| There is a certain level of hotness that we've all come to expect from Aaliyah, and she usually delivers. This time around, on the self'-titled 3rd album from her, the hotness is there, but it takes a few listens to acknowledge it. Upon first listen to the album, I wasn't too sure on it (I've been like that with almost every good album that's dropped this year), but as I went back to relisten I started to like it more and more, but I'm still not sure on it. It may be because this set is much more laid back than the usual Aaliyah. The first single and the first track on the album, "We Need A Resolution" sets the tone for the album, both in sound and in subject matter. It's a different Aaliyah that we've begun to get used to with tracks like "Are You That Somebody" and "Try Again." The only uptempo tracks are the Timbaland produced "More Than A Woman" and the songs "I Can Be", "Extra Smooth" and "What If". The other 10 tracks are more relaxed, and a majority of them contain piano loops. Sadly, Timbaland only shows up on three tracks on the album, leaving room for the Blackground Prod. rookies Budd'ha and Rapture and E. Seats to come in and show their skills. Static from Playa writes the majority of the album and it shows. He also drops his vocals on "Loose Rap". Songs to check for are the originally intended first single "Loose Rap", the slow and beat-box laced "I Care 4 U", "It's Whatever" and probably the most bumpable song on the album "More Than A Woman." This is a good album, that will do well, but something's telling me that it won't be bumped in jeeps like summer released album are usually intended for, because the uptempo songs just aren't present, but that's not a bad thing. I believe if this album was released last year, like it was intended to with the Romeo Must Die tracks on the album like they were meant to be, if would've been a completely different album, with the intended collabos between Aaliyah and Lenny Kravitz, Puffy, and Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails would have been existent But instead we get a rushed album that even though rushed is a good effort, but overall sounds as if Aaliyah is sad because those collabos didn't get to happen. Oh well, there's always next time. That is, if Aaliyah ever gets time. |
