July 03, 2022

Canibus - 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus) (2000)

By 
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: 012 159 054-2

© 2000 Crazy World/Universal Records
Thanks to a legendary feud with LL Cool J, Canibus was thrust on the hip-hop scene with so much hoopla you would have sworn he was being promoted by Don King. But after being labeled the next Rakim, Canibus' enigmatic debut, Can-I-Bus, was such a major disappointment it left the masses chanting a slogan Public Enemy made famous over a decade ago -- "Don't Believe The Hype." With his sophomore effort, 2000 B.C., Canibus remains a lightning rod for controversy, as he continues to chastise his arch nemesis LL. But Canibus also adds a new name to his hit list, as the LP's blazing title track contains a scornful diss of Wyclef: "You mad at the last album I apologize for it, I can't call it m************ Wyclef spoiled it." Though there is some validity to that claim, airing beefs like the one directed at his former mentor reek of irony. While the rugged drum tracks provided by a largely unknown squad of producers are more conducive to Canibus' cold and calculated flow then the melodic palette of Wyclef's, it is virtually a wash in terms of quality. Yet, there is no disputing that Canibus is an MC's MC. His authoritative vocals demand immediate attention and his brutal array of battle rhymes are utterly breathtaking: "100 Bars" and "Lyrical Modulation." While the pugilistic MC shows growth as an artist, Canibus' vast potential remains largely unrealized thanks to bland production.

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tags: canibus, 2000 bc before canibus, 2000, flac,
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Canibus - Mic Club: The Curriculum (2002)

By No comments
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: MCB 7120

© 2002 Mic Club Music
Four years removed from the flash-in-the-pan success of "Second Round K.O.," Canibus seems to have finally come to terms with his has-been status on Mic Club: The Curriculum, where he emphasizes heady rhyming rather than his pointed dis tracks of the past. The first two hard-hitting tracks, "Poet Laureate" and "Master Thesis," illustrate this well. Canibus had always been a thoughtful rapper with a gift for bookish wordplay, even if he'd garnered much more attention for his battling skills as displayed previously on "Second Round K.O." (pointed at LL Cool J) and "Stan Lives!" (at Eminem). Other tracks here like "Cenoir Studies 02" and "Dr. C Ph.D" similarly boast an educated demeanor, and Canibus teams up with fellow street intellectual Kool G Rap on "Allied Meta Forces." Given the shortage of hardcore yet scholarly rappers out there, Canibus offers a refreshing alternative to his bestial hardcore peers as well as his boringly behaved scholarly ones and presents himself as a proud, true anomaly.

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tags: canibus, mic club the curriculum, 2002, flac,
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Various Artists - CD86: 48 Tracks From The Birth of Indie Pop (2006) ☠

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Pop, Indie Rock
Label Number: CMEDD1420
             *****
☠: Selected by Lass
© 2006 Castle Music/Sanctuary Records
In 1986, the British music weekly NME issued a cassette dubbed C-86, which included a number of bands -- the Wedding Present, Primal Scream and the Pastels among them -- influenced in equal measure by the jangly guitar pop of the Smiths, the three-chord naïveté of the Ramones and the nostalgic sweetness of the girl group era. Also dubbed "anorak pop" and "shambling" by trainspotters, C-86 quickly emerged as a cause célèbre within the hype-fueled Britsh press, and though the music's moment in the spotlight proved short-lived, it influenced hordes of upcoming bands on both sides of the Atlantic who absorbed the scene's key lessons of simplicity and honesty to stunning effect. While the two-disc compilation CD86 fails to reprise the original C-86 cassette in its entirely, this is nevertheless a vital and far-reaching overview of a singular moment in time when boy-girl harmonies, lovelorn lyrics and infectious melodies were again paragons of hip -- and unlike so many other flavors-of-the-month, the 48 songs here still sound fresh, even timeless in their unaffected and unadorned brilliance. Highlights include the Dentists' "I Had an Excellent Dream," the Sea Urchins' "Pristine Christine" and Talulah Gosh's "Talulah Gosh."

tags: various artists, cd86 48 tracks from the birth of indie pop, 2006, flac,
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July 02, 2022

Motörhead - Hammered (2002)

By No comments
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label Number: 06076-85229-2

© 2002 Metal-Is-Records
Unlike many of the band's contemporaries, Motörhead manages to still release lean and mean rock records, while keeping the songs simple rather than adding some electronic accompaniment or trying to be current or hip. Many of the other bands from Motörhead's era might still be worth checking out live (Iron Maiden, AC/DC), but each of those groups' new albums is almost always more forgettable than the last. In Hammered's "Walk a Crooked Mile," Motörhead has written at least one more classic to add to the band's large number of hits, which could easily fill a double CD. Epic in length and with a cool bassline courtesy of Motörhead main dude Lemmy Kilmister, "Walk a Crooked Mile" has a bit of a punk edge to it like a lot of Motörhead's tunes, but it also closes with a stylish '80s-style metal guitar solo. The rest of the material does not veer from the usual Motörhead formula, but it's all played dirty and in the gutter, and will undoubtedly appeal to Motörhead's dedicated fan base.

