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Black Porcelain’s Invincible Summer Review

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Invincible Summer cover

Black Porcelain has released her truly independent self finance album.  We first wrote about her in 2011 when she released a remix of Butterflies. Then in 2012 when she released the video of “Today Is the Day”. To this day I still love this song.  Which listening to “Invincible Summer”, I was very happy to hear it as the first track.  Kind of a feeling of being at home, and put me in comfortable place with this new material.

As I said the first song is “Today is the Day”.  It’s a very deceptive song. It’s the most upbeat positive “Get the Hell Out” song I have every heard.  The simple yet effective piano keeps the song very light and positive.  Most other singers in the genre would and have made this subject more dark than it should be.  That’s why for me it’s very refreshing to get her take on this type of song.  Also the horns arrangement on the song is excellent.

The next two tracks “Aching Head” and “Hot Pink” continue the strong start of the album.  With “Aching Head”, the bass guitar plays big part in establishing the tempo of the song.  Which could be taken as a drinkers anthem. lol.  In the song “Hot Pink”, her voice really stands out and takes over the song.  In doing so, you realize something.  That the first three songs are not similar at all, and Black Porcelain’s voice handles each distinctly and masterfully.  You don’t notice her voice strain, or reach areas where she is uncomfortable.

The album continues with song after song that describes her on her Journey.  Each song is a glimpse into that journey and her life, which makes this album very personal and meaningful.  This album has many reasons why I love independent artists.  I feel that each fan, album purchase and “like” helps that artist accomplish their dreams, which is repaid by more music for the fans.

Website/ Twitter/Facebook/SoundCloud/YouTube

Conya Doss gives us a “Pocketful Of Purpose”

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Website/Facebook/Twitter

The lovely and talented Conya Doss has released her newest project upon  the world.  It’s been about a year and a half since her last release “Blu Transition”.  She has crafted her sixth album with the same Soul, inspired writing, and great voice that has been pillars in all her music.  From her debut album of “A Poem About Ms. Doss” to “Pocketful of Purpose”, they all exhibit a genuine and solid sound.   This wonderful music is even intensified, with her being a teacher in Cleveland.  That shows a a dedication to both that is early seen.

The album doesn’t disappoint in any way.  If you are old fan or this is your first time learning her name, you will have much to appreciate and love in this album.  Some my favorites of this album are “Paradise”, “Don’t Change” and “Lost”.   For the first two, you can listen to “Paradise” and watch her first video release from the album, “Don’t Change”.

You can learn more about Conya Doss and also purchase the CD version of the album right from her site.  You can support an artist greatly, by purchasing directly from the artist.  If you are looking for the digital version, check out iTunes.


Maysa Wants You to Have Sweet Dreams

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Website/Twitter

Maysa has released her latest album “Motions of Love” last week that is already holding the #1 spot on the R&B charts for iTunes.  This being her 9th solo album, I feel it’s one of her best.  I’ve been a fan of hers since the album “All My Life“, which was released in 2000.  I have been a willing captive of her voice, style and beauty since then.  With this latest album, it seems that has a more Neo Soul or relaxed Soul feel than previous albums.  I love it.  Her first single to be released is “Have Sweet Dreams”.  It was co-written by Stevie Wonder.  Which is a huge deal by it self.  Listening to the song, you can definitely hear where Stevie Wonder left his mark on the song. You can listen to the song below, but please don’t stop there.  The whole album needs to be heard to appreciate the complete, total experience Maysa is offering to you.

[audio: Maysa%20-%20Have%20Sweet%20Dreams.mp3]

 

Trey Songz- Passion, Pleasure, Pain (album review/ video)

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Happy Monday Soulified! How was everyone’s weekend? Got the new Trey Songz album last Friday and have been bumping it all weekend.

I gotta admit the album is a lot better then I thought it was going to be. Trey has definitely matured as an artist because the whole album is very well rounded. And for my dude’s that are looking for a good “beating/ panty droppin” album this is the one! lol I know I’ll def be putting this album on next time I knock some boots. lol Big up’s to Trey for this one. I appreciate it family. hahaha The track list is a little different from the one I posted a few weeks ago in the album sneak peek where all of you can still download and listen to the 6 tracks off the album highlighted below by clicking. The album’s very similar to Dwele’s W.ants W.orld W.omen album in the sense that he broke the album into 3 separate part with the parts relating to the album title’s 3 words. Though Trey’s words aren’t in the right order in his track list as they are in the album title I’m not mad at him for trying and doing it the way he did because it makes the album that much more interesting. Make sure to buy the album tomorrow (Sep 14th) when it drops.

