Zone For Tones: February 2009

Monday, February 16, 2009

Crack A Bottle - Eminem

From Mahalo.com "A completed version of Eminem's "Crack a Bottle," which features 50 Cent and Dr. Dre, leaked online January 6, 2009. "Crack a Bottle" will be released on Eminem's forthcoming album, Relapse Originally believed to be titled "Number One," an early version of the song was leaked in December 2008.

Fast Facts

Producer: Dr. Dre
Leaked on December 5, 2008
Was originally believed to be called "Number One"¹
Released on the DJ Big Mike and Neptune mixtape4th Quarter Pressure Part 2
Eminem's label, Interscope, has refused to comment on the leak²
Eminem said he is filling in on a couple of verse's that are meant to be for Dre³
Dr. Dre apparently put his own solo album, Detox, on hold to help Eminem finish his upcoming solo album, Relapse.^2"

This beat is good stuff, vintage Dre. But the Chorus is kind of "meh".

Beat: ****

Lyrics: ***.5

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Apologize - One Republic

This CD is good stuff. Fun Fact: Timbaland was training Ryan Tedder (One Republic's front man) as his production protege back in the day. Fun Fact: Swearing helps you make a point more effectively!

Lyrics: ***

Beat: ****

Sensual Seduction - Snoop Dogg

I know Snoop caught a whole lot of flack for recording this, but the video was funny as hell. Just random.

Beat: ***.5

Lyrics: *** (Snoop actually pulled off the Autotune thing)

Crank That - Soulja Boy

Youuuuu!!! The track that bought Soulja Boy three houses, this is just good stuff. The steel drums, the nonsense lyrics, the whole thing. He's failed to repeat this success yet, and who knows if he ever will? (I'm betting he won't).

Lyrics: hahahaha, yeah **

Beat: ***.5

The Real Slim Shady - Eminem

Eminem's gonna be dropping that new album soon (I'm assuming, giving that he's started to drop more guest appearances than usual). I'm really looking forward to it, cause I've really liked some of the work Dr. Dre has been doing lately("Get It In", the stuff with Stat Quo) when not lifting trucks over his head.

Real Slim Shady was the track to launch Eminem's pop career.

Beat: ***.5

Lyrics: **** (at the time, this kind of crazy, irreverent rapping was a breath of fresh air)

Monday, February 2, 2009

Gives You Hell - All American Rejects

These guys seem like a genuinely nice group in all the interviews, but the guitar solo in this song is probably the worst thing ever recorded. Nice little pop tune.

Beat: ***

Lyrics: ***

Gotta Be Somebody - Nickelback

Nickelback just gets hated on like crazy, but somebody must enjoy them, since they sell like a bazillion units. But I guess the Jonas Brothers do to, so that's not really much of an argument. Another Nickelback hit, play it loud while drinking MGD.

See You In My Nightmares - Kanyeezie

I really like 808s and Heartbreaks, but reviews are all over the map for it. I think if you're expecting another College Dropout you'll be crazy disappointed, but if you want some different kind of, I'd almost say trip-hop, then I think you'll enjoy this. I think I remember Kanye sampling Portishead for Breathless for this MTV Making The Beat special, and at the time I thought it was kind of a fresh sound.

Make My Day - Common

This CD is garbage. But Common disagrees, check out this awesome quote:

"On a scale of 1 to 10 this CD is like an 11." That's not even on the scale!

Clap Again - Akon

I'm telling you, this CD is hot from like front to back. Just good pop music. There's a reason that Akon has like a trillion dollar mansion and lambourghini (hint: his short stint as a porno star).