Articles written by Michael Irvin Arrington
Showing 46 Articles
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Mos Def Releases "The Ecstatic"
After some well-received acting roles, Mos Def returns to hip hop with "The Ecstatic," a vast improvement over 2006's "True Magic."
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Cornel West and BMWMB Release Impressive Album
Never Forget, the CD compilation by Cornel West and Black Men Who Mean Business, showcases some of the most talented artists on the contemporary music scene.
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Jurassic 5 Releases Deluxe CD set
The new Jurassic 5 re-release includes the group's debut CD, but the set's second disc falls far short of the group's best work.
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Leigh Montville Chronicles Life of Ted Williams
In one of the best baseball books in recent memory, Leigh Montville thoroughly reports on the life of arguably the greatest hitter ever, Ted Williams.
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Walter Mosley Novel Introduces A New Character
Author Walter Mosley adds to his literary repertoire with his newest mystery novel by creating a new character in a contemporary context.
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Album Features Ben Folds A Capella Arrangements
Ben Folds enlists the assistance of some of the country's top college a capella groups to create new interpretations of his catalog.
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WKRP in Cincinnati, Season 1 Released on DVD
The release of WKRP in Cincinnati on DVD will take viewers back to a time when radio played a more pivotal role in popular culture and the music industry.
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Eminem's Long-Awaited "Relapse"
Eminem's new album, "Relapse," lives up to ts name, as the rapper returns to the familiar territory of venomous attacks on his enemies and his signature lyrical flow.
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Pearlman Investigates Dallas Cowboys Dynasty
Writer Jeff Pearlman has composed a compelling study of the Super Bowl Cowboys of Aikman, Smith, Irvin, and their strange cast of supporting characters.
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Christopher Titus Makes Us Laugh at Divorce
Christopher Titus recounts his divorce and new romance on his new album -- and, in doing so, reminds us that our everyday lives provide the best comedic material.
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Stephen Lynch Releases 3 Balloons
The new CD from Stephen Lynch is a mixed bag in which many of the shorter cuts outshine longer jokes that take too long to develop.
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Melinda Doolittle Releases Debut CD
The first album from Melinda Doolittle shows that she is more than sufficiently talented to thrive in life after American Idol.
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Miri Ben-Ari Blends Violin, Hip-Hop on 2005 CD
Violinist Miri Ben-Ari builds a bridge from the band kids to hip-hop heads with an impressive album that evokes the passion of multiple musical genres.
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Michael Eric Dyson Strikes Again
Michael Eric Dyson, the "hip hop intellectual," lives up to that moniker in "Know What I Mean?" Along the way, he makes some important observations about race and gender.
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Q-Tip's "Renaissance" Not "Amplified" Enough
The newest release from former A Tribe Called Quest member Q-Tip is marked by strong beats and catchy hooks, but the rapper's lyrics create too few memorable moments.
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Larry Wilmore Offers Humorous Views on Race
The new book from comedy writer Larry Wilmore, "I'd Rather We Got Casinos," presents a unique voice among African-American humorists.
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Michael Ian Black's "Custom Van" Runs Out of Gas
"My Custom Van," the collection of humorous essays from comedian Michael Ian Black, presents some of the comic's funniest work, but some of the material wears thin.
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KRS-ONE Releases New CD With Old Results
Maximum Exposure Two Thousand Eight, the new album from the former Boogie Down Productions leader, exhibits the best and worst qualities of the sizable KRS-ONE catalog.
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Kanye West Finds Life After Graduation Lonely
The most polarizing figure in hip hop shows that two pictures are worth thousands of words with an album that marks the beginning of his life after "Graduation."
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Toobin Pens Recent Supreme Court History
Jeffrey Toobin's "The Nine" is a thorough and engaging description of the current Supreme Court justices and their respectives paths to the highest court in the land.
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Everlast Gets Serious on New CD
The newest CD from former House of Pain frontman Everlast is an artistic success, albeit heavy-handed at times.
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Atmosphere Releases Ambitious New CD
On "When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Sh*t Gold," underground veteran duo Atmosphere demonstrates the storytelling skills that merit a larger audience.
