The Staxx Brothers - 12th Street Blues - Album Review

4.5 out of 5

I met Davin Michael Stedman in the early months of 2003 while doing some promotional work for Eclectic Approach in Pullman, Washington, on the campus of Washington State University. Although that show never materialized I left Pullman with a few stories, as always, and an early EP and T-shirt from one of the most promising bands to come out of the northwest since EA and the Blue Scholars.

What first caught my ear about The Staxx Brothers was their seamless integration of hip-hop, classic rock, and the blues and soul from which they derived their name. The seminal record from that EP “Slowdown (12th Street Blues)” was a combination of memorable guitar licks, hard edged rhymes delivered by DC Staxx, a blind rapper from Detroit, and Davin’s ethereal lyrics and cutting edge music sensibility embodied by a Kanye West-styled soul loop chorus. Only this wasn’t looped it was performed live and Mr. West’s debut CD The College Dropout wouldn’t come out for another year. “Slowdown (12th Street Blues)” returns as the title track and although its utter brilliance has been dimmed by three years time it remains a great record.

The rest of the CD is a musical playground of a mixtape made by someone with a firm grasp of musical history. Another great track “Keep the Motor Runnin’” sounds like pure blues influenced classic rock while “Back Home” could have been ripped by a country music fan choosing that track that even the city kids will love. While genre-hopping is pretty much the modus operandi of 12th Street Blues none of it sounds out of place. Clocking in at exactly 46 minutes, its length may be its only downfall. But 12th Street Blues is exactly the length of one double-sided vinyl LP in homage to Staxx Records.

12th Street Blues by The Staxx Brothers is a definite must buy and one of my favorite records of the year. And while you’re at it pick up an old Otis Redding LP too. Gander On!

Album Review - Jay-Z - American Gangster

When it comes to a Jay-Z albums in the last few years there is always a certain amount of hype surrounding it. Either he is retiring or he's coming out of retirement or in this case he saw a movie so moving that it inspired him to create and entire album named after it. Despite the new album being a giant advert for The movie of the same name starring Denzel Washington, Jay-Z has returned to his old self. There is no more Nascar and Budweiser endorsing, there's still the I'm rich part but it's not from selling records it's from selling dope. We haven't heard Jay-Z refer to kitchens, Pyrex, or bricks since we watched Streets is Watching.

The album opens with "Pray" where Jay's storytelling ability shines through painting vivid pictures of a childhood upbringing surrounded by the drug game. On "Hello Brooklyn" we get Lil' Wayne's I smoked a blunt before I tried to sing this hook voice and then smoothly transition into "No Hook" which brings back a flow style that was prevalent on Reasonable Doubt and is not seen very much on later records. The record you'll hear playing at every dope spot soon will be the anthemic "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)" a song purely dedicated to the rewards of the hustle. The next track to stand out for us is "Ignorant Shit" featuring Beanie Sigel where Jay and Beanie express their feelings on the censorship in hip hop issue that has frequented the media since Don Imus uttered a few choice words on his radio show. Nas makes an appearance on "Success" before we get to the current single "Blue Magic" and end it with an upbeat party track eponymously titled "American Gangster."

We love the new album and the one thing that really stands out to us is not the lyrics, or the themes but the horns. Nearly half of the songs use horn samples and Jay uses them to his advantage every time. They keep the mood up tempo and mold perfectly with his voice. If Jay can keep putting out records like "American Gangster" no one will be calling for his re-retirement anytime soon, so here's to hoping we don't have to wait for an American Gangster movie sequel to get another "American Gangster" like album. Gander On!

Foo Fighter’s - Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace - Album Review

3.5 out of 5

Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace like most other Foo Fighter’s albums is hit and miss which combined with Dave Grohl’s uncanny ability to connect with the crowd makes for a great concert and will eventually make for a pretty good greatest hits CD. Unfortunately these things don’t make this album any better but there are a few good tracks that are worth downloading.

The album starts off well with “The Pretender” and “Let It Die” both punishing tracks the latter of which is an obvious letter to the late Kurt Cobain wondering after all these years why he had to lose control and ultimately lead to his own and Nirvana’s end. Dave Grohl finally realizes that no matter how far he takes the Foo Fighters most never have the chance, as he did, to be in a generational defining band and he never will again.

