Once In A Lifetime – Smokie Norful – On album after album this year, the production values on modern Gospel albums have been at a moral quandaryt. Whether great or indifferent, they were also outrageously untradional. Here is a major exception. Smokie toggles between r&b and soft jazz, essentially landing at a soulful heat as he pulls his voice from tenor upwards. Much better live then on record, this is sung and played very well. Grade: B+
The Return of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook – Elvis Costello – Mindboggling Spectacular and Spinning when the tour reached the Beacon last year, not so much on recorded record from Los Angeles. The problem is, the man is as subtle as a flying mallet. Apparently Elvis believes that the wider he opens his mouth, the deeper the feeling Now we've got that out of the wy, it is still an excellent album. "All grown Up" has improved with age, whoudda thunk it? "God Give Me Strength" has gotten worse. "Everyday I write The Book" completely loses its slyness. And "National Ransom" stll sucks. Grade: A-
Bottoms Up – Obie Trice – Always the bridesmaid, Obie gets on with business in his own hopelessly outdated way. Obie is a good rapper, no doubt. But they are tired raps on lazy tracks. Not bad, just kinda invisible. Grade: B
I Win – Marvin Sapp – Standard issue Gospel. Grade: B
Pink Friday Roman Reloaded – Nicki Minaj – So what does this album # 2 teach us about Nicki? 1. She's as good as the song she is singing. 2 She is good for a rap in the midst of a Kanye track. 3. She should NEVER EVER SING A LOVE SONG. 4. Her English accent is really irritating. 6."Starships" and "beautiful Sinner (her Madonna song) are really good. Grade: B