*First pressing on CD.
Contains 10 tracks total.
Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Hi-NRG
Label Number: SPLK-7181
© 1981-1994 Unidisc
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: lime, your love, 1981, flac,
December 30, 2021
Lime - Lime II (1982)
*First pressing on CD.
Contains 12 tracks total.
Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Hi-NRG
Label Number: SPLK-7182
© 1982-1994 Unidisc
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: lime, lime ii, lime 2, 1982, flac,
Lime - Lime 3 (1983)
*First pressing on CD.
Contains 10 tracks total.
Country: Canada
Language: English
Genre: Hi-NRG
Label Number: SPLK-7183
© 1983-1994 Unidisc
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: lime, lime 3, 1983, flac,
OneSideZero - Is This Room Getting Smaller? (2001)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Grunge
Label Number: 9 48057-2
© 2001 Maverick
Hailing from the Bush/Creed school of music, this group is quite polished and shows a lot of potential. The album has an interesting paradox, though. On the one hand, it shows a wide variety of stylistic diversity from the group. However, as the disc carries on, it does begin to take on a sameness. The shining star, though, is that the last two cuts (one of which features a prog-ish jam) pull the disc out of mediocrity just in time.
tags: one side zero, is this room getting smaller, 2001, flac,
OneSideZero - OneSideZero (2007)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Grunge
Label Number: CPP15
© 2007 Corporate Punishment
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
tags: one side zero, onesidezero album, 2007, flac,
Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom It May Concern… (1999)
*Released on CD for the first time in 1999 by B.A.R..
Contains 17 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: BAR-1001
© 1991-1999 B.A.R.
Freestyle Fellowship's first album is a potent glimpse into the subcultural, conscientious side of Los Angeles hip-hop, one that would later be eclipsed by gangsta boogie from the likes of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and all the pretenders who followed in their wake. As such, the joint -- like much of the work from De La Soul, the Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, and other equally diverse artists of the period -- is a snapshot of a burgeoning art form's purity before it capitulated to the market and rolled out its gripload of Kristal and Bentley worshipers. Not that Freestyle Fellowship ever wandered down that path: they were too busy twisting tongues with blissed-out, stream-of-consciousness rhymes -- which is more or less what you'll find, without the hard-hitting beats, on To Whom It May Concern... For example, songs like "Jupiter's Journey" and "Sunshine Men" showcase Self-Jupiter and J. Sumbi's respective rhyme flows, but ignore song structure altogether; basically, you're getting the MC without the DJ, which can get boring after a while. But when they pull it all together and work as a collective (as their name implies), things heat up quickly, like on "Convolutions," a breakneck bebop session that is over all too quickly, or "We Will Not Tolerate" and "Dedications," shout sessions that are truncated versions of songs found on their later (and better) album, Inner City Griots. Which is not to say that To Whom It May Concern... is a snoozer when each rapper works alone. Most of the woefully underrated Aceyalone's tunes are bracing exercises in skill and speed, and Mikah 9 and Self-Jupiter are stellar wordsmiths. But a fellowship functions best when everyone is working together, and there's more evidence of this particular group's promise in its ensuing work.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: freestyle fellowship, to whom it may concern, 1991, 1999, flac,
Freestyle Fellowship - The Promise (2011)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: DCN121
© 2011 Decon/Project Blowed
Golden age hip-hop quintet Freestyle Fellowship took a hiatus between 1993's Inner City Griots and 2001's Temptations, and then took another decade to release their fourth album, The Promise. Following solo stints by the individual MCs, Aceyalone, P.E.A.C.E., Mikah 9, Self-Jupiter, and DJ Kiilu Grand were inspired to reunite after a well-received 2009 reunion show in their home city of Los Angeles. Despite the long gap, they still sound like a tightly bound unit on the mike, delivering tongue-twister versions of abstract scenarios as only Freestyle Fellowship can. Meanwhile, futuristic beats by Black Milk, Eligh, Kenny Segal, and Exile provide an updated setting for the dexterous wordplay.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: freestyle fellowship, the promise, 2011, flac,
Ours - Precious (2002)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 0044-50373-2
© 2002 DreamWorks Records
Echoes of Jeff Buckley persist, but Jimmy Gnecco also takes some big steps forward on his band's sophomore release. Few of his contemporaries sing with the unabashed emotion he brings to every track on Precious. His screeches on "Kill the Band" and falsetto howls over the gentle 6/8 sway of "Places" reflect a willingness to push to the point of hysteria, yet many of the strongest moments occur between such abreactive episodes. In his rendition of the Velvet Underground chestnut "Femme Fatale," Gnecco achieves a kind of trashy elegance, dripping over the words like silk on the shoulders of a glam poseur. And what impresses most on "Broken" isn't the demented shrieking -- it's the space Gnecco traverses to get there from the whispered, introspective opening. The band's sensitivity to his vocals is uncanny, even at ear-bleed levels of intensity; there's much more immediacy to the instrumental tracks than on Distorted Lullabies, thanks in large part to producer Ethan Johns' propulsive drumming. At peak moments, these performances nearly match the standards for catharsis set by John Lennon's Janov-era exorcisms -- and the songs, though heavy with existential import, aren't bad either.
