Will Smith (3 stars)
Lost and Found
Halfway through Lost and Found, I found myself thinking, what if the Fresh Prince—whose early career was predicated on fun-time raps that could play on Nickelodeon—had stuck to rhyming, rather than treating it like lucrative side hustle between $20-million-per-movie gigs? If he channeled the drive used to transform his body for Ali, could he shed his soft reputation?
Smith only half answers these questions on a surprisingly listenable CD, even without sonic primping from hit-making producer Timbaland and Snoop Dogg blessing the chorus on "Pump Ya Brakes." Smith's wit pervades the album, as does mild sniping at his critics. On a diss scale from one to Tupac Incendiary, Smith's verbal jousts against critics ("Mr. Nice Guy") and gunplay rappers ("Lost and Found") is half past mild.
He's at his worst—and there aren't any bad songs—on "Tell Me Why," an attempt to convey the difficulties parents have in explaining the world's mysteries to kids. Club-groovy and a certified butt-wiggler, "Switch" shows Smith at his fun-loving best, although the remix and re-remix is a bit much. Smith's even a tad bit insightful, calling out songs he wished he'd penned on "I Wish I Made That." Which gets me to thinking about what if he never became an actor: Would he be a better rapper?
Anna Nalick (3 stars)
Wreck of the Day
Anna Nalick makes a tasteful, mostly forgettable debut on Wreck of the Day, a collection of pop-rock songs that fit perfectly on adult contemporary radio between Jewel and Michelle Branch. Nalick's lead single, "Breathe (2 AM)," sounds so much like a certain Alaskan folk singer, actually, that it's almost hard to believe it's someone else.
At least she's got the chops to write her own, mostly catchy, songs. "Breathe," derivative though it may be, is perfect fodder for background music on a teen drama, and upbeat "Satellite" has a genuine energy and a breezily infectious chorus. Produced by former Blind Melon members Christopher Thorn and Brad Smith, Wreck of the Day bears virtually no signs of their quirky alterna-rock, and Nalick's lyrics never move beyond standard angst. The album has an undeniable charm, though, and as an example of pop with integrity and a bit of depth, it's promising, if slight.