.

Jay-Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne' is Opulent and Adventurous

Also: Stream new music by Jeff Bridges, Lil Wayne and Drake, Sly Stone, 3 Doors Down, Feist and Portugal. The Man.

Comment
August 16, 2011 9:40 AM ET
kanye jay-z west watch the throne otis
Kanye West and Jay-Z's 'Watch the Throne'
Album cover courtesy artist, Givenchy.

In this week's slate of Rolling Stone reviews, Jody Rosen assesses hip-hop monarchs Jay-Z and Kanye West's collaborative album Watch the Throne, which  he says is ambitious and sonically bold, but too heavily weighted on their boasts of outrageous wealth. Also, Will Hermes praises the lived-in in sound of actor Jeff Bridges' new country-rock album, J. Edward Keyes digs the vintage glam-rock sound of Portugal. The Man, and Jon Dolan slams the anthemic plodding of 3 Doors Down's latest record Time of My Life.

ALBUMS

Jay-Z and Kanye West - Watch the Throne (stream one song)

Jeff Bridges - Jeff Bridges (stream one song)

Portugal. The Man - In the Mountains in the Cloud (stream one song)

Shabazz Palaces - Black Up (stream five songs)

Hercules & Love Affair - Blue Songs (stream one song)

Sly Stone - I'm Back! Family & Friends (stream one song)

John Hiatt - Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns (stream one song)

3 Doors Down - Time of My Life (stream one song)

MellowHype - BlackenedWhite (stream one song)

SONGS

Lil Wayne featuring Drake "She Will" (stream)

Feist "How Come You Never Go There" (stream)

Pusha-T featuring Tyler, the Creator "Trouble On My Mind" (stream)

LAST WEEK: Mick Jagger's Superheavy Delivers a Summer Song For Every Beach

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

prev
Janet Jackson and Lady Antebellum Cancel Indiana State Fair Gigs
Music Main Next
Dead Juggalo Found in Ohio River

Picks From Around the Web


blog comments powered by Disqus
Daily Newsletter

Get the latest RS news in your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Rolling Stone newsletter and special offers from RS and its
marketing partners.

X

We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy.

Most Popular

Photos & Videos

Go To Content

Random Notes: Hottest Rock Pictures

Go To Content Play Video

Video: Dave Grohl Sits in With the Rolling Stones

Go To Content

Gallery: 'Born Sinner' Series by J. Cole

Best Ever Lists
100 Greatest Beatles Songs

Other Lists

Song Stories

“(We're Not) The Jet Set”

George Jones and Tammy Wynette | 1973

George Jones and Tammy Wynette were still married when they recorded the tongue-in-cheek "(We're Not) The Jet Set." The lyrics, written by Nashville songwriter Bobby Braddock, who also penned Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today," make fun of the good life by declaring, "We're not the Jet Set/We're the old Chevrolet set." Braddock recalled that while writing the song, he needed the name of a city that evened out the rhyme he had with "Riviera" and "Missourah." “I got out a Rand McNally atlas," he said. "In the first part are the maps. The last part is an alphabetical listing of cities. I wanted a rustic, small-time sound. I went to the listing for Missouri. And I found 'Festus.' I loved the sound of it."

More Song Stories entries »