tags: ours, precious, 2002, flac,
Sareem Poems - Black & Read All Over (2009)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: MMGCD004
© 2009 Mello Music Group
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: sareem poems, black and read all over, 2009, flac,
December 29, 2021
KIÏŸÏŸ - Asylum (1985)
*U.S. first pressing.
Contains 10 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 826 099-2 M-1
© 1985 Mercury Records
By 1985, Kiss were a shadow of their former selves. Gone was the raw rock of their not so distant past, as well as their memorable "heavy Beatles" songwriting. In its place was a sound that was too similar to other pop-metal bands at the time, as well as unimaginative, predictable songs, as evidenced on Asylum. The album marked the appearance of Kiss' fourth guitarist in four years, Bruce Kulick -- brother of Bob Kulick, who played as a session guitarist on Alive II, Killers, and Paul Stanley's 1978 solo album -- who had replaced Mark St. John on the 1984-1985 Animalize tour. Besides the popular video/single "Tears Are Falling," Asylum is chock-full of nondescript fluff ("I'm Alive," "Trial by Fire," "Secretly Cruel," "Love's a Deadly Weapon," etc.). Although the band again treads on Spinal Tap territory with "Uh! All Night," several tracks could have benefited greatly from a heavier sound, such as "King of the Mountain," "Any Way You Slice It," and "Who Wants to Be Lonely." Although it attained platinum status, Stanley and Gene Simmons would rightfully dismiss Asylum later on.
tags: kiss, asylum, 1985, flac,
KIÏŸÏŸ - Crazy Nights (1987)
*U.S. first pressing.
Contains 11 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 832-626-2
© 1987 Mercury Records
Just when you thought Kiss couldn't be further removed from their raw rock/metal roots with 1985's lackluster Asylum, the band sinks even further with 1987's popfest Crazy Nights. Kiss were the most unfocused they had ever been by 1987 (the absence of original members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley obviously had something to do with it). They hooked up with producer Ron Nevison, who had recently produced chart-topping records for Heart and Ozzy Osbourne. Keyboards had no business being on a Kiss record, yet they rear their ugly head throughout Crazy Nights. "Turn on the Night," "Reason to Live," the anthemic "Crazy Crazy Nights" (a British Top Ten hit), and perhaps the worst Kiss song ever recorded, "My Way," are all bogged down with keyboards. Still, a song or two does contain music that would be reminiscent of the Kiss of old if it weren't for Nevison's glossy production ("No, No, No," etc.). Rather than being a true hard rock force, a status they had begun to reclaim on 1982's Creatures of the Night and 1983's Lick It Up, Kiss were merely trying to replicate the hit formula of other bands of the day (Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, etc.). As Crazy Nights displays, their lack of success in that area was dire.
tags: kiss, crazy nights, 1987, flac,
KIÏŸÏŸ - Hot In The Shade (1989)
*U.S. first pressing.
