Tamia is one of those amazing R&B songstresses that belongs in the ranks of “divas” such as Mariah, Whitney, Christina, and so on. Quincy Jones discovered her, took her under his wing and for years, she’s seemed to be just outside that threshold of recognized greatness. When her second official full length album “A Nu Day” was released two years ago, a new Tamia emerged from her new label (Elektra). She wore less clothing, carried with her some attitude, and tried her hardest to out diva the best of them. The “new” Tamia was still too sweet and modest for anyone to actually believe the new image. And so she’s pretty much remained “that girl”. “That girl” singing the duet with Eric Benet. “That girl” on the track with all those powerful female singers. “That girl” married to Grant Hill. “That girl” whose song was always being played at the clubs.
“A Nu Day” isn’t Tamia at her best. It’s Tamia after she’d given her best and was told it wasn’t going to sell albums. So, she went into the studio with top producers, artists, writers, etc.. with hopes of reemerging with just enough to finally get our attention. What she emerged with was a hit single that was being played all over BET, in clubs and on radios everywhere, but that was it. Ironically that one track (“Stranger In My House”) was a better representation of her past contributions than anything else on “A Nu Day”.
The album opens with an Interlude of her singing about 30 seconds of “Stranger in My House” and immediately you’re pulled into admiring her soulful voice. There’s very little production behind it as Tamia let’s you get a sample of the voice you’ve been missing out on for years. Her vocals are smooth as she adds just enough emotion without overpowering. You think the album is going to be like her debut album, Tamia but then you realize she really has changed her style when ...
“Interlude” leads into Dear John as Tamia tells a story of leaving a letter for someone who thought she’d never have the strength to leave him. It’s slow during verses and mid tempo during chorus, which contains a somewhat catchy beat, but her vocals are too subtle for the way the beats are laid out throughout the entire song. Also in places, her own background vocals wash out her lead vocals and it becomes a “busy” combination. What stands out toward the end of the song is her usual ability to reach for notes and still maintain a smooth vocal delivery. Very Aaliyah-esque.
Can’t Go For That which was co-written and produced by Missy Elliot showcases an attitude that will become a running theme throughout the album. The chorus borrows from Hall and Oates. Lyrically, she’s telling a guy that he can’t abuse her depending on his mood because she’s better than that. Missy can be heard every now and then with an “huh” or “say what” because well, how else is she gonna get on your nerves? Duh. Anyway, vocally, Tamia, delivers a smooth, calm message which at times is over powered by the mid tempo production.
This leads right into Go where her mind and heart battle over whether to leave a guy who’s doing her wrong. Produced and Co-written by Dallas Austin, it’s got a TLC beat to it, with a digitized hook of “go” that is way too overused toward the end of the track. It’s a lyrically strong track as she slyly delivers lines such as: ( I know you love to wash your car/ So, I left it in the lake /They say the strongest part of love is called hate)
Love Me in A Special Way is the first ballad of the album, which was written and originally performed by DeBarge. Like a lot of Tamia songs, her voice is set off by a softly played piano. She speaks in the beginning as if you’re in the room with her as she’s performing, explaining that it’s a song from an album she knows well. She’s effortlessly able to convey emotion in her smooth vocals and toward the end when she does add “power” to her voice, it’s not an overbearing takeover. (Not the average kind/ Who'd accept any line/ That sounds good/ So, reach into your chain of thoughts/ Try to find something new/ What worked so well for you before/ For me, it just won't do, no)
Long Distance Love is about just that. The absolute worst thing about this track is that Missy (who again co-wrote and produced) moans throughout the whole track, except toward the end and by then you’re already sick of her moaning “yeahhh” and “ohhh noo..” in the background. Tamia, again, starts the song off explaining that it’s about wanting to pick up the phone just to hear her lover’s voice then allows her subtle singing voice to take over. ( Can't picture you with another chick, boy I can't eat/ Can't picture it in my mind, I can't sleep) It’s a catchy slow jam and well produced, except for Missy “moaning”.
