Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Review: Joe Budden- No Love Lost


I'd characterize my viewing of the television series Love and Hip Hop as a guilty pleasure, but I don't really enjoy watching the reality show.  Yet I can't tear myself away from the shrill drama perpetuated by misguided rappers and their farcical love interests. 

The supposed real life of Joe Budden looks miserable.  I've always liked the guy and I'm a big fan of his supergroup Slaughterhouse.  Unfortunately, nothing on Budden's new hit album No Love Lost is remotely as good as the all-star collective's recent "Throw It Away.

The project contains "She Don't Put It Down", my least favorite current radio song.  It's frustrating because Budden can't be written off.  A few of No Love Lost's tracks are effective.   The guilty conscious he exposes on the confessional "Skeletons" is a hip hop rarity.  "Castles" is a solid put-down of his hangers-on.

Budden recites the Serenity Prayer on the opening track.  I'm so grateful that I don't have his problems.


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I ponder Alaturka's new album Yalniz at Plastic Sax.

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Here's footage of Tony Tixier and Diverse performing at a house concert last weekend.  (I'm hiding in a back corner of the elegant room.)

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Readers can also spot me in the video of the Beautiful Bodies' "Invincible".

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Schorre's Son, the latest release by Dutch Newman, includes features by Ron Ron, Stik Figa, B Double E, the Phantom and Joey Cool.

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The lineup for the 2013 edition of Rockfest is solid. There are even a couple bands- including Heaven's Basement- that I haven't already seen.

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I encourage anyone who's Austin-bound for SXSW to check out the Midcoast Takeover.

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Hey, Paul Weller digs Os Mutantes, Gilberto Gil and Ethiopian jazz!

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Free Lil' Poopy!

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Kansas City Click: Patrick Krief performs at the RecordBar on Tuesday.

J.P. Harris appears at Knuckleheads on Wednesday.

The Blue Room hosts Amina Figarova and her band on Thursday.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

3 comments:

bgo said...

I'd go see J.P. Harris if I had a designated driver and I didn't have to get up early the next day. Listening to him is a real throwback and the sincerity seems authentic. Who shows up for the likes of him anyways? Hipsters? Bumpkins? Old men like me? Dime-a-dance dames in fancy dresses?

Happy In Bag said...

Best ever There Stands the Glass comment.

bgo said...

Well, thank you. Occasionally a creative spark tickles my normally dormant and droning mind.