Contains 15 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 838 913-2
© 1989 Mercury Records
Realizing that their last albums weren't even close to being in league with their output from the '70s, Kiss made a conscious effort to get back on track with 1989's Hot in the Shade. The group began trying out new material, and was soon forced to issue a record in conjunction with an upcoming tour. Hence, Hot in the Shade is a slight improvement over its flat predecessors (Asylum, Crazy Nights) -- but not by much. The songwriting is still unfocused, but at least the keyboards that plagued Crazy Nights had thankfully been put away, and the production isn't as pop-oriented as most of their other '80s albums. The album did spawn Kiss' first Top Ten single in ten years with the syrupy ballad "Forever," but again, the group missed the mark by padding the album with lots of filler ("You Love Me to Hate You," "Love's a Slap in the Face," "Cadillac Dreams," etc.). Also included were a couple of obvious attempts at hit singles ("Rise to It" and the dreadful "Hide Your Heart"), and a track that sounds like a total ripoff of Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me," titled "Read My Body." Drummer Eric Carr's only lead vocal on a Kiss record, "Little Caesar," is one of the album's few bright spots, but Hot in the Shade unfortunately proved to be Carr's last album with Kiss; he died from cancer in 1991.
tags: kiss, hot in the shade, 1989, flac,
Ash - Free All Angels (Limited Edition) (2001)
*U.S. limited edition.
Contains 1 bonus track. 14 tracks total.
Bonus DVD not included.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 67728-54715-2
© 2001 Kinetic/Home Grown
This is a happy kick, with big guitars and big attack and onrushing energy, and it's no tedious retro punk record, either. Seven years out of high school, and high a-top the Brit charts in their teens, the mid-20s Irish boys (and English girl) haven't lost any of their pop (either sense of the word). No, they've stepped it up a notch, while adding layers of a post-Nirvana/Jesus & Mary Chain firewall that sounds modern. Most of all, leader Tim Wheeler's sunny melodies, so rare for music this aggressive and harsh, come to him so unequivocally that he should have to donate the excess he wrote for this LP to some public trust. Free's high-action burners would make anyone want to sing: big wall-bangers like the utterly panting, lascivious "Cherry Bomb," the 1964 Beach Boys-inspired "Pacific Palisades," the dashed love of "Nicole," the bravado of "World Domination," the Undertones-esque "Walking Barefoot," the nasty edge of "Shark," and most of all, this LP's out and out bomb, the well-titled "Burn Baby Burn." In the spirit of Hüsker Dü, China Drum, Compulsion, and Replacements, these songs are hard-hitting yet in the pocket -- and Ash adds its trademark youthful enthusiasm, shining out of these grooves like a signal flare. And to keep Free from getting samey, they add some full-on dreampop in the single "Shining Light," and lull-out in the sublime strings-comely "Someday," "There's a Star," and the demure, purring "Sometimes." And as a changeup, there's the way-kinky, dance-groove rumpshaker, "Submission," with drummer Rick McMurray and bassist Mark Hamilton pounding the funky rock groove like a sped up Stone Roses' Mani and Reni. These flavors insure that the bursting crank-up of the bangers are that much more electrifying. Ash are even more hot-rod now with more experience. They're a great rock 'n' roll band by any measure.
tags: ash, free all angels, limited edition, 2001, flac,
Ash - Meltdown (2004)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: 5050467319721
© 2004 Infectious/Home Grown
By Meltdown, Ash were establishing a pattern: each odd-numbered album has been a difficult, rockier affair, while each even-numbered album showed off their sublimely poppy side. So this being their fifth record, it's easy to guess where Meltdown falls -- and if you still hadn't figured it out, just check out the faux-metal cover art! Fans of the unexpectedly great comeback Free All Angels might be worried that this is a return to the minor stumble that was the dark and difficult Nu-Clear Sounds -- the last "rock" album -- but thankfully Meltdown bursts with the hooks and little musical flourishes that have made the more mature Ash records such a treat, and has little of the meandering malaise that marred Nu-Clear Sounds. Lead single "Orpheus" sets the tone -- while the verses rage with '70s metal-derived licks, the choruses burst with one of the sunniest and catchiest tunes that Tim Wheeler and company have ever committed to tape. So while "Clones" and the awkwardly political title track rage as hard as anything they've ever recorded -- and admittedly sound a bit more AC/DC than Undertones -- there's plenty of good songwriting, like on the sweet (really) "Evil Eye," the staccato guitar work on the verses of "Renegade Cavalcade," or the honest-to-goodness string-laden power ballad "Starcrossed." The real shame is that Kinetic Records went broke just before the album was to be released, again robbing the U.S. of a timely release. But Meltdown's quality justifies a hefty import price tag: it's a surprisingly strong and assured record, the kind that -- while not the highest point of the band's catalog -- will help shore up their building legacy as one of the most consistent bands to emerge from the British Isles in the '90s.
