Perfect Recent R&B Albums From Start To Finish

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I quietly love R&B, but I've realized that I only end up attached to songs, not albums. Out of 12 or so songs, there will always been 3 or 4 that are so terrible I have to always skip them. The last R&B albums I liked beginning to end were Jagged Edge, J.E. Heartbreak and Usher, 8701 -- both of which were a while ago.

What have been some recent ones? Or have there not been any?

― Candicissima (candicissima), Monday, 27 June 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

TP3: Reloaded!!

― Die Emanzipation von Baaderonixx (redukt) (Fabfunk), Monday, 27 June 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

Brooke Valentine, Chain Letter

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

I wouldn't say the new Mariah quite qualifies, but it comes close. The new Keyshia Cole album is also quite good. I'm really looking forward to Teairra Mari too - her single is promising.

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

The K-Cole album is pretty much all-killer no-filler; it's only 12 tracks long.

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

i think that ciara album is a lot closer to perfect than a lot of people around here think...

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

there isn't a bad song on the Ciara album but you'll never be in the mood for the first half and second half at the same time.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:50 (twenty years ago)

best ones I've heard recently: Teedra Moses, Kiley Dean

― Paul (scifisoul), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:28 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Teedra Moses "Complex Simplicity" is one of the best from last year.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:08 (twenty years ago)

Ooh, I was close to starting this thread myself... I've been kind of nervously circling R&B for a while- wanting to get into it, since there's so much interesting production and writing about it, but never really knowing where to start. Is there any recent album you would recommend as an entry point for a complete R&B n00b? I've liked most of the hyped-up singles in the genre- "One Thing," "Goodies," the original "Don't Cha" (though that's more of an ILM thing, sadly) etc.- but have absolutely no clue who makes consistent, worthwhile albums.

― Telephonething, Monday, 27 June 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

K-Cole seconded. That shit is HOT!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

I really, really, really liked both 3-D and Moodring.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

I'm so going to have to get into this Keyshia Cole woman. I haven't heard anything by her!

Teedra Moses, of course, am idiot to forget. Kiley Dean's Simple Girl and Mya's Moodring seconded though they're not so recent. Christina Milian's It's About Time definitely deserves a mention too - some fantastic album tracks there like 'I Can Be That Woman' and 'Hands On Me'.

Has anyone heard the new Tweet album? I haven't picked that up yet, is it worth it?

Telephonething - depends what your tolerance of R&B ballads and slow jams is. I'd suggest Brooke Valentine as it's very ballad-light (and the two/three ballads are terrific in a very obviously non-generic way too) as an entry point. The Ciara album is worth it even if you don't give the ballads a chance (though you should) just because the bangers are so hot.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

I thought the new Tweet album was really really boring, although I only gave it one or two listens. The single was good.

Keyshia Cole's album is terrific Lex, i think you'll like it. Kiley Dean, Teedra, Christina Milian thirded, i've never heard Mya's Moodring, when's that from? I like Brooke V's album pretty well too, although I think lex prolly likes it a bit more than I do. lex otm re: ciara.

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

crap, i didnt mean to post that already.

anyway, i think the one to *start* with would be Aaliyah's self-titled album, which is probably a prominent member of the ILM core-canon, right? Just a step below basement jaxx, daft punk and missy, perhaps. It's amazing front to back, no question. sick and tired of the loose rap....

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

Chain Letter yes, Complex Simplicity yes, Tweet almost yes (not boring deej!), Amerie better than Tweet

people: ANTHONY HAMILTON (although that's pretty much a country record anyway), Jaguar Wright almost because the three rap tracks in the middle are garbage (psyched for the new one but its title is rubbish: "Divorcing Neo to Marry Soul" WTF)

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Monday, 27 June 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

I need to hear Anthony Hamilton, loved the single. Funny I forgot about Amerie! Both All I Need and Touch are great. How fantastic is Rich Harrison on the new Missy album btw?! Crazy in Love pt. 2

I loved some of Tweet's first album, but nothing as great as "Oops" or "Call Me" or "Smoking Cigarettes" (one of the BEST SONGS EVER)

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 19:14 (twenty years ago)

that should read "...but nothing as good as ... on the new album."

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

TP.3 is perfect if you need a urine sample at your doctor's office.

― AK (AK.), Monday, 27 June 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)

HAHA R KELLY PEES GET IT?!!

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah, I did like that Aaliyah album. I've got that. And think y'all have pushed me into going to a Keyshia Cole listening party tonight!

I'm surprised no one said Amerie. I think the thing keeping me from further exploring her stuff is the first singles grating on my ears. "Why Don't We Fall In Love"/"1 Thing" made me want to punch people listening to that caterwauling...but I still really like "Talkin To Me." Less is definitely more with her.

― Candicissima (candicissima), Monday, 27 June 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)

deej is otm re: Aaliyah which is my single favourite album ever. Keyshia Cole needs to hurry up and come over to the UK.

Mya's Moodring is from '03, and Tim F will rep for her other albums. If nothing else you need Moodring for 'Whatever Bitch', 'Things Come And Go', 'Late' and the title track.

I have the Amerie album and think I'll end up loving it but right now I still get stuck on the repeat button for '1 Thing'.

Tweet's first album had amazingly high highs ('Drunk'!) but otherwise was quite patchy...I might wait until I see the new one, like, really really cheap.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 27 June 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

"Late" is just... words can't describe how awesome that song is.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 June 2005 19:39 (twenty years ago)

http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0526,harvell,65320,22.html

― just doing my job, Monday, 27 June 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

That's not the joke I was trying to make, deej.

― AK (AK.), Monday, 27 June 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

THAT'S NOT THE JOKE I WAS TRYING TO MAKE, DEEJ!!

