Destiny's Child - #1's CD

#1's album for sale Throughout the album, West merely continues to perfect his craft, slowing tracks down and speeding them up into an awe-inspiring mosaic. While his MC style is often discounted as being of secondary importance, he shines when put up against the best in the game, as with Common on the bluesy "My Way Home" or Nas on the lush "We Major." And in the spirit of Bob Dylan, West knows how to make the most of a very original voice. LATE REGISTRATION is ample proof of West's staying power. Rapper/producer Kanye West's second album, LATE REGISTRATION, incredibly lives up to expectations following his universally acclaimed debut, THE COLLEGE DROPOUT, which took the art of sampling to a new plateau. Here, for example, "Gold Digger" features a sample of the legendary Ray Charles alongside actor Jamie Foxx in Oscar-reprising character as Charles. "Addiction" pairs a frenetic African beat with a stuttering, singular use of a snippet of Etta James crooning "My Funny Valentine," while "Diamonds From the Sierra Leone" teams the majestic Bond glory of Shirley Bassey's "Diamonds Are Forever" with perfectly subtle Miami bass to explosive effect. All the while, West pulls lyrics out of his rhyme bag at a fever pitch, tackling hefty topics like civil war in Africa and the impact of drugs on leading Black minds. Personnel: Kanye West (vocals); Common, Consequence, GLC , Plain Pat, Jamie Foxx, Jay-Z, Adam Levine, John Legend, Keyshia Cole, Nas, Paul Wall , Game, Cam'ron, Lupe Fiasco, Really Doe, Deray, Tony "Penafire" Williams, Don C., Brandy, Charlie Wilson (vocals); Dave Tozer (guitars); Ervin Pope, Tom Craskey (keyboards); Keenan "Keynote" Holloway (bass guitar); Michele Gondry (drums); A-Trak (scratches).

#1's songs The album's lead-off single, "Be Without You," a bittersweet slow jam, is representative of the album's themes, which focus on feelings of strength and weakness in love. But whether waxing romantic ("Can't Get Enough") or detailing the travails of the heart ("Baggage"), Blige lays down elastic R&B vocal lines that are second to none. Even a seemingly unlikely duet with Bono and U2 on "One" comes across beautifully, adding a new dimension to that familiar tune. After her somewhat lukewarm 2003 release LOVE & LIFE, Mary J. Blige returns to her rightful place as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul with 2005's THE BREAKTHROUGH. Blige enlisted a host of guest producers to contribute tracks to THE BREAKTHROUGH, and the result is one of her strongest and most varied albums. As usual, the sound is a mixture of smooth, urban contemporary and hip-hop edge, but Blige nails it with tracks like the pulsing "Enough Cryin'" (with its rich, multi-layered vocals) and the breezy "Can't Hide From Luv" featuring a guest spot by Jay-Z. Personnel: Mary J. Blige (vocals); Dave Young, will.i.am, Brook (vocals); Jay-Z (rap vocals); Bryan-Michael Cox (various instruments); Raphael Saadiq (guitar, bass guitar); Craig Brockman (keyboards); U2.

#1's CD music The Black Eyed Peas' fourth outing, MONKEY BUSINESS, picks up right where their platinum-selling breakout album, ELEPHUNK, left off, with the feel of a non-stop party run by an ultra-savvy DJ. "Pump It" opens the disc on a straight sample of Dick Dale's surf classic "Misirlou," as the three MCs of BEP float in and out--sometimes rapid-fire, sometimes measured--with Fergie stepping in on cue to alternately sing softly or with deep, soulful emotion. The Peas' origins are tied to the DJ-driven world of breakdancing, and that flavor saturates MONKEY BUSINESS, as beats drop in and out, tracks blend into other tracks, and a lighthearted spirit of sophisticated ecstasy prevails. The aforementioned "Pump It" slides flawlessly into the lively single "Don't Phunk with My Heart," and the stage for the album is set. Icons James Brown and Sting drop by, on the uncompromisingly funky "They Don't Want Music" and the reggae-soaked "Union," respectively, but they're just guests on board for the ride (along with Justin Timberlake, John Legend, and others), part of the musical mural. The Black Eyed Peas turned from underground favorites to hit-making performers on ELEPHUNK; this follow-up continues that upward progression. Audio Mixers: Jack Joseph Puig; Mark "Spike" Stent; Serban Ghenea; Tony Maserati . Recording information: Amerycan Studios, N. Hollywood, CA; Berlin, Germany; Bullet Train, Japan; Daddy's House, Unites States; Glenwood Studios, Burbank, CA; Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Metropolis Studios, Chiswick, London, England; Morning View Studios, Malibu, CA; Osi And Calvin Studios, Washington D.C; Smart Studios, Madison, WI; Sony Studios, New York, NY; The Brothel, Philadelphia, PA; The Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, FL; The Peas Tour Bus, Unites States; The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA; The Stewchia, Los Feliz, CA; The Will.I.Am Protolls Rig. Editor: Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica. Photographer: Albert Watson . Arranger: Ron Fair. The Black Eyed Peas: A.P.L., Taboo (vocals); Fergie , will.i.am. Personnel: apl.de.ap (vocals, strings, Clavinet, drum programming); will.i.am (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, organ, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, drum programming); Fergie , James H. Brown, Justin Timberlake, Sting (vocals); Jimmy Limon (guitar, Clavinet, organ, percussion, drum programming); Damon Wood, Jack Johnson, Kevin Rudolf, Ray Brady (guitar); Songa Lee, Katia Popov, Alan Grunfeld, Phillip Levy , Rene Mandel, Joel Derouin, Sid Page, Jacqueline Brand, Roberto Cani, Bruce Dukov, Julie Gigante, Natalie Leggett, Sarah Thornblade, Josefina Vergara, Charlie Bisharat, Mario Diaz de Leon, Endre Granat (violin); Charlie Baccarat (electric violin); Victoria Miskolczy, Matthew Funes, Brian Dembow, Simon Oswell (viola); Suzie Katayama, Stephen Erdody, David Low , Cecilia Tsan (cello); Tim Izo Orindgreff (flute, saxophone); Ron Fair (harmonica); Jeff Watkins, Branford Marsalis (saxophone); Printz Board (trumpet, Fender Rhodes piano, Mellotron, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, drums); Robert "Dandy" Thompson (Clavinet, organ, drums, drum programming); Keith Harris (keyboards, drums, percussion); Mino Cinelu (percussion); Chaos (drum programming); Dante Santiago, Sheila Wheat, Cynthia Morey, Tippa Irie (background vocals). Additional personnel: Dante Santiago, James Brown, John Legend, Cee Lo Green (vocals); Q-Tip, Talib Kweli (rap vocals); Justin Timberlake, Sting.

