shan2001's Last.fm Journal

My 50 Favorite Songs of the Decade (2000-2009)

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:05:16 +0000

Just my personal picks, as always. Enjoy! Look out for my Top 10 Albums of the Decade post, coming very soon!

50. Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
49. Rescue Me - Teedra Moses
48. Take Control - Amerie
47. Last Night (Feat. Keyshia Cole) - Diddy
46. Cry - Lyfe Jennings
45. Fragile - Chrisette Michele
44. We Could Be - Keyshia Cole
43. Heartquake - Super Junior
42. Let It Go - Keyshia Cole
41. You've Changed - Keyshia Cole

40. Heartbreaker - P!nk
39. Come See Me - Jill Scott
38. Tears Dry On Their Own - Amy Winehouse
37. We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
36. Why Don't We Fall In Love - Amerie
35. Work It Out - Chrisette Michele
34. Animato - Utada
33. Bucky Done Gun - M.I.A.
32. Kick, Push - Lupe Fiasco
31. Complex Simplicity - Teedra Moses

30. The Remedy (I Won't Worry) - Jason Mraz
29. Bring Me To Life - Evanescence
28. Many Moons - Janelle Monáe
27. Breathe - Blu Cantrell
26. Congo - Amel Larrieux
25. Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!) - Blu Cantrell
24. Spotlight - Jennifer Hudson
23. Must Be Nice - Lyfe Jennings
22. Stronger - Britney Spears
21. Be Without You - Mary J. Blige

20. My Boo (duet With Alicia Keys) - Usher
19. Lose Yourself - Eminem
18. Do You Love - Natalie Imbruglia
17. Black Mona Lisa - Lamya
16. One (feat U2) - Mary J. Blige
15. Give It Back - Gaelle
14. Penny And Me - Hanson
13. Over My Head - Maiysha
12. Disease - matchbox twenty
11. Kremlin Dusk - Utada

10. Fallin' - Alicia Keys
9. One Day In Your Life - Anastacia
8. So Blu - Blu Cantrell
7. Most Girls - P!nk
6. You Don't Know My Name - Alicia Keys
5. Weary - Amel Larrieux
4. Explode - Nelly Furtado
3. Bent - matchbox twenty
2. If Only - Hanson
1. Left Outside Alone - Anastacia

The Collection - A (With General Updates)

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:14:45 +0000

I haven't written here in ages, it seems. Consider me thoroughly unmotivated and uninspired, I guess, as well as a bit overwhelmed. The longer you go without doing something, the harder it is to continue doing it. At least in my case, anyway.

No new fantastic discoveries to write about, really. Despite a few releases this year that I was excited for and that I found rather enjoyable, nothing was truly motivating or exceptional. I feel like there were a lot of good, but safe albums & singles released so far this year. Kinda bland, predictable, trendy. Although, honestly, I've barely been keeping up with new releases. :-\ I'm kinda stuck in 'repeat' mode. Find a handful of good songs and/or albums and listen to them over and over again... for months.

Things I like:
1. Jennifer Hudson- Spotlight: I liked it the very first time I heard it, and loved it the second time, and the rest is history in the making. I love that her first song isn't a big, dramatic ballad; I love that it's not trendy to the point of being 10 minutes ago; I love that her vocals aren't all booming and cloying; I love that there's subtlety; I love that it almost sounds classic yet it's dance-friendly. Never really jumped on the J.Hud bandwagon, but this song has the potential to make me a convert. I hope the rest of her album is just as good as this song.

2. Super Junior and its myriad subgroups (Super Junior T, Super Junior - K.R.Y., Super Junior - M, Super Junior H): It's the most random thing that I've ever randomly started liking and it's a long, convoluted story that doesn't make much sense, but I digs the SuJu. It's just bubbly pop in Korean for the most part, but oh, these guys are so very precious and entertaining. To know them is to love them. Unconditionally.

Things I'm Keeping an Eye On:
1. Solange: I kinda like that "I Decided" song. Very catchy and groovy. Unfortunately, I don't think she's much of a singer. Not that that's ever gotten in the way of me liking someone before, but it kinda stings when she seems to be pushing her vocals so hard and the inevitable comparisons to Big Sis won't be favorable at all. :-\ Solange seems to try too hard. I guess it's difficult when your big sis is Miss Queen Supreme, but Solange needn't come off as a novelty act to step from underneath the shadows. I do really like that song though; I will be curious to hear the rest of her album.

Things I'm Over:
1. Keyshia Cole: No, not really. I'm just over this album and the horrendous single choices. Three big melodramatic ballads in a row, Keyshia? Really? I'm all 'balladed' out by Keyshia, really. These 3 don't really even sound good to me, honestly. I guess they're looking for her next "Love", but I don't think they're gonna find it; at least not on this album. And a new album coming out at the end of the year, already? This can't be good... but then again, I'm hoping for the best. Just please stop looking for the next big hit and focus on the music and what it is you're trying to convey. And I'm so utterly disappointed that "Was it Worth It" wasn't a single. That one had potential.

2. Big "comebacks" that go nowhere and/or mean nothing: You know who you are. Please, just make the pain stop. It's embarrassing. Retire from the scene with your dignity intact.

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Now that I've gotten that part out of the way... I am currently engaged in that most tiresome act of being a "True Listener". Yes, I am going through my entire music collection starting with the A's and listening to every single song down to the numbers. :-p I decided to do this for a couple reasons. Mostly just because I was tired of being stuck in 'repeat' mode. The 3 songs I've listened to the most this year? Well, the play counts of those three songs, in just 6 months, have already surpassed the play count of the top song I listened to in 12 months of 2007. It's not reflected in my last.fm chart just yet since the iPod scrobbler is broken more often that not... *cough*... but it's true. And I still have those 3 songs in my daily rotation playlist even though I'm so sick of them. So, this exercise is mostly just to break up the monotony. I've also downloaded a crapload of albums that I haven't been inspired to listen to yet. Some I've had sitting around on my computer for over a year. It's high time that I listen to them and decide if they're worth keeping or not. I never thought I'd fill up my hard drive with just music, but that's kinda what's happening to my computer (not to mention my brand new $500 iPod Touch which only holds 32GB-- apple sucks for that, really). It's time to go through this stuff (and the old stuff) and get rid of the crap I'm sure I'll never ever have the urge to listen to again.

With that said, I'll try to post a little update on how things are going; probably when I finish a letter of the alphabet. I recently finished all the A's and am working through the B's now. I won't comment on everything I listen to; just the things I have comments about. :-p

In the A's I discovered that I really like Aaliyah's last (self-titled) album more than I remembered. It's still not a favorite, but I could get used to it. There were some really nice songs on it.

Although it sounds kinda amateur in comparison to the others, I still think Songs in A Minor is Alicia Keys' best album. She just sounds so young and so fresh, so new and so ready to make a name for herself. The songs were kinda hip, but innocently so.