Another highlight is “Come Alive” a half-acoustic love song, another of the band’s strong points. It’s not “Everlong” but it’s pretty good. The rest of the album is a good but not spectacular mix of 90’s alt rock and classic rock elements. Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace won’t blow you away and it lacks the sure-fire singles of some of their other cds but If you’re already a Foo Fighter’s fan or if your just looking for a little old fashioned rock and roll you’ll like this album.

Standout Tracks: “Come Alive” “Summery’s End”, “Let It Die” Gander On!

50 cent - Curtis - Album Review

3.5 out of 5

"Pound for pound I'm the best around", 50 cent claims on Curtis his third LP and second made specifically for the adolescent children who buy his records and still believe that rappers kill each other (oh and the toothfairy).

But why does he actually believe this? It might be because he sells the most records. But this doesn't make him the best just as it doesn't make "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" the best rap CD of all time. And just as Hammer couldn't do hard (and failed trying) 50 can't do smart or well-rounded for that matter as all the songs on Curtis are about killing, sex, and how much money he has as you would expect from a 50 cent CD.

Maybe then its how much he can switch his style up (and watch the money pile up?). On Curtis 50 tries various different flow patterns other than his normal and ridiculously pathetic fake southern flow but the problem is that none of them work well.

So why the rating after all the hating? Well the production on Curtis is very good and saves Curtis Jackson from comming out like Michael Jackson. The Shady Aftermath team once again does an incredible job in salvaging this album by varying the style of beats to keep the listener interested and by keeping the songs short and blending them together like a mix-tape (why we liked 50 in the first place) so if you don't like one song you won't have to wait long.

Also as with other top-selling artists 50 cent pulls out an A-list mix of guests who all outshine 50 but in doing so make the album better such as Akon on "I'll Still Kill" and the JT/timbo callabo "AYO Technology" (Oh and 50, you lose all credibility when you let a former boy band member write some of your verses).

Though 50 cent on Curtis is a shell of his former self we still have to give him credit for ending Ja Rule's career (thank god) and for "Get Rich or Die Trying" one of the better LP's of this decade and on Curtis it takes a Tony Yayo cameo on "Hands Up High" to remind us of when 50 was good and why we liked him. Shit-talking and punchlines.

See 50 you were never a great rapper (so let's just forget about the best talk) but on your early shit you were funny as hell as you made it impossible for anyone with any self respect to listen to Ja's music, and we loved you for that. And while your handelers may keep telling you how much "They luv da kid" unless you become hungry like that again, or (gasp) show some artistic growth, it won't be for long. Gander On!

Kanye West - Graduation Album Review

4.5 ninja stars out of 5

In a cameo on Talib Kweli’s also excellent Ear Drum (review to come later) Kanye West states that he’s “always ‘bout rockin’ the this ain’t out yet.” Although he was talking about clothes we here @ Gooseninja feel the same way about music. So while we were taking breaks, or traveling to and from, this year’s Bumbershoots festival we were rockin’ the new Kanye album Graduation and let be one of the first to say welcome back Mr. West!!

As always with a Kanye album the production on graduation is a top-notch mix of cherry picked soul samples with extras added in. And even if some of the beats are left-overs from his day job as the most sought-after producer in hip-hop…. Well as Kanye states it perfectly in “Everything I Am”

"Here we go again
Common passed on this beat
I made it to a Jam."

And Graduation is jam-packed with them. Out of the 14 tracks on the album there could easily be five singles. And speaking of his lyrics (a weakness of the otherwise brilliant Late Registration) Kanye has stepped his game at least back to the level of College Dropout and for the first time holds his own with his blend of über cocky, conscious, and everyday, with very few guest rhyme appearances.

Some highlights include “Champion” where he “wishes (Lauren Hill’s) heart was still in rhymin’ (don’t we all). Or “Evertything I Am” where he states “Man Killin’s some wack shit.” Or “Big Brother” where Kanye relays his relationship with Jay-Z and implores us to tell our heroes how they inspire us.

So while others have got rich and stopped trying Kanye West has established himself as hip-hop’s new king of consistency with his third great album in a little over three years with one of 2007’s best so far. Don’t be surprised if you’re still rocking songs like “The Good Life” at your New Years Party. Yes Kanye you can talk your shit again. You can talk all you want. Gander On!

Korn - Album Review

3 ninja stars out of 5

Jonathan Davis needs a better psychiatrist. Either that or he is a very convincing liar. 8 albums into his career as the lead singer of Korn he's still talking about how messed up his life is and how much he hates God (if he believes in him at all) for it.

But now he has a new reason. For breaking up his band. Three years ago Brian "Head" Welch left the band to allegedly follow God and recently drummer David Silveria has left due to exhaustion. It's too bad that Davis can't come up with anything else because the rest of the band shows some good artistic growth on this their second self-titled LP.

With the absence of Silveria Korn decides to pull a Smashing Pumpkins circa Adore and decides to go industrial to some great results including "I Will Protect You" and "Do What They Say" and Monkey throughout the album has some of his best guitar work to date.

Although there are bright spots, Davis still has one of the more interesting voices in rock music and does some great vocal overlapping in songs like "Starting Over", it is ultimately his writing that pulls this album down. Ironically on "Hold On" he tells his detractors "I think it's time for you to move on." I think he needs to take some of his own advice.

Standout tracks - "Life and Luxury" "Hold On" "Kiss"

Misses - "Ever Be" Gander On!

Common - Finding Forever - Album Review

4.5 ninjastars out of 5

"Ladies And Gentlemen
It's the C-O double M-O-N
synonym for fresh"
you should all remember him.

With this opening salvo (save the last line which I added) the Chi-city legend returns with Finding Forever his 7th album and second produced by Kanye West. Although I loved Be and was excited about the first two singles "The People" and "The Game" (Where have you been Premier?!?) I was afraid that he would continue to move away from his vocal (such as "Funky for You" off Like Water For Chocolate) and thematic (ie I Used to Love H.E.R off Resurrection) experimentation of his illustrious career.

To me Common represents all that hip-hop could and should be about. And although he has almost completely abandoned the almost spoken word or open mike poetry-style elements of his flow he still addresses subject matter that every rapper with lil' or young in front of his name wouldn't touch with the cliche ten-foot-pole. Such as the traps of materialism ("Drivin' Me Wild"), racial self-hatred ("Black Maybe"), and conversations with your maker ("Misunderstood").

Some people would say this makes him a sensitive MC. I would say that complete is a more fitting term because while Common has a large range of topics and emotions to draw inspiration from the average rapper is so afraid of appearing emotionally insecure that he not only reveals that he his but makes it hard to appreciate more than the rare single let alone call his work art. Whether or not Common ever reaches true commercial success who knows. He's like the rap Derrick Jeter. Whether or not he hits the most home runs or makes the most money the man is a champion.

Further listening - essential tracks from Common's career -
I Used to Love H.E.R
Nuthin' To Do
Communism
Reminding Me of Self
Retrospective For Life
Invocation
The Light
Funky For You
6th Sense
A Song For Assata
1-9-9-9
Respiration (Black Star feat. Common)
I Am Music
Go
Chi City Gander On!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - IS IS (EP) - Album Review

No Rating EP

Don't expect the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to solve global warming or cure AIDS. You'll probably never have a discussion with your friends about the complexity and/or meaning of lead singer Karen O's lyrics. This is not music for the head its music for the soul. It's music for the inner child that all of us have that every once in a while just wants to be reckless again. And although most of us have jobs and are not able to act out on these fantasies we can all watch (or invision) Karen O on stage flailing around giving you everything she has until she is a bloody bruised mess and remember what it was like to be carefree.

Now for the specifics. Yes I know i wussed out and didn't give it a rating. Its just not fair to rate an ep against an lp. This is not the more polished version of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs we saw on Show Your Bones. This is the wilder version that we saw on A Fever to Tell. Although guitarist Nick Zinner doesn't bring stunning licks this time I enjoyed four of the five songs on IS IS (the exception being "Rockers to Swallow"). This cd brought me back to the early 2000's and the height of the garage rock revival and I was happy to be there again. And thank you Karen for reminding us that "All (our) loves are within one wild night."

Standout Tracks - "Kiss, Kiss" , "IsIs" Gander On!

Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist Album Review

4.25 ninja stars out of 5

There has been a lot of talk lately that the 2007 Smashing Pumpkins aren't really the Smashing Pumpkins. Where's James Iha? Where's D'Arcy Wretsky? And although this may be true live (I've seen Iha play live during his short stint with A Perfect Circle and he's really good) Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlain have played just about every note recorded on a Pumpkins record since Siamese Dream (except Adore when Chamberlain was kicked out of the band).

