Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Smooth, silky and a little sultry Sullivan is certainly sure of what she wants and who she is. As she slithers through track by track we’re in a trance and wanna dance. Giving in to her as she tells us like it is and how it is inevitably going to be. Heartbreak, triumph…emotions are certainly there.
On my first listen, she sounded like a SZA-wannabe, but it very quickly grew on me as soon as I started paying attention. First of all, the themes of this album are honest and personal. The intro "Bodies" has her repeating the same lines, emphasizing her confusion and sense of hopelessness. These themes of loneliness, falling apart emotionally, and longing for the past are maintained through the whole EP. She has her pop hooks, but her song structures do sometimes trail off unconventionally to evoke feelings of incompleteness, putting greater emphasis on the following tracks and skits. Super impressed by the production value. Her voice is the highlight, but she doesn't flash it off as excessively as other R&B artists. But of course that's my preference, cause I'm sure her expressive vocals are the primary audience appeal of the single "Lost One." The double tracking and vocal effects are used appropriately to add variety but are neither used as random nor repetitive gimmicks. The groove is nostalgic and calming. I did find most of it is a bit boring, repetitive, and standard of the genre, clearly influenced by contemporary chillwave, but some tracks like "Price Tags" show innovation, and of course it all vibes with the lyrics and vocals. Can't say I can complain too much, but it doesn't attract me. Most of the skits could be cut. Some work well, while the ones later in the EP feel out-of-place and are a bit distracting, but they do serve the purpose of giving audiences a small break to make the next track payoff more rewarding. I also prefer her R&B skills over her rapping skills. Not a fan of the trap elements found in most tracks, most prominently with "Put It Down." She incorporates her rapping well in some tracks when her mood becomes fiercer in a more forward manner, but other times I feel like she's just trying to mimic Cardi B. The only songs I didn't like at all are "Put It Down", "On It", and "Lost One." The others have my complaints, outlined above, but they're all pretty good. And of course we have the whole coherent concept record experience.
i enjoyed most of the songs! I feel that the interludes took away from the vibe of the record.
Solid album with a lot of honesty and great vocals.
Really sweet little album. The concept is really interesting with the anecdotal interludes and most of the songs are really good. 8/10
I liked all of the R&B sound and am always a sucker for Paak. The topic of feminine sexuality and all that is obviously not something I can directly relate to but it’s nice to see somebody calling out the double standard of men and women in art and how they can sexually express themselves. That said, it’s a bit too heavy of a concept for me to just casually revisit in the future I think, especially with all the skits. There were maybe too many of those. All in all though Jazmine Sullivan is extremely talented and certainly a unique and strong approach to this R&B concept album.
Ari and Paak were great features because they compliment Jazmines voice/sound so well. Great Tales
Great album - never heard of her before
Not usually my thing, but good sound and songwriting.
It reminds me of a girl-Frank Ocean (in particular channel ORANGE). I've never heard of Jazmine Sullivan before, but it's an instant liking. I can see myself listen to this album again and again.
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would! not a big R&B fan but the production was tight af - 8/10
This was actually quite nice. Reminiscent of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, I enjoyed the conversational narrative of the albums presentation.
Really liked this one
Skits aside, decent.
Tales of feminism, empowerment, and sex. Good stuff.
After getting a few too many live classic rock albums I was wondering if this project would hold my attention- glad it did! This album was a delight
Had Beyonce vibes for sure
A really good voice, with a really strong and cohesive sentiment, and some great production interspersed across the album.
Really enjoyed this new find. Philly gal who also released an album called "Fearless" in 2008. What's not to like?
Buen disco, nuevo. Me hizo acordar mucho a Dua Lipa, es esa onda, pero mas chill. Me gustó mucho.
Soulful, smart, adult conversation on sex and love and the things we do to each other in the quest for fulfilling relationships. Really enjoyed this.
J'ai vraiment aimé le genre. C'est meilleir que solange knowles mais je regrette un peu mon score. Celui ci est cote tres bien q Car j'ai passe un bon momne t . 4.5
Szwag
Good r&b album. Do you have to hear it before you die? Probably not. It’s only a little longer than 30 minutes though. Might as well :)
Bra, stripped down beatz och kool musik i allmänhet... modernt tight litet koncept album
r&b nice
Excellent concept with solid execution. Not exactly in line with my tastes, but mad respect to it.
really loved actually!
Nice modern R&B. Interesting to listen to an album of character studies, humorous in places. However, wasn't really pushing any boundaries musically.
Fuck this bangs (pun intended)
It had a good message. All the ‘Tales’ tell of things that you can really learn from. ‘Lost One’ is the best, since it has a clear message and good music.
Liked this album! The Other Side was my favorite track, added it to a couple playlists
Really interesting to hear strong women's voices in this genre. Loved it
I think I listened to this album back in 2021 when it came out, and if I remember correctly, I enjoyed it. Listening to it today, I really liked it. I thought it was well made, and lyrically, I don't think I've ever heard a female artist sing about things like that before. I found it subversive in the best way, and I would be open to listening to Jazmine Sullivan's next album.
Call it lowered expectations because of the ratings, but I believe this album is very underrated over here. I found it to be pretty tight concept album that doesn't overstay its welcome, a very nice find.
Good chill vibes
I'm not really a fan of them adding albums from 2021 in the book. To me it's impossible to decide on must listen albums after such little time has passed. I can definitely see why someone would have it as a must listen for 2021 though. Although I listened to a lot of new music last year I never heard this. I'm not that well traveled in the world of rnb, so it's pretty natural. I am glad that I was introduced to the album though. So even if I don't agree on it being here, I still found a lot to like about the album. It's a simple but effective concept with small spoken word stories fleshing out the songs following them. I really like her voice, the songs are mostly great and she has some really good collabs on here. A solid album experience. But will it stand the test of time enough to be kept in the next installment of this book? We'll see!
