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DG's Reviews |
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| WWWWW- You can’t go wrong with this | ||
| WWWW- Excellent, worthy of attention | ||
| WWW- May not change the world, but it’s still good | ||
| WW- I’m not so sure about this… | ||
| W- Well, it makes a great Frisbee | ||
| 3 Doors Down- Seventeen | WWW | (Click Here For More) |
| 50 Cent- The Massacre (Shady/Aftermath/G-Unit/Interscope/Universal) | W | (Click Here For More) |
| Amanda Stott- Chasing The Sky (EMI) | WW | "Chasing The Sky", Amanda Stott's second album and first pop album (she released a country album on Warner Music, an album that seems to be "forgotten" on her Web Site), is Stott's EMI Music debut, and is quite a mixed bag of songs. On one hand, Stott proves her pop chops by providing some catchy and interesting tunes, such as "Paper Rain", "Homeless Heart" and "Getting There", but on the other hand provides quite a lot of duds that make this work largely forgettable. On probably the biggest blunder, "Maybe Tommorow" (Stott's attempt at an uplifting son), she uses such cliches such as "we all have to face our fears/Just believe in yourself", "everybody stumbles/everybody falls", and the chorus, which reads: "maybe tommorow/but tommorow never came/before you know it's yesterday and yesterday is gone/No time to borrow/You only have today/Take my hand and don't let me hear you say/Maybe tommorow". Yes, we all live for such insight *rolls eyes*. However, Stott has a wonderful voice that is worth listening to and the successes here- which don't sound like flukes- suggest that she has potential in the future. However, with an album this forgettable and the pop world unforgiving, Stott may have wasted her only shot to have a future. |
| Anna Nalick- Wreck Of The Day (Columbia/Sony BMG) | WWWW | In third grade, the now 20-year-old Amanda Nalick was told by her teacher that she'd one day appear on Jay Leno's "The Tonight Show", a fact that became a reality earlier this year and prompting Leno to quip "it shows you how long I've been running this show". All joking aside, there's a seriously good reason why Nalick is where she is today- because she's simply that good. While it's tempting to think of Nalick as yet another in the crop of female singer/songwriters like Sheryl Crow, Michelle Branch and Chantal Kreviazuk, especially after hearing her first single, "Breathe (2AM)", the truth is that Nalick delivers her work with an earnestness and gusto few display in the industry. Aside from the pensive "Breathe (2AM)", there are plenty of other gems on this album that highlight her drive and willingness to make an album, like the aptly-titled "Citadel", the reflective "In My Head" and the bittersweet confidence that is "Bleed". The best songs here, though, are the defiant "Satellite" and "Consider This", the former where she confidently declares- like so many with a broken heart- that love will eventually find her and the latter where she stands up to the crap that her significant other is giving her. It's true that Nalick offers nothing new to the table, but her fiestiness and heart, which shows on this album, shows that she'll only get better in the future. |
| Arch Enemy- Anthems of Rebellion (Century Media/FAB) | W | For all their bravado and raging guitars, stadium-ready death-metallers Arch Enemy are rarely, if ever, entertaining. Their newest album, "Anthems of Rebellion" cranks up the guitars and the drumwork in an effort to create that stadium-rock effect, and while it's really anthemic, the truth is that most of this is just plain dull. Part of the problems come in the silly lyrics, such as this offering from "Instinct": "The more I see- the less I believe/The more I hear- the less I care/We used to be the chosen ones/Second to none/Look at what we've become/A pathetic excuse for life". Those lyrics would later be found in a six-year-old's diary. Another problem is the sheer repetitiveness of it all- besides "End of the Line", where clean vocals replace Michael Amott's growling specifically for the title line, these songs come across as one gigantic blur of chugging guitars, all going with the same gusto as paint drying. "Dead Eyes See No Future", the video for the album, may have presented an energetic band, but the truth is that while the band have managed to create anthems, most of this album has the band members coasting, rarely creating anything worth listening to again. If you want a death metal fix, go to Cradle Of Filth's "Nymphetamine" or Dimmu Borgir's "Death Cult Armageddon", as both are not just death metal epics but they're also highly entertaining, and leave this inspid, chugging mess behind. |
| Backstreet Boys- Never Gone (Jive/Sony BMG) | WWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| Coldplay- X&Y (Capitol/EMI) | WW | (Click Here For More) |
| Dala @ the Millpond (Live) | WWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| Dala- Angels & Thieves (Big Sun/Universal) | WWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| Dixie Chicks- Taking The Long Way (Open Road/Columbia/Sony BMG) | WW | (Click Here For More) |
