First Impressions: Alicia's Touch Of Class

Yeah, "Doesn't Mean Anything" is sort of a stinker and it didn't fool anyone with it's "No One" tendencies. Not even the questionable and snooze-fest of a music video could save it's existence, it just made it worse (that ugly CGI desert scene is the main culprit). So where does that leave Alicia Keys now? Is she to wallow in rehashes of past hits and mucky-muck music video concepts? Nope. She gets a little moodier and a bit more ambitious...thus we get "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart", which is actually quite refreshing upon first listen. Especially, when we consider the dreck that "Doesn't Mean Anything" is. Alicia Keys tightens up the ship for her second single, and dives into a electro-moody rock abyss and emerges anew. This song springs to mind the elements of what Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" contains, with a dash of 80's arena synth rock in the mix (I'm also feeling the structure of Mr. Mister's "Broken Wings"...or is that just me?). A very classy track, if I may say so. Alicia recently voiced that this song will "take you on an ascension" and that she has every desire to "take us higher" with this track. Well, my dear you've achieved that. The Element of Freedom will be in stores December 15th.

The Gospel: Why "Thriller" Remains To Be The Best Way To Get Your Halloween On

You should know by now that your Audio Diva is a strange one, and that I have always been the odd-girl out since I was a wee little diva. For starters, as a child, I was never a fan of Halloween. Don't get me wrong, I loved the costume and candy bit, but going around my neighborhood ringing doorbells and "begging" for candy was kind of creepy to me. Maybe it was my 90's upbringing which was plagued with PSA's that sinisterly claimed: "Make sure you have your Mom or Dad check your candy before you eat them because some people are freaking crazy and will inject poisons into your Snicker Bars causing you to stunt your growth or in worst cases...DIE!" See what a way to ruin Halloween for a child.

As I've gotten older, Halloween has always been an afterthought, as I'm much too big to be roaming the streets in a hunt for tainted candy and far too busy academically to worry if I should be Cleopatra, a 1920's Flapper or Grace Jones for Halloween. Always the trooper, I try to make the most of it, and the most of it is usually me sitting in front of my TV, watching The Exorcist or John Carpenter's Halloween, in my Tina Turner wig and eating candy corn. Boring, yes, but fun and better than me being exposed to drunk college goblins and girls who want to "sex-up" their Sister Act nun costumes.

But I seriously digress...Even though it will probably be played to death come Saturday, Michael Jackson's 1982 hit single, "Thriller" is still the quintessential way to celebrate Halloween, in my opinion. I don't care what anyone says, whenever you hear that opening blast of horns, your hands go into the zombie dance stance, and well, you are now a slave to rhythm. The track is now so much more with the passing of the King of Pop this year, that it will obligatory get played ad nausem as well as you will see some girls showing up at parties dressed in blue leopard print a la Ola Ray. Aside from the kitsch retro factor this song kind of possesses, I sometimes feel "Thriller", the song, is overshadowed by the classic music video. The song is actually the simplest cut on Jackson's 1982 opus, yet its the one that kind of doesn't take itself too seriously and actually proves the fact that a great artist is one who can sing about stuff other than love, despair and all that serious stuff. "Thriller" is obviously about the things that go bump in the night, the paranoid nature we sometimes have and well, about those classic feelings of getting the creeps. "Thriller" writer/composer, Rod Temperton, manages to craft this song and not make it some hokey haunt a la "Monster Mash". It's funk, pop and rock, rolled into a neat little potent package, and with Michael's earnest vocals, this song is instantly special. Sometimes I wonder if this song would've held up without the music video...but then I come to my senses, as the song is literally enhanced by the 10-minute music video. In all, "Thriller" is still wickedly good after all these years as it brilliantly features horror film patriarch, Vincent Price doing some sinister storytelling, and steers away from being "the song that has some zombies dancing in a video. Really, it's the only essential track for Halloween.

View the 10 minutes of music video (and song) glory below and remember....Happy Halloween!

Recycle It!: Jody Watley's 'Makeover'

Still a thrill indeed. Now how in Audio Hell did I manage to skip over Jody Watley's re-release of her 2006 covers project, The Makeover? In actuality, there are so many artists that are kept on my radar, that its often hard to shuffle through them all, especially those who have been favorites for so long. Jody Watley has consistently been one of my favorite people on a professional and a personal level. Professionally, she's a dynamo music star as she managed to break out of her 70's Shalamar stardom into a classy, trendy and innovative solo career, where risks and musical exploration were taken that have given her fans some classic sounds to enjoy. And personally, she led me to my big hoop earring fetish, and for that, I'm forever grateful.

Now in 2009, Miss Watley continues to put a smile on my face with her musical output as with the re-release of The Makeover those who missed out the first time are given a second chance.

Cover albums are sometimes tricky as they can be sometimes tedious, boring and rather over bloated. This is kind of the same feeling I had with Seal's recent Soul effort, which was watered down in an attempt to make the tracks "fancy", a tactic that plagues a lot of cover albums. Plus the album didn't let Seal be at his best ability. This is not the case for Jody, as The Makeover gives fresh face to the tracks presented without altering to the point of mutilating the core of the song. Here Jody recreates classics by Madonna, Chic, Bob Marley, Diana Ross and even her own massive hit, "Looking For A New Love" and places them in the trip-hop/neo-soul crevasse she has crafted for herself on previous ambitious recordings such as 2001's Midnight Lounge and 2003's The Saturday Night Experience.

All in all, the package as a whole is Jody doing what she does best, and that is always being the class-act. This is one re-release that I will gladly whip out my purple glitter pen and co-sign.

So what exactly was made over Jody style? The three you need to hear now.

Chic - I Want Your Love
Now the disco classic is transformed into a luscious and simmering club trance. Actually it being toned down works for this song, as I often found the original to be a little stark.
Bob Marley - Waiting In Vain
The Reggae classic takes on a light jazzy shuffle, and brushes along like a silky lullaby.
Madonna - Borderline
This was quite a pleasant surprise as I consider "Borderline" to be one of my top 10 Madonna tracks ever. Here "Borderline" is slowed down further and takes on a more soulful quality. I'm tempted to say that it's even better than Madonna's original, but like the album's title suggests, this is "Borderline" with a fresh face of makeup on, that is revamped for the 21st century.

