Heading to your favorite store’s Music department or browsing iTunes this afternoon? Here are this week’s new releases, some opinions, and a taste of what each has to offer.
Ciara – Basic Instinct
The long delays might have been the best thing Ciara could have done for herself and her fans on this album. She sounds like she’s finally discovered how to ride her lane. And while some songs on the album still need to grow on us, we were fans of four tracks off the bat. Here’s one of them.
“Wants For Dinner”
We also wish we would have heard this version of “Gimme Dat” before the original…
Diddy-Dirty Money – Last Train To Paris
This album, honestly, is hard to rate. Maybe if they hadn’t labeled it as a “Hip-Hop/Rap” album… or if Diddy woulda been on his “Loving You No More” singing steez throughout. But it’s a little hit or miss. And you’re going to either love it or hate it.
Click here for a preview of the album, in case you missed it. And check out “Strobe Light” featuring Lil’ Wayne below, which didn’t make the preview.
Michael Jackson – Michael
Some of you are more hyped about this new “Michael” album than you are about Christmas. Some of you think it’s a disrespectful travesty, word to will.i.am. But, regardless of how you feel, the last project Michael Jackson worked on before he passed has been released.
“Michael” features appearances by Akon, 50 Cent, and Lenny Kravitz, who joins Michael on “(I Can’t Make It) Another Day.”
R. Kelly – Love Letter
R. Kelly is another artist making a strong comeback in 2010… even though to some of you he never left. To fully purge the memory of his “Psst on you” ways, R. Kelly has taken the music away from that rap/sing steez Trey Songz clearly does much better. In addition to the old school flavor of the album, “Love Letter” is also accompanied by a documentary. We shared part one last week; check out part two below.
Kandi – Kandi Koated
It’s been a minute since Kandi’s had an album out. So much so, that a lot of people seem to be under the impression that she is simply “Kandi from Real Housewives of Atalnta.” She’s not. She is still Kandi from Xscape. And this album will remind you of that.
In addition to including her Xscape homie for her video, Kandi also included the requisite Tiny-from-Xscape collabo, “Superwoman.”
Tank – Now or Never
Kinda like R. Kelly, Tank’s new album is out to deliver pure, unadulterated R&B. And he does just that. Take, “Amazing,” for example:
Click here for a couple of other tracks from the album.
Sheek Louch – Donnie G: Don Gorilla
This is Sheek Louch’s first major label release following a slew of well received indie joints. Unfortunately, it was as underwhelmingly promoted as we expect from Def Jam these days.
SMH at his first single being “Remember Me”…
Mixtape Pick Of The Week
Sammie – It’s Just A Mixtape 2
Sammie is definitely trying to contribute to the legacy of R&B crooners, the guys who really sing: no gimmicks. Download It’s Not Just A Mixtape here