| Disturbed- Ten Thousand Fists | WWWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| Fall Out Boy- From Under The Cork Tree | WWWW | "From Under The Cork Tree", the second album from Chicago's Fall Out Boy, is every bit the breakthrough album the band wanted it to be. Being the band's major-label debut, it's smarter, quirkier and a lot more enjoyable than their whinefest-like earlier material, representing quite a bit of growth for the emo-rockers. It's an album full of energy that's non-stop from start to finish, with highlights including the melancholy "Our Lawyer Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued", and "Sophmore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year" (the latter obviously written for those who'd wonder if they could improve here, which they have) and the energetic "Dance Dance" and "XO" (the latter one being the album's best track), with first single "Sugar We're Going Down" being the album's most well-rounded tune. While the pace may be too blindingly fast for some, most will see it for what it is- a non-stop breathtaker that will have problems leaving your CD player. |
| Fergie- The Dutchess (A&M/Interscope/Universal) | W | (Click Here For More) |
| Heresy Edutainment Albums | (Click On Link To See Ratings) | (Click Here For More) |
| H.I.M.- Dark Light (Sire/Warner) | WWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| James Blunt- Back To Bedlam (Atlantic/Warner) |
WW |
Born James Hiller
Blount, it didn't occur to me after reviewing this album that
"Blunt" just might have been a stage name used for artistic
purposes, because "Back To Bedlam" is blunt. You only
have to look at songs like "You're Beautiful" where he's
"f***ing high" (yeah, swear- that'll make you tough *rolls
eyes*), and the impassioned "Goodbye My Lover", a song so
overwrought you could be certain that Blunt's heart is not only on his
sleeve, it's beating madly just to make sure you're paying attention. The
most blunt, however, is "Wisemen", whose anti-religiousness gets
betrayed by the following lines: "When they came down from Heaven/Smoked
nine 'til seven/All the s*** they could find" and "And now they
know there's no way out/And they're really sorry now for what they've
done/They were three Wise Men just trying to have some fun." Without
trying to get into the historicity debate, I've heard a lot of theories
regarding Jesus' existence or non-existence (some credible, others not),
but I think I can safely say that I doubt anyone will buy Blunt's idea
that the Magi got high and invented Jesus.
Of course, this isn't to say that "Back To Bedlam" shows signs of working- the aforementioned "Wiseman" is pretty engaging and entertaining to listen to, as is "You're Beautiful", "No Bravery" (reportedly written while Blunt was serving in Serbia for NATO) and "High". However, far too much of "Back To Bedlam" is contrived for it to even be vaguely interesting, either as in overwrought (e.g. "Goodbye My Lover", "So Long Jimmy") or as in an over-reactive try-hard ("Tears and Rain", which references Oscar Wilde's "Dorian Gray" in an obvious attempt to sound Dylanesque). I'll admit this much- there's enough here to suggest that Blunt's not a total waste as an artist, because if he can channel his emotions into something interesting it may work, but for now, I'm not read to jump on the James Blunt "blandwagon" just yet. |
| Jamie Cullum- Twentysomething (Verve/Universal) | WWWWW | Words cannot simply describe how good Jamie Cullum's "Twentysomething" is. Sure, he's another the pop-jazz artists arriving in the wake of Norah Jones' success, but there is a catch to all that- whereas Jones produces stellar albums, Cullum's album transcends into the classic zone, being one of the definitive chillout albums in recent years. Yeah, the songs may be too hard to recognize individually, but Cullum wanted to make an album that fits together as a whole as background music, and that it does. There are, however, a few standout tracks that make this more than just your average chillout, piano-bar music- for example, Cullum excellently covers Pharrel Williams' "Frontin'", giving it a bit more a suave kick with his piano and vocal stylings. Then there's the current single, the moving "High & Dry", as well as the quasi-danceable "I Could Have Danced All Night", the cool brashness of the title track and the mellow mood of "But For Now". Overall, "Twentysomething" showcases an artist who not only breaks through with a bang but also has quite a future ahead of him- a long, prosperous one. |
