Reviews Written By: A35JR4D6FLXYRQprovided by Amazon.com |
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 | Toni Braxton - Secrets | |
 | "Secrets - 4.5 stars" | 2009-09-27 |
| Toni's sophomore set continued her progression from an excellent debut. This is a strong collection of songs where Toni's vocal phrasings and the song melodies are beautiful from one track to the next. On the Babyface productions, it's like he & Toni are both halves of one brain - and although more Adult Contemporary than straight R&B, the songs are still memorable, melodic and beautiful.
I saw Toni on a commercial recently which prompted my little Toni-athon and rediscovered singles that I hadn't listened to in a while: THERE'S NO ME WITHOUT YOU, WHY SHOULD I CARE, IN THE LATE OF NIGHT and FIND ME A MAN in addition to the "hits" that I love: LET IT FLOW, I LOVE ME SOME HIM, UNBREAK MY HEART & YOU'RE MAKING ME HIGH. Overall this is a great second offering from one of my favorite vocalists who we need to hear more new music from! Please come back soon, Toni! | ||
 | Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton | |
| "Toni Braxton - 4.5 stars" | 2009-09-27 |
| Toni Braxton burst onto the music scene with the smoldering debut LOVE SHOULDA BROUGHT YOU HOME from the Boomerang soundtrack. I love the story of how she got her shot in the business - this song was originally presented to Anita Baker who passed but suggested that the woman who sang the demo (Toni) sing the actual song! Toni got the shot and the rest is history as they say.
This album was a very successful debut earning Toni multiple top ten r&b hits and subsequently grammies & other awards. The most wonderful thing about this collection is the collaboration between the singer and the writers/producers, LA & Babyface. All were definitely in the creative zone when this debut was put together because virtually every song was a hit but moreso, timeless since I still have this disc in heavy rotation. I've continued to buy her albums because she is one of the most distinctly unique vocalists still in the business who when given excellent material turns it out! Of the 12 tracks there are only 2 that I think are just ok and don't listen to frequently, CANDLELIGHT & LOVE AFFAIR. And of the others my favorites are: BREATHE AGAIN, YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME, BEST FRIEND, SEVEN WHOLE DAYS, HOW MANY WAYS & LOVE SHOULDA BROUGHT YOU HOME. I'd highly recommend this cd as one of the best debuts by an r&b female vocalist from that era because it still stands the test of time. | ||
 | Prison Break - Season 1 | |
 | "Prison Break - Season I" | 2009-07-15 |
| I'd forgotten how truly "sitting on the edge of my seat; do not care if it IS 3am and I've gotta get up for work in 2.5 hrs, I'm watching another epi" great this season is. I decided to give the show a chance because I'd read an interview with the creator who stated that he only meant for the show to last 4 seasons and had written out the storyline to last that long. I was intrigued because usually after a 1st season this good, series tend to fall off because the writers hadn't banked on a hit. The premise of the show has been detailed perfectly by other reviewers so I'll just go on and add my 2 cents regarding what kept me drawn to this show: 1) Wentworth Miller in a star making turn as "Michael Scofield" - loved his steely glares and the little smirk he'd get when his plans went off without a hitch 2) Peter Stormare - his take on the Mafia Don was original (at times menacing and other times humorous) 3) Robert Knepper - "T-Bag", one of the creepiest characters ever! Where is his Emmy???! 4) The exceptional chemistry between the entire cast (with the exception of Robin Tunney) My two favorite scenes were: 1) when the brothers initially meet in the prison chapel and Michael tells Linc that he's going to get him out and 2) near the end of the riot - again the two brothers meet up and just the expression on Wentworth's face actually made me cry as he realizes the horror he unleashed and then sees his big brother Really I know that if u live on the east coast right now the last thing u want to do is sit in front of a tv, especially since the weather has gotten so perfect but honestly, if u missed the chance to get hooked on this show when it initially aired, try to either view it or buy it. This season really became my personal crack and thankfully Amazon had a price reduction so I was able to buy the first 3 seasons and have the last one on order. | ||
 | Charmed - The Complete Second Season | |
| "Charmed - Season 2 (actually 4.5 stars)" | 2009-06-03 |
| Season 2 definitely improved upon the foundation laid by the 1st season! Each sister has an interesting back storyline that ran throughout the season: Pru realized a life long desire of becoming a professional photographer, Piper became a club owner AND experienced a love dilemma having to choose between Leo & Dan and Phoebe returned to college. Also Pru developed a new power, astral projection which definitely added excitement to some of the episodes where the power was featured. The only complaint that I have about this set is the fact that there are no extras or a "play all" option which would allow greater ease watching the entire disc in one setting. The skills of all three actresses improved this season as they were able to display greater range in their comedic as well as dramatic acting. I loved that when an episode focused on one sister, that particular actress stepped up to the plate and hit a home run. Of the 22 episodes, I only hate to watch 3: THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC, ANIMAL PRAGMATISM & THE DEVIL'S MUSIC. My favorite episodes are: WITCH TRIAL (the season premiere) - a still grieving Pru faces her guilt about Andy's death while the sisters face a powerful demon that resurrects demons they'd already vanquished in Season 1 MORALITY BITES - (Phoebe centered) - when the Sisters use magic to teach a pest a lesson, they time travel to the future to see how the action eventually costs Phoebe her life P3H2O - the Sisters unearth a secret about their mother's death AWAKENED - (Piper