News Bites: A Deeper Understanding Of Kate Bush

Bookworms and Kate Bush-ites rejoice as the godmother of progressive rock will be the subject of a book that is geared to explore this influential musical mind. Music biographer, Graeme Thomson is releasing, Under The Ivy in May of 2010, a book that is sure to appease those who find Bush's music as well as the lady herself quite the mystery. Any Kate Bush fan can tell you that part of the fun of listening to the British singer's song catalog is dissecting and discovering the story being the compositions, as Bush has created a career upon intricate storytelling through song. Hopefully, this book will explore Kate's linguistics as well as the woman behind the pen. So what will be "stepping off the pages" of Under The Ivy, you say?

From Amazon's (lengthy) product description:

"Under the Ivy" features over 70 unique and revealing new interviews with those who have viewed from up close both the public artist and the private woman: old school friends, early band mates, long-term studio collaborators, former managers, producers, musicians, video directors, dance instructors and record company executives. "Under the Ivy" undertakes a full analysis of Bush's art. From her pre-teen forays into poetry, through scores of unreleased songs. Every crucial aspect of her music is discussed from her ground-breaking series of albums to her solo live tour. Her pioneering forays into dance, video, film and performance. Combining a wealth of new research with rigorous critical scrutiny, "Under the Ivy" offers a string of fresh insights and perspectives on her unusual upbringing in South London, the blossoming of her talent, her enduring influences and unique working methods, her rejection of live performance, her pioneering use of the studio, her key relationships and her gradual retreat into a semi-mythical privacy.

Sounds like a well-thought out piece of literature, and truly something that shouldn't be missed especially if you are a die-hard fan. Since I'm one of those music nerds who likes to get the full story behind an artist and the music that they craft, Under The Ivy sounds like my intellectual cup of tea.

Audio Vision: Maxwell Does Some Global Warming

Now, now. Do I need to give you explanations, descriptions and reactions to this? It's Maxwell on British TV show, Later....Jools Holland singing "Cold"...just sit down, watch, and know that this is effortlessly good. It is Maxwell after all...

Web Salad: Upsetting The Rhythm

A look-see at what's going on in other parts of the music blog-o-sphere

• Aside from Elizabeth Taylor's Twitter comment, is seeing Michael Jackson's This Is It worth it? Idolator thinks so.

• <---- Soul UK saw The Noisettes live...Audio Diva is jealous

• The QH Blend looks back at Melanie C's great solo debut, Northern Star, which is shockingly now 10 years old!
• Bama Loves Soul introduces us to Baby Charles, a band of funky Britons. Nice!
• My musical guilty pleasure, Dannii Minogue is releasing her long-lost album from 1995, says Pop Trash Addicts . Ah, just in time for the holidays!

• Pop Reviews Now reviews The Saturdays second pop helping, Wordshaker.
• As The Chemistry Is Dead gives an overview of Annie's long awaited record, Don't Stop
• Wanna know what elements went into making the worst album cover of all time? MuuMuse gives us a mathematics lesson in what made American Idol alum, Adam Lambert's Lisa Frank-esque album cover for his debut album

Wipe Off The Dust: Feel Dusty Springfield's 'White Heat'

It doesn't take a well-versed, and sometimes bitter, music critic to tell you that Dusty Springfield has one of the most distinctive voices in music history. You just know from the first listen. Defining the over-used term, Blue-Eyed Soul with a string of classic hits such as "Son Of A Preacher Man", "All Cried Out" and "Wishin' and Hopin'" and an album catalog that is worth discovering, Dusty Springfield is essential soul food. Yet, with a massive mosaic of records that scatter throughout the 60's, 70's and 80's, it's easy for some albums to become misbegotten. 1982 was such a great year for music, as classics were released (Thriller, Rio, The Dreaming, The Lexicon of Love...and yes, Vanity 6's debut), and some gems in the obscurities department were also released. Like with Chaka Khan's long lost 1982 effort, Dusty Springfield's White Heat has become some sort of a lost commodity and one that shows the late legendary singer playing the genre hopscotch with the greatest of ease. Springfield fans know of White Heat, and its not out of print, but it seems like it evaporated into the depths of music-dom, only to be picked up for novice and those who wanted a complete Dusty collection. White Heat was Dusty Springfield stepping into the 80's and going the New Wave/New Romantic route with funk, jazz, cabaret, rock elements sprinkled about. Substituting strings for synths, and with a more rock-oriented mindset, Dusty kind of does the Pat Benatar/Debbie Harry thing, but due to her vocal abilities, she quite encapsulates much more. Classic album? It should be. Some highlights...

Donnez Moi (Give It To Me): Oozes with sex appeal and bubbling sinister synths that give this glossy pop number a lot of grit.

I Don't Think We Could Ever Be Friends: My favorite cut on the album. Such a funky rock song with loads of sarcasm and angst. Would've made a great single if this album had been promoted better. Oh, and this song was co-written by Sting, so it's kind of Police like, hence why I like it so much.

Blind Sheep: Classic rock n' roll done Dusty's way. To think that this is the same woman who gave us "The Look of Love". Here she takes the tight beehive she once wore a loose and gives a rousing performance.

Gotta Get Used To You: Love how this song is bookend by the opening of jangling guitars and then thinning out into spacey synths. Great up-tempo pop-rock jam that drives with such earnest and spunk.

