http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Sun, 24 Aug 2003 20:01:38 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/08/24/200138.php Will LeonIn 1987, Bruce Springsteen released Tunnel of Love, an album that most observers believe is a portrayal of a man struggling with his marriage to actress Julianne Phillips. Springsteen's marriage ended after two and a half years.Bobby Brown's third solo album, Bobby, reminds me of Tunnel of Love. Artistically, there is no comparison; Springsteen's album is entirely self-written and is judged by critics as a modern classic. What the two albums share in common is the glimpse they provide into the life of the artist when the music was created. As executive producer of Bobby, Bobby Brown was in charge of choosing the material for this project, and what a wide range of songs he chose! Bobby is a fascinating look at a multifaceted personality, and this is why it ranks with New Edition's Heart Break as one of my all-time favorite albums.Bobby falls short of greatness because Brown tried to appeal to too many different types of music fans. How do you start an album with a hard-edged romp like "Humpin' Around" and close it with the contemporary gospel-like song "I'm Your Friend"?Imagine the pressure Bobby must have felt. He was faced with the challenge of following up his breakthrough album, Don't Be Cruel, adjusting to life as the husband of pop diva Whitney Houston and dodging the barbs of both music and tabloid journalists.Bobby Brown showed determination from the opening cut. He literally scratched away the memory of Don't Be Cruel and launched into a sprawling 13-song statement (a hypothesis: when a musician releases an album with black-and-white cover art, he is asking to be taken seriously.) "Humpin' Around", "Get Away" and "Something In Common" were answers to his critics.There's prototype New Jack Swing in "That's The Way Love Is", a reggae-influenced song in "Good Enough", straightforward R&B with "Lovin' You Down" and "College Girl", and a message song ("Storm Away"). Bobby definitely gets an A for effort. Don't Be Cruel is a more cohesive work, but nothing on that album, even "My Prerogative", is as raw and personal as "Two Can Play That Game". This is one of the darkest, funkiest and complex songs I've ever heard. Bobby reveals his heart and soul in this great tune. In contrast, "Til The End Of Time" has Bobby offering a heartfelt expression of hope and romantic devotion.Today, you can buy this album for less than the cost of an ITunes download. If you're a fan of popular music, Bobby is worth a lot more than 99 cents. If you're a fan of "The Bob" and New Edition, Bobby is indispensable.Read more about Bobby Brown and New Edition at NE20.com. Music7793@blogcritics.org Sun, 24 Aug 2003 20:01:38 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/08/11/225144.php Will LeonIn 1986, Nelson George wrote a book about a young quintet at the height of their popularity. Cool It Now: The Authorized Biography of New Edition, is no longer in print.Information about this group is hard to find, and 17-year old profiles are better than nothing. George was gracious enough to allow me to post this book on my New Edition tribute site, NE20.com. I'll be posting this book chapter-by-chapter over the next few weeks. If you're interested, take a look. Sci/Tech7520@blogcritics.org Mon, 11 Aug 2003 22:51:44 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/07/30/210741.php Will LeonYou didn't ask for it, but here it comes ... several weeks of pent-up thoughts about ol' number 8.By far, the most memorable quote I've heard about this situation is by Ralph Wiley: "Have you seen Kobe's wife? Has Kobe seen Kobe's wife?" Check out Wiley's latest take on this case.I think this whole situation is sad. One of the NBA's biggest and brightest (literally and figuratively) stars makes a lapse in judgment, possibly committing a crime in the process, and ruins his life. I have a sinking feeling this is going to be the O. J. trial in reverse: Bryant will do time after being convicted by a predominantly-white jury for a crime he didn't commit.Now, before you send hate mail, I'm in the majority. Almost everyone wants to believe that Bryant is innocent of sexual assault. And I'm not a big fan of Bryant or the Lakers. Bryant admitted to cheating on his wife. Now he's in jeopardy of losing his freedom and his livelihood over an episode that lasted less than thirty minutes -- an episode that should have never taken place.Now, from a basketball standpoint: it's on in the Western Conference. With Kobe tied up in court (or jail), there will be plenty of shots for the Mailman and Gary Payton as they fend off the charging ... Timberwolves? Kevin and Co. may not present the toughest challenge to the Lakers as Los Angeles attempts to recapture the title from the Spurs. With Kobe's future in question, I think San Antonio has an excellent chance to repeat as champions.Kobe, Kobe, Kobe ... what were you thinking? Can I quote Wiley again? "Have you seen Kobe's wife? Has Kobe seen Kobe's wife?"And, as always, don't look for NBA.com to cover this story. They have an, um, image to uphold. Sports7342@blogcritics.org Wed, 30 Jul 2003 21:07:41 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/07/15/004737.php Will Leon"What happens to a dream deferred?Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet?Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.Or does it explode?"-- "Dream Deferred" by Langston HughesMuch has been made over the past few years of Whitney Houston's bold statement that her husband, New Edition founding member and solo star Bobby Brown, is "the king of R&B".As of 1993, Bobby Brown has only released four CDs of original material. His star fell quickly after his second solo album Don't Be Cruel made him a household name at age 19. Whitney Houston's assertion is incorrect, but she hints at something I believe to be true: Bobby Brown could have become the king of R&B.Bobby Brown is one of the last great singers in the soul tradition of Wilson Pickett and James Brown. There is a raw passion to his voice that is enduring to his fans. He sounds like a person who is in touch with his passion and his pain. He is a young man who has been through it and survived. And despite his longstanding interest in hip-hop, he continues to sing.Bobby Brown had the one thing that his cohorts in New Edition lacked: star power. He proclaimed himself to be the King of Stage and took pride in his (sometimes controversial) concert performances. He had courage. He had a distinct identity. His decision to leave New Edition was bold. Who could have predicted the voice behind the chorus in "Mr. Telephone Man" would become a superstar? Wasn't it lead singer Ralph Tresvant who was primed to follow in the footsteps of Michael Jackson? In terms of CD sales, Ralph has had the least successful solo career of any group member, while Bobby, the first (and most recent) member to leave the group, stole the show.In some ways, Don't Be Cruel is a producer's record, but Bobby's energy and joy are infectious. "My Prerogative" is his signature song, an expression of a young man's desire to be. And "Every Little Step" is pop perfection.His follow-up CD, Bobby, was ambitious but unfocused. Artistically, it doesn't compare to Bruce Springsteen's Tunnel of Love, but, like The Boss's record, we heard the voice of a man struggling with his marriage. At age 23, Bobby decided to marry to one of the most successful female performers ever. A closer listen to Bobby escaped the general public as Brown and Houston became tabloid staples.Forever, released in 1997, has its moments (especially the title track) but there is nothing on the CD that could have restored Bobby to his throne as "King of New Jack Swing" (a title also given to producer Teddy Riley). Legal troubles, health problems and changing public tastes have taken their toll on this once-promising career. However, after over twenty years in entertainment, Bobby Brown is still a young man. He's got the voice, and, as his recent duet with Ja Rule reveals, he still has passion. But does he still have the ability to make an honest claim to the title "King of R&B"?Read more about Bobby Brown and New Edition at NE20.com. Music6948@blogcritics.org Tue, 15 Jul 2003 00:47:37 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/07/02/211649.php Will LeonA friend sent me this article by Phil Taylor asking if the influx of foreign-born basketball players will help boost the popularity of the NBA.I think the answer is no. I don't think casual basketball fans stopped watching the NBA finals because "they're too many black guys on the court". Taylor hints at what I believe is the heart of the matter, which is the cultural divide between most NBA players and casual fans. The casual fan might not relate to, say, Allen Iverson, not because Iverson is African American, but because he has completely embraced hip hop culture. Hip hop culture IS youth culture whether you're black, white, or anything else. Hip hop is not for old g's like me; it certainly isn't marketed for me, and it's not going to appeal to "middle America", whatever that means. Now, if my assumption about NBA fans and culture is correct, I think the influx of foreign-born players might hurt the popularity of the game even more. Speaking with a foreign accent and having a hard-to-memorize name doesn't exactly enhance one's Q rating. I think true fans like good players, plain and simple. Casual fans of anything are, by nature, fickle. Should the NBA marketing brass cater to these folks? Or should they wait for Lebron James to conquer the world? Culture6698@blogcritics.org Wed, 2 Jul 2003 21:16:49 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/07/01/202357.php Will LeonResearch indicates that the type of music you listen to gives clues to your personality. Since I listen to all types of music (from country to classical), I'm either a genius or a psycho. Music6664@blogcritics.org Tue, 1 Jul 2003 20:23:57 EDT