If you are looking for a rap-funk album that's a little abstract, check this out. Many songs don't follow the usual 16/8, verse/chorus structure of most albums with Kokane not scared to play around. I enjoy parts of this, including Kokane doing his best George Clinton impression at times, but after a couple of spins, I haven't come away with much to keep.
Best Track: From the Funk to the Back, My Day Is Coming. All Bark No Bite
After eleven years we have a new Akon album. There has been talk of an album or a collection of albums coming out for many years. If I recall correctly, there was a planned album called 'Stadium' and about 3-4 albums that would each feature songs of different genres. It looks like that idea is coming to fruition with this being one of them, with the next out in a couple of weeks. A Latin album isn't something I wanted from Akon but after giving this a few easy spins, it is more enjoyable than I expected. I think he can still craft a song as some of his recent singles have shown. I look forward to the English R&B album. 2-2.5 / 5.
Best Tracks: Dile, Sólo Tú
Some great tracks are present here but I feel there are also a few that are just travelling. Many of the songs also don't have the upbeat funkiness that most of the tracks on their debut have.
Best Tracks: So Wat Cha Sayin', Please Listen to My Demo, It's Time 2 Party, The Big Payback, Strictly Snappin' Necks.
The first two songs are great with K-Solo rapping with vigour. 'Premonition of a Black Prisoner' takes it down a notch where Solo gets more conscious and political as he does later on on 'Who's Killin' Who?' While the album fails to live up to the beginning there are still some other good tracks worth checking out. For an artist with two solid albums and someone who raps like fire, it's surprising this is as far as it went. He signed to Deathrow in the mid-'90s, and there were rumours he was going to put something out years ago on another label, but nothing has ever come to fruition.
1 I Can't Hold It Back ★★★★☆
2 Letterman ★★★★★
3 Long Live The Fugitive ★★★☆
4 Premonition of a Black Prisoner ★★★☆
5 Sneak Tip ★★★★
6 The Baby Doesn't Look Like Me ★★★★
7 The Formula (House Party) ★★★☆
8 Who's Killin' Who? ★★★☆
9 Household Maid ★★★☆
10 Rock Bottom ★★★☆
11 King of the Mountain ★★★★
Best Tracks: I Can't Hold It Back, Letterman, Sneak Tip, King of the Mountain.
"Deadpan Darling was a band started in 2005 by Blue Sky Black Death & Ceschi Ramos. Over the years, hard drives were lost, songs were erased & the project was presumed dead until producer Televangel managed to reconstruct parts & mix the project 15 years later."
I love a lot of BSBD's work and the production on this isn't a letdown. I'm not a fan of the vocals by Ceschi though. If you put one of the other BSBD collaborators on here such as Yes Alexander, I'd like this a lot more.
Best Tracks: Sorry, 10 Things, Mistaken