| Kelly Clarkson- Breakaway (19/RCA/BMG) | WWWW | When she first came out, few would have predicted that Kelly Clarkson, now 21, would have emerged as a star. The first ever winner of "American Idol" back in 2002 (it seems so much longer ago than that) wound up carving a career for herself with the hits "Miss Independent" and "Breakaway", as well as putting together one of 2003's more vibrant pop albums with her "Thankful". She effectively distanced herself from her AI roots, and looked poised for a prolonged music career ahead of her. "Breakaway", her second album, cements that fact, proving like Avril Lavigne's "Under My Skin" before it that Clarkson is more than just a one-album wonder. What makes "Breakaway" so good? It has a more grown up feel to it, being overall a bit more melodic and less bouncy, following in the paths of Ashlee Simpson and Lavigne in their albums this year. It's also because the songcraft here is of top quality- songs such as "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Where Is Your Heart" are compelling pop songs, being the kind of catchy singles that will have people humming for ages. The best song here though, is the reflective and uplifting "You Found Me", borrowing enough from Hilary Duff's "Come Clean" to be the album's most compelling moment. Overall, "Breakaway" does just that for Clarkson- take her from an AI-inspired one-album wonder to a real star. |
| Jennifer Lopez- Rebirth (Epic/Sony) | W | (Click Here For More) |
| Lifehouse- (Self-Titled) (Geffen/Universal) | WWWW | Perhaps the least-deserved one-hit wonder in recent history has been Lifehouse. Their last two albums- 2000's brilliant debut, "No Name Face" and 2002's "Stanley Climbfall"- was filled with very personal, reflective but very upbeat pop-rock that showed a band with such a depth and personality that is largely absent from the pop-rock field, yet, despite their quality, they have only managed to secure one hit, their second-ever single "Hanging By A Moment" ("Everything" came first). Admittedly, "Stanley Climbfall"- despite showing a growth in the band's music and the appearance of the brilliant single "Take Me Away"- was by "No Name Face"'s lofty standards a sub-par follow-up, which may have counted in their second album's relative failure. However, despite "Stanely Climbfall"'s failure, Lifehouse again reappeared in 2005, releasing a self-titled album that builds upon their last two releases, and, while it's not the classic that "No Name Face" was, it shows that Lifehouse are again in top form. Instead of perhaps yielding to trends and attempting to "poppify" its sound just to regain mainstream fame, Lifehouse are again their introspective, personal selves, building again on lead singer Jason Wade's personal lyrics to craft another personal yet uplifting record. For starters, there is the touching acoustic tone of the first single, "You And Me", as well as the upbeat rock tones of "Come Back Down" and "Blind", as well as the mid-tempo "Undone". The best song here, though, is the very memorable "Better Luck Next Time", a driving pop-rock tune with some catchy riffs and a rather defiant Wade, who sings "Stop tell me where you're going/Maybe the one you love isn't there" and "Don't close your eyes/You need to see it all", that exemplifies the best that Lifehouse have done. While you may have been excused for not buying "Stanley Climbfall", don't pass up "Lifehouse"- it is a record worthy of listening to again and again. |
| Mariah Carey- The Emancipation Of Mimi (Island/Def Jam/Universal) | WW | (Click Here For More) |
| Madonna- Confessions Of A Dancefloor (Sire/Warner) | WW | (Click Here For More) |
| Matisyahu- Youth (Epic/Sony BMG) | WWW | Matthew "Matisyahu" Miller made quite a storm earlier in the year for being the first Hasidic artist to gain a level of notoerity in mainstream circles when "King Without A Crown" hit the rock charts (although he's not the first to make an impact, however small- that honour goes to Lipa Schmeltzer and his bang-on parody of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"). His debut, "Youth", is too full of filler to really impress, but it is full of promise, especially with the aforementioned "King Without A Crown", "Indestructible" and "Time Of Your Song". He also has done, quite admirably, stuck to his principles, releasing an album that's high on spiritual calling and religion without being preachy, best shown in "Jerusalem" where he says "Jerusalem if I forget you/Let my right hand forget what it was supposed to do". It displays that he has talent, ambition and- most importantly- a vision, and while it didn't work out here quite as well as he might have hoped, it should mean later on he'll really hit one out of the park. This one isn't disposable, but it isn't a classic either- a fine start though. |
