Category: Music
-
Blackstreet – Level II
Artist: Blackstreet Title: Level II Label: Dreamworks Rating: 5/10 Corporate Line: According to the members of BLACKstreet, the variety of sounds heard on Level II goes a long way toward explaining its appeal. “We’ve always been a mixture of gospel, street music and R&B,” says Hannibal. The Good: “She’s Hot” – Fantastic song that goes…
-
Magic – White Eyes
Artist: Magic Title: White Eyes Label: No Limit Rating: 5/10 Corporate Line: Artists often use their own lives in order to ground their work. For Magic, a wealth of titillating experiences is only a thought away. The New Orleans rapper, who hit the scene with 1998’s underground critically acclaimed “Sky’s The Limit” and 1999’s well-received…
-
The All-American Rejects – Interview
On the line with Nick Wheeler of The All-American Rejects! It’s funny, not just a few minutes ago I was watching a screening of a television show and your single “Swing, Swing” was used in it. Really? What show? “Black Sash”. It was funny because in the beginning of the show it says that not…
-
American Hi-Fi – The Art of Losing
Artist: American Hi-Fi Title: The Art of Losing Label: Island Rating: 5.5/10 Corporate Line: Grabbing romantic failure by the privates while declaring the joys of adolescent indulgence, The Art Of Losing is a rock and roll blitzkrieg. The Good: “The Art Of Losing” – Cool intro and decent chorus. The wall of sound is almost…
-
Supergrass – Life On Other Planets
Artist: Supergrass Title: Life On Other Planets Label: Island Rating: 6/10 Corporate Line: Having wallowed long enough in international success and critical acclaim generated by their three previous albums–I Should Coco (1995), In It For The Money (1997) and Supergrass (a/k/a the X-ray Album, 2000)–the men of Supergrass are back and proud to present their…
-
Switchfoot – The Beautiful Letdown
Artist: Switchfoot Title: The Beautiful Letdown Label: Red Ink Rating: 7.5/10 Corporate Line: The Beautiful Letdown is about real life: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It’s an honest attempt to reflect on the great and terrible aspects of being human, the tension of existence. The Good: “Meant To Live” – A lovely rock…
-
The Ataris – So Long Astoria
Artist: The Ataris Title: So Long Astoria Label: Columbia Rating: 7.5/10 Corporate Line: The Ataris, one of the most successful independent rock bands of recent years, have a brand new album, so long, astoria, the group’s eagerly-awaited major label debut on Columbia Records. so long, astoria is the first full-length Ataris album in nearly two…
-
Tonic – Interview [2003]
Emerson Hart of Tonic goes around the horn. So you’re going to be in Colorado. Yeah we are doing a VH1 something there. It’s a good chance to get to ski. And then straight to a tour. Yep, we hit the road in March. Do you get excited about Grammy nominations? They are very cool,…
-
Ani DiFranco – Evolve
Artist: Ani DiFranco Title: Evolve Label: Righteous Babe Rating: 8/10 Corporate Line: There is no freaking corporate line with Ani Difranco. But this is seriously an evolution. The Good: “In The Way” – Ani’s voice harkens back to days long past of smoky halls and liquor voiced crooners. It’s the music that evolves around her…
-
Lil’ Kim – La Bella Mafia
Artist: Lil’ Kim Title: La Bella Mafia Label: Atlantic Rating: 7.5/10 Our Line: Lil’ Kim goes back to the core. The Good: “Hold It Now” – Atop the Beasties well known beat Lil’ Kim brings down the house. “Can’t F**k With Queen Bee” – Not sure where the song is going, but the lyrics are…