The Wu-Tang Clan member keeps his musical mission consistent on his second solo album. *** 1/2 METHOD MAN, “Tical 2000: Judgment Day,” Def Jam.
Enrique iglesias cosas del amor special edition cd plus#
A sequel to the 1987 “Garage Days Revisited” EP (included in its entirety here), this two-disc collection features all the outside material Metallica has tackled over the years, plus 11 newly recorded. But really, who would you rather hear sing “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning”? With the benefit of Sinatra-style production and stunning arrangements, Manilow manages to do a pleasant job of joining the ranks of the Sinatra wannabes. ** 1/2 BARRY MANILOW, “Manilow Sings Sinatra,” Arista. Retains the essence of Mexico while looking to the world with a joyous lust for new, foreign sounds. With one delicate exception (“El Cocodrilo”), the album covers the Mexican band’s familiar territory, but with a renewed sense of maturity. *** 1/2 MALDITA VECINDAD, “Mostros,” BMG. A masterful revival album that looks into the future with unflinching optimism. Tex-Mex and Chicano artists including members of Los Lobos team for an exploration of their musical roots. *** 1/2 LOS SUPER SEVEN, “Los Super Seven,” RCA. Despite the funk-slapped bass and the sometimes fun roar of singer Jonathan Davis, the tactics usually ring silly and false. The Pied Pipers of post-grunge metal tap a sort of free-floating, mall-rat angst that’s both insular and small-minded. ** 1/2 KORN, “Follow the Leader,” Immortal/Epic. He blends hip-hop brio and bombast with some of his most tenderly soulful writing and singing to date. With this double-CD set, Kelly aspires to both maintain his street credibility and expand on his crossover success. Jay-Z’s biggest asset is his ability to relay the most intricate details of life-especially one saturated with drugs, guns and disposable women. Reconfirms the Brooklyn rapper’s status as a superior wordsmith. Those foreign to the world of Latin kitsch, however, will remain utterly perplexed. Unlike other pop stars of his generation, Iglesias writes his own material and sings it with conviction. ** 1/2 ENRIQUE IGLESIAS, “Cosas Del Amor,” Fonovisa. The gangster rap pioneer relies on moody production to carry his still fiery messages. For her first new studio album in eight years, Houston has recruited both old colleagues and young R&B and hip-hop talent to come up with songs that reflect her growth as an artist and as an individual. *** WHITNEY HOUSTON, “My Love Is Your Love,” Arista. The writer-producer-singer-rapper-arranger isn’t the first to mix hip-hop and soul, but she may be the one who most fully defines the mix. **** LAURYN HILL, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” RuffHouse/Columbia. But on its latest album, Goo’s singer-songwriter John Rzeznick fails to leaven his earnestness with humor, leaving only heavy-handed anthems to self-absorption. This trio has never shied away from reaching out to teen listeners with songs that grapple with identity, romance and self-worth. ** GOO GOO DOLLS, “Dizzy Up the Girl,” Warner Bros. You might wish the balance between contemporary snap and mainstream sheen leaned more to the former, but this is a classy work that celebrates the power of Franklin’s alluring-and in some ways revolutionary-gospel-pop vision.
**** KIRK FRANKLIN, “The Nu Nation Project,” GospoCentric/Interscope. However heartfelt Evans’ intentions may be in this homage to her late husband, the Notorious B.I.G., she seems more concerned with soliciting our empathy than with creating compelling R&B. ** 1/2 FAITH EVANS, “Keep the Faith,” Arista. For doubters who believe R&B isn’t as strong and compelling as it used to be. **** DRU HILL, “Enter the Dru,” University/Island Black Music. That range, plus their sweet, assured three-part harmonies, Natalie Maines’ attractively steely lead vocals, and savvy song selection have propelled this major-label debut into the Top 10.
This tradition-rooted Texas trio knows its way around country, western, honky-tonk, bluegrass, folk and country-rock. *** DIXIE CHICKS, “Wide Open Spaces,” Monument. She’s able to draw inspiration from pain without wallowing in it. Forgoing her narrative technique for a more confessional approach, Crow lends her husky, world-wise mezzo to poignant, strikingly personal accounts of troubled and failed love affairs. **** SHERYL CROW, “The Globe Sessions,” A&M.
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