Jennifer Lopez' Rebirth Or LAB (Life After Ben)
Written: Mar 04 '05 (Updated Mar 04 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: her voice is stronger, the music is solid
Cons: it's just not stunning
The Bottom Line: I want to be Jennifer Lopez when I grow up.
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| cletta1201's Full Review: Jennifer Lopez - Rebirth |
The soundscape of music changes all the time. What’s in today, will be passé six months from now (well, we hope at least that way crunk music can die). For that reason, reinvention is the key to success. Any self-respecting artist knows that in order to stay on top of the proverbial game, you have to push the envelope and hope that the fans will follow.
Multi-hyphenate singer-actor-dancer-fashion mogul-diva Jennifer Lopez has got it down to a science. She helms an empire that is run seemingly on her own drive to succeed and done pretty damn good. She’s managed to have a stable music career amidst a sea of more talented singers and with every facet of her life spilled into a US Weekly magazine.
Anyone can question Lopez’ abilities as a singer (and they do), but give a listen to 1999’s On The 6 and her newest release Rebirth and you can’t negate that there is a more assured and stronger voice there. Lopez is still however, not a powerhouse vocalist but knowing this fact is what makes her successful at what she does.
In terms of structure, Rebirth isn’t much different than any other Lopez album. There’s old faithful producer/writer Corey Rooney who more often that not, brings out the best in Lopez. There are big name producers; Timbaland and Rich Harrison, and there’s always that sense of autobiography – that you can see where Lopez the person is in her life, just by playing her latest album.
If this is true, she’s in a pretty good space because ”Rebirth” as an album ain’t all that deep. It’s pretty standard Lopez fare – you know, she’s just a simple girl from the Bronx who’s looking for – well, love, which is the strongest and most prevalent theme running through “Rebirth”. There is unrequited love on the album’s most premium track ”I Got U”. There is sentimental and charming love on throwback tracks like ”I, Love” and ”Still Around”. There are reflective moments that look at love past with ”He’ll Be Back” and the pseudo power ballad ” (Can’t Believe) This Is Me”. And of course there’s good old Jenny from the block on ”Ryde Or Die” & ”Hold You Down” which features fellow Nuyorican Fat Joe.
Although the subject matter hasn’t deviated much, there is a feeling of reinvention, a Rebirth, if you will. The album’s music is polished and funky and even on the tracks that subject-wise don’t really speak to a listener, the music is there. Drums and bass abound on the album and that sound suits Lopez’ airy, hushed vocals. She’s at her best vocally on ”Step Into My World” and ”Still Around” where the music is a bit more subdued. This is not to say that Lopez can’t carry a blaring dance song like ”Get Right” or the wanna be bad ”Cherry Pie”.
.Final Thoughts.
All in all ”Rebirth” is a solid record, even a good one, but it’s not outstanding. With the power of reinvention comes the potential to take risks that sometimes don’t pay off as big as one would like and that really is the case with this album. For all of its Funk, Hip-Hop and R&B, “Rebirth” just doesn’t quite resonate as loudly as I’m sure that Lopez hoped.
But just like the Lopez that we’ve all seen in the media, I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ll hear from her.
FINAL RATING: 3.5 STARS
Recommended:
Yes
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cletta1201
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Member: Cletta The Great
Location: Northern Virginia
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About Me:
Unlike Madtheory, you can call mine a comeback.
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