Artist: Lyfe Jennings
Album: I Still Believe
Release Date: 8.31.10

Be sure to check out our EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Lyfe Jennings!

After a label switch and a bit of controversy in his personal life, Lyfe Jennings releases I Still Believe, his fourth studio album on his own imprint, Jesus Swings. Like much of his other work, there aren’t many guest appearances or producers on the album, in fact Anthony Hamilton is the only feature of note. Lyfe has a habit of being very blunt with his content so what you’ll find is that his lyrics sometimes relinquish the usual poetic flow that you’d expect from an R&B singer. With that in mind, I Still Believe is a very honest project, intense at times with a running theme of reflection and regret – not so much the hopeful vibe the title suggests.

While Busy was the album’s lead single, Statistics garnered the most buzz, presenting a by-the-numbers rundown of relationship reality in Lyfe’s bold style of delivery. Busy vocally just didn’t translate well for me, and probably works better when performed live. Anthony Hamilton appears on the regretful ‘Mama’ a standout noted for the overall sound on the production including a great guitar rift.  The most sincere offering comes on the latest single ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’, and vocally this track dominates the album examining the things we take for granted. The title track I Still Believe reaffirms Jennings’ faith in basic principles, and it’s a decent song, one of very few with a lighter disposition. Definitely give ear to Whatever She Wants, a love ballad that’s the only one of its kind on the album and one of the best tracks. Other highlights include ‘Love’, ‘Learn From This’, and ‘If I Knew Then What I Know Now’.

The album takes a nose dive on songs like ‘Hero’, a cheesy and corny metaphoric number that sounds completely forced. ‘Spotlight’ is Jennings’ attempt at a baby maker which, again, sounds forced and doesn’t work for me. ‘Coulda Been Worse’ is decent as a song that stands alone, but seems contradictory on an album which is spent mostly complaining about the things he wishes he could change. A lot of the songs on the album, though not totally bad are really just okay, there’s not much here to revisit after the first listen.

If you’re not used to Lyfe’s style, you may be thrown a bit by his delivery. Jennings walks a fine line – he’s  not glazed over R&B (i.e. Bobby V., Tank, etc) but he doesn’t have the complexity that most neo-soul artists give (Dwele, Musiq Soulchild). “I Still Believe” is straight-no-chaser, complemented by harmonies that are warm and tight, subtle production, and an entire project of message music. That being said, he’s definitely had stronger projects. Overall it’s decent, but it’s not something I could keep in rotation.

Sound-Savvy rates I Still Believe with 2.5 out of 5 platinum headphones

Artist: Katy Perry
Album: Teenage Dream
Release Date: 8.24.10

The thought of listening to a Katy Perry album initially made me cringe. She’s so… pop! Not that I’m not a fan of pop music, but her singles are total bubblegum, and an entire album of that seemed like torture. Only, it’s not a whole album of bubblegum pop; rather, Teenage Dream offers quite a bit more substance than most of her counterparts. It’s that element that intrigues me about this project. I was actually rather impressed with Perry’s depth and range on Teenage Dream, as it’s my first full length Katy Perry album. Suffice it to say, the album does not disappoint… Read the rest of this entry »

Between Broadway appearances, a reality show, and legal drama, it’s been four years since Fantasia Barrino has released a full length studio album but with Back To Me, she proves that the time away has done her quite well. Filled with anthems that personify femininity and strength, this album covers a range of topics from devoted affection to incurable heartache to the inevitable period of moving on. Of all her albums, this one has the strongest R&B feel to it and includes production from Chuck Harmony, Jim Jonsin, Rico Love, Oak (Knightwrightaz) and the Stereotypes among others.

Bittersweet leads the way on Fantasia’s third album, an intense heartache ballad that hit at just the right time as Barrino deals with her own very public love affair. The follow-up single, Man of the House picks up the pace quite a bit and takes aim at a man’s lack of accountability in the household –a definite highlight of the album. Collard Greens and Cornbread is just as soulful as the food it references, pulling on influences from eras past to tell the story of a consuming love. Other songs with a similar old school semblance include Teach Me and Move On Me. The album turns into more “glazed over” R&B on songs like Who’s Been Lovin’ You and the dramatic ballad Even Angels which saw release and a special performance earlier this year but minimal promotion. Even Angels is one of Barrino’s signature ballads, an excellent addition to her catalog and was featured on her reality show Fantasia: For Real. Fallin In Love Tonight is another standout record and one of the album’s more sentimental offerings noted for its dreamy nature.

Back To Me is a dose of “southern-fried sugar” as Fantasia effortlessly throws her unique stylizations and soulful disposition on every track, from the smoothest of R&B productions to the most heartfelt. Most of the producers on this album have been featured in the work of countless other R&B singers but when Fantasia’s voice hits the record, it’s almost as if every song was written and tailored specifically for her. There’s an unbridled soul in Barrino’s voice that won us over on season 3 of American Idol and returns in full effect on Back To Me. Couple that element with some excellent songwriting and you’ll see why this album doesn’t disappoint.

