Second Listen Sunday: The Weekend, Kiss Land
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I embarked on a musical journey to the Land of Maple Syrup, a nickname for Canada due to its significant maple syrup production. I revisited a pivotal moment in The Weeknd’s career with his major label debut, ‘Kiss Land.’ This album marked a significant transition for The Weeknd, following the success of his 2011 mixtapes’ House of Balloons,’ ‘Thursday,’ and ‘Echoes of Silence,’ and the subsequent compilation album ‘Trilogy.’ ‘Kiss Land’ was his first studio album, a testament to his growth and evolution as an artist, and it was released on September 10, 2013.
Slow Jam Saturday : Kevon Edmonds, Never Let You Down
Frankie Beverly, a renowned music legend, is embarking on his “I Wanna Thank You” Tour, marking the end of his illustrious career. In this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I would like to showcase a cover version of the beloved ballad “Never Let You Down” by Frankie Beverly & Maze.
Second Listen Sunday: Carl Thomas, Conquer
This week’s featured album for Second Listen Sunday is Carl Thomas’s “Conquer.” Thomas, known for his work as a hook singer at Bad Boy Records, is set to join R&B icons Tank and Keri Hilson on ‘The R&B Money Tour. Considering this upcoming event, it’s fitting to delve into the often overlooked ‘Conquer. After a hiatus following his third album, ‘So Much Better’ in 2007, Carl Thomas returned to the scene with ‘Conquer’ in 2011.
Slow Jam Saturday: Keri Hilson, Slow Dance
Keri Hilson, a talented and alluring artist, has been focusing on her acting career. However, she is preparing to embark on ‘The R&B Money Tour’ alongside other R&B acts such as Tank and Carl Thomas. For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I would like to highlight one of my favorite slow songs by Keri, “Slow Dance.”
Charming cast elevates the clichéd Mother of the Bride
Netflix has released a new romantic comedy, “Mother of the Bride,” perfectly timed to coincide with Mother’s Day celebrations. The film is directed by the esteemed filmmaker Mark Waters and written by Robin Bernheim Burger.
The Last Stop in Yuma County is an impressive debut
Francis Galluppi, the writer and director of this debut film, “The Last Stop in Yuma County,” takes audiences on a thrilling journey reminiscent of the grindhouse era. This tense and gripping thriller is set in the unforgiving desert landscape of Arizona, following a nameless young knife salesman (Jim Cummings) who finds himself in a perilous hostage situation at a remote desert rest stop.
Lazareth is a horrific bore
Australian Director Alec Tibaldi navigates to the thriller genre for his third effort in “Lazareth” from Vertical. Tibaldi also pens the film’s screenplay, which stars Emmy and Golden Globe Nominee Ashley Judd. Following the death of their parents, Lee (Judd) adopts her nieces, Imogen (Katie Douglas) and Maeve (Sarah Pidgeon), and raises them in a remote cabin as a deadly pandemic rages on around them.
Tales of The Empire is another series of enjoyable Star Wars shorts
On the occasion of Star Wars Day, Disney+ presents its latest offering, “Star Wars: Tales of the Empire.” This series, helmed by the talented Dave Fioni, brings a fresh perspective and unique storytelling style to the Star Wars universe. The voice cast, featuring Diana Lee Inosanto, Meredith Salenger, Rya Kihlstedt, and more, adds depth to the characters. Get ready to immerse yourself in this new Star Wars adventure!
BBD takes fans Behind the Music
Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe, famously known as Bell Biv DeVoe, are taking a break from their tour to join the latest episode of Behind the Music from the comfort of your home. The iconic music trio will share their inspiring story in the second episode of the newest season of the beloved music series. The show captures all the highlights, including the group’s early struggles with record labels, Bobby Brown’s exit from New Edition, and Johnny Gill’s joining to BBD’s solo success.
The Idea Of You is an enjoyable May/December romance
Academy Award-winning actress Anne Hathaway teams up with up-and-coming actor Nicholas Galitzine in the romantic dramedy The Idea of You, available on Prime Video. Directed by Michael Showalter, the screenplay was co-written by Showalter and Jennifer Westfeldt and is based on the novel of the same name by Robinne Lee.
Second Listen Sunday: Lionel Richie, Dancing on the Ceiling
In light of this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I would like to take a retrospective journey to 1986 when the Boston Celtics were reigning NBA champions, and Lionel Richie had recently been awarded an Oscar for his ballad “Say You, Say Me” from the film “White Nights.” The public eagerly anticipated a new album, and on August 5th, Richie released his third solo project, “Dancing on the Ceiling,” made available in record stores.
Slow Jam Saturday: A Few Good Men, “Have I Never”
R&B groups were all the rage in the nineties. A new group released a new album or single with quality music every week. For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to highlight A Few Good Men’s “Have I Never” ballad. The group was signed to LaFace Records and initially hit the scene in 1994 with their debut, “A Thang for You.