Album Reviews
Holographic Universe | Scar Symmetry
It’s been a long while since I posted on some heavy metal. Metal really does dominate my music library, and seems I’m not justly representing that statement. I guess I just didn’t want to overwhelm Nirav with too much screaming and speed guitar. I recently came across Scar Symmetry from another music aficionado at school. Between his recommendation and two whole 30-second clips… the purchase was already made.
Street Signs | Ozomatli
Using over three languages to compose their verses and stanzas, Ozomatli sounds like an international band and rap group. But they are actually from our good ol’ state of California. The 10-piece band, composed of multi ethnic members, use their family cultures and languages to compose their music. Ozomatli to me is the best collaboration of rock, hip hop, jazz, funk, and salsa that I’ve ever heard in my life. And I’m generally not a fan when an artist even tries to mix 2 genres. If only latin influenced music sounded more like Ozomatli instead of reggaeton, how different would the world be?!?
Boney James
If his music played in elevators, I might actually go out and get myself a job. Boney James has made jazz and the saxophone totally cool again. It’s soothing, its hip, and I’m sure it can help get the girls!
1st Born Second | Bilal
Though he’s been on countless artists’ albums, Bilal only has one album to call his own. 1st Born Second (2001) is a good mix of Bilal’s collaboration skills as well as his solo abilities. He can hit some high notes that I thought were impossible to reach by the male species.
Self-Titled | Days of the New
How often does heavy rock band let the acoustic guitar take the lead? How often does a band with a few hit singles actually produce a great album in entirety? The answer is essentially never to both of those questions. I’d put Days of the New along side The Toadies in terms of stealth. We heard their singles so often that we just naturally assumed they were no good. We assumed wrong.
Escape/Restart | Radius system
I came across Radius system only a few months ago. Their album caught my eye again today, I listened to it twice, and got the inspiration to spread the good news. As I do for all my posts, I check out the band’s website and do a little bit of research… but poignant only vaguely describes the feeling I get when I remember that making great music isn’t enough to keep the dream alive. As of August 27th, 2008, Radius system announced the project is over. They’re offering their album as a free download… get it while you still can!
Grace | Jeff Buckley
I know I’ve mentioned Jeff Buckley before in my Strongest Voices in Rock post, but his voice was just too phenomenal to actually think his music deserved just a passing mention. Sometimes he played alternative, straight-up rock, blues, or even folk. But what remained constant throughout was his amazing voice.
Crime of the Century | Supertramp
There’s definitely a few surprises lurking in my music collection. Take a look at my Favorite’s page. You’ll get a pretty good idea of a particular style of music that really hits it home for me. But it’s impossible for any quick list to account for all the outliers… and they often don’t account for any at all. I’ve let a few of these outliers out here and there, and now seems as good as time as any for another.
Subject | Dwele
If you’ve heard of Dwele, its most probably in reference to when he sang the hooks for Kanye West’s song Flashing Lights on Graduation (2007). That was Dwele’s official break, though he had a few singles that made it into the radio waves and DJ booths far before. My introduction to this obnoxious soul artist was in 2003 when I was in college and heard Find A Way playing at a D.C. lounge. That introduced me to a neosoul, laid back, and conscious artist who produced a solid soul album entitled Subject (2003).
Colors | Between the Buried and Me
To give you an idea of my initial reaction to this album, during my first listen, 1) I laughed out loud a couple times, 2) I said “wow” a few times (either out loud or in my head), and 3) I had already started writing this review before the album had even ended.
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