Mary J Blige - Reflections (A Retrospective) CD

Reflections (A Retrospective) album for sale The album's lead-off single, "Be Without You," a bittersweet slow jam, is representative of the album's themes, which focus on feelings of strength and weakness in love. But whether waxing romantic ("Can't Get Enough") or detailing the travails of the heart ("Baggage"), Blige lays down elastic R&B vocal lines that are second to none. Even a seemingly unlikely duet with Bono and U2 on "One" comes across beautifully, adding a new dimension to that familiar tune. After her somewhat lukewarm 2003 release LOVE & LIFE, Mary J. Blige returns to her rightful place as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul with 2005's THE BREAKTHROUGH. Blige enlisted a host of guest producers to contribute tracks to THE BREAKTHROUGH, and the result is one of her strongest and most varied albums. As usual, the sound is a mixture of smooth, urban contemporary and hip-hop edge, but Blige nails it with tracks like the pulsing "Enough Cryin'" (with its rich, multi-layered vocals) and the breezy "Can't Hide From Luv" featuring a guest spot by Jay-Z. Personnel: Mary ...

Reflections (A Retrospective) buy CD music It's no accident that Mary J. Blige is an icon on the urban contemporary scene, in large part because each new album--and 2007's GROWING PAINS is her eighth--finds her more self-assured as a singer, a lyricist, and a person. Like 2005's THE BREAKTHROUGH, GROWING PAINS delivers a mature Mary J., one who's faced down her demons and emerged triumphant. The tough-as-nails, confessional nature of her work is still what gives it its distinctive stamp, but Blige's sonic palette continues to grow as well. From the heavily hip-hop-tinged "Work That," to the 1980s-sounding pop of "Fade Away," to the swirling balladry of "Work In Progress (Growing Pains)," the album isn't afraid to hop genres. Blige's work has always had a wide appeal, but GROWING PAINS has tracks that move from the club to the bedroom to adult alternative radio while still sounding 100% the artist's own. Help from the likes of Ne-Yo, the Neptunes, Ludacris, Usher, and Jazze Pha, among others, gives the set star-quality, but this is Blige's show: her voice, her style, and her sense of personal conviction shine through loud and clear.

Reflections (A Retrospective) songs Christina Aguilera seemed intent on constantly reinventing herself over the course of her first several albums, and it's hard not to be impressed by her leaps from teen-pop sensation (1999 self-titled debut) to raunchy, sexually precocious R&B singer (2002's STRIPPED) to blues and jazz-steeped diva on 2006's BACK TO BASICS. With its smoky torch songs, occasional big-band arrangements, and allusions to seminal divas like Billie Holiday and Etta James, the ambitious double disc casts Aguilera in the soft, romantic light of vintage soul crooners. Yet BACK TO BASICS is undeniably modern. In fact, the first disc, assisted by the hand of the always-stellar trackmaster DJ Premiere, thumps alongside any club bangers of the early 2000s. Aguilera's dirty-girl persona is still present here, but she's dressed up and fitted into better songs and productions. The nostalgia-hued vibe of the second disc--with the singer playing the breathy chanteuse--provides a perfect complement to the first, so that the album as a whole reveals an artist of increasing range, skill, and creative maturity. This CD includes "Back To Basics" bonus video.

Reflections (A Retrospective) CD music MY LIFE was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. The immediate success of her triple-platinum debut WHAT'S THE 411? put Mary J. Blige in a singular class as a soul-hop visionary, and opened the door for other hip-hop-influenced R&B acts. Yet as the follow-up approached, the nature of her talent began to be questioned, and the strength of her debut became an obstacle. If Blige heard all those rumors, she must've decided that musical revenge is the best payback of all. Thus, MY LIFE comes across as another ground-breaking venture, linking R&B's new and old schools, filling the airwaves with delightful harmonies AND hip-hop samples. When Blige connects with her music's roots, she doesn't pussy-foot around soul's perimeters searching for eligible influences--so "You Bring Me Joy," "My Life" and "Be Happy" sample such luminaries as Barry White, Roy Ayers and Curtis Mayfield, respectively. The reconstruction of the Mary Jane Girls' "All Night Long" is (Mary Jane) Blige's shout-out to the funky '80s, while "Don't Go" is a feminist retort to Guy's "Goodbye." Even though much of the album's musical direction is steered by producers Sean "Puffy" Combs and Chucky Thompson, Blige is the dominant songwriter here. And that's the main reason MY LIFE turns out to be such a statement of purpose--a 17-song diary full of Blige's life, love, and struggles in defending her title as the queen of hip-hop soul. Recorded at Sound On Sound Recording Studio, Axis Studios, Daddy's House, The Hit Factory and Clinton Recording Studios, New York, New York. Engineers include: Nashiem Myrick, Tony Maserati, Rich Travali. Personnel: Mary J. Blige (vocals, background vocals); Paul Pesco (guitar); Gloria Agostini (harp); Regina Carter , Diane Monroe, Lesa Terry (violin); Eileen Folson (cello); Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander (flute, piccolo, tenor saxophone); Vincent Henry (alto saxophone); Mark Ledford, Bruce Purse (trumpet); Lenny Underwood (piano); Chucky Thompson, Fred McFarlane, Bob Brockmann, Herb Middleton (keyboards); Frank Colon (percussion); Nasheim Myrick (programming); Latonya J. Blige, Faith Evans, K-Ci & JoJo, Big Bub (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Bob Brockmann; Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander ; Rob Paustian; Tony Maserati . Recording information: Axis Studios, New York, NY; Clinton Recording Studios, Inc., New York, NY; Daddy's House Recording Studios, New York, NY; Hit Factory Studios, New York, NY; Sound On Sound Recording, Inc., New York, NY. Photographer: Sante d'Orazio. Arrangers: Dalvin DeGrate; K-Ci & JoJo. Personnel includes: Mary J. Blige, Keith Murray (vocals); Chucky Thompson, Herb Middleton (various instruments); "Bassy" Bob Brockmann (strings, keyboards, programming); Regina Carter, Diane Monroe, Lesa Terry (violin); Eileen Folson (cello); Gloria Agostini (harp); "Prince" Charles Alexander (flute, piccolo, tenor saxophone); Mark "Led" Ledford, Bruce Purse (trumpet); Lenny Underwood (piano); Victor Bailey (bass); Kevin "K-Dog" Johnson (drums); LaTonya J. Blige, Faith Evans, Big Bub (background vocals); JoJo Hailey, K-Ci Hailey. Producers include: Chucky Thompson, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Nashiem Myrick, Herb Middleton, Mr. Dalvin.