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New Nappy Roots CD Not Quite A "Humdinger"
The newest CD from Nappy Roots attempts to please mainstream fans, perhaps at the expense of the group's underground fan base.
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Cyndi Lauper Returns With New Album
Bring Ya to the Brink, the newest CD from Cyndi Lauper, gives listeners one of the most original artists of the eighties -- but without the originality.
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Randy Newman Returns With An Album For Our Times
Randy Newman's new CD reveals a veteran artist whose work is as timely as ever. "Harps and Angels" is a soundtrack for our times, covering themes of love and patriotism.
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John Mayer Boldly Goes "Where The Light Is"
John Mayer's two-disc set, "Where the Light Is," reveals a complex musician steadily working to expand his musical vocabulary.
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Brian Culbertson Releases Funk-Influenced CD
In a departure from the safe stylings of most smooth jazz, Brian Culbertson's "Bringing Back the Funk" shows that contemporary jazz can still be passionate and energetic.
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Cee-Lo Releases Hits Compilation
The newly-released "Closet Freak: The Best of Cee-Lo Green the Soul Machine" compiles a body of work from on of the few unique voices in contemporary R&B or hip-hop.
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Candy Dulfer Releases New Album
Candy Dulfer's newest CD contains a couple of sure-fire smooth jazz hits, but its stronger tracks are not plentiful enough to match the quality of her earlier work.
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New Snoop Dogg CD Continues His Downward Spiral
On his newest release, Ego Trippin', rap star Snoop Dogg refuses to show any development beyond his past work. As a result, he comes across as a caricature of himself.
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Walter Mosley Novel Tackles Morality and Race
Although it has a weak ending, Walter Mosley's new novel, The Tempest Tales, poses important questions about religion, race, and the afterlife.
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B. B. King Releases New CD
B. B. King's newest release, One Kind Favor, finds the legendary blues guitarist pondering his mortality amid tracks about life and love.
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Season Two of The Boondocks Released on DVD
The Boondocks, Season Two, is a must-see DVD collection because of its animation, voices, and bonus episodes.
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New Book Investigates Racial Issues in Sports
This article reviews The Unlevel Playing Field: A Documentary History of the African American Experience in Sport, edited by David Wiggins and Patrick Miller.
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New Book Investigates Racial Issues in Churches
This article review the book Against All Odds: The Struggle for Racial Integration in Religious Organizations, by Brad Christerson, Korie Edwards, and Michael Emerson.
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Mitch Hedberg's Posthumous CD Released
The newly-released Hedberg CD, while far from his best work, reminds fans of his inimitable style and introduces others to a voice that was extinguished far too soon.
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New Lewis Black CD Falls Short of Earlier Work
Lewis Black ignores the potential for insightful, funny political commentary and, instead, settles for little more than a sophomoric tirade with little substance.
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Exit 13 by LL Cool J
Exit 13, the newest CD from Def Jam rapper LL Cool J, shows the artist at the top of his game, deftly combining elements of old-school hip-hop and newer rhythms.
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Narratives, Health, and Healing
This article reviews the book, Narratives, Health, and Healing: Communication Theory, Research, and Practice.
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A Round-Heeled Woman, by Jane Juska
This article reviews Jane Juska's book, A Round-Heeled Woman: My Late-Life Adventures in Sex and Romance.
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Open Heart
This article reviews Jay Neugeboren's book, Open Heart: A Patient's Story of Life-Saving Medicine and Life-Giving Friendship.
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Doorway Thoughts
This article reviews the American Geriatrics Society book, Doorway Thoughts: Cross-Cultural Health Care for Older Adults.
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DJ Jazzy Jeff
This article reviews the newest CD from Grammy Award winning DJ Jazzy Jeff.
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Tobymac: Alive and Transported
This article reviews Tobymac's live CD/DVD set, Alive and Transported.
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Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk
This article reviews Snuff, Chuck Palahniuk's shortest and newest novel.
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Rounding Third & Heading For Home
This article reviews Greg Hoard's book, Joe: Rounding Third & Heading for Home, a biography of the late Cincinnati Reds pitcher and broadcaster, Joe Nuxhall.
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