Press Play – Album Reviews

MoZellaI Will**1/2Maureen McDonald calls herself MoZella because she says her name “sounds like a diner waitress name.” Curious, given that waitresses who watch One Tree Hill or Everwood will love this album. The lyrics are occasionally clever, though often trite, sung with Macy Gray’s throatiness and Geri Halliwell’s sultriness.

There is nothing distinctive about this album or artist. MoZella is a cute blond gal who writes what she lives (read: makes guys want her, bemoans guys who hurt her, uses guys as basis for sassy lyrics). The Detroit jazz under her Los Angeles brand of hip-hopish lyrics is decent–an instrumental version of I Will would be superb. But as it stands, the album will likely tickle few other eardrums than those of indie-hipster girls who shop at Urban Outfitters and spend too much time in trendy coffee shops.MoZella will perform at the Wonder Ballroom with Bob Schneider on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15, 21 and over only.-Robert Seitzinger

FederationIt’s Whateva***Welcome to commercialized gangsta rap. The It’s Whateva introduction track states that “If you are against lewd acts of violence, drug abuse, degrading women–I’m sorry, disrespecting bitches–then this album is not suitable for your listening enjoyment.”

That pretty much sums it up. Their lyrical content features genre-typical vehicular accouterments (“My Rimz”), inebriation (“Got Me Fucked Up”) and demeanors (“College Girl”) which dominate the cavalcade of contemporary rap culture. That last sentence is for the honor of all college women, which the insipid rappers of Federation relegate to being “nasty freaks.”

All that said, It’s Whateva is a decent effort packed with dance club and subwoofer-blasting potential. Federation knows what they’re doing and whom they’re doing it for. And this album does whatever the hell that is with talent.-Robert Seitzinger

Jimmy Eat World Chase This Light****People typically associate Jimmy Eat World with their 2001 single “The Middle”. While it was a damn catchy song, it so saturated the airwaves that the general populous grew sick of it and subsequently wrote the band off as just another obnoxious, talentless emo-pop ensemble. That’s a shame, since the band has been putting out quality albums (generally catchy, yes, but a hell of a lot more musically diverse than most people give them credit for) since far before emo was the bloated cash cow it is today.

Since so many bands become stale and derivative over time, it’s nice that Jimmy Eat World’s latest offering Chase This Light is on par with the rest of the band’s work. The new album has a slightly lighter, less varied sound and lacks some of the impact of their last album, Futures, but it’s still damn good. They may not be as deep or intellectually pretentious as most hipsters would have it, but at least Jimmy Eat World is honest. – Steve Haske