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T-Boz: Still A Champ

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : January 28, 2013
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Category: Music Monday

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T-Boz Champ

As T-Boz’s reality show, “Totally T-Boz”, came to a close last Tuesday, January 18th, she announced a very special release that she’s been working on. It’s her new song, “Champion”. It’s a step in the direction of launching her own solo career (while balancing upcoming TLC obligations) that she so anxiously wants. I’m not sure if now is the best time for her to embark on a solo career, but she definitely has one heck of a resume. Despite the fact that TLC hasn’t released a CD in 2002′s 3D, they are still one of the best-selling female groups (and groups period) of all time, with over 65 million records sold worldwide. Plus, with her beating the odds once again with her brain tumor recovery, she has at the very least proven that she has a compelling story to tell. Nevertheless, I’m excited about the new TLC music coming soon and the possibility of T-Boz’s own records.

In an era where meaningful lyrics seem to have been tossed out the window, “Champion” not only has an inspiring message but is also helping fund research for such diseases as sickle-cell anemia, lupus and leukemia. Not some, but all proceeds will go towards finding a cure for these diseases. I’m not too fond of the production here and it sounds a bit unfinished, but I like the melody, lyrics and T-Boz’s signature scratchy tone here. If there’s anyone who can sing a song like this and really have lived it and mean it, it’s T-Boz. You can help be a champion by downloading the single on iTunes and contributing to important disease research.

What do you think of  ”Champion”? Is T-Boz better solo or should she stick with TLC?

T-Boz Champ 2

Justin Timberlake Dresses Up On New Single

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : January 21, 2013
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Category: Music Monday

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JT Cover

It’s been nearly 7 years since the release of the classic R & B masterpiece, FutureSex/Love Sounds. This CD is still in rotation on my iPod. Not to mention his debut album, Justified, which was also a great collection of songs. Who can forget the epic greatness of “Cry Me A River”. I must admit, I never got into his original claim to fame, N’Sync. I will admit though that “Gone” was one of their best songs and I think it’s the first people were really introduced to what he could offer as a solo artist. Now over 20 million albums and millions of singles sold with just his solo career alone, Justin Timberlake has decided to return to music again. He had been gone so long that it made some fans wonder if he would ever return to the stage again. He seems to have gotten his feel for the acting bug and now has made his way back to the studio. Many times when artists disappear and come back after years off the scene, their music runs the risk of not being received well. But Justin Timberlake just may have defied the odds.

Last Monday, Justin Timberlake released his new single, “Suit & Tie” featuring Jay Z. I immediately liked the song and the music sounded like he never left. Timbaland is at the helm of production again, which was a smart move considering their massive success together. The production is mellow, but intricate at the same time. There’s a really smooth swagger here and by the time Jay Z adds his verse, there’s almost no way you can resist the infectious groove of this song. But what do the fans think of the new song? The UK loved it so much that it almost bumped Will.i.am and Britney Spears’ “Scream and Shout” collaboration from the #1 spot (the song debuted at #3 on the UK charts). Talk about a comeback. “Suit & Tie” also marks the biggest first week sales of any of his singles, with 330,000 plus downloads. Could this be the biggest single of his career? Only time will tell, but at least it peaks quite an interest in what his new album will sound like. Who says you can’t disappear for years and rule the charts again when you feel like it?

What do you think of Justin Timberlake’s new song, “Suit & Tie”? His new CD, titled The 20/20 Experience will be hitting stores soon. Will you be buying?

JT

Ready for The Weeknd

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : November 19, 2012
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Category: Music Monday

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During the Thanksgiving holiday, many are getting travel arrangements finalized, putting the glaze over the fresh out of the oven turkey and gathering around the big screen to watch football. Even better is the extended weekend many will be getting from it. But there’s a different kind of Weekend I just recently discovered. Sure, I heard R & B (I use that genre loosely) singer The Weeknd on Drake’s “Crew Love” from the Take Care CD. Not to mention that he served as one of the song’s writers, producers, and instrumentalists as well. But I had never heard his mixtapes until recently. One of my friends told me about him and let me hear a few tracks. I instantly liked the music. If I had to categorize The Weeknd’s style of music, I would call it “Dramatic Mellow Soul”.

In 2011, The Weeknd ( Toronto singer Abel Tesfaye a.k.a Drake’s protegé)  released 3 mixtapes, House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence, with the help of producers Illangelo and Doc McKinney. The music was released as a free offering on www.datpiff.com and other free download sites.  Tesfaye’s voice has the airiness of Maxwell and the eccentric tone of Prince. On November 13, 2012, The Weeknd released a compilation of all 3 mixtapes, for the price of one CD, called Trilogy. Trilogy is very cohesive in its style of music and it also features new songs “Twenty Eight“, “Valerie” and “Till Dawn (Here Comes the Sun)”. You can still get the free mixtapes, minus Trilogy’s new tracks, but I will say that Trilogy is definitely a great buy. You can’t really beat 3 great CDs for $9.99.

I will admit you do have to be in a certain mood to listen to Trilogy, but it doesn’t make the music any less addictive. The 3 CD set was released as a joint venture between The Weeknd, his XO crew and Republic Universal. Abel Tesfaye is not necessarily cocky, but he  makes his presence known in a big way. On “What You Need” he whispers “He’s what you want/I’m what you need….I got everything you want from me/I do everything he does times three”.  Then there’s slickly titled remake, “D.D.” It’s rare that a brand new artist attempts to remake a classic, but The Weeknd does just that with Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana”. Not only does he pull off the new version well, but dare I say it…..it sounds a tad bit better than the original. The CD also features guest appearances from mentor and fellow Toronto native Drake and Juicy J.

It will be interesting to see what kind of impression The Weeknd will make on the music industry. But with a solid set for a first full album, a diverse sound, and an estimated 100,000 copies of Trilogy already sold, he’s making a heck of a first impression. As he takes us through a tale of the party life gone wrong and then sobering up, I can’t wait to see how his next story will sound.

Check out a couple of the songs from Trilogy below

Kendrick Lamar: good kid, Great Music

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : November 5, 2012
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Category: Music Monday

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You may already be very familiar with K Dot (a.k.a Kendrick Lamar) by now. He recently dropped the “K Dot” moniker for his real name, but has been dropping mix tapes as far back as 2003. He released his debut CD, Section.80 in 2010, but it was overlooked in the mainstream music arenas. But things have turned around for the man who Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and The Game have proclaimed “The New West Coast King”. It’s a hefty name to live up to, but does Kendrick Lamar live up to the hype? I picked up his CD last week…..and what do I think about it? Check out my video commentary below on good kid, m.A.A.d city.