The video for the new single off the album “Can’t Be Friends” and I’m feeling this video big time. It’s a simple concept but it gets the point and lyrics across. More artist should focus on feeling and simplicity when doing video’s because all the crazy graphics and special effects and shit aren’t needed. The song is dope as well cause I feel every word he’s singing on a personal level as I’m sure a lot of you are as well. This cut defiantly leads me to believe that his album will truly be the most personal to date.

“Can’t Be Friends”

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArdBI_F1LKo

01. Here We Go Again Intro
02. Love Faces
03. Massage
04. Alone
05. Bottoms Up (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
06. Pain  Interlude
07. Can’t Be Friends
08. Please Return My Call
09. Made To Be Together
10. Pleasure  Interlude
11. Red Lipstick
12. Unusual (Feat. Drake)
13. Doorbell
14. Passion Interlude
15. Unfortunate
16. Blind
17. You Just Need Me

4 out of 5 Cartons

-Black Milk


Trey Songz- Passion, Pain, and Pleasure (album sneak peek)

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Awwwwyuuuup! Halfy Monday Soulifiedian’s!  Thought I’d give you a little taste test of what’s to come on Trey’s fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure, which will be released on September 14, 2010. Trey has stated that the album will be his most personal to date. The first single off the album is Bottoms Up as some of you may have heard it on the radio and if not that’s because it’s a wack single and the radio station in your area feels the same way. The beat and the concept around the song just doesn’t do it for me. Nicki Minaj doesn’t even do the song any justice although her ass does in the video lol But hell that’s expected.

“Bottoms Up” feat Nicki Minaj

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekAXPCphKXQ

I’m feeling this single/video big time. It’s a simple concept but it gets the point and lyrics across. More artist should focus on feeling and simplicity when doing video’s because all the crazy graphics and special effects and shit aren’t needed. The song is dope as well cause I feel every word he’s singing on a personal level as I’m sure a lot of you are as well. This cut defiantly leads me to believe that his album will truly be the most personal to date.

Can’t Be Friends (leaked video)

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArdBI_F1LKo

Taking a look down below I’m not feeling the album art work at all. That ole rainy window technique is old as fuck. He’s literally behind plexi glass while an assistant sprays water on in it. And what the hell does it have to do with the title of his album Passion, Pain, & Pleasure? Does he have a passion for rain and it pains him that he can’t go out in it and pleasure himself? Come on Trey! lol With 17 tracks on the album Trey is def giving his fan’s they’re moneys worth if the other song’s are up to par. Only one feature on the album which is a shocker to me because I thought for sure Drake would show up some where on his album though Trey didn’t show up on his new one. Things that make you go Hmmmmm? I’m blessing yall with another single off the album called “Love Face” which is pretty self explanatory. It’s a nice, slow, baby making cut to add to “Getting Drawls” mix. lol

1. Here We Go Again (Interlude)
2. Love Faces
3. Massage
4. Alone
5. Bottom’s Up (feat. Nicki Minaj)
6. Pain (Interlude)
7. Can’t Be Friends
8. Pleas Return My Call
9. Made To Be Together
10. Pleasure (Interlude)
11. Red Lipstick
12. Doorbell
13. Passion (Interlude)
14. Unfortunate
15. I Like Dat (Freak Freaky Dance)
16. Blind
17. You Just Need Me

2. Love Faces

[audio:treysongz-lovefaces-cln.mp3]

Download: [Download not found]

4. Alone

[audio:treysongz-alone-cln.mp3]

5. Bottom’s Up (feat. Nicki Minaj)

[audio: treysongznickiminaj-bottomsup-dty.mp3]

Download: [Download not found]

7. Can’t Be Friends

[audio:treysongz-cantbefriends-cln.mp3]

Download: [Download not found]

17.You Just Need Me

[audio:treysongz-youjustneedme-cln.mp3]


Let me know what you think about the singles and everything else down below.

