Sleep Deprived Reviews

"I ain't Hov, I just know what I know." - Freeway, Flipside (featuring Peedi Crack)

I'm so yawning at the screen right now.

The Emancipation of Mimi, Mariah Carey. It's like that, y'all. It's like that, y'all. It's like th-th-th-that y'all. Just get it. I'm recommending the iTunes version with two bonus remixes of It's like That (one of which features Fat Joe whose two current singles might even make me cop his album). It is just a solid, solid, contemporary R&B album with some particularly special moments. Stay the Night is the best song on the album, hands down, but I'm also digging Shake It Off and Fly Like a Bird. If Nelly had stayed home instead of lacing a track with weak vocal stylings, it might be a perfect album for a post-Glitter Mariah. Even with that one misstep, Emancipation moves to the head of the class in what has been an underwhelming year for me for albums so far in 2005. It makes me anxious for a lot of the other hip hop tinged albums that have had promising lead singles. Common, Gorillaz, Mary J. Blige, I'm just sayin', step your game up. Mariah's on fiya.

Side note: I can still remember the days of Mariah releasing two versions of tracks for urban and pop radio (and I know lots of artists did it in the mid nineties but Fantasy was maybe the most egregious) and am so glad that isn't the case anymore.

Fade To Black, Jay-Z. The best parts of Fade to Black are the studio sessions. The different producers on the album are such characters (but DJ Quik and 9th Wonder, where ya at?): Rick Rubin the grizzled veteran who has Mike D working on Tibetan Freedom tracks upstairs while S-Dot is getting his hard rock grimy on in the basement; Just Blaze getting clowned for his video game jones; Kanye West's youthful exuberance and vision; Pharell's infinite coolness. My favorite moment though is Jigga and Timbaland in Miami. Timbo throws a few beats at Jay while Jay softly chides him, "He ain't got that bounce." Timbo plays a hot beat and tries to sell Hov on it. It will eventually become Potion for Ludacris but it isn't hot enough for The Black Album. Then Timbaland hits a button. Oooh whee. Jay's head starts nodding. His lips start moving. The wheels in his head start turning. Dirt Off Your Shoulder is born. That's some magical shit.

The concert footage is good too and probably the finest Rap show to ever happen but R. Kelly's appearance was unfortunate and a reminder that the two went out just a year after this "retirement" show and that Jay has performed several times since then. He and Beyonce kill it, though. Mary J. kills it. That Madison Square Garden crowd kills it. It is a showcase of why and how we can still love hip hop in the 21st century.

Left of the Dial, HBO Documentaries. I used to think Randi Rhodes was grating on Air America. Her voice is screechy and she has so very little patience for alternative viewpoints. As I spent the few weeks getting acclimated to the station in it's brief time before the long hiatus in LA during it's launch last year, I just couldn't get with her program. After watching the documentary, I kind of love her. I love her self-doubt and her desire to be recognized for what she had already accomplished and being able to step back from her a little bit and see where it all comes from, I get it now. Somebody has to be the unwavering screaming voice of liberal and progressive sensibilities and Randi does an wonderfully infuriating job of it.

What else I love about Left of the Dial is how it's showcase of the startup of the radio station showcases the liberal idealism and optimism that I hope most people on the left have. They are trusting that things are happening the way they are supposed to. They believe strongly that they will succeed. In the face of incredible setbacks, they spring into some inspired action that puts the station in even more homes a year later than they ever expected.

That makes me smile and makes me proud of those people trying to hold the banner for the political battles I think are important.

That said, I still can't really deal with Janeane on the Majority Report.

One sentence randomness:

After the Sunset couldn't be saved by Salma Hayek's sexiness.

There are ants at my desk at work and they are driving me crazy.

A giant bug just flew into my apartment and it is driving me crazy.

My new camera arrives on Thursday.

I'm going to Coachella.

I'm so behind on my 52 Books that I'm just going to have to hole up this summer and barrel through books while everything on TV is on repeat.

The hardest 7 days between new episodes of something on TV right now are the ones separating The Shield.

