Aaliyah I Care 4 You CD

Initial pressings included a bonus DVD.
Personnel includes: Aaliyah, Tank.
Producers include: R. Kelly, Timbaland, Teddy Bishop, Jazze Pha.
Recorded in New York, New York, Los Angeles, California, and Chicago, Illinois.
Respecting the legacy of one of R&B's most important artists during the '90s, Universal and Blackground waited more than a year after her death to deliver a new Aaliyah release. Considering all the time that had gone by, however, fans could be forgiven for expecting an album of all-new material to compensate for the long drought. I Care 4 U actually balances a brief hits collection with a half-dozen new songs, most of the fresh material appearing only after a run-through of the hits from her three proper albums. There isn't too much to complain about concerning the hits selection; I Care 4 U touches on most of the highlights from her seven-year career: "Back & Forth" and "At Your Best (You Are Love)" from her first album, "One in a Million" and "Got to Give It Up" from 1996's One in a Million, and three tracks from 2001's Aaliyah. (Surely though, the compilers could've found room on this 14-track collection for a pair of her Top Ten greats, "If Your Girl Only Knew" and "The One I Gave My Heart To," or the Romeo Must Die hit "I Don't Wanna.") Of the new tracks, four of the six feature composer credits from Johnta Austin ("I Don't Wanna"), and his affectionate, smoky ballads are perfectly suited to Aaliyah's vocals. "Miss You," the presciently titled single, and "All I Need" don't have the edge of her classic Timbaland productions, but they stand up well -- even when they're slotted next to the best songs of her career. Aaliyah was well ahead of her time during her brief career, and I Care 4 U hangs together well, the hits showing the power of her voice and the strength of her accompanying productions, while the new songs provide an intriguing look at where Aaliyah may have taken her career had she lived. ~ John Bush
This collection of tunes by the late R&B siren Aaliyah serves double duty as a greatest hits package and a rarities compendium. While the first half of the disc reaches back to Aaliyah's previous albums and snags some of their most memorable songs ("One in a Million," the title track, etc.) the second half consists of previously unreleased material that admirably extends the legacy of a talented young artist whose bright flame was snuffed out far too early. Hearing the old songs again, it's striking how successfully Aaliyah's sensual but feather-light voice interacts with Timbaland's always-inventive production. On the new tracks, the arrangements are a bit more straightforward and predictable (no Timbaland, you see), but Aaliyah's strong vocal presence still rides atop each one with equal amounts of delicacy and authority.

Gh + 5 New Songs

Rolling Stone (1/23/03, p.67) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...[A] slick collection of old hits and previously unreleased songs..."
Entertainment Weekly (12/13/02, p.82) - "...These hits and unreleased cuts prove she was a muse in her own right....A further reminder of her interpretive talent--and our loss." - Rating: A-
Uncut (3/03, p.121) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...The bulk of I CARE 4 YOU has been filled out with Aaliyah's greatest hits, her silvery and subtle reconfiguration of R&B....A nice summation of an unusually graceful, unhappily short career..."
Vibe (2/03, p.136) - 4 discs out of 5 - "...Gathers some of the most adventurous dance-pop of the last 10 years..."