I guess I am a fairweather Amel Larrieux fan. I LOVE Bravebird beginning to end (Oh my GOODNESS, "We Can Be New" is the best song EV-AR. "And we'll shed of our skin like trees do with leaves..." YES!!). Infinite Possibilities is ok, solid, but not particularly great. Lovely Standards will be deleted at the end of this exercise. :-p Morning is just ok too. Save "Weary", it's inferior to Infinite Possibilities.

Amerie is still a badass chick; don't sleep on Amerie. Touch is by far, her WORST album. The others are golden.

Anastacia... I liked a few songs the first time I listened, but I swear I need more of this chick in my life now. She's sings like Blu Cantrell with a rock edge. I LOVE it.

Still not keen on the neosoul staples, Angie Stone and Anthony Hamilton. I just cannot get into these two people.

Well, that's all I have to say for the A's. I'm halfway through the B's now... including 101 Bone thugs-n-harmony songs, oh my goodness... I'm going to die before I make it through this exercise. :-p But we'll see. If I have it, I must have been at least a little interested in it at some point. :-p

Pleasantly Surprising "A" (re)discoveries:
I Refuse
(Freak) And U Know It
Can't Let Go
Pieces of a Dream

She's the Ish!

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 23:14:29 +0000

For those of you still eagerly awaiting Lyfe Jennings' new album, Lyfe Changes (in stores April 15th!), you may want to check out these two videos. He previews a couple more new songs from the album and both sound really good so far. Towards the end of video 1, he sings a bit of "She's the Sh-t", haha. As always, don't be fooled by the title with Lyfe's songs. The lyrics are crazy! At the beginning of the second video, he previews "Old School"; a collabo with Snoop Dogg, ha. The beat is wicked and the lyrics are classically Lyfe: crazy! ("I swear to God if they keep raising the gas price, I'ma sell this Chevy and go buy me a bike..") He's one of a kind and he just really reminds me of D'Angelo sometimes; just wicked creative! I'm hyped, man! I need this album... like yesterday! He also previews "Never Never Land" in case you haven't heard that one yet.

New Lyfe Jennings songs! FINALLY!

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:45:04 +0000

Finally! I've been craving new Lyfe Jennings music! I guess this one will be his next single off his album Change, due out in March! It's called "Never Never Land" and it's very tight! It's classic Lyfe Jennings, all the way! Good, straight-up R&B, and the lyrics are complete with Lyfe's trademark "observational" humor-- "Those fellas live in Never Never Land, right next to Peter Pan, cause nobody wants to grow old..." And the kicker at the end-- "30 is NOT the new 20... it's the same ol' 30!" Man, you gotta love Lyfe. There's no one out there like him! You can hear the song in full on his Myspace page. Or listen here to the YouTube rip:

This one is called "Brand New" and features Lil' Wayne. It's decent, I like it. More of the "Computer Love" voice, as I call it. :-p Pretty smooth old-fashioned R&B, definitely a cut above most of the stuff out there. Check it out:

This one is called "I Know What You Want" and it features Lil' Flip. I'm guessing this is new, but I don't know. I haven't heard it before...? It's pretty icky stuff coming from Lyfe, (and I swear there's some extra-foul stuff that got bleeped out) but that's alright because he still manages to make it interesting! He's singing in a very strange falsetto voice and he sounds really cute at least...

This one is called "Fall in Love". It's a live performance of the song though, and I gotta hear the album version because it's typical Lyfe to be up there preaching through half of the song. :-p

But yeah, I'm getting excited! If I haven't sold you yet, I'll never sell you, but this man is the real deal. There's nobody out there like Lyfe Jennings. He's an artist through and through, and he has the most amazing voice. I know I'm just in love with this man, but it's the truth! He's one in a million, a total breath of fresh air, his music touches you, and he's totally keeping soul alive!

Check him out doing "Easy" with Lionel Richie:

And then check this out and tell me what dude out there is possibly any better than Lyfe. It's barely even 3 minutes long for those of you with no attention span! Because I'll listen if you can watch this and tell me of someone out there today who's better! I'm up for the challenge! This video has converted many a YouTuber since it's been up.

My Top Ten Albums of 2007

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 08:52:38 +0000

Continuing from My Top Ten Singles of 2007, here are my favorite albums of the year. As always, this is entitled *My* Top Ten, the albums that I personally enjoyed the most. Another again, this list also may include 4th quarter 2006 stuff since I missed most of those releases at the time. Similarly, there weren't many 4th quarter 2007 releases that were in contention for inclusion on my list. Some I haven't listened to enough or I haven't heard at all yet (lookin' at Mary J. Blige). There are also some albums that were released earlier in the year that I unfortunately have not spent enough time with to form a solid opinion on. R&B is my love, followed by pop. I really didn't listen to any rap this year, and I know there were some good releases in that genre, but oh well. Maybe if I get back into other genres, I'll do proper reviews for those albums at a later date. Either way, I think my list is a good reflection of what I actually listened to and enjoyed most this year. Don't expect it to match the critics or the charts, and as always, ENJOY!
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10) Deborah Cox- Destination Moon: Deborah shines brightly on this overlooked tribute album to the late, great Dinah Washington. Although I'm not a huge fan of cover albums, Deborah's foray into jazz was a welcome surprise and departure from the same ol' R&B/dance ballads that she's best known for. I didn't expect to like this album as much as I did, but it was one that I kept coming back to. Deborah covers the classics beautifully, and always in good taste. The music is gorgeous and lush, and Deborah's voice is second-to-none. A gorgeous album with the right mix of class, brash, and soul.
My Top 3 Picks: "I Don't Hurt Anymore", "Destination Moon", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"

9) Emily King- East Side Story: Admittedly, I picked this up rather late in the year, and my only regret is that I didn't pay it any attention earlier. Emily's music is rather soft-spoken, but (I learned!) that it's important to not mistake that for dull. The music and the lyrics here are truly interesting. Although the songs are classy and may put her in the dreaded neo-soul category, the album feels thoroughly contemporary. She's about 1 part hip-hop, 2 parts jazz, and 3 parts soul; and in this respect her sound reminds me a LOT of Alicia Keys, only a bit more raw, although her sometimes-throaty singing may even evoke some comparisons to Joss Stone. Either way, Emily's delivery and her lyrics are folksy; it's that interesting story-telling quality that makes me love folks like Lyfe Jennings. It's the stuff we don't hear too much anymore: people trying to work out problems through music and talking about their own real human experiences.
My Top 3 Picks: "E Melody", "Never Be Lonely", "It Was You" (Also I think her cover of "Ain't No Sunshine" is quite brilliant.)

