Bobby Valentino, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Prodigy, The Clientele and Björk

the music press

tue 5/8/2007

A collage of BjÃ¶rk, Prodigy, Bobby Valentino, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and The Clientele.

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Ludacris protégé Bobby Valentino's second album, Special Occasion, contains “heartfelt ballads and midtempo tunes full of superlative production,” according to Billboard.com. HM Blog is impressed by the Atlanta-bred sanger, who “doesn’t just go for whatever sound is trendy.”
Veteran gangsta rappers Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are back as a trio after a five-year absence with Strength and Loyalty. Nobody’s Smiling affirms that despite the loss of two members, “the remaining three warriors hold it down hard for the legacy.” The UCSD Guardian laments that Strength is "burdened by lackluster guest showings," and "[w]hile the old flavor hasn't dried, it hasn't managed to evolve."
New York rapper Prodigy bounces back to form after Mobb Deep's disappointing 2006 release Blood Money, with a solo album, Return of the Mac. Prodigy "employs his language like his trusty boxcutter, a little unusual, but highly effective,” gushes Stylus Magazine. Webzine Prefixmag is thrilled with the P's performance on the Alchemist-produced album: "[Prodigy] sounds excited to be rapping again.”
English indie rockers The Clientele also return with their fourth release, God Save The Clientele. Their “60’s influenced pop tunes are tighter and even smoother on the ears” according to Each Note Secure. Obscure Sound lovingly appraises the London-based foursome, underscoring that “each song is graceful, memorable, and touching in its own right, making this The Clientele’s most successful effort yet.”
Björk's new album, Volta, is described by Rolling Stone as her “loosest" record even though it's "not as gripping or coherent as her best stuff.” Drowned in Sound insists that Volta “takes one step back to fly a dozen forward, and leaves the listener bewildered at its incredible execution.”