April 2009
1 post
"For(N)ever" - Hoobastank (ALBUM REVIEW)
After a three-year break, Hoobastank is back with a new LP to keep things fresh for their fans. The four-piece ensemble, led by frontman Doug Robb, started off in 1994 grounded in ska and funk metal, but has developed over the last fifteen years into a more mature-sounding alt-rock ensemble. They are best known for their power ballad “The Reason,” which reached #1 on the Modern Rock Charts and...
March 2009
2 posts
"Love vs. Money" - The-Dream
It’s been over two years since singer-producer The-Dream released his critically acclaimed “Love Hate,” a volume of radio-friendly singles that fans of contemporary R&B could identity with. Following up to his highly successful studio debut, Dream releases the much-anticipated “Love vs. Money,” with an aim to provide his fans with more of the same, plus a little more. The club-friendly...
"Ok Now" - Jon McLaughlin
American pop-rock singer Jon McLaughlin has come back for round two. His debut album, entitled “Indiana,” established him a solid fanbase, selling over 15,000 copies and reaching number 81 on the Billboard 200. Now returning with his sophomore LP, McLaughlin has the sound of a seasoned pro. Though there are a few small mishaps, “Ok Now” is an overall brilliant display of talent that suggests a...
August 2008
6 posts
You guys at ThePerfectAlbum sure talk about “RSS...
If you’re like most people, you probably have several favorite websites (most likely, you visit them on a daily basis, and they’re bookmarked in your web browser).
Rich Site Summary, or “RSS,” simply eliminates the need for bookmarking a million sites and having to visit them everytime you want to see content from sites that update regularly. As a music reviews blog that...
"Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations" - Cornel...
Princeton professor Dr. Cornel West’s 2001 debut rap album, entitled “Sketches of My Culture,” was met with much skepticism and debate from the hip-hop community. It is not six years later, and West is back again with his second entry in the genre, entitled “Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations.”
While many still question West’s talent, he takes a myriad of delicate subjects such as homophobia,...
About our Rating System:
Here at ThePerfectAlbum, we try to distinguish ourself from other album reviews blogs and websites. We don’t give into hype, and our opinions are not swayed based solely on the radio-rotation or popularity of the album’s lead single. We simply call them as we see them. So here’s a little info about our rating scheme.
We listen to and review albums as a whole, judging them on a 5 star basis. Every...
"One Day as a Lion" - One Day as a Lion (2/5...
When Rage Against the Machine (RATM) frontman Zach de la Rocha announced that he was collaborating with Jon Theodore, drummer of latin prog-rock band The Mars Volta, I was pretty stoked. Both of their respective acts are and were quite successful in their niches. While Rage Against the Machine caters to angsty rap-rockers, who embrace anti-establishment anthems such as “Wake Up” (from the Matrix...
"L.A.X." -The Game (4.9 Stars)
You may have counted Jayceon Taylor (B.K.A The Game) out when he was booted out of G-Unit. You may have counted him out when that outrageous tape of him on Blind Date showed up, or when news of the butterfly tattoo or his past as a stripper came up. You may even have counted him out after his one-man war against the entire Aftermath collective, which ended up alienating him from two of the...
10 tags
Noel Gourdin - "After My Time" (4.5/5 Stars)
Noel Gourdin is a relatively fresh face in the R&B/neo-soul scene. Signed to Sony BMG’s Epic Records in 2005, he has had only a few years to develop the cultivated sound and maturity of a veteran, but has done all that and more. His new studio debut LP, entitled “After My Time,” is an impressive showcase of skillful vocals and heartfelt lyrics of a quality unparalleled by most industry vets...
July 2008
2 posts
Nas - "Untitled" (2.5 / 5) Stars
It has been nearly 15 years since Nas redefined socially conscious rap with his classic debut LP, entitled “Illmatic.” With a poetic flow, the album proved to be just the breath of fresh air hip-hop needed. Though his follow-up efforts have been solid, they have never quite lived up to the bar “Illmatic” set. Nas’ latest attempt, “Untitled,” goes even farther in the other direction, quite...
10 tags
Dwele - "Sketches of a Man" (4/5 Stars)
Andwele “Dwele” Gardner’s self-released demo in 2000, entitled “The Rize,” was an original take on contemporary neo-soul that garnered much fan interest. Neither Dwele’s studio debut, “Subject” (2003), nor his follow-up, “Some Kinda” (2005), had the same impact as his demo, due in part to creative control issues with his former record label, Virgin Records. Recent collaborative efforts, however,...
June 2008
6 posts
10 tags
Usher - "Here I Stand" (4.5/5 Stars)
Since his self-titled debut album in 1994, R&B singer Usher has captivated millions with his soulful tenor. Now nearly 15 years later, he is now a veteran to the game. Now dropping his fifth studio album, entitled “Here I Stand,” Usher explores themes such as love and maturity. It is clear he has grown a little since the days of “You Make Me Wanna.” “Here I Stand’s” title track has a jazzy...
7 tags
Weezer - "The Red Album" (2/5 Stars)
Once upon a time, there was a fresh-faced garage rock band whose lyrics and power pop chords captivated America’s young and angsty. Their self-titled debut album, “Weezer (The Blue Album),” was released in 1994, and graced Rolling Stone magazine’s “Greatest 500 Albums of All Time.” Flash forward to fourteen years later, and the band is still using the same formula for their sixth studio LP,...
11 tags
The Roots - "Rising Down" (5/5 Stars)
The Roots’ 1993 debut album, “Organix,” was groundbreaking, experimenting with live hip-hop instrumentation and powerful socially conscious lyrics during a time when sampling and gangsta rap were on top. Since then, the Philadelphia-bred hip-hop band has worked hard year after year to produce classic albums such as “Illadelph Halflife,” “Things Fall Apart,” and “Phrenology,” all of which received...
14 tags
Coldplay - "Viva La Vida or Death and All His...
I’ll admit it; I’ve never been a huge fan of Coldplay. Apart from a few of their mainstream hits, I’ve never been totally sold on them. But I decided to give their new album, “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” an open-minded listen anyway. And while they’re still not my favorite band, they did manage to do a few things right, with a solid album sure to garner them a few new admirers. ...
3 tags
Lil Wayne - "Tha Carter III" (3.5/5 Stars)
After three years and several delays, Dwayne ‘Lil Wayne’ Carter has finally returned to deliver the ending to his ‘Carter Trilogy’: “Tha Carter III.” Does the album live up to its lofty expectations? No, quite unfortunately. Lil Wayne still hasn’t quite proven his claim that he is the best rapper alive. But even with the slight letdowns, there is much to enjoy here. There’s certainly something for...
5 tags
N*E*R*D - "Seeing Sounds" (4/5 Stars)
It took three years, but Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and Shay Haley have finally done it again. Better known collectively as N.E.R.D. (No-one Ever Really Dies), the trio has dropped another LP full of infectious beats for the fans. If you liked “In Search Of” (2001) and “Fly or Die” (2004), you’ll love much of “Seeing Sounds”. If you weren’t already a fan, however, I’m not sure that this album...
March 2008
1 post
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