-Black Milk

Usher- Versus (album review/preview)

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Got my hands on the new Usher EP “Versus” set for release August 24th, 2010 so thought I’d bless my Soulified folks with a little preview of the album as well as my thoughts on it. For those that don’t know what an “EP” is it stands for Extended Play which is pretty much a short album that usually has 3 to 5 songs. Versus has 5 songs if you exclude “There Goes My Baby” which was on Raymond VS Raymond and the “Someone to Love remix” which is Just Beiber’s song.

My first thought of this album when I first heard it was coming out just 4 months after Usher’s 6th studio album Raymond Vs Raymond was that these tracks were the tracks that didn’t make the cut. Especially knowing that production for this album took place during 2008 to 2010. If that is the case I couldn’t tell at all because every song on this album is pretty dope. The singles “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” featuring Pitbull,was released for the mainstream audiences, and “Hot Tottie” featuring Jay-Z was released for the urban audience but that shit isn’t urban to me at all. I mean yeah Jay-Z is on it but the song to me is boo boo. For one who the hell drinks hot tottie? Or for that matter who know’s what a hot tottie consist of? lol Of all drinks he could describe a woman as he choose that. And didn’t even spell it right (Toddy). lol

“Lingerie” is probably my favorite track on the EP. It has a grown ass, sexy up tempo vibe that goes into a dope Michael Jackson type vibe every time its about to go into the hook. And I happen to be a “freak for sexy lingerie.” hahaha Anyways enjoy the preview and download’s and make sure to get the album. Oh and here’s the “There Goes My Baby” video for those that havn’t seen it and love this track as much as I do. Not so much loving the video though. Usher seems to be feeling up on the concrete wall he’s singing against more then the love interest in the video. There not feeling or grown and sexy in it at all. What do yall think?

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6urbZyHgO4


01. Love Em All
02. DJ Got Us Falling In Love (Feat. Pitbull)
03. Hot Tottie (Feat. Jay-Z)
04. Lay You Down
05. Lingerie
06. There Goes My Baby
07. Get In My Car (Feat. Bun B)
08. Somebody To Love (Remix) (Feat. Justin Bieber)
09. Stranger

01. Love Em All

[audio:01-usher-love_em_all.mp3]

04. Lay You Down

[audio:04-usher-lay_you_down.mp3]

05. Lingerie

[audio: 05-usher-lingerie.mp3]

07. Get In My Car (Feat. Bun B)

[audio: 07-usher-get_in_my_car_(feat._bun_b).mp3]

09. Stranger

[audio: 09-usher-stranger.mp3]

Download: [Download not found]

Download: [Download not found]

4 out of 5 Cartons

-Black Milk

Fantasia- Back to Me (album review/ preview)

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Since breaking all that bad news (home wrecker, sex tape, suicide attempt) about Fantasia in a past post I did I thought it would only be fair to break some good new by hitting all of you Fantasia fan’s with a review on her new album as well as a preview of a few select songs that I think are play worry.

Back to Me is the third studio album by Fantasia set for release next week on August 24, 2010. This album will be her first studio album in four freakin years since 2006’s Fantasia. The album’s title was actually suggested to her by comedian Steve Harvey, when Barrino visited his morning radio program. The album was originally set for release in early 2010, but after a wack first single and and a ton of leaks, J Records pretty much said “Damn all this” and ordered more tracks for the album, postponing the album’s release until further studio sessions, and stronger singles were recorded. The project’s new lead single, “Bittersweet” was released to Itunes on May 11, 2010, and was performed live on American Idol, while a new release date was set for July 27, 2010. “Bittersweet” was pretty much wack as hell to and got very little spins on the radio, so the album was again pushed back to August 10, 2010 and finally to August 24, 2010. When the album’s track listing was released in July, several of the leaked songs, including, “Bounce Back”, “Control Freak”, “On & On”, “Without You”, “Never” and “Said I Wouldn’t (No More)”, were scrapped. Ouch!

