If the wind blows you in my direction
You come through to rendezvous
Forget about your good intentions
To leave me lonely and confused
Mr. Samsonite man, pack a bag, that is my suggestion
From here on out, you will be leavin'
At my discretion (Yeah)
Said, I know the game, baby
And it'll never be the same, no, no, no, no, no, no
'Cause now, I got him

[Outro]
Why don't you just go?
You can't hurt me no more, baby
You can't touch me
You can't hurt me no more, baby
Gotta go, gotta go
Pack your bags
Pack it up, got to go
Hit the road, Jack


Nobody Not Really (Interlude) is a piano ballad driven by a saxophone solo. Notice how piano and saxophone solos with harmonizing. Alicia searches for someone to heal her with some empathy but is unable to find anybody.

Who really cares? Who really cares when Alicia talks what she feels, and what she says? Nobody really. Who wants to take the time to understand? Alice would like someone to heal her with some empathy but is unable to find anybody really. Maybe Alicia is invisible to the world. Does anyone in the world even think of her as more than just a hopeless cause? Who wants to help? She is  alone in a big empty space with nobody.

5/5*****!!

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Renee Anderson album review

The Renee Anderson album was on MCA Records from 1997. DeVante Swing of Jodeci was the main executive producer for her album. Regi Moore was the main producer for her debut album. Static Major did feature as a guest artist.

[This album was not officially released by MCA Records or Swing Mob Records as it was only released on CD format as a promo album to radio stations in the Rochester, New York area.]

The reason for that is because Renee Anderson was supposed to release her debut album on Swing Mob Records/MCA Records in 1997 but what DeVante Swing wanted to do was have sex with Renee Anderson and she told him no as she was legally a minor. (Renee Anderson was only 16 at the time.) So DeVante Swing was angered by this and set the copies of the master reels of her debut album on fire. DeVante had burned any remaining copies of Renee's debut album making it impossible to find. Thus eventually led to DeVante having an extremely violent meltdown. (DeVante was really strung out on hazardous drugs during this period.) After that Renee left DeVante later that fateful night. This incident led Renee Anderson to leave the music business for good!  

(What DeVante Swing wanted to do would constitute as sexual abuse of a minor, underage sex, rape, and sexual assault. To sum it all up, DeVante Swing wanted Renee Anderson to sleep with him.)

On Gonna Be Your Night, Renee Anderson has an alto voice similar to Gina Thompson. The bass and drums really add into the effect of Renee's alto voice. Gonna Be Your Night is a good song to listen to during the twilight of the night. Wind was a calm smooth soothing soul ballad that Tweet would partake in. The wind and low-pitch keynotes set a monotone vibe for the whole track. All of the Wind track is mellow and calm.

4/5****

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Young Boys Incorporated - Dead Skully album review

Charles Pleasure Sparks, Daddy Madd, Ron Terry, and Crazy Al produced this whole album. Production work was done at U Be U Studios as most music production for YBI and Daddy Madd was at that time. YBI is Young Boys Incorporated. Dead Skully is YBI's debut album.


Criminal Society is about the illegal lifestyle that Daddy Madd lead. [For those who didn't know, Daddy Madd just gotten released from jail after doing time there for some months. He was pissed off because he had to see the damn judge. We all know very well that Daddy Madd is packing some heat (guns). Daddy Madd was originally from Detroit but now lives in Saginaw, Michigan.]

Bucking niggaz down with his gat is what Daddy Madd does because he's a criminal. He's nothing but a gangsta. Daddy Madd needs a kilo because he's tired of being broke G. You get no props while being broke in the cycle of poverty in Saginaw while living there. Freaky cars with the Daytons and the Ragtops. All that good shit! Everybody got a gun. Taking niggaz out and fucking up a whole crew is what Daddy Madd does best since he WAS down with YBI (Young Boys Incorporated) at one time. The legal authorities of Saginaw County don;t agree with Daddy Madd's wardrobe.
There isn't any modernized supreme incarceration facility that can stop a warzone.

