August 31, 2022

Desaster - Hellfire's Dominion (1998)

Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Thrash Metal
Style: Blackened Thrash Metal
Label Number: M.R.CD 008

© 1998 Merciless Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: desaster, hellfires dominion, 1998, flac,

Desaster - Tyrants of The Netherworld (2000)

Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Thrash Metal
Style: Blackened Thrash Metal
Label Number: I.P.015

© 2000 Iron Pegasus Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: desaster, tyrants of the netherworld, 2000. flac,

Nina Sky - Nina Sky (2004)

*U.K. pressing. 
Contains 15 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 986306-6

© 2004 Universal Records
Twin-sister act Nina Sky broke out with "Move Ya Body," based on Cordell "Scatta" Burrell's "Coolie Dance" rhythm. With its pattering bongos and synthetic handclaps, the backing track resembles a hopped-up version of Vanity 6's "Nasty Girl," and has spawned one release in the Greensleeves label's Rhythm Album series, in which a number of artists provide their own vocals over the same instrumental. (Prior to Nina Sky's own success with the track, the American audience might've recognized it from the remixed version of Elephant Man's "Jook Gal" that was nearly unavoidable on the video channels.) "Move Ya Body" also comes across like a slightly grown-up (if not as coyly charming) successor to Lumidee's "Diwali"-assisted "Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)," another infectious summer jam. Nina Sky thankfully isn't the obvious rush job that was Lumidee's own full-length debut, fleshed out by a set of remarkable productions from the Jettsonz, Cipha Sounds, and Disco D. The likes of "Let It Go" and "Runaway" (the latter featuring a keen vocal swipe from Central Line's "Walking into Sunshine") may not have the instant appeal of "Move Ya Body," but these uptempo tracks send the album clear past "one single, little more" status.

tags: nina sky, nina sky album, 2004, flac,

Bestial Mockery - Evoke The Desecrator (2003)

Country: France
Language: English
Genre: Thrash Metal
Style: Blackened Thrash Metal
Label Number: OPCD 154 N° 3163-2

© 2003 Osmose Productions
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: bestial mockery, evoke the desecrator, 2003, flac,

Bestial Mockery - Gospel of The Insane (2006)

Country: France
Language: English
Genre: Thrash Metal
Style: Blackened Thrash Metal
Label Number: RSR-0182

© 2006 Red Stream
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: bestial mockery, gospel of the insane, 2006, flac,

Mo Thug Family - Mo Thugs IV: The Movement (2003)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Gangsta Rap
Label Number: RIV 9918-2

© 2003 Riviera Entertainment
Despite limited success and the increasingly depreciating reputation of Bone Thugs themselves, the Mo Thugs Family returned for their forth go-round, IV: The Movement, and seem surprisingly unhindered by their previous commercial struggles. By this point the loose collective's ringleader, Layzie Bone, had consolidated the Family into a few standout performers who share the spotlight here: Ken DawgFelecia, E-Mortal Thugs, and Skant. The focus on these few Thugs is certainly welcome, as they're all enormously talented, particularly the silky-voiced Felecia; furthermore, it makes for a more consistent listening experience, as they each get a couple tracks of their own to shine, with Layzie turning in some standout contributions of his own. The production work on The Movement unfortunately isn't nearly as consistent as the performers. The half-dozen producers share a West Coast approach to synthesized beatmaking, which is fine and the norm for Bone, but they flip it differently on practically every track, crafting a Janet Jackson-style contemporary soul track for Felecia one moment and a jittery Dirty South-style club-banger the next. This mishmash of styles remains the most frustrating characteristic of the Mo Thugs Family: They're a diverse bunch with a little bit of everything for everyone but not really enough of anything to leave you feeling satisfied. So, while The Movement certainly has its moments and showcases some impressive talents, it's a mixed bag. Sure, that's the idea here, as these Mo Thugs albums are meant to be samplers that lay the foundation for solo follow-ups. However, seven years and four albums after Mo Thugs debuted, they still haven't spun off any significant solo ventures; they just keep returning with more jumbled albums that unfortunately never equal the sum of their parts.

* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled. 


tags: mo thug family, mo thugs iv, the movement, 2003, flac,

August 29, 2022

Various Artists - '99 Star Lounge Collection (1999)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
Label Number: None

© 1999 Star 98.7 FM
The '99 Star Lounge Collection is the second in an on-going series of live performances recorded at the Los Angeles radio station Star 98.7. The original sale of these CDs benefited the Starlight Children's Foundation, Victory over Violence, and VH1's Save the Music foundation. The bands and songs featured here are album alternative or adult pop/rock acts, like much of the programming on MTV's sister network. The performances here are largely acoustic, and thus pretty different from the originals. "Lullaby" by Shawn Mullins, "Possession" by Sarah McLachlan, "Anything But Down" by Sheryl Crow, and "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer are especially good. (FYI: Crow's version was actually recorded on KFOG in the Bay Area.) The liner notes contain comments about the performer's visit to the Lounge. Funny highlights include trivia -- like that the bar on Fairfax in the Mullins song is called Gengis Cohen. Unfortunately, the '99 Star Lounge Collection, like the one before it, is out of print and available only though used CD stores or internet auction sites where the cost is through the roof, exceeding the true value of the music here. Overall, '99 Star Lounge Collection is a great snap-shot of the best music played on the area's leading non-rap-rock station. The only negative is most fans who buy the CD for a track by their favorite artist (ie. Tori Amos, etc.) will be left wanting more. But that is incentive to move to L.A. and record the radio's sessions.

tags: various artists, 99 star lounge, 1999, flac,

Sister Hazel - Fortress (2000) ☠

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 012 157 883-2
☠: Selected by Lass
© 2000 Universal Records
Sister Hazel was fortunate that their debut album arrived precisely at the right time, just when radio was cooling to Hootie & the Blowfish but still needed journeymen bar bands that turned out sturdy mainstream rock & roll, the kind of music that was the '90s version of heartland rock. They scored a major hit and toured the hell out of the record, building a respectable success. Still, when their second album, Fortress, appeared in the summer of 2000, they still had something to prove. Like a lot of their peers -- such post-ironic, post-Hootie artists as Matchbox Twenty, Tonic, Cowboy Mouth, and Edwin McCain -- they had to prove that they could deliver another solid record that would retain their audience. The dilemma of the working band, as it were. This is a dilemma that was particularly difficult in the late '90s/early 2000s since working bands were considerably less than hip and didn't have album rock as an outlet the way working bands did in the '70s. Sister Hazel realizes this and they even give a shout-out to their working-band comrades in their special thanks. It's likely that they connect so strongly with the working band because they are the definition of one for their era. They are a solid band, turning out sturdy albums that may have a couple of stumbles, yet it's always satisfyingly straightforward. With Fortress, Sister Hazel does take a couple of tentative steps to distinguish themselves from the pack -- a neo-psychedelic arrangement there, Beatlesque horns here, ambitious song structures every few tracks -- but they remain a working band at their core. That means that they're hardly cool in 2000, but they do deliver a follow-up that delivers on the sound of their hit, even if it never quite successfully expands that signature sound. And that's a trademark of a working band, too.

tags: sister hazel, fortress, 2000, flac,

Various Artists - Brown Sugar: Music From The Motion Picture (2002)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop, R&B
Label Number: 088 113 028-2

© 2002 MCA Records
The soundtrack album to the 2002 film about a hip-hop-centered romance has 15 songs by a wide variety of the music's veterans and more recently emerged talents. Mary J. BligeErykah Badu, and Eric B. & Rakim are some of the better-known contributors on a compilation that mixes neo-soul and harder hip-hop styles. In the neo-soul bag, there's Jill Scott, whose romantic "Easy Conversation" is one of the better selections. Jazz/R&B crossover singer Cassandra Wilson covers Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," while the Roots offer some of the harder beats and scratching on the remix of "Act Too (Love of My Life)." On the whole it's an adequate sampler of some early 21st century hip-hop sounds, leaning toward the more pop-accessible segment of the genre.

tags: various artists, brown sugar, music from the motion picture, soundtrack, 2002, flac,

August 28, 2022

Various Artists - Deadicated (1991)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Folk Rock, Alternative Rock
Label Number: ARCD-8669

© 1991 Arista Records
This tribute record features everyone from Elvis Costello to Midnight Oil to Dr. John doin' The Dead. An attempt to showcase The Dead's songwriting. The rigid arrangements could have used more imagination, but the interpretations are mostly agreeable.

tags: various artists, deadicated, 1991, flac,

Various Artists - MTV Party To Go Volume 5 (1994)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop, House
Label Number: TBCD 1097

