Quick Reviews

Redman

Red Gone Wild: Thee Album

The last time the world saw Redman and stopped to take notice was back in 2001 when the box office hit "How High" was released. Though the movie starred Redman and a cast that included Fred Willard and pretty much no one else, that doesn't make Redman an essential component to the miracle that is Def Jam Records. However, with his new CD Red Gone Wild, a follow up to 2001's Malpractice, Redman proves that he can't really write a good single without help from his more talented and more famous friends. Packing the album with 23 tracks, Red Gone Wild features a buffet of talent including Snoop Dogg on "Merry Jane" and Biz Markie on "Walk In Gutta." Of course, what would a Redman album be without the stylings of Method Man, who is featured on "Blow Treez." Redman and his friends' constant name-dropping in the middle of booty-bouncing beats gets old after a while, just like the monotonous and uninspired booty-dropping beats themselves. Maybe Redman should stick to his acting career. Grade: C+

- Sarah Shanfield, Muse Staff

Mika

Life in Cartoon Motion

With a number one single and album in his homeland, British artist Mika, the most hyped new artist of 2007, hits the US with Life in Cartoon Motion. Part Bee Gees, part Elton John (with a touch of Scissor Sisters), Motion is a collection of unashamed, pure pop that will leave you, for the most part, smiling. On the album opener and lead single "Grace Kelly," Mika addresses musicians' willingness to please record labels and even references his constant comparisons to Freddie Mercury: "So I try a little Freddie, I've gone identity mad." Other standouts include "Relax, Take It Easy," which samples the Cutting Crew's classic "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" and the über-campy, falsetto-heavy "Love Today." While some songs like "Lollipop" are too sweet to deal with, Mika is pure fun as long as he is handled, like all indulgences . . . in moderation. Grade: B

- Charlie Adelman, Muse Staff

Modest Mouse

We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

Modest Mouse's newest nautically themed release on Epic, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, should please any fan. The indie band from Washington first received mainstream acceptance with the release of its single "Float On" in 2004 and have maintained a relatively loyal fan base since then. Songs on We Were Dead . . . have the same quirky, bewildering and introspective lyrics as older releases, but are musically slower and more mature. Any listener hearing Modest Mouse for the first time might prefer to get an older album first (The Moon & Antartica or Good News for People Who Love Bad News) but devoted listeners will appreciate this new release. Standout tracks include, "Dashboard," "We've Got Everything," and "Fly Trapped in a Jar." Indie-rock fans will also enjoy hearing James Mercer of the Shins on background vocals. Grade: A-

- Nick Kyriacou, Muse Staff