Ivy Leegue™
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Post by Ivy Leegue™ on Apr 28, 2017 20:55:39 GMT -5
Naked Truth is legit my favorite song in the top half of the album. The only reason it didn't fit the standard edition is because it's a legit love song and it disrupts the narrative, but it sounds more like classic Mary than anything that came before it, with the exception of Love Yourself. I don't know why they didn't tack it on the end of the album, like most deluxe tracks are. It makes NO sense where it is. Anyway, not loving this as much as I had hoped. By the time I got to Survivor, I was ready to move on, which has never happened to me before with a Mary album, but things picked back up at the end. Also, Jazmine gave her material inferior to her own, which is kinda fucked up. Nothing she brought to the table is as catchy or as well-written as her own material. They are late-era Keyshia Cole style SOC diary entries that I have no use for. I wonder if Mary was insistent on her taking a back seat, which I guess is logical but, if so, unfortunate. Also, thank you to Find The Love for breaking up the monotony. Keepers:
1. Naked Truth 2. U+Me 3. Thick Of It 4. Love Yourself 5. Telling The Truth 6. Strength Of A Woman 6. Indestructible 7. Love In The Middle 8. Hello Father 9. Find The Love 10. Survivor
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Apr 28, 2017 22:50:38 GMT -5
"Love Yourself" to "Survivor" (Track 1 to 9) are completely flawless to me. After that, I don't know if I would cut or not a track or two from those left after "Survivor". I do like the title track a lot. "Telling the Truth" is somewhat disappointing to me despite liking it ( it is almost felt it that it wanted to be an attempt of being another "Don't Touch My Hair", production wise). I'm happy that "Hello Father" is not a slow song, actually the majority of the album has tempo which is good.
I'm still stuck between "Set Me Free" and "Indestructible" being my favorites right now. However, these first nine tracks are strong as hell so the latter half kind of not hit the same spot.
Anyway, the singles for this album were spot on. I can see two more singles (despite wanting more) after we have already received three so far. Yet, if her album does like Alicia, we may only see this release and that's it. I hope not because it is strong body of work. I don't want it to go the route of the underrated masterpiece, London Session.
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think pink.
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Post by think pink. on Apr 28, 2017 23:27:40 GMT -5
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Hashtag Pow
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Post by Hashtag Pow on Apr 28, 2017 23:28:14 GMT -5
Use that phone a friend to get a caucasian penny, Mary!!!!
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Hashtag Pow
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Post by Hashtag Pow on Apr 28, 2017 23:28:47 GMT -5
Ooops. We posted that at the same time. LOL
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think pink.
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Post by think pink. on Apr 28, 2017 23:31:22 GMT -5
"I love Mary J Blige. "Crispy Chicken" is my favorite song" - Britney
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George
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Post by George on Apr 29, 2017 2:26:53 GMT -5
I've liked the album so far from what I've heard. May take a while for me to get into it, especially after revisiting Stronger WithEach Tear this week due to that "Kitchen" resurgence.
Also, my girl Adina ran into Mary while both were making the radio rounds in Atlanta. I'm surprised they haven't met until now!
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phoey
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Post by phoey on Apr 29, 2017 4:21:36 GMT -5
Telling the Truth is so lit!
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Dreams
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Post by Dreams on Apr 29, 2017 11:56:29 GMT -5
This is kinda like a post-2008 Ne-Yo album in that the record company did a perfect job picking the strongest songs to release as singles, and you're left with nothing decent on the rest of the record. I'm still in disbelief that Mary released something so incredibly dull.
And I agree with Succuclent that Jazmine Sullivan didn't exactly give her anything worthwhile; that "Set Me Free" song especially, that everyone's jizzing themselves over... MY GOD... what a snorefest. Maybe it, along with many other songs on the record, will be given life when Mary performs them on tour something, I don't know.
But anywway, yeah this album is just too flat all around. I much prefer My Life II (her strongest in recent years IMO) as well as Think Like A Man. Maybe even The London Sessions... at least that one had highlights.
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on Apr 29, 2017 12:09:31 GMT -5
Two listens into this album and I'm living. Mary served this sh*t up on a platter IMO. Such a huge improvement over The London Power Naps.