Daddy Madd is just like John Gotti using houses as a dopespot. He doesn't give a fuck because the hood does not faze him. When Daddy Madd works in Flint, he with niggaz that are going crazy. He's not having it, however. Sticking fools up for gold is what he did when he was in Flint. The drug searching dogs from the police k-9 unit don't worry Daddy Madd. He does anything to prevent himself from catching charges that will surely stick to his criminal record in the event of a drug case or weapons raid. Daddy Madd and YBI are now going to sell dope in the projects.

[He talks about FBI raids and FBI tactics which are used in this track right here. He hopes 5-0 in Saginaw don't try to raid his dopehouse. Daddy Maddy has another shipment of 'angel flake' stacked to the ceiling. (Angel flake is another term for cocaine.)]

Daddy Madd was originally from Detroit, Michigan but now lives in Saginaw, Michigan. Flint, Michigan is where Daddy Madd does his dirt (drug deals and other illegal activities). Slanging cocaine and distribution of (illegal) controlled substances on Pierson Road & Clio Road is what Daddy Madd whenever he's in Flint with Young Boys Incorporated. Pierson Road & Clio Road is an intersection on the Westside of Flint, Michigan. (This particular intersection is located in the Pierson Hood. The Pierson Hood goes from the Westside of Flint to the Eastside of Flint.)

Now Daddy Madd needs a blunt so he smokes a Billy Blunt. Now Daddy Madd tells us he's got a sawed off shotgun hidden in his trench-coat. He don't need any static from punk ass niggaz trying to jack him.

At this point, Daddy Madd sees his cousin who's in the R-N-R Posse (RNR?). YBI too. Also at this point, Daddy Madd introduces to us some members of RNR Posse and YBI.

Ice Cold got the AK's and the uzis. His brother Regal will do an act of auto-theft any day. His brother Ronald don't give a fuck because he's crazy. Ronald is blowing up niggaz like Hurricane Andrew but this ain't Florida so Daddy Madd, Ronald, RNR Posse, and YBI might try and kill you. G Man got the cherry bombs in the cut. A sack of blunts worth $60 dollars was smoked by YBI. DJ Zeek brought YBI some pussy and they stroked it. You call Daddy Madd crazy but you ain't seen shit yet! Daddy Madd is a lunatic in a criminal society. He thinks society is filled with nothing but criminals.

Some anonymous person gave John Law a tip to raid Daddy Madd's dopehouse because police have Daddy Madd on profile. The FBI caught Daddy Madd. They arrest him for just being in a dopehouse drug environment setting. Fuck them! Daddy Madd does not even have 1 gram of any substance of drug paraphernalia. Daddy Madd went to court like he had a grudge against them. He was pissed off because he had to see the damn judge. Yeah he said it! Judge DiFrancisco(?) ain't shit! Daddy Madd is not afraid of politicians and skank hoes. Gang Related ain't a title for just him. He's Daddy Madd and it's a criminal society.

Crazy Al spits a verse at the end of Criminal Society. Crazy Al heard a boom as he zoomed from the room. Will Crazy Al finally meet his doom with the Grim Reaper? This punk won't fall in a slump. Crazy Al is sending punks to the dump. Crazy Al is living his life foul. To go out like a hoe would not be his style. Come on with it! Come on with it motherfuckers. Don't try to risk your life for money. Life in Saginaw is bad.

But Crazy Al doesn't want to fall off like the others he knew. He loves Kurt and the rest of his brothers. Crazy Al used to sell cocaine. He did time. Its part of the drug game. He's got one too many drug cases against him in court. Now Crazy Al has a 2nd chance.

[Gang Related Activity samples Zapp - More Bounce To The Ounce and BDP - Criminal Minded. I love the dopeness of the production by Charles "Pleasure" Sparks aka Pleasure Sparks! I love that 90s gangsta rap production sound filled with pure dopeness!]


