Single Review.
Due to the subject matter of Kelly Rowland’s “Dirty Laundry” (in which she collaborated with The Dream), this review is going to be quite different from my usual; it’s more so going to address the content versus the music. The song being true to its title, Rowland reveals the sad and dark truth that she was victim of domestic abuse “almost 10 years ago (the time marker given in the song; former fiance` Roy Williams denied via Twitter that it is he she’s singing about).” She also discusses her career frustrations while Destiny’s Child group-mate, Beyonce`, thrived in the spotlight. It’s difficult enough to openly confront such pain without being in the public eye, so I commend Kelly for her bravery and I hope it inspires others to support a cause, speak out and/or leave their abusers. Vividly detailing specific altercations, conversations and the lengths she went to, trying to conceal her troubles, the track gives insight into the experience and mindset of the physically and verbally abused and can serve as an empathetic, educational tool. “Dirty Laundry” even points out the typical tactics of batterers, like social isolation and exacerbating things one is sensitive about: “He pulled me outside and said ‘Don’t nobody love you but me; not your mama, not your daddy and especially not Bey.’ He turned me against my sister; I missed you.” Musically speaking, the hard-hitting, but winding beat under Rowland’s emotional vocal delivery (sounds like a mix of anger and being on the verge of tears) makes for a very entrancing, memorable tune. I hope that the completed album, entitled “Talk a Good Game (scheduled for a June 18th release),” follows this introspective path as opposed to the tawdriness of prior singles, “Ice” and “Kisses Down Low.” Beyonce` discussed her broken relationship with her father and past miscarriage in her “Life is But a Dream” HBO documentary, Kelly’s sharing her abuse story and Michelle went public with her long-term struggles with depression. Guess reaching your 30’s is about shaking the pain and shame. Sounds good to me. Hear "Dirty Laundry" here.

Album Review.
Likes: Nightingale, In Case, Shouldn’t Come Back, Warrior
Dislikes: Heart Attack, Neon Lights, Really Don’t Care, Something That We’re Not
Overall: Disappointing, conformist and doesn’t do Lovato’s ability justice.

A decent singer-songwriter who could play both guitar and piano, Demi Lovato seemed like a burgeoning talent to watch with her first 2 albums, “Don’t Forget” & “Here We Go Again.” On 2011’s “Unbroken” however, it appeared her record label, Hollywood Records, wanted to take a different direction by significantly reducing Lovato’s writing credits and giving the album a mainstream-friendly techno-dance ambiance versus her usual pop-rock. On the new “Demi,” Lovato’s writing credit has been restored, but not without the help of a lot more people (an average of 14 writers & 8 producers more than “Forget” & “Again”) and the album is practically doused in electronic-dance effects. Just like JSaysOnline contributor Eddie J. stated in “5 Artists Only as Good as Their Producers,” when you add too many people to the creative team, it can ruin a perfectly working formula. Lovato may make it onto the Hot 100 Billboard chart (especially with tracks like “Neon Lights” that sound like a sampling of current hits), but the budding artistry that could make her formidable and give her longevity is in jeopardy.

“Demi” is so difficult to listen to. Musically, it’s over-produced and noisy; there’s so much going on. The sweet and simple melodies (sometimes with a gradual build-up) that made some Lovato tunes endearing (ex. Catch Me, Falling Over Me, Fix a Heart) are scarce. If we’re going to get noisy, let’s at least rock out (ex. Remember December).  Vocally, there’s a wearing over abundance of high-pitched emo-rock whines and squeals. The vocal richening and progress heard on “Unbroken” is best featured on “Nightingale.” Lyrically, Lovato tries to redeem herself and leave familiar traces of her writing style (ex. “Without the Love,” “Warrior”), but they get lost in the wash of songs that paint a picture of a high-school romance and all the adolescent reactions that come with it (ex. “Really Don’t Care). The fact that the same young woman who wrote “For the Love of a Daughter” (from “Unbroken”) is the same one who co-wrote “Heart Attack” throws me. I can’t figure out what was more of a reductive step; writing juvenile lyrics or the concept recycling (“Never Been Hurt” is identical to the “Unbroken” title track).

