Uptown Magazine Online - Winnipeg's Online Source for Arts, Entertainment & News

Uptown Magazine - Winnipeg's Online Source for Arts, Entertainment & News

March 27, 2008


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2008-03-27

The Dream

Love/Hate

(Def Jam)

D-

Website: http://www.defjam.com

Terius 'The Dream' Nash is the evil songwriting genius behind Rihanna's ubiquitous, Grammy-winning Umbrella - a song which (if you have a soul) you probably loathe, but can't get out of your head. Unfortunately for Nash, his solo debut isn't nearly as annoyingly catchy. Love/Hate is a collection of utterly insipid, generic, club-targeting R&B. Even bringing Rihanna back on board for Livin' A Lie doesn't save this disasterpiece from sinking. Nash's pitch-corrected whine of a voice is hard to stomach, and song titles such as Shawty Is Da Shit give you an idea of just how lame this thing is. Nash should stick to his day job and you should use this wretched waste of plastic as a coaster.
— Sam Thompson

Steve Dawson

Waiting for the Lights to Come Up

(Black Hen Music)

Website: http://www.stevedawson.ca

Vancouver's Steve Dawson has been around and, in the process, has learned a thing or two about making a great-sounding, well-written, modern folk/roots album. His intricate fingerstyle picking is put to good use both on acoustic guitar and slide. His playing has deliberate rough edges that are only slightly rounded from repeated road trips playing for audiences coast to coast. Pump organs, 50-buck Silvertones, pedal steel rigs, wonky wurlitzers and bassy baritone guitars all add to the dusty feel and groove.
— Chris Brown

Percee P

Perseverance

(Stones Throw)

B-

Website: http://www.stonesthrow.com

Apparently this guy has been rapping since 1979, which is pretty impressive considering he was only eight years old back then. Despite that long history on the mic, Perseverance, produced entirely by Madlib, is Percee's first proper LP. For something almost 30 years in the works, it's a little underwhelming. That's not to knock Percee's vocal or lyrical skills, but the 18 songs here don't exactly delve into uncharted territory. There are a handful of wicked tracks (Throwback Rap Attack, Legendary Lyricist), but when he's not talking about how long he's being rapping or where he's from (the Bronx), Percee doesn't have much original to say.
— Sam Thompson

Peter Katz and the Curious

More Nights

(Shape of a Boy)

Website: http://www.peterkatz.com

Moody and introspective Peter Katz is the embodiment of a cloudy day that holds the equal possibility of breaking into pissing rain or glorious sunshine. Good strong songs, a plaintive voice and a nuanced performance make for a great record. Honesty is underrated as a muse, and I think Peter gives us the truth - at least, as he perceives it - on every cut. Each song is percussive, adding or subtracting layers, pushing or lagging, keeping it all interesting. Reminds me of vastly under-appreciated Winnipegger Richard Moody.
— Chris Brown

Pittsburgh Slim

Tastemaker

(Def Jam/FlyGuy)

D-

Website: http://www.pittslim.com

This is what happens when you let idiots make albums. Pittsburgh Slim is a talentless white MC who raps about being a slut. There's not really much more to say. In a world where useless celebu-whores like Paris Hilton are the most famous people on the planet, I guess songs such as Girls Kiss Girls - with their trendy '80s throwback pop beats - are destined to become hits, but if you want to keep your sanity, avoid this at all costs. Thankfully, the seven-track Tastemaker is just an EP, as a full-length by this jackass is probably the first sign of the apocalypse.
— Sam Thompson

Shelby Lynne

Just a Little Lovin'

(Lost Highway)

Website: http://www.shelbyLynne.com

Laid-back, understated and devastatingly honest, Shelby Lynne strips the pop sheen off Dusty Springfield's '60s catalogue, showing the strength in each song by laying it bare. It feels like the songs were recorded late, very late, in a shuttered jazz club after the patrons had left, the chairs had been put up on the tables and night crept toward dawn. Shelby's sensual voice is right there in front of you, so close you can almost reach out and touch it. Simple, finger-picked guitars and upright bass slip around her like wisps of smoke. Beautiful.
— Chris Brown

Tayo

Fabriclive.32

(Fabriclondon)

Website: http://www.fabriclondon.com

In all honesty, I know nothing about electronic music, so this disc, to me, sounds like space aliens beating the shit out of a drum machine while listening to dub reggae - and that's a good thing. This Tayo character, whoever he is, is into some kind of really heavy electronic bag, and despite the reggae fascination, relentless, explosive beats seem to be the order of the day. As far as I can tell, this is a mixtape under Tayo's direction, and he only appears as an artist on a handful of tracks, including the excellent opener Dread Cowboy (credited to Tayo Meets Acid Rockers Uptown). Without any frame of reference to critique this stuff, let's just say it's essentially the soundtrack to a really awesome sci-fi apocalypse.
— Sam Thompson

Wu-Tang Clan

8 Diagrams

(Universal Motown)

B+

Website: http://www.wumusicgroup.com

In The Wu-Tang Manual, RZA talks about the seasonal theme of his productions - and 8 Diagrams is definitely a winter album. You can almost feel the wind blowing through these 14 desolate tracks, and it's this coldness that makes this record a tough sell at first. After a few listens, the brilliance you've come to expect from Shaolin's finest shines through. Ghostface continues his streak of delivering the best lyrics in the Clan, but Method Man is the real surprise here, doing his finest work in over a decade. The album is no 36 Chambers, but prepare to be floored by exceptional tracks such as Sunlight, RZA's righteous spoken-word meditation on Allah.
— Sam Thompson

Mike Doughty

Golden Delicious

(MapleMusic Recordings)

Website: http://www.mikedoughty.com

Disc of the Week

Mike Doughty sings that 27 Jennifers song. Golden Delicious oozes relaxed fun that drips off your chin, and you can almost hear the crack as the whole band breaks into wicked grins that split their heads in half. From the hippy-dippy Let the Sun Shine In-esque chorus of Fort Hood to the kooky female voice on More Bacon Than the Pan Can Handle the biggest feat here is the band's ability to not crack up while the red recording light is on. Each tune has these irresistible syncopated drum lines that weave through the tunes, making them magnetic, while Mike makes phrases such as "easy Japan-ezy" work.
— Chris Brown

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