| Nickelback- All The Right Reasons (Roadrunner/EMI) | WWWW | If "The State" is what got Nickelback primed for the big stage, "Silver Side Up" finally got them noticed and "The Long Road" firmly established them, "All The Right Reasons" is Nickelback's confirmation into the rock establishment. They're still angry- largely behind the vocals and lyrics of fiery frontman Chad Kroeger- but they're not just railing against past breakups and abusive fathers but also against society as a whole, as evidenced by songs such as the tongue-in-cheek "Rockstar" about the lavishness of its namesake, and "Next Contestant", about how Kroeger deals with the guys who try to buy his girl drinks just to get with her. As usual, Kroeger is his descriptive self, exposing the band's country influences, but- most importantly- "All The Right Reasons" is a product of Nickelback's growth and evolution as a band, as- for once- anger isn't the only thing on display here. This is evidenced by the playful "Animals", the reflective "If Everyone Cared", "Photograph" (about the band's hometown in Hanna, Alberta) and "Savin' Me" and the emotional quasi-ballad "Far Away", showing the band's conflicts and thoughts after being on the road for the past nine years or so. There's no noticeable changes in the sound despite Ryan Vikedal's departure and replacement with Daniel Aldair. Yes, the naysayers are going to say that "All The Right Reasons" is more post-grunge "pop" rock, but for those who have seen the band evolve since "The State", "All The Right Reasons" becomes the product of the band's natural progression, showing that Nickelback were destined to become stars. Judging by this work, not only have Nickelback achieved their destiny, they're bound to stay with it for the considerable future. |
| Nick Lachey- What's Left Of Me (Jive/Zomba/Sony BMG) | WWWW | There are those who'd accuse Lachey of opportunism by releasing an album largely reflective of his failed marriage with Jessica Simpson, since this album comes out as their divorce is being finalized, but that is cutting Lachey and his obvious talents too short. His biggest asset is his voice, one of pop music's cleanest and smoothest vocals, and that helps convey the emotions he needs to convey on a very personal album. It also helps that he has an impressive array of songs to his name and songwriters to help him craft this work (a list that includes Andreas Carlsson of "I Want It That Way" fame, Jamie Cullum and Canadian Luke McMaster), including the edgier "You're Not Alone", the emotive ballad "Resolution" and the quirky catchiness of "Ghosts" (which Cullum co-wrote and appears on piano). The best song here, however, is second single "I Can't Hate You Anymore", which is the album's most expressive track here and the best written. Yeah, it's essentially a re-hash of the title track that opens the album, but "I Can't Hate You Anymore" doesn't feature the awkward moments that the title track has. The only minor complaint with the album is that it feels very long on the first listen and will take a while to set it, but for a man as talented as Lachey is, this album does him justice and then some. Well worth it. |
| Prefuse 73- Surrounded By Silence (Warp Records) | WW | He came out with a bang on 2003's "One Word: Extinguisher" but emerges with barely a wimper here. "Surrounded By Silence" plods amidst some haphazard spins and mixes that arrive way too slow and lack any kind of punch, unlike "Extinguisher" which was a relatively rapid-fire affair and, featuring some fiery and energetic rappers in Diverse and Mr. Lif, felt creative and really distinctive. Truth be told, "Surrounded" has plenty of bright spots, such as the easily-accessible "Just The Thought" with Masta Killa and Gza and the interestingly-weird vocal turns on "Mantra" (as performed by Tyondai Braxton), but the overall mood is one of general laziness. Simply put, Prefuse can do much better. |
| Rammstein- Reise, Reise (Universal) | WWWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| Rob Thomas- ...Something To Be (Atlantic/Warner) | WWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| Seether- Karma and Effect (Wind-Up/Warner) | WWWW | Fresh off the heels of their major smash hit, "Broken" (with Amy Lee) and off the generally well-received first album, "Disclaimer", South Africa's Seether return with their second proper album in "Karma And Effect". This album features more Seether's traditionalist grunge sound, complete with chugging guitars, some intense cymbal bashing and singer Shaun Morgan's best Kurt Cobain impersonation, but with some growth in their sound. They've finally managed to nail the grunge hit right on the head with "Remedy", arguably their catchiest work yet, and manage to record a few songs here like "Never Leave" that are grungy and not just about how much Morgan can scream. There are, of course, more of the "scream/anger" tracks, with a lot of genuine anger being very well-placed- for example, "Diseased" tells the story of a father who sexually abuses his daughter, and "Tongue" becomes a rather moving song about suicide. The best song here, though, is "Never Leave", where the band channels their inner Creed and produce something just as anthemic as Creed have done and with none of the cheese. Yes, Seether's work still isn't at the groundbreaking stage just yet, but in time, they'll be able to record the classic album they're destined to make. |
