Britney Spears, De La Soul, Carly Rae Jepsen and More Music Reviews

— -- intro: This week we listen to Britney Spears’ latest, hip-hop legends De La Soul release their first album in 11 years, Carly Rae Jepsen releases eight songs that didn’t make it onto her “Emotion” album in honor of that album’s first anniversary, Ingrid Michaelson releases a brand new album, members of Rage Against The Machine join force with Chuck D and B-Real to form Prophets Of Rage and Interpol’s Paul Banks teams with the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA as Banks & Steelz.

quicklist: 1title: Britney Spears’ “Glory” (Deluxe Edition) ***

text: The biggest surprise of “Glory” is that it is one of Britney Spears’ most cohesive albums to date, if not her most. For the most part, this is a pretty even collection of modern electro-pop without the speed-bumps or embarrassing moments that usually keep her sets from being satisfying listens. From the opening moments of opener “Invitation,” it is clear that there is a new, refined sense of purpose. This is a much-needed improvement on what was presented on her last effort “Britney Jean.”

You can still hear bits of Auto-Tune hidden in the mix, adding polish to Spears’ vocals but this is less pronounced than before. Perhaps this is evidence that she has been working on the quality of her vocal performance. On “Do You Wanna Come Over?” for instance, she delivers a very sleek slice of electro-infused club-ready music.

While this album is noticeably better than what Britney has given us in the past, it still has a few moments that keep it from being great. On the stripper anthem, “Private Show,” she does a truly awkward Rihanna impression during the “Work it, work it / Slide down my pole / Watch me spin it and twerk it” chorus. “Clumsy” feels like it is a groove and a hook without a complete song and the authoritative attempt on Spears’ part to belt on “What You Need” sort of falls flat. Still all these misses are much better than the weakest part of “Blackout,” “Circus” or “Britney Jean.”

It is the moments that work that ultimately take the focus into the positive side of the scale. “Just Like Me,” with its acoustic-guitar backing sounds surprisingly sharp, while “Love Me Down” manages to go above and beyond to balance Spears Gwen Stefani-esque half-spoken verses with some effective breakdown moments during the chorus.

This album is still rather empty fun, and it still sounds quite engineered, but less so than her past releases. In a post-Halsey, post-Tove Lo world, Britney obviously has upped her game. This is a step in the right direction.

“Glory” isn’t by any means a remarkable album, but it is still surprisingly confident in places and has its share of high points. If Spears continues on this path, maturity might be better for her than expected.

Focus Tracks:

“Do You Wanna Come Over” Somehow this sultry groove really works. The track has a definite vintage Neptunes influence. Interestingly, Pharrell and Chad Hugo had nothing to do with this track.

“Me Me…” (Featuring G-Eazy)” Britney obviously wants to make the same kind of move Justin Bieber made with “Sorry,” and this is a similarly disarmingly chilled electro-jam.

“Just Luv Me” Again, this is going for the same, lush sound. It makes sense that Julia Michaels who co-wrote Bieber’s “Sorry” is also a co-writer here.

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quicklist: 2title: De La Soul’s “And The Anonymous Nobody” ****1/2

text: For their first proper album in 11 years, De La Soul wanted room to expand. They wanted free reign without the intruding input of a label, so they went to Kickstarter and had one of the most successful campaigns in history, rapidly surpassing their financial goal. They also wanted to keep sampling to a minimum, given the fact that their Tommy Boy back-catalog isn’t available for download or for streaming due to sampling-clearance issues, so the group hired musicians (including an orchestra) to record pieces they could use for loops.

I sense hip-hop purists will be initially turned-off by what can be found on “And The Anonymous Nobody.” If you have expectations of how a De La Soul album should sound, you’ll find this collection to be a confounding beast. Sure, you have the Snoop Dogg-assisted “Pain” which sounds in spite of its title like an update in tone to the classic “A Roller-Skating Jam Named ‘Saturdays’” or the hip-hop workouts found on “Royalty Capes” or the Estelle and Pete Rock collaboration “Memory Of…(US).” But this album is also full of risky moments like the rocking “Lord Intended,” which sounds like it could have been on the “Judgment Night” soundtrack and features The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins. Then there is the meditation on death, “Here In After” which features Damon Albarn, sounding more Blur-like than Gorillaz-esque. The David Byrne collaboration, “Snoopies” sounds like an alternating Native Tongues/Talking Heads fusion.

