Album Preview: Jennifer Lopez – ‘Love?’

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Jennifer Lopez sticks to her hitmaking formula on her seventh studio album Love? While it’s not due until April, Rap-Up.com was one of the first media outlets to hear nine tracks from the superstar’s dance floor-ready project, four months prior to its release. J.Lo’s first album since becoming a mother features contributions from heavy hitters including Danja, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, The Neptunes (“Fresh Out the Oven”), Stargate (“Story of My Life”), Tricky Stewart and The-Dream (“Louboutins”), and Wynter Gordon.

The follow-up to 2007’s Brave is scheduled for release around the same time as Lopez’s romantic comedy The Back-Up Plan, in theaters April 16. As the title implies, the album is a love roller coaster, taking you through the ups and downs of a relationship. Some of the tracks we previewed were not final mixes and may change between now and release, and more songs will be added. Check out our exclusive track-by-track breakdown.

1. “Everybody’s Girl”
Produced by Mike Caren, Written by Wynter Gordon

It’s hard having a private life when you’re one of the most famous entertainers in the world. J.Lo questions whether her man is capable of loving her under the intense glare of the spotlight. “Can you love somebody when they’re everybody’s girl?” she asks over the slick uptempo production, while the hook repeats: “Can you love, can you love, can you love a girl?” One of the standout tracks, this could easily be a single.

2. “What Is Love”
Produced by D’Mile, Written by Wynter Gordon

A version of this song leaked online earlier this year. The latest version has been mixed and hits harder with added drums. There is a “What Is Love (Part 2)” produced by Jean Baptiste that may or may not make the album.

3. “Starting Over”
Produced by Danja, Written by Wynter Gordon

Jenny from the Block describes the hardships of getting back in the game after a breakup. “I’m afraid of starting over,” she sings over Danja’s fast-paced, galloping beat, while admitting she’s “still in love” with the man she left. “It’s like my whole existence he holds in his hands.”

4. “This Cannot Be Love”
Produced by Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins

The beginning sounds like the chords from another Darkchild joint, Brandy and Monica’s duet “The Boy Is Mine.” It quickly picks up the pace with an electro-pop beat and speedy hook (“This cannot be love, this can’t be love, this can’t be love,” she repeats). J.Lo wonders whether true love exists. “How could something that felt so right turn so wrong? … I need to know right now,” she demands. The production gets more aggressive towards the end.

5. “One Love”
Produced by D’Mile, Written by A-Plus

“Took a shot with a bad boy from the block,” she croons on the leaked track. It won’t take long for listeners to make the connection to Sean “Diddy” Combs. “Mr. Wrong, he plays his part,” she says of her former music mogul boyfriend. But J.Lo is on to the next one, in search for that one true love of a lifetime. She counts her famous lovers by the numbers, #3 being Ben Affleck (“Came and swept me off my feet/ Went nowhere, but kept the ring/ Once again I’m lonely”) and her current husband Marc Anthony (“#4, you sang to me, but I’m not sure … Made me want to try once more and I couldn’t say no.”)

6. “Keeper”
Produced by Danja, Written by Britney Bereal and Luke Boyd

After much searching, J.Lo finally finds Mr. Right. The beat is somewhat reminiscent of T.I.’s “Hell of a Life,” which Danja also produced. “You give me so much love, you keep it locked down,” she sings on the bouncy hook. “It doesn’t matter what they tell me … That boy’s a keeper.” One of our favorites. Danja contributed another track called “Love and War” that was not played.

7. “Beautiful”
Produced by Mike Caren, Written by Chris Sernel

A guitar-driven ballad that sounds like it was made for a movie. In fact, it may be used during the end credits for The Back-Up Plan. “Some days I feel beautiful, just not today,” she sings on the Ryan Tedder-esque production.

“Louboutins,” the first single helmed by Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, as well as the Pitbull-assisted, Neptunes-produced buzz record “Fresh Out the Oven” will also be on the album.

–D.L.

