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Pop Rock Nation

Category: Releases

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  • O’Neal McKnight’s “Check Your Coat”: This Has To Be a Joke

    I’ll admit that I’m not much of a TV watcher anymore. Once sitcoms started to suck in the mid Nineties (and I went five or six years without an actual television set), my couch potato days were over. As of right now, my television watching usually consists of sports (or “Sportscenter”), “Law & Order” reruns, “Scrubs” and “30 Rock”. And VH-1 Classic and VH-1 Soul, pretty much the last things anyone over 30 has in terms of music television.

    I was sort of mindlessly watching VH-1 Soul one night two or three weeks ago, when the video I’m about to unveil popped onto the screen. I was talking to a friend on instant messenger as this was playing, and I couldn’t help expressing my distaste (disgust?) to him (his response: “Why does he have two last names?”). There are so many things wrong with this video, from McKnight’s 1980 MJ-meets 1991 Boyz II Men look to the cameo by faded rap star Greg Nice (of Nice & Smooth fame). For a while, I thought this had to be a joke, because no one could have bankrolled or shot this with a straight face. Right? RIGHT?????

  • NKOTB Joins Forces with Ne-Yo on “Single”

    Here’s a team-up I didn’t see coming.

    The second single from the New Kids on the Block’s upcoming album, “The Block” is called “Single” and features none other than Ne-Yo sharing lead vocals. I’d imagine he wrote the song too. Either way, women young and old are going to eat this one up. Just listen to the lyrics.

    While “Summertime” was a moderate hit, giving the Kids their first Top 40 action in 16 years, this song sounds a little more in tune with what’s going on at radio these days. Ummm…not bad, I must say. Actually, this is better than a lot of the stuff that was on Ne-Yo’s decidedly so-so “Because of You” album.

    single –

  • New Video: The Streets “The Escapist”

    It’s my hope that if American audiences managed to “get” Amy Winehouse, then they’ll eventually “get” Mike Skinner who is better known as The Streets. The British rapper has released three excellent albums over the past six years, but has yet to really catch on with audiences Stateside, although in his homeland, he’s a megastar. His albums reveal a much more complex personality than the average 2008-era rap artist (which is probably why he hasn’t been successful here-complex personalities are a little too far-reaching for most Americans), and if you can make it through the thick accent, you’ll be rewarded with music that’s occasionally laugh out loud funny, and occasionally heart-rending.

    His new single, “The Escapist” finds Skinner lowering the tempo and adopting a reflective tone. The video is amazing. Not only is it a concept video in an age where it’s very easy to just show a bunch of chicks dancing half-naked and call it art, but the scenery is breathtaking. Besides, everyone needs to escape every once in a while, right? Boy, have I been feeling that something awful lately.

    Anyway, the YouTube video pauses frequently on my computer…I don’t know that it will do the same on yours. So I’ve also included a link to Skinner’s site, where you can not only watch the video without it stopping every 10 seconds, but you can also download the song for free. Enjoy.

    http://www.the-streets.co.uk