8) Joss Stone- Introducing Joss Stone: What on earth do people have against this album??? Obviously, I thought it was pretty damned good myself. There were some cries of "Joss sold out", but unlike some other sell-outs who shall remain nameless, I think this actually *IS* the real Joss Stone (as she is now in her young adulthood, anyway). Come on, this album has "wide-eyed flower child" written all over it. :-p I think she pulls off the 60's/70's soul-pop vibe wonderfully. Her voice sounds so raw and unleashed here, like she just went into the studio and said "To hell with restraint!" and belted her little heart out! And personally, I think it makes for a more satisfying listen than her previous albums did. This album was pretty groovy, and I haven't heard anything else like it this year. Raphael Saadiq did the production, and it's all rich, funky, old-school stuff; just the right mix of upbeat and slower numbers. No, it's not a classy album at all: Joss is all "sista-girl" colorful, bold, brass and brash here. Yet that's what makes it one heck of an enjoyable listen.
My Top 3 Picks: "Put Your Hands on Me", "Arms of My Baby", "Music"

7) Amerie- Because I Love It: Amerie really surprised with this collection of 80s-tinged pop/R&B/soul/funk/dance/electro/techno songs. Amerie's always had a little bit of artistry in her, and I feel she really let it loose on this album. All of the tracks (all written and arranged by Amerie, color me surprised) are lush with incredible horns, drums, synths, as well thickly layered vocals and harmonies. The music ranges from fun, upbeat dance numbers like "Gotta Work" to gorgeous power ballads like "All Roads". And Amerie's voice (which I often describe as "screechy") is actually a thing to marvel at. There is the screech factor, yes, but by gods, her voice has a LOT of power to it. She's yelling, she's singing, she's belting, she's crying, she's laughing! Her voice is literally a whirlwind of emotion! Amerie came hard with this release; you can tell that she put her all into it. And that's pretty much the #1 thing I ask for in any artist: be honest and pour your heart & soul into it. This was undoubtedly Amerie's labor of love, and unfortunately it looks like it will never see the light of day here in the good ol' USofA.
My Top 3 Picks: "Take Control", "Gotta Work", "When Loving U Was Easy"

6) Ciara- Ciara: The Evolution: Another album that I was surprised that I liked as much as I did. Say what you will, call me names, but I think this is one of the best R&B/pop/dance records in recent memory. I can listen to this straight through, no skipping (except those damned interludes!). The music is danceable and hip-poppish, but the rare part is that it's actually kinda quiet and interesting (save the few obligatory 'crunk' tracks) for the most part. Yeah, you dance to this music, but still you can sit just there and listen to it and appreciate it as good music. The lyrics aren't all that great and Ciara's voice still isn't worth two dimes, but hey, she did improve! Noticeably too! I just really quite love this album. It's fun, it's sexy, it's 90s, yet it's dark and it's moody, almost atmospheric at times. One or two of the songs sound like they could have been on Gaelle's album. No one expects that from a mainstream pop tart like Ciara, but this music is just really good.
My Top 3 Picks: "Make it Last Forever", "Get In, Fit In" (which I think is on some straight futuristic stuff, move over Justin Timberlake!), "I Proceed"

5) Alicia Keys- As I Am: Can Alicia Keys do any wrong? Her first album is still my absolute favorite (sentimental value!), but I'll go ahead and place this one above The Diary. This is Alicia's most daring and diverse album to date, complete with Alicia dabbling into a pop-rock sound more reminiscent of P!nk than our piano-playing beauty here. (Heck, I think Pink could have sung half of these songs just as wonderfully too, but that's another topic! Yet I rejoice this day where I could compare Alicia to Alecia, yay! They could make cool music together!) But of course Alicia doesn't lose her R&B/soul roots on this collection of classy, timeless tunes. Yes, there's an obvious old-school vibe going on, but Alicia brings a youthful, contemporary fire and urgency to it. Her voice is a raging ball of passion all throughout the album. Alicia reaches above and beyond with this album, and it's good to hear her pushing her own limits, both vocally and musically. Every song has its own little quirk and beauty. Even when the lyrics are, as some have put it-- "spouting platitudes", Alicia still infuses it with something all her own; some special little quirk, and it's all so wonderfully uplifting and bright-eyed, so who really even cares when it sounds so good? Another album where I don't have to skip a track.
My Top 3 Picks: "Wreckless Love", "Sure Looks Good to Me", "Lesson Learned"

4) Amy Winehouse- Back to Black: Amy, Amy, Amy. What is there to say? :-p This album seemingly came out of nowhere, led by the single "Rehab" which had me asking "Is that Lauryn Hill???" Of course the Lauryn comparisons drop after the third listen, and what remains is all the trashy goodness that is Amy. The first few times I listened to this album, I was just plain surprised. She sounded like some jaded 50 year-old from the doo-wop era. But no, this girl was my age, white, anorexic, and possibly crack-addicted! On some straight Motown/doo-wop/soul/60s girl-group stuff! Personal woes aside, this quickly became one of my favorite albums. the songs are straight old-fashioned, timeless, classy, and they sound like they actually were recorded in some big 60s studio. Very crisp with imaginary crackling! Amy's vocals are top-notch; her voice is one of the most unique voices I've ever heard. She's straight soul without all the effort and huffing-and-puffing that other modern-day singers often substitute for it. Her voice just has that effortless quality; you can really feel & relate to what she's singing about. Truly a fantastic album, and I sure hope she gets well. Because I NEED to grow old with a big stack of Amy Winehouse records!
My Top 3 Picks: "Tears Dry on Their Own", "Me & Mr. Jones", (tie)"Back to Black" & "Some Unholy War"

3) Keyshia Cole- Just Like You: Keyshia just kinda ends up here by default. I love Keyshia's voice so much that even an album of slightly lacking material is still better than pretty much everything else I've heard this year. :-p Not to say that I dislike the album or anything, I just feel like Keyshia is better than this. She did kinda go big, drawn-out ballad-heavy; probably because "Love" was her biggest hit on the previous album, and she figures that's what people want to hear her doing. But I think a lot of those ballads felt kinda empty; they don't feel honest. I need my Keyshia to dig a little bit deeper. Not to say that the album doesn't have it's highlights. Keyshia's voice is marvelous as always; a thing of great sadness, pain, and even greater power. Keyshia's voice moves you. And the honesty I felt was missing on some of the grand ballads like "I Remember" can actually be found in some of the more upbeat songs, ironically. I think Keyshia rocks a midtempo and a hard beat like no one else can. Often times it's not when she's actually trying to sound emotive ("Just Like You") that she conveys the most emotion. I think "Was it Worth it" is actually the deepest, richest, most honest, and most touching song here (but you didn't saaacrifice for me!) Either way, this is my Keyshia, I loved my Keyshia the very first time I heard her, and I will always love my Keyshia. That voice is one in a million, whether she's doing it in overkill mode or laid back mode-- it's reaching you either way. Despite my not completely loving this album, it still ended up being the one I played the most this year, out of any on this list. So this spot is definitely earned! (OT, but I so wonder what will happen when Lyfe releases Change in March... will Keyshia or Lyfe come out on the top of my charts??? Any bets? :-p )
My Top 3 Picks: "Was it Worth it", "Let it Go", "Got to Get My Heart Back"