The Sea ~ Corinne Bailey Rae

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful: “I DONT WANT TO GIVE YOU UP, BUT I DONT WANT TO HOLD YOU UP”, January 27, 2010 I wish I was writing reviews for Amazon back in 2006. That’s when Corrine Bailey Rae gave us her outstanding self-titled debut album. That album would have definitely received the prestigious 5-star on my scale. She was new, fresh and had a soft voice that glided over the entire album. Her sound was more India.Aire than Alicia Keys. Her homegrown style was reminiscent of a young Joni Mitchell. Then tragedy hit with the death of her husband. I knew it would be a long time before I heard a new Corrine song again. But then she jumps back in the studio a year later working on her next album. The buzz was that this was going to be a more emotional album.(Which is perfect since her first album lacked a lot of emotion.) Now, Corrine Bailey Rae is back with “The Sea”. Corrine’s first album had that sunny day, holding hands, walking through the grass barefoot kind of feel to it. “The Sea” is more therapeutic. She has totally abanded her bubblegum style with rock themed songs like “Paper Dolls”. “The Blackest Lily” is another fast paced song that sounds like it should have had Cyndi Lauper singing the hook. (And I think I heard auto-tune at the end.) The problem is that Corrine’s voice is not made for that genre. She doesn’t have the voice of a Erykah Badu so she gets lost behind the rhythm. Besides those couple setbacks the album is very good. Her poetic lyrics impress me on “Closer, I Do It All Again & Diving For Hearts” Mid tempo songs like “Feels Like The First Time & Paris Nights/New York Mornings” have a good groove. There’s a different vibe with her ballads, they are all depressing like on “Love’s On The Way & I Would Like To Call It Beauty”. And the title track is good but it ends the album on a very sad note. What is there not to like about Corrine Bailey Rae. She’s smooth, classy and not bad to look at. She’s like a young Sade. Her first album was her introduction to the world. Now “The Sea” is her testimonial album. She’s the type of person who will not care if her album goes triple platinum. As long as people understand her message and see how she felt. For some people writing is the best cure for heartbreak. It helps them get over grieving. Though not as good as her first album, Corrine Bailey Rae has shown that she has moved on from the grieving process and has begun to heal. D THRILL reviewed:

Solid Set of Standards & Classic Pop Songs, October 9, 2009

The old-time saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” may apply to traditional pop crooner Michael Buble. Indeed, Michael Buble’s albums have remained conservative, maintaining the sanctity of classic standards and pop songs. 2009’s follow-up 2007’s extremely successful Call Me Irresponsible does maintain a sense of classicism that has come to define Buble, but there are some risks taken this go around. Sure, he doesn’t ruin or over interpret the classics, but as far as arrangements, orchestrations, and vocal nuances, Buble keeps the classics ‘fresh’ while also keeping them ‘classic.’ The album isn’t perfect, but it is consistent and bodes well to keep Buble’s career afloat. Buble never compromises himself on this album.

Opening with “Cry Me A River”, instantly, one hears that Buble wishes to exploit a slightly more adventurous side without ‘rocking the boat’ too much. The orchestrations here are different but brilliant and add just the right amount of change without ruining the sanctity of the classic standard. Buble, as always sounds top-rate as a vocalist.

“All of Me” scales down the experimentation of “Cry Me A River”, seeking to balance between ‘innovation’ and ‘classicism’. While the performance is another ‘home-run’ for Buble, it doesn’t trump the excellent, cutting-edge “Cry Me A River”. “Georgia on My Mind”, on the other hand, finds Michael Buble at his very best, bringing new, pitch-perfect nuance to the classic that helped to shape Ray Charles’ career. “Crazy Love”, the title track continues a hot streak for Buble.

Perhaps most unique is “Haven’t Met You Yet”, which most likely will received mixed reactions from Buble fans. Personally, I think it is a departure for Buble and lays well, though it doesn’t necessarily trump Buble’s beautiful interpretations of standards and classic pop songs. Good, but no my favorite. “All I Do Is Dream of You” continues to differentiate from previous Buble album. It does so convincingly, given a soulful-sound that hearkens the 1950s.

“Hold On” proves to be a clear valedictory performance on Crazy Love, finding Buble at his most sensitive and best. The acoustic guitar here at the forefront gives this track more a modern pop tinge as opposed to hearkening back to classic pop. The strings are beautiful orchestrated here.

“Heartache Tonight” contrasts the slow, sensitive nature of “Hold On”, solidly, though it is the Sharon Jones and Dap-Kings feature on “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes)” that steals the show. Funky and just overall sensational, “Baby” is certainly like nothing else from previous Michael Buble albums. “At This Moment” finds Michael Buble among the bluesiest I’ve ever heard. Produced by the phenomenal pop producer David Foster, it is a showstopping performance by all means.

The album closes strongly with “Stardust” and “Whatever It Takes (feat.Ron Sexsmith)”. Neither tracks captivate the way that “Cry Me A River”, “Georgia” or some of the ‘best of the best do’, but both are solid and above par.

While ‘Crazy Love’ isn’t revolutionary pop per say, it does find the crooner extending his scope slightly, which is a positive thing. 4 stars.

