The end of 2009 is only a few days away, leaving music artists scrambling to make a lasting impression on people's minds. With the countless reviews I've done, I always search for the one artist that can MOVE me with their music. Very few have done that this year. On the other hand, there's MJB...another artist whose music I have related to so much over the years of her career. And as I finish off the final three reviews of 2009, I am proud to say that MJB STILL has that "lasting impression" on me after all this time.
There has been a lot going on with MJB's ninth studio album, starting with the fact that is was supposed to be released last month and was pushed back a few times. "Stronger With Each Tear" has also experienced several facelifts, adding to the mystery that originally circled around it. First named "Stronger" (after the lead single to the soundtrack for the Lebron James documentary "More Than a Game"), the title was later reworked...and the alleged reason why is the fact that the single didn't do so well on the chart. If you look closer, the song itself is absent from the final tracklist.
So what do we have? The official lead single from the album entitled "The One" featuring Drake is a little different sonically from the heavy tracks we heard in the nineties. It still worked for her...in my opinion, at least. "Stronger With Each Tear" isn't filled with over-Autotune usage like most everyone else's album from this year. MJB's voice is still as powerful and captivating as it's always been. The second official single, "I Am", seems to be a continuation from her 2005 mega-hit "Be Without You", giving those who haven't listened to the album the idea that it isn't gonna stray far from the imprint that is MJB. The album opens up with the song "Tonight" whose melodically drifting introduction holds your curiosity prisoner, drawing you into the strong and beautiful lyrics within it. T.I. makes a decent contribution to the track "Good Love", but I prefer to hear MJB by herself...so on cuts like "I Feel Good" and "In the Morning", where she discusses some very personal and reflective points about life and relationships, I can't help but feel all sorts of emotions. Don't get me wrong, the collaborations MJB has on the album are great...especially the one with Jazmine Sullivan on the DELUXE EDITION bonus track... (yes, there is more than one version of this album arriving in stores today...more on that later) ...called "Gonna Make It". Even the one with Trey Songz is alright...but to set the record straight and give props to where it's deserved...the song "We Got Hood Love" was simply titled "Hood Love" and featured Johnta Austin...it was supposed to be on HIS debut album that never got released. Just wanted to put that out there in case you go overboard thinking Trey Songz had anything to do with that song...all he does is make a cameo. Other tracks on the album like "Each Tear", "I Love U (Yes I Do)", and "Kitchen" are also standouts and cannot be ignored.
In the end, I am very proud of MJB...we all know she has overcome so much in her life...and she continues to get "Stronger With Each Tear". I hope she keeps on giving us the best music out there for a long time to come.
Songs I Truly Enjoyed from the Album:
• The One featuring Drake
• Said and Done
• Good Love featuring T.I.
• I Am
• Kitchen
• We Got Hood Love featuring Trey Songz
• I Can See In Color
• Gonna Make It featuring Jazmine Sullivan (Deluxe Edition Only)
From MARY J. BLIGE's new album "Stronger WithEach Tear", here's "Tonight..."
From the same album, here's "I Love U (Yes I Do...)"
(BONUS TRACKS)
(Deluxe Edition)
• Stay
• Gonna Make It featuring Jazmine Sullivan
(iTunes Store)
• Closer
MARY J BLIGE
"I Am"
From the album "Stronger With Each Tear"
Directed by Anthony Mandler
(3.44)
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.
Written by Felix-Lee "Campbells" Andrades, III
No comments:
Post a Comment