Next would be her “hit” single Stranger in My House which was remixed so many times for radio and clubs that the original is a welcome change. It’s vocally and lyrically one of strongest tracks on the album as she wonders if the guy she’s living with has changed for the worse or if she just wants more for herself than she used to desire. Piano and strings help to add emotion to her delivery. (Pop quiz/ Tell me where we first kissed/ Tell me where my spot is/ Tell me if I liked it, loved it/ Or could it be/ That the stranger is me/ Have I changed so drastically?/ Is it I want more for me?/And you remain the same)
Wanna Be is another Missy track and yes, she’s vocally in this song, also. She speaks in the beginning and adds the all important “uh”, echos Tamia’s words throughout the song, and also does the entire bridge, and closes out the song. It’s lyrically one of the catchiest tracks and I love the production set to Tamia’s voice, but Missy ruins it for me. Some of Missy is understandable but this much Missy on a Tamia track is way too much. (I wanna be the girl you take to your crib/ And not the girl you hate to show where you live/I wanna be the girl for you all your life/And not just the girl you're thinkin' of late at night)
Un’H ... To You is a sexually driven track and produced so well that it’s almost impossible not to find its mid tempo beat appealing. A sample of the song “Get Lifted” is blended into the mix as Tamia, lyrically tells a guy what she thinks of doing to him “when the lights go out” (When I start to fantasize/ You were there rubbin' on my thighs/ Touchin' me, and kissin' me/ Feels so real, like you're here with me)
Can’t No Man is co - written by Tamia and lyrically sends the message that no other man can compare to everything her man represents. It’s a slow song, but slightly overproduced toward the end as her voice battles with the background sounds. (I'm just so caught up on you/ I just don't know what to do/ I can't get enough of you/ I'm gon' spend my life with you)
Tell Me Who is a slow jam that involves Tamia demanding that her man tell her who he’s cheating on her with, especially after he whispers the other woman’s name in bed. Tamia proves that she really is one of the few female vocalists that can convey pure emotion without thinking that louder means more emotion. ( Whoever she was, she was on your mind/ You stuttered a name that didn't sound like mine/ Your silence right now will jeopardize you and I/ Tell me who it was, oh tell me who it was ) There are parts of the song where they’ve produced her voice to “fall” into the background, which does nothing for me.
One of my true favorites on the album is If I Were You . My only complaint about this slow song is the loud, water dripping sound throughout the song. It’s distracting and not at all necessary. Other than that, Tamia’s voice is smooth and clear as she lyrically tells a guy that he’d better stay away from her because she’s not sure whether she’s capable of loving again. ( If I were you, I wouldn't be here / If I were you I would stay right where you are / I wouldn't come near this broken heart /Just turn around and leave here/ And find someone who won't hurt you/ Make sure that she still believes in love)
The final song on the album is the Can’t Go For That (Remix featuring 213). It’s again another Missy contribution track where she moans and adds an “uh” but luckily she’s almost completely drowned out by Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, and Warren G as the they each use a verse to try to win over Tamia. This time the song is about how she can’t go for thugs and 'gangstas', as she reuses the same chorus as the original. It’s a catchy remix as they interact and blend their voices. (Reminisce babygirl, it's a thug world /I'm a bad boy lookin' for a bad girl/Like you, let me beat it, you don't need it/ 2-1-3'd out, Warren G'd out)
Overall, I’d definitely recommend it for anyone who’s already a fan of Tamia or R&B music in general. Even though it isn’t the strongest representation of her capabilities, it still stands out as being stronger than a lot of what’s been “hot” in the time that this album has sat on the shelf. She has a powerful, soulful voice with the ability to convey emotion in ways that so many others can’t. And hopefully she’ll continue to make many more albums because someday, maybe, just maybe, she won’t have to settle for just being “that girl” who never got the appreciation she deserved.
Singer, songwriter, four-time Grammy nominee Tamia makes her Elektra debut, signaling the arrival of a hot new superstar as A Nu Day dawns in the worl...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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