Genre(s): Rap, R&B, Adult Contemporary R&B
Anthony Hamilton - Back to Love 2011 Review
I got into Anthony Hamilton with "Ain't Nobody Worryin'," which has made it difficult for follow ups, plus "Comin' From Where I'm From" to live up, but this is an excellent new set. Stronger than "The Point of It All" this record is loaded with medium to strong hooks draped in beautiful harmonies and textures with heartfelt lyrics delivered sincerely and soulfully. Lovin' it. I recommend the Deluxe version; the four additional tracks are as strong as the strongest material on the normal version. 8/10
Genre(s): Rap, R&B, Adult Contemporary R&B
Genre(s): Rap, R&B, Adult Contemporary R&B
Atlas Sound - Parallax Review
The new album of the Deerhunter front-man, Bradford Cox, known as Atlas Sound, differs from the music of his Rock band. As he describes it, this album is more lonely (you can especially see this in the track "Terra Incognita"), no load guitars are with him or drums setting the rhythm (but you will find a delicate percussion). However this is not a sad album: tracks such as "Mona Lisa" and "Te Amo" (which means "I love you" in Spanish) cheer up the atmosphere of this brilliant record. His voice is in most of the song the prominent sound, and really nice arrangements join him. "Parallax" turns out to be a record to relax and take your mind away for some minutes. 9/10
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Apparat - The Devil's Walk Review
A really sad and emotional affair. Moments of engrossing instrumentation, but not quite enough to displace the droning and uninteresting sounds when it's off. 7/10
Genre(s): Electronic, Pop/Rock, Club/Dance
Genre(s): Electronic, Pop/Rock, Club/Dance
The Best Dressed Celebrities Of 2011
This year, we’ve encountered too many trendsetters and style icons to choose a favorite, so we’ve compiled a list of who we think are the best dressed celebrities of 2011:
Rihanna: The Wild Flower – Rihanna has been known to make the most extreme changes in her appearance, from her cropped bob to her long ruby red hair, and she has pulled it off gracefully. She helped set amazing trends like color blocking and showing off her petite waist. She has taught a lot of women to be daring, sexy and have fun with dressing yourself.
To read our list of the 'Best Dressed Celebrities of 2011', visit www.CherryOnTop.com.
Rihanna: The Wild Flower – Rihanna has been known to make the most extreme changes in her appearance, from her cropped bob to her long ruby red hair, and she has pulled it off gracefully. She helped set amazing trends like color blocking and showing off her petite waist. She has taught a lot of women to be daring, sexy and have fun with dressing yourself.
To read our list of the 'Best Dressed Celebrities of 2011', visit www.CherryOnTop.com.
The Black Keys - El Camino Review
Gone are any and all killer guitar riffs which have always been the backbone of their music. instead we get an overproduced pop album of songs that with the changing of a few lyrics could pass for a katy perry record.
Five Finger Death Punch - American Capitalist Review
Five Finger Death Punch had a big mountain to climb after their last album. How do you improve on such a record? Easy. Heavier music, deeper lyrics, and ruthless aggression. This album is their best work yet. The title track, "American Capitalist" has the energy of a freight train going 900 miles an hour. The first single is the second track, "Under and Over It." is that head smashing jam that really has some meaning in it.
"The Pride" is the next track, and it is something new for FFDP. This is a list song. This really gives the album that "capitalist" feeling, because it list some of the most American things we have. "Coming Down" is one of those medium songs that FFDP has used before (See "The Bleeding"). "Menace" has that "White Knuckles" vibe to it, and still is very unique. "Generation Dead" kicks off with a bass line that will blow you away, as simple as it is, and will get you in a fighting mood. "Back For More" is a tune that just gets you up on your feet and pumps you up. I can see this song being played in NFL stadiums everywhere. "Remember Everything" is that slow song in the vein of "Far From Home." The lyrics are so deep and personal, you wonder what Ivan went through to write this. This is actually one of the stand-out songs, and looks to be a hit single for the band.