Blog Scoping: Why It's A-Okay To Clown On Music's "Foolish Beats"

You've heard the saying, *in a nasally voice, finger wagging* "If you're not going to say something nice, then don't say anything at all?" Sometimes in the blogging world, that saying is strapped in the soles of goody-too shoes with a jacket draped over the back that reads: "I'm a total spaz, kick me please". Blogging is supposed to be about freedom of expression, and the right to clown on individuals and situations as we (the bloggers) seem fit, because well, bloggers are usually an angry bunch and love giving the last word. Though I may not always be the lady, as I do have a history of cussing more than any character in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas, I do have my clam-up moments where I just let the foolish acts of some of today's music artists just breeze over my head. Part in part, because some bloggers just do a better job of teaching the masses with their witty quips than me. Case in point, I leave all the snarky and witty things I would love to say about some of today's biggest musical facepalms to nOvaSlim.com. After a short hiatus, blogger and creator of the ever fabulous site Soul Bounce, nOva has thankfully emerged again as he has re-launched his domain for music, snark and everything in-between. On-pitch zestful writing and a knowledge of the urban music mosaic has always been nOva's game and on his site, he is a vibrant, informative and comedic slice on my RSS feed machines. His take on today's Hip-Hop world is the main event, especially if you have a disdain for whatever is being considered Hip-Hop these days, as well as the rappers who are jokingly calling themselves as such. Always the music mixer master, nOva not only serves up smarts and guffaws, but also his podcast of new tunes and classic cuts of soul, hip-hop, pop and everything in between are also highlighted viewing. If you like your music, with a side of wit and with a dollop of sarcasm, then nOvaSlim.com's combo plate of a blog is just your ticket.

Cover Smother: Not Televised...It Will Be Live

Picked this specific picture because this is what a real played record looks like.You can tell just by the cover..bent in corners, wore edges, the somewhat visible record ring imprint...yeah, someone played this copy of Gil Scott-Heron's 1974 album, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. And they were smart to do so.

Very familiar with this compilation of Scott-Heron's brightest cuts from his first three albums. Sometimes I feel my parents wanted me to be progressive or even militant, because this album as well as others by him were played a lot in my house growing up.

True facts though, Hip-hop, wouldn't exist today if it hadn't been for progressive artists like Gil Scott-Heron, a spoken word and soul artist who always spoke the truth.

The Gospel: Why I Will Open My Wallet To 'The Fame Monster'

Let me be blunt. I loathe re-releases. Now I don't mind extended packages of classic albums (see Curtis Mayfield's Curtis). I'm talking about those cash cows disguised in glossy plastic that desperately blare: "Buy me again! I have ONE new pointless song on here, but buy me!!"

For some reason in the mid-2000's, singers and their record labels thought that re-packaging an album, especially if it was a SoundScan chart eating monster, it became the thang to do. Mariah Carey, Rihanna and Usher have graced us with pointless re-releases of their hit albums. While Beyonce perfected the art of re-releasing by giving us all ReReleaseRamDownTheThroat-itis with her "I added one new song! Even though about 50 b-sides of mines are floating on the Internet" sets. Now I have come to believe that Lady GaGa is going to cure us from that disease, as she's doing something quite smart, marketable and well...nice.

What? Lady GaGa? That crazy pop habenero pepper who wears outfits made out of plastic bubbles and Kermit the Frog heads? Yes, La GaGa.

As its been mentioned across the blog-o-sphere, the pop firecracker is re-releasing her ever popular debut, The Fame on November 23rd under the brash title, The Fame Monster. The release date is just as important as the CD itself as it is nestled nicely in the schedule of Thanksgiving week, as we all know Black Friday is the day where shoppers pile into the stores for early Christmas shopping, and money .

Aside from that great marketing ploy, Lady GaGa is actually thinking about the fans as The Fame Monster will not only include her debut album in full, but will also include eight new songs. Eight. Not one, not two, eight. Can we say generous? One would be first to assume that since this is so liberal that these songs are utter crap. Not the case.

Of course we've already heard a little song called "Bad Romance"...


Good. And it gets better. From the descriptions that Pop Justice recently cited, the magic eight on Fame Monster are worth their moxy and can stand up at being a brand new album all together. If you're still not convinced the production credits of RedOne, Rodney Jerkins and Teddy Riley, are also splashed on there. Yep, Miss GaGa is bringing on the big guns, and proving that behind her pretentious and sometimes puzzling exterior, there is still a mainstream artist out there that is sticking to the old school tactics of how to keep the art of buying music alive as well as keep the fans engaged and with more money in their pocket.

Oh, and funny, I haven't even mentioned the deluxe edition of The Fame Monster which is specifically for the stanatic fanatic, as it includes posters, fanzines, a puzzle and yes...a lock of Lady GaGa's hair, all for a $100 buckaroos. Creepy, yet once again, a genius marketing tactic, because you know someone out there will pay the obscene hundred for the locks of La GaGa.

Crisp N' Fresh: Beverley Unleashes Her Inner LaBelle

Beverley Knight takes it to the stage with her homage to the intergalactic funky side of music in her new video for the spunky single, "In Your Shoes". Here Miss Knight recalls back those sacred days where musicians performed on live music themed shows a la Solid Gold. All the elements are here...neon tubing backgrounds, ground smoke machines and outlandish stage outfits. I'm getting the sense Beverley Knight was inspired by the attire of LaBelle, as she's giving me strong Nona Hendryx vibes in the get-up she is sporting in this.

As for rapper Chipmunk being included in this video....unnecessary.

First Impressions: Res Emerges In A New Wave State Of Mind

Wipe the sleep from your eyes this morning, and take a sip of that Vitamin C, as you will be feasting your ears on a new track from under rug swept artist, Res. Yes, that Res. A singer who released an ambitious debut, How I Do in 2001, and gained a small fanbase in the process due to her unique ability to cross genres. Since 2001, Res has been someone MIA from the mainstream market (part in part to How I Do being sort of ahead of its time and some not "getting" its contents) but she continued to make that music by joining the group, Idle Warship (which also included MC's Talib Kweli and Graph Nobel). Now Res has found herself on Idle Warship's upcoming mixtape, the Mick Boogie produced, Party Robot. Even though Res' contribution is a cover of 80's new-wave band, Berlin's classic, "The Metro", this is oh so welcomed. Sounding tried and true to the original's stark usage of sinister synths, Res' "The Metro" bubbles with electric energy, and for all those 80's music lovers out there, this is something to really sink your teeth into. From my understanding the singer will also be releasing her long awaited EP, Black Girls Rock in the very near future, and "very" in the sense of possibly the end of 2009. See, we have a lot to be thankful for this year.

