Angie Stone "The Art of Love & War" era

[syrus]

Not sure why the title says "hate" as the album is called "The Art of Love & War"

New album due this summer:

Confirmed tracks:

"Sometimes"
"These Are the Reasons"
"Half a Chance" (duet with Chyno)
"Play With It"
"Happy Being Me"

[Marie Osmond Is A Fucking Cunt]

That's totally awesome! I'm a huge Angie fan.

A re-release of "Wish I Didn't Miss You" to the clubs has been discussed. Offer Nissim did a new mix of it and the label has picked it up.

[Damage]

syrus said:

Not sure why the title says "hate" as the album is called "The Art of hate & War"

hahaha

[SHOOTER]

*screams and creams*

[SHOOTER]

Soul Singer Angie Stone Launches Comeback

It's apropos that soulful songstress Angie Stone is recording her debut for Concord Music Group's reactivated Stax Records imprint at the stomping grounds of another soul soldier: Marvin Gaye.

The late artist's studio -- incubator for the classic 1976 album "I Want You" -- sits behind an imposing black gate on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard. Imposing, however, melts away to mellow once you step across the threshold.

Gaye's spirit seeps through everywhere. From the walls, adorned with original portraits and photos of the artist, including one with his "I Want You" collaborator Leon Ware, also newly signed to Stax. From a hidden hallway door as you traipse upstairs to Gaye's personal sanctuary: a bedroom, bath and a smaller recording studio. From the main studio downstairs, which, like its upstairs counterpart, houses some of Gaye's original recording equipment.

Against that backdrop, a relaxed Stone previewed several songs from her new album, "The Art of Love and War," due this summer. She sang, danced and supplied her own brand of color commentary as producer/musician Jon Nettlesbey keyed up each song.

For instance, when she sat down to write the ballad "Sometimes," her inspiration was the film soundtrack to the 1974 urban drama "Claudine." She referred to another track, the uptempo "These Are the Reasons," as her "drama queen comeback." She duets with Chyno -- the Charlotte, N.C., singer/songwriter who appeared on UPN's "The Player" -- on the torchy "Half a Chance." Stone says with a laugh, "Men don't beg no more, but I've got him begging on here."

She revisits her "Patrice Rushen days" on the funky "Play With It." But the most eloquent track that drives home Stone's renewed spirit is the timeless ballad "Happy Being Me."

"When you get close to losing your life, you see it flash before you," Stone says of her bout last year with congestive heart failure. "This song is a true testament to who I am and where I am."

The tracks Stone recalled those on her emotionally charged breakthrough in 1999, "Black Diamond." That Arista set spawned the top 10 R&B hit "No More Rain (In This Cloud)." The former lead vocalist for Vertical Hold segued to J Records for two subsequent albums, "Mahogany Soul" (2001) and "Stone Love" (2004). But after the 2005 release of "Stone Hits: The Very Best of Angie Stone," the singer says she and J executives mutually agreed to part company.

Raring to move beyond the midlevel point where her career is anchored, Stone hopes to acquaint listeners with her versatility. An example -- pairing with Josh Groban and a full orchestra on "The Prayer" for a PBS special from two years ago -- is playing on YouTube. For the aforementioned "Happy Being Me," her wish list of artists to add sweetening to the song includes a harmonica-playing Stevie Wonder and guitarman/vocalist John Mayer.

Before the preview ends so that Stone can do some further vocal tightening, Nettlesbey notes that Mary J. Blige also recorded some of her Grammy-winning album "The Breakthrough" in the same studio. While absorbing that, Stone credits another force on her side.

"This business is hard," she says. "I've been waiting all these years, and I've survived." Pointing to her heart for emphasis, she adds, "But I can't be touched right now, because God has me right here."

[busyboy]

She's really talented, and she's also been in the biz for 25 years, that's impressive.

[SHOOTER]

1st single will be "These Are The Reasons".

[busyboy]

ohshooter said:

1st single will be "These Are The Reasons" "Baby", featuring soul legend Betty Wright.

The album is out September 18 on the newly relaunched Stax label. I love the single!

[SHOOTER]

Confirmed Tracks
"Baby" feat. Betty Wright
"Reasons"
"My People"
"Here We Go"
"Sometimes"
"Play With It"
"Sit Down"
"Pop Pop"
"Happy Being Me"

Album will have 13 tracks total. In stores October 16th.

[busyboy]

Ugh at the delay, but I guess it's wiser like that.

[michael7627]

why delay it...has it been released to radio?

[lion]

I love her!I hope this album will be a smash!!

[SHOOTER]

michael7627 said:

why delay it...has it been released to radio?

Yes, the single is on the R&B charts and rising.