"Wicked Ways" is that "Meet The Monster" song that singles out celebrities for their...well, wicked ways. "If I Fall" is a song that just plain will whack you upside your head and give you that "going down swinging" mentality. The last song on the album is the one that will knock you on your ass and beat you senseless. "100 Ways To Hate" is their heaviest song on the album. It may be even heavier than "Ashes" and "War Is The Answer." There is so much anger and hate behind this song, and you will feel it. This is their best album yet, and you need to listen to it, even if you hate FFDP.
"The Pride" is the next track, and it is something new for FFDP. This is a list song. This really gives the album that "capitalist" feeling, because it list some of the most American things we have. "Coming Down" is one of those medium songs that FFDP has used before (See "The Bleeding"). "Menace" has that "White Knuckles" vibe to it, and still is very unique. "Generation Dead" kicks off with a bass line that will blow you away, as simple as it is, and will get you in a fighting mood. "Back For More" is a tune that just gets you up on your feet and pumps you up. I can see this song being played in NFL stadiums everywhere. "Remember Everything" is that slow song in the vein of "Far From Home." The lyrics are so deep and personal, you wonder what Ivan went through to write this. This is actually one of the stand-out songs, and looks to be a hit single for the band.
"Wicked Ways" is that "Meet The Monster" song that singles out celebrities for their...well, wicked ways. "If I Fall" is a song that just plain will whack you upside your head and give you that "going down swinging" mentality. The last song on the album is the one that will knock you on your ass and beat you senseless. "100 Ways To Hate" is their heaviest song on the album. It may be even heavier than "Ashes" and "War Is The Answer." There is so much anger and hate behind this song, and you will feel it. This is their best album yet, and you need to listen to it, even if you hate FFDP.
A Very She & Him Christmas - She & Him
"A Very She and Him Christmas" contains a timeless collection of Christmas classics that may add a bit of holiday cheer to one's listening pleasure. Indeed, the set of songs are perennial favorites that have been played and sung for decades by a countless number of performers. However, this is She and Him and any cover or rendition that they perform has a quality of their own but with subtle influences that are heard throughout their music that blend an uncanny resemblance to legendary artists of the past five decades, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and everything in between before that. With Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward as the creative duo that comprises She and Him, these holiday classics come to life once again.
All of the songs on the record are memorable and resonate a nostalgic flare. One never grows tired of hearing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" or "Rocking' Around the Christmas Tree." And with the mention of the Beach Boys, listeners will find "Christmas Day" and "Little Saint Nick" a delight to hear.
It is always a pleasure to see a new generation of musical artists continuing to perform these holiday melodies especially during this day and age. And with the convenience of digital recordings that are released, it is always nice to know that vinyl and CD formats are still available. With the release of "A Very She and Him Christmas" one of the treats of having this CD is that it comes with a few extras that usually does not come with a digital download, brief liner notes that come in the form of a red envelope that looks like a Christmas card.
All of the songs on the record are memorable and resonate a nostalgic flare. One never grows tired of hearing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" or "Rocking' Around the Christmas Tree." And with the mention of the Beach Boys, listeners will find "Christmas Day" and "Little Saint Nick" a delight to hear.
It is always a pleasure to see a new generation of musical artists continuing to perform these holiday melodies especially during this day and age. And with the convenience of digital recordings that are released, it is always nice to know that vinyl and CD formats are still available. With the release of "A Very She and Him Christmas" one of the treats of having this CD is that it comes with a few extras that usually does not come with a digital download, brief liner notes that come in the form of a red envelope that looks like a Christmas card.