centered) - Piper's life is in jeopardy and no magical solution is available...or is there? PARDON MY PAST - (Phoebe centered) - Phoebe's past life warns her about her impending death so she time travels to the past to unravel the clues CHICK FLICK (one of my all-time faves) - a very clever episode concerning a demon who injects horror movie viewers with rage. I especially love the scenes when the sisters battle the horror stars MS HELLFIRE - brings back one of my favorite demons, Barbas & a love interest for Pru (Antonio Sabbato as "Bane") - this episode features Pru masquerading as a hit woman to find out who ordered a human to kill the sisters BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WITCH FOR - (season finale) another episode that mixes comedy with the drama so effortlessly. A genie tricks the sisters into wishing so that he can be free with disastrous results. Also Piper goes up in a swirl of lights with Leo and we are left wondering if she will return. All in all this is a great season which gives me as much enjoyment today as when I initially watched them. | ||
 | Dark Angel - The Complete First Season | |
| "Dark Angel - 1st Season" | 2009-05-06 |
| I missed this series when it aired - I just wasn't into sci-fi shows but after catching a few episodes on the Sci-Fi channel, I was interested enough to buy the whole set and I'm glad I did. Dark Angel is an interesting & innovative show featuring a charismatic lead in Jessica Alba whose acting skills I doubted before seeing this series. Is she Oscar or Emmy worthy? - No but her lack of true expression aka "fighter face" works with the character and her skills DID improve in later episodes. The episodes had a good balance between the drama of "Max" evading capture while searching for her fellow X-5 brothers & sisters and the comedic relief provided by her co-workers at Jam Pony. The writing and pacing of the episodes also drew me in and kept me interested - they never went too "dark" and always had some type of comic relief or side story while never veering too far from the main storyline. The supporting actors all lend individual touches to liven up the stories but I especially enjoyed the interactions between Alba & Michael Weatherly ("Eyes Only") and Alba & Valerie Rae Miller ("Original Cindy")- I could see the actors building real relationships with each other during the filming and it made their scenes so much more believable. A lot of reviewers have commented on the overuse of slang - it was mildly annoying during the few few episodes but honestly I just got used to it as another "hook" to interest viewers who talked like that during that particular era. Overall I really enjoyed watching the series at my own pace and wish that it had lasted longer than 2 seasons. I'd highly recommend it to those who like imaginative yet realistic tv series with strong female leads. | ||
![Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On [Bonus Tracks]](product_images/1373000/1373224_thumb.jpg) | Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On [Bonus Tracks] | |
| "Let's Get It On" | 2009-02-23 |
| This album is my 2nd favorite Marvin album and it's one of the most satisfying listening experiences I've ever had. From start to finish Marvin is on a roll and the 8 tracks are as close to perfect as any album I have in my collection. The thing that I love about Marvin is that as one of the producers, he was able to shape the songs and in a sense-harmonize with himself so that at times it sounds like 3 different people singing instead of just him and because the album tells a story of sorts, each song just flows perfectly from one to the other and each song is absolutely the definition of "timeless music". Although at 8 tracks, it is a relatively short album to listen to in entirety but my "press repeat" tracks are: IF I SHOULD DIE TONIGHT - absolutely stunning. Everytime I hear this song I think of the first time I truly heard it and listened to the lyrics & cried. This is such a beautiful love song! JUST TO KEEP YOU SATISFIED - another stunner, vocally Marvin sounds incredible and the lyrics just lay bare his crumbling marriage. I was surprised to learn that he'd written this song with his estranged wife, Anna as they were having major marital problems. COME GET TO THIS - mellow track that gets my head bobbing. LET'S GET IT ON - classic Marvin! Finally an honorable mention to DISTANT LOVER - although I love the live version on his LIVE AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM album, this song is a favorite of mine as well. To those trying to build a Marvin Gaye, r&b or overall music collection, this is Marvin at his best and I'd highly recommend it. | ||
 | Merry Christmas | |
| "Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas" | 2009-02-23 |
| I hadn't listened to this album in entirety for a long time but found a lot of comfort in listening to it during this past holiday season and have been listening to certain tracks off and on since. Honestly I bought it back when it was released but truly only listened to my favorite track, O HOLY NIGHT over & over. This is a well-balanced album that mixes standard holiday songs with Mariah's own heartfelt tracks which makes it an interesting album overall to listen to. SILENT NIGHT - I love the vocal arrangement of the background singers, Melonie Daniels, Shanrae Price & Kelly Price ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU - instant modern classic with a do-wop arrangement MISS YOU MOST (AT CHRISTMAS TIME) - although I love this track, I can't listen to it too often as it brings me to tears JOY TO THE WORLD - love her rollicking rendition of this traditional song JESUS BORN ON THIS DAY - Mariah sounds great & the addition of the childrens' choir makes this song special SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN - another toe-tapping rollicking arrangement kicks up the "fun factor" of this song HARK! THE HERALD ANGEL SINGS/GLORIA - the arrangement is terrific JESUS, OH WHAT A WONDERFUL CHILD - takes me to church everytime I hear it It's one of the best holiday albums I have in my collection and definitely one of my favorite Mariah albums. | ||
 | Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway | |
| "Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway" | 2009-01-03 |
| Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway singing together is a "perfect storm" collaboration. Their voices complement each other so well that whenever I hear their duets it's like God-like intervention put the two of them on earth at the same time so that they could meet and work together. I know that sounds off the wall but that's how I feel about their songs - they were MEANT to work together. This is an exquisite collection of songs that they had a hand in arranging & producing and honestly the only arrangement I don't like 100% is YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING...it's a little difficult to get into until they start singing the chorus. The more popular "hit" singles from this collection are: WHERE IS THE LOVE & YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND; however my favorite tracks are the stunning: I WHO HAVE NOTHING - their vocal arrangement makes it interesting to listen to; COME YE DISCONSOLATE - a traditional gospel track that they turned out!; FOR ALL WE KNOW - Donny sings with Roberta accompanying on piano; MOOD & BE REAL BLACK FOR ME. I'd highly recommend that fans of both or either singers add this disc to their collection - it's a wonderful collaboration set from two of the most unheralded singers in music. | ||
 | Baby Boy | |
 | "Baby Boy" | 2008-12-28 |
| I saw this movie when it was released and not again till last night. I was a fan of John Singleton's work and understood from interviews that his movies up to this point were his own "triology" of Black male life experiences in South Central L.A. This movie touched on a lot of ills in the Black community but didn't offer solutions tied up in a bow at the movie's end so to me it is an episodic few weeks in the life of one character, Jody aka "Baby Boy". After my second viewing this isn't a movie that I'd add to my favorite list or that I want to see in entirety again though I would probably watch my favorite scenes from time to time. The pacing of the movie seems uneven to me - it was moving along fine until the Snoop character "Rodney" bogarts his way into Yvette's apartment after his release from jail during the final third of the movie. Clearly the character was only introduced to add tension to the story but I wonder how it would've turned out if Singleton had just focused on the factors and/or experiences that Jody faces during the movie that might have caused him to grow up and be a man and real father to his children and left the gangster bs out. Like another reviewer, I was a little dismayed that education is not stressed as an option for Jody and his cousin P but as in real life, people only promote what they know which is why Jody's mom (AJ Johnson) stressed that he work but never suggested that he go to college. I gave the disc 3 stars because I really enjoyed the special feature which I guess aired on Cinemax prior to the movie's release. I enjoyed all of the actors' comments regarding their characters and was surprised to hear Singleton state that he'd written this script for Tupac Shakur. Once I heard that statement, I couldn't help but think about how different this movie would have been had he lived to portray this character...Tyrese was good in the role but Tupac would have been magnificent I believe. One other positive factor for me is that there is excellent chemistry between the cast members so their performances are stronger & more believable - especially Tyrese/Ving Rhames and Tyrese/Taraji P. Henson. | ||
 | The Sweethearts of Soul | |
| "The Sweethearts of Soul" | 2008-11-21 |
| The premise of this book intrigued me: **a 60's female soul group made up of adopted "sisters" **a mysterious estrangement divides the sisters **a terrible secret binds the sisters The story moves forward as "Legs Diamond", a reporter for an r&b magazine interviews each woman in anticipation of their receiving an award. I enjoyed the flow of the story as each interview leads to the next in piecing together the history of the Sweethearts. I also love how the author wove bits of Philly music history into the details of the story. Another positive is Ms. Lambright's vivid description of all of the characters allowed me to picture them in my mind's eye as I read and bring them more to life. I found this story uplifting, real and heartbreaking. When I finally discovered the secret, I cried but admit that I had to re-read that particular passage three times because the way that the revelation was presented is a little muddled. I also found that because I wasn't able to read the book in one sitting, I had to re-read previous passages so that I could pick up the storyline. I do agree with a previous review that the layout of the book is better suited to a script as opposed to a novel but I still enjoyed it and hope that the author tries to adapt it to a movie..let's see my picks for the older Sweethearts would be: Angela Bassett, Phylisia Rashad, Debbie Allen, Lynn Whitfield, Halle Berry & Vivica A. Fox - wouldn't that be somethin'? | ||
 | Brown Sugar | |
| "Brown Sugar" | 2008-08-14 |
| I agree with a previous reviewer that this is one of those movies that I gladly supported by seeing 3 times upon its release because it's a love story as opposed to a gang-banging, drug related shoot em up. I love seeing movies with attractive African American actors playing upwardly mobile responsible adults. It was also a clever twist to use hip hop as a metaphor for the lead characters life long relationship and I truly didn't feel like they beat me over the head with the comparisons. Initially I thought I was seeing a film about two people who'd grown up loving hip hop, had careers related to hip hop and then fell in love but as the movie went on, I realized that their relationship & the evolution of hip hop were one & the same. Since others have detailed the movie plot, I just wanted to add my two cents regarding likes & dislikes. Likes: SANAA LATHAN is again terrific as the everywoman. I think she's such a good actress