G-Magazine Now

ALBUM REVIEW: "Overcome" by Alexandra Burke

Soulful pop diva Alexandra Burke released her debut album Overcome in Europe fresh after big #1 debut single ("Bad Boys") and a record-breaking sales chart-topping single ("Hallelujah").  With her mainstream music career commencing with two #1 European hits, the pressure weighs heavily on whether Burke can carry an entire album and more hits. Overcome packs itself plenty of potential hit singles and a great variety of dance, mid-tempo and ballads where Burke commands almost every song.  The album's surprise is that it lacks soul despite the powerfully, rich voice that the young songstress possesses.  It can be easily compared to Whitney Houston's 1987 Whitney album, a collection of strong, memorable tunes that purposely aims to please the pop music market.  Overall, Overcome is a bold soulful pop album that could use a bit more soul.

"Bad Boys" (featuring Flo-Rida)

"Good Night Good Morning" (featuring Ne-Yo)

"The Silence"

"Dumb"

"Overcome"

"They Don't Know"

Single that should be released: #1 "Bad Boys" #2 "Overcome" #3 "The Silence" #4 "Broken Heels" #5 "They Don't Know"

ALBUM REVIEW: "Colour Me Free!" by Joss Stone

Very few singers have been called a mainstream music veteran by the age of 22.  Alongside iconic names such as Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, British blue-eyed soul singer Joss Stone released her fourth studio album Colour Me Free, which discusses where she is musically and in love.  Though the singer struggled with her record label over the released date of Free, fans should be fortunate to have her best compilation of timeless modern bluesy tunes seeing the light of day.  Even the young starlet enlisted jazz, hip-hop and guitar legends who respects her talent despite being between 15 and 44 years her senior in age.  Modernizing the sounds of the early 70's funk and 40's blues over sophisticated, mature lyrics makes Colour sound like a long jam session that commands the audience's attention throughout.

Click on the titles below to listen to the following album tracks.

"Big 'Ol Game" (featuring Raphael Saadiq)

"You Got The Love"

"Parallel Lines" (featuring Jeff Beck & Sheila E.)

"Girlfriend On Demand"

"I Believe It To My Soul" (featuring David Sanborn)

ALBUM REVIEW: "This Is Us" by Backstreet Boys

International pop superstar group Backstreet Boys return with their seventh album This Is Us, an album full of radio gems that sound like what former rival group 'NSync would record if they had not disband.  A different direction from their usual adult-contemporary pop sound, This points the group into a direction that is great for the urban pop market at an international level.  Consequently, the songwriting falls short to compensate for the great productions by Red One, Bryan Kennedy, Max Martin and T-Pain among others.

Check out these album tracks by clicking onto the titles:

"She's A Dream"

"Bye Bye Love"

"Shattered"

"If I Knew Then"

"This Is Us"

"Masquerade"

ALBUM REVIEW: "J.O.S.E. (Jealous Ones Still Envy) 2" by Fat Joe

Bronx Puerto Rican rapper Fat Joe drops his latest studio album J.O.S.E. (Jealous Ones Still Envy) 2 which pays homage to his most successful album of the same name that was released 2001.  Packed with plenty of music made for the radio, it's the two solo joints with edgier productions where Joe's rhymes sound competitive.  The results of J.O.S.E. 2 makes one wonder what is there to be jealous of when Joe enlisted a barrage of guest artists who outshine him on many tracks.   Is that what his competition is supposed to be jealous of?

Check out these album tracks by clicking onto the titles:

"One" (featuring Akon)

"Blackout" (featuring Swizz Beats & Rob Cash)

"Porn Star" (featuring Lil' Kim)

"Okay Okay"

"Aloha" (featuring Pleasure P & Rico Love)

ALBUM REVIEW: "Flight 360: The Takeoff" by Playaz Circle

 

Atlanta rap duo Playaz Circle made little noise with the hustler anthem “Duffle Bag Boy” featuring guest rapper du jour Lil’ Wayne in 2007.  Like that hit single, their new album, Flight 360: The Takeoff, relies heavily on guest appearances and the same ole “duffle bag” lyrical stories to create magic rather than coming up with inventive topics to gain a fanbase.  Even the duo recruited Lil’ Wayne once again for “Big Dawg” to recreate that “Duffle Bag” magic.  Too bad the results failed as much as the duo’s identity standing out in the album.

Check out these album tracks by clicking onto the title names to listen.

"Big Wheel Whippin'"

"Big Dawg" (featuring Lil' Wayne)

"DJ Know Me" (featuring Young Dro)

"Quit Flossin'" (featuring The Casey Boys)

"Stupid" (featuring OJ Da Juiceman)

"Can't Remember" (featuring Bobby Valentino)