[SHOOTER]

"Baby" (Video)

youtube.com/watch?v=bXdn5mPESVU

[busyboy]

Stone's feud with Davis over album title

Soul star Angie Stone was infuriated with music mogul Clive Davis when he asked her to change the name of her album, because it sounded too similar to her labelmate Alicia Keys' disc.

Stone originally planned to call her 2004 disc Diary Of A Soul Sister, but reverted to Stone Love after J Records boss Davis said Keys' second album was called Diary Of Alicia Keys.

The Wish I Didn't Miss You star - who teamed up with Keys and rapper Eve for the single Brotha Part II in 2002 - says, "I never enter into a project without a title first. The only time that happened was when I was on J Records. The title of my album was called Diary Of A Soul Sister, then Clive Davis came to me and said I had to change it because Alicia Keys had Diary of Alicia Keys, so I said, 'Well, I had my title first' and they said, 'Well, we gotta change yours.'

"So then I came up with Stone Love and that title was not indicative of that album which is probably why that was my weakest selling album. I felt the trust had been broken and I was very upset that I had to change the theme. The album was supposed to have Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan and Roberta Flack and was supposed to be a diary of my life but we had to abort the concept of doing that kind of timeless piece of work."

Stone is now signed to Stax Records.

[currentoptions]

Is it time for Clive to retire?

[SHOOTER]

Stone Love flopped because Clive didn't promote "U-Haul", easily one of Angie's strongest songs and hottest singles to date.

[lion]

BABY debuted at #18 on the bubbling under hot 100 ;)
THE ART OF LOVE & WAR is out october 16th, she's performing BABY on Ellen and Jimmy Kimmel both on the day of the release.For infos,check www.myspace.com/angiestonemusic
where you can also preview 4 tracks from the new cd(BABY,POP POP,HAPPY BEING ME and PLAY WITH IT)..GO ANGIE!!!

[SHOOTER]

I'm so happy for Angie and all the success she's having. I'd love to see this album go Gold.

[reception]

Reviewed by Steve Jones
USA Today

Angie Stone, The Art of Love and War: * * * (out of four) Stacks of soul

The marriage of Angie Stone and the rejuvenated Stax Records should work out well for both parties. The singer gets a label that knows what soul is all about and the label gets a singer who excels in touching the heart. On her first outing with Stax, she gives you something you can feel as she works her way through good, bad and aggravating relationships. Baby, her team-up with Betty Wright, bridges the soul generation gap.

said:

LOL at the premature review. It's out in a month!

[busyboy]

LOL at the premature review. It's out in a month!

[SHOOTER]

busyboy said:

LOL at the premature review. It's out in a month!

That's because the CD was supposed to come out today and her label had already sent out promo copies for review.

[busyboy]

ohshooter said:

busyboy said:

LOL at the premature review. It's out in a month!

That's because the CD was supposed to come out today and her label had already sent out promo copies for review.

Yeah, but when the actual release comes a good review will be lost because of that.

[SHOOTER]

busyboy said:

ohshooter said:

That's because the CD was supposed to come out today and her label had already sent out promo copies for review.

Yeah, but when the actual release comes a good review will be lost because of that.

I see your point. Then again, having some good reviews create a buzz now could get people interested and get them anticipating the album's release.

[busyboy]

Yeah, we're both right, LOL... She really needs (and deserves) all the attention she can get, especially if it's positive.

[busyboy]

Seems like this has leaked.

Track listing:

1. Take Everything In - 3:50
2. Baby - 4:50 (featuring Betty Wright)
3. Here We Go Again - 3:32
4. Make It Last - 3:45
5. Sometimes - 3:21
6. Go Back To Your Life - 1:22
7. Half A Chance - 4:05
8. These Are The Reasons - 4:58
9. My People - 5:57 (featuring James Ingram)
10. Sit Down - 4:31
11. Play Wit It - 2:50
12. Pop Pop - 3:48
13. Wait For Me - 4:50
14. Happy Being Me - 4:29 (featuring Pauletta Washington)

[Caviar]

When does the album come out?

[busyboy]

Next week.

[areyoureadytojump]

Billboard:

ARTIST: ANGIE STONE

ALBUM: THE ART OF LOVE & WAR

Angie Stone joins the reactivated Stax imprint with her fourth studio album "The Art of Love & War," which is more about the former than the latter, and emphasizes gratitude above anything else. "God's been too good to me to take things lightly," she announces on "Take Everything," and the songs strive to "keep it real," even when she's exiting a relationship or two. Stone remains impressive as a vocalist, an old-school soul with an understated delivery that's more hushed than histrionic. Highlights: the a cappella "Go Back to Your Life," the socially conscious "My People" and "Pop Pop," which has a subtle, jazzy, beatnik vibe.

[areyoureadytojump]

Out today in the USA!!

Target: $11.98
Best Buy: $9.99
Circuit City: $9.99