Romantic troubadour Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds is as genteel as ever on “Grown & Sexy,” Young Jeezy proves there is more to Atlanta's hip-hop scene then crunk with “Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101’ and Rhino Record's looks back at ’90s pop in this week's new releases.
“Grown & Sexy,” Babyface
Compared to today’s generation of R&B studs, Babyface seems a little old fashioned on his latest offering, “Grown & Sexy.”
The romantic troubadour sounds as genteel as ever: There are no songs dedicated to baby mama drama, getting trapped in a closet of a married lover, or all-night grinding. In fact, while the title of the opening cut, “Tonight It’s Goin’ Down,” hints at a night of reckless passion, the lyrics talk about the culmination of a long-wait for love — a couple in the “making babies” stage of a relationship instead of the one-night hookup.
But while Babyface might a bit old school, “Grown & Sexy” hardly sounds outdated — just classic. “Good 2 Be In Luv” is a soulful, uptempo celebration of commitment, while “Sorry For The Stupid Things,” is prime Babyface, as he gallantly offers an apology for all the dumb stuff men are apt to do. Yet the man who so famously crooned about paying his girl’s bills and cooking the dinner on the ’80s hit “Soon As I Get Home” isn’t without a backbone: “Goin’ Outta Business” is a brush-off to a gold-digger.
Babyface’s always alluring tenor is in fine form here, with emotion that never boils over, but simmers with steady heat. And musically, the album offers some of the prolific singer-songwriter-producer’s best work. Though Babyface has a tendency to stray to the sappy side, most of the disc avoids the saccharine (with the possible exception of “She,” a tribute to the mother of his child, which is definitely on the borderline). Instead, it’s full of an irresistible, luscious, romantic tunes that frames love and lust in a decidedly adult fashion.— Nekesa Mumbi Moody
“Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101,” Young JeezyYes, crunk music is an integral component of Atlanta’s hip-hop sound and scene. However, there’s more to ATL’s hip-hop artists than just getting crunk. Young Jeezy is living proof of that.
With his debut album release, “Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101,” Jeezy caters to the streets with a no-nonsense, harsh-reality rhyme style. The enthralling “Air Force Ones” has Jeezy flexing muscle about his 180-degree turn from a strained past to a bright present-day situation.
“I went from old school Chevy’s to drop-top Porsches, you couldn’t walk a mile in my Air Forces,” he confidently proclaims on the hook of the song. Much of the same reflective pain and struggle continues on “Soul Survivor,” which features the moving vocals of R&B singer Akon. Also produced by Akon, the track’s storytelling and synthetic sound blends aptly with Jeezy’s street narration and slight southern drawl.
While most of the album’s production has deliberatem looming plots, producer Mannie Fresh’s bass-heavy concoction and the album’s first single, “And Then What,” offers a change of pace with an infectious uptempo drum display on which Jeezy schools young rappers on the rules of hustling.
“Bang” which features fellow ATL artists T.I. and Lil’ Scrappy, is a chests-out, shoulders- back, city-pride anthem. The track plays as a perilous ride through Atlanta, with each rapper handling the menacing synthetic beat with blatant straightforward lyrics. Jeezy sports the swagger, street smarts, slyness, soul and command of a hustler throughout his debut and it’s done effortlessly.
While clearly not on the same lyrical level of fellow Atlanta MCs T.I. and Ludacris, the street struggles presented on “Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101” have allowed Jeezy to carve his own niche in the city’s bubbling hip-hop sound. When Jeezy speaks, the streets will likely lend him their ears, especially with this project.— Mark Lelinwalla
“Whatever: The ’90s Pop & Culture Box,” Various ArtistsEveryone loves lists, and compilation boxed sets are essentially a list-making project. The Rhino label’s best-of-the-decade packages always stir debate regarding what should be included, and their new seven-CD ’90s compilation is no exception.
Rhino opted primarily for radio favorites on their sets from the ’70s and ’80s, but the “Whatever” producers changed tactics. In the liner notes they say their goal was to skip stupid songs that were hits in favor of more obscure, ambitious tunes, and the music might be better as a result. But it’s also more limited.
“Whatever” goes heavy on guitar, and missing from the 130-song playlist is a lot of dumb fun in a decade full of it. Because the set is so Seattle-centric, it rocks harder than Rhino’s companion compilations. But there’s little dance music or serious rap — several of the hip-hop selections are novelty numbers, curious given the producers’ stated objective.
Licensing issues are always a hurdle for such compilations, and absent are such decade-definining acts as Nirvana, Radiohead, Ice Cube and 2Pac. Still, the packaging meets Rhino’s usual high standards — coffee beans on the cover — and it’s fun to hear overlooked gems by such acts as Ash, Tad and Cibo Matto, along with hits ranging from Sublime (“What I Got”) to the ridiculous (Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back”).
Rhino released its ’70s set 18 years after the decade ended, and waited 12 years to deliver an ’80s package. It’s understandable the label would rush ’90s nostalgia a bit, given that downloading and iPods may soon make such boxed sets a thing of the past.— Steven Wine
“Got Love,” The Bel Airs
“Walk Through Walls,” Brian Capps
“Some Kind of Sign,” The Domino Kings
“Think About It,” The MorrellsAh, the delights of the Ozarks: boating, camping and — surprise — good tunes, too. The best-kept secret in Southwest Missouri may be the lively music scene, and four new CDs from Springfield-based acts offer evidence.
Best of the bunch is a solo debut from country-rockabilly singer Brian Capps, whose warm tenor brings sparkle even to such hoary chestnuts as Merle Travis’ “Dark As A Dungeon.” Capps also shows considerable songwriting talent on his seven original tunes and takes advantage of jaw-dropping guitar work by the Morrells’ D. Clinton Thompson.
The Bel Airs are a trio led by the Pruitt brothers, Dick and David, and their vocals mesh marvelously on honkin’ R&B tunes reminiscent of Sam & Dave. Stevie Newman is frontman for the Domino Kings, a rootsy quartet with plenty of twang, and he sums up his influences thusly: “We grew up on songs about God and killin’ and Jesus and mother and killin.”’
The best-known act among the four is the Morrells, who began recording in 1982, but their latest release is the weakest of the batch. Their loose sound and fondness for yucks recalls NRBQ, but “Think About It” is an unfocused hodgepodge, and the tunes likely would come off better live — just one more reason for a trip to Springfield.— Steven Wine
“Now More Than Ever ... Worship,” Joann Rosario
Joann Rosario has emerged from two years of silence following treatment for nodes on her vocal cords with a more powerful testimony and an album full of sincere worship.
Rosario’s sophomore effort, “Now More Than Ever ... Worship,” follows the Stellar-nominated debut “More, More, More,” and finds her again under the close mentorship of executive producer Fred Hammond. Also enlisted for production work is the ever-present Donald Lawrence on the standout ballad “God,” sung by Rosario with true passion, and Ralph “Buttaz” Kearns, who mixes up a retro-disco feel on the joyful and danceable “Thanks Be Unto God.” It has great potential to be a chart-topping single.
Rosario shines just as brightly when the fingerprints of her producers are less evident. The anointed bonus track, “Cuando Reposo En Ti,” features the praise and worship leader in her most natural and powerful state: live in front of a congregation. This collection of songs filled with adoration and devotion are sure to further cement Rosario’s place among gospel’s top artists.— Aimee Maude Sims