Aaliyah

Very Original for A Younger R&B Artist

Review Score:

(10/10)
Aaliyah had always stood in a class by herself when compared to other young singers around her age. She never tried to be the best singer. She always kept her soft seductive voice and put it against rough hip hop music, especially in her first album. She never tried to hit the high notes, knowing that wasn't her strength and that's what I liked about her. She knew her limits, and made up for it with a different style. Plus she had a unique sound that at times could be rather cryptic, like "One In A Million". It's a typical love song, but the background music was so... eerie and sad. This might sound weird but it really sounds perfect for a feneral.

However, this CD is completely different from anything I thought I knew about Aaliyah. She really experimented with this album. While she did put in her usual sounds like "We Need a Resolution" and "More than A Woman", she also used an odd blend of pop, techno (I think that's what it is ^_^), r&b, and rock. It was so new and strange that at first I didn't like it. Judging by the negative reviews, I think those people felt the same way. I expected this album to be more like her previous ones, judging by the singles she released.

But after I settled into the album, I really appreciated it. It deserves a 5 star rating alone for the amount of risks Aaliyah and her crew took. Believe me, if you haven't heard this album, it's VERY different and weird and you have to take time to get use to it. It might actually alienate some of her fans (which is shown with some of the reviews).

The songs I really liked were "I Can Be" "What If" "Extra Smooth" "Never No More" and "U Got Nerve". They're the more quirky songs on the album but their so GOOD! They're just so different from the usual Aaliyah.

This is a special album that should not be missed, Aaliyah fans. It's also a must have for people into Japanese pop music. It gives an insight of the direction Aaliyah was going before her untimely death. She was becoming an international star, experimenting with music that could appeal to other countries, especially Japan or China. You might think it's strange at first, but you have to give it more than one thorough listen. It's a real shame that she's gone, because she was just then getting into her own skin. She seemed to appreciate all forms of music and wanted to try her hand at all of it.

My review doesn't focus on lyrical content because I honestly never cared much for lyrics of songs ^_^! I focus more on the music and the sound of the singer's/rapper's voice. If I want some deep profound message, I'd just pick up a good book. So you'll have to read another review if you want a rating on lyrics.

And to the people who reviewed the album and didn't like it, please listen to it again! I felt just the way ya'll did before I tried listening to it again, but it's really not bad. It's just different from the Aaliyah we're so used too. Don't dismiss it as a failure.

All and all, great album and deserves a spot next to all her other albums. If you're into Japanese music relative to Ayumi Hamasaki or Hikaru Utada, definitely pick this up. It's a rare gem in modern R&B, like Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige, but from the opposite side of the spectrum.

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