Didn't particularly love the lyrics of most of the songs but the melodies, composition and production were really top notch
Good stuff! Particularly enjoy the Anderson Paak feature
Good melodies and lyrics.
Never heard of her but really enjoyed it
Excellent album
:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) 8.5/10
Great storytelling album. Very entertaining. Not kid appropriate
That scratched an itch that I didn’t know I needed scratched.
I like the structure of this and how themes are explored and wrestled with throughout. Catchy stuff too.
Tuneful and R&B-driven, with every track offering considerable merit. One digs the musical mood, as well as the candid talk about sex, bodies and money from the women’s perspective (e.g., "Honest honest .... I'ma take all I can get / that money keeps that pussy wet.") A work of authenticity, feeling and (one thinks) considerable social currency. Maybe coulda been longer.
Yeah I liked it Price tag Other side
Fantastic to see/hear an album on this list that was created and released so recently! It's great stuff. I was drawn in right away, nice hooks, outstanding voice, and solid songwriting. I'll come back to this one and listen to more of her music.
I really liked this. Surprised I haven’t heard about her until this.
Good R&B album, her voice is great, album premise is good, not an album I would listen to all the time
She's very talented, although the numerous interlude "tales" prevent it from being an album to just toss on and listen to.
I liked this album and it seems like one that will get even better on repeated listens. It reminds me of Dirty Computer in that the themes of the songs are just as striking as the music, and the more I listen the more I pick out.
Liked this, and wanna return to it and understand the concepts better.
I was just thinking that these have been too rock/metal heavy lately. Granted, I’m cool with the metal- hell yes, keep this shit separated from Rolling Stone- but we haven’t had much R&B, rap, jazz in a while. Glad we got this welcome change of pace today. Jasmine Sullivan is a name I knew, but I don’t think that I ever heard her stuff before. This was pretty nice! You can tell that she’s hella talented and has a strong sense of collaboration, and the production is tight here. I don’t love the introductions, but I can see myself warm up to them on further listens. C+ for now, can see this rise after some more listens (Side note, but this is technically an EP, although a deluxe edition was released that should push this to an LP. Even before that, it’s 33 minutes which is a perfectly acceptable album length.)
now THIS is a girl task album. i like it
Great album
4/5. Good modern current trendy? nice lil album right here 👍
Smooth
Really nice melodies and arrangements. With a few more listens my rating might go higher. I liked the concept for the album, though it was a little too sex-focused. I thought it would have a bit more complexity or depth. Still, some good connections between the lead-in tales and the songs to follow. I really liked Lost One and its tale. Girl Like Me was also quite good and had more complexity to it. Put it Down has a great groove even though I don't have much respect for anyone the story applies to.
Pop agradable. Va, un 4.
I was completely unaware of this, but really rather liked it.
Weird one. Liked the music but first thought the content was a bit cringe. Then it grew on me. Heartbreaking at times, especially with the spoken interludes. Lost one and the other side stood out.
Some funky rhythms just not my thing. 7.1/10
8/10 the production, concept, and vocals were all fantastic, but sometimes the lyrics fell flat
I had never heard of this artist. Ok, it's not my usual style, but someone from Philly making waves should have at least been on my radar. Enjoyed the music and the vocals, some of the narration felt like I was eavesdropping a conversation I wasn't meant to be. But nevertheless, really interesting album.
Jako me iznenadilo što je ovo već tu. Poslušala sam ovaj album kad je izašao jer su svi kritičari simpali za ovim. Skroz razumljivo. Nekad nema boljeg od jako kvalitetnog R&B albuma o seksu, sa savršenim vokalima, produkcijom, Anderson Paakom i HER.
Do you like sex? Do you like albums about sex? Do you relate to the inner city struggles of Harlem? Well, here it is on a plate. Dig in!
I'm not normally a big fan of R&B, but this was excellent. Nice one Jazmine!
Saucy
Super authentic, perspectives worthy of repeated listens.
no me gustó el álbum pero odio estas reviews de hombres enojados todavía más. q vayan a llorar a otro lado. 2.5 pero queda en 3/5.
It’s an alright R&B album.
This was pretty good R&B. Really like her voice, and the beats and music were good as well. Nothing spectacular, but a good album nonetheless.
Never heard of this. Which I find surprising. I listen to A LOT of music. Particularly at this time, I was keeping up with what was coming out. Although COVID made things weird. So… I will say that title is clever. Heaux tales? Or Hoe tails? Or Hotels? Yeah Bodies - Intro- kinda tells me all three readings are intended. But unfortunately the word play pretty much ends there. Everything else is so… straight forward. It’s like a therapy session with vocal interludes. And the vocals ARE powerful. But that’s it. The production isn’t unique. Sorry. If I am going to listen to someone explore their issues with sex and relationships I’d rather have it be Frank Ocean on Blonde or Sza on Ctrl. WAY more to mine on those offerings both lyrically AND musically. 3 Boolean: False
70
The music is good. The interludes are annoying. Why did that have to become a trend. Does anybody enjoy those?
It's filth, but i love it. A classier version of WAP.
There’s another review that said it better, but this album is good in intention but poor in execution. I see how it was acclaimed, but this the classic case of “if you’re gonna include albums from the 2020s, there’s a laundry list of better choices that are clearly already more influential than this.” As an avid music listener for the past few years, this is my first time hearing of jazmine. Also, I don’t see this being influential much at all. This could have been an early 90s album and I wouldn’t have thought it ahead of its time. It’s fine, but probably not even top 50 of the best from this era, especially among the plethora of phenomenal albums by Black women.
3.5!
Pretty unspectacular R&B - not sure how this made the list?
3/5
A cool concept. I really enjoyed the tracks, cool instrumentation.
It’s an honest piece of work but it doesn’t quite work either
Quite nice and ok
I enjoyed this more today than when it was released.