2) Jill Scott- The Real Thing: Words & Sounds Vol. 3: Yeah. Me and Jill have a history. Not quite as complicated as the one I have with Amel Larrieux, but there's still history. Where I essentially... not sleep per se, but rather where I doze on and off to Jill. :-p But as I said in my Top Ten Singles entry, Lyfe Jennings changed the way I listen to music. Because honestly, I never really sat down and had patience with Jill. Not until now, anyway. W&S3 came at the right time for me. Kinda like Lyfe, Jill Scott is a poet first & foremost, and it's that love of lyrics, the care and dedication to the way words are written and sang and heard and experienced that really makes this album golden to me. And yeah, there's a heck of a lot of sex here, but the way Jill handles it... my god. That's some damned good sex! :-p Really, the words, the lyrics, the way she wraps her voice around the lyrics and the way the music just slinks in next to it all... truly some beautiful songs here. Each and every one of them. It's sex, but it's not to be taken lightly. This is grown folks sex, not whatever *insert random poptart or random male R&B singer here* is shouting about.
My Top 3 Picks: "Come See Me" (BEAUTY!!!), "Epiphany", "Whenever You're Around"

1) Chrisette Michele- I Am: Yes, this is hands-down my favorite album of the year, by a little landslide too! Yet another that seemingly came out of nowhere and blew my mind! Chrisette is the real deal; she's thoroughly schooled in the Fine Art of SANGIN', and her voice is wonderfully rich, powerful, soulful, and undeniably unique with a wide range. Seriously, her voice is like a strange mix of Fantasia, Michelle Williams, Billie Holiday, AND Anita Baker! Her music is good old-fashioned soulful R&B, complete with a strong jazz influence, and a little hip-hop. The songs are all just stellar. She worked with so many brand-name producers (Babyface, LA Reid, John Legend, will.i.am) that you wouldn't even expect something this fresh, cohesive, crisp, and CLASSIC. It's varied enough with all of the producers, yet no song feels out of place, flashy, or over-produced and brand-name. It's all just very crisp, very fresh, very exciting, very different! I love each and every one of the songs, some a little less than the others, but each song is a gem in its own right. The lyrics range from simple ("Be Ok"-- typical break-up stuff) to heart-tugging ("Your Joy"-- a beautifully uplifting dedication to her father), to classic & timeless, ("Best of Me"-- long lost love song), to self-consciously hip ("Good Girl"-- flaunting her metaphorical 'goodies'), longingly pure ("Golden"-- beautiful song about wanting love like in the olden days, 'when commitment was golden'!!! *Shock, awe, and warm feelings!!*). All of it is just wonderful and classy, even when it's not trying to be. Don't sleep on this girl. She is the real deal, a straight-up singer and her music is refreshing, pure, and GOOD. In any era other than this one, she'd be the next big thing.
My Top 3 Picks: "In This For You", "Golden", "Work it Out"

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Honorable Mentions

Janelle Monáe- Metropolis, Suite 1: the Chase: It felt unfair putting this on my list since it really only had 3 songs. But I love all 3 songs SO much. if it had been a full-length album and all the songs were equal or close to these 3, it would have easily been my #1 album. This is truly imaginative, creative, amazing, catchy, and funky! She talks about aliens and cyborgs, yeah, but if you listen closely... she's talking about some serious socio-political stuff! I love the way she just throws out all these heavy, hard-hitting words at the end of "Many Moons". It's truly some deep stuff underneath all the fun and the upbeat catchy beat. This could totally be in the mainstream just because it's SO catchy. If we can embrace the craziness of a song like "SexyBack", we CAN embrace music like Janelle's that actually has something to think about, a message!
My Top 3 Picks: "Many Moons", "Violet Stars Happy Hunting!", "Sincerely, Jane", duhrrr...

Tamia- Between Friends: I think this is Tamia's strongest album yet. No one song is better than "You Put a Move on My Heart", but on the whole... I think this album is actually better than her first.
My Top 3 Picks: "Become Us", "When a Woman", "Almost"

M.I.A.- Kala: I wasn't digging it as much as her first album, but I still thought it was good. Admittedly though, she kinda lost me on some tracks like "Birdflu" and "the Turn".
My Top 3 Picks: "Paper Planes", "Jimmy", "Mango Pickle Down River"

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My Top 10 of 2007 Album Sampler is available here.

My Top Ten Singles & Songs of 2007

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 05:08:33 +0000

2007 in music was pretty much one-note for me... for half of the year, anyway. At the end of last year, I was just discovering the wonderfulness that is Lyfe Jennings. That shaped so much of my musical experience this year. I was already bored with most of the contemporary pop/R&B scene, and Lyfe gave me a greater appreciation and hunger for music that dug just a little bit deeper. This was a musician, a poet, someone you're not even going to listen to and think "Is this soul or R&B?" It just is soul music and R&B music, straight to the core. So I spent most of the year listening to Lyfe Jennings who went from not existing on my charts 16 months ago, to holding up near the rear 12 months ago, to leapfrogging past all my long-time favorites straight into the #2 spot where he is now. I'll just say that because of Lyfe, I hold everything to a higher standard now, whether it's pop, rock, or R&B. I get bored easily.

But. A girl like me can't live off one artist for too long. Nor can a girl like me do without doing wacky dances and belting along off-key to my diva tunes for long. :-p

This year saw quite a few new artists that I absolutely adore, like the fabulous Chrisette Michele and the trashy goodness that is Amy Winehouse. This year also saw the return of many of my old favorite artists, people I thought I was kinda over already, like the staples of my teen pop years: Hanson, the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and the Spice Girls! All four came back with new music this year! (It is kinda the 10-year anniversary of all those acts, I guess... 1997 was definitely the iconic teen pop year for me). I also picked up on some artists that have been around for a while but I had more or less been sleeping on (or dozing on-and-off to), like Amerie, Macy Gray, and Jill Scott. We even got some returning divas this year in the form of Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, and even Deborah Cox! My heart will go on after all, it seems!!!

I have another entry coming soon dedicated to the great albums that were released this year, but this one I dedicate to the singles and songs. The first half will cover singles that were actually released in 2007, regardless of when the album was released; albeit cheating just a little. I missed most of everything that was released at the end of 2006 at the time, so 4th quarter '06 stuff will likely appear on this list and the albums list. The second half will cover the songs that I listened to most this year, that weren't necessarily released in 2007. And always, this list is entitled *MY* Top Ten. Therefore don't expect it to look like the Billboard charts or the Music Critics' list. These are the songs that I personally loved a lot, and I hope you love them too! But if you don't... your loss, as always. :-p

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My Top Ten Singles of 2007

10. No One - Alicia Keys:
Like many, I didn't know what to make of this track the first few times I heard it. What the hell was going on with her voice? Why did she sound like that? Surely this wasn't the finished product? It wasn't what anyone was expecting to hear. It was definitely a grower to say the least! But sometimes the growers are the best songs; the kind that stay with you for a long, long time. It's not the flashiest song; the lyrics are simple even for A. Keys, but there's something about her delivery. Singing in this totally different register gives her voice a delicate urgency. There's something fragile and beautiful in this song.

9. Gimme More - Britney Spears:
It's Britney, bitch! As much as I wanted to feel neutral about this tune, especially given the infamously craptastic VMA performance, I couldn't resist it for long. Ironically, it was the endless instant replays of the VMA debacle that really got me into this song. :-p It's pure pop perfection in a dark and sexy way. This track pounds and throbs in all the right places! You can't help but move when you hear the "gimme gimme."