© 1994 Tommy Boy
The fifth volume in MTV's ongoing dance/party series accents hip-hop, current dancehall and recent urban contemporary fare in its 12 selections, showing how deeply these sounds have penetrated into the mainstream and MTV's pop/rock rotations. They also demonstrate the narrowness of commercial radio and the need for labels to segment their material; most songs are remixed either for airplay or clubs, with H-Town's "Knockin' Da Boots" the only track issued as it originally appeared on CD. These remixes are often catchy and sometimes superior to the original (2Pac's "I Get Around" and Haddaway's "What Is Love" are prime examples), but there's something disconcerting about artists having to issue songs in 10 different versions.

tags: various artists, mtv party to go volume 5, vol 5, 1994, flac,

Musiq Soulchild - Aijuswanaseing (2000)

*U.S. pressing.
 Contains 15 track total. 
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 314 548 289-2

© 2000 Def Soul
With his 2000 debut album, Aijuswanaseing (I Just Want to Sing), Musiq Soulchild is sure to make an indelible mark on the R&B soundscape. Aijuswanaseing is a remarkable collection of songs that successfully showcases Soulchild's vocal talent and versatility as he crisscrosses the analogous styles of R&B, soul, and rap. On the up-tempo track "Girl Next Door," the singer demonstrates the smooth, rich texture of his voice. "Girl Next Door" is a romantic exchange that features the vocal prowess of Ayana of the duo Aaries. Tracks like the confident and playful "Just Friends" and the indelibly funky "My Girl" pick up the pace of the album, suggesting the possibility for future dancefloor remixes. The somber, soul-searching track "Mary Go Round" and the earnest sentiments on "Love" display Musiq's mellow, sincere side. The slow-paced wonder quality of "143" echoes a snippet of the style of fellow soul sista Erykah Badu (not a surprise since Musiq lists her high on his list of influences). There is also an apparent hint of the likes of Soulchild's idol Stevie Wonder in the rhythmic finger-snapping beat and experimental vocal riffs on "143," serving as evidence that Soulchild's voice is strong enough to stand on its own. The album is a casual yet valiant excursion that mirrors the many faces of a model swooner: a calm, cool, and collected attitude, mixed with a light sense of humor and a healthy serving of poise, swank, and sensitivity. Aijuswanaseing paints an aural portrait of this model combination which is best brought to life on the slyly flirtatious "Just Friends (Sunny)," which is featured on the Nutty Professor II soundtrack (Universal, 2000). Aijuswanaseing is the perfect backdrop for an intimate candlelit evening or just a casual stroll on a sunny afternoon.

tags: musiq soulchild, aijuswanaseing, 2000, flac,

Hi‐Tek - Hi-Teknology²: The Chip (Limited Edition) (2006)

*Contains 3 bonus tracks. 
18 tracks total. Bonus 
DVD not included. 
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: BBG-CD-303

© 2006 Babygrande
Though he's produced tracks for artists like Snoop DoggBlackaliciousG-UnitBoot Camp Clik50 Cent, and Xzibit, not to mention his work in Reflection Eternal and with Black Star, Hi-Tek has probably never gotten the attention he fully deserves, at least outside the rap community. As a way to show off and express his talents, Tekzilla released his solo debut, Hi-Teknology, in 2001, and after moving around from label to label, the follow-up, Hi-Teknology 2, came out in 2006 on Babygrande. Like on his first record, Hi-Tek produces the entire record (the lone exception being "Think I Got a Beat," performed by his son, Lil' Tone, who rhymes, "And I know how to dance/And Snoop Dogg do too/And my daddy do too") and lends his voice on just a few songs, including "Can We Go Back," "The Clip," and the star-studded "Music for Life." For the rest of the rhymes, Tek manages to gather a pretty impressive lineup, getting verses from Talib KweliQ-TipBun BBusta RhymesGhostface KillahNas, and the Game. More than anything else, this selection and his ability to work with all the MCs just show how versatile he is as a producer, easily moving from the organic Earth, Wind & Fire-sampled "Can We Go Back," to the sparse, aggressive rhythm of "March," to the slow-jammy "Baby We Can Do It," to the guitar-based "Josephine," a partially misogynistic, partially motivational, partially societally critical song that features the musical talents of his father's group, the Willie Cottrell Band. While Tek's beats aren't always extraordinary, they're always respectable, and they fit each track well, generally simple and melodically focused with muffled drums and cleanly layered keyboard riffs. He's pretty good at what he does -- and sometimes, like in "Where It Started (NY)" and "Can We Go Back," closer to great -- and perhaps more importantly, he's consistent. Hi-Teknology 2 does a nice job of presenting his abilities (much more so as a producer than a rapper, though he manages to hold his own: "I single-handedly carried the 'Natti on my back/And I ain't even that big," he brags, perhaps justifiably, on "The Chip"), though if it will be the introduction to mainstream music he's wanted, it's still uncertain.

* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled. 


tags: hi tek, hi teknology 2, the chip, limited edition, 2006, flac,

Shanice - 21... Ways To Grow (1994)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 314530302-2

© 1994 Motown Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: shanice, 21 ways to grow, 1994, flac,

August 27, 2022

Tripping Daisy - I Am An Elastic Firecracker (1995) ☠

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: I2 24112
☠: Selected by Lass
© 1995 Island Records
With their second album, Tripping Daisy channel their psychedelic influences into more coherent songs without losing their quirky sense of melody. It makes for a more enjoyable and accessible record, one that isn't distinguished by the noise of guitars, but what the guitars are playing.

tags: tripping daisy, i am an elastic firecracker, 1995, flac,

Various Artists - MTV Party To Go Volume 10 (1996)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: House, Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B
Label Number: TBCD 1168

© 1996 Tommy Boy Records
MTV Party to Go, Vol. 10 contains extended and alternate mixes of such rap and dance hits as La Bouche's "Be My Lover," Coolio's "It's All the Way Live," Los Del Rio's "Macarena," D'Angelo's "Lady," 2Pac's "California Love" and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's "Tha Crossroads." Although the lineup is impressive, the lack of singles mixes makes the record frustrating to collectors; but, it's an entertaining party album.

tags: various artists, mtv party to go volume 10, 1996, vol 10, flac, 

Akinyele - Put It In Your Mouth: The E.P. (1996)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Hardcore Hip-Hop
Label Number: 61422-31142-2

© 1996 Zoo/Volcano Entertainment
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled. 


tags: akinyele, put it in your mouth, the ep, 1996, flac,

Lil' Cease - The Wonderful World of Cease a Leo (1999)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Pop Rap
Label Number: 92783-2

© 1999 Queen Bee/Undeas/Atlantic Records
Brooklyn-bred Lil' Cease burst out of Junior M.A.F.I.A. and into his own solo joint with 1999's The Wonderful World of Cease A Leo, a hardcore journey that never lacks on bass, beats, or party jams. The single "Play Around" is an obvious highlight, though Lil' Cease hits hard throughout the album. Guests include Busta RhymesLil' Kim, Jay-Z, Redman, and Puff Daddy, on "Get Out of Our Way."

* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled. 


tags: lil cease, the wonderful world of cease a leo, 1999, flac,

Cassidy - I'm a Hustla (2005)

*Hybrid Dual Disc pressing. 
Side 1 is the album. Side 2 is a DVD with 6 bonus videos. 
Side 1 contains the album (14 tracks total.) 
Bonus videos not included. 
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Pop Rap
Label Number: 82876-69479-2

© 2005 Full Force/J Records
A pair of plush, ladies' man pop-rap singles made Split Personality a gold-selling success for young Cassidy. For a lot of the fellas, these songs turned an MC known for his punchlines into a punchline, the street cred suddenly more Skee-Lo than C-BO. How to change this perception? Introduce your follow-up album with a lead single titled "I'm a Hustla," replete with a Jay-Z-sampling rally call -- just like another Swizz Beatz concoction, T.I.'s "Bring 'Em Out." Another way to make people forget about your pretty-boy looks and soft songs? Catch a murder rap. Less than two weeks before I'm a Hustla's release, that's exactly what Cassidy did. Whether or not he's guilty or even happened to time the act just right, it gives his second album some extra attention. It's certainly harder overall than Split Personality; the seductive tracks are fewer in number and not nearly as melodic (R. Kelly does not return, likely wrapped up crafting Pied Piper Radio Hour). There's even a message track -- titled, naturally, "The Message" -- that makes as much sense on a Cassidy album as a hip-house throwback. Despite the concerted attempt to come off differently, I'm a Hustla isn't much more effective than Split Personality. It does start off excitingly enough, in the form of "The Problem vs. the Hustla," in which the MC conducts a battle rap between two sides of his personality, perhaps inspired by T.I.'s "T.I. vs. T.I.P." The Hustla wins, unsurprisingly, with "You should switch flows, n*gga, your sh*t gold/When I drop, I'm a sh*t more than your sh*t sold." The Problem takes the advice, but it doesn't get him very far, even with guest spots from NasLil WayneRaekwonMario, and Mary J. Blige. [I'm a Hustla was released in two editions: a copy-protected CD that will not play on your computer without installing a separate media player, and a DualDisc, containing a CD on one side and a DVD on the other. The DualDisc has a 5.1 mix version of the album on the DVD side, along with videos for "B-Boy Stance" and "I'm a Hustla," as well as a "Cassidy Makes a Video" segment and a photo gallery. The CD side of the DualDisc may not register on some computers, although it will play on a CD player.]

* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled. 


tags: cassidy, im a hustla, 2005, flac,

August 26, 2022

Foals - Antidotes (2008)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: 5144270032;TRANS071CD

© 2008 Transgressive Records
Although Oxford, England's Foals didn't release their debut full-length, Antidotes, until the spring of 2008, they had already begun to make quite a name for themselves, thanks to the British singles "Hummer" and "Mathletics," and successful dates in the U.S. the preceding fall; meaning, of course, that the anticipation for the record had plenty of time to grow. Fortunately, Antidotes is able to live up to the hype. Frontman Yannis Philippakis uses his limited vocal range to his greatest advantage, moving from yelps to half-whispered singing depending on the intensity of the piece. In fact, the one drawback of the album may be that Foals have only two types of songs: the fast(er), punchy ones and the slow(er), spacier ones. For bands whose sense of songcraft isn't strong, this would certainly be a detriment, but as Foals keep melody and hookiness at the forefront of their minds, the fact that much of their work sounds very similar (and is all practically in the same key) just adds a sense of cohesion to the record, shows that the group has a very clear idea of what it wants to sound like. This sureness can also probably explain the band's dislike of producer Dave Sitek's final mix, which differed from what they had imagined (and therefore prompted their own mixing of it, and the one they ultimately released). But Sitek should be credited for introducing at least the saxophones, if not the more ambient keyboards and occasional electronic element, to the Foals' arrangements, which end up working quite well and prevent the tracks from completely bleeding into one another, also allowing for the band's instrumental sections to play out in an interesting groove, like during the very NOMO-ish "Like Swimming" or the close of "Heavy Water." The two guitars pick out cascading notes -- never chords -- against one another, the bass borrows from both Interpol and Gang of Four, and Philippakis' voice cries out in repetition wonderfully, but it's these occasional horn bursts, the electronic chops and blips, that truly complete the songs, making Antidotes not merely a lesson in post-new wave noodling, but evidence of the power and excitement of the genre and music itself.

tags: foals, antidotes, 2008, flac,

Foals - Total Life Forever (2010)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: SPCD 875

© 2010 Sub Pop/Transgressive Records
After Foals scrapped the mix of their debut, Antidotes, by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek, it was clear that they were a band that was interested in creating their own sound. That sentiment may be why their follow-up, Total Life Forever, sounds more like a reaction to their first record than a continuation of it. Many of the elements that drove Foals into the spotlight in the first place are definitely still in place. There’s plenty of cascading, Minus the Bear-style guitar work and funky Talking Heads influence in their math-pop-meets-the-dancefloor rhythms. What’s missing is the edge. Total Life Forever is considerably more subdued than its predecessor, lacking much of the uptempo thump found on Antidotes. In its place is a mellower, more spacious sound. While this new sound is still danceable, it’s far more refined than the angular post-punk riffing that fans might be expecting. Right from the beginning, the album-opening, “Blue Blood” makes it clear that Foals are taking a different, more patient approach to songwriting, letting the song build and build on itself as it methodically works itself into a frenzy before leaving the way it came in. Because of the changes here, fans of the early, pre-Antidotes singles may find Total Life Forever to be too restrained, lacking the youthful vigor of their debut. Where some see restraint, others may very well see refinement, and those who appreciated Antidotes' more spacy passages will find that Foals' reinvention of their sound is a calculated risk that definitely pays off.

tags: foals, total life forever, 2010, flac,