“And The Anonymous Nobody” might be perplexing to those without eclectic tastes. The all-too-brief “CBGB’s,” with its surf-punk-infused guitar-work sounds like De La are picking up where the Beastie Boys left off. This is an unpredictable, truly engaging set. Yes, there are long sections where you don’t hear Posdnuos or Dave (formerly Trugoy the Dove) rapping, like on the lush, expansive Little Dragon-collaboration “Drawn,” but with this album, De La are trying to expand beyond hip-hop, following their muses wherever they take them. The guests may seem on paper to over-power the record, but really they are there as useful means of sonic expansion. If at first, you find this album disappointing for not living up to your expectations, keep listening. Like they did on “3 Feet High & Rising” 27 years ago, De La Soul are changing the game. If you are open to this record’s many surprises, it will be one of your favorites in a matter of months. Give it time.

On “And The Anonymous Nobody,” De La Soul have made music unquestionably on their own terms. This album doesn’t fit into a neat box and that is partly what makes it both an amazing and confounding piece of work. This is one of the most ambitious albums you’ll hear this year.

Focus Tracks:

“Greyhounds” (Featuring Usher) I never thought I’d hear Usher on a De La Soul record, but here we are as Pos and Dave rap about young women riding buses into NYC with intentions of fame. There’s a sadness here as some of them have their dreams turn to nightmares and return home. Usher’s line “By the time you arrive, you’ll forever be changed” really sticks. This belongs in the same serious space as past De La Soul classics like “Ghetto Thang,” “Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa” and “I Am, I Be.”

“Pain” (Featuring Snoop Dogg) Admittedly, this took me a few listens, but the more times I hear it, the more indelible it becomes. I’ve found the whole album works this way. It’s also really cool to hear Snoop on a De La record.

“Here In After” (Featuring Damon Albarn) This is more of an introspective rock song with Dave reflecting on the loss of his parents and the murder of his cousin, Fudge. Damon Albarn sings the second part of the track as if from the afterlife. The song’s refrain of “We’re Still Here Now” also serves as the name of the documentary the group shared on YouTube about the making of the record. It’s not surprising death is on their minds. Since their last record, they lost peers like Adam Yauch and Phife Dawg.

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quicklist: 3title: Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Emotion Side B” ****text: In honor of the one-year anniversary of her album “Emotion,” Carly Rae Jepsen has released an EP containing eight B-sides. Amazingly, only the momentarily cheesy “Store” sounds like it belongs on the B-side pile, but even that has the admittedly enchanting post-'80s vibe that made “Emotion” such a standout collection.

Her biggest hit may still be the ubiquitous “Call Me Maybe,” but with “Emotion,” she earned some serious cred by delivering a strong batch of songs with a convincing throwback feel. In other words, the album found champions in people who would have never expected to find themselves enjoying her records. That feeling continues here. “The First Time” and “Higher” are both high-powered synth-y summer jams, while “Body Language” sounds like a dance hit from 1985.

The most surprising track on both of Jepsen’s “Emotion” collections is still the darkly slinky “Black Heart” which was available on the deluxe version of the original album, but by continuing to update the sounds of the '80s with a modern, multi-hued sheen, Jepsen is showing herself to be a compelling and engaging performer. In other words, she is one of pop music’s great hopes.

“Emotion Side B” continues to show Carly Rae Jepsen perfecting her sound. It will be exciting to hear where she goes next. “Emotion” may have been more of a sleeper-hit than it should have been, but hopefully over time the audience for these two releases will continue to expand.

Focus Tracks:

“Body Language” Combining the power of a dense club vibe with the intensity of a ballad, Jepsen has hit gold.

“Higher” What an impressively bouncy bit of synth-pop! Strangely this sounds simultaneously current and straight out of 1986.

“Roses” This closing ballad sounds quite intimate. The airy synths and beat work add an effectively gripping backdrop for Jepsen.

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quicklist: 4title: Ingrid Michaelson’s “It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense” ***text: On Ingrid Michaelson’s latest album, the singer-songwriter spends the majority of the brief, 10-track set in ballad mode. This works well for her, since it for the most part brings forth the least self-aware aspects of her music. The opener, “Light Me Up” is a lush piano ballad that brings to mind Sia’s “Breathe Me,” while “I Remember Her” is quiet, tender, heartwarming reflection on childhood memories and “Old Days” has a strong, building quality.

“Miss America” has its moments and its heart in the right place with its message about the emphasis of certain notions of beauty embedded within the culture, and love of one’s self, but it works too hard to be an anthem. Michaelson has significant skill as a songwriter and could have delivered this message without being so on-the-nose. But she’s aiming for the pop charts and like Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song,” this song says something unquestionably important in an all too obvious way. But maybe Michaelson’s straightforwardness is an intended call to action.

Speaking of songs being a little too on-the-nose, “Celebrate” beats the listeners over the head with its lyrics like “This is my throwback song / It’s just like the ones that we used to know.” Perhaps this is a subconscious nod to Platten, but at the same time, earlier on this record and on her still best, landmark album “Girls and Boys,” Michaelson proved that her best side was found exploring more introspective material. She may want to simply make a good-time song, but to some this may come off as accidental pandering.

