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  • Out Of "Control"

    So the big music news in the blogosphere right now is NOT the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame inductions (I don’t know who The Ventures are, either), but the new Janet Jackson single, “Feedback”, which premiered today.
    As everyone with a pulse knows, Janet’s career has been on a bit of a downslide since the whole tittie at the Super Bowl incident. Her last album, “20 Y.O.”, only sold about 800,000 copies. Not bad for most artists, but not good for someone who used to sell 5 million copies of an album at a clip. An unofficial blacklist by MTV has not helped, not to mention the fact that her last couple of albums have decreased sharply in quality. To be true, she hasn’t released a better than average album since 1997’s “The Velvet Rope”.
    At any rate, “Feedback” has a very Timbo/Justin sound to it (ironic much?) with a hint of Britney. Lyrically, it’s Janet talking about sex, which is only novel to someone who stopped listening after “Rhythm Nation”. Not that it’s a bad song per se, but she can do much better. Her new album comes out 2/26. Let’s hope the material within is better than this…

     

  • In My Infinite Confusion: A Heartwarming Holiday Tale

    …and the general public’s infinite wisdom…
    Not only has Josh Groban’s “Noel” been the #1 album in the country for the past three weeks, but it has become one of only three albums so far this year to surpass the 2 million scans mark (with the “High School Musical 2” soundtrack and Daughtry being the other two).
    This reminds me of this same time a decade or so ago, when Kenny G. was #1 for weeks on end (indeed: the man has the best selling holiday music title of ALL TIME) with “Miracles: A Holiday Album”. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I will say that I actually liked Kenny G. once upon a time-back when his music had an R&B/smooth jazz flavor and didn’t have the aura of overprocessed Muzak. But seriously, do you gather around the tree and play Kenny G’s Christmas songs? Because if you do, I ain’t comin’ over to your house.
    With all of the vaguely enjoyable Christmas albums nowadays (a list that includes everything from the Phil Spector Christmas Album to sets by Nat “King” Cole and The Jackson Five) to a slew of one-offs you can either get individually on iTunes or purchase on compilations (by everyone from Barenaked Ladies to Wham! to Mariah Carey, Elton John, Whitney Houston, Paul McCartney, Prince & The Revolution, Madonna…you get the idea…), WHY JOSH GROBAN?!???!???!??!
    Hopefully you realize what you are subjecting your holiday guests to…

  • Friday Throwback – We’re All In The Same Gang

    Anyone remember the West Coast All-Stars?

    Ok, good. Well, if you don’t, there was a time in 1990 (?) that a bunch of west coast rappers and rap groups got together to record a song designed to be anti-gang and anti-violence. Tone-Loc, Ice-T, Young MC, MC Hammer, and the clean up hitter, Eazy-E were a few of the contributors. Even the great JJ Fad (the ess is for super, the you is for unique …) was involved.

    • Gang violence needs to be wiped out!
    • What’s up with those dudes dancing behind Def Jef?
    • Don’t forget the great Michel’le on the hook.
    • A song that stresses non-violence has a verse that starts with, “Being the pimps that we are …”
    • Look at that big medallion around Ice-T’s neck.
    • The line I remember most is Young MC saying, “Brothers, killing other brothers. I thought the idea was to love one another?”
    • Ok, I lied. It’s Humpty Hump saying, “Kill a black man, what are you retarded? Do you work for the clan?”
    • I wonder if Hammer was hot in that leather jump suit.
    • So Eazy’s entire verse was basically that he’s not going to tell anyone to do what he won’t do himself, but at least use your brain?
    • Eazy-E, the violent hero.
    • I wonder who wrote the violent hero’s verse.

    I nearly forgot there was a back story to the entire video with little man being sought after because he saw what the shooter looked like. But what I don’t get is, why would you go after little man in an area where there’s now 100 other people who will see you as the shooter? Don’t make no sense.

    Oh well. For some reason, I remember Eazy’s verse being cut out of the radio versions of the song. Or something like that. But I can’t quite remember so well 17 years later, so someone will have to correct me on that, if they remember.