The Metro

First Impressions: Joss Stone's Independence Day

Twisted up in a fight for freedom of expression and legal strife with her record label, Joss Stone's fourth release, Colour Me Free naturally exudes a sense of willpower and class. After being not that impressed with Joss' albums as a whole, as 2007's Introducing Joss Stone kind of left me feeling luke-warm with the British songstress, as there was some hesitation to dive into Colour Me Free at first. To me, Joss hadn't really found herself just yet, as she had some great singles (see "Spoiled" and "You Had Me") but her albums never stood up, no matter how much Bluesy swagger Miss Stone projected, the filler just fell flat and found itself pigeonholed into the generic Soul zone. Not to say there wasn't potential, as Joss can sing a ring around some of today's singers, yet she just never had an album that let her really shine. Now with album number four, Joss actually delivers a consistent twelve song set that feels much more tangible, convincing and memorable. Unattractive cover arts aside, this is actually quite an elegant little album as Joss tackles a jazzier mind set, mixed in with a little funk, soul and Southern styled Blues. What is strange to hear, is that the weaker songs are when Joss tries to play-by-the-numbers. It can be heard in the lead-off single,"Free Me", which alone is enjoyable, but nestled in the package of Colour Me Free it gets swamped by the better constructed cuts.

For example, "4 and 20" recalls the quiet purr of 1950's jazz, where "Lady" is a spacey sonic soul burner that feels like you stepped into reflective cigarette smoke room, with wine glasses and pensive thought processes are taking place. On these two cuts, Joss takes a risk, and the risk is welcomed. Even though the style approaches aren't anything new, those elements are enhanced for the modern mind, and it works. She's not done yet as standout cut, "Could Have Been You" possesses strong phrasing and stays thick and succulent like dripping honey. A nice slice of Philly influence Soul right here. Jeff Beck adds some slicing guitar work that gravitates you into the funky paradise of "Parallel Lines" which is another knockout of a track. Sheila E. backs up with her conga drums to complete the trio of talent on board.

Things do get soggy towards the middle as political cry, "Governmentalist" just kind of goes through the motions, and looses lack of grit the original leak had back in 2008, possibly due to Nas kind of being an afterthought on the track. Yet its still has grower potential. Raphael Saddiq assists on "Big 'Ol Game" which is delightful, yet we've heard this type of 60's Motown song before and that's what makes it quite stale bread. After wallowing in some mis-steps, Joss' cover of The Source's collaboration with Candi Staton, "You Got The Love", rises up and sparkles on demand.

At 22 years of age, its forgivable for Joss Stone to still be searching to craft that perfect album, and she is closer to achieving a much broader sound scape than ever before with Colour Me Free in her cannon. There is a bittersweet element to Colour Me Free, as the album was produced and will possibly be promoted solely by Joss Stone due to the issues with her record label, and those who know about independent artistry, it takes a strong soul. Yet, Ms. Stone shouldn't have to worry too much, as Colour Me Free is one album that will change all doubters minds as well as give loyal listeners a lovely session of soulful quality to soak their ear drums in.

Rating: 9.5/10
Release Date: October 20, 2009

Highlights
Could Have Been You

Parallel Lines (ft. Jeff Beck and Sheila E.)

Lady

Song Stuck In My Head: So So Strict

Strict Machine - Goldfrapp (2003)

When you base a song off of the ideals of what Donna Summer's 1978 come-hither opus, "I Feel Love", you really can't make a mistake. In a possible attempt to liven things up, trance-hop group, Goldfrapp ditched the mysterious spy movie motif they expressed on their 2000 debut, Felt Mountain, and stirred some glitter into their sinister sound brew. 2003's Black Cherry was the finished product and it produced such edgy cuts like "Train" and "Crystalline Green", but the mother load was the stark, "Strict Machine". A track about love hurting, the good way. Crackling with techno pulses with Alison Goldfrapp's soft coo adding a sweet element to the bitter makeup of the music, "Strict Machine" is one of those songs that engulfs you thoroughly. Once played you'd think your environment was drenched in the strobe light, sweat, funk and throb of a vibrant dance club, and that is much welcomed.

The Audio Diva 2000's: *NSYNC, Butterfly Clips and Teenybopper-isms

Can you believe that the first decade of the 2000 is almost over? I seriously can't, because I can remember when it started. When at the end of 1999, everyone was playing the obligatory Prince track, and stocking up on water jugs, batteries, and other things in order to survive the big and bad Y2K crash that was supposedly geared to wipe out all of human kind. Then when it turned January 1, 2000...nothing.freaking.happened. Everything was normal and the decade of social networking, hipsters, MP3's and wardrobe malfunctions had began. So in the spirit of closing out the year, every so often for the next two months, I will be recounting a year in the 2000's and the music that I was playing at that time. Note, this is me reliving my puberty/adolescent years, so if I sound somewhat bitter, a little dorky or just a little out of touch, forgive me, I was growing into being the fabulous Audio Diva you see before you!

So come and rockwitme through each year of my private musical 2000's as we close out the decade.

Funny how the time flies, as I was in 7th and 8th grade at this time (!!) Around this time, I was convinced I was going to be Mrs. Justin Timberlake (how delusional), and I was finally old enough to get my hair relaxed (oooh) and was rocking twisty-ties (girly-cornrows) with glitter butterfly clips resting in various places around my crown (yikes-ahoy!). I would shop at Melrose clothing store and buy shirts with "Angel" and rhinestones on them and my Jansport backpack was covered with pins, peace sign patches and Sharpie penned graffiti. My trusty Sony boom box was still in working shape and it got to experience the R&B and Pop sounds of the turn of the 21st Century as my CD collection began to grow vaster.

