I didn't buy this cd. I think that's important to say, my boyfriend got it as a gift for me because he wanted to buy me some new music and I had already bought everything that I really wanted, so, he asked me to pick something, and Faith is what I ended up with. In past ventures, I have loved and hated Faith in the same instant. I think the problem with a lot of R&B singers is that they don't really understand their roles as R&B singers, as balladeers, as the people you want to put on when you're getting it on. And for that reason they kind of get lost in the shuffle of things as I think this album will be.


I owned the album for 2 days before I decided to listen to it, and when the first track came on and I heard Puffy, I was getting upset. But the beat junkie in me did like the music behind it, and since it was only an intro, I didn't have to endure through it for too long. “Alone In This World” is one of those mid-tempo songs that might have had potential as something else, but never realized it. It was produced by Puffy and it contains a really weak use of the overly used sample “Who Shot Ya” by the late Notorious B.I.G. I feel that the music behind the track distracts from the vocals, that it’s too dark for the music, and that her style doesn’t do anything for the whole feel of the song.

”You Gets No Love” features a special rap by Puffy and some newcomer Loon that we all could definitely do without. As the first single off of this new album, it is the song that made me weary to buy the album in the first place, I thought that Faith was going to depart from old Faith and start singing up-tempo songs only and buy into the whole pop star phenomenon and I would be upset. After getting over the really disturbing video for this single and the fact that she sings “I know it’s not to ghetto” in the beginning of the song, it’s actually a good song, it reminds me of summertime and the vocals were just right for the track.

“Burnin’ Up” features that new nobody rapper Loon, who is this kid and who decided to put him on this album? This song was produced by the Neptunes of we’re on everyone’s album you can’t get away from us fame. This beat sounds really familiar and I’m not sure what song it came from. Maybe a KELIS album, since on this song Faith sounds exactly like the Neptunes star child Kelis. Other than the really disturbing fact that I had to check the album credits to make sure that this wasn’t a duet with Kelis, it’s a decent song, only due to the production though, because I didn’t pay one bit of attention to the lyrics. There is a break in the middle of the song where Faith vamps over a beat boxing Neptune, I don’t know which one, that sounds just plain corny.

“I Love You” is the best track on the album. It is Faith being Faith. That sweet voice that makes you want to be with your loved one and get your groove on. The song contains a sample of “Make a Little Love To Me” which was done by Isaac Hayes, but the sample is not trite and fits in perfectly. It’s a happy song, and it makes you feel good, it is good. An interesting fact is that Jennifer Lopez shares some of the writing credits on this song also.


There are four interludes and an intro on this album, and they are all so cornball they’re worth skipping. I wish artists would kill the interlude. Kill the interlude because what is it for? How about having an album with 10 or 12 GREAT songs and no interludes? Just an interjection.
”Back To Love” contains the sample we all love to hate; “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” We could do without the song and the silly sample, it just isn’t Faith. At this point the album takes on a mid-tempo feel and it gets kind of sketchy. There is “Do Your Time” about being faithful to your man, yeah, one of those. It just doesn’t move you and that’s the nicest thing I can say about it.

“Don’t Cry” doesn’t do badly as a mid-tempo song. Once again, there’s a sample, but this time it’s actually good, and you don’t mind it. “Faithfully” The first thing you notice about this song is that it sounds like “Juicy” by Biggie. Slowed down some and with some “live” instrumentation. The song is not mediocre, but it aint good either, it sounds kind of silly to hear her on this beat. And it’s one of those kiddie love songs like the aforementioned “Do Your Time”, it’s a stand by your man ballad.

”Heaven Only Knows” sounds like a cheap rip-off of the Mahogany theme ( the song that goes do you know where you’re going to, do you like the things that life is showing you…). It contains a sample from Mobb Deep who are on the opposite spectrum of Faith. This song had potential also, but just missed the mark. There is a redemption song with “Can’t Believe” a duet with Carl Thomas. The likelihood is that you already have heard this song, and it’s good and I’m glad it made it onto the album.


I know that I’m going to be forced to recommend this album and so I would have to go with no for my people who like old Faith. This album is Faith trying to grow up in a musical sense and just not making the grade. There’s too much sampling, too much production, and not enough focus on the beautiful voice that she has. That is what I miss about good R&B music, singing. That’s important to remember. For someone who might not know old Faith, this album would be okay I suppose, because one would have no basis on which to formulate his or her opinions about the artist that she once was and has become.

Track Listing
Intro
Alone In This World
You Gets No Love f/P.Diddy and Loon
Burnin'Up f/ Loon
I Love You
Everything (interlude)
Back To Love
Faithful (interlude)
Do Your time
Don't Cry
Faithfully
Brand New Man
Ghetto (interlude)
Where We Stand
Heaven Only Knows
Love Can't Hide
Can't Believe f/ Carl Thomas
Love Song (interlude)

If you like Faith, you might like: Blu Cantrell, Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton or Monifah

Recommended: No

Great Music to Play While: Reading or Studying