tags: ash, meltdown, 2004, flac,
Ash - Twilight of The Innocents (2007)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
Label Number: 2564698565
© 2007 Infectious Records
Their last release before becoming one of the first bands to abandon the concept of the traditional studio album, Twilight of the Innocents is also Northern Irish outfit Ash's first new material since the departure of Charlotte Hatherley. Recording as a trio for the first time since their mid-'90s number one 1977, their sixth LP wisely avoids attempting to recapture the raw energy and punk-pop sound of their teens, and instead focuses on a mature, emotive, and cinematic direction which showcases frontman Tim Wheeler's underrated songwriting abilities. There are still flashes of the Californian hair metal leanings of its predecessor, Meltdown, such as the crunching riffs on the muscular "Blacklisted," and the Guitar Hero-style solos on the ska-tinged "Ritual," while their indie rock credentials still remain fully intact, as displayed on the anthemic opening number "I Started a Fire," which recalls the raucous blues of Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire," and the grungy Foo Fighters-esque "Shattered Glass." But elsewhere, Twilight of the Innocents feels like it should have been the natural successor to 2001's return to form, Free All Angels, thanks to its blend of high-octane power pop (the thumping indie-disco of "You Can't Have It All," the driving "Palace of Excess"), melodic midtempos (the jangly "Dark and Stormy," the Brill Building-ish "Shadows"), and widescreen orchestral ballads, (the gorgeous piano-led "Polaris," arguably their finest single, and the epic prog rock inspired closing title track). Wheeler's lackluster vocals remain a constant hindrance, his thin, reedy tones often struggling to make any impact above Michael Brauer's emphatic production, while the formulaic "End of the World" sounds like a lazy retread of early hit "Goldfinger." But overall, Twilight of the Innocents is a reassuringly strong collection of potential hits which, as the band claim, turns out to be their last conventional album, it's a pretty accomplished swansong.
tags: ash, twilight of the innocents, 2007, flac,
Ash - Kablammo! (2015)
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
Label Number: 0210394EMU
© 2015 Ear Music/Atomic Heart Records
When they first arrived in 1994, Ash's energy couldn't be denied. They sounded like the teenagers they were, something that gave their records considerable kick, but such enthusiasm was bound to wane as they grew older. Certainly, Kablammo! -- a record that arrives 21 years after Trailer -- has a different feel than the band's mid-'90s work even though Ash stay true to their enduring love of punk-pop and classic guitar pop, a decision that can't help but focus attention on how they've turned into expert craftsmen. It's not just that they're fine songwriters, either. Kablammo! is nicely paced, bursting out of the gates with big hooks and thunder beats, finding space to breathe with an instrumental called "Evel Knievel" (a neo-surf number that keeps the '90s nostalgia humming by seeming tailor-made for the Pulp Fiction soundtrack), then ending with a pair of bittersweet elegies. It's a record that moves briskly and knows how to entertain, testament to the fact that Ash have moved from spunky carriers of the flame to a well-seasoned old guard. What they lack in adolescent kick they more than compensate with savvy, smarts, and muscle, sounding like passionate survivors who are happy to fight for what they love in an era that takes such spirit for granted.