Smokin' Dat Blunt is a smoke session track that was popular in 90s rap. Smokin' Dat Blunt is all about smoking marijuana. It's all about smokin' dat Billy Blunt is what's it's all about on this track.

Young Boys Incorporated are steady smokin' Billy Blunts on 6 Mile Road in Detroit, Michigan. Every brother want a hit. Eyes are bloodshot red from scent of the vapor. They ain't scared of 5-0. Everybody in the hood getting high and getting lifted. Later on this track, Young Boys Incorporated head off to Belle Isle. That's where the beach is. Young Boys Incorporated want to engage in socialization with some chicks that are present. The day just continues from there.

The keynotes on the pipe organ really gives off the effects of the high. U BE U did a great job in regards to production producing this track called Smokin' Dat Blunt.


Angel Flake is a selling and distributing cocaine. Daddy Maddy and YBI are rocking up that angel flake. That white powder dust people used to get high on off of. (Angel flake is another term for cocaine.) Daddy Maddy has another shipment of yayo stacked to the ceiling. Now it's time to make a killing!

In the neighborhood of Parkside is where Daddy Madd makes his sales because working in a restaurant won't get him out of hell. Daddy Madd hopes the 5-0 in Saginaw don't try to raid his dopehouse. He talks about FBI raids and FBI tactics. YBI is from the ghetto streets. Gangsta spies tell no lies.


Peace My Brotha is a peace hymn to gang violence. Peace My Brotha is YBI's peaceful solution track towards gang violence. The message in this track is that gang violence needs to be wiped out. Also Peace My Brotha is dedicated to the deceased ones in the YBI inner circle.
 

Dead Skully is the title track for this album obviously. Dead Skully is rather a soulful slow jam mixed with 70s Chicago soul and 90s street gangsta rap. In other words, the title track Dead Skully is a soulful gangsta track. Dead Skully is both soulful and gangsta both at the same time. (Dead Skully samples Minnie Ripperton - Back Down Memory Lane.)


YBI and Daddy Madd have dropped a couple of albums. Young Boys Incorporated and Daddy Madd were originally from Detroit. Young Boys Incorporated formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1978. Young Boys Incorporated was the largest drug cartel in the state of Michigan from the 1980s to 1990s. Young Boys Incorporated controlled the heroin and crack cocaine drug trade market until 1996 when police started tracking down head kingpin members of YBI only to eventually later trump drug trafficking charges and illicit prostitution along with various other acts of violence. The Feds closed in on them eventually in 1996 the YBI organization had began falling apart and eventually dissolved. Other than that, Young Boys Incorporated and Daddy Madd have dropped a couple of albums. They're not very easy to find due to the fact that only a certain amount of copies on cassette were pressed. Young Boys Incorporated was a rap group too apparently.

Daddy Madd is a rapper from Saginaw, Michigan. Daddy Madd was originally from Detroit but he now lives in Saginaw, Michigan. For those who don't remember, he was a part of the Young Boys Incorporated gang that dropped an album on cassette in 1995. Daddy Madd was down with UBEU at one time. Daddy Madd is now known as Napalm [Mason Napalm Wade].

Niggaz and eses went crazy when this album reached Texas in the 90s! Niggaz and eses went crazy over Daddy Madd and YBI in Texas also! It was bananas! It's a trip down here in the South. (Of the US that is.) All of this album is classic ass gangsta rap!

5/5*****!

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Kanye West - The Life Of Pablo album review

The Life Of Pablo album by Kanye West has been given the popular abbreviation TLOP by Kanye West fans and Kanye West stans. This had made The Life Of Pablo album rise in terms of popularity. TLOP is the most discussed Kayne West album of 2016 by music critics, journalists, and fans alike. It’s scattered nature gave the album positive reviews due to the musical content of the album.

