Post by fugees-online on Sept 28, 2008 18:45:47 GMT 1
REVIEW
Fearless
by Jazmine Sullivan
I havent heard this record yet, but you guys might be interested in this release, given the fact that her first single "NEED YOU BAD" got a lot of comparrissons to Ms Lauryn Hill.
Read Okayplayer’s review below:
Do yourself a favor and get acquainted with Jazmine Sullivan. Oh, you will be all too familiar with her soon enough, whether you want to be or not. Be it blaring from your little sister’s boombox, the factory speakers of your girl’s Honda Civic, or through the cubicle walls of your co-worker who just broke up with her ex-future-baby-daddy, Fearless is jam packed with the type of slice of life, women’s anthems that will make this long awaited debut inescapable, at least until Keyshia Cole re-ups. So you might as well be proactive and give it a proper spin for yourself, because the twenty-one year old Philly siren sports a versatile and engaging voice, which her all-star team of producers, including Salaam Remi, Stargate and Jack Splash have showcased to great effect. And she just might put a brick through your window. Seriously.
When the first words uttered on an album are, “I bust the windows out your car,” you can pretty much figure you’re in for some Tyler Perry style drama. Sullivan follows through with an unrepentant song of revenge against a cheating lover, over slightly gothic strings and a sinister waltz groove. It’s her voice, rich and textured, that elevates “Bust Your Windows” above the cliche, as she gradually moves from resilient defiance, to pained desperation. On “Lions, Tigers and Bears,” the battle comes from within as Sullivan tries to reconcile the duality of fear and love. While the chorus (“I’m not scared of lions, tigers and bears, but I’m scared of loving you...”) may sound trite, the emotive power of the vocals over plaintiff keys will engage even jaded listeners.
Fans of Sullivan’s raw, reggae tinged single, “Need You Bad,” may be a little put off by the pristine production and pop sensibilities of much of her album, and indeed, it is far from The Miseducation of Jazmine Sullivan that hungry L-Boogie fans may have unfairly hoped for. In truth, the similarities to Ms. Hill have been way overblown. Where Lauryn’s voice is huskily earthy, Sullivan’s is full, and carries a subtle tenderness that adds intriguing nuance, best illustrated on the minimalist piano ballad “In Love With Another Man”. Taken for what it is, a well produced urban pop album, Fearless is a compelling introduction to a multi-talented young artist who will only get better as her lyrics mature to match her voice. And really, if it gets Rhianna’s “Take a Bow” off repeat in your co-worker’s cubicle, isn’t that worth having to repair a window or two?
- Jeff Harvey
Fearless
by Jazmine Sullivan
I havent heard this record yet, but you guys might be interested in this release, given the fact that her first single "NEED YOU BAD" got a lot of comparrissons to Ms Lauryn Hill.
Read Okayplayer’s review below:
Do yourself a favor and get acquainted with Jazmine Sullivan. Oh, you will be all too familiar with her soon enough, whether you want to be or not. Be it blaring from your little sister’s boombox, the factory speakers of your girl’s Honda Civic, or through the cubicle walls of your co-worker who just broke up with her ex-future-baby-daddy, Fearless is jam packed with the type of slice of life, women’s anthems that will make this long awaited debut inescapable, at least until Keyshia Cole re-ups. So you might as well be proactive and give it a proper spin for yourself, because the twenty-one year old Philly siren sports a versatile and engaging voice, which her all-star team of producers, including Salaam Remi, Stargate and Jack Splash have showcased to great effect. And she just might put a brick through your window. Seriously.
When the first words uttered on an album are, “I bust the windows out your car,” you can pretty much figure you’re in for some Tyler Perry style drama. Sullivan follows through with an unrepentant song of revenge against a cheating lover, over slightly gothic strings and a sinister waltz groove. It’s her voice, rich and textured, that elevates “Bust Your Windows” above the cliche, as she gradually moves from resilient defiance, to pained desperation. On “Lions, Tigers and Bears,” the battle comes from within as Sullivan tries to reconcile the duality of fear and love. While the chorus (“I’m not scared of lions, tigers and bears, but I’m scared of loving you...”) may sound trite, the emotive power of the vocals over plaintiff keys will engage even jaded listeners.
Fans of Sullivan’s raw, reggae tinged single, “Need You Bad,” may be a little put off by the pristine production and pop sensibilities of much of her album, and indeed, it is far from The Miseducation of Jazmine Sullivan that hungry L-Boogie fans may have unfairly hoped for. In truth, the similarities to Ms. Hill have been way overblown. Where Lauryn’s voice is huskily earthy, Sullivan’s is full, and carries a subtle tenderness that adds intriguing nuance, best illustrated on the minimalist piano ballad “In Love With Another Man”. Taken for what it is, a well produced urban pop album, Fearless is a compelling introduction to a multi-talented young artist who will only get better as her lyrics mature to match her voice. And really, if it gets Rhianna’s “Take a Bow” off repeat in your co-worker’s cubicle, isn’t that worth having to repair a window or two?
- Jeff Harvey