8. Cops Up - Lyfe Jennings:
Lyfe dubbed this his "pop" song, but he still manages to NOT reach the pop audience. :-p But I'm not mad at him for trying. And even though this is his effort to reach out to that wider, younger audience; it's still just good old-fashioned soulful R&B! It has a little bit of that hip-hop swagger, that 90s sex swagger, but it still has that unmistakable Lyfe Jennings swagger: his style, his one-of-a-kind vocals, and his humor are all intact. As long as Lyfe is singing it and penning some lyrics, it's a gem in my book.

7. If I Have My Way- Chrisette Michele:
Chrisette Michele is such a breath of fresh air. Talk about good old-fashioned soulful R&B! This girl is the real deal. She probably has the most distinctive voice I've heard this year. Just listen to the way she croons out the lines here; with every attention to detail, yet she's never boring. She's got plenty of bombast and divatude, yet she's never overboard or gaudy. Listen to the submission and restraint in "Let me find the strength to get on up outta here... uh!" Chrisette is the real deal, and I expect her to do big things.

6. Violet Stars Happy Hunting!- Janelle Monáe:
Oh my. This is hands-down the most unique song I've heard this year. You don't hear too many songs with an opening line of "I'm an alien from outer space," for one. :-p This song is just a pure ball of hotness! It's funky! It's disco, it's soul, it's pop, it's straight off Broadway, it's indie, it's alternative rock, what the hell is it? :-p But who even cares when it's so utterly delightful? This song is just one of many reasons why I call Janelle Monáe the next Michael Jackson. I think it was a little over a year ago where I asked here in a last.fm journal, who out there today could make a song about creatures like zombies, aliens, (or cyborgs) and have it be the best thing you've ever heard? Sorry Chris Brown, but Janelle Monáe is the TRUTH! If this song doesn't make you get the hell up out of your seat, then you may want to check your pulse. Unfortunately there is no music video for this song (they filmed one, but she was terribly unhappy with the video quality-- drawback of being a no-budget artist), but I would love to see one. Janelle is actually quite an entertainer too.

5. Gotta Work- Amerie:
I'm kinda very sad that this got no play at all. A lot of people said it sounded like "1 Thing", but in my opinion it's the much-improved version of "1 Thing." If "1 Thing" had sounded like this song, I would've been into Amerie years ago. :-p Amerie gave us some straight fire and folks were too caught up on "Ella-ella-ella, ey-ey-ey" to notice! (There's room for more than one anti-Beyonce, y'all.) This is another one you can't help but dance to, it's so bouncy and uplifting. And how much do I love that she avoids the typical cliched R&B/pop lyrics? It's nothing deep at all, but still... it's nothing you really hear anymore. Just an all-around feel good song, and I don't mind her screeching here. Amerie got a little soul and fire and a lotta funk!

4. Last Night (Feat. Keyshia Cole)- Diddy ft. Keyshia Cole:
What's not to love about "Last Night" (except Diddy's singing)? It was definitely one of the more interesting and creative tracks I heard this year, and was a pleasant surprise coming from both Diddy and Keyshia. Keyshia's vocals are excellent, and almost made me call her the next... somebody who's actually better than Mary J. Blige. :-p Definitely the song that made Diddy's 2006 album worth listening to.

3. Rokkugo!!!- Super Junior T:
Amerie, SuJu... year of the Koreans for me? :-p Please do NOT ask because I'm embarrassed to tell, but I have been downright obsessed with Super Junior for all of four weeks now. :-p I've never seen that many hot guys in one group before!!! Hell, I've never seen that many PEOPLE in one group before, hot or not, guys or gals! It's fascinating! :-p Super Junior T is actually a 6-member subgroup of the main 13-member group, and they put out this little number earlier in the year. I saw this on YouTube and it quickly became one of my favorite songs ever, of all time, in any genre. I have no idea what the heck they're saying, but it's supposedly gibberish in any language, which makes it that much more awesome! Seriously, it's the best song you've never heard. It's all cheese, it's ridiculously catchy, and it comes with awesome dance moves! (The video is definitely one my most favorite MVs of all time.) You haven't lived until you've sang along with this (the best you can!) and done the little dance... five times in a row. :-p If this doesn't make you laugh and/or dance, then you have no pulse. (And I'm totally gonna have little Blasian babies with this man!)

2. Take Control- Amerie: Here's that chick again! It was a tough call between this song and my #1. I don't know what crawled underneath Amerie's skin, but she gave us some straight fire this year! Sadly, nobody was ready to hear actual GOOD music from Amerie just yet. This song is just heavenly. Amerie's vocals are strained but restrained, the music is interesting and infinitely danceable without being all obvious and overpowering the vocals and the lyrics like many high-energy dance numbers do. The video was quite awful and actually saps away some of the song's energy, so I imagine this unfortunately hurt the song's success. Because honestly, I have my own awesomely badass video for this song that plays in my head when I listen to it!

1. Let It Go- Keyshia Cole: I wasn't even really feeling this the first few times I listened to it. It was a grower. When I did finally get into it, I couldn't let it go; no pun intended! It was a sneaky little song: I found myself humming it at inappropriate times; I had a burning desire to hear it at least once a day for a few months. I just love it. It totally has that 90s vibe, only with a contemporary feel. Although it recycles the dreaded "Juicy Fruit" sample, Keyshia's vocals manage to make it sound fresh, injecting a new energy and bounce. I also adore Missy's and Kim's contributions to the song; that's the first time I've dug either of them in a while. It's not a deep song or a highly artistic, unique song. It's just damn hot, and I can definitely appreciate a damn hot song. That's the Keyshia Cole magic.

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Top 10 Most-Played Songs This Year:

10. So Blu- Blu Cantrell (60 plays) Heart-tugging, amazingly powerful vocals. ("Tryin' to be your strength when you know you lack...")

9. Take Control- Amerie (60 plays) ("Oooh I'm alive right now, look at me!")

8. Smile- Lyfe Jennings (61 plays) So bouncy and feel-good and old-school. ("So when that sunshine finally finds me, I can stand fully in the light...")

7. Cry- Lyfe Jennings (65 plays) Straight from his soul. Check out the live performance of this I posted on YouTube (shan2001): will change your life forever. ("They say a man ain't supposed to cry...")

6. Make It Last Forever- Ciara (65 plays) A terrific piece of dance music; rivals Brit-Brit and Amerie. ("Come over here and get it say yeah! When you put your arms around me, yeah!")

5. 26 Years, 17 Days- Lyfe Jennings (74 plays) This song is a trip. ("Shoulda been dead like 17 times for 17 crimes I committed...")

4. Let It Go- Keyshia Cole (78 plays) ("Now understand why I take my time...")

3. Tears Dry On Their Own- Amy Winehouse (78 plays) This song got me through some rough times! ("He takes the day but I am grown! And in your way, in this blue shade, my tears dry on their own!")

