Weekly album reviews from your trusted source for music that matters.http://www.kexp.orgen-usFri, 16 May 2008 02:03Fri, 16 May 2008 02:03web@kexp.org1The soul legend's latest album not only continues the streak of strong albums since his comeback earlier this decade, it's the best he's made since his '70s heyday. Lay It Down was co-produced by hip hop notables ?uestlove from the Roots and keyboardist James Poyser (Erykah Badu, Common, etc.), and also features a few guest vocals from modern soul singers Anthony Hamilton, John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae along with horns from Sharon Jones's backing band the Dap-Kings. They effortlessly recreate the classic silky Memphis soul sound that defined the records Green made with producer Willie Mitchell back in the '70s, and Green's creamy, elastic vocals will still make you swoon.5/15/2008http://www.kexp.org/reviews/reviews.aspConsider this British electronic duo's remarkable full-length debut stoned easy-listening. They use a sample-heavy approach to recontextualize a variety of schmaltzy horrors, combining and tweaking them into trippy and incredibly lush chillout grooves that lull you into thinking that maybe the Alan Parsons Project, Buffalo and the Captain and Tenille weren't so bad after all (just to name some of the folks sampled here, though they also blend in sweet soul classics from the Chi-Lites and others, underlining the subjectivity between ?cool? and ?uncool? source material). Equally pleasurable and disturbing, Silent Movie is one of the year's more distinctive records.5/14/2008http://www.kexp.org/reviews/reviews.aspThe 2nd album from this young British DJ/producer is an excellent set of expansive, techno-inflected dubstep combining bone-rattling bass with a variety of catchy hooks.5/13/2008http://www.kexp.org/reviews/reviews.aspThe veteran Philadelphia hip hop band follows up the intensely raw Game Theory with an album that's even more politically militant and uncompromising. Driven by ominous, dirty-sounding synths and ?uestlove's remarkable drum work, Rising Down bristles with simmering resentment and frustration over injustice and brutality that occasionally boils over into rage at a world falling apart. Black Thought is joined by a wide variety of guest rappers, from underground greats like Mos Def, Common and Talib Kweli to more obscure types that end up delivering some of the album's best raps. Rising Down is the Roots' darkest album ? it's also one of their best.5/12/2008http://www.kexp.org/reviews/reviews.aspThe British soul singer/guitarist follows up his excellent 2006 album People Gonna Talk with another first-rate set of '50s and '60s-style soul and R&B ? while many who go the old-school route rely to some degree on covers, Hunter wrote every song on The Hard Way, and they range from high-energy dance numbers to some sweet Sam Cooke-influenced ballads. The album's clean production puts emphasis on Hunter's soulful croon with a touch of gravel and his biting, economical guitar leads. Legendary New Orleans producer/pianist Allen Toussaint guests on 3 songs.5/12/2008http://www.kexp.org/reviews/reviews.asp