By Jesse Cataldo
Jay-Z - Kingdom Come - Def Jam Records
Selling yourself sounds a lot like selling out, but Jay-Z has always been one step ahead of the game, meaning he's usually sharp enough to put himself above criticism. In this way, he's made a career of marketing himself as his own product, something he's been unapologetic about from the start. The business side of the equation, however, has been more and more visible in recent years - the "farewell" album, the expensive suits, the celebrity buddies. In this way, Jay-Z's newest album has come rushing in on a tide of ice-cold Budweiser, with an ad that's technically a music video and a lead single that could have been recorded for an ad. It's not that there's anything wrong with this kind of cross promotion, but with Kingdom Come, he's for the first time guilty of diluting his brand. Case in point is "Beach Chair," featuring, of all people, Coldplay's Chris Martin. The result is what you'd expect, a blandly choreographed 'best of both worlds' collaboration poised to delight 'hip' executives waiting for the musical equivalent of the black friend. The quality of Kingdom Come may remain somewhat steady throughout, but the presentation, packed with star producers and guest stars, reeks of swollen prime-time extravaganzaism. For all his wit and charm, Jay-Z may very well be painting himself into a corner. 3 STARS
Boris and Sunn O)) - Altar - Southern Lord
One of the most appropriate Halloween releases of all time, Altar is the sound of the earth groaning, cracking in half and bursting into flames - very, very slowly.
As a collaborative effort, Altar is mostly dominated by Sunn O)) (pronounced Sun), whose sludgy drone swallows the livelier noise-rock of Japanese band Boris like a mudslide. The result is more interesting than it sounds. While the almost painfully slow drone of Sunn O)) slides along like the blob, swallowing everything in it's path and casting a dead, eerie pall, Boris shakes and shudders inside, sending shockwaves bursting out from the surface like lightning. The resulting sound is more creepy and alive than anything Sunn O)) has done on their own. Songs like "Akuma No Kuma" insert horns and gongs to increase the effect of marching dread. A further surprise is "The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep), which features a female vocalist, piano, and a total lack of distortion. It's a beautiful, shockingly fragile piece - the eye in a harsh, slow-moving storm. 4 STARS
Tom Waits - Orphans - Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards - Anti
Descriptively, Orphans is an appropriate title for Tom Waits' latest work, even more than he may have intended it to be. Announced as a collection of b-sides and rarities, the actual album is something entirely different - 56 tracks, divided over three discs, yet the majority of them are newly recorded. So it's not really a rarities collection and not really a new album, but something in between. Either way, the result is staggering in size - over three hours long - and while not up to the quality of most of Waits' albums, the collection is still intriguing in its breadth. 3 ½ STARS