OK
This is mostly a fairly standard R&B album for its era. It's got tinges of neo-soul but also has some deeper, more modern moments. The big thing that makes this stand out is the overt feminism, delivered mostly through the spoken word interludes. If those ideas were woven more fully into the songs, I think they would work. As it is, they feel heavy-handed and tacked on. Often the ideas are worked into the songs that follow the interludes, but to much lesser effect. The many interludes also make this feel a bit lightweight; not until track 3 do we get a real fleshed-out song. The album ends strong as the minimal guitar-based "Lost One" and the lush "The Other Side" are the stand-outs, but they can't quite save the album entirely.
All for female empowerment and all, but this is kinda one note/TMI, and worst selfcontradictory. We contain multitudes I guess. Musicwise, just kinda ok.
Initially, I didn’t like the album, but as it went on, I gradually warmed up to it. It does remind me of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill at times. Musically, it’s nothing too new or interesting to me, but I do like the concept a lot. Also, people are way too negative about this album. Music is subjective, but it’s clearly being given bad reviews for the wrong reasons.
great vocals, forgettable music
Weird choice and not essential, but an entertaining Lauryn Hill-style for the next generation.
Thought this might not be a good one (judging the book by it's cover), but it was an okay R&B/hip-hop album padded out with dialogue breaks, challenging lyrical social themes which I respect ⭐⭐⭐
Felt like it improved over the course of the album. However, it was nothing spectacular compared to other R&B artists from recent years.
I wasn't familiar with Jazmine Sullivan coming into this, but was blown away here. I'm already a fan of that late 2010's PBR&B style so it was fun to start this and let it run over me for the 30 minute runtime.
Some really cool bits to this, I don’t think it’s necessarily my thing but I enjoyed listening to it and respect the game. Great lyrics and good production. 3.0/5.0 Best Song: price tags
bit meh
It was ok but its beaten many other albums to the list that need to be on there
I'm completely unaware of this artist. I enjoyed this. The production is good, and the songwriting is pretty solid. I'm not sure it truly belongs on this list, but there's plenty of other albums I either know or have had to listen to which _do not_ belong on this list. So at some level I appreciate being exposed to an artist I've never heard before, even if maybe this specific album might not belong with the albums that truly are "albums you must hear before you die." But maybe this list needs more artists I have no awareness of and less of, say, Morrissey.
I love the feminist vibe. But there’s too much talking—and not enough singing—here. Pleasant enough overall, but the album is far from essential. 2.5?
I liked how it was presented very much, like a collection of stories. My favorite song was Price Tags.
Kinda sounds like "Hotel". Is that something?
This went from a 2 to 3 on my second playthrough. Very questionable lyrics for the most part, but I liked the voice and enjoyed some of the songs. Standouts are Pick Up Your Feelings and Lost One. Another positive is the short runtime, an easy listen.
I like Jazmine Sullivan and I want to give this a 4 but the album as a whole doesn't hold together for me. There are some banger songs on here though so it's worth a listen just kind of dies off in the 2nd half of the album.
This is decently appealing and smooth, but ultimately didn’t stick with me.
Second listen through I really warmed to this and increased my rating. Enjoyed the lyrics, singing and overall vibe of the album + several individual songs. Works incredibly well together!!
I can't relate personally to this on all levels, but that doesn't detract
Joah : )
3.5
Really good arrangements, both vocally as well as the instrumentation. But this is an album for women. I'm a guy so nobody gives a fuck what I think about it.
Dug this much more than I thought I would and appreciated the brevity. I liked her voice, the features, and the concept. Would listen again. 3.5
I actually liked this one more than I expected. Among a genre I don't really love, this was pretty interesting. It's between 2 and 3 stars for me.
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
awesome. i still think about this album everytime i hear pick up your feelings. bangers
Works pretty well as a concept album. Some songs are stronger than others and a lot of themes can feel a bit repetitve, but Jazmine voice is strong and her passion is real.
Low 3. Came in and out.
High quality R&B
I liked it, but I don't know if it was that memorable. I'd happily listen to the album again, but other than one or two songs, none would ever stand out to me.
Nice contemporary r&b
Buen disco de hip hop y R&B. Se agradece que dure solo media hora, se pasa rápido y aunque uno no sea fan del género, se puede disfrutar.
I remember this being a hit with the critics a few year's back and I always meant to get around to it. It's not really my bag but I can see why some people liked it. The production is pretty sick but it'll be tough for my honky ass to sing a long to some of these.
Not really my thing. Nothing bad though.
Have never heard of this artist, and was happy to see the 32 length. Albums should be shorter! This doesn't do much for me though, seems to be standard enough R&B but wrapped in a concept. Seems slight. 3 Heard before? No Owned: No 60/250 (24%) Will I get: No
6/10… r&b / new age / *2021
Modern (or most) r&b is not my preferred genre, I could appreciate the thematic concept and cohesion behind the album.
Emotional and raw. I felt everything she was singing right along with her. Great listen.
Fine
Refreshingly feminist and some great harmonies.
R&B opskriften i sin reneste form. Så er der lidt snak, så synger hun lidt om det, og så det samme igen. Det var fint nok til at spille som nat musik til ungerne.
mm better than i remembered. you know this sorta brought up an issue for me with this list is that there should be way more EPs on it!! less long playing please more extended play. come on!!
not bad, just not my jam
Girl Power Rap - Nice perspective from a female rapper. Laughed out load a few times, great effort!
At the time of writing this was the final album in the latest edition of the book, although I'm aware that there are more to come. I didn't know about this artist. It's maybe a good sign that it's representative of a genre and demographic that's not very well seen among the bulk of 70s white male rock bands in the list. There's a strong level of female empowerment, sexuality, and body positivity. The music is ok and a bit sparse between the spoken word tracks, but points ads deserved for the messages on here.
