John Mayer - Continuum [2006]
Amazon.com
Continuum is about as apt a title as it gets for John Mayer’s third studio disc. Every element, from the peerless guitar playing to the plainspoken poetry of the lyrics to the breathy-sincere singing, makes a return from previous efforts. But to weakly pronounce this another worthwhile effort from an artist the world has come to expect a whole lot from and then call it a day would be no minor misdeed, because it’s also the best, boldest disc he’s ever made. Taking maturity as a theme throughout, Mayer tackles a batch of adulthood’s bogeymen: indifference on the uptempo chart-climber “Waiting for the World to Change,” aging on the melancholy-sweet “Stop This Train,” and emotional trainwreckage on the big-rocking “In Repair.” That’s not to suggest he’s turned overly introspective–check the Jimi Hendrix cover “Bold As Love,” where he hits one home for guitarists who’ve been living in the shadow of legend everywhere, and the hard-charging “Belief,” which benefits from a mesmerizing, liquid groove. Continuum may be the third in a series, but a creative cop-out this is not; Mayer is his generation’s musical superman–powerful, unassailable, and magnetic. Hand that man a cape. –Tammy La Gorce
Ludacris - Release Therapy [2006]
Amazon.com
Ludacris doesn’t pull out any real surprises here, but he also wouldn’t have lasted this long if he didn’t have a talent for consistency. What’s missing here are big singles. His first attempt, “Money Maker,” was too color-by-numbers. There’s nothing on Release Therapy that achieves the anthem status of older Ludacris singles like “Stand Up” or “Pimpin All Over the World.” Yet, even lacking a stand-out radio hit, Release Therapy is a satisfying listen, working what’s now become a standard blend of playa/pimp songs (”Girls Gone Wild”) and a few trap anthems (”Grew Up a Screw Up”) and dispensing grown folk wisdom (”Freedom of Preach”). Along the way, he manages to take a slap at former protégé Chingy (”Tell It Like It Is”), rap about young mothers with Mary J. Blige on “Runaway Love,” and hold it down for brothers in lock-up alongside Pimp C, Beanie Siegel, and C-Murder on “Do Your Time.” Though not spectacular, Release Therapy stays the course for Luda to continue ruling as the Mouf of the South. –Oliver Wang
Track Lists:
[MP3 Download]
1. Warning (Intro)
2. Grew Up A Screw Up
3. Money Maker
4. Girls Gone Wild
5. Ultimate Satisfaction
6. Mouths To Feed
7. End Of The Night
8. Woozy
9. Tell It Like It Is
10. War With God
11. Do Your Time
12. Slap
13. Runaway Love
14. Freedom Of Preach
Rod Stewart - Still the Same…Great Rock Classics Of Our Time [2006]
Amazon.com
Unquestionably one of rock’s greatest vocalists, Rod Stewart should have titled this album Great Rock Classics of My Time. Most of these Top 40 tunes and others like Dylan’s “If Not for You” were popularized in the early to mid-’70s, when Stewart was entering his rock prime. He’s perfect to croon Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” soulfully pained on Bonnie Tyler’s “It’s a Heartache,” and right in the pocket on the Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand by You.” And his unmistakable raspiness puts another layer of wisdom on the old Cat Steven’s classic “Father & Son.” But you also have to wonder about some of the safe song choices, such Badfinger’s “Day After Day” and Nazareth’s “Love Hurts.” Why he continues to record mossy cover songs is a legitimate question. What’s stopping him from getting back in trenches with some contemporary rock songwriters and really reinventing himself? The karaoke lounge is no place for a guy this great to hang. –Martin Keller
-
Related Links
-
Recent Posts
- Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians [2003]
- Madonna - Hard Candy [2008]
- Xzibit - Restless [2000]
- Juno Reactor - Gods & Monsters [2008]
- Sugababes - Taller in More Ways [2005]
- Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) [1993]
- Chris Brown - Chris Brown [2005]
- The Mars Volta - Amputechture [2006]
- OneRepublic - Dreaming Out Loud [2007]
- The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely [2008]
- Jay-Z - American Gangster [2007]
- Alice: Moby [Lyric & MP3]
- Denial: Sugababes [Lyric & MP3]
- Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’: Michael Jackson [Lyric & MP3]
- With You: Chris Brown [Lyric & MP3]
-
Subscribe Now
