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Pop Rock Nation

Category: Releases

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  • First Look: Jay-Z’s “Run This Town”

    Jay-Z’s “Blueprint 3” is only a few short weeks away from release. Will it be an artistry-affirming masterpiece like the first “Blueprint” was? Or will it be an overambitious, ego-driven mess like “Blueprint 2”? Two singles in, I’m not so sure of the answer.

    Joined by proteges Kanye West and Rihanna (whose presence almost automatically predicts chart success), “Run This Town” is one of Jay’s most commercial efforts to date. The song itself? It’s okay. Rihanna’s chorus (though catchy) is way too long, and Hov continues to rate lower and lower on the lyrical achievement scale with each passing album. I actually like Kanye’s verse better than either of Jay’s. The post-apocalyptic video is an obviously big-budget production designed to win a ton of MTV Video Music Awards, but it’s hard to tell what’s really going on in the clip. It looks good, but what kind of statement is Jay trying to make?

    I’m pretty undecided on both the song and video, and even though I’ll be one of the first folks at the record store to cop “Blueprint 3”, I’ll admit that neither of the songs or videos released thus far give me confidence that Jay is anything other than content to rest on his laurels. Thanks to pitchfork.com.

  • First Listen: Whitney Houston’s “Million Dollar Bill”

    So I’m thinking this Whitney comeback might actually get pulled off. “Million Dollar Bill” is the second radio single from her upcoming album “I Look to You”, and it’s a pretty damn good record. Produced by Alicia Keys (and Swizz Beatz…I think), it’s got a retro-disco vibe that Whitney’s never tried before. It works for her. I’m glad they’re not going the Auto-Tune/trendy club beat route with her (you hear that, Mary J. Blige?)

    What impresses the most is that the voice is still there. Whitney can still sing, but then again, I’m of the belief that her voice actually got better once Bobby (and all the other attendant issues) came into the picture.

    So, this is a pretty cool track. I’m excited for the album. What do you think?

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  • First Listen: The Roots

    You might have not been paying attention, but The Roots have been up there with The White Stripes, Radiohead, and Kanye as the most consistent artists of the past decade. With thought-provoking lyrics and rock-solid funk grooves, this is the kind of hip-hop that lots of people have either forgotten existed or never knew existed in the first place. While most of the attention behind the band gets focused on drummer ?uestlove (either because of his striking look or because of his ease with a quote), rapper Black Thought is just as important to the group, and has quietly revealed himself to be one of the most unsung emcees in hip-hop history. Plus, the man, like fellow emcee greats Andre 3000 and Slick Rick (sorta), can sing too! Their new album, “How I Got Over” was originally scheduled for a summer release, but has gotten bumped into October. Check out their performance of the title track on Jimmy Fallon’s late night talk show, where they also serve as the house band. Hopefully this exposure results in a well-deserved, successful album.