Musikalisch gut genug um die Lyrics zu tragen. Dafür bin ich nicht die Zielgruppe. 3/5
Eu não gostei muito, não vou lembrar dessas músicas amanhã. Mas fazia mais de um mês que não tinha nenhuma mulher nessa lista então pelo menos isso foi ótimo: uma sonoridade diferente da hegemonia de rock de piazão dessa lista.
Good, not great.
Your average R&B stuff mostly. Despite this album being quite recent, i had not heard a single song from it so yeah i’m happy to receive something on here from this century for once. Best is “Pick up your feelings”. A high 3
Nice album of R&B and pop, some of it sexy and funny and irreverent, some of it heartfelt and earnest. I enjoyed it in the moment, though I probably won’t return for repeat listens.
I was surprised to see that this album was so recent. It feels very late 90s or early 2000s. I don't think it's bad but I didn't think it was great either. Just okay.
This albums inspirations were clear, it felt very “Lauryn Hill meets Alicia Keys”. Overall a fine album, but to me feels like the type of album that’s been done better, before, by different people…
This was fine but not really my taste. It had some lyrics that are right up there with Meg the Stallion on the horny scale!
Trevligt!
Bra vibes!
I was completely ignorant of this artist, so I was going in with an open mind. I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt because I am clearly not the target audience for this. First impressions were positive. Her voice is good, very soulful. The vibes are laid back and confessional. It feels like a late night conversation with a close friend, maybe in the dying moments of a party. Some of the lyrics are wild and pretty funny too. Every track just started to feel like more of the same, with very little to distinguish them. Just a generic R&B drumbeat with low-fi backing music. All of a very similar tempo and overall sound. Nothing that stood out to me, except a couple of musical flourishes in one of the later tracks. I actually thought the spoken interludes were some of my favourite parts, initially because they broke up the monotony of the music, but also because it was interesting to get a feel for the singers perspective, and the philosophy of the work. This honestly makes me think that you would need to listen more closely to the lyrics to determine the real artistic merit of the music, if any. I am just not interested in listening to it again in order to do that. 2.5 rounded up.
Jazmine’s a great singer, and the record touches on some topics I think are definitely important, but I just think the production is often boring, and it goes a little too far in it’s ambitions for it’s own good. Still had a nice time though.
Enjoyed this a lot- breezed through at 30ish minutes with a fair amount of variety. Would revisit.
Loved this, which was new to me. Thanks for sharing RGP. Three stars. Tom.
Jo, ganz netter Klang.
Price Tags fand ich gut, ansonsten max durchschnittlich
its alright, but I can think of at least 5 better options for post 2020 RNB albums. considering the lack of other albums from the 2020s and beyond, I find this a pretty strange inclusion to the list.
she didn’t even realize she was making great social commentary
This album was wild! I think I enjoyed it and definitely wouldn’t have found it on my own
The skits in between kind of ruin it. No need to bring it back from the 90s thanks
Definitely a singer who breaks the mould, and her feminist / sexual politics litter the album, adding interest. Ultimately, not a sound that I’m that into but I can appreciate why this album made the list.
The most recent album on this list that I have encountered so far! I really enjoyed this album- it switched up classic R&B sex tropes, and was very and empowering
Lyrically silly but musically interesting enough to earn a three.
A solid R & B album. Nothing stood out in any dramatic way or seemed too revolutionary but it was smooth and easy listen from start to finish.
Reminded me a lot of the music I listened to in college - Frank Ocean, Anderson Paak, Masego - but with a focus on female empowerment.
As with most R&B, this was all new to me—and made me grateful not to be single. The music had a lot to like, though this isn't my thing in general. Happy to have heard it and to have an introduction to Jazmine Sullivan.
Sounds like typical contemporary R&B and Neo Soul.
Pick up your feelings is an excellent head turner of a song. The rest are good if a little directionless. Very promising record
- interesting narrative construction - enjoyed a different perspective than what’s usually on this list - not a personal fave type of music for me
standard new r&b. the paak feature was nice. 3.5
Louisiana stories about promiscuous women.
It's was okish. Had some beats to it. 2.5/5
Chex
Good flow. Nothing groundbreaking for me here, though.
This album is a little bit meh, nothing too exciting, just the usual late 90s/early 2000s kind of music, but a bit more modern. This was released in 2021, which is very surprising, but it's not really my thing, although I guess it's alright leaving it in the background.
5.5/10
She pulls a Lauryn Hill with spoken word sections and then expounding in song. I like her voice and I think her topics are interesting and relevant even if some opinions are different. Good!
meh..reminds me of Miseducation of Lauryn Hill but not as good, I usually like me some Jazmine, she's a talent - just not this album.
Not for me. But it's an album that knows what it is and does a great job executing that. The horniest love songs this side of Prince. In the end I was won over (sort of). Jazmine at least moved the need in a demographic I'm sure she is not looking for.
Was so excited to see a contemporary rnb album on the list that I hadn’t heard of. Sadly it doesn’t do it for me to the extent I had hoped. Has me wondering how or why it ended up on the list. Fav tracks: The Other Side RYM: N Saved a song: N
A good vocalist. But for some reason this album did not hold my attention.
Crass lyrics that are supposed to be profound, I guess? I'm not the target demographic. 2.5*
A clear and compelling sound. Don't resonate with some aspects of the lyricism at points but doesn't take away from the experience.
I kind of like the idea of breaking up almost every song with a spoken word piece (and I quite enjoyed them, insofar as someone like me is meant to), but it does make this quite a frustrating stop-start experience. Quite a few of the songs - the one With Anderson Paak especially - are really nice though. A mixed bag.
So this is not my genre. I love the female empowerment and embracing female sexuality. The language is a little rougher then I usually use, but I also appreciate her being all about it and not being afraid to talk about sex from a female perspective. It did run together a little and not always differentiate much between songs. If it weren't for the interludes I am not sure I would have always heard the song changes.