tags: ash, kablammo, 2015, flac,
Various Artists - Connected (1998)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: T21 CD 1000
© 1998 3-2-1 Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: various artists, connected, 1998, flac,
E.G. Daily - Wild Child (1985) ☠
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hi-NRG
Label Number: 395 081-2
☠: Selected by Lass
© 1985 A&M Records
E.G. Daily is a perfect example of an artist whose biggest hit is not representative of her overall output. When people think of Daily, they think of her 1986 single "Say It, Say It" -- a very Madonna-ish R&B/pop gem. It isn't surprising that "Say It, Say It" is as Madonna-ish as it is; the song was produced by Jellybean Benitez (who is known for his work with the Material Girl), and it was co-written by Stephen Bray (another person with a strong Madonna connection). But anyone who heard Daily's debut album, Wild Child, learned that most of the songs are neither urban contemporary nor dance-pop; overall, Wild Child is a pop/rock album. The LP's most dance-oriented tracks are "Say It, Say It" and an inspired cover of Donna Summer's 1979 classic "Sunset People," which has a strong Euro-dance flavor. Daily updates the tune, making it relevant to the hi-NRG scene of 1986. But the rest of the tracks are straight-up pop/rock; that is true whether Daily's producer is Harold Faltermeyer on "Love in the Shadows" and "Is Anybody Home?" or Keith Forsey on "Waiting." In the 1980s, Faltermeyer was no stranger to dance-pop -- in fact, he produced Daily's "Sunset People" remake. But "Love in the Shadows" and "Is Anybody Home?" are fine examples of what he can do as a pop/rock producer. It should be noted that "Say It, Say It" is the only song on Wild Child that Benitez produced; although Daily was a big fan of dance-pop, she didn't want to be labeled a dance diva. And those who heard everything on Wild Child realized that urban and dance-pop only account for about 20% of this promising debut.
tags: eg daily, wild child, 1985, flac,
Various Artists - One Big Trip (2002)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: 230107-2
© 2002 Hiero Imperium
The soundtrack to a road movie (included as a seperate DVD disc), One Big Trip is an impressive collection of some of the finest underground hip-hop acts of the moment. The Hieroglyphics, the all-star crew that includes Del tha Funkee Homosapien, produced and compiled the album, and appear on four tracks, as well as a solo cut by Del. All are superb, showing much improvement over the sometimes uneven quality of the first Hieroglyphics album. Similarly, Jurassic 5's opener, "Verbal Gunfight," is first-rate. What's more, the album is impeccably sequenced, so Dan the Automator's instrumental dance cut flows seamlessly with the Dilated Peoples and Swollen Members contributions, which are much darker and use chilling piano loops and vocals. Even the more party-flavored cuts -- such as Lootpack's "Movies 2 Groupies" -- have first-rate production that allows them to fit in seamlessly with the more underground tracks. One Big Trip will please anyone looking for smart, well-crafted hip-hop.
* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.
tags: various artists, one big trip, 2002, flac,
Various Artists - Love & Basketball (Music From The Motion Picture) (2000)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B, Hip-Hop
Label Number: NLR 9001-2
© 2000 Overbrook Music/New Line Records
A touching and fascinating film, Love and Basketball also has a solid soundtrack. Songs like MeShell Ndege'ocello's "Fool of Me" help punctuate this story of childhood friends who love each other almost as much as they love the game of basketball. Other highlights of the soundtrack include songs from MC Lyte, Al Green, and Rufus.
tags: various artists, love and basketball, music from the motion picture, ost, soundtrack, 2000, flac,
Various Artists - Black & White: Music From & Inspired By The Motion Picture (2000)
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop, R&B
Label Number: CK 62197
© 2000 Loud Records
Black and White makes a good argument for rap music's ability to maintain the thread of a film's themes and play less the role of an MC-studded ticket-pusher. That's not to say the big guns featured on the album, like Raekwon, Prodigy, the late Big Pun, and Xzibit, don't command your attention. The record cleverly opens with the hum of a movie projector followed by the deadpan delivery of the line "Black and White? So, we movie-settin'?," which sets the pace for a fangs-bared montage of politically charged manifestoes aimed at jersey-wearing wannabes.
It's the player-haters and fakers that get the brunt of this 13-track beating. Queen Pen's "You'll Never Be Better Than Me" combines fierce rock-tinged guitar riffs with harsh words for those who'd try to accessorize the toughest elements of African-American culture, while the American Cream Team gives the "Middle Finger Attitude," recalling a confrontation in the movie between Italian mobsters moving in on the nightclub turf of rap gangsters. Prodigy of Mobb Deep keeps the peace with the laid-back tempo and swooping violins of "Don't Be a Follower," along with other more temperate tracks, such as the sampled harpsichord and sweet beats of Black and White co-star Raekwon's "Wake Up" and Big Pun's "Dramacide" with Kool G Rap and turntablists the X-ecutioners.
tags: various artists, black and white, music from and inspired by the motion picture, ost, soundtrack, 2000, flac,