It’s so ironic how self-titled albums (particularly those released after a debut) are never worth the declaration and are no way indicative of who the artist is. Promoted as her “most personal album,” (even with a very symbolic cover) it’s twisted how there doesn’t seem to be much Demi on the record at all. “Demi” sounds like a compilation of demos for other or newly-signed pop acts. While in the early stages of recording, Lovato said in an interview that “fans can expect a less dancy, pop album. No dubstep for me; I'm good. I miss hearing real instruments on the radio...I want my lyrics to mature and my sound to mature just like I have." Hollywood Records clearly wasn’t feeling her on that. This whole thing reminds me of how RCA called themselves whipping Kelly Clarkson into pop shape on the “All I Ever Wanted” album after the rebellious “My December” didn’t move units. It’s also reminding of how Britney Spears’ “Circus” failed to tell the tale of her 2007 breakdown. Lovato sought treatment at a rehabilitation center for an eating disorder and self-harm, and was subsequently diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Aside from the hit “Skyscraper,” which is honestly a love song written before Lovato’s treatment, the revelations of that time have yet to be heard musically. Hopefully, Lovato will find her true voice again.

Album Review.
Likes: Can’t Get Enough, Agree on Goodbye, Let Go of My Heart, Take the Long Way Home
Dislikes: Microphone, Ayo
Overall: Nice return; good pop/R&B album. Doesn’t try too hard to be current & isn’t too stuck in the past.

When you’re a “boy band” from the late 1990’s that was formulated to make a quick buck and fizzle out, some might say it’s risky business releasing an album after a 13-year hiatus. The reality, however, is that 98 Degrees still has it and the groups that set your heart ablaze and made your adolescence stay with you. Which is why after all this time, now adult women are willing to open their wallets and pay to see 98 Degrees on “The Package Tour” with Boyz II Men and New Kids on the Block (who had a successful tour with the Backstreet Boys).

Because of their soulful influence and tight, classic harmonies, many argued 98 Degrees was vocally the best group of their era. Unfortunately, the new “2.0” doesn’t display this. The vocals are just as soft and smooth as before, but with the harmonies existing merely as support, the equilibrium between lead singer Nick Lachey and the other members is off. The feature of an acoustic version of the prior hit “Invisible Man” is the most true to the group’s signature sound. Speaking of signature sounds, usually when an artist has been around for a while or has been on a long break, the record label either relies too heavily on the old bag or tries to “update” the artist. Both extremes can turn out badly. In a rare case, “2.0” is a happy medium. After the poorly-written, cheesy, pointless EDM (electronic dance music) happy “Microphone,” all is well. Splashes of dub-step are matched with more traditional pop, R&B (love the Michael Jackson realness on “Can’t Get Enough”) and even hip-hop (“No Part of You”). Lyrically, for every shallow moment (ex. Girls Night Out) there’s an alternative (“Let Go of My Heart”). When all's said and done, I really enjoyed “2.0” and was pleasantly surprised. Welcome back, 98 Degrees.

Album Review.
Likes: Tonight, In Your Hands, Plastic Roses
Overall: Hardcore current pop lovers will enjoy it; doesn’t show off her voice as hoped

Note: I usually try to post reviews for new albums within a week of their release. I was unaware that Jessica Sanchez’s “Me, You & the Music” came out on April 30th.

