You're Better Than Okay, Chrisette: You're Pretty Darn Good
Written: Sep 13 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: updates her sound without selling out, Ne-Yo's freshest writing in a while, I'm Okay
Cons: production runs together toward the middle of the record, too safe, less jazz influences
The Bottom Line: Solid with a few spectacular touches, Chrisette Michele's second album tries to "young her up". It mostly works.
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| insomniac1587's Full Review: Epiphany by Chrisette Michele |
Hype is a funny thing. On one hand, you want to keep your perspective and become realistic about whatever it is that you're excited about; however, on the other hand, sometimes it's just too hard to contain and you simply have to let it out. While there are obvious risks that come along with placing all of your chickens in one basket, that's something you need to do in order to spice things up and, in some cases, keep your sanity in an ever diminishing creative market. If you have nothing to be excited about anymore, what's the point?
The year 2009 has not been the most kind. There have only been a handful of releases that garnered more than simple curiosity about their content (at least in my case). I love feeling the anticipation grow about an unreleased record, counting the days, eagerly scouring the internet for snippets to latch onto until the album release date. There's nothing like the very first run through of a record that you were genuinely excited about being released and with a lot of records released today, you just don't feel that. Chrisette Michele, one of Def Jam's rising stars, produced one of my few hyped releases this past May with her sophomore effort Epiphany. Coming off a Grammy winning debut that drummed up a gold plaque and a fair amount of buzz, did she succeed at fighting off the disappointment bug? Did the hype come to fruition?
First single Epiphany (I'm Leaving) was a slight surprise, as it veers from the sound of a typical Chrisette Michele single. Backing away with the jazz-leaning singles from her debut album, this ballad-with-a-knock is a steady break-up song, keeping the midtempo pace that Michele is the most comfortable in. It's a strong piece of material, slyly written (it could have just as easily been an uptempo for one of Michele's "hipper" colleagues), and features a classy performance. Notebook is one of those listens that just elicits a smile with each play; Michele backs away from her stuffy persona and goes for an innocent, downright cute approach on this distant cousin to Erykah Badu's Next Lifetime. Whereas that song was a higher level exercise in reincarnation and tormented longing, this is a slightly more accessible (and highly relatable) ode to feeling like you were in high school again, doodling X's and O's and pouring your soul into your journal. It's a step down in maturity level but still keeps the sonic deliciousness that you've come to expect from an artist of her caliber. What You Do is the only song to feature someone aside from Chrisette, as Ne-Yo (the mind behind at least three-quarters of the record) adds in some vocals. He doesn't overstay his welcome, moreso acting as a back-up vocalist, complementing Michele's tone and delivery quite well. With laidback claps and sensuous synths, it's a very lush listen, a positively seductive advisory track for Michele's honeyed vocals to pour over.
Blame It on Me feels like the "anthem" of the record, a desperate plea to continue a relationship through whatever means necessary. It's one of the tracks that stay the most true to Chrisette's debut sound, which will pacify those who cannot handle the style change. The song begins and ends with her vocal, taking a melody that could have dragged under the guise of most other artists and creating one of the most fascinating listens on the record. It's one of those songs that is simply constructed but feels so ornate and gigantic. The snaps are a beautiful aesthetic that serves the track well. All I Ever Think About is a lot smoother than the prior track, a whimsical look at a relationship that withstands the test of time. It captures the moment so perfectly, climaxing with the softly sighing chorus. The song is one that could have possibly benefited from a little more texture being added to it, though it manages to be one of the more lush listens, velvet-y hook and all. The most uptempo listen on the record, Playin' Our Song has a catchy thump to it, a solid look at a different direction for Michele. One of the positives about the record is that she sounds so much more comfortable and natural on the tracks with quicker tempos; on her debut, she didn't fit as well as she could have on them and it came off slightly forced. Here, everything works and it sounds like a natural progression, modern without losing any of the intelligence or sincerity that has come to embody Chrisette Michele music.
Mr. Right is an admirable listen, Michele strutting over a bed of horns and keys with a noticeable increase in personality and confidence. It takes what could have been yet another midtempo and ups the ante, incorporating Motown-ish back-up vocals and a distinctly modern melody to create an interesting ode to, you guessed it, Mr. Right. Though it's nothing groundbreaking, it's more than solid and will be one of the listens you most remember, due to how different it is from the rest of the record. If Michele keeps this sort of fusion going for her next record, hearing her expand her repertoire wouldn't be such a bad thing. Porcelain Doll is one of the songs I don't listen to as much, as the writing isn't quite up to par. Sounding extremely similar to Epiphany, it contains a cliché hook that never quite grabs hold of you, just kind of meandering around for a few minutes before drawing to a close. Michele sounds alright, but this is just a case of been there, done that, heard it done much better. I appreciate the cohesion of sound on the record but this could have just as easily been replaced with work from another producer that sounded better. I'm Okay is nothing short of a showstopper, a haunting ballad where everything works well. The hook hits home, on another level vocally and structurally from the rest of the record. This is one of the tracks on the record where she rises above the production and the songwriting and just is herself, the pain resonating with each crying note. The piano-only intro is stunning, so stunning that the track could have been just Chrisette and a piano and still shake you to the core. The song could have ended up an over-the-top mess but it's subdued enough and sincere enough to be able to hit the right amount of emotional before drawing the record to a close.
Does Chrisette Michele live up to the hype (both industry and my own)? Yes and no. Is this one of the best r&b records to hit shelves this year? Undoubtedly. Is this her best? I really don't think so. Not taking anything away from a thoroughly enjoyable record (add some of Ne-Yo's freshest writing in a while to Michele's indescribable vocals and you really can't go wrong), but I'm looking forward to seeing Chrisette explore her artistry and try to find her voice. This record is quite strong but it's a little safe, in terms of how commercial it is and the fact that she barely contributes a word in edgewise. I don't necessarily think that she should write every song and produce the entire thing by herself; this record is just not as personal feeling as her debut, which slightly diminishes the quality. There are moments of clarity which show that beyond the glitz and glamour of the Def Jam label on the CD spine, Chrisette Michele is an artist, tried and true.
Tracklisting
Epiphany (I'm Leaving)
Notebook
What You Do
Blame it on Me
All I Ever Think About
Playin' Our Song
Another One
On My Own
Fragile
Mr. Right
Porcelain Doll
I'm Okay
Recommended:
Yes
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Just a boy who loves himself some r&b.
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