because in all of her films, she makes me FEEL her character's emotions. I believe her as the confident editor of a hip hop magazine and I believe her as a young confused woman who realizes that she is in love with her best friend. QUEEN LATIFAH & MOS DEF - scene stealers, both are fantastic in their supporting roles NICOLE ARI PARKER - ever fabulous as the bride who slowly realizes that she doesn't really know the man she's married BORIS KODJOE - always gorgeous to look at, he is good as the self-absorbed baller. (His drunk behavior at the Holiday party always cracks me up!) THE EXTRAS - although I would have liked a short series of interviews with the cast regarding their true feelings about hip hop - how it's influenced them, "when they first fell in love with hip hop", etc; the deleted scenes along with the director's commentary was interesting & the videos were a treat Dislikes TAYE DIGGS - he is not one of my favorite actors so it took a lot for me to accept him in this role. He's good but not entirely believable as a record exec CHEMISTRY - there was no romantic chemistry between the two leads, Sanaa & Taye which made their storyline of the least interest to me Overall I am glad I added this disc to my collection because I'd rather see different aspects of "Black love" portrayed than "black on black crimes" on the big screen. | ||
 | Brown Sugar | |
| "Brown Sugar" | 2008-08-14 |
| I agree with a previous reviewer that this is one of those movies that I gladly supported by seeing 3 times upon its release because it's a love story as opposed to a gang-banging, drug related shoot em up. I love seeing movies with attractive African American actors playing upwardly mobile responsible adults. It was also a clever twist to use hip hop as a metaphor for the lead characters life long relationship and I truly didn't feel like they beat me over the head with the comparisons. Initially I thought I was seeing a film about two people who'd grown up loving hip hop, had careers related to hip hop and then fell in love but as the movie went on, I realized that their relationship & the evolution of hip hop were one & the same. Since others have detailed the movie plot, I just wanted to add my two cents regarding likes & dislikes. Likes: SANAA LATHAN is again terrific as the everywoman. I think she's such a good actress because in all of her films, she makes me FEEL her character's emotions. I believe her as the confident editor of a hip hop magazine and I believe her as a young confused woman who realizes that she is in love with her best friend. QUEEN LATIFAH & MOS DEF - scene stealers, both are fantastic in their supporting roles NICOLE ARI PARKER - ever fabulous as the bride who slowly realizes that she doesn't really know the man she's married BORIS KODJOE - always gorgeous to look at, he is good as the self-absorbed baller. (His drunk behavior at the Holiday party always cracks me up!) THE EXTRAS - although I would have liked a short series of interviews with the cast regarding their true feelings about hip hop - how it's influenced them, "when they first fell in love with hip hop", etc; the deleted scenes along with the director's commentary was interesting & the videos were a treat Dislikes TAYE DIGGS - he is not one of my favorite actors so it took a lot for me to accept him in this role. He's good but not entirely believable as a record exec CHEMISTRY - there was no romantic chemistry between the two leads, Sanaa & Taye which made their storyline of the least interest to me Overall I am glad I added this disc to my collection because I'd rather see different aspects of "Black love" portrayed than "black on black crimes" on the big screen. | ||
 | Brown Sugar | |
| "Brown Sugar" | 2008-08-14 |
| I agree with a previous reviewer that this is one of those movies that I gladly supported by seeing 3 times upon its release because it's a love story as opposed to a gang-banging, drug related shoot em up. I love seeing movies with attractive African American actors playing upwardly mobile responsible adults. It was also a clever twist to use hip hop as a metaphor for the lead characters life long relationship and I truly didn't feel like they beat me over the head with the comparisons. Initially I thought I was seeing a film about two people who'd grown up loving hip hop, had careers related to hip hop and then fell in love but as the movie went on, I realized that their relationship & the evolution of hip hop were one & the same. Since others have detailed the movie plot, I just wanted to add my two cents regarding likes & dislikes. Likes: SANAA LATHAN is again terrific as the everywoman. I think she's such a good actress because in all of her films, she makes me FEEL her character's emotions. I believe her as the confident editor of a hip hop magazine and I believe her as a young confused woman who realizes that she is in love with her best friend. QUEEN LATIFAH & MOS DEF - scene stealers, both are fantastic in their supporting roles NICOLE ARI PARKER - ever fabulous as the bride who slowly realizes that she doesn't really know the man she's married BORIS KODJOE - always gorgeous to look at, he is good as the self-absorbed baller. (His drunk behavior at the Holiday party always cracks me up!) THE EXTRAS - although I would have liked a short series of interviews with the cast regarding their true feelings about hip hop - how it's influenced them, "when they first fell in love with hip hop", etc; the deleted scenes along with the director's commentary was interesting & the videos were a treat Dislikes TAYE DIGGS - he is not one of my favorite actors so it took a lot for me to accept him in this role. He's good but not entirely believable as a record exec CHEMISTRY - there was no romantic chemistry between the two leads, Sanaa & Taye which made their storyline of the least interest to me Overall I am glad I added this disc to my collection because I'd rather see different aspects of "Black love" portrayed than "black on black crimes" on the big screen. | ||
 | MTV - Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica - The Comlete First Season | |
| "Newlyweds - Nick & Jessica - The 1st Season" | 2008-07-30 |
