August 11, 2026

Sonya - Angel (1997)

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*Released in 1997 for the Japanese market. 
This pressing contains 12 tracks total. 
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: VICP-60168
 
© 1997 Victor
*No professional reviews are available for this release. 
 
tags: sonya, angel, 1997, flac,
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Paul Weller - Heliocentric (2000)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: CID 8093/542 394-2
 
© 2000 Island Records
Heliocentric is a lighter affair than the doggedly traditional Heavy Soul. It may be a subtle distinction, since he's using the same musical template he has since Wild Wood, plus the same producer and many of the same musicians. So, Heliocentric sounds very familiar, yet when it reaches its conclusion with the melancholy psychedelic sweep of "Love-Less," it's clear that it feels a lot different than its two immediate predecessors -- it's of a similar quality and emotional tenor as Wild Wood. It's also his strongest record since then, a remarkably sturdy and varied set of songs and performances. Sadness and regret are scattered throughout the album, but there's also humor, affection, and, ultimately, optimism -- three qualities missing on Heavy Soul. Heliocentric has many more musical quirks than its predecessor. Strings grace several songs, plus there are extended jams so psychedelic they're almost prog. There really aren't any rockers, but there's the wonderfully jaunty acoustic number "Sweet Pea, My Sweet Pea," one of his most unaffected and, well, sweetest songs. "A Whale's Tale" is his own spin on a sea ballad, while "Back in the Fire" rolls along on a nearly jazzy beat. Those ever-changing moods keep the record fresh and interesting, yet Heliocentric still winds up sounding part of a piece, since Weller is focused here, as a songwriter and a record-maker, which he hasn't been since Wild Wood. Like that latter-day Weller masterpiece, Heliocentric grows stronger with each spin, as the songs catch hold and details in the production and nuances in the performances reveal themselves. That may not constitute a new direction for Weller, but it's certainly a terrific record that signals a creative rebirth, which is the next best thing.
 
tags: paul weller, heliocentric, 2000, flac,
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Paul Weller - Illumination (2002)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: ISOM 33CD
 
© 2002 Independiente
 Paul Weller doesn't try anything explicitly new on his sixth solo album, Illumination, or at least it seems that way at first. It's firmly grounded in the soulful singer/songwriter style that he etched out on Wild Wood, but there are several subtle differences that give it its own character. As it turns out, Heliocentric was indeed a bit of a creative rebirth, signaling a return to stronger songwriting plus a willingness to play around with the arrangements. During the Stanley Road/Heavy Soul phase, it would have been unthinkable for Weller to loop a horn sample for a song's main hook as he does on "It's Written in the Stars," but he not only does that, he offers it as a lead single. And the horn sample is a good indication of where the sound of Illumination lies. There is little of the British folk and prog overtones of Heliocentric here, and soul takes the center stage; even when a track isn't explicitly soulful, it has a warm, welcoming vibe reminiscent of late-'60s/early-'70s soul. When the album drifts, as it does on the largely instrumental "Spring (At Last)," it's for atmosphere, enhancing the open, warm feel of the record. Even when Weller tears loose on occasion -- flashing violent rage on the rampaging "A Bullet for Everyone," for instance, or fiercely playing his guitar -- it functions as an effective counterpoint, emphasizing the comforting feel of the majority of the album. Best of all, it all feels effortless (unlike, say, the labored efforts of his peer, Elvis Costello, on his 2002 release When I Was Cruel), from the production to the songwriting. This is unlikely to be a huge hit, like Stanley Road, nor will it likely win many new fans, but that's not the point of Illumination. This, like any Weller album, is a snapshot of Weller's mood at the time, and it finds him aging gracefully and appealingly. Anybody who's gone this far with him will surely find it very satisfying.
 
 tags: paul weller, illumination, 2002, flac,
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Masta Killa - No Said Date (2004)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: NSD-108
 
© 2004 Nature Sounds
The long-delayed first solo release from Wu-Tang Clan's Masta Killa (legendary for recording his contributions to "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'" on Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) while in jail) features guest raps and beats by most of the Clan's main members. Unlike a lot of albums where the guy whose name is on the cover sounds like a guest on his own album (paging P. Diddy), this is strictly Masta Killa's party. His aggressive but nimble flow is all over each of these songs, with the guest raps by the rest of the crew -- including Raekwon, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, and Ghostface -- limited to a verse or even just a couple lines at a time. The settings, mostly by the usual Wu-Tang Clan production team of the RZA, True Master, and Mathematics, are mostly utilitarian, keeping the focus on the words, but a couple of inspired samples stand out, particularly the use of the creepy strings from OutKast's "Skrew It On the Bar-B," speeded up slightly to give them an otherworldly atmosphere, on the title track and the brilliant use of the instantly familiar bassline from Quincy Jones' "The Streetbeater" (the Sanford and Son theme) as the basis of "Old Man." In production and supposedly "almost finished" for literally years, No Said Date is worth the wait.
 
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tags: masta killa, no said date, 2004, flac,
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Ice City - Welcome To The Hood (2004)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Gangsta Rap, Pop Rap 
Label Number: SSR 9013
 
© 2004 Sure Shot Records
Seems a little early in his career to be forming a crew, but rapper Freeway has found three adept rappers and Ice City is the result. Face Money, Bars, and Hydro mix well with Freeway on Welcome to the Hood, offering a more straight-ahead style to Freeway's gruff and raspy delivery. The hooks are killer, the production -- by a revolving door of B-list players -- is all the way live, and there's not a lame interlude to be found. "Welcome to the Hood" gives up the glitter and "Ride Up" features Joe Budden and a tension-building chorus, while "Want You Back" puts a slow, relaxed bump in your shoulders. There's not much filler but there's not much point to it all, either. Unnamed sucker MCs get their due, ladies get their come-ons, and the hood is a whole different world, but there's not enough insight to these tired topics to make this a meaty classic. Thugs have sunny, lazy days too, and Welcome to the Hood is the proof. 
 
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tags: ice city, welcome to the hood, 2004, flac,
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