Category: Music
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Usher – Interview [2004]
Confessions? You wanted confessions–we got them. Usher talks! I know Marvin Gaye is one of your musical heroes, can you please tell us how Marvin has influenced you, in general, and specifically, the songs on Confessions? Well, as a child, I was introduced to Marvin by way of listening through my grandparents and I always…
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Jojo – Interview
A singer. A songwriter. A prodigy. With just a few notes, she’s made some of the most influential men and women in America stop in their tracks to find her, and meet her. She possesses a rare talent that has enchanted talk show hosts, celebrities and audiences throughout the United States. And she’s determined to…
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Tommy Stinson – Village Gorilla Head
Artist: Tommy Stinson Title: Village Gorilla Head Label: Sanctuary Rating: 5/10 CORPORATE LINE: The best rock n’ roll, like any creative endeavor, comes from a blend of natural talent, determination, unconventional life experience and doing your homework. Tommy Stinson has a pretty generous measure of all four. Village Gorilla Head (Sanctuary Records) began its life…
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Terror Squad – True Story
Artist: Terror Squad Title: True Story Label: Universal Rating: 5/10 CORPORATE LINE: Terror Squad, the brainchild of veteran Latino Bronx rapper Fat Joe, began when Joe found his protégé and fallen superstar, Big Punisher in ’96. Together the two made platinum magic on Pun’s two classic albums, Capitol Punishment and Yeaah Baby!, and introduced the…
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Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters
Artist: Scissor Sisters Title: Scissor Sisters Label: Universal Rating: 6/10 CORPORATE LINE: Scissor Sisters bring together rollicking guitar riffs, throbbing synths and a whole bunch of wicked lyrics. Their influences skitter through glimmers of vintage Bowie, Roxy Music and Elton John to Giorgio Moroder, burlesque theatre and rock opera. At college, Jake had majored in…
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Maria Mena – Interview
Maria Mena is a singer/songwriter/performer with a rare and precious gift. Her songs come directly from her heart and her experience, are written with candor, clarity and purpose, and are performed with a disarming guileless charm. That she is 18 years old makes her talent all the more remarkable and all the more vital. She…
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Lil’ Wayne – Interview [2004]
Hailing from the tough streets of New Orleans, Lil Wayne caught the attention of Cash Money bosses Bryan “Baby” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams, who signed him to a label deal at the tender age of 11. After grooming and honing his skills, Lil Wayne first made a name for himself as a member of…
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Cherie – Cherie
Artist: Cherie Title: Cherie Label: Lava Rating: 4/10 CORPORATE LINE: Born in 1984 in Marseille, France, Cherie is about to embark on a journey that will likely make her a household name. A mesmerizing beauty, Cherie can belt out a song like contemporaries from Pink to Sarah MacLachlan.With her first major-label release, Cherie is poised…
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The Roots – Tripping Point
Artist: The Roots Title: Tripping Point Label: Geffen Rating: 5/10 CORPORATE LINE: The brilliance of The Roots is not that they are “real musicians” or that they make insightful literary references in their album titles, but the shifts they constantly make, which make them analogous to time–always moving. It’s the list of what the band…
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The Polyphonic Spree – Together We’re Heavy
Artist: The Polyphonic Spree Title: Together We’re Heavy Label: Hollywood Rating: 5.5/10 THE GREAT: “Hold Me Now” – Even though it sounds like a song from the Brady Bunch its impossible to ignore just how sunny and happy it makes you feel. THE AVERAGE: “A Long Day Continues” – Continues for nearly nine minutes. The…