Music is pretty good. Lyrics - I am not the target demographic here lol but a fun listen nonetheless.
Mid R'n'B mixed with ltg-like rants. Sounds like album of the year
Wow. Not my usual genre so thought I wasn’t going to enjoy it much. Definitely outdid my expectations. An enjoyable and tuneful listen. Much better than expected
Great album
One of the more recent additions to this list, which really caught me off guard because I thought the latest album on this website was from 2019. I'm no expert in modern R&B vs the older stuff, I think it's important for people to truly have an open mind and actually try to get into music that is outside of their comfort zone. Which is my mindset for approaching this album for the first time. I'm certainly not the demographic as a white cismale, but I do own several synthesizers. I come out of listening to Heaux Tales without any real solid opinion of the album. It is okay, and that is fine. It is fine that it is an okay and fine album. I liked Bodies, Pick Up Your Feelings, Price Tags, and The Other Side. I could leave out the rest of the album. How impactful and its legacy is not something I can forecast or think of, with regards to this list and the albums on it. I will say it's better this is here than fucking Kid Rock or Korn/Limp Biscuit. Doesn't address my main criticism of the list being biased towards European ethnocentric artists, but it's something different. On a different note, Bob Weir died today and he is fucking amazing. Rest in Power to a real one.
Nice to something a little more modern. A little samey for me.
Interesting, engaging and introspective look into the modern era of romance, dating and of course sex. A lot of sex talk of this album which usually turns me off of the music because once I get the imagery I can't shake it for anything else. But the album sounds great, thematic, consistent and robust with a myriad of influence. Primarily RnB. I enjoyed it. Maybe you don't need this particular album before you die but yeah its worth a listen.
Not really my type of music
Mellow and smooth.
very surprised, I would actually listen again and I was not expecting to
interesante...
I’d never have listened to this, and I’ll never listen to it again, but it’s not terrible. It’s not as slick and sickly over-produced as much of what I hear of modern R&B, the arrangements sparser and the vocals, especially the layered harmonies, very good in places. Not close to the worst album on this list but that doesn’t mean it deserves to be here.
It was not really much, just r&b.
I liked it enough. It feels like easy listening. I wanted to like it more because it’s the first one I’ve seem from the 2020s, but it was just ok. Feels like something someone cooler than me would put on at a party and I’d be ok with. The album itself had speaking sections in between each song, which I didn’t love, but I guess I’m kinda warming up to those things
Didactic concept album exploring themes like feminius, sexism, classism, and body-shaming. Four years later it seems to be an album from better times. Musically R&B.
I have watched the Grammy’s every year since 2018. I remember this being nominated for a bunch of awards. I never listened to it. It just seemed to be one of those like a Jon Baptiste or a Jacob Collier where critics seem to like it but no one in reality actually listens. I liked it. The structure of going from spoken word interlude to a song that covers many of the same themes is interesting. Also this gets bonus points for being (I’m pretty sure) the only album in all 1089 on the list to feature Anderson. Paak. Her vocals are good and the instrumentals have a nice variety. Favorite songs were Pick Up Your Feelings, Price Tags, and The Other Side.
interesting. I like how they spelled Hoe. Good stuff so far. I like her style. Has a little Ri-Ri in her. But she also has some R&B to. It's good. Just not something I listen to everyday.
As a middle aged white dude, I'm not her target audience. Saying that she has a great voice and the some of the music was pretty cool.
i like that it includes people’s tale’s, and the music is pretty catchy
2020s R&B.
Not what I usually listen to, but that's not a bad thing. Reminds me of stuff my mum would listen to when I was a kid. Objectively, the lyrics of these songs seem quite shallow. They speak a lot about sex and money, I feel like I'm too far removed culturally to fully appreciate what's being presented here. That being said, the music itself is great! Jazmine's voice is fantastic and the beats sounds great too.
Way better than I thought it would be I dont want to be like, its just a 3, because the 3s get lost a little. Its a very very high 3
hmm
Rv
Not my kind of music but listenable.
It seems good for what it is but I struggled to home in on the details. It kind of just played like background music. I like how the skits bring the whole album together, as a complete, well considered project. If I was into this kind of modern R&B maybe I'd enjoy this more. It seems like a good example of the genre. 3/5
Aight.
If I could give this negative stars I would
It's fine I suppose, nothing particularly interesting. I think there's stronger examples of this genre/sound from the same time.
Does this even qualify as an album? It's listed as an EP on some places. Still, this was pretty decent. Fresh combination of Neo Soul and some modern R&B influence. The short runtime really aided the pacing, even though the frequent skits made it a bit of a drag to get through at the end. It's something fresh in the list for sure, and a hell of a lot better than the other 2 2020's albums I've had so far.
7 / 10
- I'm not sure how to rate this. - People are saying it's really empowering, and I guess in terms of being honest about what is happening, but I just hear another record of women centring men. It's relatable in terms of going through a period where you start to understand the realities of living under patriarchy, but I'd prefer to listen to a women-centred album where she speaks about something other than relationships/sex with men. I'd also like to hear more about what she's learned from the experience -- she dumped a few losers, but that seems to be about it. - It was pleasant enough to listen to - she has a nice singing voice. Would like more memorable melodies and instrumentals, but I didn't dislike anything!