2. Must Be Nice- Lyfe Jennings (84 plays) Just plain nice. Must be. ("When those 20s stop spinnin'...")

1. The River- Lyfe Jennings (94 plays) Straight from his soul again; dude was croakiin' this one. ("I couldn't start to be what I had the potential to be...")

Be Negative About Your Top 20

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 07:13:39 +0000

Just biding some time. I have a couple of huge year-end entries I'm working on and are coming soon; complete with all the rave reviews that I didn't write this year. I've been so negligent...

But this looks like fun! It's really all love though, these are my top 20 after all.

1. Keyshia Cole: She sings off-key... a lot. And I hate her new 'blond & posing nude' image... a lot.

2. Lyfe Jennings: I feel he's well on his way to selling-out in 2008. Snoop Dogg is the LAST person I would ever care to hear on a Lyfe Jennings song. He didn't really push & promote his second album the way he should have. I feel like he gave up on it too easily. (Somebody luvs ya, baby...)

3. Pink: Sometimes her lyrics make me cringe. She tries, but sometimes it just comes off as juvenile, bratty, and clichéd. (And I AIN'T changing my tags!)

4. Blu Cantrell: Her voice can grate at times, and she doesn't even try to promote her music. Where the heck is she now??? Just lazy and entitled, I think. With a voice like that, she should & could be everywhere.

5. Esthero: Okay, she did the "Musical Revolution" song all big and bad and brave... and then took out the easiest targets imaginable (Britney Spears & Ashanti). And the one brave target was left unnamed (R. Kelly). That was kinda weak after all...

6. Mary J. Blige: She sings off-key... a lot. Can get grating. Put out a new album way too soon.

7. Alicia Keys: She sings off-key... a lot, and at times she doesn't sound like she can really hit the notes she tries for. Her lyrics on the new album sometimes make me cringe. Can we be a little less generic with the lyrics?

8. Toni Braxton: She went from classy to trashy in 2 years. Yay. Sometimes she mumbles instead of singing.

9. Utada: She hasn't made anything that has come close to topping "Kremlin Dusk". For shame.

10. Mariah Carey: Yeah, she just ain't as good as she used to be. We'll keep this one short & simple.

11. Wild Orchid: Sold out a little more with each subsequent album, and STILL went nowhere. For shame.

12. Amerie: How the heck did she make it this far up my list anyway??? Her voice gets VERY grating, and she hollers a lot. And quit remaking "1 Thing".

13. John Legend: Can be sleep-inducing. Stop borrowing from the oldies so much.

14. Shanice: Stop making generic ass songs, k thx.

15. Tamia: Stop making generic ass songs, k thx.

16. Lamya: I think she gets caught up in her own little aura sometimes, and the lyrics come off as trying too hard.

16. Robyn: Why doesn't she release her music in the US anymore? That really sucks, and I'll just blame her for it.

16. Joss Stone: She comes off as pretentious and a stereotypical flower child with an unhealthy fetish for blackness. Sometimes her singing sounds nasally and forced.

19. Nelly Furtado: I've had enough fun with this chick to last a decade already. :-p She'll be off my top 20 sooner rather than later though, so whatevah. But here's to hoping she starts being an honest musician again...

20. Gaelle: Ugh, she's not even trying anymore. No word on that alleged new album yet, hmm...?

Cops Up: The Official Video

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 17:15:16 +0000

There's now an official video released for Lyfe Jennings' "Cops Up". I didn't even know until I checked out some obscure R&B/soul blog written in some language that I didn't even recognize. Lyfe gets no love in the blogosphere, hmph. I'm kinda over "Cops Up" myself, but it's still Lyfe and it's still fire! He also added a new little hum to the intro that I love. The video is... take from it what you will, but Lyfe got video chicks in it! But I like it though, it's quite smoldering! At the end there's a dedication to LaLa Brown, from his single "S.E.X.", who was found murdered last month. I can't wait for his new album though! February 2008! I need new Lyfe! Forget what ya heard, this man is the future of R&B!

Lyfe Jennings: Change! First Look!

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 05:43:27 +0000

No, it's not here yet, unfortunately. We have to wait until February '08. But I noticed that the official blurb for the album is out now. Take from it what you will, but I'm excited and terrified for it. Also, his new song "Cops Up" is now available on iTunes; it's HOT and includes vocals from Luke & Q. Also, Lyfe made a little homemade video for "Cops Up", ha. It's cute I guess; he's just there jammin' by his lonesome. :-p Check it out!

Here's the Official "Change" bio:

Lyfe Jennings
Change

The evolution of Lyfe Jennings was bound to happen. With his authentic, soulful voice, innovative, creative style and undeniable talent, Lyfe is ready for a change. He's ready to establish an even deeper connection with his fans and garner new ones. He has grown and his latest album proves it.

"The album is called Change because I'm changing it up a bit," explains Lyfe. "In the past I didn't work with different producers, I produced and wrote most of my albums by myself. But on this project I actually worked with different producers and a few writers."

The 11-track album, slated to be released late this year, features Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, Wyclef Jean (who wrote "Wild, Wild, Wild"), and two of Lyfe's protégés, rapper Doc Black and singer Gritz. Producers include The Underdogs, Rich "Killa" Keller and Jean. He decided to work with more people on this album to add a diverse, eclectic spin to Change. "Everybody has their own genre of music and their own audience," he expresses. "By working with different people, naturally I am able to tap into those different genres and audiences."

Lyfe, a native of Toledo, Ohio, entered the music world in 2004 after the release of his critically acclaimed, platinum debut Lyfe 268-192. Hailed as gritty and raw, the album created devoted fans from everywhere. With its brutally honest lyrics, Lyfe walked listeners down his rough, turbulent road, brilliantly giving them an edgy autobiographical history lesson that made many able to relate to him. He captured an even broader audience last year with his sophomore effort, The Phoenix, which expanded on his story, taking listeners through different phases of a man with new fame and money. The Phoenix featured the smash hit and cautionary tale, "S-E-X," and made him a household name.

But what makes this album different from Lyfe 268-192 or The Phoenix is that Lyfe has matured and he's ready to take his life and music career in a different direction. He also opted not to include his signature story interludes. "I wanted people to just flow from song to song," explains Jennings. On this album, he's looking forward to showing how he's evolved. "People have become accustomed to me singing about sad stuff. When they listen to my albums, usually they're in their car or they're at home doing something," he says. "But I added some up tempo songs to this album, so some of them can be played in the clubs, some of them are happy and funny, but there are some serious songs as well." Lyfe admits that he didn't do a lot of planning for the album, which is definitely hard to tell from its exquisitely written ballads, melodic beats and the remarkable vibe of the entire album. "I wanted Change to be a fly album. I just went in the studio and just liked kicked it and came up with the songs."
The first single "She's The Shit," is a fast-paced celebration of special confident women. It's a story told with a spirit of fun and reality delivered with sincerity. "My heart is definitely with the ballads," Lyfe confesses. "But you have to mix and match. With 'She's The Shit' the hook is great, the beat is great, and I think it's a song that's ageless And I think it will allow me to expand my young audience more."