1999's music output kind of boiled over into 2000's for me, as TLC's Fanmail, Destiny's Child's The Writings On The Wall and Christina Aguilera's debut were still big for me. Mariah Carey had me in her corner once again with her Rainbow, and for some reason, I was in love with the "I spray painted my head with Krylon Silver" Sisqo (don't ask). Kylie Minogue was "spinning around", Aaliyah was alive and was kicking ass with Jet Li and "Try Again" and D'Angelo unleashed some hormones with this epic video (now that was a man). Then there was Samantha Mumba, a promising pop artist slated to wipe Britney Spears ass with her single, "Gotta Tell Ya", and well, she ended up vanishing as quickly as she came. Jill Scott was only some sweet notes away from being known with her debut, Who Is Jill Scott?...and looking back, it's only competition for best album of '00 was Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun, which was my first "mature" album.

I was too far too young and inexperienced for the 2000 releases of MeShell Ndegeocello's Bitter and The Roots' now classic, Things Fall Apart. In later years those two would get picked up, but for now it was all about the pop n' spunk of boy bands, R&B girl groups and catchy hip-hop party songs (remember those?).

The Big 3 Of 2000

*NSYNC
2000 belonged to *NSYNC, no matter how Backstreet Boys fans like to argue that fact (hee hee). You couldn't go anywhere without a track from the group's sophomore effort, No Strings Attached, being blasted. I can recall buying NSA at the now defunct Sam Goody in the mall, and closing myself up inside my room with my Discman and playing this till the scratches started to rise up. Sadly, I didn't get to go to the NSA tour, but HBO provided that glorious spectacle with Justin beatboxing (lol) and lots of puppet motifs. Yet, *NSYNC's music also recalls bus rides to and from middle school, where a neighborhood pal and I would play "Bye Bye Bye" over and over while trading Justin and JC pin-ups from our Tiger Beat and Bop magazines.

Destiny's Child
Ahh...the days before Beyonce became like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man in Ghostbusters where she destroys cities (and the careers of her Destiny's peers) with a single stiletto footstep. This was when LeToya Luckett and some other chick name Latavia were still in the group, and it was a tight-knit BFF! foursome. The group released their sophomore album, The Writings On The Wall, in 1999, and the singles remained strong into the new decade, with "Bills, Bills, Bills", "Say My Name", "Jumpin' Jumpin" and "Bug A Boo" being chart dominators. I was also fond of the slow jams of "Temptation" and "Now That She's Gone" from this album as well. Note that 2000 would begin the on-going DC member re-shuffling, where the members started dropping out like flies.

No Doubt
Front woman, Gwen Stefani dyed her hair pink...and well, I kind of wanted it that way too. But I'm a little caramel colored girl and that wasn't going to look that good, unless I was a member of Jem & The Holograms. No Doubt had a feat to follow up there magnificent 1997 album, Tragic Kingdom, and they followed through in the new century with Return To Saturn. It featured the beasty, "Ex-Girlfriend" and the attractive zone-out, "Bathwater"...which was kind of "scandalous" at the time for 7th grade ears ("I'd like to bathe in your bathwater"...ooh, sexy). Around this time, Ms. Stefani became my hero as she was sportin' a nice set of braces, which gave me more confidence to flash a rubber band and metal smile every once in awhile.

Top 15 Songs of 2000
1. Bye Bye Bye - *NSYNC
2. Say My Name - Destiny's Child
3. Try Again -Aaliyah

4. Promise - Jagged Edge: The last of sincere male R&B group anthems. Jagged Edge had the girls going with "Let's Get Married" and this track right here.

5. He Wasn't Man Enough For Me -Toni Braxton

6. Gotta Tell Ya - Samantha Mumba: Not going to front as this was a great slice of pop-dance, and that Samantha Mumba had a delightful little debut which included semi-hits, "Body II Body" and "Baby Come On Over". Shame she kind of came and went like that.

7. Ex-Girlfriend - No Doubt
8. (Untitled) How Does It Feel - D'Angelo
9. Stranger In My House - Tamia
10. Spinning Around -Kylie Minogue

11. Bag Lady - Erykah Badu: Pack lightly...I wanted to wear a wrap-around turban like Erykah Badu and call "Tyrone", hell I still do, but AudioMom wouldn't allow it. But I was allowed to play this song over and over, and that I did.

12. Big Pimpin' - Jay-Z
13. What A Girl Wants - Christina Aguilera
14. Case Of The Ex - Mya
15. Don't Tell Me -Madonna

Audio Diva Takes A Week-Long Sabbatical

As I've mentioned before sometimes my personal/college life invades into my blogging life. This is one of those cases as next week I have about three projects to work on and will possibly have little to no time to blog. Since I don't like half-stepping, I decided to take just a week off from the blog. I'll still be around on Twitter, Tumblr and Last.fm, and my e-mail is always open for those who just want to drop a line or two or simply want to chat. I know I might miss something because whenever I take a break, great and wonderful things happen in the world of music...But I'll report on whatever was glorious upon my return. I also have some reviews to crank out to you guys as well as other fabulous musical discovers, muses and recommendations, but they will have to wait till my return. So keep checking the blog, and keep the music playing cause I sure will!
Blog you in a week!

The Audio Diva Interview: Amy Serrata

Wanna meet an artist who is dedicated to the groove? Well, today is your lucky day! It has only been a month since the profile of rising soul star, Amy Serrata made its way into my in-box and still I'm "rooted" in my thinking of her being one of the musical gems of my 2009. After hearing the part spunky and part lush nature of cut, "Rooted", I was hooked by the jazz meets modern soul sound I was hearing. Thus, I just had to know more and hear more from this Bay Area vocalist. Recently, I had the pleasure of asking the rising soul starlet some questions about her life as a up-in-coming and self-promoting singer and about the music she craves, and well, as you can see before you, she answered my ever-so-"tough" questions! So for all you Adventurers who missed out on Amy's introduction the first time, here is a chance to catch-up and get to know the ever so talented and lovely Ms. Serrata and her music.

All The Way Live: Three Is A Magic Number

In Dallas, Texas, the air outside was thick with fog, smog and the mist of rain, noting the change of season. Yet the sizzle and heat of summer clung to the atmosphere inside the venue where a trio of music's finest were gearing up to warm up their audience for a night of musical bliss.
What was to unfold before an eager audience were the stylings of a soul princess, a rapper and a soul crooner. Three diverse sounds, one unifying moment that would blend them all together for one engaging brew.

