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Krazee Alley In Medias Res (Radisson/Dep)
Krayzie Bone Thug Mentality 1999 (Sony/Relativity) After Eazy E signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony in '93, Bone has released no less than three multi-platinum albums and spawned the Mo Thugs Family. Krayzie Bone has continued what he started with BT-N-H, laying full claim to the rapid-fire rhyme style with equal parts thuggery and Godliness. Although I've never been a huge fan of the Cleveland experience, Thug Mentality 1999 reminds me of just how original this boy from Ohio was and is. If it sounds like Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, then it probably is. 7.5/10 (Scott C)
Various Points in Time Vols. 13 (Good Looking) This is your comprehensive guide to the Good Looking sound: the definitive spacy drum & bass encyclopedia. GL front man--and the brain behind the Logical Progression sessions--LTJ Bukem has compiled the top tunes from the label's past eight years, a step-by-step examination of the sound he's been instrumental in creating. Far and away one of the most influential d&b labels, Good Looking is responsible for the Earth comps and for proving that d&b isn't all about ragga samples and tech-step beats. Features some seriously deep and classic tunes like Aquarius and Tayla's "Bringing Me Down," PFM"s "Wash Over Me," Axis's "One in Ten" and the Invisible Man's "Bell Tune." all three 9/10 (Krista)
Various Across Uneven Terrain (FatCat/Brilliant) I had my reservations diving into this sampler from little-known U.K. label FatCat and its spread of "leftfield" (that's ancient Greek for "smarty-pants") electronica and periodic detours into organic trance/jazz/rock. My reservations were unfounded. Relaxing but not boring, creative but not wanky, clever but not smug, ...Terrain is a dozen shiny little gifts under the tree. Plus: bonus Björk! May the Cat get that much Fatter. 8/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
Sheila Jordan Jazz Child (High Note/Fusion III) A welcome new release by the greatest jazz singer this side of Billie Holliday. Sheila is heard with just the right backing from from Steve Kuhn, David Finck and Billy Drummond and, on three cuts, is joined by her vocal protégé Theo Bleckmann in a program of the unusual and the standard. Don Cherry, Gil Fuller, Abbey Lincoln, Kuhn, Kurt Weill and Cole Porter are among the composers represented here. Not to be missed! 9.5/10 (Len Dobbin)
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I met this shorty on King Square/curly hair/diamonds like a millionaire/18 karats makes a nigga on welfare flip/tryin' to sweet talk the bitch while I'm holdin' my dick/short's bitin' her lip... So spits Baby-Bam on the track "Last Night," one of the many songs on this album that emulates a particularly American point of view. Not a big deal, except that these guys are from Spain, Belgium and Switzerland. Rapping in both French and English, they unfortunately sound like they love Mobb Deep and Onyx just a little too much. All is not lost, though, with a few album-saving beats courtesy of Tha Luna. 7/10 (Scott C)