Black kids – Wizard of Ahhhs (Independent)
While their name has prompted people to label them everything from genius to controversial, Black Kids certainly didn’t settle on their moniker to slip past the mainstream. First noticed at the Athens Popfest in Georgia back in August, the young quintet from Jacksonville, Florida have been catapulted into the indie-rock strato-blogosphere on the strength of their energetic live show and this lo-fiEP, which is available for free on their website (blackkidsmusic.com). Comparisons to The Cure, Arcade Fire, and the Go! Team are certainly evident here, but there are also fl ashes of Hard-Fi, Hefner (“Hurricane Jane”), and New Order (“I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You”) on Wizard. In fact, “I’m Not Gonna Teach” is the centre of the EP. Its insanely catchy melody and start-and-stop choruses exemplify the Black Kids’ sound and will be stuck in your head, screaming for another play day after day (seriously). While all four tracks have the hooks to qualify as potential hits, the production still leaves something to be desired— and hopefully something to be fulfilled once these wiz kids hit up a real studio.—JB
Rating: VVVV
Soulive – No Place Like Soul (StaxRecords)
After almost 10 years in the music business, New York’s Soulive is still going strong with their eighth album, No Place Like Soul. Originally a trio, the band has undergone some major changes since their last record, which have resulted in the addition of a new member and the introduction of vocals into their instrumental repertoire. The result: a brand new sound and energy from one of the most original soul-funk bands out there. Blending a variety of genres including soul, reggae, rock, and even a little Motown, this album is truly indicative of a group that loves making music through and through. On the upbeat side, tracks like “Don’t Tell Me” and “One of Those Days” refl ect a talent for creating a feeling of liveliness and energy in the studio, whereas slower tracks “Mary” and “Callin’” open up a more mature and smooth side of the group. Overall, No Place Like Soul not only proves the credibility of Soulive as a band, but also keeps the genre of soul alive and refreshed. -Barbara Kowalski
Rating: VVVV
Jay-Z – American Gangster (Roc-A-Fella)
Jay-Z is back, again. Only a year after his much-publicized “comeback” (translate: big letdown) album Kingdom Come, Jay-Z is trying to get his street cred back with American Gangster, a concept album inspired by the film of the same name. When it was announced about a month ago, Hova assured his fans this would be up there with Reasonable Doubt, his first, and best, album.
Is it that great? No, but nor is it terrible: it’s merely decent. Diddy and the Hitmen handle the bulk of production—which is both good and bad. Their beats have a consistent ’70s blaxploitation sound that fits the theme of the album, but some tracks are clearly better than others. The desperation of “Pray” bangs, but the celebration track “Party Life” finds the crew bored and listless. Much better is the exuberance on the Just Blaze-produced “Ignorant Shit,” which features a better-than-average verse from Beanie Sigel. Also good is the price-of-success track “Fallin’.” Unfortunately, the over-amplified organ beat on “Success” ruins the goodwill of an awesome Nas verse.
But how does Jay-Z stand up to all of this? He’s OK. His fl ow has deteriorated to the point where it will never measure up to his Reasonable Doubt high-water mark, but he does get some good lines in. He can go from almost great (“Chef, guess what I cooked? / Baked a lot of bread, but kept it off the books”) to broken and irritating (“If it wasn’t for the crime that I was in / But I wouldn’t be the guy that rhymes it is that I’m in”) in a single song. The worst part of the album by far is “Hello Brooklyn 2.0,” the ill-conceived collaboration with It Rapper Lil’ Wayne, which is just awful on all accounts. While the good outweighs the bad most of the time, it would be better if Hova actually, you know, wrote his lyrics down every once in a while.—Bartholomew Richards
Rating: VVV
