Just bought Heather Headley's debut. I expected a lot b/c the first single is so good (He Is) & her voice is really strong. BUT it's full of songs where she's just walking through it - what is that??? I'm not asking for vocal acrobatics or anything (no Beyonce in my collection), but DAMN when you've got a great voice shouldn't you want to use it? Especially if it's your first time out the gate???

I guess the blame should go to the choice/style of songs, but I just hate lazy singers, uninspired songs & recycled radio "hits". It's such a waste, seems like a trend that just won't go away...

It's not a BAD album (still love He Is, Like Ya Use To is kinda cute) but people just don't knock you out w/ their debut's anymore.





kiss my edit...
[This message was edited Sat Oct 12 21:33:21 PDT 2002 by CalhounSq]

i agree with you...and one disadvantage of cds is that it is almost expected that artists put like 17-20 songs on a cd...
a lotta times they just don't have that many good songs..so alls you get is a lotta filler...
..it has been a long time since i've been blown away by a new artist...

CalhounSq said:

I was going to get this album because I like "He Is" too. Then I heard the samples of the other songs on her website... uh, never mind. Same cookie cutter vocal diva stuff.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

Sad, isn't it? If you want I can try to send you Like Ya Used To, if I can ever figure out how to extract from a CD!!

I totally agree. No innovative, originality or creativity. She has a great voice, but needs a signature originality and innovation that makes her unique and standout above the rest.

I don't think it's laziness as much as the songs she's singing. Heather's problem is the same as with a lot of singers right now. The music is weak and everybody singing the SOS - same ol' shit to the point where it just isn't interesting. She probably didn't have any control over there and was at the mercy of the record company/producer.
I saw her on Soul Train yesterday and there was just nothing there to hold me.

It will be glad when/if the Industry wakes up and realize that their public is friggin' bored of their minds and if lagging record sales doesn't tell them, then God help 'em.

LQ

rio said:

show me an album over 45 minutes, and i'll show you the filler!

AaronForever said:

I still disagree with you that every album over 45 minutes has filler.

Moonbeam said:

tell me one that doesn't!

AaronForever said:

CalhounSq said:

Very sad. And, thanks for the offer. But I think this is one of the song samples I heard
[This message was edited Mon Oct 14 5:37:42 PDT 2002 by Ifsixwuz9]

You should cop SOLOMON BURKE's newest cd:



No lazy singing, here! You jus t gotta know he's the real deal. Folks may not wanna look at a fat black old man, though.

Also, Burke is on two cuts of Derek Trucks' cd JOYFUL NOISE. "Home In Your Heart" and "Like Anyone Else"; quite excellent and soul-stirring!!

lennytunia said:

Originality isn't being encouraged. The industry is more interested in clones and cute face that will look good on MTV. Some of these new 'stars' really can't even sing. The number of remakes is getting ridiculous. The radio is full of the same beats being done by the same producers that everybody uses and many classic songs have been completed sampled with new lyrics on top of the music.

LadyQ said:

DAMN, Soul Train STILL comes on??? LOL!!!

PFunkjazz said:

What's his style like, PFunk?? I'm curious...

CalhounSq said:

Believe me, I had the same laugh, but yes, it's still on.

LQ

CalhounSq said:

Ohh sweetie, I wonder if you were raised right!

Solomon Burke is one of the first kings of soul, (he actually named himself "the king of rock and soul" and wore a cape and crown to prove it! With a gospel background, he set the standard for singers like James Brown, Otis Redding, Al Green and Wilson Pickett. The Stones covered many of the songs he originally recorded (esteemed songwriter Bert Berns provided much of Burke's material), like "Cry to Me" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" on their early albums, plus the classic "Down in the Valley"

The new Cd DONT' GIVE UP ON ME features songs, written especially for this project, by Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Brian Wilson, and Nick Lowe.

We call this "deep soul". Go cop it. Play it around your mama and she'll know she raised you right!

CalhounSq said:

Yeah, at like, 3 in the morning on weekends. What's the point I wonder...

CalhounSq said:

Sounds like Macy Gray
[This message was edited Tue Oct 15 11:39:17 PDT 2002 by feltbluish]

PFunkjazz said:

Will definitely check it...cuz you said so.

PFunkjazz said:

I was, PFunk, I'm just not as old as you are!

Forgive me for not knowing, I'll do my duty & check him out. Thanks for the lesson...