Urban-Reviews.com - R&B Music

R&B Music - New Reviews
5 Discs = Classic | 4 Discs = Impressive | 3 Discs = Noteworthy

Joe
Ain't Nothing Like Me

4.0 out of 5 discs

Joe has been around the block enough times to know what it takes to put together a solid R&B album. A lot of artists come and go in the music industry because they didn't have the promotional machine behind their albums. Joe has fallen victim to this very same situation, suffering from a lack of sales even though his albums have great songwriting and are well produced. But the son of a preacher man (and preacher woman) continues to push on because of his love for the music. His latest project is Ain't Nothin' Like Me, another banging R&B album on his long list of hot albums. His focus on ballads is obvious, probably since more fans recognize him for his smooth vocals. Songs like "If I Was Your Man" and "I Want Her" are huge standouts that are primed for radio. "My Love" is another contender for a future single with its underlying danceable beat, along with the poetic "It's Me" where he apologizes for stepping out on a relationship. Surprisingly, his song with Nas titled "Get To Know Me" and another with Papoose called "Where You At" are still slow cuts even with the inclusion of the respective rappers. Other songs with a touch of Hip-Hop are stepped up to a mid-tempo groove, namely "Let's Just Do It" with the incognito lyricist Fabolous, the title track with Tony Yayo and Young Buck, and "Just Relax" with Dre (of Cool & Dre.) If you're a long-time fan of Joe, you will certainly enjoy Ain't Nothin' Like Me. The album title says it all.

4 out of 5 discs

Ne-Yo
Because Of You

Being a top artist means that your work is highly-anticipated, your music stands the test of time, and your personal life has usually been intruded by unwelcome and sometimes undeserving allegations. Such is the case with Ne-Yo, a young man who's seen the good with his rock solid debut album In My Own Words as well as the bad with allegations about his sexuality and beefs with other R&B artists. But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters to most is whether or not you can deliver a good album that's worthy of our $9.99 the first week it comes out. Well fans around the world will be happy when they take home Because Of You since this follow-up cd does just that and more. The title track is signature Ne-Yo and was the most obvious choice to be the first single from the album. Def Jam president Jay-Z gives a brief rap intro for "Crazy," but Ne-Yo does a wondrous take on early Michael Jackson for his delivery. The clean-handed "Can We Chill" is safe enough for radio, but the emotional depictions of "Go On Girl" could very well make it the next single. "Do You" is a nice album cut, along with the boisterous "Ain't Thinking About You." Jennifer Hudson does a great job on "Leaving Tonight," cementing her worth to the music industry and giving her fans an appetizer before her upcoming solo release. Other decent cuts include the airy feel of "Angel," the provocative approach of "Say It," and the straightforwardness of "Make It Work." With "Sex With My Ex" and "Addicted" being the only sub-par tracks, Because Of You encompasses emotion that a lot of R&B fans want.

Deniece Williams
Love, Niecy Style

4 out of 5 discs

The songstress that brought you smash hits like "Silly" and "Let's Hear It For The Boy" resurfaces into the R&B world after having a number of years devoted to gospel music. Deniece Williams' new album Love, Niecy Style is a collection of reworked classics and an entirely new track to prove she's still got what it takes to belt out a jammin’ track. She starts off with her rendition of Baby Washington's "That's How Heartaches Are Made" with help from Stevie Wonder on harmonica to bring it all together. Philip Bailey lends an assist by doing his signature background ad-libs for her interpretation of the Earth Wind and Fire classic "Love's Holiday." Deniece shines on "This Time I'll Be Sweeter," her tribute to the late Gwen Guthrie who originally wrote the song. She then sings her heart out on the Stevie Wonder tune "If You Really Love Me" and Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All Be Free" before doing a knockout performance of "Cherish" by Kool And The Gang. George Benson joins her for her version of his song "Lady Love Me (One More Time)." She closes out the album strong with the brand new ballad "The Only Thing Missing Is You," a stellar rendition of Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much," and a re-recorded version of her own song "Cause You Love Me, Baby." Fans will enjoy the mix of songs as well as the arrangement of the tracks on this album. After listening to Love, Niecy Style, there will be no doubt in anyone's mind that Deniece Williams can still throw down when it comes to singing R&B.

Hear a few selections from the album at http://www.myspace.com/deniecewilliams.

4.5 out of 5 discs

Amy Winehouse
Back To Black (U.S. Version)

Stories of alcohol abuse and irreverence are usually the talk of male recording artists, with Courtney Love being the only exception to the rule. Enter Amy Winehouse, a British songstress who embodies the individualism of Pink, the brash of a younger Madonna, the soul of Erykah Badu, and the spirit of 1960's jazz singers on Back To Black. The animated nature of Back To Black is rarely seen these days because there is a certain stigma that goes along with it when it's attached to an entertainer. Nevertheless, Amy Winehouse embraces any comparison the media and listening public has for her. The appeal of the presumptuous "Rehab" sent the song soaring up the charts and feverishly downloaded into MP3 players by everybody and their momma. "You Know I'm No Good" is just as assertive, only this time it's Amy giving a fair warning about who she is and you'll ultimately have to deal with it. "Me and Mr. Jones" is filled with humorous (yet adult-natured) quips about a guy that's stood her up for a Slick Rick concert. She even ponders her relationship with a guy who's already taken for the song "Just Friends." And at first listen, listening to "Back To Black" might sound like she's talking about a failed relationship, but examining more closely might suggest that she's actually talking about a drug dependency. Songs like "Love Is A Losing Game" and "Wake Up Alone" are very descriptive and seem more heartfelt than just regular compositions by everyday songwriters. "Tears Dry On Their Own" captures the emotion of a one-sided break-up, but expounds the feeling that you can eventually look past it all without much disenchantment. The album closes with the enamored track "Some Unholy War," the engrossing lyrics of "He Can Only Hold Her," and a remix of "You Know I'm No Good" with Ghostface Killah giving a riveting verse filled with conviction to accompany the theme of the song. Back To Black is good, mature music that invites listeners to examine the true meaning of the songs. Amy Winehouse has a way with words, and thankfully for her....everybody's listening.