Why am I not asleep right now?

Comments

[Prime (AKA Mike)]

Ya know, EVERYONE who has listend to Mairah's album is loving it ( and hating the track with Nelly ). I've always been kinda lukewarm towards her work, but this one has me captivated.

[Trent]

It's not better than Faith Evans' CD The First Lady.

I'm not a Mariah Carey hater. I like the Kanye West-produced song "Stay the Night" and the Snoop Dogg collaboration. The rest of the songs -- IMHO -- are by-the-numbers pop ballads. Nothing adventerous, nothing exciting, no emotion -- just the same old Mariah. She needed a song or two that had a little umph in it.

You could probably say the same for Faith's CD. But that banger "Mesmerized" is that "umph" Faith needed to keep the disc moving. Also, Faith's ballads on her disc are very touching, as well -- you can feel the love on those songs.

[j. brotherlove]

Faith's CD is pretty good, but Mariah's joint brings much needed fire to Pop/R&B. There are literally moments on the disc that make me stop and say "wow". I almost came of my hiatus just to review it.

Like you Jason, it's propably my favorite CD of the year (even with those wack-ass Nelly collabos).

[Joy]

Did you also catch jay at the end of Song Cry? He basically lets everyone know right then and there--Beyonce is my girl. He says "I know the difference between a bitch and a B."

[Jake of 8bitjoystick.com]

Oh man I love Janeane and Sam on the Majority Report

[Vidalia]

I heard the entire Gorillaz album at SXSW and was blown away. I've never been a fan, their first album was "ok" and the only reason I went to see them live is because someone in the band gave us passes and access to the open bar but HOOOOOEEEEEYYYY... the only bad thing about the new Gorillaz cd is that I listened to it in March and it doesn't come out until the end of May. Damon and Danger Mouse were at the party, where again...there was an open bar. I love you guys. Thank you Gorillaz.

[Sazzy]

I have to agree on the Mariah CD. I'm never one to like the CD the very first time I hear. But I love this CD. Emancipation is so hot, it hits every emotion. Mariah just proved that she's still on top.

[black ambition]

I just watched Fade to Black last weekend.

My favorite part is when he is in Rick Rubin's the house and Rick is blown away by how Jay can just write a song without paper or a pen. I also liked watching Jay-Z leave blanks in the vocals for "99 Problems" in order to fill them in with the cop's voice. Fun to watch!

[grothe]

I may have to check out Mariah's album from my local library (broke grad student here, can't afford $12 shopping sprees)...with all the publicity and posts from blogdom..

[Xquizzyt1]

Oh God. I actually feel compelled to buy a Mariah CD now. DAMN YOU!!! LOL... I have never bought a Mariah CD in my life... and was confident I never would. *sigh* but I am tempted. We'll see. LOL... I do like Faith's CD... but then I love Faith *shrug* Tweet's is okay too...

[Xquizzyt1]

Oh, oops... one more thing... good lookin' out on the heads up on "Left of the Dial" I've been seeing that on my Video on Demand and wondering if it was worth checking out. With your endorsement, I will check it out posthaste! =)

[KB]

Almost two weeks to the hour I'm reading this post. I got the Mighty Mos on repeat, singing to me how he is the most beautiful boogie man. I yawn and read "I'm so yawning at the screen right now." Sting would call that synchronicity.

I totally agree with the Mariah review. I'm not even mad at liking it as a "pop album." I'm also looking forward to The Roots new one, The Game Theory. And that Jay-Z DVD? Well I had to take a road trip without it to stop watching it.

Ok, enough. I'm off to find my favorite nightmare.

[ownwomon]

Mariah's CD is cool but I'm a fan so don't listen to me. And I like Ms Garafolo. We're kindred spirits; what she says resonates with me 90% of the time. Just gotta take a break from her sometimes when her stream of consciousness speech fills the ol' buffer.

[tia williams]

You're hilarious. I worship Mariah (gotta love a comeback, airbrushed midsection and all), and am OBSESSED with your blog!! Just immediately added you to my roll at www.tiawilliams.net/blog.

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