The BLACKsummersnight Tour is part celebration and part re-introduction, as soul magnum Maxwell, plants himself back into performance mode since his seven year itch from the hot stage lights. Coming along for the ride are Chrisette Michele and Common, adding there flavor into the mix, giving the show a much rounded appeal. So what went down on Monday night in Dallas?

Chrisette Michele began her swift set by vigorously kicking things off with improvised scatting into the title track of her sophomore album, Epiphany. She churned through other strong numbers such as "Blame It On Me" and "Porcelain Doll", never skipping a beat. The showcase was over before it began as Chrisette didn't graze into the territory of her 2007 debut, I Am. Shame, as hopes of hearing "Be OK" and "Best Of Me" were dashed.

Common came up to plate, hitting things off with single, "Go!"...and well, we were off! Sweatin' up a storm and still looking mighty fine in a dress shirt and black vest, Common plowed through hits Neo-soul singer, Bilal, showed himself on stage alongside the rapper as he sung the Earth, Wind and Fire refrain of "Reasons", in his song, "Soul Sista", shakily starting it off but taking off in a high falsetto midway. Common went into covering rap classics like LL Cool J's "I Need Love"as well as throwing in the hits such as "Love Of My Life" and "Testify" into the mix. Oddly, no "I Used To Love H.E.R." was heard. He ended the set by busting a couple of slick breakdancing moves during "Universal Mind Control" even though complaining of his combat boots getting in the way.

After a tedious thirty minute wait, the lights finally dimmed and Erykah Badu's "Honey" began to bubble and spark over the speakers, in ode to Dallas' own soul sorceress, and signaling the beginning of the main attraction. Then four split screens appeared on stage with ambient water images and the sound of "Phoenix Rising" started to swell into the arena. Then Maxwell appeared, dapper in a black suit, and shades as he then creeped slowly into the spotlight, beginning the opening croons of "Dancewitme" segueing it into "Sumthin' Sumthin'". And boy was Maxwell, "sumthin' sumthin' as the show just kept getting better with each and every microphone stand swivel and ever split and foot shuffle that the soul man did. He even engaged the audience in a sing-a-long with a glorious lush version of "Lifetime", his backing band, not even skipping a beat. Even though Maxwell's tunes are mainly of the mellower persuasion, the crowd was still hyped as if he was putting on a rock show, and possibly so because of the large amount of females in attendance. Screams, whoops, hollers and "oh, my Gods!" could be hear scattering about the crowd, especially when Maxwell got right down freaky with some smut talk during "...Till The Cops Come Knockin'" and a rousing, "Bad Habits". Apparently, Maxwell was suffering from a cold, but you couldn't tell as he didn't hold back on those golden pipes, especially during the apex of the show (for me) when he did his well-known cover of Kate Bush's "This Woman Work". Maxwell hit the notes splendidly, almost sending a chill down the spine. He managed to get political with a bold chug of "Help Somebody", but was right back in the love zone as he had a female lead vocalist share his space for "Loving You". Naturally, "Pretty Wings" ended the affair with a shower of feather confetti raining down as Maxwell gave a lovely vocal throughout. He disappeared for a moment (fooling some who got up and left...uh, no people the man ain't finished!), then came back to dive into "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)". He then proceeded to end the show thanking the audience endlessly, smiling widely and looking starry eyed that he was receiving so much love from the crowd. Yes, Maxwell, we missed you all those years and we are so glad to have you back.

In describing the atmosphere of the show and Maxwell to my mom, I related it to her 1970's experience seeing Al Green live, where every female in attendance received a rose (which my mom still has) as they got serenaded by the Rev. For me, Maxwell's show was me in my mom's shoes, witnessing a real soul man at work. Maxwell's show remained cemented in that throwback state of mind, giving a nod to all those R&B romancing men like Green, Teddy Pendergrass and Marvin Gaye before him. That was what was so welcoming and truly warm about the BLACKsummersnight show, it was honest, real and made you have a big grin plastered on your face from the satisfaction. Bravo.

Audio Diva Notes

• No pictures cause I still have my crappy camera. You can talk to my parents about why I have no pictures or audio of the show as they didn't listen to me around my birthday.
• Went to the show with bestie, Lindsay, she hadn't heard much of Maxwell's music but always the concert hopper she was game, and well, I think she was converted especially by all that dirty talk Maxwell was giving.
  
• Maxwell is a extremely naughty boy...his not caring about the time of the month ("put some towels down" he said) and the "morning wake-up" speech was O_O
• I have never wanted sushi so much until Maxwell called Dallas his "sexy sushi"
• Note to people who get the chance to speak in the microphone at at Maxwell concert: Do NOT say "I follow you on Twitter!" You sound like a stalker.
• I understand getting out of a venue is a number one priority, but when Maxwell hasn't played "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" and he leaves the stage for the obvious encore...sit your ass down, the man isn't finished yet. Dallas, you did it wrong.
• Bought a Maxwell shirt, $35, not to shabby
• Where were the programs??
• If anyone went to the Maxwell show, let me know if they had some people taking your picture in front of a airbrushed backdrop of Maxwell's face. I want to make sure this was apart of the show's promotion or if this was once again Texas rearing its forever country-ness again.

Quote Me Baby!: Madonna Not Feeling The 'Groove'

“I’ve never been a good judge of what things are going to be huge or not. The songs that I think are the most retarded songs I’ve written, like "Cherish" and "Sorry", a pretty big hit off my last album, end up being the biggest hits..."Into the Groove" is another song I feel retarded singing, but everybody seems to like it.”

---Madonna, on singing her hits now. Madonna is featured on the November issue of Rolling Stone discussing her career in what should be a interesting interview.

But...but I like "Cherish", "Into The Groove" and "Sorry"...she should've mentioned "Jimmy Jimmy" from True Blue, now that song is just utterly stupid.

