M.I.A.-Maya

Posted by David Biel |

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To say the least, M.I.A. has never been the most conventional pop star.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

But on Maya, the Sri Lankan's third album, M.I.A. crosses that delicate line between innovative art and shallow noise. To put it frankly, it's a mess. Half-baked songs and a lack of real direction dominate an album whose thematic premise had much promise.

To understand Maya in a nutshell, look no further than its album cover. On it, we see M.I.A. hiding behind a wall of YouTube video players, staring back at us. Maya is essentially an overload of electronic static, heavy beats and other loud noises, and notably lacks the pop hooks and influence of international music that made her first two albums so unique and exciting.

I can't reiterate enough that the album is an overload of noises: some songs are simply annoying, on the first and twentieth listens. What sticks out on "Teqkilla," for example, is not its party-branded lyrics or M.I.A.'s signature monotone rapping, but the synths that blare out of your headphones and drown out the song. Same goes for "Meds and Feds," M.I.A.'s failed attempt to sample and recreate the music of Sleigh Bells, one of the year's hottest acts. Several other songs, including "Space," "It Takes A Muscle," and "Born Free," simply feel unfinished and unsatisfying.

Nevertheless, Maya does have its moments. "XXXO" is easily the album's catchiest moment, and the only song that has the slightest chance of becoming a hit. It's fun, danceable, and perhaps even one or two minutes too short. And rather than drowning out everything in its sight, the synths on "XXXO" complement rather than dominate the song.

Then there's "Internet Connection," where M.I.A. builds a dance song around, what else, her struggles with computer software. It's hilarious, dumb, and most of all, fun. It's also a rarity for an album that, if anything, tries way too hard to be fun.

4.5/10

Best Tracks: "XXXO," "Internet Connection," "Tell Me Why"

-David Biel

Big Boi-Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

Posted by David Biel |

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"Just to let you know that everything is straight/
I say stank you very much 'cause we appreciate the hate"
"Fo Yo Sorrows"-Big Boi

Calling out doubters? Check. A self-reference? Check. The generic use of the word "hate"? Check.

For most other rappers, the two lines above would be considered a cliche verse; a sign that he can't help but look at his past struggles as a motivation tool for his success, and then bask in that success for all its worth. But for Big Boi, one-half of hip-hop duo OutKast, he's got some real justification for those words.

Throughout most of his career, Big Boi has essentially lived and performed in the shadow of his OutKast partner, Andre 3000. For a good part of the late '90s and early '00s, Andre was considered to be our generation's Prince, an artist who could effortlessly fuse hip-hop with pop, funk, soul, rock and electronic music and, most importantly, OutKast's real visionary.

And the common opinion on Big Boi? Just an everyday gangsta rapper who was lucky enough to be along for the ride on OutKast's success train.

Now comes Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, Big Boi's first solo album. Sixteen songs long and lasting almost an hour, Sir Lucious Left Foot is clearly a full culmination of Big Boi's work since OutKast last (and final?) album, 2006's Idlewild.

Well, it's doesn't quite measure up to OutKast's best, but it comes pretty damn close: Sir Lucious Left Foot is remarkably varied, authentic and in-your-face and, most importantly, insanely fun.

Did I mention that it's insanely fun? Starting from the album intro "Feel Me," Sir Lucious Left Foot is rooted in funk music, an influence that always set OutKast apart from its contemporaries. Sometimes its inspiration is obvious: the heavy talk-box-based beats on "Shutterbugg," a certified future club banger, or the layered percussion rhythm on "Tangerine," a song that reminds me a bit of Funkadelic's "Cosmic Slop." Other times, the funk influences are subtler, including the distorted bass lines on the fantastic "Fo Yo Sorrows."

Otherwise, Big Boi delves into numerous genres all across the album. The opera-sampling "General Patton," one of the most massive sounding hip-hop songs in recent memory, the light soul of "Hustle Blood," and the Janelle Monae-assisted, '80s synth-pop on "Be Still" are standout examples.

Still, Big Boi consistently fuses these influences with his signature swift flow and complex, often hilarious wordplay. The fact that everything the man does sounds so effortless makes the album even the more endearing. If all goes like it should, Sir Lucious Left Foot will bring Big Boi the respect from fans and critics he's probably deserved all along.

9/10

Best Tracks: "Fo Yo Sorrows," "Shutterbugg," "Shine Blockas"

-David Biel

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