| This was the first MTV reality series that I watched and I'd forgotten what a cute couple they were. Hindsight being 20/20 vision, the idea was a good way to reintroduce the couple to the public and remind viewers that both were pretty good pop singers who were still struggling to reestablish themselves in the music world but the added scrutiny by basically the world that they allowed into their private lives served to destroy their marriage. So I wonder if they'd agree to do this again knowing what they know now. It's such a shame that the marriage didn't last but these 10 episodes are as entertaining to watch now as they were just a few short years ago. I loved how down to earth Nick was - hanging out with his brother, stubbornly moving his furniture into the house, fighting the bees and fretting about his music video and solo album. Jessica seemed sweet & her hilarious observations were the perfect foil to Nick's "straight man" reactions. I remember that as the seasons went on they weren't as charming as this one because the tension between Nick & the entire Simpson family was so obvious that it became painful to watch. My only complaint is in the editing of the discs it's odd that neither Nick or Jessica's actual songs were used during the episodes about the filming of their videos but overall I enjoyed reliving this first season and would recommend it to those who may have missed the series when it aired. | ||
| MTV - Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica - The Comlete First Season | |
| "Newlyweds - Nick Jessica - The 1st Season" | 2008-07-30 |
| This was the first MTV reality series that I watched and I'd forgotten what a cute couple they were. Hindsight being 20/20 vision, the idea was a good way to reintroduce the couple to the public and remind viewers that both were pretty good pop singers who were still struggling to reestablish themselves in the music world but the added scrutiny by basically the world that they allowed into their private lives served to destroy their marriage. So I wonder if they'd agree to do this again knowing what they know now. br /br /It's such a shame that the marriage didn't last but these 10 episodes are as entertaining to watch now as they were just a few short years ago. I loved how down to earth Nick was - hanging out with his brother, stubbornly moving his furniture into the house, fighting the bees and fretting about his music video and solo album. Jessica seemed sweet her hilarious observations were the perfect foil to Nick's "straight man" reactions.br /br /I remember that as the seasons went on they weren't as charming as this one because the tension between Nick the entire Simpson family was so obvious that it became painful to watch. My only complaint is in the editing of the discs it's odd that neither Nick or Jessica's actual songs were used during the episodes about the filming of their videos but overall I enjoyed reliving this first season and would recommend it to those who may have missed the series when it aired. | ||
 | Lil' Kim - La Bella Mafia | |
| "La Bella Mafia - 3.5 stars" | 2008-07-05 |
| I'd always liked the persona of Lil Kim and enjoyed her big hits from her debut cd but had never purchased one of her albums till this one. When she debuted I compared her lyrics and "act" to great female rappers of the past and sadly, wrote Lil Kim off because I thought that her lack of clothing, excessive profanity and lack of substantive lyrics set the female rap game back to when females weren't respected in the genre. Of Kim's releases, I bought this album first because I really loved THE JUMP OFF - it was a great choice for a lead off single with its high energy beats and fun lyrics. My other favorite tracks are: DOIN IT WAY BIG - I like her flow and the beats, it's another homage to Biggie but I like it CAN'T F*$@ WITH THE QUEEN BEE - at first I couldn't believe that she sampled Deniece Williams but then I really started to like the track HEAVENLY FATHER - features strong lyrics venting her frustration about the destruction of her "family" and her place in the music industry CAME BACK FOR YOU - love the sample used and the strong lyrics THUG LOVE - an ok track where Kim switches up her style to a quicker pace to match Twista's style SHAKE YA BUM BUM - I really like the beats and the lyrical interplay between Kim & Lil Shanice MAGIC STIK - a big hit that was overplayed on the radio at the time but it was good to hear it again, Kim & 50 sound great together Overall I think it's great that Kim has been able to sustain a career in this business when initally people wished for her failure thinking that she'd be nothing without Biggie. Sometimes I wish she'd rap about more relevant topics but like other artists who find a certain niche and prefer to stay in their lane she prefers to rap about her sexual prowess & designer clothes. Since I haven't listened to her other albums in their entirety it wouldn't be fair of me to compare them but I will say that coming from someone who hasn't paid attention to rap for a while, I really liked more tracks than I disliked. | ||
 | Mariah Carey - Music Box | |
| "Music Box" | 2008-07-05 |
| With each new Mariah release, I tend to go back to her earlier albums and listen to them again and this time I selected MUSIC BOX. Honestly this was never one of my favorite albums and I didn't actually purchase it until about a year or two AFTER I'd purchased BUTTERFLY. It is a good, well constructed album that perfectly symbolizes where Mariah stood career-wise at that time. According to her accounts today, she was micro-managed and only allowed to produce songs that appealed more to the adult contemporary market yet I believe this album remains her biggest seller to date primarily due to the touching ballads and her heartfelt delivery of the songs. Listening to it today, I still love the songs that I loved "back in the day": ANYTIME YOU NEED A FRIEND, HERO, DREAMLOVER, WITHOUT YOU & MUSIC BOX. I also gained a new appreciation for: NOW THAT I KNOW - a fun uptempo track; ALL I'VE EVER WANTED & NEVER FORGET YOU - two beautiful ballads. | ||
 | En Vogue - Funky Divas | |