I seriously don't hate a single track on it, and the Target bonus tracks are both ace IMO. It's so damn consistent throughout, I think she did an amazing job picking collaborators with this one. My major quibble, I wish she had picked a different male singer for "Smile," I'm not here for his vocals (even though he did co-write the song, whatever). It's probably the least essential track on the album because of him.
*edit* And really? Jazmine gave her lessor material? I'm not seeing it. "Set Me Free," "Thick Of It," "Glow Up" and "Thank You" are all jams IMO. And I can't imagine Keyshia Cole or Jazmine singing any of those songs. Which is a good thing because they're Mary songs. Hell, "Thank You" is so low key epic, it's basically Mary doing an angry version "Earned It." I'm so here for it.
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Post by Live Your Life on Apr 29, 2017 12:13:01 GMT -5
What is the beat in "It's Me" from? I know I've heard it before, and it's driving me crazy.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2017 12:23:10 GMT -5
What is the beat in "It's Me" from? I know I've heard it before, and it's driving me crazy. But it sounds like a million Rico Love songs.
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#LisaRinna
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Post by #LisaRinna on Apr 29, 2017 13:24:13 GMT -5
I'm loving the albujm but I have to say that on some of these songs I'm really noticing a sharp change in her vocal quality for the first time. This is absolutely not shade, it happens. Time passes and voices oviously change, but I hadn't really noticed it before this album with Mary.
She's been vocally consistent throughout her career, especially on her album recordings. Her voice has this airy quality now and her enunciation is suffering a bit as well. She sounds "spent," I wonder if she's having issues perhaps.
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on Apr 29, 2017 13:37:19 GMT -5
I'm loving the albujm but I have to say that on some of these songs I'm really noticing a sharp change in her vocal quality for the first time. This is absolutely not shade, it happens. Time passes and voices oviously change, but I hadn't really noticed it before this album with Mary. She's been vocally consistent throughout her career, especially on her album recordings. Her voice has this airy quality now and her enunciation is suffering a bit as well. She sounds "spent," I wonder if she's having issues perhaps. Yeah, she's definitely had some vocal changes over the past decade. I started noticing in the late 00's. You just don't sing like she does for 25 years and not take a hit vocally. But I agree, this is the album where it's most apparent. Her tone can be slightly nasally/sick and she doesn't belt or wail like she used to (imagine if she sang "Set Me Free" 15 years ago, she would have taken it to church). But she still sounds great IMO and she does a good job of working around it. And thankfully, Mary was never the classy/polished vocalist, it was all about gut and emotion (f**k pitch, haha). So it doesn't impact her nearly as much as it would another singer.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Apr 29, 2017 13:49:22 GMT -5
Its funny that has been being brought up now because I noticed her change in the "No More Drama" album. Most of her 00s vocals are quite different from the 90s ones, nothing bad. I believe it is simply just age such as Aretha (but her battle is much deeper to speak upon lol). Mary's vocals come off more husky (not in a bad way) recently.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2017 13:53:26 GMT -5
I noticed change in the 00's, but it sounded more like she had formal vocal training than sounding damaged. Her voice sounds strained on certain parts of the album (maybe most noticeably on "Set Me Free"), but I think it works well with the material.
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#LisaRinna
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Post by #LisaRinna on Apr 29, 2017 13:57:08 GMT -5
Its funny that has been being brought now because I noticed her change in the "No More Drama" album. Most of her 00s vocals are quite different from the 90s ones, nothing bad. I believe it is simply just age such as Aretha (but her battle is much deeper to speak upon lol). Mary's vocals come off more husky (not in a bad way) recently. Yes, the first change was on the No More Drama album, but at the time she just sounded more polished, her voice didn't sound damaged if that makes sense lol. On the new album it's more apparent that her voice has now taken a hit.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Apr 29, 2017 15:38:26 GMT -5
Never knew Mary & Madonna used each other
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Hashtag Pow
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Post by Hashtag Pow on Apr 29, 2017 20:02:21 GMT -5
Clearly they don't when Madge spelled her damn name wrong. Like...you couldn't look down at the album cover that you attached? And twitter generates the username of a person when you type a certain amount of it. Like....
And yeah, Mary's voice first changed around the early 2000s. She stopped smoking cigarettes, and hired Luther Vandross' vocal coach. The MARY era is my favorite vocal period to date from her, and that's probably when she was smoking the most. Her voice was so raspy and soulful.