(Corrected)

― AK (AK.), Monday, 27 June 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

i dun get it.

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

im not logged in, i realized now who you are. if i had been able to read yr 'email' i probably wouldnt have misread the joke. still dont get the joke though.

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

Translation: R.Kelly's third album sucks.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 June 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

I'm still not sure I follow but i'm just going to smile and nod. you know, except online. :)

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 21:00 (twenty years ago)

What sound effect in several Kelly songs might give you a sudden urge to urinate?

Or what Dan said.

(And of course the Game has to SPECIFICALLY mention 12 Play UNGH during his little bit.)

― AK (AK.), Monday, 27 June 2005 21:11 (twenty years ago)

(And of course the Game has to SPECIFICALLY mention 12 Play UNGH during his little bit.)

yr kidding me!

― deej.., Monday, 27 June 2005 21:15 (twenty years ago)

Moodring is very good, also very long. This kind of works for and against it - a bit of a slog and you're guaranteed not to like every track, but it feels quite definitive in its epic sprawl. I think she's also got one of the most interesting voice/persona constructs in pop music, very underrated on that score. Anyone who likes the second Christina Milian album should enjoy this album (and vice versa).

Her previous album Fear of Flying has more filler but also a lot of killer - "Free", "Case of the Ex", "Again & Again", "That's Why I Wanna Fight", "The Best of Me", "Pussycats"...

I don't think the first Tweet album is that patchy, just very unbalanced sounding in its veering back and forth from digital to acoustic. "My Place", "Smoking Cigarettes", "Always Will", "Motel", "Complain", "Drunk" and the clubbier tracks are all classic. Oddly though I feel little desire to hear the new album, although "Sports, Sex & Food" is urgent and key.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 27 June 2005 22:38 (twenty years ago)

Tim there are at least
five or six songs better than
"Sports Sex and Food," dude.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Monday, 27 June 2005 22:45 (twenty years ago)

14 to be exact.

― AK (AK.), Monday, 27 June 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

"Southern Hummingbird" is classic in the way it maintains a pretty cohesive style throughout, one of smoky escapism on a heavy summer night. It definitely feels like an album to me.

― Die Emanzipation von Baaderonixx (redukt) (Fabfunk), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 06:44 (twenty years ago)

there is no such thing as perfect R&B (im not including neo soul as R&B) albums that are good-great from start to end. the only one i can come up with in recent memory is the new mariah album.

― ppp, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 09:21 (twenty years ago)

Tim, did you ever hear the whole Simple Girl album eventually? If not, my fault for not burning you one when you came over.

― Negativa, True Believer (Sheryl Crow in a Britney costume) (Barima), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 10:07 (twenty years ago)

Anyone ever heard the R. Kelly fembot Sparkle?

― Game, The, Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:08 (twenty years ago)

I think l have actually! I liked what I heard.

― Negativa, True Believer (Sheryl Crow in a Britney costume) (Barima), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

She covered "Lovin' You" replete with bird chirps (the same bird chirps, I think, that show up on TP.3).

― AK (AK.), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 13:22 (twenty years ago)

The most recent R&B album that was perfect from start to finish must have been "Thriller".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 21:01 (twenty years ago)

Barms, I think I've got all of Simple Girl but it was in dribs and drabs. I like most of it a lot but I keep forgetting it's an album as such.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 03:08 (twenty years ago)

I finally figured this out. The last perfect (start-to-finish) R&B album released that I've heard is Mary J. Blige's My Life.

― Rich (Rich), Saturday, 2 July 2005 06:31 (twenty years ago)

my life is good but its 95% sampled loops - personally, i reckon whats the 411 is better, cos at least the music isnt so recognisable from old soul records.

― ppp, Saturday, 2 July 2005 10:34 (twenty years ago)

You're right...sampling has no place in hip-hop soul.

My Life doesn't strike me as any more reliant on samples than 411 (can you say "Top Billin'?!?").

― Rich (Rich), Saturday, 2 July 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

Any more?

I'm sort of feeling more of the Teedra Moses straight ahead stuff than your Ameries and Ciaras at the moment. I guess that's sort of R&Bist of me.

― Lion-O (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:04 (twenty years ago)

it's pretty slight but i love love love that last raphael saadiq album.

― strng hlkngtn: what does it mean? (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:08 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, that's probably the kind of thing I want.

I saw Teedra Moses in London, actually. She was really good, but totally different to how I imagined her (from staring at the cover of the record).

― Lion-O (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:10 (twenty years ago)

Anyone hear the Leela James album?

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:11 (twenty years ago)

Alexander O'Neal, Hearsay
anything by Stevie Wonder b/w Talking Book and Fulfillingness' First Finale
Janet Jackson, Control

So many...

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:11 (twenty years ago)

i also must say i really enjoyed the anthony hamilton album(s) but they is a sharp cheddar

― strng hlkngtn: what does it mean? (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:11 (twenty years ago)

A whiff of fromage has never put me off. I even like Jagged Edge.

― Lion-O (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:13 (twenty years ago)

u might wanna check the babyface album too.

i think am looking fwd to ginuwine's new one, it will be bogstandard as fuck but still. the slowjam single is a masterful production by boards of canada!!

― hold tight the private caller (mwah), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:41 (twenty years ago)

(ok i lie but thats what it sounds like)

― hold tight the private caller (mwah), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:42 (twenty years ago)

oh yeah and dwele's is nearly out too i think?

ws just listening to that saadiq feat teedra song today actually, ythe one that sounds like a 'wichita lineman' sample

― hold tight the private caller (mwah), Wednesday, 12 October 2005 21:46 (twenty years ago)

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