The Main Idea:
Blu Cantrell's first album was absolutely lovely, so I was highly anticipating her follow-up, Bittersweet, upon its release in June 2003. Despite decent reviews, the record garnered lackluster sales, which isn't surprising. Bittersweet can't even compare to its predecessor as far as quality is concerned. This sophomore effort sounds forced and contrived and nearly all of the songs sound the same. It sounds like Blu and Arista Records were simply trying to replicate So Blu on this album, but the results are hardly enticing. This isn't a bad album per se, but it's definitely disappointing. I have a feeling we're gonna hear very little from Blu Cantrell after this effort.

Song-By-Song Breakdown:
1. I LOVE YOU - Written and produced by Shekespere, this song doesn't sound highly unlike anything from the first album. It's a pretty good track lyrically - "We live in a world where reality/Depresses all emotions that live inside of me/Life can be so cruel but you make it easier/You picked me up when I was down/And now my feet's on solid ground" - but some of the background vocals sound a bit off. Overall, an okay mid-tempo tune, but a little bland and boring - 3/5

2. SLEEP IN THE MIDDLE - I find this mid-tempo R&B cut to be rather sleep-inducing. It was slated to be the second single, but I have yet to hear it on the radio or see a video for it. The guitar is nice and some of the background vocals are pleasant, but, for the most part, this is a boring, unremarkable tune that reflects the entire album's sound perfectly. The lyrical concept is corny, the vocals are mediocre, and the production is redundant - 2/5

3. UNHAPPY - Despite its repetitive hook - "If you're so unhappy/With the way I am/If you're so unhappy/With the way I dress/If you're so unhappy/With all of my friends/Then why don't you leave" - this song isn't half-bad. Blu sings with some real emotion and remorse, like she actually feels and believes what she's singing. This song kind of reminds me of something you'd hear from Toni Braxton, but Blu puts her own stamp on it and makes it her own. One of my favorites - 4/5

4. IMPATIENT - Blu manages to fit Lil' Kim and Fat Joe both onto one slightly Latin-sounding hip-hop cut with mixed results. Vocally, I think this is one of Blu's worst deliveries as she tries too hard to sound all breathy and ends up sounding like she doesn't know what she's doing. The raps from the two aforementioned artists are mediocre at best and do little to contribute to the song's overall sound. Not a bad effort, but it definitely could use a lot of work - 3/5

5. BREATHE (RAP VERSION) - Even though it features the most ubiquitous guest star around (hint: just gimme the light!), I'm actually quite fond of this lead single. It's eerily similar to Blu's breakthrough hit, "Hit 'Em Up Style," but is a little more edgy and has a fresher sound. Dr. Dre's "What's The Difference" is sampled quite heavily here, but, for once, it's not annoying and actually makes the tune more unique and gives it some character. A great choice for a single; too bad it didn't take off as much as it should have - 4/5

6. RISK IT ALL - Lyrically, this song is corny as hell - "What what I do without the joy you bring me/Where would I be without/The love you give so freely/I'd risk it all for you/There's nothing I won't do" - and the vocals are quite bland and bubblegum-sounding as well, but this song could have been a lot worse, so I applaud Blu for that. It's a very happy cut and a bit of a departure from most of the album, so it's refreshing in that aspect. Not an essential tune, but a nice effort - 3/5

7. DON'T WANNA SAY GOODBYE - By sampling a Stevie Wonder tune and enlisting Soulshock and Karlin as the producers, Blu came up with a nice, slightly mysterious tune. I love the rainfall effects and its overall romantic sound, even if some of the lyrics are cheesy. I think Blu delivers this one quite well, since she really sounds sincere and true. This is one of my favorite songs on the record because everything about it comes together and it sounds very polished and complete - 4/5

8. HAPPILY EVER AFTER - I guess the title of this song gives away the lyrical concept: "Because I'm your queen and you're my king/We could maybe get married/And probably even have have a seed/And make me your wife/We can buy a big house/And try to live the good life." The stuttering production is alright, and I like the vocal arrangements, but, as a whole, I don't find this cut very impressive. It's upbeat, but a little cheesy and sounds sort of fake - 3/5

9. HOLDING ON TO LOVE - I really don't like this song. It takes forever for the music and production to finally kick in and, in the meantime, you're left with this highly digital and doctored vocals. The lyrics are simple and immature and the beats are bland and bubblegum. This is definitely the worst song on the album, mostly because the background vocals are so terrible. They're high and nasally and sound like crap, quite frankly. A very poor attempt on Blu's part - 1/5

10. LET HER GO - Now this sounds more like something I'd expect from Blu! The hook is as catchy as ever - "Why don't you just keep it real/Let her know just how you feel/If you love her let her go, her go/When you met her it was good/You did everything you could/If you love her let her go, her go" - and I like the guitar and keyboards. I also like the way Blu explores her lower register a bit more. A typical R&B song, but, once again, Blu adds her own stamp to it - 4/5

11. MAKE ME WANNA SCREAM - This reggae-spiced track features a rap and ad-libs from Ian Lewis of Inner Circle (no idea who they are) and is pretty mediocre. It's overproduced and the vocals on the hook are layered on too heavily. It's a nice dance track, but Blu doesn't deliver it with the amount of anger and emotion that it requires. She actually sounds rather bouncy and happy, which is very out of place. The guest spot isn't much to write home about either and should have been left off the song entirely - 3/5

12. NO PLACE LIKE HOME - This song was written and produced by Mike City, the same guy behind Brandy's "Full Moon." Sadly, this song can't live up to City's previous successes. Lyrically, it's decent, and the production and vocals aren't horrible, but it's just not a song that you'll come away remembering. Nothing about it sticks out or makes it unique from the rest of the record. I guess this song really sums up my feelings for the album as a whole - 3/5

The Big Picture:
In all fairness, Bittersweet is very listenable. It's not one of the worst albums in my collection and it's not one of the worst records of the year. It's just really disappointing and I think Blu Cantrell let her fans down a lot. Her first album was fresh, jazzy, and unique from all of the other young R&B starlets out there. She had some genuine talent and wasn't covered up by overproduction. This is not the case with Bittersweet. Here, she employs a slew of hitmaking producers that make her sound as contrived as Beyonce and Ashanti. Her vocals are tweaked to fit in with what you'd hear on the radio and many of the songs sound like poor carbon copies of each other. On this album, she sounds even more like Faith Evans and it really does seem like Blu is copying her.

So Blu was one of the best records of 2001 and showed that, despite being an iffy first single, Blu Cantrell had some definite talent that was well worth a listen. It's a shame that her follow-up only solidified her status as a one-hit wonder because there are very few traces of the old Blu left on Bittersweet. I think maybe Blu felt too much pressure to create a great second album, so her music suffered as a result. The material on this record doesn't showcase Blu's vocal talent as much as it should, as it leans more towards hip-hop than the jazz that Blu sounds best at. The melodies, production, and lyrics are all a lot worse than what I was expecting from Blu. Why she's sunk to the impossibly low level of Bittersweet, I'll never know. But I do know that Blu Cantrell is most certainly destined for obscurity if she keeps creating music like this.

Final Notes:
Average Song Rating: 3.083
Best Song(s): "Breathe"
Worst Song(s): "Holding On To Love"

How Would I Rate This Record's...
Vocals? 3 stars
Lyrics? 2 stars
Production? 2 1/2 stars
Timelessness? 1/2 star
Artistry? 0 stars

Also Recommended:
Mary J. Blige - Love & Life
Beyonce - Dangerously In Love
Faith Evans - Faithfully

Recommended: No