Frenchy’s Fracas

General Description
Artist/Band: Justin Timberlake
Album Title: FutureSex/LoveSounds
Year: 2006

Twice shy?
 
How I Got Into This Music
First single from his Justified album took me by surprise: a boy band nobody doing serious pop, produced by the Neptunes, how can that be?
I just didn’t know what to think.. Second and third single came out and I knew I had to give that record a listen. The element of surprise worked for 4 or 5 tracks but the other ones weren’t that good. Still, I was curious for whatever this guy was producing. His incredible track on Sergio Mendes’ Timeless showed the quality of a real performer.
And now, his second album is out.. Logical progression or ??

Album info at Answers.com || Album review at artistsdirect.com || Google: Other reviews of this album

Tracks that got my attention:
Futuresex/Lovesound
Title track. Took me quite a while to get used to the sound, the groove and beats. There’s this Another One Bites the Dust effect on the bass groove, catchy.

Sexyback
First single off the album - can’t get used to it. It sure as hell is different than what I kinda expected, but that’s okay with me

Sexy Ladies/Let Me Talk to You Prelude
That bass is what makes it work for me on this track. Timbaland’s production value is working its stuff here..

My Love
Second single, so typical of this album: can’t put my finger on it, great yet disappointing

Lovestoned/I Think She Knows Interlude
First part of the track’s full of dance energy. Second part, nothing subtle about it

Chop Me Up
Horrible, horrible.. First time I’ve been able to categorize this guy as a wigger. And that’s not fair, but this track really gets on my nerves

Damn Girl
Annoying Will.I.Am featuring on this excellent track, full credits for the Old Soul Vibe they’ve produced on this track

Until the End of Time
Already labeled as the new King Of Pop and he still wants more: great beat sample of Prince’s Purple Rain era.

(Another Song) All Over Again
A very mature track, but what really knocked my socks off was finding out who the producer was: one of this sweet earth’s most important and influential producers of the last two decades, Rick Rubin

Take Away Your Love
Shit, close your eyes and you get that Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Debarge feeling - scary how well produced this track sounds. And Timberlake’s no slouch either..

Pose ft. Snoop Dogg
Nasty lyrics, great beat and of course long-time collaborator Snoop on this funky bonus track

Floatin’ ft. Charlie Wilson
Like the previous track, Floatin’ is more like the tracks of the first album - love it!

Conclusion
Respect. Sounds cheesy, but the guy keeps on taking risks and on this album there are plenty taken: no Neptunes, no reusing of the success formula of the previous album, more Dirty South influences. Some work, some really, really don’t. Timbaland seems to be the main influence and that works quite well, but I kinda miss the Neptunes on this album. It takes guts to take these risks and even though I preferred the debut album, the FutureSex/LoveSounds album is a great follow-up. I just wonder if it’ll be just as successfull.. It’s kinda weird that I enjoyed the bonus tracks more than the album itself.

Rating:

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General Description
Artist/Band: Pharrell Williams
Album Title: In My Mind
Year: 2006

Finally..
 
How I Got Into This Music
It took quite some time for this guy’s album to come out, but it’s finally here: Pharrel Williams’ In My Mind. For those not in the know: this artist/producer is one half of the famous The Neptunes. I really have enjoyed the work they’ve produced these last five years; I’m sure that one in ten songs that have hit the top of the pop charts in that period has been produced by these guys, and that’s really scary.
Now this album’s been delayed so many times that I almost gave up on ever hearing it, and I was curious to see if the waiting took all the possible enjoyment out of this album.

Album credits at artistdirect.com || Google Search: Other reviews of In My Mind ||

Tracks that got my attention:
Can I Have It Like That ft. Gwen Stefani
Wow!! This track was the first single release and it showed the great potential I’d expect from this artist. Just listen very closely to all the different low-spectrum sounds, the mix of samples and the great hook. Stefani’s being paid for one single line I guess.. Pharrell’s not very strong on the lyrics, tho.

How Does It Feel?
A typical Takes A While To Get Use To track. Just didn’t get used to it, nope.

Raspy Shit
Reminds me of Faith Evans’ “Mesmerized” track. Great chorus, catchy.

Best Friend
One of the two sublime tracks on this album. Granted, his rapping flow ain’t the greatest, but here it’s the lyrics: very open and naked. A real Takes A While To Get Use To track, coz the chorus got on my nerves in the beginning, but now? Man, I’m screaming my lungs inside out!

Keep It Playa ft. Slim Thug
Honorable mention: don’t like the track, but it really takes you back to the first Neptunes success with Mystikal “Shake Your Ass”

That Girl ft. Snoop Dogg
What he does best: the mellow retro soul mixed with a wicked beat and, of course, Snoop Dogg - excellent track!

Take It Off (Dim the Lights)
Great production, excellent smooch ballad. Takes me back to my first slow dance, ah.. The memories, hope the girl finally got some feeling back in her toes, heheh..

Stay With Me (Dim The Lights) ft. Pusha T
Another great modern Soul production

Our Father
Second of the Sublimes. Dunno, but his lyrics seem credible, his performance enhances his words perfectly

Number One ft. Kanye West
Second hit single, still detest Kanye West. Great pop song

Conclusion
The main problem is that of expectations: this guy’s work with The Neptunes is fresh, smart and innovative. And it’s been that way for quite a while, an impressive feat by itself. But still I kinda expected this album to have those same qualities, and.. it didn’t deliver the goods. I can’t expect someone to keep amaze and surprise me with new sounds, beats and production, but still, I kinda do..
Another thing, most tracks weren’t really club songs, but I expect the different mixtapes and remixes to be compensate that shortcoming.
It’s an excellent album even though some tracks were less than okay (the tracks with Jay-Z and Nelly respectively were first class duds). Those expectations were just too high.

