The music industry is much like a revolving door. Many artists filter in and out leaving an impression to be remembered. Others can't even get their foot back in the door...especially those who take extended hiatuses. We've already seen Christina Aguilera suffer an embarrassing situation when her much talked-about album flopped immediately after its release...so what makes DRU HILL think they're any different?
Eight years have passed since we last heard of the R&B-group originally from Baltimore, Maryland. Their Dru World Order album earned moderate success when released back in 2002...but it was during this time the group started encountering difficult times as members left to embark on solo careers (most notably Sisqo). Going even deeper than that, the members of DRU HILL seemingly lost sight of what was most important as they quarreled and fought over money issues and the announcement of a member's decision to work on a Gospel music career. Now, Sisqo, Jazz, and Nokio introduce the brand new member named Tao...as well as their fourth album to date entitled InDRUpendence Day. And while Tao adds an interesting voice to the group's original low register, the album remains regrettably unimpressive, to say the least.
DRU HILL doesn't really take it back to the original R&B sound we've been knowing. Instead, they take on a blandly produced list of songs that sounds as if they were leftovers for a DAY 26 album. Shut It Down seriously reminded me of a re-imagined spin on a BACKSTREET BOYS song from their debut album called (If You Want It To Be Good Girl) Get Yourself a Bad Boy slowed down by only a little. Yes...you read that correctly. The album actually sounds like generic pop has been added to the mix as if that was supposed to do something grand. Below Zero is my favorite song from this new album, although I'm pretty sure JAHEIM would've done a better job at it. Tracks that I looked forward to like Makin' Luv and Remain Silent are good...but could be SO much better if there was more emotion put into the song. The lyrics are tediously sung with no inspiration and that's probably because this project wasn't taken as seriously as it should have. Oh...and the remake of the 1985 hit from TEARS for FEARS entitled Everybody Wants to Rule the World was a definite uncalled-for miss...yet again, don't try to put a twist on a classic if you're gonna do it half-assed.
The revolving door will continue to filter out those who have no business being in the music industry and artists should take a mental note of that. They have to strive to be bolder and more aggressive than they were when they released their previous album in order to keep people's attention. But if you're gone for EIGHT YEARS, you should've made it a priority to break THROUGH that door, making an unforgettable statement regarding your return. DRU HILL failed in that aspect. Maybe the fans will feel differently...but I particularly don't see the group being able to make a comeback after this album. I wish it could've been better...but in the end, it ends up receiving an AVERAGE rating for being monotonous. Added to the end of the album are snippets from Nokio's band called BLACK ANGEL DOWN. Very interesting stuff, indeed...as a matter of fact, that may be the only thing on this album that peaked my interest...the very last six minutes of the album.
That's just simply sad.
Songs that I SOMEWHAT enjoyed from INDRUPENDENCE DAY:
• Shut It Down
• She Wants Me
• Whatcha Do
• Remain Silent
• State of Emergency
• Love MD
• Wind (Snippet)
• How Deep Is Your Love (Snippet)
• The End (Snippet)
FROM DRU HILL's new album "InDRUpendence Day", here's the track "Below Zero..."
From the same album, here's the amazing track "Away..."
DRU HILL
Love MD
From the InDRUpendence Day
(4.32)
YES! The reviews are going back to the old way they used to be...more factual and less bantering. We got reviews coming up NEXT TUESDAY, AUGUST 2nd, 2010 for LADY GAGA's "The Remix" and for British boy band JLS' self-titled U.S EP debut! Check it all out and more next week with THE BABYBOICAMPBELLS REVIEW!
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.
Written by Felix-Lee "Campbells" Andrades, III
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