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Motörhead - Inferno (2004)

By No comments
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label Number: 06076-85241-2

© 2004 Metal-Is Records
Like AC/DC, Motörhead rarely stray from their niche, crafting reliable records from a punk metal template that began in 1977 with their self-titled debut. Inferno is no exception, as the sum of its parts does little to deviate from the formula. Opening with the blistering "Terminal Show" -- marking the first of two appearances by guitar legend Steve Vai -- Lemmy, Philip, and Mikkey burn through 12 raucous blues-rock fist-pumpers with the energy of a trio of wily twentysomethings. Lemmy's gruff vocal style is ageless; as "f*ck you" now as it was on "Ace of Spades." All of the classic Motörhead themes are present; there's sticking-it-to-the-man ("Life's a Bitch"), murder and death ("Smiling Like a Killer"), and sex (the surprise back porch acoustic jam "Whorehouse Blues"). For a band as seasoned as Motörhead, churning out the same record over and over again isn't that big of a deal, as their skillful execution is more than equal to the material, but it would be cool to introduce a dark horse now and then. Inferno won't win over any new fans, but the group's legions of supporters will happily pick out their four or five favorite tracks and wait for the next installment.

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Motörhead - We Are Motörhead (2000)

By No comments
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label Number: 06076 86292-2

© 2000 CMC International Records
The '90s witnessed a surprising and somewhat overlooked renaissance for Lemmy Kilmister and Motörhead, starting with 1991's 1916. The follow-up, March or Die, was woefully subpar and overly commercial, and many dismissed 1916 as a fluke and gave the band up for dead. However, Motörhead then embarked on a run of quality albums for smaller, lower-profile labels; Bastards, Sacrifice, and Overnight Sensation were surprisingly consistent, written and performed with conviction in the classic Motörhead style. The band slipped a bit with 1998's Snake Bite Love, but have thankfully stormed into the new millennium in top form. We Are Motörhead maintains the generally high standard of the band's second decade, and while there aren't many speed-freak theatrics (exception: opener "See Me Burning"), the grimy attitude that's always driven their best work is fully intact. Pared back down to a trio, Kilmister and company deliver a tight, blistering set that's both well-executed and typical of Motörhead's long since established sound. There are no real revelations here, except perhaps that Kilmister still hasn't lost anything to age; of course, longtime fans will be happy to have yet another fine Motörhead record to add to the collection.

tags: motorhead, we are motorhead, 2000, flac,
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Positively Black - Positively Black (1989)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: SED 21630

© 1989 Select/Trumpet
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

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Vision Quest - Verbal Sights (1999) ☠

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: FE629859-01
☠: Selected by Sentinel
© 1999 Fuzion Entertainment
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I Got You On Tape - I Got You On Tape (2006)

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Country: Denmark
Language: English
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: TRBL 115

© 2006 Trouble Songs/Auditorium
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: i got you on tape, i got you on tape album, 2006, flac,
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Bob Schneider - The Californian (2006)

By No comments
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: 79813-2

© 2006 Shockorama Records
Though the Austin musician Bob Schneider has made his name performing the kind of smart, melodic, emotive songs normally associated with sensitive singer-songwriters, THE CALIFORNIAN finds him ditching this tag in favor of harder-rocking material. In a torrent of sharply observed lyrical imagery, the frantic "Party At the Neighbors" and "Game Plan"'s Elvis Costello-style paranoia both mine Schneider's wilder side, while the good-timey "Mix It Up" and the heavy riffing title track conjure non other than vintage Aerosmith.