What up with Fantasia and all this leakage? If it’s not her singles or album its a sex tape or news that she’s knockin boots with a married man then trying to kill herself over it with Asprin of all the drugs. It’s super hard for me to respect her as a woman for all that especially when she has a young daughter so I’m going to make this review short and simple while having a little fun with her track titles. lol

01. I’m Doin’ Me “And a married man”
02. Bittersweet
03. Man Of The House “But it ain’t his. It’s either mine or his wife’s”
04. Who’s Been Lovin’ You “Ummm his wife and you apparently.”
05. Collard Greens And Cornbread “And aspirin”
06. Teach Me “How to find a single man and not make sex tapes”
07. Move On Me
08. Trust Him “When he say’s that lady that live with him is just the nanny”
09. The Thrill Is Gone Ft. Cee-Lo Green “But I recorded it for all to see.”
10. Falling In Love Tonight “Let’s video tape it and forget the tape in the player.”
11. Even Angels
12. I’m Here (From “The Color Purple” Musical) “And now on XXX DVD’s and websites world wide”

The album over all is pretty good and very powerful on the vocal, lyrical, hook, and ballet tip even though it’s hard to take anything serious that she’s singing present day and even funny. The heaters on this album are # 1, 2, 7, 9 (my fave). Enjoy listening to my picks and make sure to leave a half a brotha some comments down below.

1. I’m Doin Me

[audio: 01-fantasia-im_doin_me_(produced_by_chuck_harmony).mp3]

Download: [Download not found]

2. Bittersweet

[audio: 02-fantasia-bittersweet_(produced_by_chuck_harmony).mp3]

7. Move On Me

[audio:07-fantasia-move_on_me_(produced_by_malay_and_kp).mp3]

9. The Thrill Is Gone

[audio: 09-fantasia-the_thrill_is_gone_ft._cee-lo_green_(produced_by_malay_and_kp).mp3]

Download: [Download not found]

3 1/2 out of 5 Carton’s

-Black Milk

Dwele-W.ants W.orld W.omen Album Review

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I’m going to come out right and just that this album is a straight masterpiece yall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whats super dope about this entire album is how it seamlessly feels like 3 albums in one the way he’s splits each title name (Wants, World, Women) with the interlude first, then the songs that represent that specific title just as his super dope commercial’s did to hype the album. And I guarantee yall wont be skipping over these interludes like know we all usually do because they’re straight up dope! W.ants (1-6) are all about just that…Dwele’s wants in which he hits us with a full dope list in the very first track I Wish. The shocker track of this whoooooooooole album is Dodgin Your Phone featuring David Banner which we all heard a snippet of in his W.ants commercial. It’s a shocker to me because it’s nothing like what I expected from a David Banner track and most of all… Dwele spits on the track! Yes Dwele raps and he does one hell of a f*^%king job at it yall! Had me hella impressed and it comes out of know where when the beat all of sudden switches Timbaland style. I was sitting here looking at the track list features again thinking it was one of the many Detroit rappers that he’s friends with but at the very end of the track Dwele confirms that it is him in his last bar with mucho swag. Mad props to Dwele on this!

W.orld (8-11) are all about the current political situations were dealing with these days. The tracks are very reminiscent of Marvin Gaye’s views with “Whats Going On” especially in How I Deal and My People. My people is probably the one I have on repeat the most on my I Pod touch and I find myself through out the day humming and scatting the melody just like Dwele himself. lol

W.omen (13-18) is self explanatory. Dwele slows it down for us and focus’s on the ladies. I Understand is probably my favorite out of that selection and was one of the song featured in his W.omen commercial. I Wanna featuring Dj Quick was another shocker too me. I’d never expect those two to make a track together or even know each other but it’s very well put together with that classic funky Dj Quick production he’s know for with some witty bar’s to go with it. With that said enjoy the party all weekend long and drink up as much Dwele as you’d like and make sure you support him by going out and buying his now!

1. Wants (Intro)
2. I Wish
3. Grown
4. Dodgin’ Your Phone ft. David Banner
5. Smoke Up The Back ft. Raheem DeVaughn (Interlude)
6. Dim The Lights ft. Raheem DeVaughn
7. World (Intro)
8. How I Deal feat. Slum Village
9. Hangover
10. My People
11. Detroit Sunrise feat. Monica Blaire & Lloyd Dwayne
12. Women (Intro) feat. Kindra Parker
13. I Understand
14. Love You Right
15. “More Than A” (Interlude)
16. What’s Not To Love
17. Give Me A Chance
18. I Wanna ft. DJ Quik

Dwele- W.orld W.ant W.omen get’s 5 out of 5 Cartons

-Black Milk