Album Review.
Likes: Jealous, Push, Avalanche, Chains (Just a Gent Remix)
Dislikes: Take Over
Overall: Sincere, great R&B/pop album; don’t sleep on Nick Jonas

It’s funny Nick Jonas would drop an album now; I was about to do a “You Should Hear This” profile on his underrated 2010 LP Nick Jonas & The Administration. The 22-year-old springs from the Disney band, The Jonas Brothers. Despite much popularity as a trio, none of the brothers have seen similar success solo. Additionally, critics are usually more speculative when you’re affiliated with the mouse. Administration proved that such suspicion and dismissal is unjust, as it showed Jonas’ ability as a musician and songwriter. It also gave evidence to his versatility; it was surprisingly sexy, blues-tinged and John Mayer-ish. For the new Nick Jonas, he went for a different kind of blues…rhythm and blues. For some reason, unlike music by some other folk, this Jonas’ brand of R&B/pop doesn’t come off as syrupy, an exploitation or cheap imitation of the real thing or a trick for mainstream notoriety. Maybe it’s because the “pop” part isn’t all that pop; more of the light rock the Jo Bros. utilized is in the air (ex. “I Want You,” “Santa Barbara”) versus bubblegum. The most overtly contemporary-sounding song is “Numb,” (which reminded me of Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse”) with rapper Angel Haze. Although Haze’s rhymes are better than the average hip-hop feature, the track’s entire feel screams “We wanted Nicki Minaj.” The album’s musical production is very chanted, with pounding and driving beats (ex. “Wilderness), echoes and hollowness. This is going to sound strange, but it made me think of being at the bottom of the ocean.

Vocally, Jonas has grown and progressed from high-pitched and nasally, to a thicker, deeper and more polished texture (don’t say “Duh, puberty!” because they are many male singers who never got within 12 feet of Barry White). His diction still needs work, however. When it comes to lyrics, man, can Nick Jonas write some songs! Earnestness and imagery are his forte. Sometimes the same symbols are used, but it’s forgivable. The album’s focus is love under pressure. What I loved and found most interesting is that he gives 2 impressions of it. Songs like “Chains” & “I Want You” are on the fatal attraction end, while tracks like “Avalanche” & “Push” (which I’m obsessed with), are on the “loving couple who’s lost their way” tip. Jonas’ Camp Rock costar and frequent collaborative partner, Demi Lovato, is featured on “Avalanche.” In view of Lovato’s expressed fancy for soul music and dabblings in R&B, I just knew she would use her own richer tone and lower register on “Avalanche,” but she kept with her pop/rock lungs. That’s okay and the song is still fantastic, I just prepared my palette for a tasty R&B’d-up duet. For those wondering if Jonas went all rated-R now that he’s in his 20’s, no, he didn’t…that much. There’s a few expletives and 2 mildly suggestive songs (“Take Over” & “Closer”), but that’s it. Jonas is 1 of the rare performers that realized artistry and expansion are the true signals of maturation. In this day, where 90% of new albums are missing some, if not many, pertinent pieces, Nick Jonas has nearly everything it needs.

Album Review.
Likes: Lemonade, All in a Day’s Work, Rage, Two Sides, Bye Baby
Dislikes: Secret Lover
Overall: Acceptable album, but the shortcomings will be glaring to avid fans

In the summer of 2013, the hearts of MTV’s Making the Band 3 fans stopped because the near-impossible happened: Danity Kane, the result of said TV program, had reunited and was back in the studio for an album. The all-female pop/R&B quintet unraveled on-air in 2008 after Bad Boy Records label head, Sean “Diddy” Combs, fired 2 members (Aubrey O’Day & Wanita “D.Woods” Woodgett) in the midst of a discussion about business affairs and issues within the group. Groups don’t usually rise from such ashes and if they do, it’s 20 years later, but 4 out 5 members had returned. *Jack Skellington voice* What kind of crazy, lucky, unforeseen miracle was this? Apparently, 1 too good to be true because just a year later, 4 dropped to 3 and after accusations of secret recording alterations and a physical incident, Danity Kane was no more…again. *Bows head* The consolation prize was that their completed album, DK 3, was released regardless. So is this prize beholding of the now invaluable status that it has?

In critiquing this 10-track LP, there are 2 angles from which to assess it: A) as part of a discography from a group with notable changes and B) as a stand-alone with no pretext. In some areas, the angles meet in the middle and intersect. The most glaring component and elemental weakness is the vocals. Absent members Woodgett and Aundrea Fimbres functioned like a triangle with Dawn Richard. Woodgett’s sultry voice was the most base-line R&B and conceivably the thickest, Fimbres was known as the “power-houser” and Richard had trademark emotiveness and rasp. O’Day’s sex-kitten breathiness and Shannon Bex’s sturdiness and clarity were complimentary connectors and helped build the pop proportions in the group’s sound. That said, DK3 is vocally meatless. Without the other layers in between, Bex is significantly more indistinct against O’Day and Richard is taking a hefty backseat, being a queen of pre-choruses. From angle A, it conspicuously doesn’t feel like home. It’s all very “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.” From angle B, it’s a bland and nondescript ring, but not unusual for pop (though the record is categorized as R&B/soul on ITunes). The ears usually lean on melody in that case, which leads me to the music and production.