Anyone familiar with Michaelson’s work knows that this album shows both her best instincts as a songwriter and her worst, but it is more on the positive end. There’s a deep serenity found when she finds the right balance.

Focus Tracks:

“Light Me Up” Quite simply, this opener shows Michaelson at her emotional best. She tugs at the heartstrings in all the right ways and her driving piano work packs the right punch.

“Hell No” This album is strangely sequenced. It is mostly ballad-heavy with upbeat pop songs suddenly placed in a row at tracks seven, eight and nine. The best of those tracks is the single, “Hell No” which finds Michaelson effectively telling off an ex. It is a fun piece of pop and it works.

“Whole Lot Of Heart” This is another winner. It sounds like a lot of pop ballads released these days, but has an unforced, natural feeling nonetheless.

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quicklist: 5title: Prophets Of Rage’s “The Party’s Over” **1/2

text: Prophets Of Rage is the union between three-fourths of Rage Against The Machine with Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Cypress Hill’s B-Real. In this climate of political turmoil it makes sense for Rage Against The Machine to want to re-form. After all, in the video for 1999’s “Sleep Now In The Fire” they predicted Donald Trump’s presidential run.

The absence of Zack de la Rocha is strongly felt, even if Chuck D and B-Real try their best. (If there is anyone who can come close to filling Zack’s shoes in the righteous political fervor department it is Chuck.) This collection would probably be better if it were fuller. What we have here are two new songs, “Prophets Of Rage” and the title track, combined with three live tracks. These live tracks find the group covering Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing In The Name” and Public Enemy’s “Shut ‘Em Down.” Most likely these renditions will only make you want to go back to the originals. Only “No Sleep Cleveland,” an interesting mash-up between the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” and P.E.’s classic “Fight The Power,” packs they weight it should out of the live cuts.

This isn’t necessarily a bad offering. It is just slight and it seems a bit rushed in nature. Surely this combo can eventually come up with something more substantial. We need a proper full-length album. We actually need a proper, new Rage Against The Machine record, but nevertheless, this combo shows potential, even if this collection comes off as rather slapdash.

Focus Tracks:

“Prophets Of Rage” This theme for the super-group sounds exactly like the sum of its parts and Chuck D in particular brings his powerful persona to the table. Still, it is hard to not expect De La Rocha to come in a bust out a verse.

“The Party’s Over” This group was formed essentially as a protest around the RNC in Cleveland, so you can bet the word “party” is intended to have a double meaning. Again, this hard-charging rocker shows promise. At the same time, there needed to be more for this collection on the whole to succeed.

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quicklist: 6title: Banks & Steelz’ “Anything But Words” ****

text: The union of Interpol’s Paul Banks with Wu-Tang mastermind RZA as Banks & Steelz is as curious as it is successful. “Anything But Words” sounds like the two men are having a great deal of fun working together, with RZA occasionally adapting his signature, cryptic flow with a rock yell and Banks is enjoying singing hooks. On paper, this really doesn’t seem like a combination that would work, but it does.

Wu-Tang fans should be delighted by fact that this albums also features guest-spots from Ghostface Killah, Method Man and Masta Killah, while the indie-rock fans of Banks’ work might also appreciate the strong guest turn by Florence Welch on "Wild Season." When Kool Keith shows up on “Sword In The Stone,” he brings a madcap quality that fits perfectly with RZA.

Among the other Wu-Tang-related releases, this will no doubt be a polarizing entry. This collection’s sleek electro and guitar-driven backdrop is far from the grimy, lo-fi beats found on “Enter The 36 Chambers,” and yet in spite of the cleaner, often live-sounding approach, both Banks and RZA bring forth different kinds of ominous energy. The desolate, minimalist hum heard in the background of “One By One” kind of sounds like an update on a vintage Wu-Tang flavor.

Banks is a well-noted hip-hop fan who DJs under the name DJ Fancy Pants and RZA has always seemed very open to any musical collaboration that has come his way. “Anything But Words” is a challenging and exciting collection that brings forth the best qualities of both performers. It’s a welcome surprise.

Focus Tracks:

“Wild Season” (Featuring Florence Welch) Banks and Welch make a great pair, singing over the cowbell-heavy groove, while RZA raps about relationships gone wrong.

“Sword In The Stone”(Featuring Kool Keith) Is that a banjo hidden within the opening hook? Banks’ synth-heavy opening passage may be sunny, but RZA and Kool Keith bring their signature brands of edginess in verses that help earn the album its parental warning sticker. The track has some nice guitar-work as well.

“One By One” That echoing synth hum I mentioned in the write up above, serves as a truly effective grounder for this track, making it one of the album’s strongest successes.

Next Week: New music from Angel Olsen and more.

Missed the review of Frank Ocean's "Blonde"? Find it here.

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