2008 Woodie Awards
Monica is back with The Makings of Me
Brian Delguidice Jr.
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: The Scene
- Page 1 of 1
Hailing from Atlanta, Ga., with 11 chart-topping flourishing years in the music industry, 25-year-old Grammy Award winning R&B vocalist, Monica, presents her fans with her greatly craved fourth album titled The Makings of Me.
Back from her hiatus-now as a mother and wife-the core motives of Monica's latest project becomes undeniably obvious: a self-confrontation of the chaotic paranoia involving Monica's womanizing husband who she loves unconditionally.
Fiction or non-fiction, this theme is carried throughout the whole album. As most folks know, Monica is no longer the sweet straight-laced "girl-next-door," but a grown woman with wisdom, heart-breaking self-esteem issues and a disclosed introspective vulnerability about life experiences, which are elaborated through the gift of song.
Her first single-a redundant current hit on the airwaves-"Every time the beat drops" falls under the cliché "club banger" category with a lack of lyrical impact and crooning which Monica is known and loved for. On the Missy Elliott-produced "A Dozen Roses," Monica sets vocals on a feisty Gladys Knight remake with cute and hood similes depicting the worth of Monica's special man in her life-her husband. On "Sideline Ho," a remake of one of her own songs ("That's My Man"), Monica creates an entertaining, aggressive, and childish name-calling anthem to uplift scorned and bitter women who are with men who they love; sadly the men have mistresses on the side.
The belligerent song provides hilarity, a shocking chorus, and may inspire the listener to have unconscious relationship delusions about the one they are with.
To be fair, alongside songs "My Everything," "Get Away," and "Hell No," the strongest and most loved track on the whole album is "Raw," a song evocative of Beyoncé's "Upgrade You," also produced by Swizz Beatz.
Yet Monica's gritty version involves less shouting and more vocal prowess-soothing to the ears for a mid-tempo banger. With Janet Jackson, Beyoncé and Kelis' albums all recently released and the anticipated returns of Mya and Ciara in early 2007, the top R&B female position is currently up for grabs and Monica may be the seasoned voice deserving of the title.
Now although this album doesn't strike an eerie emotional cord due to the depth of lyrics or production-a la Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill-this is the perfect upbeat album for you if you prefer not to skip through a whole album for quality music.
Monica
Album:
The Makings of Me
Record Label:
J-Records
The Scene rating:
3 of 4 stars
Back from her hiatus-now as a mother and wife-the core motives of Monica's latest project becomes undeniably obvious: a self-confrontation of the chaotic paranoia involving Monica's womanizing husband who she loves unconditionally.
Fiction or non-fiction, this theme is carried throughout the whole album. As most folks know, Monica is no longer the sweet straight-laced "girl-next-door," but a grown woman with wisdom, heart-breaking self-esteem issues and a disclosed introspective vulnerability about life experiences, which are elaborated through the gift of song.
Her first single-a redundant current hit on the airwaves-"Every time the beat drops" falls under the cliché "club banger" category with a lack of lyrical impact and crooning which Monica is known and loved for. On the Missy Elliott-produced "A Dozen Roses," Monica sets vocals on a feisty Gladys Knight remake with cute and hood similes depicting the worth of Monica's special man in her life-her husband. On "Sideline Ho," a remake of one of her own songs ("That's My Man"), Monica creates an entertaining, aggressive, and childish name-calling anthem to uplift scorned and bitter women who are with men who they love; sadly the men have mistresses on the side.
The belligerent song provides hilarity, a shocking chorus, and may inspire the listener to have unconscious relationship delusions about the one they are with.
To be fair, alongside songs "My Everything," "Get Away," and "Hell No," the strongest and most loved track on the whole album is "Raw," a song evocative of Beyoncé's "Upgrade You," also produced by Swizz Beatz.
Yet Monica's gritty version involves less shouting and more vocal prowess-soothing to the ears for a mid-tempo banger. With Janet Jackson, Beyoncé and Kelis' albums all recently released and the anticipated returns of Mya and Ciara in early 2007, the top R&B female position is currently up for grabs and Monica may be the seasoned voice deserving of the title.
Now although this album doesn't strike an eerie emotional cord due to the depth of lyrics or production-a la Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill-this is the perfect upbeat album for you if you prefer not to skip through a whole album for quality music.
Monica
Album:
The Makings of Me
Record Label:
J-Records
The Scene rating:
3 of 4 stars
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