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Various Artists - Vision Quest: Original Sound Track of The Warner Bros. Motion Picture (1985)

By No comments
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop, Pop Rock, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Label Number: 9 24063-2

© 1985 Geffen Records
If you don't have eclectic taste in music, soundtracks can present a problem. Sometimes a soundtrack will focus on one style of music exclusively, but most of the time, a director will use any types of music he/she finds useful -- regardless of genre. The director's job isn't catering to those who limit themselves to one genre of music -- it's selecting any music that enables him/her to tell the story well. So if a director finds that everything from heavy metal to R&B to adult contemporary helps him/her tell a story, you could end up with a very diverse soundtrack. To fully appreciate the soundtrack for the 1985 film Vision Quest, you need to appreciate a variety of music. Fans of arena rock and pop/rock will appreciate Foreigner's "Hot Blooded" (which goes back to 1978, and is the LP's oldest offering), Sammy Hagar's "I'll Fall in Love Again," and Red Rider's "Lunatic Fringe," while heavy metal lovers will get into Dio's "Hungry for Heaven." But listeners will need an appreciation of dance-pop and R&B if they're going to get into the Style Council's '70s-minded "Shout to the Top" and Madonna's "Gambler" (an ultra-infectious gem that, unfortunately, isn't on any of the Material Girl's CDs). "Gambler" is one of those songs that should have been a major hit but wasn't, whereas "Crazy for You" (the soundtrack's other Madonna recording) soared to the top of the pop charts. This LP isn't recommended to either pop/rock or R&B/dance snobs, but it's worth picking up if you have eclectic tastes.

tags: various artists, vision quest, original sound track of the warner bros motion picture, ost, soundtrack, 1985, flac,
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July 01, 2022

Gunshot - Patriot Games (1993)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hip-Hop
Style: Britcore
Label Number: STEAM 43CD

© 1993 Vinyl Solution
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

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Gunshot - Twilights Last Gleaming (1997)

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: WOWCD51

© 1997 Words of Warning
The London speed rappers slowed down their flow for second album Twilights Last Gleaming, shifting focus to the lyrics instead of the delivery. Backed by dense productions influenced by the Bomb Squad, the change works to their advantage on highlights like "Ghetto Heartbeat." Although the rhymes are still incredibly dexterous by anyone's standard (and the beats are as heavy as ever), it's what the group's saying that's really important on the album.

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tags: gunshot, twilights last gleaming, 1997, flac,
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Dark Circle - Civilians (2003) ☠

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: JFR035
☠: Selected by Sentinel
© 2003 Jazz Fudge
*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: dark circle, civilians, 2003, flac,
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Joy Division - Still (1981)

By No comments
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: New Wave, Post Punk
Label Number: 830 684-2

© 1981-1987 Factory/PolyGram
Ian Curtis' death prompted a flood of bootlegs and similar "tributes," likely motivated more by profit than anything else. Seeking to trump this problem -- though arguably coming from much the same standpoint -- Factory issued Still in 1981, a haphazard if still useful collection of odds, ends, and more. Considering that the band's many singles weren't properly compiled until much later on Substance, Still makes only partial sense -- the studio cuts were mostly outtakes, while the live songs had their own problems. Of the studio takes, only two tracks had seen formal release beforehand -- the mesmerizing post-punk meets R&B groove of "Glass" and the searing "Dead Souls," certainly both worthy of even more listens. Beyond that, things were more hit and miss, with strong instrumental performances given to slightly indifferent songs and vice versa. The anthemic "Something Must Break" is one of the best, while the nervous "Ice Age" is an agreeable enough thrash and "The Only Mistake" a melodramatic but still effective effort. Other numbers like "The Sound of Music" and the heavily compressed pound of "Walked in Line" sound more like sketches on the way to becoming truly great songs. A live ringer concludes the studio half, a fair enough take on the Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray" (at under half the length) which concludes with Curtis' wry joke, "You should hear our version of 'Louie, Louie'!" The remainder of Still is a rather morbid gift for fans -- a middling recording of the final Joy Division show, mere days before Curtis' death. A fierce, invigorating rip through "Ceremony," formally recorded later as New Order's first single, suffers from Curtis' vocal going missing at the start, while the remainder of the show finds the singer either too detached or too harsh, the other musicians doing an OK but not great job themselves. The takes on "New Dawn Fades" and "Decades" in particular tarnish rather than enhance Joy Division's memory.

tags: joy division, still, 1981, flac,
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Mike + The Mechanics - Beggar On a Beach of Gold (1995)

By No comments
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Pop Rock, Pop
Label Number: 82738-2

© 1995 Atlantic Records
Mike + the Mechanics found themselves with faltering sales for Word of Mouth and for good reason, too; much of the album was filled with formulaic ballads and mediocre writing. With Beggar on a Beach of Gold, Mike Rutherford helped confront this problem by extending the songwriting duties, writing with Paul Carrack and producer Christopher Neil, as well as continuing his collaboration with B.A. Robertson. Thus, songs such as the upbeat numbers "Over My Shoulder" and "Another Cup of Coffee" effectively push past the band's formula with the musicians sounding looser than on previous records. "Plain and Simple" even has some loud guitars. Lyrically, the band has extended themselves as well. "The Ghost of Sex and You" and "Someone Always Hates Someone" approach serious questions about life and relationships without succumbing to adult contemporary clichés. The production has also nicely updated Mike and the Mechanics' sound with electronic loops and keyboard effects, adding a spring to the band's step. While such safe nods to electronica will not impress many younger fans, it should excite the group's core audience, which is a bit older. In the end, although the band does not completely avoid bland material here, this is a surprisingly nice creative turn in the road for a group many counted out.

