Jadakiss “Kiss of Death”

(Ruff Ryders)

Compare to: DMX, 50 Cent, Nas

Jadakiss was smart enough to realize that for any artist to survive, they have to maintain some kind of presence in the music world in between albums. After countless duos with artists like Nas, Ghostface and Jennifer Lopez, Jadakiss is back with his first album in three years. If you’re a rap fan, then you’ll agree it was worth the wait.

He starts off the album strong with the hard-thumping single, “What You So Mad At?” Structured with hard-hitting beats, it’s a love song to women on the dance floor. Along the way, Jadakiss is joined by a number of guest singers including Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West and Mariah Carey. Although it would be easy to allow so many accomplished singers to take over a song, Jadakiss maintains his own control over everyone, allowing his guests to only complement his own beats and lyrics.

Jadakiss grounds his lyrics in reality by putting the idea of a “gangsta” into perspective. The song, “Welcome to D-Block,” is a good cautionary song about the dangers of prison that seem to be around every corner.

Sure, Jadakiss hits the requirements of any rap album; a parental advisory, numerous shout-outs, getting his friends on different songs and insulting feuding rappers.

However, if you don’t like rap already, this album won’t change your mind.

It’s not a genre-breaking album like Outkast’s “Speakerboxx/The Love Below,” but “Kiss of Death” is a good example of how a rapper can make a solid album to appeal to a large fan base.

— Keith DuCharme

Head Automatica “Decadence”

(Warner Bros.)

Compare to: Gorillaz, Incubus, Dismemberment Plan

If you took a garage band and threw it in the middle of an electronica club with some soul, hip-hop and reggae, you’d have Head Automatica.

The side project of Glassjaw’s Daryl Palumbo and Gorillaz’s Dan the Automator, this album is a perfect fusion of the two sounds. It’s enough to make the listener want to dance along, but has the strong vocals of Palumbo. The beats and music make Palumbo sound far from the angsty, pissed-off rocker that he sounds like when he’s with Glassjaw.

These two know how to make music. The thought of them joining forces could raise an eyebrow or two, but after listening to the album, it’s obvious Palumbo was once an electronica lover and Dan the Automator was once a rock fan. It’s almost flawless, creating a sound that is close to pop, but better.

The only flaw? This album could easily alienate Glassjaw fans if they’re not open to hearing Palumbo clearly over the rest of the band or vaguely happy.

In almost all of the album’s tracks, the lyrics almost bleed a sexualized version of the darkness of rock. “Please Please Please” is gorgeous in an almost Goth way. Lyrics like “You scream louder than fiction and get down on your knees/And tear open your heart so I can love you and your disease/Lick the hand that feeds you and kiss the blade that cuts” are sinister in a rock way, and makes your head bob in a dance way.

For the first time, dance clubs and angry rockers unite.

— P. Kim Bui

Boyz II Men “Throwback”

(Koch)

Compare to: Brian McKnight, All-4-One, K-Ci & Jojo

Believe it or not, Boyz II Men are an important influence to this generation. Boyz II Men created the make-out soundtrack to the ’90s. The soaring vocals and harmonies of Wayna Morris, Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman and Nathan Morris could make any amorous teenager feel like they could croon “I’ll Make Love To You.”

Their latest album, “Throwback” comes across more like a death rattle than proof the group is alive and well. “Throwback” is comprised of famous soul tunes like Hall & Oates’ “Sarah Smile.” There is even a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature.”

It seems the Boyz are still recovering from the retirement of Michael McCary. It just doesn’t seem like a Boyz II Men track without McCary saying something sexy in his deep voice as a bridge for the song.

This album is supposed to be an attempt to bring back the R&B style that the group respected, and in some ways, coined. “Throwback” is supposed to be a tribute to the artists who influenced them in hopes of influencing today’s artists.

A gem of the album is the Boyz’s rendition of “Let’s Stay Together,” originally by Al Green. The group adds flair to this well-loved song while leaving the “soul” of the song intact.

Being the soulful group that they are, this should be an easy task with the rest of the tracks, but it seems that there is more missing than just the bass line.

— Kathryn Fiegen