Let the Truth Be Told ~ Laura Izibor

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful: A very promising debut from the Irish soulstress., June 16, 2009 Dubbed ‘the soul of Ireland’, the stunningly beautiful Laura Izibor (born Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish R&B Singer. Her hit single “Shine” was the lead track of the movie Nanny Diaries. She is also famous for her song “From My Heart to Yours” featured as an episode opener on Grey’s Anatomy. Her music has been included on the Hilary Swank film “P.S. I Love You”, the hit and more recently “Seven Pounds” (Will Smith). As well as performing numerous sold-out shows in Ireland, Laura has opened for luminaries such as Angie Stone, James Brown, The Roots, Estelle, Jamie Cullum and Al Green. She spent four years in a diverse range of cities like New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Dublin among them, crafting her debut album, writing and arranging the songs herself and resisting the urge to hook up with any bigname collaborators. “It’s a sincere record”, she says. “I didn’t want to be anybody’s protégé. It’s very tempting to put in the reinforcements, but for my debut album I wanted it to be 100% from me”. In the US, music bible “Rolling Stone” tipped her as one of the hottest “Artists To Watch” alongside Aussie Daniel Merriweather’s “Love & War”. Drawing stylistic comparisons to seminal soul singers such as Candi Staton, Roberta Flack, and Aretha Franklin, “Let The Truth Be Told” anchors itself firmly in classic R ‘n’ B, and has all the hallmarks of a soul classic — beautifully produced, the lush arrangements only serve to complement a magnificent vocal performance. Written and co-produced by the 21 year-old Laura herself, “Let The Truth Be Told” is a fitting display of a formidable talent at work. The album is a melodic journey of soul. Peaceful and easy to listen and sing along to, this should be a consideration for any fans of the likes of Corinne Bailey Rae or Alicia Keys. It showcases ten soulful, heart wrenching, well crafted songs which fly by leaving you wanting more. They will leave you wondering where you’ve heard it before, however. From the breezy sunshine pop of “Shine” to the hip-poppy “From My Heart to Yours” which possess a certain summery charm, to the dreamy love lament “If Tonight Is My Last” and the gospel-infused “Mmm”, it’s Laura’s incredible ear for melody and feel for a groove that sparkles. The album is layered with the rich sounds of vintage soul mixed with a modern freshness that’s all Laura’s own. Comparisons to Alicia Keys and Roberta Flack are encouraged by the piano on which Izibor wrings out every emotive note. Like Aretha and Roberta, Laura is as comfortable being tender on “If Tonight Is My Last” and bluesy on “Don’t Stay”, as she is going all feisty on “Perfect World” or mixing in some mellow gospel on “Mmm”. The latter track is a stripped-back, piano led-number with gospel overtones and gorgeous central vocal. It’s hard to believe that Izibor is from Ireland: her sound is so polished that you could swear she was from the US. However, pop parallels aside, Laura Izibor possesses enough skill and substance to become a major new name in R&B. She certainly has the voice, even if her biggest challenge will be finding her own 2009 looks set to be an incredible year for Laura. My highligts: “Shine”, “Mmm” and “Don’t Stay”. Expect big things… Love & War amazon critic reviewed:

Soldier of Love

~ Sade

Release Date: February 9, 2010

Soldier of Love is only the sixth studio album the band Sade have released during their 25 year career, and the first since Lover’s Rock in 2000. For Sade herself, as the lynchpin of the group’s songwriting effort, it’s a simple matter of integrity and authenticity. “I only make records when I feel I have something to say. I’m not interested in releasing music just for the sake of selling something. Sade is not a brand.”

The call went out in 2008 for the group to re-convene at Peter Gabriel’s Real World studio, near Sade’s home in the countryside of south west England. It was the first time the four principals had met up since the Lover’s Rock tour wrapped in 2001. Bassist Paul Denman de-camped from Los Angeles, where he had been managing his teenage son’s punk band, Orange. Guitarist and sax player Stuart Matthewman interrupted his film soundtrack work in New York, and keyboardist Andrew Hale gave up his A&R consultancy.

BLACKsummers’night (CD/DVD Deluxe Edition) ~ Maxwell

“WILL YOU FORGIVE ME”, July 15, 2009 Its been eight years since we were last blessed with a Maxwell album. Eight years and not a word from the falsetto who made women lose control with just one high note. Eight years since we were ready to crown him as the next Marvin Gaye. What happened? Maxwell is so secretive that we may never know. All that matters is that he’s back with “BLACKsummers’night”. Maxwell is a throwback artist. Its hard not to use certain words like “funky or groovy” to review his CD. He uses live instruments. No hip hop beats here. No “The Roots” crew. Just plain old music your mama used to love. He opens the album with the groovy “Bad Habits”(check the lyrics). His first single “Pretty Wings” is classic Maxwell. He gets deep on “Stop The World”. “Fistful of Tears” is solid. And he closes the album with a funky three-minute instrumental on “Pheonix Rise”. “BLACKsummers’night” is part one of a trilogy Maxwell which lets fans know that he’s not going away no time soon. He’s letting everyone know that this is not just an attempt to make money, but another shot at retaking the title that was once his. Its been a long time since we heard music like this. Maxwell is in his groove. I wish the album was longer than 9 tracks. Its like a teaser. But once the other two CD’s drop, we will get the whole picture. D THRILL reviewed: