House, R&B, Soul & Rap > pre 1970 House, R&B, Soul & Rap

Advantages: One of the greatest soul albums of all time
Disadvantages: ---

...a bit nicer" I think that Aretha Franklin could relate to that comment. For the past 40 years she has been hoisted on a pedestal of fanatical idolatry and suffocating demands. No performer in the history of African American art has ever had the expectations as had Aretha by her audience. Her body of work isn't a matter of critical record, but of nationalist fervor. Aretha's artistic stratosphere is a place where she can do no right and do no wrong ...
...speaking for myself, the deeper I look in to her work, the more I realize that in order to earn the title of "queen of soul" she had to pay a terrible price. 1966. Brother ray had Just kicked heroin and came back on the charts with a fail safe risk free pop album. Otis Redding was revolutionizing pop music every where in the world but the U.S top 40 charts. James brown's was just beginning to redefine musical minimalist polyrythmic composition. James ... Read review

Advantages: Superb singing and arrangements
Disadvantages: None

...LP of 1974. Hot Buttered Soul also showed that soul and R&B, normally the preserve of the black musician, could also stretch out a jam and explore new territory, much as the progressive rock bands were doing at the time. Hayes brings all his talents as a studio arranger to maximum effect here. There are only 4 tracks on this record and it lasts over 45 minutes, two of the songs are way over 10 minutes long and yet I don't get any feeling of an artist ...
...production is very restrained. At a time when many bands were covering each others songs, Hayes came out with this opus taking material like Burt Bacharach's loungey pop of Walk On By and putting in a harder edged sound on it, whilst throwing in his own arrangements to good effect. Ad-libbing like "you really put the hurt on me, momma" goes along with the standard lines of the Dionne Warwick hit. The greatness of this album is due not only to the ... Read review

Advantages: A couple of good dance tunes
Disadvantages: Repetitive lines

"51/50 Ratchet" is the debut album from the Louisiana rapper Hurricane Chris. When this dropped, 2007, the musician was only eighteen years old, and to fit in with what is expected of young rappers, espcially ones from the Dirty South, he has come out with some 'ringtone rap' with his hit single "A Bay Bay and "The Hand Clap" which followed on from it. 1. "Getting Money" (feat. Nicole Wray) This track get the album off to a shaky start as it isn't ...
...have to say tha I expect it though because he basially summarises his life stroy to the lsitenr in order to make up a little introduction for you before getitng itno his music. This little contextual information can be overlooked though as it doesn't bring out anything out of the ordinary. **Two Stars** 2. "A Bay Bay" This is the big single from the album and as his debut, it manged to catapult him into fame at the start of 2007. From there the ... Read review

Advantages: street music!
Disadvantages: too much street music!

Having been a big fan of fifty cent when he first burst on to the scene, and also a big fan of G Unit, i have to be honest, my interest has waned of late thanks to a couple of mediocre releases and an attempted cross-over into more radio friendly music. With the release of G Unit's anticipated sophomore album, it gives us a chance to see whether they really have crossed over, or if they remain true to the streets which raised them. Starting with ...
...definitely get you to pick it up if you saw it in the store. The album opens with Straight Outta Southside - a supposed ode to Sean Bell who was shit by police, but it doesn't actually make any reference to him, apart from once! It seems to be a cover of straight outta compton by NWA, but is nowhere near as good, a definite miss to open the album! We then lurch into piano man and close to me, two decent songs but forgettable nonetheless. Finally ... Read review

Advantages: More varied than previous albums
Disadvantages: Concept seems to fade

"The Recession" is the third album from the hardcore Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy. The CTE leader Young Jeezy returns with yet another Gangsta Rap album, and follows on from hits such as "Go Getta", "My Hood" and "Soul Survivor" from previous records. To be honest, I have never liked Jeezy, however after hearing a couple of the tracks from this new release, I expected to hear him come with something less in-your-face than in previous ocassions. It ...
...of September 2008. 1. "The Recession" (Intro) 2. "Welcome Back" I don't really see why we need a track which has us welcome Jeezy back because his last album only came out in 2006, so it's not as if he's been away for that long. However, with this excuse to make a track, he is given a hard beat by DJ Squkey Clean, and has him perform some big raps to give you an idea as to why he is such a popular name on the hardcore rap scene. **Four Stars** ... Read review