DECEMBER MUSIC REVIEWS

Pride News Magazine
Dec 21, 2005

By Ryan Patrick
Pride Entertainment Writer


Chris Brown
Chris Brown
Jive/SonyBMG

While I refuse to believe that newcomer Chris Brown is actually the 16 years old he claims to be, even I can’t deny that the hot first single, “Run It”, by the young R&B singer is pretty catchy. Hailing from Tappahannock, Virginia, the young vocalist is obviously styled after a young Usher or Mario. But he pulls it off well. This straight R&B album is an impressive introduction to Brown: he has very strong vocals and his bubblegum appearance has already led to a growing fan base. While the topics are your standard “young love”-type stories, tracks like, “Ya Man Ain’t Me”, “Winner” and “Is This Love?” reveal an artist that seemingly has a bright future ahead of him.

Angie Stone
Stone Hits: The Very Best of Angie Stone
J-Records

In a perfect world, R&B/soul singer Angie Stone would be a megastar. In reality, she remains a solid, if somewhat unheralded, performer in the world of R&B. Her career has seen its share of hit songs, however, warranting this release of “greatest hits”. Culled from her three-album deep discography, one could argue that perhaps it is far too premature for a trip down Stone’s memory lane. But it’s still a voyage worth taking, if only to revisit impressive tracks like “Brotha”, “Wish I Didn’t Miss You”, “No More Rain” and “Everyday”.

Ginuwine
Back II Basics
SonyBMG

His first studio release since 2003’s mildly received, The Senior, Ginuwine finds himself struggling to remain relevant in an urban music world that was probably on the verge of forgetting all about him. His strengths have always been in his ballads, so tracks like that lead single, “When We Make Love”, along with “She’s Like” and “Take A Chance” are where he gets his chance to shine. But pointless party joints like, “The Club”, illustrate just how much longtime collaborator/producer Timbaland (who is glaringly absent on this album) had been propping up Ginuwine all these years. Ginuwine fans will, no doubt, find something to love here, but I don’t see the sweet-voiced (and aging) singer making any inroads with Omarion/Mario/Chris Brown fans.

JD Vishus
Alleycat Sensibilities
Independent (www.jdvishus.com)

Toronto-based spoken word artist JD Vishus (aka Joseph Daly) is a well-known commodity in local artist circles. JD Vishus, who started performing in 1986 as a rapper with the SC Roc crew, has been featured on CBC Radio, and was a regular performer at Ron Nelson’s Monster Jam hip hop shows in the 1980s, where he built a strong following. His album, Alleycat Sensibilities, is a raw debut with a style he terms “spoken word poetry, marinated in hip hop, with jazz and funk seasoning”. Vishus spins his unique poetic flow over satisfactory beats, on the nine-track independent project. The standout track is definitely “Role Reversal”, where Vishus cleverly provides insight on the long-term ramifications of a slavery mentality, flipping racial observations and “accepted” norms on its ear.

Isley Brothers
The: Summer Breeze - Greatest Hits Live (DVD)
Eagle Rock Entertainment

Considering his recent court troubles over unpaid taxes, Ronald “Mr. Biggs” Isley probably longs for a simpler time, when he was just a frontman for the legendary Isley Brothers funk/soul group. With Ron’s smooth-as-silk vocals, and Ernie’s lethal electronic guitar licks, the group has churned out classic after classic in their over five-decade (!!!) career. Alas, this concert DVD catches Mr. Biggs at not quite his best, as his vocals aren’t at full strength. As a result, classic joints like, “Between the Sheets/Footsteps”, “Who’s That Lady”, “For the Love of You”, and my personal favorite, “Summer Breeze”, aren’t given their respect due. Still, it’s good to see the brothers rocking out live.