This being said I didn't like this album at first. It's no Siamese Dream. It's no Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Where's "1979" part 2? But these are all unfair comparisons (listening to their greatest hits album the week before didn't help either) . Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie are two of the best albums of the 90's and are on many publications lists as some of the best of all-time.

Just as on other Pumpkins albums Zeitgeist will grow on you as Corgan's voice (always the most unlikely of front-men), which at first listen is nasal and annoying, digs deeper into your conscience to the point where it become beautifully tragic and compelling. And it doesn't hurt that the music behind him is great either which it is.

Zeitgeist begins with "Doomsday Clock" which may very well be a Corgan-penned letter from Eddie Vedder urging the Pumpkins to return after the loss of so many great 90's acts. With the Pumpkins you just never know. Corgan's writing has always been a Pandora's box of perplexingly vague yet personal poetry (pardon the alliteration) such as "Today" the heartsick story of love loss and desired suicide sung with a happy disposition. And Corgan has always been media shy in a controlling Barry Bonds-style manner to the point where you never really know what he's trying to get across. This can either be annoying or intriguing depending on your point of view. I tend to take the former in this current age of instant info and blogasphere half-truths (excluding this one of course).

Take the album art and song ''United States" for instance. The cover depicts the Statue of Liberty half-covered with water and the sun just above the waves. Created by the artist behind Obey clothing it represents a sort of choose your own adventure tag line, Is the sun rising or setting? Is the water rising or falling/ Just as in "United States" Corgan gives no answers just further questions. Doing so he comes off as either an everyman who recognizes that the present is important yet doesn't have the answers or someone who doesn't want to alienate part of his fanbase.

Whatever he's trying to say Zeitgeist (the Spirit of the Age) is one of those rare albums that not only gets better with each listen but can also be put on repeat without getting old. That is until your ears hurt from your i-buds. With or without Iha I can't wait to see them live.

Standout tracks: "Tarantula", "(Come On) Let's Go", "Neverlost" Gander On!

Pharoahe Monch – Desire Review

4 ninja starts out of 5

Here’s the back-story… Pharoahe Monch one of the game’s best lyricists released his last album Internal Affairs 8 years ago to both critical acclaim and commercial success due largely to the Godzilla sampling lead single “Simon Says (Get the F’ Up).” Then as a result (and on the verge of going platinum) of not getting said sample cleared the album was pulled off the shelves which sent Pharoahe tumbling into a series of label disputes and almost signings (he was once rumored to be signed to Shady Records).

But now he’s back “ridin’ the baseline like Ginobili” with the aptly titled Desire (a 7 year vet returning to the game after an 8 year hiatus must either really love hip-hop or not be able to get another job) and he’s mad. And although venting about the industry is nothing new Monch makes it fresh with lines like “I get it poppin’ without Artist and Repertoire ‘cuz Pharoahe is a monarch minus the A & R”, and his take on the ambiguity of song right ownership where he states “when you sample a snare your payin’ the klan.”

Desire is not just an industry bitch session, other highlights of the album include the soulful bounce of “Body Baby”, “Bartap”, and the beautiful three part epic of murder and retaliation called “Trilogy.” The latter two which show off Monch’s highly underrated story-telling ability.

Once on the cutting edge and rivaled by only Eminem and possibly Black Thought in lyrical creativity and inventiveness (he’s still pretty damn good), nothing save of the return of some sort of religious messiah is worth waiting 8 years for but, it’s great to have him back and hopefully we won’t have to wait another 8 for his next one.

Gander On!

T.I. - T.I. vs. TIP Album Review

4 Ninjastars out of Five

For those of you just getting acquainted with T.I. after “What You Know” or his scene-stealing verse on Justin Timberlake’s “My Love”, T.I. the rapper has an alter-ego T.I.P. the hustler that keeps him street credible but keeps getting him in trouble (just check his rap sheet). The thing that makes T.I appealing to both the “new old school” (Nas, Pac, B.I.G fans) and the pop-hop fans of today is that he bridges the gap between the two by combining a groovable flow with lyricism that’s respected by the old-school. Although hard-core T.I. fans will be debating whether with T.I vs T.I.P he has finally surpassed his classic second album Trap Muzik one thing that’s for sure is that the self-proclaimed King of the South gets top-notch beats. Always anthemic and never sounding like everything else in rap it’s the beats and song structure that carry this album when T.I doesn’t bring his “A” game. This is never more apparent than on the cuts featuring some of raps finest (Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Nelly, Eminem) where he gets outshined by all of them except surprisingly Eminem (up to here undefeated in posse cuts) who seems more concerned with making a party cut than bringing the wow-did-he-just-say-that factor we all love him for. The album is divided into three parts:

Part I for T.I.P

Part two for T.I. and

Part III for confrontations between the two.