If you watch “American Idol,” you likely were looking forward to an album from season 11 runner-up Jessica Sanchez, the youngling with a yet mature and huge voice. Now that her debut “Me, You & the Music” is out, was it worth the wait? Sadly, the answer is mostly no. I’ll explain why I use “mostly.”  If you keep up with popular music, you know that dance music is the hot trend right now. Out of all the genres, techno-dance is debatably the most basic and repetitive in pattern, not to mention it weighs heavily on effects (hence the “techno” title) versus instrumentation. That considered, it can be difficult to find melodic pleasure and showcase or give proper attention to vocal chops in that genre. Sanchez’s voice struggles to be in the forefront on this busy raucous of an album. I give the producers credit for trying to shake up the usual techno with rougher edges, urban embellishments and Prince (“Don’t Come Around”) and Elvis incarnations (“In Your Hands” might be a sample of “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You”), but the production is over-complicated and there are altering effects on Sanchez’s voice that aren’t needed. At times, her voice sounds lighter and thinner; very different from the soulful girth heard live on “Idol.” Some of the cuts are catchy in spots and have nice grooves, but they’re buried under all the extras.  You really want a moment where you hear Jessica just blow. The closest you get to it is “Crazy Glue” and “Plastic Roses.” “Glue” is based on a silly metaphor, which brings me to the lyrics. You can forget about it; nothing too stunning in that department. With a title like “Me, You & the Music,” you’d think you get something tender with a lot of, well, musicality. The album’s bubbly enough to be likable, but it defeats its own purpose by downplaying Jessica Sanchez’s powerhouse vocal. Oh, and Interscope Records could do a much better job promoting this album. 1 single was released just 1 month before the album’s release and Sanchez has appeared on few television and radio programs to push it. At least give the record a fair shot, Interscope. Geez.

By @EddieJSays, Contributing Writer
Will.I.Am's new album "#WillPower" (yes, the hashtag is in the title) is an underwhelming collage of generic pop that meets the P. Diddy-collab formula. Usually such an album has a couple of gems in the mix that you can take out and add to your iPod, but “pound WillPower” has no such song. The only songs of merit in terms of theme is "The World Is Crazy," where he comments on how desperate people become for fame and the lengths they go to obtain it (specifically on hyped up YouTube videos) and "Ghetto Ghetto," about how horrible the ghettos are in America (no duh). Aside from these random strays, he gives us reduced, re-used and recycled material: reduced production (nothing really wowed me except for string arrangements at the end of 2 songs), re-used chord progressions and song ideas (check out "Fall Down" feat. Miley Cyrus and try your hardest not to sing Ke$ha's "Die Young" atop of the instrumental), and recycled lyrics. I won't even harbor on Will.I.Am's vocal performance or overuse of auto-tune because anyone can do that, but to not even have a theme or direction is just ridiculous. Yes, we need our party albums, but even those have themes (see Kelis' "FleshTone," which ironically was partly produced by Will.I.Am).

Even the long list of collaborations doesn't make this album a must-hear; if Britney Spears, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus amidst others can't make your album at least a bit interesting, nothing will. As for the deluxe songs? Yeah, they were left off of the original album for a reason. However, the most innovative of production was on “Bang Bang,” where he has a weird mash up of 1940's show-tunes with dance music, but even that track wasn’t fully thought out and is easily skippable after the first minute, once you hear how he mixed the two. I enjoyed the occasional empty spaces in between song changes though. Since we at JSaysOnline get reputations for being "too harsh,” don't take my word for it, check out the consensus of customer reviews on the actual iTunes website.

Likes: If I Was a Bird, Change Your Mind, Lighthouse, Lose to Win, End of Me, In Deep
Dislikes: Supernatural Love
Overall: Contemporary R&B with a spin of rock & hip-hop and good lyrics. I wasn’t in love though.

“American Idol” vet Fantasia is a perfect example of how quantity doesn’t always reflect quality when it comes to record sales. She has yet to see a multi-platinum selling album, but in my opinion, she doesn’t have a single bad record in her discography. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that she always gives a rousing performance. The new “Side Effects of You” has shining lyrical moments (Fantasia makes her writing debut and the on-the-rise brilliance of Emeli Sande is featured on the title track) and crisp, effects + instrumentation production that’s a foundational mesh of older and current R&B with hip-hop and splashes of reggae, adult contemporary and Bruno Mars-like rock/soul (ex. “Get it Right,” “So Much to Prove”) that gives Fantasia her most eclectic record. All the aforesaid into consideration, why am I not in serious love with this album and feel indifferent?

