Not shy from 2 years from her last album,Ms.Brown dives into her singing tenor again and readies her 6th studio album ,New Life.With production ranging from Polow Da Don,Rico Love,Hit Boy and Missy Elliot- Monica situates herself amongst veterans half her age with a solidified organic soulful album. Beginning the album is a personal telephone conversation between her and good friend,Mary J.Blige about recognizing the blessings that had been bestowed upon her and her new life,which is redeemed as a intro on the album and the prelude to the duet between her and fellow vet Brandy with It All Belongs To Me,a song that magnifies both of the females talents and organic fellowship.Mo displays her vulnerability and loyalty on the Rico Love laced Daddy's Little Girl .This track's production kinda mimics the sound of 'Mirror' on Still Standing.Nevertheless,Monica accentuates every bass line and syrupy rhythm , singing 'Long as I know you got that love for me,Imma be g-o-o-d!".Yes.
Man Who Has Everything came as a pleasantly plump surprise to me with its rough intro and Jamaican vibe paired with Mo's southern soulful chords---> EXCELLENCE! ....Mo schools men and their comparable material gifts with the priceless exchange for love.Im IN...slow dutty wining in the den. Capturing the faults of life can be awfully fleeting, but when you have Mo to cosign with you on it's effects then regret can become more convenient to get over.On Big Mistake,Monica does just that.It's not the strongest offering (production wise) on the album but lyrically compelling.
Monica collaborated with the likes of Rico Love and Wale on the airy mid-tempo Take A Chance -where divine intervention, grandiose companion flights of fancy,leaps of faith and overall love tug of war takes place with an Icelandic urban background. It's an ok track-different sound for Monica, but most definitely an album filler.Come the fuck thru Polow! Mo's cousin most definitely laced Monica with more favorable material.In Without You........
I need a moment.
The effects this song has on moi resembles that of 'Here I Am' and 'Everything To Me' on Still Standing.Mo's vocals are superbly deviant on this track.I know that's not a good choice of adjectives but that is MY customized diction of this track. Mo pulls back on her heavy soulful voice and serves you up this soft kitten with airy,yet gusty tones and beautiful notations over a bountiful obsession of thick bass and dreamy production via Polow.LOVES.It's pure,ethereal and a obvious ode to Shannon.
The lyrics ,however, pulls at a completely different heart string -"Every night I close my eyes and think the lord that you're laying next to me. Didn't think it was possible but loving you brings out the best in me..." ......lord. Sigh...one of these days I hope to recite just a percentage of this song with an endearing and honest heart.Ugh...This better be a single!
Monica also pours her heart out to her Mister on Amazing .Where this track lacks in production ,boasts in Mo's honor of vocal stamina .The track is laid back yet refined with organic r&b and lateral groove.
Right on the helms of pouring out her feelings on love,sacrifice and inseparable ventures,Mo leaves the daunting note of regretting a goooood thing to Rocko on Until It's Gone with production by Missy and lyrics by Jazmine Sullivan-she cant lose. The bridge on this track sets me into a place I don't wanna come out of-it's life personified.Yes.
On Cry,Mo borrows Jazmine Sullivan's old skool homage demo and revamps and redecorates it in her favor. Reassuring her man that letting his inhibitions go and releasing all his fears with notations like ,"You don't have to be strong right now.You can gone and cry..". Mo's vocals on this track was vividly refreshing as well.Borrowing the lower register of Sullivan from the original demo ,Mo solidified her range by showing that the breathy vibrato and syrupy soprano of her trademark isn't all she has to offer.She sung that.What will have been even more loved is if this could have been a duet between her and Sullivan.
Time To Move On is one of those damn songs where I want to just throw my iPod in that butch queens face who did our relationship no justice.Whew! Mo & Polows camaraderie is a match made in urban heaven-it just keeps getting better.My,my,my....the vintage feel and the tone of Mo's voice on this offering is nothing short of impeccable.Speaking indefinite truth on lack of consideration and devotion hits all too close to home for me.
"I did everything for you baby.The pleasure was all mine."
"The PROOOFFF is in your eyes."
"When we used to argue atleast you used to look at me.Now we lay next to each and we don't even speak..."
Chile...
When Mo's accent takes a turn for a Alabama juke joint barmaid and the faint growling (which I never heard her muster before...) then I take my fan and throw it on the stage.Praise Deenise Arnold-Brown.
SANG.
sigh.
Concluding the album, Pastor Mo reflects on her trials and the conceptualization of her life on the outro.Revealing that looking back isn't an option and focusing on now and the foreboding future is most credible in her life.
MYLAST WORDS:All of this defines the meaning of GROWTH. I hate when artists
base their forthcoming albums on growing and evolution and their album sounds and gives off the same equivalence to their previous LP's.This albums luster brings out the best in Mo.It brought out a difference in tone,her vocals were if not at their best but remarkable,the lyrics was of something that was truly sung from a personal experience-she's in love and at the pinnacle of true happiness and the overall cohesive story she was telling vocally supported the album's title-New Life.
....And I got my life from it. :)
Top 5 Tracks (outside of the singles)
1/Time To Move On
2/Time To Move On ...yes ,twice ho!
3/Without You
4/Cry
5/Man Who Has Everything
On Cry,Mo borrows Jazmine Sullivan's old skool homage demo and revamps and redecorates it in her favor. Reassuring her man that letting his inhibitions go and releasing all his fears with notations like ,"You don't have to be strong right now.You can gone and cry..". Mo's vocals on this track was vividly refreshing as well.Borrowing the lower register of Sullivan from the original demo ,Mo solidified her range by showing that the breathy vibrato and syrupy soprano of her trademark isn't all she has to offer.She sung that.What will have been even more loved is if this could have been a duet between her and Sullivan.
Time To Move On is one of those damn songs where I want to just throw my iPod in that butch queens face who did our relationship no justice.Whew! Mo & Polows camaraderie is a match made in urban heaven-it just keeps getting better.My,my,my....the vintage feel and the tone of Mo's voice on this offering is nothing short of impeccable.Speaking indefinite truth on lack of consideration and devotion hits all too close to home for me.
"I did everything for you baby.The pleasure was all mine."
"The PROOOFFF is in your eyes."
"When we used to argue atleast you used to look at me.Now we lay next to each and we don't even speak..."
Chile...
When Mo's accent takes a turn for a Alabama juke joint barmaid and the faint growling (which I never heard her muster before...) then I take my fan and throw it on the stage.Praise Deenise Arnold-Brown.
SANG.
sigh.
Concluding the album, Pastor Mo reflects on her trials and the conceptualization of her life on the outro.Revealing that looking back isn't an option and focusing on now and the foreboding future is most credible in her life.
MYLAST WORDS:All of this defines the meaning of GROWTH. I hate when artists
base their forthcoming albums on growing and evolution and their album sounds and gives off the same equivalence to their previous LP's.This albums luster brings out the best in Mo.It brought out a difference in tone,her vocals were if not at their best but remarkable,the lyrics was of something that was truly sung from a personal experience-she's in love and at the pinnacle of true happiness and the overall cohesive story she was telling vocally supported the album's title-New Life.
....And I got my life from it. :)
Top 5 Tracks (outside of the singles)
1/Time To Move On
2/Time To Move On ...yes ,twice ho!
3/Without You
4/Cry
5/Man Who Has Everything
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