| "Funky Divas" | 2008-07-05 |
| En Vogue's sophomore set definitely pushed their popularity into the stratosphere! After achieving great success in the r&b world with their debut, one song from this album FREE YOUR MIND, garnered heightened attention from the MTV crowd and exposed them to new audiences. En Vogue definitely debuted at a time when there were no girl groups of note in r&b and their stunning 4 part harmonies upped the ante in the game and caused other record labels to scramble to try to find the right combination of young women to rival this group. This is a solid follow-up to their promising debut album and I'd highly recommend it. Their covers of YESTERDAY, GIVIN HIM SOMETHING HE CAN FEEL & HOOKED ON YOUR LOVE are georgeous solely due to their ability to harmonize so well. My other favorites are the tracks that helped push this album into multi-platinum status: MY LOVIN - YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET IT - timeless classic that sounded like nothing on the radio at that time GIVE IT UP, TURN IT LOOSE - another well constructed mid-tempo track LOVE DON'T LOVE YOU FREE YOUR MIND THIS IS YOUR LIFE | ||
 | Zhané - Zhane Pronounced Ja-Nay | |
| "Zhane Pronounced Ja-Nay " | 2008-07-05 |
| Another dynamic duo from the early '90s. This album is a great representation of r&b music from this era featuring two great vocalists who sing lead as beautifully as they harmonize - the added bonus is that they are also songwriters & musicians which added heartfelt believability to the tracks that were "theirs". There is also a timeless quality to their music that keeps the songs from sounding dated. My favorite tracks are: HEY MR. DJ - this was their breakout single, it's a melodic track that showcases their harmonies SENDING MY LOVE & LA LA LA - two beautiful ballads featuring excellent musical production and lyrics LOVE ME TODAY - great production featuring Renee on the piano OFF MY MIND - notable for its interesting jazz arrangement GROOVE THANG - their 2nd big hit, this single served to keep them in the public eye while they rushed to finish an entire album FOR A REASON - another beautiful ballad I'd recommend it to those trying to build a good collection of early '90s r&b music - it's a great debut from two talented young women | ||
 | Monica - Miss Thang | |
| "Miss Thang" | 2008-05-27 |
| Monica's debut came out after Brandy & Aaliyah in 1995 and I still remember the excitement I felt about the introduction of these 3 teen divas at that time. Brandy was "the sweet one" with the great voice; Aaliyah was "the mysterious one" with the powerful "it factor" and Monica was "the mature one" with the most powerful voice I'd heard from a teenager since Stacy Lattisaw. I remember being really surprised to learn that she was only 14 years old! Monica's whole demeanor was like that of a 25 year old, she was poised, calm & articulate during interviews and I was just blown away by her talent. This debut still stands the test of time and I wore it out back in the day and still pull it out from time to time to relive my own life experiences through the songs. My favorite tracks are to this day: LET'S STRAIGHTEN IT OUT (a fun duet with Usher); DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL; BEFORE YOU WALK OUT OF MY LIFE; WHY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, LIKE THIS & LIKE THAT and a very good remake of the SOS BAND'S classic, TELL ME IF YOU STILL CARE. If you never got to experience Monica's debut, do yourself a favor and pick it up. The songs are great and don't sound dated and the album as a whole is a good representation of early '90s r&b. (It's also fun to contrast & compare the teen divas' debut albums.) | ||
 | Marvin Gaye - Here, My Dear | |
| "Here, My Dear" | 2008-05-26 |
| What started out as Marvin's revenge album is truly one of his greatest works. Listening to this album makes me wish I had 1/10 of the talent needed to shape such incredible pain into such a beautiful work of art. Of all of Marvin's albums I own, this is my 2nd favorite behind I WANT YOU & ahead of WHAT'S GOIN ON. Every song just flows so beautifully into the next as an open letter to his ex-wife, Anna Gordy about their courtship, marriage, problems & divorce. The liner notes are excellent in taking the listener on the journey of the creation of this album and offers commentary on how Marvin worked in the studio shaping his feelings & experiences into songs. Although it was considered a "flop" in its day, fortunately it's not out of print so that new generations can discover and appreciate it for themselves. I'd highly recommend this album to Marvin Gaye fans and newbies - it's just that good. | ||
 | Jazzyfatnastees - The Tortoise & The Hare * | |
| "The Tortoise & The Hare" | 2008-05-26 |
| Initially I was going to rate this album only 2.5 stars because I did not enjoy it as much as I did their debut nor do I feel that the lyrics on this collection are as strong as those on the debut. I do however, appreciate the fact that these women are singer/songwriters and that the production of the songs is stellar. From what I can recall the ladies had a lot of difficulty even getting this album released and battles with record labels and the stress of maintaining Black Lilly could've added to the their creative struggle. Whatever the reason it seems like they may have poured their hearts & souls into the debut (which is stunning) and maybe didn't have as much to say on their sophomore offering. The only songs that I still love listening to are: SOMETHING IN THE WAY, ALL UP IN MY FACE & GIVE A DOG A BONE - all of which feature strong lyrics matched by excellent musical arrangements. Another track that I really enjoy although the lyrics are limited is THE TORTOISE & THE HARE. I would recommend that fans of Tracey & Mercedes get the disc if only to add it to your collection but for casual or new fans, get their debut disc - that one is truly awesome! | ||
![Lil' Mo - Based On A True Story [ECD]](product_images/222000/222363_thumb.jpg) | Lil' Mo - Based On A True Story [ECD] | |
| "Based on a True Story" | 2008-05-04 |
