I'm not a rabid R&B fan, but the new album by Maria (it hits the stores on Tuesday) has got to be the best R&B/Urban album ever recorded. I've had the album on mp3 for two months now during which time it's been in regular rotation.
The songwriting and production are both fabulous and original. Many of the songs are melancholy and in a minor key, which you don't see much of in realm of R&B. There are a lot of interesting electronic noises that I've never heard in an R&B album before either. It all makes for a really good listen from start to finish. There's no throwaway tracks, no goofy interludes or intros, no rapping, no formula.
― blutroniq (blutroniq), Monday, 29 September 2003 08:39 (twenty-two years ago)
I'm thinking that you should reserve judgement until you hear it. I know it's a bold statment to make, but it really is that good an album.
― blutroniq (blutroniq), Tuesday, 30 September 2003 19:44 (twenty-two years ago)
two weeks pass...
Stevie Wonder's "Fulfillingness First Finale" is the best R&B album ever, closely followed by "Songs In The Key Of Life" and "Talking Book" by the same act.
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 19 October 2003 19:53 (twenty-two years ago)
two months pass...
two months pass...
Back in October (2003) my sister Cocoa, 20 bought a few albums. One of them just so happened to be Maria, her debut album "My Soul". Though she only bought the album because it was only six dollars, she didn't like it...at first. The more she listened to the album the more we both liked the album. In fact I know all of her songs by heart and in order in which they appear on the cd.
I guess that means something because the only person that I know all of the songs to by heart and in order of appearence from every single album, would have to be the late talented Aaliyah (oh and Solange Knowles: Solo Star). And for Maria to have that place in my heart really means something!
Maria really worked hard on this album. Even though it is titled "My Soul" it doesn't sound like Alicia keys' kind of soul. But the album talks about pouring her soul out to this guy (or guys)who
has broken her heart and who she loves or have loved.
Ther are a lot of cool techno sounds that reminds me of T.A.T.U's
sound. But Maria's sound is mixed with orchestras, pianos and mandilins (how ever you spell it). My favorite songs are 1 "Lonely", 2 "I give, you take", 3 "My Soul", 4 "Now-a-days", 6 "You, Me and She", 7 "Interlude" 10 "Always" 12 "Hate to Love You", and 13 "Miss You". These are the song numbers from the album (I know how to count)!
Maria worked very hard! She wrote and co-wrote all of her songs. I belive she wrote them all. The producers were good! The orchestra sound mixed with techno and smooth R&B is a GOOD FORMULA FOR SOUND! I know what it's like to be an aspiring singer and to think about how I want to sound. I'm sure Maria felt the same way. This album is four and a half stars up. A good album for heartbreak! If you are one of those people getting over heartbreak and hate to listen to extremly slow music...Maria is the right person! This album (My Soul) has a few slow but up beat songs. Other songs make me want to nod my head to the beat. And each song has such a unique sound. I always try to guess what instrument is what beacause they are so different.
Maria reminds me of a mellow Moby. An urban Dido is Maria's sound. A laid back T.A.T.U. She is talented. Her voice is raw. No glamor, no machines to make her sound better. No rappers, or Sean Paul's or Ashanti's to make the album better. It was just her. I hate the fact that her album (and Solange Knowles' Solo Star album) didn't really do well. It is very disappointing that the song "I Give, You Take" didn't at least get radio play. (Damn that's fucked up!) I do not curse but to see a very well deserving artist not reach at least the top 50 of the charts...it hurts to see how my future album "Special Delivery...To U will do.
― Amber Cochran, 19, Monday, 29 March 2004 13:11 (twenty-one years ago)