Free Week #4:Blakrok

For my forth free week I chose ,'Blakrok',an album by various popular R&B artists being backed up by Akron's own,The Black Keys.

As a side note,I did purchase this record on cd,but before I could download it,my son,Tyler,went off with it back to college.It was my bad,I told him he could.I just didn't get around to ripping it before Tyler left.

I only mention this because I won't be able to review the cd's first song,'Coochie (featuring Ludacris & the late,Ol' Dirty Bastard)because it is on neither the Amazon or I-Tuned download.

So I will have to start at my beginning...but first...this collaboration was overseen by record producer Damon Dash,a fan of The Black Keys.No samples were used,this is all of the various rap/singers being backed by The Black Keys,and nothing else(though,I believe overdubs were allowed).

And that makes this an excellent and exciting cd.There is a great amount of talent,here.Besides guitarist,Dan Auerbach percussionist,Patrick Carney of The Black Keys,there is a virtual who's who in modern R&B world.Artists include:Raekwon, RZA, Jim Jones,NOE, Mos Def, singer Nicole Wray, Pharoahe Monch,Billy Danze, and Q-Tip.

My favorite song is their first single,featuring Mos Def(of the cartoon group,Gorillaz),and Jim Jones,called,"Ain't Nothing Like You(Hoochie Coo).Just a fun song.

But ain't they all.

I have become an instant Nicole Wray fan.Her lusciously beautiful voice can be heard on roughly half the songs on the cd['Why I Can't Forget Him';'Hope You're Happy';'What You Do To Me',and my favorite,'Done Did It'].

But what I really like is the mixture of rap and rock songs.'Dollaz And Sense'{featuring RZA & Pharoahe Monch} is a rockin' rap tune if I ever heard one.Not thrash,mind you,rock.What a good jam.

Ditto for,'Hard Times'{NOE},and 'Telling Me Things'{RZA}.

In fact,I love this whole cd to the point that I wish I had the cd only song,'Coochie (featuring Ludacris & the late Ol' Dirty Bastard) just so I'd have one more song to eajoy.

Even if you don't like rock(or rap) this is a cd you should really enjoy.I wish there were more albums of music just like Blakroc.


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