| I became curious about Lil Mo after seeing her perform on a BET Gospel show last year along with Fantasia & Coco. I love her voice and was impressed by the fact that she wrote & or co-wrote all but 3 songs on this debut disc. She definitely shines more on the ballads but she's also a strong enough vocalist to sing over the harder edged hip hop tracks. The standout tracks to me are: I LOVE THE LORD - feaatures a gorgeous opening refrain SUPERWOMAN, PT II - interesting arrangement along with Fabolous' rap created one of the more memorable songss on this disc PLAYER NOT THE GAME - strong duet with Carl Thomas TA DA - I like the lyrics and Mo sounds great but the background singers kind of overshadow the track HOW MANY TIMES - really pretty ballad The only track that really disappointed me is her remake of TIME AFTER TIME - this is one of my all time favorite songs and I love it when artists tackle remakes but Mo did not do enough with this song to distinguish it from the original. Overall, this is a good debut from a strong r&b vocalist/songwriter. I have since purchased Mo's subsequent albums and can't wait to hear how she's improved. | ||
 | The Three Degrees - The Best of the Three Degrees: When Will I See You Again | |
| "The Best of the Three Degrees: When Will I See You Again" | 2008-04-07 |
| Having only heard this group's monster hit, WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN, I was really curious about their career. I enjoyed reading the liner booklet because it detailed the evolution of the group and gave me a definite frame of reference. Every track on this disc features exceptional harmonies and musical arrangements. I never caught myself thinking about the fact that these songs were produced in the 70's and as someone who loves music, I appreciate the timeless quality of this music. Although all tracks feature great vocals, the standouts to me are: WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN, CAN'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO ME, LONLIER ARE THE FOOLS, HERE I AM, IF AND WHEN & EVERYBODY GETS TO GO TO THE MOON Of note are: DIRTY OL' MAN - with its "tell it like it is" lyrics that don't seem mean-spirited YEAR OF DECISION - although I didn't particularly care for this song, the lyrics really resonated with me as we move toward a very important presidential election TSOP & LOVE IS THE MESSAGE - both feature exceptional MUSICAL arrangements utilizing the Three Degrees as backing vocalists I'd highly recommend it to music fans who may be curious about the evolution of female r&b groups or just this group in particular. | ||
![The Three Degrees - When Will I See You Again [Epic]](product_images/no_image_thumbnail.gif) | The Three Degrees - When Will I See You Again [Epic] | |
| "The Best of the Three Degrees: When Will I See You Again" | 2008-04-07 |
| Having only heard this group's monster hit, WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN, I was really curious about their career. I enjoyed reading the liner booklet because it detailed the evolution of the group and gave me a definite frame of reference. Every track on this disc features exceptional harmonies and musical arrangements. I never caught myself thinking about the fact that these songs were produced in the 70's and as someone who loves music, I appreciate the timeless quality of this music. Although all tracks feature great vocals, the standouts to me are: WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN, CAN'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO ME, LONLIER ARE THE FOOLS, HERE I AM, IF AND WHEN & EVERYBODY GETS TO GO TO THE MOON Of note are: DIRTY OL' MAN - with its "tell it like it is" lyrics that don't seem mean-spirited YEAR OF DECISION - although I didn't particularly care for this song, the lyrics really resonated with me as we move toward a very important presidential election TSOP & LOVE IS THE MESSAGE - both feature exceptional MUSICAL arrangements utilizing the Three Degrees as backing vocalists I'd highly recommend it to music fans who may be curious about the evolution of female r&b groups or just this group in particular. | ||
 | Allure - Sunny Days | |
| "Sunny Days" | 2008-04-07 |
| This group is a real representation of how foul the record industry is. As someone on the outside I really can't understand spending money to record an album then not lifting one finger to help promote it. I enjoyed Allure's debut then assumed that they'd broken up since I never heard anything else from them. Imagine my surprise when I found not only this but a third album by this group. Given the promise I heard on their debut, I wasn't surprised that this follow-up continues to showcase their terrific harmonies along with good musical arrangements. I read one reviewer's comment that compared this group to others who emerged in 2001 when this was released and can't help but feel sad about the comparisons because the groups mentioned were "girls" while the members of this group are "women" so it's kind of like apples & oranges to compare the song content & arrangements. It's also what's so sad about the r&b field from about the late 90's till now - the addition of the hip hop element has made anyone who is trying to sing traditional r&b virtually obsolete. Anyway this disc features more mid-tempo & ballad tracks but I appreciate this as it allowed me to enjoy the vocal performances more. I think that if I'd known this group was working on a sophomore set, I would've expected more tracks like those on their debut & more input from Mariah Carey but I'm quite satisfied with this album and consider it a good progession from their debut. The stand-out tracks to me are: SUNNY DAY, EARN MY TRUST, WORE OUT YOUR WELCOME, LADY, CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU & ENJOY YOURSELF. | ||
 | Chante Moore - Exposed | |
 | "Exposed" | 2008-03-14 |
| I distinctly remember the day that I brought this disc home & listened to it for the first time. As track after track played I thought "what the (bleep) has happened to one of my favorite singers?" I tossed the disc on my 'never to be listened to again' pile and promptly forgot that I even had it in my collection.