Rihanna - Talk That Talk Reviews
Based on 6 critics - Overal Score: 63/ 100
Enough with the chains and whips already. Ever since 2009's Rated R, the relentlessly dark, blood-on-your-hands record she released after being assaulted by her then boyfriend Chris Brown, Rihanna, 23, has equated falling for someone with feeling tortured. On last year's LOUD, she even tried to make pain seem empowering with the hard-pounding single ''S&M.'' But between ''Love the Way You Lie,'' a domestic-violence saga played out with Eminem, and ''Man Down,'' a ragga-tinged murder ballad, she just sounded like she needed a hug. 80/100 Read Full Review ew.com/ew/article/0,,20545856,00.html
Enough with the chains and whips already. Ever since 2009's Rated R, the relentlessly dark, blood-on-your-hands record she released after being assaulted by her then boyfriend Chris Brown, Rihanna, 23, has equated falling for someone with feeling tortured. On last year's LOUD, she even tried to make pain seem empowering with the hard-pounding single ''S&M.'' But between ''Love the Way You Lie,'' a domestic-violence saga played out with Eminem, and ''Man Down,'' a ragga-tinged murder ballad, she just sounded like she needed a hug. 80/100 Read Full Review ew.com/ew/article/0,,20545856,00.html
Chris Cornell - Songbook Reviews
Based on 2 critics - Overal Score: 80/ 100
The fact that there is no cover of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' is a surprise as this was always covered at Audioslave shows by a solo Cornell, but the collection here is more than enough to show Chris' amazing vocal talent stripped bare. A must for anyone who has or even hasn't heard of him. 90/100
Read Full Review leedsmusicscene.net/article/15732/
The fact that there is no cover of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' is a surprise as this was always covered at Audioslave shows by a solo Cornell, but the collection here is more than enough to show Chris' amazing vocal talent stripped bare. A must for anyone who has or even hasn't heard of him. 90/100
Read Full Review leedsmusicscene.net/article/15732/
Mac Miller - Blue Slide Park Reviews
Based on 5 critics - Overal Score: 57/ 100
It was cool when Miller was wearing snap-backs and sampling Nas, or shouting out Wu-Tang, or rapping over Lord Finesse beats – it sounded good. But Blue Slide Park seems to ditch this approach, while still wearing a snap-back. So now, by some, Mac Miller will likely be labeled by some as a young hipster who is doing Hip-Hop culture wrong. Actually, he’s a real fan of Hip-Hop with under-developed rhymes and mainstream-production problems. Bummer. 65/100 Read Full Review http://allhiphop.com/2011/11/08/album-review-mac-millers-blue-slide-park/
It was cool when Miller was wearing snap-backs and sampling Nas, or shouting out Wu-Tang, or rapping over Lord Finesse beats – it sounded good. But Blue Slide Park seems to ditch this approach, while still wearing a snap-back. So now, by some, Mac Miller will likely be labeled by some as a young hipster who is doing Hip-Hop culture wrong. Actually, he’s a real fan of Hip-Hop with under-developed rhymes and mainstream-production problems. Bummer. 65/100 Read Full Review http://allhiphop.com/2011/11/08/album-review-mac-millers-blue-slide-park/
The Puppini Sisters - Hollywood Reviews
Based on 1 critics - Overal Score: 70/ 100
Described as "the Andrews Sisters on acid," Anglo-Italian vocal trio the Puppini Sisters' sound and style are so steeped in the golden era of the silver screen that it's surprising it's taken this long for the concept of their fourth album, Hollywood, to materialize. 70/100
Read Full Review http://www.allmusic.com/album/hollywood-r2318998/review
Described as "the Andrews Sisters on acid," Anglo-Italian vocal trio the Puppini Sisters' sound and style are so steeped in the golden era of the silver screen that it's surprising it's taken this long for the concept of their fourth album, Hollywood, to materialize. 70/100
Read Full Review http://www.allmusic.com/album/hollywood-r2318998/review
Next On Top: Kayla Dane
To check out our interview with Kayla Dane, visit www.CherryOnTop.com.
Selena Gomez Standing By Justin Bieber Amidst Paternity Accusations
Visit CherryOnTop.com to read the rest.
