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MJ Cole
I’ve never been particularly active in the ecstasy-fueled dance-club scene, so it’s difficult for me to appreciate this disk for what it is. The cover of the CD speaks volumes about the target audience, with a burning shopping bag, not unlike what you might get from Saks Fifth Avenue, sitting on a laminated countertop. This is music for people who are more concerned with their lifestyle than the pop music scene – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Attitude provides the key here, as is it exemplified on a song with said name. Imagine the attitude of a rocker bent on self-expression. Now, imagine the attitude of a self-important person who smiles and looks right through you. It’s the latter that vocalist Elisabeth Troy conveys when she sings "Attitude". Even the musicians involved don’t rate for much here, since I needed a frikkin’ magnifying glass to read her name off of the credits.
For scene-sters who think any music that causes them to work up a sweat is good music, this is for them. It’s all a bit generic to my ears, but I have to admit that it is also creative as hell. What it lacks in personality is compensated for with clever sampling and cool beats. As a drummer, I find these quick, ultra-syncopated rhythms to be fun, if not particularly funky. On "Introduction", "Sincere", and "Tired Games", the samples are sophisticated and slick. If "I See" lacked vocals, it could be mistaken for a Moby construction. The vocals are extremely proficient throughout, but the words are too generic to convey much beyond the melody that supports them. For example, the title track sounds like it was written by pulling random phrases from a hat; "Don’t do it. Be sincere. Crazy…" leaves the door open to interpretation, but there isn’t enough personality here to make anybody bother enough to care.
Like I said, though, this isn’t the kind of music that deems analysis beyond an appreciation for its construction. It is designer music made for high-couture showrooms, designer outlets, and sweaty, Versace-clad dancers.
Grade: 
 
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