Sound-Savvy rates “Back To Me” with 4 out of 5 platinum headphones.

Artist: Dondria
Album: Dondria vs. Phatfffat
Release Date: 8.17.10

Almost a year ago, Sound-Savvy caught up with Dondria on the red carpet of the 2009 Soul Train Awards and, when asked about her debut album she gushed with excitement: “I love to sing, this is what I love to do. I just wanna get out there and I want people to hear me.” (read full interview here) On her debut album “Dondria vs. Phatfffat” (not a concept title) it’s her singing that dominates. The project is mostly about young love, and her topics are approached with a youthful flair that reflects the typical innocence of a girl embracing womanhood. Moreover, this album is a reminder of what R&B music is built on: great vocals and beautiful melodies. Read the rest of this entry »

Artist: Usher
Album: Versus (EP)
Release Date: 8.24.2010

If you’ve got the disappointment that was Raymond v. Raymond you may find a bit of redemption in Usher’s latest release Versus – but only a bit. It’d be nice of Usher to just be consistent with his fans again, but even this project proves that he’s once again trying to find his place in a music scene he once dominated. Though it offers less total tracks than Usher’s previous album, the number of worthwhile music here balances out with the amount of keepers from the album. Read the rest of this entry »

Artist: Mike Posner
Album: 31 Minutes To Takeoff
Release Date: 8.10.2010

There’s a massive hype machine thrown behind Mike Posner and, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why. This isn’t a review to spew hate, but I question the legitimacy of J. Records for pushing this guy down the throats of pop music fans when his debut album 31 Minutes To Takeoff doesn’t live up to the hype surrounding his name. There’s nothing on the album that’s complete garbage, but in the range of adjectives I’d use to describe an album, this barely arrives at mediocre.

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Artist: Dru Hill
Album: InDRUpendence Day
Release Date: 7.27.10

It’s been eight years since Dru Hill has released any new music, a hiatus that would’ve surely wiped out any other almost-forgotten 90’s R&B group, but Dru Hill makes an effort to stay relevant with their fourth album. Away from the spotlight, the group underwent a few roster changes and is now back down to a quartet from the 5-member lineup of 2002’s Dru World Order introducing a new 4^th member, Tao. With InDRUpendence Day, the group makes a fair attempt at relevance, but the cohesiveness that Dru Hill once possessed as a group is definitely missing from this new project as it falls pretty flat offering only a few worthwhile keepers for longtime fans. Read the rest of this entry »

Artist: Slum Village
Album: Villa Manifesto
Release Date: 07.27.10

For emcee T3, Villa Manifesto is Slum Village’s last stand, the last chapter in the book of a group that has experienced a lifetime of tremendous highs and heart wrenching lows.

The Motor City collective has long been touted as a fearless act that captivated listeners with its win-win combination of quirky, attention-hungry lyricism slathered over seamless and soulful production. Who can forget the beam of light that was Fantastic: Vol. 2, an almost flawless project in which T3, J-Dilla, Baatin and several notable guests told the world about the Conant Gardens community, chided so-called “players,” and warned of the perils of falling in love. And you can admit it: you know you couldn’t stop two-stepping when SV — now with the super lyrical Elhzi in the mix — dropped “Tainted” in 2002, which played on like the ultimate pick-up line in musical form.

Still, the group encountered arguably the most distressing setbacks of any collective in music industry. In 2006, Dilla died from complications of a rare blood disease. Last year, in the midst of recording Villa Manifesto, Baatin suddenly passed away, which left T3 as the last man standing from Slum Village’s original trio. Read the rest of this entry »

Artist: Rick Ross
Album: Teflon Don
Release Date: 7.20.2010

The new album from Rick Ross is as big and bold as the rapper himself, unrestrained and in some spots a bit unnecessary, but many would argue it’s his best effort to-date. Referencing the infamous crime boss John Gotti with its title, Teflon Don is a pretty tough album; flawless, it is not. Guest slots on the album include Jay-Z, Cee-Lo, Ne-yo, Diddy, Chrisette Michele, Raphael Saadiw Trey Songz and John Legend among others, with production credits that include No I.D., the JUSTICE League, and The Inkredibles. This is Ross’ fourth outing, the first that’s made it on my radar. Read the rest of this entry »

Artist: Big Boi
Album: Sir Lucious Leftfoot – The Son of Chico Dusty
Release Date: 7.6.10

On his long-awaited (and even longer overdue) solo debut album Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty, Big Boi does very little to change his style from the young Antwan Patton that was introduced over 15 years ago on Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik… and why should he change? As always, he cuts no corners and manages to bring some heat to every record on the album. Sir Lucious Leftfoot is a favorable union of hip-hop and funky soul – smooth enough to appease the older crowd but hard enough on the beats to maintain relevance with the newer generation. THIS is a rap album – well-crafted lyrics and hard-hitting beats, minus the gimmicks that plague today’s hip-hop trends. Read the rest of this entry »