Initial memory was this was All Songs Considered Core, laser-targeted at a specific kind of NPR listener who might even still buy physical media (this is me). But, it’s not that bad. The actual songs/atmosphere feel like an echo of early 2010s pop/hip hop with a series of interludes/commentaries inserted for thematic cohesion or time-specific relevance. Yet it’s another curio in this list and its inclusion feels weirdly rushed. I like it fine, I also like nearly every Samiam record or Dischord release, so my taste is pretty whatever. Is this list now just a shadow sociopolitical history as it adds entries or merely a continued reflection of the fleeting tastes of music critics? There are comparable inclusions from the 1980s on, so it’s nothing new having something that plausibly had a moment and then just disappeared, which this most certainly has. Which returns to the question: why is this here if it has had little if any staying power? Jazmine hasn’t even hinted at releasing a follow-up and largely faded from view after the promotion cycle concluded. It’s a fine record (as she says, EP, indeed) and I’d like to hear more from her in this vein, but uh, what are we doing here?
Aptly named. Not for me, but kind of a cool concept album.
Amazing voice
puettey fun, aber au nüd mega speziells wo us Sockene (Mehrzahl) haut. Defür e neui Artist kenneglernt. 3 durchschnittlichi Durchschnittssternli
It’s ok
Yeah, this had its moments, but it's just not a genre of music that I super enjoy listening to. I found myself humming along to most of the tracks and there were a few that I did enjoy, but for the most part I was just kinda bored. I really don't get the spoken word tracks on rap/hiphop albums... Who enjoys listening to someone talk about how shitty of a person they are or act poorly in some skit about some boring story of shitty people? I don't know, that was just not very interesting to me. But the music was well-produced and well-performed. I wasn't wowed by any of it, but it was passable as "good". Three stars.
Went in thinking it’d be a 1 star. Still felt that way after first half as every song just seemed the same (only so much you can do with drums which is why I don’t really like modern hip hop). Second half kind of clicked and I enjoyed the last 3 songs or so. Probably closer to a 2.5 for me which is saying something but I’ll round up to 3.
Oula, j'ai pris un ptit break d'écriture dimanche, pis rendu lundi j'ai aucun souvenir de l'album. Je le relance pendant que j'écris à Cyril, je reviens tantôt. Ok, c'était correct, rien d'hallucinant ici. _ De retour encore, je vais essayer de faire bref Je suis content que tu ai bien aimé mes suggestions en général! Je comprend que du Lisa Leblanc, c'est un peu un «Acquired taste» (je l'aimais pas tant au début de sa carrière, qui était très country), mais je trouvais tellement cool le retour au disco ultra groovy avec son accent acadien, ça crée vraiment un univers très distinctif. Ça m'a aussi fait réaliser que je suis genre immunisé au kitsch? Je vois souvent ce terme véhiculé dans les critiques de ce site, souvent sur des albums funk/dad rock, mais je comprend pas le déconfort que c'est censé produire chez l'auditeur. C'est peut-être la même sensation que de voir tes oncles/tantes qui s'habillent avec les mêmes vêtements qu'ils portaient quand ils avaient 20 ans. Je sais, pas, éclaire-moi! OUI JE SAIS, JE VEUX UN CD DE PING PONG GO!!! Mais je comprend, ils sont turbo-underground, genre j'ai entendu aucune de leurs pièces à la radio. C'est dommage, parce qu'ils ont un son ultra intéressant et il n'y a pas un groupe comme eux au Québec en ce moment. En fait, il y a un groupe du Saguenay que j'ai découvert récemment qui te plaira à 100% et que tu pourrais faire un super article sur Mowno. Le groupe s'appel Angine de Poitrine, c'est un duo qui font du rock hyper lourd à la King Gizzard. Ils utilisent la micro tonalité pour enrichir leur son vu qu'ils sont juste deux et ça crée des supers ambiances totalement chaotiques. Oh, j'oubliais, ils sont aussi costumé en arlequin avec d'énormes têtes en papier mâché. Ils ont seulement un album de sorti l'an passé, je reste à l'affut pour la suite! Je te recommande leur micro spectacle live diffusé sur YouTube, c'est beau de les voir en actions! Sinon, j'écoute présentement Yoo II avec Nolan Porter, c'est vrai que c'est pas mal bon! Je te contacterais si je tombe sur un autre band d'ici qui font du bon stock, je garde l'oreille ouverte! Allez, à la prochaine! Émile
The negative reactions to this album are extremely overblown. It's far from my favorite, but Jazmine Sullivan is extremely talented and the issues she talks about are meaningful and emotional. I did find it a little short and some of the songs had production I didn't love, but she really carries it. Favorite Songs: On It
Awooga so sexy
Based on the music alone, I give it a three.
Raunchy was cool for a second, but then it got repetitive and annoying. I don't really know how this is essential to hear.
Not my vibe but well-produced and interesting concept.
I'm starting to think the people running this site are starting to throw in some personal picks. According to the official site this generator is based on, at no point has Jazmine Sullivan been included. Gave it a listen anyway and there's some bops on the album for sure. Girl's got some excellent pipes. Pick Up Your Feelings was a good jam.
Looks like this the most current record on this list so far. Never heard of her. I am pleased to see it’s under 40 minutes long. Feminist hip hop. She puts the pussy on a pedestal.
I enjoyed this, but I didn't love it
Not my style
Its a cool album but nothing new. Its a early 90s type of vive. Still cool she bringing something that was good back. Nice vibe to the music.
bodies- 5 Antoinettes tale- 5 pick up your feelings- 6 aris tale- "that dick spoke life into me" okay girl. 5 put it down- 6 on it- 5 Donnas tale- 6 price tags- 5 Rashidas tale- thank God, a lesbian one. 6. and then shes the one that cheats, bitch I needed you 😭 lost one- 5 precious tale- 5 the other side- 5 Amanda tale- 5 girl like me- 5 this is actually pretty fire and I'm a little mistrustful of anyone who dislikes it. I'm not saying you have to love it but I keep seeing all these bad reviews on an album all about black women's lives and that makes me 🤨. again I'm not saying that not liking this album immediately makes you racist but maybe think real hard about why you don't like this or other rap albums.
cool, modern, soulful sound but the skits and lyrics were very hit and miss. this gets points for being such an open and candid exploration of what it's like to be a woman of color in today's society, but i could've done without all the songs about online dating and dick. favorites: bodies, pick up your feelings, price tags, girl like me
een half puntje extra omdat het maar 30min duurde
Cover 5 Some great beats. But generally, as for the topic of many of the songs not for me. I just don't personally have an interest in the subject, even though I can see the catchiness, etc
Totally not my style of music, but I can appreciate that it's a good album: The music is interesting, the singer is good, the production is pretty creative (though not always landing for me), and the album itself is braving into conceptual territories despite being a pop r&b album. I'm curious what R&B listeners make of this, whether this is "yet another" album, or really a standout album that should be included in this list. I am not familiar enough with the genre to make this call. In the beginning I was leaning towards 4 but as the albums progressed the appeal kind of wore out.
