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Sean Kingston

Wu tang Clan-8 Diagrams

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Reviewing his newly released album in 2007, self-titled (Sean Kingston). I have tentatively labeled this type of music Hip-POP, meaning it has blended Rap music completely into this bubblegum surface where the hook gets played over and over with not much substance, but as Sean has had numerous singles off his debut album, I thought I'd check it out.

Sean Kingston is all about not limiting himself and to get into all arenas of entertainment including acting and business, which is quickly becoming a joke as so many artists do everything and fade into mediocrity. When they could go down as a great musician and musical artist, just a thought.

2. Kingston [Will skip intro and make you buy the CD to hear it with song 15 on your CD ROM]
-Good beat and raps, but overused hook. This is a song I relly wanted to like, but if he came harder with his raps, but that might just be his voice. The beat did promise more agression though.

3. Take You There
-Start sounds like Beautiful girls. His accent seems to fade in and out at his convenience, the second coming of 'Shaggy', just playing. Another overplayed hook.

4. Me Love
-Good track, everyone who likes this music can be found going "Uh...uh..uh..uh...uh....ohhh! Why'd you have to go-oooo! Just a fun summertime track at the beach.

5. Beautiful Girls
-Most played song on the radio. Good remix version by JoJo, if you can find it. I will also post a top five or top ten remixes for SK, sooner than later as he has stockpiled quite a few in his short career. A lot of songs reaching out to his girl on his debut album.

6. Dry Your Eyes
-In research I have found that most fans are in like with this song, the most. In respect to his mothers passing, this song was written I believe. Sean lost his mother at the age of 15.

7. Got No Shorty
-Wow, extreme Halloween time beat. SK's best song thus far, by my accounts.

8. There's Nothing
-Featuring Paula DeAnda, it definitely makes the song a solid single. That may be why I enjoy his remixes rather than the album releases, as with Fergie and Natasha Bedingfield for duet songs, though Fergie's 'Big girls don't cry' remix may be unofficial.

9. I Can Feel It
-Featuring a sample of Phil Collins' In the air tonight. They're have been numerous attempts at remixing this song / sample as it is still a top choice for DJs in Arenas and Stadiums I go to. Sean surprisingly chops it up to make something new and I am digging it. Also check out a version done by Tupac, which adds a new element to the song also.

10. Drummer Boy
-Keyboards prevalent in the beginning. Maybe let the drums to the talking instead next time SK, a forgettable track.

11. Your Sister
-Shows his comedic side in this one, on purpose or otherwise, you can just tell by the title. Haven't we all been in this situation at one point?

12. That Ain't Right
-I wish artists could use more subtle titles, rather than the obvious, as to yell the name of the song numerous times when starting a song, am I wrong? That is just to easy and that isn't right. Maybe his next CD will have more collabo's.

13. Change
-Reiterating to fans that he is on a solo mission, without his fam. He is still young as am I. Change the world? Maybe, or get rich and use music?

14. Colors (reggae remix)
-A more traditional new Hip-Hop beat, coming at it hard boy!

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Wu tang Clan-8 Diagrams

December 14th 2007 08:33

Album was released as of December the 11th of 2007.
Clearly the name of the CD has them stating that they have only eight members now as ODB has left us in late 2004. Their was a release of Wu-tang's previously hard to find tracks and remixes done with Rza, a couple members were none to pleased with the overall sound of the record. Method Man has been the biggest star of the group with his movies and cameo's.
To visit the only official site for this eight member one deceased group.Visit site here, caution turn volume knobs down before clicking and than turn them back up, you'll thank me.

I have another great link for you, if you would like to learn the history of the 9 member rap group, as it pertains to their reunion click here to see their very interesting journey, as I couldn't have said it better.
So now that I have given you a little intro, here below is my thoughts and opinions of this release by Rza, Gza, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, U-God and Masta Killa. Who all go by numerous pseudonyms which I hope I have them all. Actually some may have changed since this post, lol. So for a tease before my record review, watch this video. After it I will post my comments and will try to keep them short.

Wu-Tang Clan-8 Diagrams
1 Campfire

-An intro like the video teaser above. Also with a good track following the voice message. I have got to be honest, I skipped through the tracks and didn't find a hot track right away, but I gave it a good listen the second time, no distractions and the first song is solid with true to day comments about JT and Timbaland and classic old school raps and booming bass beat.

2 Take It Back
-A real New York type song, almost reminds me of Nas in the first verse. This one gets a lot of them in there and is a long rap on a simple beat. Not bad.

3 Get Them out Ya Way Pa
-Meth shines at the beginning, their raps are so jam packed at moments you can hear things you never heard before every time you listen. Beat could have used harder guitar. Wu is crazy with all the Kung Fu voice overs. Also I liked how one rapper was rapping and the other blended in to fade in and out to the next MC.

4 Rushing Elephants

-Good song throughout, the beat is a bit repetitive which made when they drop a part, I liked it even more. Truly a song I could see used in a movie with that beat.

5 Unpredictable
-Great beginning, but with a beat like this I was expecting something that resembled aggression and pumped me up. But the poor singing, if you call it that took me out of any attachment I had to this song.

6 The Heart Gently Weeps
-A nice change of tempo, Ghostface is good on this one and finally a female singing instead of the Wu members on this track.

7 Wolves
-I am guessing this is an attempt to ease us into their harder rap stuff after # 6. Red Fox, sure. I must be missing something. Meth jumps in and raps about a topic way different than the others. Little Red Riding Hood reference? Wow!

