Geraud Blanks, Special to Journal Sentinel There's so much right with this album - like the playful, beguiling banter of "I Do" featuring Jay-Z and Andre 3000 - that even missteps, such as the awkward hook on an otherwise riveting "Trapped" featuring Jill Scott, are mere speed bumps. They're perfectly matched as they spit about the cost of celebrity. League produced standout "F.A.M.E.," featuring T.I., showcases the two Atlanta icons in an earnest and revealing light. "OJ" is a smooth, melodic track that plays like a cinematic score with rappers Fabolous, Jadakiss and Jeezy playing the role of narrators for a Scorsese-like tale of street life. Album."ĭespite numerous delays that endangered Jeezy's ability to maintain the cultural relevance he's enjoyed since his solo debut in 2005, "TM 103" delivers on every level. You just have to enjoy banging beats, witty tales of urban street life and the best collection of featured artists this side of Game's "R.E.D. You don't have to be a fan of Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy to appreciate his new album, "Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition." So, as crunchy as the guitars and as pounding as the drums might get, they stay well in the background and let Durbin show off his pipes.īallads such as "May," hair-metal tributes like "Outcast" and grunge throwbacks like "Higher Than Heaven" are efficient vehicles for Durbin to drive.īut he's definitely got his seat belt on, and he gets only "close enough" to rocking.
Not unlike Daughtry, Durbin is essentially a rock singer who aims from the front of an imagined arena all the way back to the theoretical nosebleed seats.Īlso not unlike Daughtry, Durbin doesn't take the songs he sings anywhere that the folks who voted for him on "American Idol" wouldn't want to go. Chris Daughtry proved that when his second-place finish on the TV talent competition didn't hurt his career, and now James Durbin hopes to follow Daughtry to the pop charts with his fourth-place showing in the 2011 season. "Close enough" now seems to count with horseshoes, hand grenades - and "American Idol" contestants.
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