On "It's Real," and "Wild, Wild, Wild," Lyfe masterfully discusses touchy subjects affecting the community such as AIDS, with his classic straightforward style and message-filled, reality-based lyrics. On "Midnight Train" and "Never, Never Land," Lyfe does what he does best—deliver rich, euphonic ballads, guaranteed to tug at anyone's heart strings.

In the midst of it all, Lyfe is enjoying his successful career, but handling it smartly and professionally. He has added businessman to his singer/songwriter/producer resume, becoming CEO of his own label, Jesus Swings, with a deal through Universal and Motown Records. The musical virtuoso is looking forward to wearing many hats. "I don't really do the celebrity thing, you know, hanging at industry parties. I got two sons and during my free time I try to be with those boys," says the devoted father of sons, Phoenix and Elijah.

But if Lyfe could change one thing, it would be the way some people still react to him. "Sometimes people know about my background and about the trouble I was in, so they're intimidated by me," he points out. "When I have a conversation with them, they're trying to match the persona of who they think I'm supposed to be—this tough guy who did all this time in prison," he says. "They say things like, 'Yeah, I'm a hood dude too.' And that immediately kills the mood and alters the relationships that I could have had with these people. I'm a regular person who likes to play basketball, go to clubs with my guys, play with my kids and work. I'm not an institutionalized thug."

Lyfe is ready to move on and focus on the future. The world is about to meet the grown, fun, sexy Lyfe. He's anxious to expand internationally with his new album, new label and artists, as well as upcoming movies and soundtracks on the horizon, maybe even a rap career ("Before being a singer or anything else, I'm a lyricist and rapping is a lyrical game"), Lyfe is cleverly reinventing himself.

"I'm just trying to do something classic," he says, "something that can be remade in 20 years." And so the evolution of Lyfe begins.

A Very Special Mini-Reviews: Keyshia Cole- Just Like You

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 02:27:07 +0000

It's been about two years since Keyshia Cole graced us with her debut album which had many R&B aficionados proclaiming Cole "The Next Mary J. Blige", as if the queen had left her throne already. Like Mary, Keyshia came out ghetto-fabulous with a tough, attitude-bearing, battle-scarred exterior that belied the sweetness and the pain that were present in every note she sang. And also like Mary, Keyshia was blessed with a huge, emotive, powerful voice; an instrument she could not wield in the "proper" technically-proficient way, but rather one she used to convey what was deep inside her heart; one that she used to bare her soul.

And wield it, she did. Instead of going along with the trend of gimmicky hip-pop and guaranteeing herself a place in the Top 40, Keyshia made an album full of pure R&B songs; complete with that old-time feel, strings, bridges, codas, and a little bit of that 90s swing. In a world dominated by the likes of Rihanna, Keyshia was a breath of fresh air. "Who is that girl? All off-key but just sangin' a damn song?"

With the release of "Love", folks started to take notice. People were talking about Keyshia Cole and also like Mary, a lot of it was negative. But as Keyshia surely discovered while watching her album slow-burn its way to well over platinum status; as long as people are talking about it, it's all good.

A bit over two years later, Keyshia is back with her sophomore album, Just Like You, and words can't express how excited I was for this album. I always felt like Keyshia had no place to go but up. Now that the album is here, the verdict is in. And the verdict is... good, mostly good. On one hand, I feel like Keyshia has definitely grown in some respects. But on the other hand, I feel like Keyshia definitely played it safe. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, because this is one of the best albums I've heard all year; but there's a real stasis here, I think. Perfectly balanced, predictably safe. Keyshia definitely avoids the sophomore slump, but was there a price to pay?

As I can imagine everyone's sick of hearing it, and I know I am too, so the Mary J. Blige comparisons end here. I read one review where the person declared this album a failure seemingly just because it wasn't My Life. :-p As far as I'm concerned, The Way it Is was always Keyshia's My Life. It's not her fault that folks weren't paying attention. :-p

For the most part, Just Like You sticks to the same formula as The Way It is. It's still R&B with the street edge, and with minimal wanderings into dry pop territory. And yes, her songs are still about no-good men; telling off said men, letting go of said men, and then mourning over said men. But hey, that's alright with me. That's the story of R&B music; that's what Keyshia knows, that's what she wants to write about, that's what she's gonna sing about. Better that than some of the stuff I've been hearing in songs lately...

The album opens up with the first of its all-star appearances, "Let It Go" featuring Missy Elliot and Lil' Kim, produced by Missy. Honestly, I wasn't too fond of this song at first and it made me nervous about what to expect on the album. First there was the over-used "Juicy Fruit" sample; and then Missy and Lil' Kim nearly stole the song because neither have sounded that good on their own material in a while. Whereas on the first album, "To Be Over" opened the album taking no prisoners. It opened with those drums and horns; it sounded like an Alicia Keys song, even produced by Krucial Keys, but Keyshia made it loud and clear: I'm Keyshia Cole, I'm here, and this is my song. She came out bellowing that song like there was no tomorrow.

On the other hand, "Let it Go" actually plays more like Keyshia being introduced by Missy, despite Keyshia opening the song with the little acapella part. This is a fine example of how I think Keyshia's vocals have changed. This was introducing a quieter Keyshia. Dare I say Keyshia has mellowed out? Her voice is inherently loud and strong, but there's a smoothness here now, very unlike the jagged feeling that the notes in "To Be Over" set for the first album. Gone is some of the strain, that quality that I originally described as "cramped". To anyone who isn't me, that just means she's a better singer now, but it was that wild, uncontrolled quality that made her songs so exciting. Like "Oh my God, is she actually gonna reach that note???" The fledgling is gone, the noticeable breathing is gone. In its place is something smoother, something quieter, something more confident and sure of itself.

But needless to say, "Let It Go" grew on me like fungus and it's still one of my favorite songs on the album. That's a pure 90s type of jam, overused sample aside. And whatever is going on with the music during Kim's verse is HOT. 5 stars for the real, extended version (get it from ITunes). 4 stars for this edited video version that they put on the album for some reason. Ugh.

"Didn't I Tell You" featuring Too Short is up next. For some reason, this seems to be one of the more controversial songs on this album (watching people debate in Keyshia's shoutbox about it). It's either considered the best song or the worst song. I'm firmly in the "one of the best songs" camp. It's the closest to a club banger on the album and is basically a hip-hop song with singing. And that's fine with me because Keyshia has the right voice and the right attitude to pull this off and have it sound great. It's not Fergie 2.0 or whatever, in that Keyshia is always credible riding a hard beat like this. In that respect, it's almost reminiscent of "Situations" on the first album-- which was one of my faves by far. Too Short's rap wasn't all that, but it's acceptable and I like his contribution to the song. In fact one of the defining impressions on the album is that Keyshia ain't sitting at home curled up crying with her heart broke. :-p That's my new tag line, in fact. Also keeping in line with the new subdued Keyshia, there's this note in the song (starts at around 1:58). It's not spectacular, but it's quiet and it just lazily rolls over the beat; and then it kinda mirrors itself towards the end of the song. That's one of my favorite parts on the album. 4 stars.

