Published 2004-03-03T00:00:00Z”/>
CD/DonnieColored Section
Motown Records
Every song on this album is beautifully and thoughtfully written and arranged with colorfully mixed R&B and jazz music that makes your soul melt.
Donnie is not afraid to speak his mind and bring up sensitive and thought-provoking issues on race, love and the norms of society. You’ll find yourself paying attention to the lyrics more than the music itself, because every word from his mouth requires concentration. After listening to his song “Beautiful Me,” you’ll be hugging and adoring yourself in the mirror. The song deals with issues about what society deems beautiful, and as a solution Donnie is telling you to look deep within yourself and you’ll find the true meaning of beauty. On the song “Welcome to the Colored Section” he talks being black and part of American history. “First black this and first black that / Give me the truth and not the facts.” On “Our New National Anthem” he talks about what it truly means to be American and together as one nation under God. With lyrics like, “I’m riding with an angel on a wave of love / I’m riding so high,” it’s evident from the song title that this album is “Heaven Sent.”
<em>–Cherre Stoneham</em>
Book/Rich StewartTHE TOP 151 drinking songs
Craphouse Press
If you were putting together a CD of your favorite drinking songs for the weekend, what would you put on it? Rich Stewart has 151 suggestions with offbeat humor and historical facts for each.
You might not know half of the artists or songs he ranks, but each one has an interesting reason for its selection. Some recognizable names include Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N Roses, The Doors, Bob Dylan, UB40 and AC/DC. He credited Jimmy Buffets “Margaritaville” by writing, “Buffet has done much to promote the beach-bum attitude and we thank him for that.” Buffets “Why Don’t We Get Drunk” is ranked as well. The Rolling Stones “Honky Tonk Women” made the top 20. He adds that “Mick Jagger once stated that there’s no absolutes in life; only vodka. There’s one other absolute: The Rolling Stones are the greatest rock n roll band in the world.”
Some random but understandable picks are “Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum” (the pirate song), “Auld Lang Syne” (the New Years song) and “The Star Spangled Banner” (Jimi Hendrixs intoxicated version from the first Woodstock).
Its fun to skim through the book for some interesting facts and get some suggestions for a power-hour CD full of drinking songs.
<em>–Helene Hogue</em>CD-ROM/Lessons from a Hooker: A college guy’s sex tutorial Matt Sanders Enterprises
Some people say chivalry is dead, and “Lessons From a Hooker: A College Guy’s Sex Tutorial” helps bolster that opinion.
The CD-ROM is supposed to be a helpful guide to college men, but it falls flat. It covers everything from female sexuality to dating tips. The information is nothing new. If you’ve taken a sexual education course, you already know about female genitalia.
The real problem with the guide is that it’s lacking in science and is more about smut. The premise of the book is a bunch of clueless guys get information from a hooker named Sherrie. One section that covers the clitoris uses obscene terminology and a vivid demonstration of where the clitoris is located. This CD-ROM has more to do with Larry Flynt than Dr. Ruth Westheimer.
The dating section is just basic information, like calling her after the date and not bringing up exes. Nothing new or of importance in this section.
Save your $18, because you can get the same information from your friends.
<em>–Richard Gehrels</em>
CD/Danger MouseThe Grey Album
Jay-Z’s final release, “The Black Album,” put a mediocre end to an otherwise spectacular career. DJ Danger Mouse may have felt the same way when he decided to rework the album and give Jay-Zs rap career a proper burial.
“The Grey Album” combines the lyrics of “The Black Album” with the music of The Beatles “White Album.” But this isnt a hack-and-slash combination of the two albums; it’s a precise and meticulous blend.
Danger Mouse samples The Beatles vocals, guitar riffs and drum beats and transforms them into an amazing mixture of beat and melody.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that using The Beatles’ music changes the genre of this album; “The Grey Album” is still rap.
This album is completely unauthorized, and is facing aggressive opposition from The Beatles’ record company, EMI. It has been removed from stores and is available for more than $100 on eBay. It is also being distributed for free through Web sites defending the album as free speech.
Danger Mouse has taken an average offering by Jay-Z and transformed it into a classic.
<em>–Brian Kennedy</em>
CD/Keb’ Mo’Keep it Simple
epic/ okeh
The blues singer with a naturally soothing voice has come out with another endearing album. “Keep it Simple” could be in reference to the production of the album. It has the bare bones of a blues studio album: drums, harmonica, bass and, most importantly, guitar.
Keb Mo languidly controls the direction of music with a deft hand and a style that would not easily be replicated. You can also hear Keb’ Mo’ slowly experimenting with the R&B style of music — not the R&B music of today, but the music when the two genres started to split from bluegrass off into their own branches of the musical family tree.
“Shave Yo’ Legs” is a nice tune about a girl who doesnt have to shave her legs for him. The album ventures into guitar-picking solos and some organ playing, but it always showcases the key ingredient to the music: Keb’ Mo’s voice.
<em>–Valerie Lum</em>
DVD/Matchstick Men
Warner Home Video
Director Ridley Scott’s “Matchstick Men” gives Nicolas Cage the opportunity to express his superior acting ability, when he’s given three Hollywood cliches to make believable.
Cage plays Roy, an obsessive-compulsive who’s also a con man and is united with his 14-year-old daughter (Alison Lohman) for the first time.
As a man with severe psychological disorders, Cage pulls off a comedic performance but never comes off silly or insulting. As a con man, Cage’s schemes can convince anyone, including the audience, to buy what hes selling. And as a first-time father, he delivers a combination of joy and uncertainty that is one of his strongest performances since “Leaving Las Vegas.”
His partner Frank is an underdeveloped character played by Sam Rockwell, who ends up playing an integral role in the film.
The film tends to drag a little, but if youre a fan of Cage, “Matchstick Men” will be worth your while.
<em>–Matt Shotland</em>