Music

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Pop and Rock

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 11/21/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

50 CENT

Before I Self Destruct (Aftermath/Interscope)

SINCE 50 Cent gambled and lost the last time he released an album -- remember The Bet with Kanye West over who'd sell more albums? -- this time, he's leaving little to chance.

Before I Self Destruct essentially collects all the examples of what made Fitty one of the decade's biggest stars in one place. He brings the hard songs to maintain the image, the soft songs to woo radio and the ladies and, of course, the beefs to generate publicity -- a combination that has worked before, but with decreasing effectiveness each time.

On So Disrespectful, Fitty takes on Young Buck, Young Jeezy and his archrival The Game. He needles Jay-Z, saying, "Jay's a big man, he's too big to respond," and he slams his ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins.

Where Fitty has improved most is in showing his softer side -- teaming with R. Kelly on the crude-but-catchy Could've Been You and truly shining with Ne-Yo on the unstoppable current single Baby By Me. It's only a matter of time before 50 Cent realizes these kinds of songs are where the big money is for him. 'Ö'Ö'Ö1/2

-- Glenn Gamboa, Newsday

JOHN MAYER

Battle Studies (Columbia)

CALL it his wallpaper album.

After pumping out tight blues-rock with his trio on 2005's Try! and dabbling in earthy soul on 2006's Continuum, John Mayer returns with a collection of songs so smooth they barely stick on Battle Studies.

Mayer says in the media notes that he wrote the album with "the timelessness of Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac and Neil Young in mind. The melodies and message are concise and from-the-gut, with the efficiency of simplicity." The message certainly comes from the gut. Lyrically, the 32-year-old has been doing some soul searching, judging by song titles such as Heartbreak Warfare, All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye, Perfectly Lonely, War of My Life and Friends, Lovers or Nothing. Musically, the album doesn't bear as much resemblance to Petty, Young or the Mac as Mayer might hope. Although the songs are tuneful, they're low-key and drowsy, almost to the point of lethargy. His vocals here are mostly murmurs, and the musical accompaniment, although skillful throughout, lacks the punch of his previous albums. 'Ö'Ö

-- Eric R. Danton, The Hartford Courant

TEGAN AND SARA

Sainthood (Sire/Vapor)

FOR more or less the first time ever the talented sisters Quin have written an album's worth of songs collaboratively and the results make for some exceptional listening. No doubt the hardcore Tegan and Sara fans will be able to penetrate deeply into the nuances of which sib wrote which biting lyric and that can be amusing.

For the rest of us Sainthood is a poppy, and at times, sassy and entertaining set of tracks. While there is a certain stinging yet thoughtful maturity to the lyrics, as the twins approach their 30th birthdays it seems they are still a little like teenagers at heart.

Musically there is a kinetic, keyboard-driven new-wavishness that caroms from songs like Northshore, Arrow and On Directing while The Cure almost comes off like an homage to the band of the same name. With their steady forward songwriting progression and a continued kicky energy to their music Tegan and Sara should be able to haul in even more willing fans with Sainthood. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö

-- Jeff Monk

THEM CROOKED VULTURES

Them Crooked Vultures (DGC)

THEM Crooked Vultures is not your average supergroup -- with Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme on vocals, Foo Fighter Dave Grohl on drums and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones on bass.

There is real musical chemistry here -- making sparks fly throughout Them Crooked Vultures, from the ferocious art-grunge hybrid single New Fang to the swaggering boogie of Gunman and the sprawling bluesy epic Warsaw. 'Ö'Ö'Ö'Ö1/2

-- Glenn Gamboa, Newsday

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 21, 2009 C4

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