She's always touring, and constantly screaming out songs like "No More Drama," "Be Without You" and "Just Fine" have definitely put some strain on her. She lips the last note in JF now.
I am just hoping she doesn't do any televised performances of "Set Me Free" because that's probably gonna be a disaster. I don't think she sounds like she's straining on the track. It sounds more like Jazmine demoed the record with her raspy upper register, and Mary tried to mimic it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2017 20:13:39 GMT -5
This album is really spotty on first listen there are equal amounts of standouts and meh tossable material. Wondering if it will grown on me but obv loving the first half and Set Me Free is iconic.
I wonder what Mary giving as a return favor for mentions
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Dreams
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Post by Dreams on Apr 30, 2017 10:41:50 GMT -5
NOT Madge plugging Mary's new record! Who knew? Clearly they don't when Madge spelled her damn name wrong. Like...you couldn't look down at the album cover that you attached? And twitter generates the username of a person when you type a certain amount of it. Like....
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Enigma.
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Post by Enigma. on May 1, 2017 3:10:39 GMT -5
QUEENS <3
I really enjoy this album, half of it is soo goood and the other half's not bad either
Telling the Truth is divine
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on May 1, 2017 7:11:27 GMT -5
I noticed Mary thanks Guy Oseary, Larry Rudolph and Maverick in her album notes. That could explain the Madonna/Britney connection and the IG posts. And we can never forget Mary's comments on Britney/Christina back in the day. She called that one!
DEAD at Madonna spelling her name wrong, but I'll cut her some slack, she's the same age as my mom and after seeing my mom use social media... well, I'll stop there, because I don't want to talk trash about my mom.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on May 1, 2017 7:13:09 GMT -5
There's a special place in hell for youuuuuuu......
Honey child cheese, I love that part.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2017 8:14:44 GMT -5
I noticed Mary thanks Guy Oseary, Larry Rudolph and Maverick in her album notes. That could explain the Madonna/Britney connection and the IG posts. And the Amy Schumer tweet. That was so random.
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Post by Heart Shaped Box on May 1, 2017 12:22:57 GMT -5
This album is boring.
What the hell Jazmine, you should have asserted more of your musical influence.
Coming from a divorce, I was expecting that "Color" type just straight up soul dump on our lives.
There's very little replay value except the singles. Even the uptempos were big let downs - I did not find myself in this dancery.
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divasummer
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Post by divasummer on May 1, 2017 12:51:48 GMT -5
I have always been a fan of Mary's, I own most of her stuff. I usually don't care for the cd's as a whole and usually tend to like the cd's that aren't fan favorites. lol Well except the debut it's probably my favorite by her. This cd is "Eh" for me personally. I'm more here for uptempo Mary though or ballad w/a catchier chorus. My favorite tracks on here I guess are "Thick Of It", "It's Me", "Love Yourself" "Telling The truth", "Find The Love" and the title track. I want to love "Find The Love" but I keep comparing it one of my FAVORITE Mary tracks "Just Fine" and it's no where near that. lol. "Glow Up" is ok I guess but I was hoping for something like "The One" lol. I just got it Saturday so who knows my opinion may change about it.
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on May 1, 2017 13:45:57 GMT -5
I've been listening to this all day at work. And it just confirmed what I felt this weekend, I don't hate a single song on it. It's so consistent. Loving the vibe, loving the production, loving the wig... I still wish Prince Charlez would go fly a kite down a busy highway, but I'll learn to live with him I guess.
That being said, the production is incredibly consistent, her vocal is fairly subdued and it does ride midtempo quite a bit. So I can understand why people find it dull/boring. And Lord knows I'm always the one complaining about tempo in Urban music these days, but maybe I'm just feeling Mary at this moment in time. We'll see how this holds up.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2017 13:54:08 GMT -5
I liked the album from first listen, but after having some time with it, even the tracks I was just okay with are growing on me (I still don't use "It's Me" or "Find the Love" though).
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Ivy Leegue™
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Post by Ivy Leegue™ on May 1, 2017 14:22:51 GMT -5
There's a special place in hell for youuuuuuu in that bizarre baby falsetto is the ONLY thing I care about in track #3.
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