Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of "Sapphire" from Teena Marie. This lady is so so underrated as a complete artist. We throw around the word musical genius quite a bit but this lady truly deserves the mantra. If there is going to be a better record from start to finish this year I want to hear it right now! Damn Lady T is smokin' on this disc!

tpzlamont said:

I'm stuck on Romantica right now.

My favorite tracks from this CD:

"A.P.B"
"Cruise Control" with Smokey Robinson
"Make It Hot"
"You Blow Me Away"

tpzlamont said:

what are your favorite songs?

I'll have to give it a real spin.

This is one album I don't want to DL off of iTunes so hopefully I'll pick it up this weekend. I like the snippets that I've heard tho.

Was surprised how much of her stuff was available on iTunes.

tpzlamont said:

can you please tell me what i so good about this album before i spend my money? seriously, what is it like? if it's mostly ballads then i can't get down with that. i need the funk!

Is this anything like that last CD? I wasn't feelin that album at all.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

me either which is why i need to know what's so great about this one first.

dancerella said:

When you listen to her early shit, she was just posin on that last album

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

hell yeah. the last album was wack imo!

I love her backing band Ozone.

They had that track "Keep On Dancin'" - PURE FUNK!

'dre

I'm a HUGE Teena Marie fan and I was a bit underwhelmed with this new album. I feel that her last CD( "La Dona") was much better, even though I wasnt head over heels over that release either. I think the problem is that #1 there's way too many ballads, #2 Teena is trying to sound too young. Now, she's always been on the cutting edge of urban music. "Square Biz", "Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party", "Here's Looking At You" but this brand of r&b/hip hop fusion that she's doing as of late just doesnt ring true and honest coming from Teena. On the "Cruise Control" track she did with Smokey, she was talking about "Lean Back, just lean back" (of course taken from that G Unit "song"). Teena is above that. Also, "Ooo Wee" is underwhelming also. I swear I hear shades of her songs "Now That I Have You" and "De Ja Vu" all in that song.
Also, I miss the "musical advetures" Teena used to take us on. There was a time when you could hear so many different sounds in Teena's music. (i.e. "You Make Love In Springtime, ALL of the "It Must Be Magic" CD, "Battucada Suite", "I'm Gonna Have My Cake and Eat It Too.") but now its like she's just r&b/urban sounding. Why? Does she think that wont "sell?"

anyways


The CD dont really become engaging until track 10, "Somebody Just Like You" and not surprisingly, that song has an old-soul flavor to it. Teena just DEMOLISHES that song in old school Teena Marie fashion. You would think that you were listening to the ROBBERY album based on that song. Track 11 is also stellar. Its called "You Blow Me Away." I beleive its the tribute to Rick James because she mentions how much she loves him at the end, etc. That song is ALSO classic Teena (circa 1980/1981).
Track 13 and 15 ("Romantica" and "Ecstacy") are also good tracks, but Teena saves the BEST track for last. Track 16, "Resilient(Sapphire)." Backed by keys and a guitar, Teena(with help from her daughter) sings a somewhat melancholy(yet liberating) song that she dedicates to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
That song has to be one of the most beautiful songs Teena has ever written/recorded.

Of the 16 tracks,
the ones I listen to are:
Track 1 (God Has Created)
Track 10 (Somebody Just Like You)
Track 11 (You Blow Me Away)
Track 13 (Romantica)
Track 15 (Ecstacy)
Track 16 (Resilient: Sapphine)

but those 6 songs are SO good that its worth the purchase price of the CD!

dancerella said:

There are some uptempo tracks here,but if you're looking for some hardcore funk jams like "Behind The Groove" and "Square Biz",you will be disappointed.For the most part,this is a Quiet Storm album.The few uptempo tracks are good,but they're not as fast and fierce as her old jams.

LoveAlive said:

Imo,this new CD is like one of her old albums but with a "modern" production.She just updated her sound a little,but I think there is still plently of old school elements to be found on the album.There are two overtly hip-hop tracks here ("Ladies Choice" and "Baby,Who's Is It") and if you can get through that,it's smooth sailing ahead.

DavidEye said:

Yeah, I KNEW the album was going to be good. I like "A.P.B" as well.

tpzlamont said:

This album is just okay. I've listened to it a few times. Not something I'd buy.

LoveAlive said:

If her last cd was better than this one, I aint dropping a dime on it

blackguitaristz said:

They should release that song as a single!!

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

it is better...however, its way way too long...too many slow tracks and no one single that blows it out the park.

I agree,the album is too long.16 tracks is a bit much.This wouldn't be a problem if the album was more adventurous and eclectic.Remove some of the filler and there's an excellent 10-track album here.

DavidEye said:

what are those tracks?

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

its not that the songs are bad..they are just the same tempo and style so they tend to bleed together..but then this is all based on my initial listen..i might end up finding something unique about each one and love them...

btw: her two songs with smokey are smokin'!!!

I just brought it today and it is smokin'! I'm listening to A.P.B right now and this is one of the smoothest jams I've heard in years. Just from listening to the first couple of tracks, this is better than 2004's La Dona (which was one of my favorite albums of 2004!), by a long shot.

I just found out that this CD only sold 44,987 copies in it's first week,debuting at a disappointing Number 25

is Cash Money/Universal even promoting this thing?! The first single "Ooh Wee" is all over R&B radio,but why isn't there a video?? They screwed up the promotion of 'La Dona',let's hope they don't make the same mistake again.

if they were smart,they would rush-release "Make It Hot" as a single just in time for summer.Later,they should release "Cruise Control" and "A.P.B" as singles.

LoveAlive said:

GREAT REVIEW! Yes, there are too many ballads here. There is no Lovergirl. There is no Square Biz. Many of the songs are too similar. And when a woman Teena's age talks about love being "gangsta", it's a bit much.

But...

This is a NEW Teena Marie album, not too long after La Dona! No more waiting twelve years between records.

Her producers need her to take more risks and not just do what is considered commerically viable.

And there is nothing better to hear her sing with Smokey...

aight...im gonna get back to this thread....my mood is changing on this album and im ready to recommend it..

ill be back...

"This is a NEW Teena Marie album, not too long after La Dona! No more waiting twelve years between records.

Her producers need her to take more risks and not just do what is considered commerically viable."

I MUST agree 300 percent with this assessment.I love Teena for who she is and what she has done but this new CD isnt reflective of that. Actually, I've gone back to listen to "La Dona" and that CD is DEFINITELY the better of the 2 releases.

Nothing on this album compares to Shadow Boxing or Tune In Tomorrow,when she goes back to those type of songs,give me a call.

gypsyfire said:

LOL
I know how you feel. Like Prince, she's dumbed down her music to be commercial