Faith Evans is back with a bang, or probably it is just me hearing it. Well, let me clue you in about this bang. She is currently starring in her own reality show, featuring other sanging have beens: Nicci Gilbert, Monifah, Syleena Johnson and Keke Wyatt. [I have a problem with folks that are talented going the reality route. For why?? Urrgh! Do documentaries, if you want to stay relevant. ] She, alongside the other ladies, has released a new album of the same name as her show on TV One. The following is a review of her album. Enjoy.

The opening joint is fiiiiyah,Loving Me! Here at EY, we are all about embracing your inner self blah blah, and best believe this banger caught my ear. This song features the exquisite harmonies of the other divas, and they croon how clear their reality is, as a result of having found themselves in a place where they are loving themselves! Well hello!! Talk about being completely comfortable with yourself, and just absolutely loving you and your flaws, without conditionalities.

A beautiful, yet realistic transition occurs in the midst of them loving themselves. Faith has tears of joy! This boy she is seeing has her completely messed up, in a good way! It is realistic because,most often times when a woman finds herself, somehow the stars align and she finds that special guy to share in her new found happiness.

Mr.Superfly, is a continuation and an introspective look at he who is making her tear with joy. This time around, it is not Faith but rather Keke with her deliciously high voice. It is a spunky, funky cut that will get you feeling groovy.

[Love goes downhill, so does my enthusiasm]

Too High for Love, was just plain weird to me. I almost thought of it as an unnecessary filler, until I listened to the rest of the songs [more on this, later]  Faith was in such an unbelievably good place, and here she is trying to reason with a guy who is caught up with himself in whichever way you can imagine, that he is missing out on her deep loving. Errrm, okay? Whatever happened to Mr. tears of joy.

Sisterfriend is a mash up of all their voices, melodically. It is about the formation of a sisterhood, and relying on a sistah when times are tough. Such as when mista too high for love, ain’t showing you the kind of love you were expecting. Hmmmmm.  It was a lackluster effort. It did not have that ooomph factor to make it that kind of song, that you would find yourself doing praise jigs to. No soul. Contrived, really and truly.

Dumb. Faith’s love life on this album took a serious nosedive, after Mr. tears of joy. It has an uptempo beat, but the storyline is somber, filled with regrets and a lot of sappiness! At this point, I think I’m over this album. The fuck. We were speeding on the highway, then the car suddenly started to stall.

[Confusion sets in]

Sometimes, croons Nicci,  ‘I just don’t get it’, is an emotional confession about the trials and tribulations of relationships. She knows she loves him, but doesn’t like him all the time. Uh oh. It is has the traditional RnB vibe. It is quite the reflective song, that makes one take a step back and do a psycho analysis on their relationship.

True Colors

Yo! This was unexpected. All the divas are on this joint, and they KILT it! When talent comes together in harmony and angelic melodies, it has the ability to make you want to touch Jesus feet in glee. That is exactly what this song did for me. Apart from Phil Collins rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s original, I do not pay anyone else mind, at all! But, this right here was bananas!  Made my heart bubble.

Stonewall by Syleena is a dope joint! After realizing his true colors, this woman cannot be shaken, ‘even in the darkest valley’! She is forging forward! This  is a song of epic anthem proportions!  The ooommmmph in it, is ridic!

She’s Me. Hmmm. If I had this song without knowing the person sanging it, I honestly would not guess it is somebody with RnB roots. It has a rock flavor to it. Again, this song after Syleena’s joint is an example of how a seamless transition can be done without losing momentum of theme. Instead of focusing on the valley lows and battles in Stonewall, there is a paradigm shift in which, Monifah gives a face and humanizes the strong Stonewall woman! She is a friend, lover, sister! Beautiful.

Soon as I get home. Seems like Faith has found love again. The beauty with RnB, is that it is not raunchy, and horrifically raw like pop. This is a song about doing the nasty, but you would never think so. Mmmmmmh, me likey!! 🙂

Jesus Loves Me is the most useless, song I’ve ever come across on an album. Instead of closing out this album with a bang, as it had started, I do not know whose genius idea it was, to put Jesus on the track. I will not let Jesus finish, because He is not supposed to make a cameo on an RnB album, gospel sure-hallelujah! Urrrrrgh! Like, I really rolled my eyes at this one. I think the intention was to include, Ms. Price on the album, somehow! There is a time and place for everything, this was not the season for Jesus to be included, neither Ms. Price!

Conclusion:

• Album: Kind of solid theme, dope, real singing not auto tuned bullshit.
• Rating: 6/10
• I absolutely hate the title of the album! So bleh, long, and unnecessary. Divas would have sufficed
• Link

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Track listing

1. Loving me
2. Tears of Joy
3. Mr. Superfly
4. Too High For Love
5. Sisterfriend
6. Dumb
7. Sometimes
8. True Colors
9. Stonewall
10. She’s Me
11. Soon as I get home
12. Jesus Loves Me