insomniac1587's Full Review: Acoustic Soul by India.Arie
Before I start, I just want to update you on what's been going on in my boring little life. I just got all my finals done (woo-hoo!) today and finished my freshman year with nothing more than a dull thud. I didn't have a chance to write this or anything else until today when I sat down and wrote this from beginning to end.
This is another entry into May Music Madness, under the category of 'I've Got The Music In Me' which is reserved for albums that deserve 5 stars. If you want some MMM info, head over to kristinafh's profile. Come on, you know you want to. All the cool kids are...
Ahem. For the last few years, music has been going through a bit of a transformation. In the late 1990's, it was all about boybands, Britney, and carefree and fluffy teen pop. It seemed like there was nothing to stop this juggernaut that produced numerous diamond albums, singles hits, and squealing TRL video requests. But, slowly but surely, these acts have either died off or have evolved. The main people still remained in the spotlight (BSB, NSYNC, Christina, Britney) but just about everyone left the scene. Do you still groove to your LFO CD? Is Innosense a main part of your day? That's what I thought.
So one of the main players in the *in best French accent* music revolution is definitely Miss India Arie. India took a while to catch on but after the crock that was the 2002 Grammys (the one where Alicia Keys took home about 4 awards too many), she nearly doubled the sales of her modest debut album that was released in March 2001.
Tracklisting:
Intro
Video (*****)
Promises (*****)
Brown Skin (*****)
Strength, Courage, and Wisdom (*****)
Nature (*****)
Back To The Middle (*****)
Ready For Love (******)
Interlude
Always In My Head (*****)
I See God In You (**** 1/2)
Simple (*****)
Part of My Life (**** 1/2)
Beautiful (**** 1/2)
Outro
Wonderful (*****)
If you give me half a chance I'll prove this to you I will be patient, kind, faithful and true
Six stars? Yes, that's right. I know it's a bit unorthodox but let me explain. "Ready For Love" is one of those songs that immediately stops you in your tracks and you HAVE to listen to it the whole way through. It is one of the more simple songs you'll hear; it's mainly India and her trusty acoustic guitar with some keyboards and a gorgeous cello that makes a whole orchestral feel happen. The whole song is so peaceful albeit captivating that you'll want to listen to it constantly. India's vocals are unparalleled; she practices such control especially in the beginning that she makes Anita Baker look like Beyonce Knowles. She uses her voice to perfection on this song. She never belts/booms but wrings the lyrics of their relatable and whole hearted emotion to give you the full experience. The lyrics themselves are breathtaking in their lush simplicity; she doesn't say a whole lot but phrases it in such a way that you'll think she's doing the most complex song ever. They are so relatable that it's insane (I am ready for love/ Why are you hiding from me/ I'd quickly give my freedom/ To be held in your captivity). India and Blue Miller did a superb job on creating an amazing, amazing song. Overall, one of my favorite songs of all time.
Hey baby, why you rushin' Let's sit back and watch the flowers grow Why you wanna swim against the tide
For those who are put off by all the glitz and glam of technology, I have y'all a song. "Nature" takes on the fact people are more interested in materials than what's going on around them. Its thumping beginning leads into a pretty laidback track that has a lot of bark with a toned down version of the intro playing in the background that is a soft, sweeping track at heart. Its vibe is very spiritually grounded with light gospel tones in it. India sounds fantastic on this song, really conveying the message to the listener in the most believable and convincing way. She doesn't have as much conviction and righteousness as say "Ready For Love" or "Strength, Courage, and Wisdom" but I definitely think this song holds its own. I'm thrilled to death that an r&b woman has enough ballas to do a song about something other than men. Its definitely a nice change of pace. I wish there were more songs of this caliber out. But c'est la vie. Anyway, this album also has a very earthy vibe to it with a gentle and gliding warmness that is soothing and pleasant.
Sometimes I shave my legs And sometimes I don't Sometimes I comb my hair And sometimes I won't
"Video is the song that got India moderate chart success, going to #49 on the singles chart, but also garnered her several of her Grammy nods. "Video" is one of the most positive and self celebratory songs I can remember being released in the last few years, especially on fickle r&b radio. The lyrics sparkle under Arie's warm delivery, offering a song to make you feel better when you're down. They are seemingly carefree and breezy with smooth phrasing (Don't need no silicone/ I prefer my own/ What God gave me is just fine) and a very responsible tone to them. Arie has another superb vocal part on "Video"; not really coming off as self righteous as you might think. India offers a personal touch on this 4:09 gem, really letting us see inside her. The music has a very folky tone to it with relatively simple guitars and a subtle approach. The music reminds me of a coffeehouse jam session but seeing as she was once a coffeehouse musician, I don't think it's too far fetched. Another positive aspect of this song is the fact that the chorus doesn't repeat 700,000 times. In most songs of this length, you get about 1:30-2:00 of song and the rest is the chorus repeating or something of that nature. But in "Video", you get verses until the 3:25 mark which is almost unheard of. Overall, an amazing, feel good song that'll have you humming along.
Brown skin, you know I love your brown skin I can't tell where yours begins I can't tell where mine ends
"Brown Skin" is an ode to, you guessed it, brown skin. A subject barely anyone has even dealt with, "Brown Skin" has some of the most clever (You make me want to Hershey's kiss your licorice) and intelligent (Everytime you come around/ Something magnetic pulls me and I can't get out) lyrics present on the album's love songs. They seem very genuine and something not fabricated or fake. Finding a balance between average joe feelings and a deep insight, "Brown Skin" is a very dramatic song with a sharp build up and a full blooded neo soul backbeat. It has a kind of swaying thing to it that'll have you moving around a little bit because it's just that catchy. The back-up vocals add to the drama seeing as they mainly appear during the hook and bridge. India provides her own back-up vocals that have both a haunting and enchanting aura around them. The vocals India provides are solid but nowhere near "Video" or "Ready For Love" in any way, shape or form. She does showcase her voice in the last little bit but for the most part, India is uberly laidback and flows like the songs nearly lackluster music. She really picks and chooses her battles wisely because this is the best way for the song to be sung. This song is a great anthem for anyone who loves brown skin. (hey, it was all I could come up with!:))
Other Good Songs Include:
"Always In My Head"- a wafting, breezy percussion heavy song that compliments India's vocal capablities and goes from intense (the part before the chorus) to normal really easily.
Overall, this record definitely deserves a listen and 5 stars for its courage, compassion, and lyrical depth. India makes a record twice as good as Alicia Keys and really has a strong foundation for years to come.
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