Reviews

Both Jim and Greg agree that Kahne succeeded in stretching The Strokes out. However, Greg thinks there is a lot of filler on the album. For him, it’s an experiment that did not work, making First Impressions only a “Burn it.” Jim, on the other hand, believes it’s good (though not great) from beginning to end. He thinks it might even be better than the previous release Room on Fire, and recommends it as a “Buy it,” even for Barry Manilow fans.

Jim and Greg next review the latest release from reigning R&B queen Mary J. Blige. Blige is an artist who has been put through the ringer, but things were a lot more stable during the making of The Breakthrough. This didn’t affect Blige’s sound, however, which is as gritty as ever. While Jim and Greg prefer the singer live, they agree that this is Blige’s best album since 1992’s What’s the 411. (Sound Opinions H.Q. also recommends her 1999 release Mary). Our hosts are especially impressed with how Blige manages not to be overshined by the presence of so many star producers like Dr. Dre, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Will.i.am, and star guests like Jay-Z, Raphael Saadiq, and Nina Simone (from the beyond). Fellow divas Beyonce Knowles and Alicia Keys can’t always say that. Jim and Greg both rated Mary's album as, "Buy it."