Lil Mo Meet The Girl Next Door CD

2003 album co-produced by Missy Elliott. 16 tracks. Elektra.



This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel: Lil' Mo (vocals); Fabolous, Lil' Kim (rap vocals); Bryan Michael Cox (various instruments).
Producers include: Cynthia "Lil Mo" Loving, Precision, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot, Bryan Michael Cox, Chucky Thompson.
This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel: Craig Love (guitar).
Audio Mixers: Chucky Thompson; Manny Marroquin; Glen Marchese; Jean-Marie Horvat; Patrick Viala; Rich Keller.
Recording information: Boiler Room Studios, CA; Conjunction Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Hit Factory Critera, Miami, FL; Oz Studio, Baltimore, MD; Quad Recording, New York, NY; Right Track Recording, New York, NY.
Photographer: Anthony Mandler.
Containing one of 2003's sweetest and most unavoidable R&B singles in the form of "4Ever," Meet the Girl Next Door surpasses Lil' Mo's debut in a number of ways. Recorded during the eighth month of her pregnancy, her voice proves to be more rangy and versatile than it was on Based on a True Story; as a result, the up-tempo and mid-tempo cuts are on par with the ballads. Another smart move was made by having her perform all of the backing vocals, which is particularly effective on "Doing Me Wrong" and "So Lost Without You." A handful of producers, including Megahertz, Missy Elliott, Chucky Thompson, and Precision -- who co-produced another highlight, "Ain't No Reason," with Heavy D -- provide a wide array of settings for the recently wed Lil' Mo to tackle a number of subjects that revolve around devotion and hanging on to your partner, whether it involves working things out ("Ain't No Reason") or playing by a set of rules laid out with help from Lil' Kim ("Ten Commandments"). The only faults with the album? It's about four song too long, and the Peabo Bryson-sampling "Heaven" (!) is at least two minutes too short. Still, it's beyond apparent that Lil' Mo really ought to devote the bulk of her working time -- if not all of it -- to making music. ~ Andy Kellman
With a stretch-Hummer limo-load of talent, creativity, and confidence only hinted at on her debut, Lil' Mo throws down for real on MEET THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, her exceptional sophomore effort. First off, Mo is a genuine soul singer. Unlike some of her scale-running, scat-happy contemporaries, every note the diminutive vocalist utters sounds absolutely necessary. Of course it helps that the Lil' Miss is a heck of a songwriter too; the disc finds her organically mixing and matching elements of old-school R&B, new jack swing, and Philly soul as easily as other divas choose nail polish. Lyrically, she has few equals in the world of contemporary R&B, completely eschewing the played out bling-bling/bump 'n' grind themes of hip-hop in favor of highly intelligent ruminations on relationships, career, her child, and the role of strong, successful women in urban culture.Rolling Stone (5/15/03, p.135) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Balance[s] R&B sleekness with enough new-school bounce to make her impressive vocalizations go down easy..."
Entertainment Weekly (5/9/03, p.76) - "...A hybrid of street sassiness and mature lyrics set to waist-swaying melodies....[She] soulfully belts misty-eyed ballads and R&B remakes without resorting to cliches and slang to express her take on love..." - Rating - B+
The Source (7/03, p.154) - "...Lil' Mo's signature piercing vocals are married to crisp, lucent instrumentals to chronicle her amorous adventures with the boys in the 'hood..."