Reflections (A Retrospective) buy CD music When former Gap Band vocalist Charlie Wilson appeared on Snoop Dogg's "Signs" with Justin Timberlake, the 2004 track gave the Oklahoma native the widest exposure since his funk group's late-1970s/early-'80s glory days. In 2005, Wilson followed up on this momentum with the solo disc CHARLIE, LAST NAME WILSON, a potent dose of contemporary R&B that features production work by R. Kelly. Though much of the album is straight-up R&B/soul, it does stop in hip-hop territory, most notably on the steamy "So Hot" and the defiant "You Got Nerve" (with a guest shot by Snoop). Two other highlights reveal the smooth-voiced Wilson's range--"No Words" is a romantic ballad that will have listeners swooning, while "Floatin'" (performed with Timberlake and the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am) revisits party-ready Gap Band-like funk. With its mix of old-school talent and 21st-century sounds, CHARLIE, LAST NAME WILSON is sure to appeal to a deservedly wide audience. Live Recording Recording information: 1023 Productions, Hollywood, CA; Battery Studios, New York, NY; Chalice Recording, Los Angeles, CA; Da Mill, NJ; Paramount Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; sony Studios, NY; Studio 609, Philadelphia, PA; The Boom Boom Room, Burbank, CA; The Chocolate Factory, Chicago, IL; The Ciarron Studios, Atlanta, GA; The Ranch, Acton, CA; The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA; The Studio, Philadelphia, PA; The Underlab, Los Angeles, CA; Trianle Sound, Atlanta, GA. Editors: Dabling Harward; Dave Russell . Photographers: Kevin Winter; Keith Major. Arranger: R. Kelly. Personnel: Charlie Wilson (vocals); Charlie Wilson; will.i.am (vocals, rap vocals, synthesizer); Eritza Laues (vocals); Snoop Dogg, Twista (rap vocals); Donnie Lyle, Eric D. Jackson (guitar); Barry J. Eastmond (piano); Debi Nova, Rodney East, Kendall D. Nesbitt, Clarence Allen (keyboards); Greg Pagani, Andy Gallas, Ian Mereness (programming); Pam Taylor, Glenn Lewis, Anthony King, Durrell Babbs (background vocals); Justin Timberlake (vocals, keyboards, drums). Audio Mixers: R. Kelly; Kevin "KD" Davis; Vincent Dilorenzo; Dave Russell ; Abel Garibaldi.

Reflections (A Retrospective) songs In My Own Words, released in early 2006, was a major success for Ne-Yo. It was a number one album supported by two Top Ten singles and a third that peaked in the Top 20. As it kept gathering steam, the singer/songwriter/producer shrewdly continued to write for others: Rihanna's Top Ten "Unfaithful" and Beyoncé's number one "Irreplaceable" kept his profile on the rise through the end of the year. Indicating that he still has quality material to spare, Because of You comes just a little after a year after his debut, and it is just as solid. Though some of the accomplices remain, such as the Norwegian StarGate team (his partners on "So Sick," "Sexy Love," "Unfaithful," and "Irreplaceable") and Ron Feemster, the key to the album's potency and freshness is its differences from In My Own Words. None of the debut's singles were as upbeat as this album's lead single, "Because of You," a sophisticated yet youthful song for the dancefloor, one of many instances where it's evident that Ne-Yo has thoroughly absorbed Michael Jackson and Rod Temperton's rich vocal arrangements on Off the Wall. The album's closing quarter fulfills the contemporary ballad quota, but the preceding quarter provides imaginative and surprisingly adventurous arrangements, as well as some of the nastiest hooks. "Sex with My Ex," the wildest of these three songs, is somewhere between a screwed-and-chopped mix of Prince's "Delirious" and Diddy's "Last Night," its hard beat and synthesizer rays twisted into knots. It's also one of several moments where a newfound swagger is just as convincing as that of prime Usher. Making it to number one on your own, writing a major hit for one of the planet's most popular entertainers, and qualifying as the heir to R. Kelly can have that effect. Executive producer Jay-Z seems to know exactly what he has on his hands: on "Crazy," he completes his verse within the first 30 seconds, allowing his R&B franchise star to take over with no interruptions. ~ Andy Kellman Recording information: Battery Studios, New York, NY; Chalice Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Compound Studios; D.M.L. Studios, East Orange, NJ; L. Gold Studios, Philadelphia, PA; Lethal Studios, Bridgetown, Barbados; Roc The Mic Sounds, New York, NY; sony Music Studios; Westlake Studios, Beverly Hills, CA. