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Jose James - No Beginning No End
VOCAL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVER | 332MB | 65:14
Blue Note 2013
Цитата:| No Beginning No End is singer and songwriter José James' fourth full-length, and his debut for Blue Note. It is as different from each of his previous records as they were from each other. The dozen songs on offer here continually contrast aspects of James' seemingly limitless musical persona: from funky neo-soul to elegant balladry to adventurous pop and R&B. He co-produced the album with bassist Pino Palladino and Brian Bender. He wrote or co-wrote eight tunes. There's lots of musical power here from his touring band, labelmates Robert Glasper and RG Experiment drummer Chris Dave, longstanding collaborator Emily King (who wrote two tunes here and appears as a duet partner), and Moroccan vocalist Hindi Zahra, to name a few. The first single, "Trouble," is rooted in neo-soul with its deeply funky horns (though they sound crystalline), strutting, blues-funk bassline, and rolling B-3, but slips through the genre to make something more now than neo. James’ silky baritone glides effortlessly over the top even when evoking Sly Stone's “If You Want Me to Stay” in his phrasing. "All Over Your Body" is driven by Palladino's belly-bumping bassline, and highlighted by loops, layers of live percussion, Rhodes, and shadowy, sexy horns. James, in slow-burn mode, may not be explicit, but he’s way past suggestive. "Vanguard" with Glasper's Rhodes and Dave's rimshot snare, offers an implied jazz vibe, but the tune’s hook and infectious vamp are mercurial. The haunting “Birds of Space” is spacy, jazzy, 21st century soul that recalls the flavor of James' Dreamer album. "Sword + Gun," with Zahra, is exotic. Employing a repetitive sung chant, there are layers of syncopated handclaps, open-mode horns, and Palladino's Afro-funk bassline. When Zahra takes her vocal, James hums in the backdrop, as guitars and cracking snares punctuate her lines. King's "Heaven on the Ground" is a duet with the author. Acoustic guitars, brushed drums, low burning bass, and plenty of sunshine illuminate this jazz-pop love song. (There are two versions of her "Come to My Door" here; she sings on the bonus -- and better -- acoustic version that originally appeared on James' It’s All Over Your Body EP.) The stellar title track is a sexy, simmering babymaker. James is low and slow, aching with longing as Palladino's sub-deep register bass ushers in an impressionistic Rhodes and a subtle rimshot backbeat, as they slide underneath his vocal. The cover of Amp Fiddler's “Tomorrow” is an intimate, spacious piano ballad, with a harmonically rich string arrangement by Jules Buckley. Even with its glacial tempo, James moves with a smoldering intensity through an array of subtle yet intense emotional expressions, never once overstating his case. No Beginning No End is James' most holistic and expansive recording. Here he not only blurs the boundaries of the various genres he examines, but extends them; in the process, he creates a beguiling, sophisticated, important music that is his own. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide |
José James - Vocals
Derrick Hodge - Bass
Pino Palladino - Bass
Hindi Zahra - Vocals
Emily King - Vocals
Amp Fiddler - Keyboards
Chris Dave - Drums, Percussion
Robert Glasper - Piano, Fender
Casey Benjamin - Saxophone, Flute
TRACKLISTING:
01. It’s All Over Your Body
02. Sword + Gun
03. Trouble
04. Vanguard
05. Come To My Door
06. Heaven On The Ground
07. Do You Feel
08. Make It Right
09. Bird of Space
10. No Beginning No End
11. Tomorrow
12. Come To My Door (Acoustic)
HOTFILE
pw: lisalisa
Estelle - All of Me
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 307MB | 41:50
Homeschool 2012
Цитата:| "American Boy" put Estelle in the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100, but none of the three subsequent singles from Shine touched that chart. The trend continued with a short series of A-sides during 2010 and 2011, with "Break My Heart" the exception. That song missed the Hot 100, but it actually fared slightly better on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart than "American Boy," likely due to the presence of hot-as-ever rapper Rick Ross. This sums up the singer/rapper's predicament. She's in danger of being considered a one-hit wonder -- one who is probably too mature and R&B-oriented for enduring pop-star status, yet she's so closely tied to a big pop hit that it's something of a hindrance in the climate of 2012 R&B/rap radio. A couple of those failed singles, including "American Boy" retread "Fall in Love" (featuring Nas), did not make it onto All of Me, a concise album at 40 minutes -- just over a tenth of which consists of several interludes, segments from an intense discussion about romantic relationships. After an opening pair of tracks where Estelle reverts to her old self as an enjoyable MC, the album settles into a sequence of songs that covers a wide variety of emotional states within the framework of a romance. In the strikingly moody "Break My Heart," as in "please don't," Estelle vividly expresses the apprehension of entering a relationship with trust issues. Despite its downcast tone, it's the album's standout by a sizeable margin, and it's also where Estelle sounds most natural. The liquid midtempo jam "Cold Crush," something of a throwback to early-'80s synth funk à la the System, could be a sleeper summertime hit on adventurous radio stations. Much of what remains is pleasant and executed with finesse, yet not as memorable as the majority of The 18th Day or Shine. The appearances from Chris Brown and Trey Songz may qualify as the least necessary collaborations of 2012. It's unfortunate that the closing "Do My Thing," featuring boisterous Janelle Monáe interplay, organ, horns, and handclaps, won't get nearly as much attention. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide |
TRACKLISTING:
01. The Life
02. International
03. You And I
04. Love The Way We Used To
05. Cold Crush
06. Don't Break It
07. Break My Heart
08. Thank You
09. Who We Are
10. Wonderful Life
11. Found My Way
12. Back To Love
13. Blue Skies
14. Speak Ya Mind
15. Do My Thing
HOTFILE
pw: lisalisa |