| System Of A Down- Mezmerize (Columbia/Sony BMG) | WWWW | Two years after their excellent "Toxicity" album, System Of A Down return with even more humourous, fun-loving songs with a socio-political twist (I could say "more political satire but they don't like to think of themselves as political). Their wit is best present in songs like Radio/Video (about mainstream rap), BYOB (the media's role in diverting public attention), and "Violent Pornography" (about gratuitous sex and violence on TV). I'm divided over whether it's better than "Toxicity", but at least System are still on their game. |
| Toby Keith- Honkytonk U (Dreamworks/Universal) | WWWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| Toby Keith- White Trash With Money (Showdog/Universal) | WWW | (Click Here For More) |
| The Black-Eyed Peas- Monkey Business (A&M/Interscope/Universal) | WWWW | Many wondered if The Black-Eyed Peas could replicate the success of "Elephunk" and the answer here is a resounding "yes". Just as much the party, care-free and loose album that "Elephunk" was, "Monkey Business" is chock-full of danceable and highly entertaining tracks, from the weirdly-interesting "My Hump" to the Sting-collaboration "Union" (their social party-rap contribution) to "Like That", featuring the likes of Q-Tip, Talib Kweli, Cee-Lo and John Legend. The best song here is "Don't Lie", a summery, guitar-driven reggae-ish song that is catchy and has the loosest vibe on the entire album. This just may be the album that will make BEP real superstars. |
| The Game- The Documentary (Aftermath/G-Unit/Interscope/Universal) | WWW | (Click Here For More) |
| The White Stripes- Get Behind Me Satan (Third Man/V2/BMG) | WWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| The Wreckers- Stand Still, Look Pretty (Maverick/Warner) | WWWWW | (Click Here For More) |
| The Zutons- Who Killed The Zutons? (Columbia/Sony BMG) | WW | Apparently, they did it themselves. The Zutons, formed 2002 in Liverpool, England, follow in the same footsteps as their countrymen and labelmates The Coral do, and, just like The Coral, they ooze potential and just don't reach it. In The Zutons' case, it's a matter of the songs going by a little too casually, as very few of them are memorable and even less of them really stick out as distincitively great tracks. The only two good songs here- "Zuton Fever" and "Pressure Point"- are catchy and spunky, just as many might have suspected they would be from listening to the latter, their leadoff single. However, that spunky spirit is sorely lacking elsewhere, with the only two songs really making any kind of register being "Dirty Dancehall" and "Moons and Horror Shows", though not by much. Again, like The Coral, The Zutons have the potential to really become something wonderful- they just have to find their way and do it, that's all. |
| Usher- Confessions (Re-released) (So So Def/Arista/BMG) | WW | Usher's "Confessions" took 2004 by storm, selling eight million copies since its March 2004 release. It's spawned five singles- "My Boo" (f/Alicia Keys), "Confessions Pt. II", "Burn", "Caught Up" (the current single) and the inescapable "Yeah!" (f/Ludacris and Lil' Jon)- been "updated" (re-released), and has garnered multiple Grammy nominations. It is not without merit- when Usher really applies himself, he can create great songs like "Yeah!" and "Caught Up", and the album's concept- detailing not just Usher's many "confessions" but also the story behind them- is an interesting one. To highlight this, "Yeah!", about picking up a girl while at a club, is followed by "Throwback", where Usher realizes he needs his girl. This is then followed by his "Confessions" of what happened at the club, and then "Burn", where he realizes he needs to break it off with his girlfriend to stop the pain. It makes for an interesting story, however the execution- as in the songs themselves- is flawed. The only good songs here are the singles themselves, and it's more the uptempo material such as "Caught Up" and "Yeah!" that shines more than the slower material, which plods through Barry White-wannabes "That's What It's Made For" and "Seduction" (although the bluntness of "Burn" is a bonus). It's not from a lack of trying- Usher does genuinely sing his heart out, but a lot of the beats he gets are duds ("Throwback"), plus "Burn" sounded a little too much like "U Got It Bad". Overall, "Confessions" is not a failure- it's just what I'd call "Grammy material", a disappointment since Usher definitely has the ability to get that far. |
| Zero 7- When It Falls (Ultimate Dilemma/Warner) | WWWW | From the group that brought you the smash hit "Destiny" comes another album of relaxing and dulcet tunes. From the comforting and soothing opener "Warm Sounds" (featuring Mozez) to the intriguing epic "Home" to the mystifying "Speed Dial No. 2", "When It Falls" does not miss a step. It's brightest moment is "Look Up", which combines some catchy guitar-playing from Dedi Madden with the band's relaxing tones, and while it's not quite "Destiny" it's still among the band's best work. Some may be put off by how much it falls into the background and how it barely- if ever- hits the forefront, but that's a minor quibble for an album that's not really meat to be in the forefront anyway. Still a great album to relax to. |