Next up is "Fallin' Out"; one of the few songs that I actually kinda consider a ballad. I read a few reviews where people dismissed the album as a bunch of ballads, and I was shocked because I just heard a lot of midtempos. Not what I generally consider a ballad. Keyshia just doesn't have what I think of as a ballad voice. "Fallin' Out" is a nice song; it's pretty straightforward and displays her growth as a vocalist. It's very 90s and sounds like something I would expect from an up-and-coming 90s diva. The vocals are beautifully layered and lush; and there's a very nice pre-chorus crescendo. So 90s. *Dies.* 3 stars, only because I wish the end had flushed out to something grand in true diva style.

"Give Me More" is another of my favorite songs on the album (not to be confused with Brit-Brit's "Gimme More"). Color me just a wee bit surprised that this is Scott Storch, but it's a rather grand midtempo number, great for the vibe, and Keyshia's vocals are just delicious here. There's the part where she has this little catch in her voice. The song just has a really great vibe, and I love the music which is why I was surprised it was Scott Storch, wannabe Timbaland. 5 stars.

"I Remember" is probably the catchiest of the ballads here. It's a big number; not quite of "Love" proportions though. It's a gorgeous number for Keyshia, but there's just something I really hate about the chorus. It sounds so sing-songy and I kinda hate the way she sings the "so sad and lonely" bit. But then again... can that phrase ever NOT sound generic and corny? 3 stars.

"Shoulda Let You Go" is up next, and forgive me for lying, but this does sound like Mary J. Blige's "Enough Cryin'". Though I think that's less to do with Keyshia and more to do with Darkchild, the producer of both songs. Regardless, this is my jam. Another midtempo number with the street edge that compliment's Keyshia's voice so well. This one sounds like it would have been right at home on the first album. 5 stars.

Enough with Mary. The next number, "Heaven Sent" actually has a Mariah Carey vibe. I can just imagine Mariah singing this song. This is probably my favorite of the slower numbers. I just love the whole call & response part, "Everybody say I wanna be the one..." 4 stars.

"Same Thing", the interlude. Keyshia's arguing with some dude, and lamenting the fact that it's the same old thing with him. Maybe would have liked to hear this one fleshed out as a whole song. Okay... moving right along....

Up next is another of the album's highlights, "Got to Get My Heart Back". LOVE this. It has the perfect vibe to it; it's kind of dark and moody, a very subdued vocal perfromance by Keyshia. It's perfect for just nodding your head to in the dark on a Saturday night. No big hip producer here either, just Ron Fair and a well-used O'Jays sample. And there is a little rap inserted... but KEYSHIA does it-- and of course, it happens to be the best rap insert on the album. Clues, signs, Keyshia? Less is more! Keyshia actually has a pretty nice, mellow flow. And then there's the little Lisa Stansfield reference she throws in that drives me wild-- "Been around the world (and I-I-I-)"! A total jam, probably the best on the album. 5 stars.

Following that up is another strong point on the album-- "Was it Worth It". I love this one because it retains that raw quality that was oh-so-present on her first album. Her vocals sound quite different here... it sounds like it could be a live performance. It definitely has that wild, raw, breathless quality of the songs on her first album. The song is pretty dramatic, the music is VERY dramatic. A little more upbeat and fast-paced than the rest of the album, but it has a lot of that Keyshia-sadness to it. There's some real fire, pain, and anger in this one. Just listen towards the end when she goes "Saaaaaid and done! I cloooosed that door!" Excellent vocals by Keyshia and I love the background vocals also; the addition of the male vocals adds a richness and fullness to the chorus. 5 stars. Send this one to the radio, please...

The title track "Just Like You"... it's decent, but it's not my favorite. This is almost like Keyshia's "letter to the fans", and I always hate those types of songs. Please just ignore us. :-p Don't address us in a song, please. It's kinda like breaking down the fourth wall. Keyshia's isn't that annoying though, fortunately. And it does seem more like a plea and a statement of self... and in Keyshia's case, maybe even to herself. It's a nice song, and I love the bible verse at the end, aww. "Take the time to get to know me, the real me, I'm just like you... I'm tryin' to be happy." Is this supposed to be her big "My Life" moment? Almost... her vocals are definitely on point for it, but she really should have left out the "look in the mirror part". I may or may not be slowly becoming a lyrics prude, but some things start sounding incredibly cheesy after the millionth time. 3 stars for the assault of that line.

Up next is the duet with Anthony Hamilton, "Losing You". Another one that isn't my favorite. Pretty much a standard R&B duet. Anthony Hamilton is indeed wasted, despite a fine vocal performance. The song was just not worthy. I feel like any random dude could have been on the song. If you're going to have someone like Anthony Hamilton who's pretty much just known for being really good, then you should just go for it. Have some amazing, big song-- think "One Sweet Day" or something! 3 stars.

Why the heck is "Last Night" on here? And then it's the edited version too. At least give me the whole 7-minute shebang! Boo. Hiss. Go away. It was *the* standout on Diddy's album, but on Keyshia's, it seems out of place and lackluster. And it's the EDITED VERSION!! *screams* 3 stars for using radio edits, grr.

"Work it Out" just kinda slides by. Kind of your standard-fare R&B number, featuring Keyshia giving some standard-fare R&B vocals. It's decent; not remarkable. Not bad. Yeah, it's filler. 3 stars.

And finally.. we have a very unnecessary remix of "Let it Go" featuring T.I. and Young Dro. Meh. It doesn't really add anything to the song. The rappers are pretty lackluster. It was just unnecessary since the original "Let It Go" plays like a remix itself already. I much would've preferred a "Shoulda Let You Go" remix. 3 stars.
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Overall, it's a pretty strong second showing for Keyshia. It definitely won't hurt her career any; in fact, she's all set to gain a wider fanbase. Its weaknesses are the sameness of theme, the overall "smoothening" of her vocals, the use of the two radio/video edits instead of the full songs, and the standard-fare filler tracks thrown onto the tail end of the album. It definitely doesn't end as strongly as it started. I much would have preferred the iTunes-only bonus track "Trust" to have been on the CD version ("in your life! in your life!" Keyshia KILLED this one like Celine Dion or somebody; go find a copy of this song if you don't have it!) And as much as I love my R&B straight-up... I feel like this may even be a little too straight and narrow. I like my Keyshia angry and cursing and spitting on the track. She mellowed out! :-p And there was a little disco/fun feeling to her first album that I loved, best evident in the fun, bouncy tracks "Never" and "Guess What?" I feel like her "dance" tracks on this album lean towards the trendy Southern type of stuff, like "Didn't I Tell You" and the remix of "Let it Go". Overall though, it's a strong set. I don't like it as much as her first album, but there are plenty of good songs, and plenty that are ready for radio. A solid 3.93 rating. This is an album I'll be listening to for a while, regardless.

And weird factoid: Her album thank-yous include Nicky and Paris Hilton. Hmmm....