Maybe it was the 2013 R&B influence. Some R&B enthusiasts argue that the genre gradually became generic and uninspiring around the mid-2000’s and it hasn’t fully rebounded since. Fantasia dodged catching the fever as her first 2 albums were released at the cusp of change and 2010’s “Back to Me” had a classic-soul base. Although “Effects” has many musical ingredients, the taste of contemporary R&B is just too strong and is only accentuated by the hip-hop seasoning. Whether R&B should be married with hip-hop has been long-debated, but I generally like them separate. Hip-hop is so robust that it tends to over-power the sensuality of R&B/soul. For example, expletives and the “n-word” as slang are tools used to convey a contesting roughness in hip-hop, so when they’re used in what’s supposed to be a romantic song (ex. “End of Me,” “Lighthouse”), it’s misplaced and interrupts the flow.
Maybe it was some of the tracks sounded similar to previous album cuts. “Ain’t All Bad” had sprinkles of “Teach Me” and “Move on Me” (I loved the concept on “Bad” though) & “Change Your Mind” gave me “Bore Me (Yawn).” What saved “Change” was the fabulous nod to Whitney Houston’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight.” Lastly, maybe it was the fact that despite being promoted as a rock/soul album, there really wasn’t that much rock involved, aside from 2 songs. I prefer the more vintage soul sound of “Back to Me,” but that’s not to say “Side Effects of You” has nothing to offer. If you don’t mind contemporary R&B, prepare to be impressed by the lyrical content and the edgy integration of other genres. If you don't care for it, prepare to be possibly unenthused.

By C. Barrera, Contributing Writer
Christina Aguilera has been in the spotlight many times due to her drastic musical and visual style changes that have surprised more than one. Aguilera has been praised for both her audacity and vocals, while being criticized for those exact same reasons (ex. being accused of having a negative attitude and over-singing). Through the criticism and changes, Aguilera has seen much success, but here lately, things seem to be in a strange spot with underperforming albums and a creative direction that seems unclear. The theme of her latest album “Lotus” is that she’s an unbreakable flower that rises even in the worst conditions, but is she really unbreakable?

In her debut "Genie in a Bottle" era, she was an ultra-clean, hit-making, pop princess machine fashioned after her predecessor and contemporary, Britney Spears. This design being the choice of her record label, RCA, Aguilera naturally didn’t want this. Taking advantage of increased creative freedom for her second album, she changed completely and said goodbye to the “genie.” Her music, look and even her fan base evolved to what I like to call a freedom anthem: “Stripped.” Controversial, sexually charged and yet, vulnerable, “Stripped” was an empowering album that spoke to the outcasted and ridiculed, and remains the favorite album of many (myself included). Another chameleon-like change came with "Back to Basics." “Xtina” (the moniker Aguilera took on during “Stripped) turned into Baby Jane; a classy, vintage diva inspired by the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s music that she loved. It was a risky project, but absolutely marvelous in content.

Christina turned the valve and let her creativity flow until “Bionic” was released. We all know the album was a commercial failure, and RCA likely had a lot to do with that. Some songs were total masterpieces, while others tried too hard to fit into the electro-pop mood of 2010. She was in need of a rebound. “Lotus" received mixed reviews, but fans seem to agree that it’s an extraordinary album that deserved better promotion. In conjunction, my opinion is that the album has a wonderful concept and includes both lyrical works of art and commercial songs that could've been chart toppers with proper marketing. However, the album does leave you wanting more. All of her previous albums had a theme that took you on a satisfying journey, but 80% of "Lotus" is dedicated to addressing haters and gives you a sense of paranoia. Aguilera claims to be unfazed and doesn’t care what people say, yet she sings to them in 8 songs? The other 20% are songs about sex and love (read the review by J.Says here). Fascinatingly, not only did there seem to be little interest in the project by RCA, but by Aguilera herself, which leads some to think she might be about to break ties with her label. Considering the arguable neglect of Aguilera’s music that started with the “Bionic” album, a separation might be a positive thing (she reportedly gave up her coveted spot on NBC’S “The Voice” to concentrate on her work).

