oh yeah... wanted to add
"Hello (It's Me)" was produced
by Mark Ronson (it's nice...
I have to hear it some more)

"Mirror" featuring Eve
(have to hear it some more also)

"Just Fine (Remix)" featuring Lil' Mama
I must say, Lil' Mama did her thing
she's spit it with that hunger that is
lacking in femceeism
so props to Lil' Mama (GOD I never
thought that would ever come out of my mouth)
but I ALWAYS give props where they are due

"Nowhere Fast" I have to
hear some more also

I just kinda skimmed
over these bonus cuts

paisleypark4 said:

I will agree that The Breakthrough was one of her strongest and consistent records, but I will never rank it as high as Mary, My Life, or What's The 411. Those are classics, in my book! The new album is alright, but I think it's a grows on you each time you hear it.

silverchild said:

Those are my favorites. Today, at least, this is how they rank for me:

1 - What's the 411?
2 - Mary
3 - My Life

But here again the ISSUE, 16 tracks, good lord and more than half just ok, why not just go and do 10 solid, i thought we got past this whole way of thinking that you had to fill up 80 minutes unless its a best of or live or something like that. Honestly when i see 16 tracks and i know theres no way they are gonna be good, no way, because NO ONE has done that yet, and i know im gonna be skipping around alot, which in the end takes away from the album as a whole.

I like the new album- I just wish she would make shorter albums. I'm more suprised Geffen lets her put out a 16 track cds. Most labels these days have their artists cut it down to 12 tracks- 13 is pushing it.

Since I buy cds- I'm ol' skool like that- and don't even have i-tunes loaded on my computer, I won't be hearing the bonus tracks, unless I can get them on 12" vinyl or an import.


I think the only time I'll load I-tunes is if Prince puts a new album or single on there that I can't get elsewhere.

musicman said:

Yeah when im listening to a new cd im old school, it has to be like vinyl with me, im not skipping tracks, which is what i would never do with an album who wanted to go move the needle constantly. I think in a way, Cd's ruined "classic albums" not to say that since cd's came out there havent been any, but the mindset from the get go was, that people wouldnt complain about cd prices not being lowered by labels if we filled up all 80 minutes, and we know that 80% of rb/rap did this all through the 90's and some still do, load the cd with skits,interludes,poem readings etc. But what backfired on labels is that the albums that basically did this and had tons of tracks, 99.9% werent good, to me 8 out of 16 is not good unless its baseball, not for a cd, so what happens is that people have caught on to this overload scheme and because of it you get to bootlegging and downloading etc... its all just a domino effect

lastdecember said:

I totally agree. And with that said- I'm gonna put on my Natalie Cole live LP

Saw her on a early show Today and kept hoping for more of the Sweet Thing

This fool owes me $7.99 plus tax!!!

RipHer2Shreds said:

We're about the same on this. For me:

1. My Life
2. What's the 411?
3. Mary
4. The Breakthrough

DirtyChris said:

What edition are these bonus songs on?????

AlexdeParis said:

I wasn't feelin' The Breakthrough that much.

Cinnie said:

Cinnie said:

I think Hello, It's Me is pretty much a perfect pop ballad. It's hard to top the original by Naz, Rundgren's remake or The Isleys' version. Mary's is fine, but feels like a straight reading of it. Not bad. I like that she keeps the vocals low-key.

wikipedia said:

grrr

Cinnie said:

I pre-ordered it on iTunes Monday night just to get "Mirror," which was labeled as a bonus track. I was pleasantly surprised to see there were other bonus tracks. I'm going to give it a good listen tonight for the first time.

AlexdeParis said:

I want it on CD!

Cinnie said:

This is a rip. By a cd 2 find out there on BONUS songs on the version u did NOT buy.

Graycap23 said:

I know right! I was thinking- damn, they could have given us a track or 2 for buying the cd in the store.

to my surprise i liked the disc..well, with the exception of the first two tracks.

musicman said:

I guess that isn't the format they are pushing for now, huh?

I remember CDs getting the bonus tracks to get the masses off of cassettes, now it's frickin' iTunes.

meshell did the same thing...yet nobody gave her grief for it.

sosgemini said:

Yeah, I don't really get why "Work That" is a single. It's like autopilot Mary.

DirtyChris said:

Did you make that word up, or am i just out of it? Either way, it's a keeper!

MendesCity said:

uhh..wait, i am totally confused...my disc says number two is Grown Woman featuring Ludicris and I could swear those are the first two songs played when i listened to the CD yet my ipod says Just Fine (which I love) is the second song....

either way....I loath Work That.

Till The Monin is my CUT

sosgemini said:

In Meshell's case, it is stated on the cover. U know BEFORE u buy.

MendesCity said:

Maybe, but I still prefer it to "Just Fine." That iTunes commercial featuring "Work That" is what really made me excited about the album.

Graycap23 said:

it really said you could by the music somewhere else with bonus tunes? didn't notice when i bought mine.

Cinnie said:

That is true. I remember being excited about gettting the cd only bonus tracks.

I would just think with all the talk about people not buy cds, record labels would try to do something to draw people to stores.

For the past year and a half- these companies have been luring people with exclusive bonus material at Circuit City, Best Buy, Target and Kmart.

I even got a Circuit City exclusive track on Lupe Fiasco's new album cd.

I was a little surprised Mary's cd didn't come with nothing.