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Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 6332
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2008 - 01:04 pm: | 
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Review: Mary J. Blige's effortless 'Growing Pains'
Glenn Gamboa
baltimoresun.com
December 18, 2007
People can relate to pain. They understand drama. Happiness? Self-fulfillment? That stuff's harder to get behind, especially when you're seeing it in somebody else and not yourself.
Nevertheless, Mary J. Blige makes that switch seem effortless on her new album "Growing Pains" (Geffen). The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has been living out her "no more drama" mantra for three albums now and this time she seems to have mastered it.
"I'm talking about things that I know," she sings in a passionate run during the new single (and iPod commercial) "Work That," amid a swirl of self-empowerment statements - "Follow me, follow me, girl, be yourself" and "Don't worry about who's saying what, work what you got" - and a modernized version of the new-Jill-swing groove she used to ride back in the "Real Love" days.
Like some sort of tattoo-rocking, ballad-belting, hip-hop-loving Oprah, Blige has truly internalized her life lessons. Throughout "Growing Pains," she uses the same hip-hop mechanics that give so many women self-esteem issues to promote her "love yourself" agenda.
It may be only a subtle shift to the casual listener, but Blige's explanation of her beliefs in "Grown Woman" and her use of Ludacris' cameo to argue for the benefits of male-female equality is light years ahead of, say, Fergie's "Glamorous."
Blige has also added a new variety of vocal approaches to her arsenal on this album, moving from a jazzy Chaka Khan-ish take on "Shake Down," her soon-to-be-hit duet with Usher, to a restrained, gorgeous Annie Lennox-like spin through the Coldplay-tinged "Smoke."
Even when she's clearly having fun, in the first single "Just Fine," which bounces like vintage Michael Jackson circa "Off the Wall," or the Pharrell-produced, '80s freestyle throwback "Till the Morning," Blige is still building her argument for lifting one's spirit.
For those craving the older, more confrontational Blige, she throws in "Roses," a fiery, almost menacing, rant about the need for give-and-take in relationships. "It ain't all roses," she declares, over a dark beat and some ominous clicks that sound like the rolling of a revolver chamber. "It ain't all candy, this love stuff is demanding."
Blige says she named the album "Growing Pains" based on her belief in the adage, "No pain, no gain." It's a common theme, but her focus on the growth and not the pain makes it seem new and refreshing. What is even more impressive is the way she makes happiness and contentment seem as compelling as the struggle.
With "Growing Pains," Blige shows that pop songs don't have to be frivolous and hip-hop anthems don't have to be exploitative. It may be more difficult to pack positivity into catchy hooks, but these days, Blige certainly makes it look easy.
GROWING PAINS. Mary J. Blige offers up equal parts soul and self-help advice. In stores Tuesday. Grade: B+.
RIVERS RUNS THROUGH IT. Rivers Cuomo gives Weezer fans a glimpse into his sense of trial-and-error inventiveness on "Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo, 1992-2007" (Geffen).
The demo of "Buddy Holly" is great, but the real treasures are the previously unreleased tracks - especially "Blast Off!" and "Superfriend" - from the shelved rock musical "Songs from the Black Hole," which sort of became the classic album "Pinkerton." The promising "This Is the Way," which sounds like Cuomo fronting One Republic only, you know, cool, lifts expectations even higher for the Weezer album slated for a spring release, since the track didn't make the final cut.
Not everything here works - Cuomo's take on Ice Cube's "The Bomb" shows why he won't be a rapper and the a cappella opening of "Dude, We're Finally Landing" is a little too cutesy. Nevertheless, "Alone" features some great songs that simply didn't fit with whatever Weezer project they were written for. It's great that they now have a home.
("Alone," in stores today; grade: B)
ALSO IN STORES. Chingy hooks up with Ludacris, Amerie and Rick Ross on "Hate It or Love It" (Disturbing tha Peace/ Island Def Jam); Lupe Fiasco expands his conscious hip-hop sound with help from Snoop Dogg, UNKLE and Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump on "The Cool" (Atlantic); and R&B singer Jaheim returns with "The Makings of a Man" (Atlantic).
SONG OF THE WEEK. Remember when the first single from a Janet Jackson album was an event, when "Miss You Much" changed the way radio sounded and MTV looked? Yeah, "Feedback" (Island Def Jam) isn't like that. It follows instead of leads, traipsing down the same robo-dance path as Britney Spears' "Blackout." What saves "Feedback" from sounding totally anonymous is Jackson's playful phrasing and ability to mine the electro-groove. Those touches, not the surprisingly cookie-cutter production from Rodney Jerkins, keep "Feedback" fun. It's fluff, sure, but enjoyable fluff.
Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.
www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/music/ny-ettop5504547dec18,0,5121185.column |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 6333
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2008 - 01:15 pm: |
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I’ve been listening to Growing Pains for a few days now and I’m LOVING it.
I'm also loving:
Alicia Keys’ As I Am
Angie Stone’s The Art of Love & War
Jill Scott’s The Real Thing
And CHAKA KHAN’S FUNK THIS
All are very good as well, especially Chaka! |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 9797
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2008 - 01:42 pm: |
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I am in AWE of how Mary has grown as an artist and woman. She is INSPIRING.  |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 6334
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2008 - 02:09 pm: |
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Yeah she’s brilliant and she can sing me a song but I wouldn't exactly nominate her for president. LOL!!!
Many would, I know
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 9798
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2008 - 03:16 pm: |
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Tonya,
Hillary is about to get dat a$$ SMASHED tomorrow and throughout the rest of the Primaries.
The sooner you can acknowledge and accept that, the sooner you'll be able to recover from it.
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Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 6335
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 07, 2008 - 03:28 pm: |
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Abm, I am so cool, it’s not the end of the world. I'm accepting this take down just fine. How ‘bout you accept your judgment or lack thereof...
...and we’ll just move on. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 6074
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 02:57 pm: |
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The Witch ain't dead until you see her feet sticking out from under the house. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 11117
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 08, 2008 - 03:36 pm: |
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Spoken like the Wizard of Oz, who turned out to be a pathetic fraud.  |
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