Paris9748430 said:

Oh.
You know how deep I get in these topics.

lol

Here's the official album cover for "Stronger With Each Tear".
[Edited 12/17/09 9:09am]

Identity said:

She still "happy" I made it out the storm Growing Pains mary I see

Identity said:

Beautiful portrait.

I've been a Mary fan since day one (I know everyone says that kinda nonsense, but it's true). She was a unique talent and performer. However I'm tired of the thrown together tripe she's put out the past few years. I bought her last album, but couldn't tell you the name of it or the title of any of the songs from it. Haven't listened to it since the first week it was released. Not a memorable thing about it. What I've heard from this so far doesn't excite me.

No matter what, I'm still riding for Mary J. regardless. "I Can See in Color" is my new favorite from her.

I still buy her albums for some reason , I didn't like growing pains at first but it grew on me quick

Timmy84 said:

Okay....You may not associate good music and drugs. But you would have to agree that Mary made her best music when she was in pain, and so to a degree did Marvin. Everything that Mary has done aside from "My Life", "Share My World", and "Not 'Gon Cry", has been dog shit. It seems to me that in order for her to put out good material, she has to be suffering.

shorttrini said:

Well, I disagree!

She made a promising affort when she recorded The Breakthrough album, but everything after that seemed like a rehashed move.

Thing is, Mary is stuck on proving to the world that she's a "happy woman" when most of the people couldn't care less,,,,you're a happy woman, GRAVY, now can we have some grits eating shit from you?

She recorded I See In Colors for Precious soundtrack and the song could've been lined with the tracklist of her Mary album and it still would've fit with the rest of the songs(and she was under severe depression at the time).

Mary's new problem is trying to sound like her competition,,,BIG MISTAKE, one of strengths of her music was the fact that she has never attempted to sound like anybody else, contemporary wise.
[Edited 11/30/09 14:36pm]

Harlepolis said:

I agree. I actually think it's ignorant anyone would associate drugs with good music. Are you kidding me? I'm sure all Marvin did was smoke weed when he did his music. It wasn't like he was coked up, and neither was Mary J. for that matter. If anything they did their coke business outside the studio. Bootsy Collins did coke in the studio and he could hardly do any music for a time. Drugs shouldn't matter and neither should depression.
[Edited 11/30/09 14:42pm]

I think Mary is just in a better place now and doesn't want to go back to singing those type of records anymore.

babybugz said:

Exactly. People just want too much. I'm sure I'll enjoy it. I actually did like some songs off Growing Pains like "Just Fine", "Work That", "Come to Me", "Grown Woman", "Hurt Again", "Smoke" and "Stay Down".

Timmy84 said:

See thats why most of those kweens over there would rather get along with you more than me,,,,coz I don't remember ANYTHING decent from that album other than the Emotions sampled song and they hate it whenever I voice my dislike for that album.

The so-called flop "Love & Life" is much better than 'Growing Pains' IMO,,,,and I don't even listen to the former like that

Timmy84 said:

Yeah there was some good ones on there "Hurt Again" "Stay Down" "Till the Morning" "If You Love Me?"were my faves

Harlepolis said:

"Love & Life", I'd listen to it again if my CD wasn't scratched up, lol "Friends" is my CUT on that one!

babybugz said:

I forgot about "Till the Morning" and "Roses"!?! OMG!!!! I love when Mary said "YOU SUCK IT UP!!!"

Timmy84 said:

Yeah Roses was the one I remember people liking the most

babybugz said:

And for good reason: Mary was going off on that track.

paisleypark4 said:

I assume you haven't heard 'One?'

RipHer2Shreds said:

I absolutley love the album cover. I wish the music would sound the same way

SUPRMAN said:

Yeah but that was already someone elses tune...that was one of the exceptions too as well as "Til The Morning"...don't think Im in here with no knowledge.

Edit>
[Edited 12/21/09 16:40pm]

i'm not feelin that etta james look-a-like album cover.

Mary J. Blige Sees New Album as a Picture of Strength
December 2009

Mary J. Blige's willingness to bare her sometimes-tortured inner self via powerful music has ensured her unbroken reign as the queen of hip-hop soul over an almost-20-year career.

With today's release of ninth album Stronger With Each Tear, she extends that approach outward in Anthony Mandler's stunning cover portrait, which reveals a steely, elegant woman whose pride is tempered by wariness.

"Look at my shoulders, where I carry everything," says Blige, who once struggled with addiction and abuse. "Look at the strength of this person who continues to have trials and tribulations like everyone, and who by the grace of God makes it out."

Message received, beautifully. Inside are a dozen diverse songs that appear to summarize a career path through Bronx-inspired hip-hop, adult contemporary and old-school R&B. But Blige, 38, sees it more as a summation of the moment.

"Life is not just one thing. All my albums are about what I surround myself with" — including, lately, film.

She played a role and sang the title song in Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself and supplied Stronger for the LeBron James documentary More Than a Game. She contributed the bluesy anthem I Can See in Color to Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire, about a girl whose struggle with abuse mirrored Blige's. The song, also on Stronger, coincides with the opening of the Mary J. Blige Center for Women in Yonkers, N.Y., which assists women recovering from trauma.

Watching the film, "I felt such a connection with the character," who dealt with things "I had seen as a child. And I never need to see it again for those same reasons."

Color and its soundtrack are strong candidates for Oscar nominations, which would nicely complement the Grammy nomination that Blige just received for Ifuleave, her duet with Musiq Soulchild.

"She is at the top" of R&B, says Paul Grein of Yahoo's Chart Watch blog. "She is about as consistent as any artist in the last 20 years."

With several projects awaiting in 2010 — she'll be a guest judge on American Idol and will come out with a line of sunglasses and a fragrance — she finds herself "in a great place."

"The things that I allowed to happen in the past will never, ever be allowed to happen again."


http://www.usatoday.com/l...1_st_N.htm

Identity said:

I wrote a review online and really...it doesnt sound any diffrent than the past 3 albums to be honest. More uptempo new hip hop style beats with her singing on it and syrupy ballads...all done with no real instruments....pretty predictable subject wise...again....heeehmm.....

I love Mary but have no interest in buying her new album at this point. Haven't been too impressed with what i've heard so far.

This is the 1st album of hers that has not grabbed me on 1st listen but with that said Im still gonna support her. Her Music has given me plenty over the years