8 Gun Will Go

-Solid layers in the instrumentals, shown at the start and the end. Good track.

9 Sunlight
-You think they could get better audio for their speaking audio from the Kung Fu master lol. The first reference to the killa bee's I have caught, wait that was about flies, my bad.

10 Stick Me for My Riches
-Featuring a big part by a big-voiced vocalist, which changes a song as Wu does not have this element to this group, a little soul w/R&B.

11 Starter

-Could have been a single if the instrumentals were more upbeat. My kinda song fo sho! Wow some celeb shout outs, even one to Candace Parker, sister of My Toronto Raptors SG Anthony Parker. Can you say single...

12 Windmill
-Solid mix of different characters. To much of a rap, needs a hook or something. When Meth jumps in the beat sounds hot! They do love their guitar beats over the snare and bass.

13 Weak Spot

-My favorite song so far! Just a great track with good messages.

-Finally before my batteries die, well actually it did before # 12. Always buy brand name or rechargeable's.

14 Life Changes

-Great song to end on, great line to end the CD, you'll have to listen to hear it sorry, RIP->ODB.

#15 is the DVD (Enter the 8 Diagrams), so I will leave it to you as to purchase the special DVD vid, with the CD, here's hoping you were entertained, learned something and will be back. Also remember if you have a fav group or a CD you want to know more about, just shoot me a comment below and I'll make it happen yah digg!

Also for :30 samples of this whole album click here, you also could try this for full singles.

Photos care of the Corp.

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To fresh beginnings

December 14th 2007 04:09

I will be taking this site to the next level, trying to bring you solid information about your favorite artists and bands. I am a hip-hop head by nature but am just in love with music. I will be reviewing, hopefully good maybe some bad music released previously, requested or newly released. So feel free to comment below with music you'd like to get more info on, I will try and give you the best site I can find for free samples of the full CD's and news on your musical idols.

The first album to be reviewed will be 8 Diagrams by the newly reunited Wu-Tang Clan requested by JayWill.

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Amy Winehouse - Back to Black Album Review

May 23rd 2007 03:06

Damn it's been a while since I've posted anything on this site............sorry about that! Really, I'm going to be better about it.....seriously, I promise.

After spending two weeks in Thailand, where Fall Out Boy was on high rotation in our hotel room (my sister has a thing for F.O.B and when she likes a band, she really likes them. We would have listened to their 2 albums no less than 20 times each in 2 weeks......it's not right) I was in the mood for something completely different when I got home.

Amy Winehouse now

And enter, Amy Winehouse. Back to Black is Amy Winehouse's second album. And what an album it is. A mix of jazz, soul, Motown and swing that is as catchy and poppy at times at any pop music album. And underpinning the whole thing is Winehouse's sublime vocals. Listening to Amy sing, you can be forgiven for forgetting that you're listening to a 23 year old. Her voice is smoky, sulty and sexy. Winehouse wrote the album while she was nursing a broken heart, and the theme's of love and loss are prevalent throughout the album.

Amy Winehouse after her 1st Album

Back to Black has been a little overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Winehouse herself. Since her first album, the singer songwriter has dropped 4 dress sizes. There were rumours of trouble with her record company who were unhappy with her drinking. Only a few weeks ago, she reunited with her former boyfriend Blake Civil-Fielder, who she married in Miami last weekend. But this shouldn't stop this album getting the respect it deserves.

The opening track "Rehab" is an extraordinarily catchy Motown style of song. Horns and strings give a sophisticated sound to which Winehouse purrs and growls along to, telling us in no uncertain terms that there's nothing she can learn in rehab that she can't learn in the real world.

"You Know I'm No Good" has a sexy soulful sound that seduces the listener, telling the story of the girl who keeps going back to the wrong guy. "I cheated myself, like I knew I would. I told ya I was trouble, yeah ya know that I'm no good".

Winehouse is a first class songwriter and her songs invite favourable comparisons to many of the soul classics from the 1950's. But she is undeniably a modern girl. The song "Me and Mr Jones" could be a sophisticated soul song from that era until you hear Winehouse purr the opening line "What kind of fuckery is this"? It's the dicotomy of such sophisticated sounds and her thoroughly modern, often pissed off lyrics that intrigues. And works. Very well.

"Love is a Losing Game" is one of the highlights of the album. The understated emotion and smoky vocals from Winehouse tells the story of lost love that we've all felt before. The uptempo "Tears Dry On Their Own" is a change of pace in the album, and my favourite track. This track will be the next single to be released, and it's sure to get some attention.

Listening to the album, it's easy to picture Winehouse holding her own against the greats, such as Diana Ross or Aretha Franklin. This album has also pushed her out of the shadows of other jazz/soul singers such as Norah Jones and Katie Melua, who seem, quite frankly just a little dull in comparison.

Overall, things are looking pretty bright for Amy Winehouse.

Pics courtesy of www.starpulse.com and www.bbc.co.uk

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Release Your Inner Bogan

April 17th 2007 01:38

Last night I heard the hugely exciting news that Guns n' Roses are TOURING Australia!!!!!!!

I was so excited when I saw the ad that I almost fell off the couch! How come I didn't know about this? How could it have escaped my attention? Thankfully tickets for their Melbourne show don't go on sale until next Thursday,....so there's time to get myself organised

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Fulfilling the Dream

April 12th 2007 02:24

Last Wednesday night. The 4th of April 2007. It's a date that will be etched into my memory forever, for its the date that a dream of mine was realised.

Unfortunately it wasn't my dream of waking up to find

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