Flo Rida
“Mail on Sunday”
RATING: 2 EXCLAMATION POINTS
In interviews, Flo Rida has repeatedly articulated that his chief artistic goal is to approach things from the “left side,” even tattooing his left biceps with a picture of Jimi Hendrix to honor the late lefty guitarist. But rather than plumb uncharted creative terrain, Flo Rida’s debut seems obsessed with familiarity. Nearly every song has big-name help, with guest appearances from Lil Wayne, will.I.am, Sean Kingston, T-Pain and Rick Ross. As for Flo Rida, he’s capable and occasionally good, blessed with a nimble husky flow. Yet other than the album’s highlight, the resonant breakup song “Still Missin’,” “Mail on Sunday” rarely delivers. [JEFF WEISS, LOS ANGELES TIMES]
The Kills
“MIDNIGHT BOOM”
RATING: 1 EXCLAMATION POINT
Allison Mosshart and Jamie Hince, this London band’s two members, are shining up an old and delicate and totally intellectualized concept, the glamour of sickness. And they’re using minimalism and repetition, some of the greatest tools in the world. But these aren’t very good songs, and the band’s agenda — sounding bored and chic, simultaneous distancing and beckoning, creating revulsion and desire — seems to tilt more toward fashion than music. This album may have been comparatively inexpensive to make, but the expenditure of attitude must have been tremendous. [BEN RATLIFF, NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE]
Be Your Own Pet
“GET AWKWARD”
RATING: 3 EXCLAMATION POINTS
Singer Jemina Pearl, 20, is young enough to be a daughter of the original riot grrrls, although the defiant, rapid-fire truculence that emerges from her convulsing mass of blond hair might shock her actual parents (she’s the daughter of Christian artist Jimmy Abegg). Her shrieking self-reliance rings powerful as ever on the garage-punk quartet’s sophomore album, whether on boyfriend-bashing anthems, paeans to juvenile delinquency, plaudits for the party life or 43-second rants punctuated by guitarist Jonas Stein’s angular riffage. [KEVIN BRONSON, LOS ANGELES TIMES]
CD RACK
ALSO IN STORES TUESDAY
* Black Tide, “Light From Above”
* Daniel Lanois, “Here Is What It Is”
* DeVotchKa, “A Mad & Faithful Telling”
* The Hush Sound, “Goodbye Blues”
* Mindless Self Indulgence, “Never Wanted to Dance”
* Danity Kane, “Welcome to the Dollhouse”