Interesting. The format of skit then song about skit was done well. Musically, I found the album to be lacking, but it was overall okay. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
really do be ho tales
Very cool very sexy femme power. I'll need to listen to it a few more times. Jazmine has a way with delivering these songs with such confidence. Wish I had listened to it more.
Музыка: 7/10 Разнообразие: 6/10 Тематика и вайб: 8/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 5/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 7/10 Итог: 6.6
R&B that glides and rolls
Pretty cool songs mixes and vocals but not for me
Finally, an album! By a female R&B singer! About sex! And relationships! I was prepared to hate this after the preachy intro. But Sullivan spends the next half hour examining the Problem (which might as well be her nickname for the hung dude she sings about on "Put It Down") from all angles in an honest, vulnerable, angry, self-deprecating way. I don't know that this album deserved all the ballyhoo it got at the time - if you come for the Miseducation, you better not miss - but it's good at being what it is, and that counts for something. I just don't know if I'll be back anytime soon.
3.4/5 I might be rating this a little unfairly, I'm just personally not too into this sound and can't relate to the theming. A lot of the insturmentals end up feeling pretty similar and there's not much vocally or lyrically that gave these songs a ton of staying power. That's not to say this is poorly made, the vocals are great and the mix, production, and overall sound is very clear. It just doesn't really leave an impact on me, some of the harmonies were nice though.
Nothing about this blows me away but there are consistently good songs on this album. I love all the collabs, Ari and Paak are good stylistic choices for her. I was surprised to see that this album came out in '21. It sounds a lot more like the speed of the early 2010s. If anything, it seems to be a going a bit back in time rather than throwing down something innovative for the decade.
Can appreciate the artistry, just not my jam
Good story
Way short, not bad
It's short, which was nice. Other than that, there were like a million things that sounded like this that came out around then. Wasn't really into this style. This is them trying to be more hip after adding a bunch of nonsense for the 21st century. We're a quarter of the way through it and these editors are still dinosaurs.
Didn't expect to see such a recent record from a recent artist on this list. Jazmine has a good sound to her and classic R&B soul sound. She embraces her sexuality and self on this record and it has some good moments throughout. Not my favorite type of R&B as it sounds like a lot of the recycled sounds that make up modern R&B, but this one is pretty good.
Okaish R&B. Meaning the music has a hazy, introspective tone through a combination of zooming synths, a finger-snapped beat, and Sullivan's distinctive, slightly slurred and emotive vocal delivery.
Enjoyed the first half
Pleasant and easy-listening enough to absorb, though not much that I'd specifically want to listen to for musical enjoyment's sake
Not big on R&B, always dismissed it as daytime radio music. Quite enjoyed this though, the beats were great. 'Pick Up Your Feelings' and 'Put it Down' were the highlights. The spoken word interludes grew on me, the EP is meant to be listened to as a whole.
Objective 4
Better than I thought
Like Mary J. Blige but better
I think I went into it expecting rap, so my opinion may need to be adjusted... but it was pretty good.
I guess I should know about this person? She's pretty good.
Gode numre men ALT for meget SNAK
Når næsten at føles som en lang halv time fordi der er så meget spoken word som gør *intet* for mig (kæmpe chok, I know), men jeg synes overvejende at musikken er rigtig fed. Lost One og Pick Up Your Feelings are virkelig gode sange.
Good messages. but the music isn't for me.
Listened December 2021. Pleasant, jazzy neo-soul influenced songwriting. Good album, surprised to see it on this list.
This is a really decent album, kinda sounded like SZA but with more classic r&b
4/5.
Eh, not too bad, but SZA just does it so much better, that I just really don't see any point in ever listening to this again.
Was an okay listen, enjoyed the beats. Not super into spoken word interludes every so often. 3/5
This was a refreshing album albeit not the greatest.
A really good snapshot entry for modern R&B and im surprised the list goes this current (3.5/5)
Not as bad as some of the reviews suggested, and I remain skeptical when fairly recent albums appear on this list. So, is this an essential album? Assuredly not, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a listen...
Gosh! Well, I listened to this, even though I am very much not the intended demographic and have never really been into R&B. Musically, I quite enjoyed it though the modern sound made me feel old. The lyrics and skits made me feel a bit awkward. I felt like an old scruffy indie kid who stumbled into the wrong club. So I was relieved to leave even though the music was quite nice.
Need to revisit to gove another try…
Strong voice but musically it didn’t hook me. It’s somewhat telling that the interludes were more memorable than the actual songs after one listen. 3 stars
It was ok, it was nice to hear a more modern sounding record for a change, considering this list was made by an 80 year old whose music taste peaked in the 60s. It wasn't the best album but I actually enjoyed it. And the vocals are just mental.
I listened to this twice. I found it equally grating and entertaining. The music was hit or miss, but I liked Jazmine's voice and the stories told on this album. Is it essential listening? Probably too soon to tell. But did I like it? Yes.
Decent. Good grooves. Interesting production.