Remember The Time: The Finest

A live mutha for ya. As I stall with working on an article for one of my gabillion journalism classes I'm taking this semester, let's have a look-see at The SOS Band performing their glorious synth-funk number, "The Finest" on a British dance show. In my opinion, lead singer, Mary Davis has one of the most interesting voices in R&B music as she gave the SOS Band their distinct sound. Not to mention, she also has one of the most interesting dresses on in this video (fishes?). As it is indicated, this is some rare footage of the band on this show, so you're getting an interesting flashback this week. Yes, they are lip-syncing because the guy "singing" the male response is definitely not Alexander O'Neal (who sang on the original cut) and because well, it sounds too much like the version on the group's Sands Of Time record. Yet, every time I see a video with bands like SOS, its like viewing a extinct entity...you know the funk synth music group.

Crisp N' Fresh: Alice Russell Works It On Out

Been a little rusty keeping up with Alice Russell lately, yet very happy to know that she's still promoting her sparkling, Pot of Gold project (a fave from 2008) and that she has a brand new video for single, "Let Us Be Loving". The British soul dame shimmies and slinks her way through a retro-tastic visual with her exuberant band and back-up dancers in tow. The video apparently was shot in a mere four hours, and yet that factoid adds to the natural and honest feel this video possesses. Aside from the magnificent song and Ms. Russell's smashing set of pipes, it's really all about that aqua sequined dress Alice is sportin'. It's so mesmerizing. Thanks to Soul UK for pointing this one out.

Riddle Me List: 10 Songs That Should Get Some 'Glee' Time

Infectious like the pop songs they perform, Fox's new TV show Glee is all about being the ultimate guilty pleasure viewing of 2009. I have raved about it, and have plopped my happy ass down every Wednesday night to watch the story of William McKinley High School's glee club unfold, and yet, I'm not even the slightest disengaged. The music nerd (and ex-theater bum) that resides in me continues to love every moment, even when its its most tooth rottenly sweet. Aside from Gleeker Kurt's sleek bangs move while doing Beyonce's "Single Ladies", what I truly adore the most about the show is that it contains a whopping more variety in their song choices than any American Idol season combined. I'm considering the fact that American Idol has "rules", but still repetitiveness does irk the nerves, especially since one can sing "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch" so many times till even the remaining Four Tops are getting queasy from the sugar pie. Glee has effortlessly, and smartly, featured various genres and generations in their repertoire from Journey to Amy Winehouse to Bel Biv Devoe to freaking Liza Minnelli. Now they will be trying on Jill Scott's "Hate On Me" for size on this week's episode, and that I must applaud. So of course in my train of Glee thought, some songs that I could truly see them doing Jazz hands too popped into my head, provoking me to riddle you with this list. These are merely fun and frivolous suggestions, so don't get all bent out of shape and start blaring into the megaphone at me like Cheerios coach, Sue Sylvester. If you want to join in on the fun brainstorming...drop a line in the comments.

1. Freedom-Wham! :In fact, ANY Wham! song could slip into the show's mindset of spunky squeaky clean fun. But "Freedom" has a certain doo-wop charm that would be perfect as its infectious and meant to do a synchronized dance too. To be a little edgier, exclude "Wake Me Up", because well, that's just too easy.

2. 1 Thing - Amerie: The dance routines to this song are quite endless...

3. I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) -Hall and Oates: It wouldn't be a prime time TV show without one Hall & Oates song whittling its way thorough, so you might as well do the best one. A mash-up of this with De La Soul's "Say No Go" would be rather fierce, but I'm merely just roaming in fantasy land with that.

4. Walking On Broken Glass - Annie Lennox: "Why" is a little too somber for some high school kiddos, but "Walking On Broken Glass" would fit perfectly with the overachieving belt of Gleeker, Rachael as she continues to pine for fellow Glee club member, Finn. The song literally writes the script itself!

5. If I Isn't Love - New Edition: Possibly because "Poison" was such a joy to hear on the "Acafellas" episode, so why not do a little N.E. Heartbreak?

6. One Day In Your Life -Anastacia: This song is so theatrical with that glorious beginning climax into Anastacia's "knock you sideways" voice, that it was made for being sung Gleeker style.

7. Hit 'Em Up Style - Blu Cantrell: Mostly showcased as an effort to revitalize Blu Cantrell's stagnant career (iTunes sales!), but some hilarity can come with a performance of this song.

8. Tenderness - General Public: Obscure, yes, but this song is just gooey enough for some serious jazz hands that it would fit right in. Those who remember 1995, remember that the Amy Heckerling cult classic, Clueless ended with this 80's pop tune by the short-lived British duo. A little nostalgia never hurt.

9. Never Ever - All Saints: Remember this song? Refresh your memory by clicking the link and then just imagine this being done by Gleeker, Mercedes.

10. The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) - Missy Elliott: If they can do Salt n' Pepa's "Push It", why not tackle something a bit more challenging? The line: "Beep, beep, who got the keys to the Jeep?" must be used.

Recycle It!: Diane Birch Simmers Down Haddaway

Haddaway became a one-hit wonder legend with the 1993 club song, "What Is Love?" It was exuberant, stark, perfect Euro-dance and overtly...well, infectious. So infectious that it climbed the charts and became the running musical joke in the 1998 Will Ferrell movie, A Night At The Roxbury. Earlier this year when I saw James Morrison in concert, singer-songwriter, Diane Birch was the opening act as she was promoting the release of her debut, Bible Belt. While on stage, Birch whipped out on an unsuspecting audience, a toned down version of "What Is Love", basically transforming it into a burning slow jam. This is what it really sounds like when its stripped to the bone and scarce of all the pulsating club pounds. Birch shows that "What Is Love" is merely a ballad disguised as a dance track. Compare and contrast below. Just note that one calls for head bobbing at the Roxbury and the other is for sitting in a dark room watching a candle light flicker, glass of wine nearby.