With more appropriately leveled frequencies and aural sharpness (aside from occasional over-compression), this is plausibly the best production of the ladies’ collection. 2006’s Danity Kane didn’t sound at all like it was recorded in a state-of-the-art studio and was the poorest quality I’ve heard of a mainstream release. 2008’s Welcome to the Dollhouse was a huge improvement, but wasn’t as well-adjusted in terms of mix, volume and equalizer for its time and the vocals were sometimes muddy. The catch here is the subdued temperament. You get revved up in beginning, only to be parked for the rest of the album.  If you were expecting a gallon of “Lemonade,” you’re only getting a cup. It reminded me of Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 Experience. I thought I was going to get a bunch of “Suit & Tie,” but instead it was a mid-tempo-palooza. The sexy-time songs (“Tell Me” & “Secret Lover”) don’t reawaken, not sizzling like “Strip Tease” or “Lights Out” from Dollhouse. “Two Sides” is engaging (the transition between it and the preceding “Tell Me” is lovely) and “Roulette” will surely win the affection of 80’s lovers; bring out the Flashdance socks. Again, from angle B, the tempo shift may be a slight downer, but tracks like “Sides” make it not so bad of a ride and perfect for night-cruising. From angle A, it’s not the “snappy, sassy and sexy” you come to Danity Kane for. Lyrically, there aren’t any problems, with “Damaged” co-writers Jonathan Yip, Ray Romulus and Jeremy Reeves dominating the credits. Actually, 1 could say the content has stronger character, having a less “plaything” and submissive tone than before.

For someone who’s hardly heard of a Danity Kane and wonders what the phrase means, DK3 will be a suitable pop album. For those who know that Danity Kane is a super-heroine of Richard’s imagination that was inspired by her group members, it will be cherished because it’s a parting gift, but a reminder of how much things changed. It kind of doesn’t represent what they were and at just 10 songs, it feels incomplete and like unfinished business. 

By Eddie J., Contributing Writer

Dear Lifetime,

I know you don't know me, or care to hear a blogger's input on the new collection of moving images you’ve just released entitled Aaliyah: Princess of R&B, so I'm not going to critique your “movie” or call it bad. I just have a legitimate survey for everyone involved in the project, including the actors that helped make it possible.

1) Do you know what due diligence (AKA research) is?
2) If so, was it done for this movie?
3) *Tamar Braxton voice* Are we sure?
4) Why was there auto-tune? 
5) Why did Aaliyah only own 2 pairs of sweatpants for the first 5 years of her career? 
6) Why couldn't homegirl (i.e. Alexandra Shipp) dance, especially since she was, you know, portraying someone known for choreography? 
7) Did the budget go over before a choreographer was booked?
8) Why did R. Kelly look like Treach from Naughty by Nature? 
9) Why was the Eiffel tower in England?
10) Why didn't anyone, including "Aaliyah," know how to correctly pronounce her name? It’s not Uh-liyah. It’s Aa-liyah, like Muhammad Ali, which brings me back to question 2.
11) Why was her dad African? 
12) Why did we get 2014 Missy Elliott portrayed in 1994? 
13)...With Kelly Rowland's old lopsided hairdo? 
14) Why did Damon Dash look like Shaun T with Sharpie tattoos? 
15) Why was pedophilia praised and romanticized in the film? 
16) Why was every character in the realm of light-skinned? 
17) Why do I have a light-skinned friend AND a dark skinned friend that looks like Missy Elliott, thanks to your movie depiction?
18) Why was 2012's "Make a Little Room" by Jarvis, background music for a scene set in 1992?
19) How did Iggy Azalea make the movie score/trailer?
20) Did we REALLY need two "kiss" scenes between a depicted 27-year-old R. Kelly with a 15-year-old Aaliyah?
21) Why did Kidz Bop provide the backing tracks for these songs?
22) Why could we see the camera crew's reflection in several scenes?
23) So...Aaliyah's parents were WRONG for ending R. Kelly's pedophilic relationship with Aaliyah?
24) ...And Aaliyah was mad at them and heartbroken over it for 8 years?
25) Did losing some rights to Aaliyah's image mean losing rights to her talent as well?
26) When in the One in a Million era did Aaliyah grind on shirtless men and feel on their abs?
27) Was this a prank?
28) Do you know what Aaliyah's name means?
29) No? Well...look it up and then tell us the irony of the movie you made.

In conclusion:
Dear White People (yeah we're going there, briefly): this just in...Making a movie about a black celebrity solely for capital gain with no knowledge or care for their legacy is a form of racism.
Dear Black People: Even if the struggle is real for you as an actor, writer, producer, etc., think twice before you put your name on someone else's material as a blatant pawn. Money isn't always worth respect.

P.S.: I hope you fire the “genius” who saw Aaliyah trending on Twitter twice a year for the last 6 years or so and thought "We could make money off this! And show this film twice a year--her birthday and day of death!" 

P.S.S: You tried it...and failed.

P.S.S.S.S.: Oh, and extend to your lead actress too, if no one else. “Try Again,” your alleged favorite Aaliyah song, was on the 2000 Romeo Must Die soundtrack, not from the One in a Million album in 1996, Alexandra.

Signed,

Eddie J.

Note from J.Says: I did not watch this “movie,” nor did I want to, especially after I learned that talk-show host Wendy Williams, who shamelessly makes her money spreading lies and festering rumors about public figures and jokes about their misfortunes, became an executive producer. After reading reviews, it’s confirmed I made the right decision to not support it with my ratings. Just the notion that Aaliyah’s life and legacy would not be done justice is severely unsettling and upsetting to me. I commend Zendaya Coleman, the film’s original lead, for having the courage to back away because she felt the same way. I hope eventually there will be a quality piece of work that will expose Aaliyah to those unfamiliar with her. This project coming to fruition just makes me miss her more.