It’s a damn good concept but one of the things that makes T.I. at times great is the combination of the two which we only get on four songs including one in which on the funniest part of the record he calls himself a “hoe-ass rapper.” The other type of song which T.I. excels at is the song for the ladies (if you haven’t heard “Let’s Get Away” give it a listen). This is again the case with songs like “My Swag” and “Do You Wanna Be High.” Sure to be blasted all summer by the hard, and those who either think or wish they were, T.I. vs. T.I.P is a damn good record especially if you’re a rap fan but Outkast’s still King of the South. Gander On!

White Stripes "Icky Thump" Album Review

4.5 Ninja Stars from Jbuc on this one, check out the review below.

The Stripes are back with all their lovable weirdness! Like White Blood Cells to an industry infected by scratch and sniff bands yet still wonders why their numbers are down. It couldn't’t be any clearer than on “St. Andrew” a bagpipe jam session over which Jack asks in a helium drenched voice “What exactly do you want me to say.” This and the spoken word over blasting guitar riffs of “Little Cream Soda” would surely have been left on the cutting room floor of a major-label yet are essential to what the Stripes are. Icky Thump is The White Stripes album that long-time fans were unsure whether they would ever make again. It has the unpolished grit the aforementioned White Blood Cells and their eponymous debut but they have definitely grown artistically since those days. Really an anthology, of sorts, of everything you love about the band. You’ll be intrigued on first listen and love it even more afterwards. If not, it’s okay, you can go right back to your M.I.M.S. album.

Standout Tracks: Rag and Bone, Conquest, A Martyr For My Love For You

Misses: none (give it a second listen you’ll see what I mean) Gander On!

QOTSA "Era Vulgaris" Album Review

Jbuc returns withn his review of the new Queens Of The Stone Age album "Era Vulgaris." it get a three and a hlaf out of five from us. Check the review below.

Era Vulgaris like the current times it’s named after is an often maddening record. It’s more up tempo and relentless than the criminally slept-on Lullabies to Paralyze but may be more notable for its near-misses than its hits. When Josh Homme sings that thinking of “the mysteries of the world just ain’t his thing” on “Make it Wit Chu” don’t believe him because it often feels like he is trying to cram as many ideas into each record as he possibly can. Most work, some don’t and the result is that the songs that aren’t great such as “River in the Road” have interesting parts and the ones that are good often have break downs, riffs, or bridges that either keep you from absolutely loving the song or reminds you how much you like the rest of it. These elements combined with Homme’s road-weary, haunting vocals make the entire album quite listenable but only the absolutely rocking “3’s and 7’s” is certain to make your ipod playlist.

Standout tracks: 3’s and 7’s, Into the Hollow, Make it Wit Chu

Misses: Misfit Love

Gander On!

Blue Schoalrs "Bayani" Album Review

Jbuc the latest ninja to join the team gives us this review of the New Blue Scholars Album "Bayani" and rates it four ninja stars out of five. Check it out below.

Geologic must be taking his daily intake of “beats rhymes and rice” as he claims on Bayani the Blue Scholars 2nd full-length and 3rd overall since 2004. That’s the only way to explain how the group can consistently keep the northwest ablaze with side projects yet keep the main product worth every penny of your 15 dollars. Although their motto is to blend the personal and political while partying in the process there aren’t any outright club bangers in the vein of “Motion-Movement” or “Blink” off of their self-titled debut. There aren’t any bad songs though either with quite a few standouts. Very political and Seattle-centric it’s more for a sunny day in Pike’s Place than a night out in Belltown.

Standout tracks: Fire for the people, Loyalty, Bayani

Misses: None

If you like this check out: Promethius Brown, Common Market Gander On!