Category: Music
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Bing Crosby – Centennial Anthology
Artist: Bing Crosby Title: Centennial Anthology Label: MCA Rating: 6/10 Company Line: Bing Crosby recorded exclusively for Decca Records from 1934-1955. Centennial Anthology has been compiled into eleven categories: “Early Hits,” “Country and Western,” “Songs of the Islands,” “Irish Favorites,” “Bing’s Duets,” “Swing With Bing,” “Film Favorites,” “Bing and the Instrumentalists,” “Americana,” “The Voice of…
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Justin Timberlake – Interview [2003]
Were you at all surprised by the UK success? Is it gratifying to have done so well there with your show? Yes. It was – both. You know, I was pleasantly surprised. And, you know, I really had no expectations, you know, what the age bracket (is), what the crowd’s going to be, you know,…
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The Thorns – The Thorns
Artist: The Thorns Title: The Thorns Label: Aware Rating: 5/10 Corporate Line: Matthew Sweet, Pete Droge, and Shawn Mullins come together as one. The Good: “I Told You” – The sappiest track of the crop yet it’s perhaps the best. The Mediocre: “Runaway Feeling” – A track that is a feel good pop-rock song. It…
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Smile Empty Soul – Smile Empty Soul
Artist: Smile Empty Soul Title: Smile Empty Soul Label: Lava Rating: 7.5/10 Corporate Line: Thoughtful heavy music. Melodic heavy music. Smile Empty Soul proves that the terms don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The Good: “Silhouettes” – Deep. Something most of us can relate to as we hope to be better. “This Is War” –…
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The Polyphonic Spree – The Beginning Stages of…
Artist: The Polyphonic Spree Title: The Beginning Stages of… Label: Good Rating: 7/10 The Good: “Section 1” – “holiday” sounds spiritual and captures an era, a piece in time and music that has long disappeared. “Section 3” – Lovely like a wonderful summer breeze. “Section 8” – “I found my soldier girl”. How could something…
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Lil’ Kim – Interview [2003]
Lil’ Kim has a crazy life. She’s a star and enigma. Funny thing is, she wants more. Life must be crazy. It’s always crazy, especially when you have an image to uphold like mine. Is it fun to live up to that or sometimes do you want to get away from it? I definitely want…
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Verbana – La Musica
Artist: Verbana Title: La Musica Label: Capitol Rating: 5/10 Company Line: La Musica Negra, as produced by Rob Schnapf (Beck, Guided By Voices, Elliot Smith), takes its fury mostly from the ancient Bible-country conflict betwixt the pious and the prurient. The Good: “Way Out West” – Good melody that will have you singing along. “I,…
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Live – Birds of Pray
Artist: Live Title: Birds of Pray Label: MCA Rating: 5/10 Company Line: Kowalczyk says, “The coolest thing about this record is that we’ve been really conscious of not losing the band’s rock roots in the midst of experimenting with new sounds.” But Kowalczyk is quick to point out that while the experience of making the…
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Powerman 5000 – Transform
Artist: Powerman 5000 Title: Transform Label: Dreamworks Rating: 5/10 Company Line: Transform is essentially a return to the band’s roots, one that Spider realizes may raise a few eyebrows. He can’t help but see the humor in the little image problem he’s created for himself, remarking: “I’m just waiting for people to say, ‘Wait a…
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Blur – Think Tank
Artist: Blur Title: Think Tank Label: Virgin Rating: 5/10 The Line: Blur is back minus a member and as underwhelming as ever. The Good: “Brothers And Sisters” – Somewhere between Blur and Gorillaz. “Moroccan Peoples Revolutionary Bowls Club” –It has the same theme and not lyrically deep yet gorgeous. The Marginal: “Battery In The Leg”…