Fast forward 8 years and I had a mini Chante Moore-athon and decided to give it a 2nd try. I really had to suspend my memories of Chante's previous albums so that I could listen to this without any prejudice & comparisons to those brilliant first 2 albums. Overally I truly understand the bind that music artists faced around this time, particularly African-American females in the r&b field. It was the dawn of the 'hip pop' era and EVERY artist was being forced to work with rappers and add elements of hip hop to what was traditional r&b/soul music. This collection was too drastic of a change for me as a Chante fan and to this day, I still can't recommend it to anyone. Out of the 12 tracks, I only like 4: LOVE'S STILL ALRIGHT, TRAIN OF THOUGHT, M-A-N & BETTER THAN MAKING LOVE. If only she'd been able to work on more tracks with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis - the ones that they produced made Chante's voice shine and featured lyrics and song sentiments that I enjoyed listening to (since comments have already been made about the horrible chorus of BITTER - I won't add my two cents). Chante's voice still shines even on the less desirable tracks but that's the main problem I have with this album - there are too few enjoyable tracks from the strong vocalist I love and far too many unmemorable filler tracks. | ||
 | Joi - Star Kitty's Revenge | |
| "Star Kitty's Revenge" | 2008-03-05 |
| I've had this album since 2002 but after a couple of listens I really didn't connect with the music so it's been languishing on the shelf until I started listening to it again in bits over the past couple of years. It's been interesting reading a few of the reviews - especially those who stated that they've been fans of Joi since the beginning, have listened to her previous albums and contrast those works with this one. I'm not in that group, this is the first Joi album I've ever heard and given my love of the music of two of her close contemporaries - Erykah Badu & Kelis, I'm certainly glad that I kept this cd since my sensabilities and enjoyment of ecclectic music & artists has grown over the years. Like Badu & Kelis, Joi OWNS her artistic persona and freely admits that although she may not have the best voice in the world, she works what she has! Amen to that because we need original divas like Joi who don't strive to sound like everybody else and who is courageous enough to follow her own path. I heard funk, tinges of rock & pure SOUL throughout this album and although 6 interludes is too many imho, the 13 songs more than make up for this indulgence. The tracks I enjoy the most are: 17" OF SNOW - this track is funky, original and a little "dark" (it's also the one track that I loved the first time I listened to the entire album) AGNUS DEI - the last interlude, this is a heavenly track on which Joi really shows us a glimpse of her vocal ability MISSING YOU & I'M A WOMAN - recalls Chaka Khan in her prime LICK - I love the tricked up beats WHAT IF I KISSED YOU RIGHT NOW? - slinky & sexy JEFFERSON ST. JOE - hauntingly beautiful lyrics in which I assumed she was speaking to her absentee father Overall, I really enjoyed this entire disc and can't wait to get my hands on one or (hopefully) two of her earlier releases. I'd highly recommend it to listeners with ecclectic musical tastes. | ||
 | Faith Evans - Faith Evans | |
| "Faith - 4.5 stars" | 2008-02-18 |
| Over the years Faith Evans has become one of my favorite young r&b singers. There is a smoothness to her vocals that others her age & younger lack. This is the cd that started it all - everytime I listen to it I reminisce about that particular era when Bad Boy was on the "come up" and artists like Faith, Notorious B.I.G., Total, Lil' Kim, etc were dominating the airwaves & charts.
After losing MJB, Puffy immediately put Faith on and unfortunately styled her a little too similarly to MJB which angered a lot of her fans and which I believe to this day has stymied Faith's career to some extent. I agree with a previous poster that this album is truly a classic in that the music is timeless, I enjoy it just as much today as I did back in 1995/1996 and also notable is the fact that Faith wrote or co-wrote every track except for the remake of the classic: LOVE DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE. My favorite tracks are: SOON AS I GET HOME, COME OVER, FALLIN IN LOVE, AIN'T NOBODY, YOU USED TO LOVE ME & REASONS | ||
 | Tracie Spencer - Make The Difference | |
| "Make The Difference" | 2008-01-06 |
| I agree with the previous poster that Tracie Spencer was a young lady who did not promote an overly-sexualized image to sell records, instead she hit us with that powerful voice that I fell in love with during her run on 'Star Search'. I'll never forget her heart tugging version of IMAGINE and how excited I was to see that translate into a recording career for her. Tracie has pure singing ability like her contemporaries of that era: Shanice & Stacy Lattisaw and these young divas with powerfully mature vocals definitely opened up the doors for the young r&b divas who followed.
This disc features a mix of beautiful ballads & uptempo dance tracks and although some of those tracks sound a little dated to the early '90s, Tracie's vocals make them a lot more interesting to listen to. My favorite tracks are: TENDER KISSES, SAVE YOUR LOVE, YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, LOVE ME, SWEETER LOVE & THIS HOUSE. | ||
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