tags: mike and the mechanics, beggar on a beach of gold, 1995, flac,
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Dynamic Syncopation - In The Red (2002) ☠

By ,
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: ZENCD69
☠: Selected by Sentinel
© 2002 Ninja Tune
Producers Johnny Cuba and the Loop Professor are the motivating force behind Dynamic Syncopation's hard-hitting, high-octane sound. Part of South London's prosperous hip-hop scene, Dynamic Syncopation sounds confident and capable on In the Red. The 14 tracks here pit an eclectic mix of British and American MCs against Dynamic Syncopation's punchy, fast-paced compositions with, for the most part, satisfactory results; the few uneven moments are definitely the exception rather than the rule. The supple production keeps things moving, and in its best moments -- "My Verse First," featuring English duo Phi Life Cypher, or "Imagine That," featuring old-school legend Chill Rob G. -- the results are impeccable.

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Dynamic Syncopation - Dynamism (1999) ☠

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Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: ZEN CD43
☠: Selected by Sentinel
© 1999 Ninja Tune
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Joe Jackson - Look Sharp! (2001 Remastered Edition)

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*Reissued and remastered in 2001 by A&M Records. 
Contains 2 bonus tracks. 13 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: New Wave
Label Number: 314 586 194-2

© 1979-2001 A&M Records
A brilliant, accomplished debut, Look Sharp! established Joe Jackson as part of that camp of angry, intelligent young new wavers (i.e., Elvis Costello, Graham Parker) who approached pop music with the sardonic attitude and tense, aggressive energy of punk. Not as indebted to pub rock as Parker and Costello, and much more lyrically straightforward than the latter, Jackson delivers a set of bristling, insanely catchy pop songs that seethe with energy and frustration. Several deal with the lack of thoughtful reflection in everyday life ("Sunday Papers," "Got the Time"), but many more concern the injuries and follies of romance. In the caustic yet charming witticisms of songs like the hit "Is She Really Going Out With Him?," "Happy Loving Couples," "Fools in Love," and "Pretty Girls," Jackson presents himself on the one hand as a man of integrity seeking genuine depth in love (and elsewhere), but leavens his stance with a wry, self-effacing humor, revealing his own vulnerability to loneliness and to purely physical attraction. Look Sharp! is the sound of a young man searching for substance in a superficial world -- and it also happens to rock like hell.

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Freddie Foxxx - Freddie Foxxx Is Here (1989)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: MCAD-6352

© 1989 MCA Records
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Cloak N Dagga - Def Con Zero (2005)

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Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: FKCD 8813

© 2005 Head Trauma/First Kut Organization
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Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - The Best of OMD (1988)

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*European pressing. 
Contains 18 tracks total. 
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Synth Pop
Label Number: CDOMD 1

© 1988 Virgin Records
Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys make up Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, who were responsible for some of the catchiest and brightest synth pop that the '80s had to offer. O.M.D.'s material was a step above other keyboard pop music of the time, thanks to the combination of intelligently crafted hooks and colorful rhythms that bounced and jittered with pristine charm. Their squeaky-clean brilliancy initiated by both their synthesizers and subdued yet attractive vocal styles gave them a more mature sound over bands like Duran Duran and A Flock of Seagulls, who were attracting a younger audience. The Best of O.M.D. is an excellent compilation of their polished music, starting out with less provocative material like the basic electronic wash of "Electricity" and the bare but ebullient fervor of "Enola Gay." As this set moves along, so does the craftiness of their work, which is evident on tighter sounding songs like "Tesla Girls" and "Locomotion," where the intricacy of their formula begins to take a more resounding shape. O.M.D.'s best work came from 1985's Crush album, which harbored the midnight airiness found in "So in Love" as well as the adolescent innocence that streamed its way through "Secret," which are two of the best tracks on this set. Even though "If You Leave" was the highlight of Pretty in Pink's soundtrack, its adult feel and smooth transition from stanza to chorus makes it their most memorable song. With only four singles reaching the Top 40 in the '80s, all included here, the 18 tracks that make up this compilation prove that O.M.D.'s music was far more consistent and illuminating than the charts represent.

tags: omd, the best of omd, 1988, flac,
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