Brooke Valentine - Chain Letter (2005)

"Girlfight" aside, Houston native Brooke Valentine has cooked up a nice contemporary teen R&B album. It's not the best album of all time, but it fits snuggly between Mya's Fear of Flying and Aaliyah's last LP. She definitely exudes the qualities of these singers. The album never really gets passed being M.O.R. and she doesn't really establish her own niche that makes her stand out from the Ashantis and Beyoncés of the game. But with this debut, it offers some nice cuts and there is promise.

The standouts on the disc are:

- Pass Us By (My favorite track on the entire album. If Virgin plays its cards right, this song can be a huge hit. For some reason, I get this Vanity 6/early 80s Prince protegee vibe when I hear her vocals over the tracks synth-heavy beats. Very hot. Should be a single.)

- Million Bucks (feat. Queenz Del) (She and Subliminal are definitely channeling R. Kelly in this track)

- Tell Me Why You Don't Love Me (Elizabethian vibe with the drum patterns)

- Cover Girl (one of those "un-pretty" anthems for the teen girl set)

- Thrill of the Chase (love the guitars in this one)

- I Want You Dead (quirky lyrics with a nice groove)

- Long As You Come Home (strikes up some old school soul with the sample)

If you liked Aaliyah's One In A Million, or any R&B album by any one-named R&B female singer, you'll take a fast liking to this CD.

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[Edited 3/9/05 19:57pm]