First Impressions: Meet N'Dambi's Funky Little 'Pink Elephant'

If you were under the impression that elephants are docile, civil creatures, you just haven't gotten the chance to meet an elephant that was provoked or rather, was well "pink". Under the direction of the bitingly whip-smart lead single, "Can't Hardly Wait", N'Dambi's Pink Elephant stampedes on in with the greatest of modern soul ease, truly making a ruckus, breaking all the china cups and bowls in the store its rocking in. As this is the soul singer's fourth hour, she has grown a lot from her debut, 1999's Little Lost Girl Blues. Now ten years later, the Dallas songstress, issues out her first album on the Stax record label, and in the tradition of the legendary label, she tells it like it is, each song unfolding a story with all the soul, sweat and tears mixed in. Pink Elephant begins on the lush groove of "L.I.E.", which rocks steady on the tale of a man trying to choose between reality and fantasy. We then are glided into the slinky, "What It Takes" which kicks off with a twitchy guitar, but then smooths out like butter to bread. N'Dambi reaches back into the 1970's crates of Curtis Mayfield for a orchestral ode to a fictional budding superstar called, "Nobody Jones" and the song persistently drives on. "Ooo Baby" slips you into a mellow mood, filling the wine glass with its rich and sensual brew while the exuberant "Daisy Chain" shuffles on a rich sonic wave that is mixed with old school Philly soul quality. The lead off single, "Can't Hardly Wait" continues to be the album's main attraction as it just is so on point that you can't help but chime along with N'Dambi as she says that favored four letter word and gives that disapproving grimace over a passe lover. Pink Elephant expertly delivers. The music is not as rousing as one would expect, especially after viewing the fiery album cover, but N'Dambi's sharp vocal delivery and biting lyricism make this a bold composition that is enough to make you feel N'Dambi's thunderous wrath. Solid as a rock, and mighty potent with the right balance of modern soul and vintage flavor, Pink Elephant is another of 2009's brightest gems.

Rating: 9.7/10
Release Date: October 6th, 2009

Highlights
What It Takes

L.I.E.

Ooo Baby

First Impressions: 'This Is It' Reminds Us Of Michael's Legacy Again

June 25th seems like such a distant and upsetting memory, as it was the day we all learned of the passing of the King of Pop. Yet, still we managed to cope by the music that Michael Jackson had graced upon us and that helped console us. Now the memories of "what could've been" are brought back into our minds today with the early bird release of the hotly anticipated single, "This Is It". The soaring tune, which features backing vocals by the Jackson brothers, was an unreleased number from the Dangerous days that recently was revived to coincide with the This Is It movie project, which will be in theaters later this month. It's a pristine ballad that is, without question, a fine gem in Michael's chest of musical jewels. The phrasing is on par and the orchestral mixed with doo-wop elements make this song sparkle, it's not the finest ballad Michael has released but there is quality there. Hearing this song for the first time just kind of brings it all back to feelings of a bittersweet haunt. Still one thing is for certain, it surely does tug at the heart strings.

*Audio Diva wipes the bits of tissue off her T-shirt, wipes a tear and sniffles*

First Impressions: Robin Thicke Wants To 'Sex' Us Up Again

Robin Thicke seriously wants me to get in trouble. He is literally provoking me as he brings the temptation to a popping and persistent boil with newly dropped track, "Sex Therapy". If this doesn't sound like a come-on, I don't know what is. Polow Da Don produces this joint, which is why it sounds like the male version of Ciara's 2006 scorcher, "Promise" as the producer put his imprint on that one as well. Yes, its a rapid fan waver as Robin croons his way seductively through this sonic sex romp in effort to make us ladies squirm and sweat, but to me, it has a recycled feel to it due to the sound echoing "Promise". Forgivable? It's Robin Thicke, so shamelessly and proudly, yes. "Sex Therapy" will be hitting iTunes stores on October 20th, in anticipation for a follow-up to his terribly underrated Something Else record.

Sex Therapy

Cover Smother: The Fame Monster

How utterly striking. Me loves.

Two covers for Lady GaGa's money grubber re-release of her debut (the still crisp and infectious), The Fame. It is to feature eight new songs in addition to her debut album. Monster indeed.

Recycle It!: The Triple Play Of 'Love You Down'

There are some tunes that no matter who remakes them, or how many times they are covered, it can still sound like a breath of fresh air. Sometimes even better than the original. This is the case with the Ready For The World classic, "Love You Down". The R&B collective from Flint, Michigan, with the wet n' wild Jheri curls, released their slow jam come-on to an older woman in 1986, a sultry change of pace from their dance shufflers known as, "Oh, Sheila" and "Digital Display". Little did the group know that there song was to take on not one, but two different twists. The evolution of this song is pretty interesting, if you lay it all out....shall we begin?

Exhibit A: RFTW's Original

Can't you just feel the Jheri curl juice drip from the sweet seduction of this? Wipe it up please, you're getting it all over my carpet...

Exhibit B: INOJ's Bass Rehash Now flash forward to 1996, when a little known R&B/Bass singer named INOJ, released her version of this song, and gained a strong radio hit from it. This song took me back, and re-listening to it, its remains to be a great cover. INOJ takes the slow jam and turns in into a ram-bam dance meets hip-hop track. Technically, the track was fashioned on a Miami Bass style, a style that is somewhat passe...well, till a rapper who likes to snatch microphones from teeny boppers revitalized it with his 808's project. INOJ was a repeat cover smother offender as she also released a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time", which actually reached the #6 mark back in 1997, and also tackled Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell", but blink back then, and you probably missed it. In a possible nod to the performers of "Love You Down" INOJ named her one (and only) album, Ready For The World. Homage much?

Exhibit C: Meshell's 'Love' Creep
Now let's rejoin the present and tune into music innovator, Meshell Ndegeocello's rendition were she sexes it up even more. At the moment, Meshell is creating a fluster of joy among fans with her recently dropped eighth album, Devil's Halo (which we'll return to later). But the talk of the album is the "Love You Down" remake. A remake that has me, the Audio Diva, reaching for a glass of wine to down after experiencing the nocturnal erotic creep of Meshell's version. Meshell literally strips the song bare and flips making it a completely different song. It still has that sweetness, but when Meshell rips into the guitar...well, just listen above and you'll feel your soul being rocked.

Moral of this exhibit? You can take one great song, bend and shape it into something different and it still a song that people enjoy no matter what flavor it has been changed to.