I remember this album. I listened to it when it came out. Once. Upon another listen…it’s alright. It is well performed and fun to listen to. It’s overall not my thing, but I appreciate it for what it is.
Probably wouldn’t have listened to this if not for this journey. Not bad very different viewpoint.
And another Tale track to skip And another Tale track to skip And another Tale track to skip And another Tale track to skip yeah the songs are good but shut up and play some music. i got audible for spoken storytime
SO HORNY but I like it. Maybe someone out there CAN match my freak
She does have a voice, she does have a flow, and she does have something to say. But at many occasion, I was really annoyed by the background music, sometimes sounding like cheap RnB from the naughties. Sometimes it's more ambient and low-key and actually better. I might have liked it better with better music supporting the artist.
I believe this is the last album on the most recent edition of this list!! Her honesty and sense of self-awareness is cathartic. We get that self-awareness right away on the opening track, the dive into a very autobiographical set of songs ranging from hyper-sexual fantasies to personable life stories. I’m not as huge on Anderson.Paak as every Grammy voter seems to be, but he did great additive work with Jazmine on “Price Tags”. Fantastic storytelling! “Lost One” is a heartbreaking tale of coming to terms with one’s bad decisions. Lastly, there are many spoken word moments on here, and “Amanda’s Tale” was one of the most striking. Jazmine once again approaches the topics of her songs with a really balanced perspective that I think we can all hope to have. Though nothing dropped my jaw, this is a very thorough album worth your time. Somewhere between a 3 and 4 stars for me. I wish to see more albums from this year added in, but this one deserves its spot. And the many people saying it doesn’t probably can’t handle the fact that good music can be made by women that use vivid lyricism to talk about themselves and their experiences
Sexy and hot!!!!!!!!
Pretty crazy songwriting, on some of the tracks it felt like she just had new hook after new hook yet for some reason it didn't really grab me? But overall enjoyed listening to it so idk Fav song: Pick Up Your Feelings
It's risque, for sure. Lovely voice.
Heaux Tales is definitely an odd one for me when it comes to my opinion on it. This is one of the most recent albums on the whole list as this album closed the 2021 edition of the book this whole list was based on. As for my opinion, there are things i do and don't like about this album. Musically, it handles things pretty alright with the production and instrumentals being decent at best and mediocre at worst. The lyrics though, i have some pretty conflicting feelings. At some points, they could feel pretty cool and deep but at other points, they could just be pointless swearfests. This album is one where my feelings are all over the place but i didn't hate my time with it. Best Song: Put It Down Worst Song: Ari's Tale
Interesting. I respect what she's doing.
Not my usual style. But an amazing concept and an interesting listen
Mostly fresh and different, which you can't say about a lot of contemporary R&B. Still, just because it's your truth doesn't mean you should share it. Ultimately I found it a bit boring but appreciate our editors branching out a bit.
This album isn't really to my taste, but I feel like it should get a *lot* of credit for several things: it's remarkably brief and tightly focused, always an accomplishment but especially given that it was released in 2021; it's a genuine album (semi-concept even), a rarity in the 2010s onwards; there's actually singing on the non-narrative tracks, something missing from most of the male hip-hop albums in this collection (e.g. quite a contrast to a recent album for me, 2Pac's "Me Against The World"); and most of the musical tracks are relatively insightful without invoking excessively explicit lyrics (with a few exceptions like "Price tags"). I know I'm not really a target audience for this album (music- or otherwise), so I don't mind at all that it didn't really speak to me, but I hope there are plenty of people that enjoyed it as it seems like a worthwhile project.
Love her runs. This is fun in that it’s like sang rap. Never heard of this artist before, very soulful. Super short album only 30 mins and some songs were just brief talking. 2.75 rounded to 3
De muziek is wel aardig, afwisselend en muzikaal genoeg voor mij om te waarderen. Maar die preken tussendoor zorgen voor een punt aftrek. Wil je muziek maken of kletsen?
Moderne R&B van deze dame. Wij vinden het altijd fijn als een album niet te lang duurt. Met een half uur een groen vinkje op dit punt. Maar dit album leunt, zoals de hoes al uitstraalt, toch sterk op de hiphop-cultuur achter R&B. Het album staat dus ook vol skits. Dan blijft er ook wel weer weinig muziek over... Toch iets te weinig van het goede... Maar goed. Wat vinden we van die twintig minuten muziek? Het is modern, maar vrij toegankelijk. Het biedt binnen de grenzen van het hokje best wel wat variatie. Er is muzikaal gewoon niet zoveel op aan te merken. En als je die zin schrijft, weet je eigenlijk al dat er ook niet zoveel plusjes te beschrijven zijn. Een harde vergeetbare 3.
Very groovy, soulful R&B album. I especially liked Put it Down & Lost One.
Good, but not my personal favorite. It did feel very heartfelt, and it is definitely well-made
3.5 stars. Fairly simple musically (basic beats) but memorable for it's themes. Explores femininity, relationships, sexuality in an honest and blunt way. Has a half dozen short, spoken-word interludes breaking up the tracks.
Rimelig nice, fede features, meget sex
Good R&B vibes Good skits Her voice is good so idk why she uses autotune in that one song
3/5
The feminist message did not hit for me, in fact I feel it went the other way, honestly by over emphasizing sex. Kind of unmemorable too. 2.5
Hard to imagine picking this up without it being in the list. Formulaic in the music, the slanted themes became rather tiresome even though were were some lighter moments. The set-ups really only work the first time through. Not the slickest in the way of production.
This is a female empowerment album that skirts R&B, Pop, and Soul. The music is well done and the lyrics tell a story of female relationship challenges along with female perspectives on sex. I enjoyed it even though it’s more poppy than the soul and R&B I enjoy. Favorite songs are “Pick Up Your Feelings”, “Price Tags”, and “Girl Like Me”
Good album so far, little bits of commentary are great. She has wonderful vocals.