#1's buy CD music It's hard to believe, given his gargantuan impact on popular culture, that Eminem had only released four full-length albums by 2004. That year's ENCORE showed the rapper's artistic vitality fading just a bit, but 2005's CURTAIN CALL, an overdue greatest-hits collection, helps remind audiences that Eminem produced a stunning string of singles in a short span of time. Naturally, CURTAIN CALL eschews the artist's most controversial material ("'97 Bonnie and Clyde," for example, from THE SLIM SHADY LP), focusing instead on his highest charters, like 8 MILE's "Lose Yourself" and introspective confessionals like "Cleanin' Out My Closet" (a rant against his mother) and "Mockingbird" (a tribute to his daughter). But even at his most sentimental and dramatic, Eminem displays a level of artistry that surpasses nearly anyone in hip-hop, if not pop music in general. Satirical, vicious, funny, and energizing, Eminem's material is never less than absorbing. CURTAIN CALL is packed wall-to-wall with winners (except maybe "Sing For the Moment," which reworks Aerosmith's "Dream On" in tiresome fashion), and at its most brilliant (like the self-reflexive romps "The Real Slim Shady" and "Stan") it's as era-defining as anything by N.W.A, Public Enemy, or even Bob Dylan. Though his individual albums are all pretty essential, CURTAIN CALL provides a valuable overview of an artist whose skills are unassailable, and whose role as a social gadfly remains as complex as ever. Recording information: 54 Sound Studio, Detroit, MI; Marshall's House, Detroit, MI; TransContinental Studios, Orlando, FL. Photographers: Karin Catt; Anthony Mandler; Jonathan Mannion; Nitin Vadukul. Personnel: Eminem (drum programming); Jeff Bass, Mike Elizondo (guitar, keyboards); Steven King (guitar); Luis Resto (keyboards, programming); Mark Batson, Tom Coster, Jr. (keyboards); DJ Head (drum programming). Audio Mixers: Dr. Dre; Eminem; Steven King.

#1's songs The rest of the album provides thirteen tracks of Kelly's typically strong and sensual modern R&B. He starts off the record with a reminder that he's far from a one-note artist, coming on as hard as anyone with the anthemic single "Playa's Club," then rolls into a 1970s groove with help from the always-spectacular Snoop Dogg on "Happy Summertime," before easing into a set of slow jams highlighted by the lusty "In the Kitchen" and the breezy "Slow Wind." As much as R. Kelly can't seem to stop getting himself into trouble, he also can't stop releasing original, arousing albums. TP.3 is no exception. Even with the endless controversy surrounding him, R. Kelly never slowed down, ever-ready to take more and more chances. This album's 15-minute final cut, "Trapped in the Closet," was easily the most ambitious undertaking the Chicago native had undertaken in his two decades of making music. A five-part suite unfolding a twisting serial of love, sex, and betrayal (accompanied by a long-form video available with the CD), the tale became a hot item on the internet and over radio lines. (Fans listened attentively to find out what would happen next). Personnel: R. Kelly (vocals, rap vocals); Do or Die, Elephant Man, Nivea, Snoop Dogg, Game, Twista, Wisin, Yandel, Baby (rap vocals).

#1's album for sale Beyonce had little to prove on her second solo outing, B'DAY, having already demonstrated her taste, (solo) vocal prowess, and sparkling star quality on her first post-Destiny's Child release in 2003. Nevertheless, the singer and her crack team of producers and collaborators (R&B's finest, including the Neptunes, Swizz Beats, and Rich Harrison) have come up with a collection that's at least equal to her previous triumphs, and that shows off an almost angry intensity only hinted at on earlier releases. The club hit "Deja Vu," with an extended rap from boyfriend/producer Jay-Z, boasts an addictive bass line that contrasts dramatically with Beyonce's emotive upper register. The haunting "Ring the Alarm" is a multilayered melodrama built around a dizzying minor-key hook that relies on Beyonce's vocal dexterity and newfound fire. Despite the appealing bravado of most of the tracks on B-DAY, the most memorable song is the beautiful lovelorn ballad "Irreplaceable," on which a wounded Beyonce protesteth too much about an errant lover's dispensability. Her nuanced and soul-deep performance suggests the tearful hurt lying at the center of all that anger. Recording information: Great Divide Studios, Aspen, CO; Lair Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Sony Music Studios, New York, NY; The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA. Photographer: Max Vadukul. Personnel: Beyoncé (vocals); Espen Lind (guitar); Allen "Al Geez" Arthur, Ronald Judge, Aaron "Goody" Goode (horns); Jay-Z (rap vocals). Audio Mixers: Rich Harrison; Jason Goldstein; Rodney Jerkins; Beyoncé Knowles.