The album cover artwork of The Life Of Pablo by Kanye West seems to have been slapped up in MS Paint. Is the new standard to have album covers created in MS Paint now? Is this the new standard? Kanye must have copied the idea from Frank Ocean - Channel Orange album. Kanye is trying to be like Frank Ocean and Future on TLOP.

TLOP was produced by a handful of producers such as Rick Rubin, Noah Goldstein, Frank Dukes, Havoc, Madlib, Plain Pat, Caroline Shaw, Swizz Beatz, and many more. TLOP was recorded in recording studios in various locations and not onto one property as SOME of Kanye’s other album were in the past.
To sum it all up… Kayne used various locations to record the TLOP album.

As for the musical content of the album, Wolves, Only One, and All Day were great choices for singles due to the songwriting and productions skills. No one can write and produce like Kanye West can. Kanye West has a signature production style prevalent on his albums. Kanye blends in Electronic sounds into hip hop music thus somehow turning music into pop. This production style makes his albums go platinum Just listen to his previous albums such as College Dropout, Graduation, Yeezus, Late Orchestration, 808s & Heartbreak, and Lat Registration just to name a few.

Wolves is a great song, but can get redundant and annoying real quick due to the usage of autotune. Autotune is played out. The bridge is heavily auto-tuned. Yet somehow Wolves has that melodic feel. The “Bluesy” chorus is performed by Vic Mensa. Sia lends a hand in songwriting with Vic Mensa and Frank Ocean. Mix the genres of Blues, Hip Hop/Rap, and Pop and the result is the song called Wolves. Yet somehow Wolves feels melodic.

Kanye West catches the fade on the track Fade. Note the fade in and fade out features used. Fade is played out. The autotune is played out. People and fans should know that by now. In fact, Fade is similar to Facts by Kanye West. Fade and Facts have similarities in terms of sound.

I Love Kanye is an interlude about self-awareness and Christianity. Kanye takes it to the gospel on this one. Kanye really showcases off his gospel roots on I Love Kanye.

TLOP is the most discussed Kayne West album of 2016 by music critics, journalists, and fans alike which has made The Life Of Pablo album rise in terms of popularity. TLOP’s scattered nature gave the album positive reviews due to the musical content of the album. Despite that, the overhype by news media and overuse of autotune make TLOP the most unbrehsive shit ever heard.

Ø/5

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Dangerous D – Somethin' Fo' Yo' Dome single review

Dangerous D – Somethin' Fo' Yo' Dome is one of the more overlooked Saginaw rap singles next to Hank - Life Of A Criminal. The single has that old school rap sound with medium level production considerably good for its time. The 1992 Dangerous D single was released by JUT Productions and U BE U in Saginaw, Michigan on cassette and vinyl.


Somethin Fo Yo Dome is a rap track with that New Jack Swing sound laced on Latin Rock flavor. Somethin Fo Yo Dome is an intellectual rap track that deals with social and cultural conflicts having issues. Wisdom runs deep. Somethin Fo Yo Dome will give you something to think about.

Once you change your philosophy, you change your thought pattern. Once you change your thought pattern, you change your attitude is what the sampled male voice from an old political motivational speaker segment is telling us at the very beginning of the introduction at Somethin Fo Yo Dome by Dangerous D. Wisdom runs deep. Attitudes reflect thought patterns very deeply.

Dangerous D tackles the issues of racism on this intellectual track. Racism is a crazy maze as Dangerous D refers it to. Racism is not something where wisdom runs deep. Racism does not grow inside of wisdom.


Causal Fuckin’ is about sexual intercourse henceforth the title. Sexual relationships come in many different styles and many different position. They can be serious or casual. Dangerous D was in his early 20s when he wrote Causal Fuckin’.

He’s not tied down to one hoe because most bitches in the world all want the same thing which is marriage, babies, and a brain. Dangerous D wants to get buck naked.


In The Rain sounds very similar to an 80s New Jack Swing love song. In The Rain is very soulful nome de plume. Play My Rekord is a hodgepodge of samples.

5/5*****!