ia

ise the di

Va

No gimmicks needed when it comes to Mary

@ wkxkexe Mary J. Blige
—— Mary (1999 MCA
11929). Music category:
major soul diva.

Make no mistake Mary J.
Blige is a genius. But they sure
like to mess with her sound.

On Blige’s third studio CD
the former “queen of hip-
hop” has now been complete-
ly made over into a retro-soul
star. If you like Stevie Wonder
then you're going to love

Every song is treated like a
production number onto itself
with Lauryn Hill, Jam and
Lewis, and Babyface among
the producers. No complaints
there but what’s the point?

The trend of bringing in a
dozen different producers on
one CD works with lesser

vocalists and weaker material .
~ buat on Mary it just seems like
a gimmick.
Blige is all about groove
- and building performances
“which is the antithesis of the
miusical chair production
approach; Last year’s live CD
shows what she can do -~ one
producer, one band — then
fer Finhlgh
. Highlights include Kevin
Deane’s brilliant “Deep
Inside” with Elton John
comping his own “Bennie and
the Jets” piano riff behind
"Blige; a soulful duet with ex-
beau K-Ci Hailey on “Nort.
“+. Lookin” and Gerald Isaac's -

a showstopper “Your Child”.

_ Jol Goodman

a 4 LEO — LFO (1999
Arista 14605). ‘Music cate-
gory: hip-pop for teens.

Mary

Young trio debut their hip-

po p sound on CD after estab-
hing themselves as openers

for.acts such as the Backstreet
Boys and LL Cool } last year.

Arista patriarch Clive Davis
has a hand in the production
of the Lyte Funky Ones (it’s
wise they made the name into
an acronym) and there is little
that has been left to chance for

_ the new boys on the block.

New York City station Z-
100 broke the hit single

~~ “Summer Girls” with “The

Girl on TV™ set to follow.
— Jolm Gonlman

@ keke Christina
Aguifcra — Christina
Aguilera 1999 RCA
67690). Music category:
major teen diva.

Straight to the top of the
charts (or Chriszina Aguilera
with her debut CD and the hit
single “Genie in 2 Borde”.

Anything but an overnight-
sensation Aguilera paid her
dues singing the national
anthem at homerown
Pittsburgh: sports events as
well as a two-vear gig on
Disney’s Orlando-based New
Mickey Mouse Club show.

Last year she also sang the
hit theme song from the an-
mated feature film Milan
“Reflection”.

Aguilera has paid her dues
and it shows over the fength
of the new CD. The selection
of songs is stronger than most
teen pop product — onc or
owo hits plus filler doesn’t
make for a long shelf life. A
quality outing with good
tunes throughout.

— John Goedman

@ * Puff Daddy —
Forever (1999 Bad Boy
Pecords 73033). Music
category: megalomaniac
rap.

Map has more than its share
of bhawhards but move Puffy
to the front of the class with
this dire exercise in self-pro-
mation. A lot of talented peo-
ple worked on this disc —
unfortunately their efforts are
filtered through the airless uni-
verse of a very insignificant
man. A nist to avoid.

— Jokn Goodman

_~Me Exit page 20

“September 12

— conte a

2000S oa

Friday, September 10, 1999 — North Shore News — 19

m0"

First Anniversary
Celebrations!

Winsor & Newton
Artists’ Watercolours

Cotman Watercolours......:::

Galeria Acrylics lesen BEV OFF
Sale Extended until Sept 18/95

Se Oy

Introductory
Watercolour Set

*4,.9°° SALE

Suggested retai! *S3”

a

Plus , any Other Specials!

In-store Demos!
Tuesday, Sept. 1 14 10am-4pra -

Wednesday, Sept. 15
i0am-4pm.
RENEW Paints &

$25

10am-4pm.
” Marbling on paper by higui tex | |

Come by & ask ‘ questions

Oumer Ferdinand Petrov is a professional arc restorer who owns e operates
the Business along with wife Sylvia and daughter Anika. .
All three are experts j in art, framing and art rt materials