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Beyoncé - Dangerously in Love
With the enourmous success of Destiny's Child, Beyoncé was often looked upon as the part of the trio who held it all together. Buying this record I thought it would have the sounds of DC, but artists grow and mature and so does the music they create. This album is very mature and Beyoncé has her own style that I hope DC will not recreate. This is Beyoncé plain and simple. I think when she is with DC she is looking out for everyone, this album is a breath a fresh air. It is creative, subliminal, and makes the listener think. She is very personal in this album, talking about her love, family, and friends. When making a DC album she can't really speak for herself because there are two other girls who must approve of it. Beyoncé co-wrote, produce, arranged, and sang this entire record. She has talent and damn can that gurl sang! Songs like "Crazy in love" show her creative edge, and others like "Dangerously in love 2" show her vocal abilities. She is comfortable in her own, and has magically created a wonderful album. B
Brian McKnight - U Turn
Brian McKnight's remarkable talent as a singer, writer, musician, producer and arranger is so dynamic, so engaging and so complete that on occasion, especially in this era of pop posers and music video vamp, he appears nothing less than an enigma. What I like about Brian is that he is a vocalist who steps to the microphone and routinely dilivers, with intuitive verve and grace, the kind of passionate performances that cause fans and peers alike to gape in awe and wonder. You don't learn to sing like that; it's a gift. This album is really great but with few great songs. It's hard to explain, Brian is such a great vocalist that I end up not even listening to the song and just listening to his voice; it's very weired. But I really enjoy this album and recomend buying it. B
Mariah Carey - Charmbracelet
Mariah Carey is the most talented vocalist I've ever heard. Better than anyone in her class. This album is "alright" and nothing special that takes music to the next level. She hasn't raised the bar. She isn't a talented composer so I think she should stop wasting her time writing these truly pathetic songs. I'm not a very good composer either but I also don't have millions of dollars in a record deal that are forcing me to write great music. She has written about everything, she's been writing for years and everything has been done. Mostly all the songs on this album sound the same. Generally for a "Diva" this album isn't in a class of its own. Whereas her voice is. Her voice seems really comfortable, at ease, and solid in this album. Her vocal stylings are unmatched by any other. But the material used on this album is just not good enough for an artist who has sold more albums than Elvis and the Beatles. I would not suggest that you buy this album because I beleive there are better albums to come in the futur. I guess what I'm waiting for is mariah to step up to a mic at "the Grammy's" or any high prestige "Gig" and sing her ass off to regain her untouchable status. As the Mariah Carey we've grown to love and respect. C+
Whitney Houston - Just Whitney...
Whitney is back, and I am so proud of her. She has released a strong album that is very connected and personal. As a diva there will always be people trying to put you down and she has really captured the interest of my ear through melismatic passages. She talks about her "problems" but doesn't dwell on them because like she says "took my energy they just can't keep up with me". Which show that she will not stop doing what she loves. This album is not a grammy worthy album like her last one but is worth a listen. She has even diversified herself singing rock, pop, blues, jazz, club mixes, and her signature ballad songs. This album is a testiment to the fact that Whitney is a great singer and perfomer and that no matter what the papers write. Or what people say she will keep coming back, demanding our attention! B+
Christina Aguilera - Stripped
Christina Aguilera was always known as a clean and proper young girl. People respected her, admired her, and vibed with her music. Then she changed all of that becoming a out of control wild girl with rated videos and opinionated beliefs. People thought that her album (stripped) would be just that, about club hopping, having sex, and flaunting what she's got. But as I listened to her album I realised that this second attempt at an english album is amazing. The album is so raw and personal without any bs heard from other artist talking about perfect childhoods. Whereas Christina talks about broken homes and living without friends, family, and companionship with ease. She is truly one of the best vocalists of our time and I believe that she is the next Madonna, reinventing herself with every album. A-
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