Now, the main question is: what direction should Christina go in now? Right now, she gives the image of loving her shape (she’s constantly scrutinized about her weight), her music and being in a safe place. She’s so unpredictable that it’s almost impossible to foresee if she will follow a more commercial path, or maybe, what I would love the most, an experimental album in the style of “Stronger That Ever” or “Birds of Prey” (from “Bionic”). Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

--Could Aguilera’s change in producers be at the center of her successes and failures? Read her portion of “5 Artists Who Are Only as Good as Their Producers”
--To see other “Curious Case” articles, click Aguilera’s photo above.

By Eddie J., contributing writer
After watching Tyler Perry’s very underwhelming “Temptation” film, I was not only reminded as to why I don’t support him financially anymore, but was also disgruntled by the fact that I wasted my time to watch this sad attempt at a movie. The following is a mix between a movie review and a Tyler Perry critique/letter, so in case you’re wondering, I give the movie a D-. *Warning: This review contains spoilers*

Tyler Perry, I’m very confused about your lack of creativity and the mixed messages you are portraying to the black community in the disguise of a “moral message” and it’s getting annoying. It feels as if you think your audience is too dim to understand something deeper than a bible scripture and I honestly don’t understand why you won’t take a risk to make an exceptional movie. “Temptation,” for example, had me intrigued for the first hour because it could have gone several ways: The infidelity-embroiled main character, Judith (portrayed by Jurnee Smollett), could’ve remained happily in a secret affair, divorced her husband (Lance Gross) and married the new guy (because that does happen in the real world) or taught her husband the very qualities she wanted see and have a thriving marriage (because that happens in the real world also). Hell, she could’ve felt guilty and committed suicide after keeping the affair a secret for a few years and had a child, not knowing who the baby’s biological father was. But no…let’s just make the guy she cheats with a wicked villain, like you do in every movie about relationships. I’m SICK of the Tyler Perry formula.

Why is it that every guy a woman falls for in a Tyler Perry film has to be more than just an incompatible match? Why does he have to be a greedy, abusive, drug dealing, HIV positive, illegal gun selling, puppy killing, crack-head? No man is that horrible and for the rare ones who are, I don’t think they’re ever nearly as wealthy or handsome as the characters in these films. Some of you may say “Okay, whatever, it’s just a movie,” but to that I say most of his movies (and movies in general) are based in some reality or want to affect the way you perceive your reality. I’m over this part of the formula because it purposes there are only two types of guys out there. Also, it makes me feel like Perry is low key trying to convince us to stay comfortable, especially in this movie: “Yeah, these people are rich, but they are evil, so be happy you’re unemployed and living below the poverty line; at least you’re sanctified and will get into heaven after you die.” Yes, this was one of the major themes of the film and the “rich men can’t get into heaven” line was used by the archetypal overbearing Christian mother character (Ella Joyce), because yeah, it’s a Tyler Perry movie (then you realize that Perry is one of those “rich men,” but we won’t question that shade).

Album Review.
Likes: Better Dig Two, Done, I Saw a Light, Back to Me Without You, Once Upon a Time
Dislikes: Forever Mine Never Mind, Night Gone Wasted
Overall: Fun and musically eclectic, somewhat youthful lyrics and foreseeable melodies

Family trio, The Band Perry, gears up to take on the sophomore jinx with “Pioneer.” One might assume that their record label would push the group into country-influenced pop after the Top 40 success of prior single, “If I Die Young,” but fortunately, the band is on a diverse path. All a little bit country, pop, rock and blues, “Pioneer” is a fun and enjoyable record about romance and finding your way. The lyrics are great, but at times more teenage-like than you would expect, given that most of the members are 24 or older. Musically, nothing beats the sound of a band’s live instruments, but the melodies are occasionally very predictable. Lead singer Kimberly’s voice is very emotive, despite being light, and has the potential for a raspy, grungy feel fit for a great country rocker. It’s safe to say that the sophomore period will go smoothly for The Band Perry and I doubt that they will have continual problems with predictability. If I were to grade “Pioneer,” I’d give it a B-.