Nice Review for Onya

The Hype Magazine gave a brief but nice review of the new Arrested Development single "Onya." You can read it here. 

While you're at it, check out their recent podcast featuring Speech, and a nice article/interview from 2016 with AD member Tasha LaRae!

More Great Reviews

Reviews! Get your reviews of the new AD album Don't Fight Your Demons!

First we'll start with a rave from Hip Hop Golden Age: 

https://hiphopgoldenage.com/arrested-development-dont-fight-your-demons/

Another rave review, this one from the Irked Music Geek:

https://www.irkedmusicgeek.com/home/2020/9/29/sunset-in-ghana-arrested-development-x-ohene-savant-x-rambo-x-configa

One more great one, this one is very in depth, which I love, and comes from Infinite Sounds UK.

https://infinitesoundsuk.blogspot.com/2020/09/album-review-dont-fight-your-demons-by.html?spref=tw

And here's a nice note on "Becoming" from Spitfire Hiphop:

https://www.spitfirehiphop.com/features/2020/09/arrested-development-becoming-off-dont-fight-your-demons-lp/

There might be some bad reviews of the album, I don't know, but I haven't found any yet--so I'll assume there's not. 

Don't Fight Your Demons Review

Arrested Development, Don't Fight Your Demons

After giving the new release by Arrested Development one last listen before writing this, I realized that I was trying to complicate something that was actually simple. (Ain't that how it goes, though?) Once the last track, "The Forsaken," came to a close, I turned away from my laptop had one very clear thought: 

Well, that's an album.

Yeah, of course it is, you might have said if you were there to hear my thought with me. What the hell else would it be?

You're right, I might say back. I should probably clarify.

And this is where is I complicate everything by explaining. So here goes. 

Don't Fight Your Demons is an album the way they used to make 'em. A Tribe Called Quest. De la Soul. Public Enemy. Eric B and Rakim, LL Cool J, Ice Cube, and the Beastie Boys. And yes, Arrested Development.

Awesome "AD Weekend" Story

Here's a great wrap-up from JMSmith.org (the Disciple Dojo) of one AD fan's weekend hanging with Speech and watching Arrested Development live.  Am I jealous?  Yeah, maybe just a little bit.  I think you'll enjoy this post so check it out here.  There's not much more to say, and ironically his post is title Speechless.  Nuff said!

Two Reviews of Three Years

I noticed that a deluxe version of Sittin' on Chrome by Masta Ace Inc. is dropping in a week or so, which made me want to make sure that I hadn't fallen asleep at the wheel and missed an announcement of a deluxe version of Three Years was coming since seemingly every other release from that time is getting one.  Well, no luck there, but I did stumble upon a fairly recent review on emusic of Three Years that was a nice little read.  Check it out here.

And then I found another cool one from this year, from Liz's 1001 albums.  She finally got around to Three Years on day 710.  No problem.  Check that review out here.

A Review of Standing At The Crossroads

If you've been looking in vain for an "independent" review of the new AD album, i.e. not a biased one like mine (and what would you expect from me?) then look no further.  Here's a link to a review done by Patrick A Reed on the website Depth of Field.  In my opinion his review nails it, plus in this posting he nails the new Public Enemy album as well, and there are reviews to works by Beetnix and Kendra Reed included.  If you're not interested in those, the AD review is at the bottom.  Here are a couple of choice quotes:

In fact, in describing this, their newest record, “top-quality work” sounds far too clinical and cold.  These 13 songs are full of life and energy, a spirited collection of headnodding backbeats, irresistible hooks, and free-flowing raps.  It’s positive politicizing, swinging reflections on an ever-shifting world, full-on funky goodtime music.

And this really says it all about the album I think:

The rest of the record follows in much the same spirit: upbeat, lively, bluesy, a mix of voices that creates a giant tapestry of good vibrations.  Reggae, gospel, bhangra, afro-beat, boom-bap – it’s all here, textures jumbled up and reassembled into a giant multicultural party.