Rating: (still gifted..)

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Still gotta blog the reviews for:
- Scritti Politti
- Elvis Costello
- Brand New Heavies
- Bloody Pharrell

Better do them this week..

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General Description
Artist/Band: Snoop Dogg
Album Title: R&G (Rhythm &Gangsta): The Masterpiece
Year: 2004

Pimp Daddy Mack Dogg Caddy Shack..
 
How I Got Into This Music
Well.. Like most people listening to rap music, my first experience with this guy was on Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” album and he took the world by storm with his laidback style. The Doctor always could find raw talent.. But up till now I never really paid that much attention to his albums, coz his work was great but still not working for me: too much of the macho gangstah, blunty-assed shit, I guess.
More than 10 years after his debut, Snoop got the world at his feet again in 2003 with the Neptunes produced single “Beautiful” which kept haunting me for months after. Now, a coupla months ago, I heard this track on my TV (my default radio) and I had to turn my head to see what the hell was going on! “Drop It Like It’s Hot“ happened and I thought ’This is way too catchy not to be a blow-up hit..’ That’s when I wanted to listen to this album.

Tracks that got my attention:

Drop It Like It’s Hot
Wow.. Tongue-clicking that’d make Miriam Makeba turn her head and start get nasty nasty.. A groove so minimal that the first time you expect some grandiose shit halfway the track, but the only thing you get is that incredibly cheesy but fantastic keyboard! Pharrell kinda gets on my nerve due to his fragging over-exposure (and me being jealous about the women he got in his videos, heh) but his vocals are great. The Snoop struts his stuff to the max!

Can You Control Ya Hoe
Non-PC, but oh so groovy! Still wished he put other lyrics to a frigging great track! 

The Bidness 
Ouch, nasty power track with great lyrics 

Let’s Get Blown 
Now we’re getting to the Rhythm-part of this album, courtesy of the Neptunes. This track will dominate a dance floor!
   
Ups & Downs 
“.. Smiles and frowns.. “ Ooooh! In case you were wondering if Snoop still had it, silly rabbit.. BeeGees haven’t had so much exposure since “Spirits Having Flown“ (one of my first LP’s which kinda explains a lot about me, doesn’t it?)

Stay 
Damn! This is da slick-a-di-slick of Slickness. Pharrell’s falsetto, Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle“ sample and again, crazy lyrics.

Girl Like You 
This track makes Nelly sound great again (and that’s been a while). Great party track!

Promise I 
Total R&B Soul groove!

No Thing On Me
Bootsy, nuff said..

Conclusion
Okay, I simply stopped adding tracks to the list coz that’s is the thing with this album: there aren’t a lot of tracks that you can ignore. “Perfect“ and “Fresh Pair Of Panties On“ are real R&B tracks. Gangsta tracks like “Step Yo Game Up“ show the rough side. The album still got a lot of the macho gangstah, blunty-assed shit, but the mix with slick, groovy tracks makes this one of my favorite albums of the moment! Expect a few hit singles banging on your radio and TV from the Doggfather in 2005 and everybody’s gonna be bopping their head, that’s a promise.. 

Rating:

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General Description
Artist/Band: Stereolab
Album Title: Margerine Eclipse
Year: 2004

A crazy band, a band that makes crazy music, musicians who are a coupla fries short of a Happy Meal, etc.? The incredible Stereolab makes hauntingly beautiful music that can be something like an ultra-beat industrial lullaby with elektro German influences blended with Frenchy melodrama-poprock. Uhm.. This is me describing the band after a coupla Apfelkorns too many (or too few).
“Combining an inclination for melodic ’60s pop with an art-rock aesthetic borrowed from Krautrock bands like Faust and Neu!, Stereolab were one of the most influential alternative bands of the ’90s.” - VH1.com 

How I Got Into This Music
Well.. As described earlier, over here in Holland they showed a documentary about the boys of Neptunes/N.E.R.D. and in that show, Pharrell was totally hyped about this band Stereolab. He told the interviewer that it was the perfect music for him to have sex on/with/to/whatever. Now, this didn’t impress me until he played something by Stereolab. After that I started listening to the band and have yet to test Pharrell’s theory (nuff said)

Tracks that got my attention:

Vonal Declosion     
A great starter, miss Laetitia Sadier’s voice sets the tone for what’s to be expected: beautiful landscape views

Need to Be     
Slow and lovely intro, soundtrack feeling, moody as hell.. After about 1 minute the main track takes you to a purple-yellow fuzzy world without any cute little animals

…Sudden Stars     
Lullaby intro resurrected after Radiohead’s “No Surprises“, followed by a great beat many a dance producer would give their index finger for

Cosmic Country Noir     
This track’s got the most typical Stereolab feeling. If you just sample this track, you’ll know for sure if this would be your cup of tea or vinegar

Margerine Rock     
Wow, Blondie’s back!

Margerine Melodie     
Reggae (or dub) shouldn’t be done by non-Jamaicans.. Another axioma that’s been proven null and void
  
Feel and Triple 
I like it when your average tech-band uses a guitar that way in the intro
   
Bop Scotch     
Great mixing of the vocals and tempo changes, from mellow relaxed to punky rocky thingies

Conclusion
Stereolab’s a strange breath of fresh air. Everytime you think you got their number, they change up a little. This band really has to work for you, coz the first impression can throw you off a bit. Don’t get thrown off! They’re great and Margerine Eclipse is a great album.

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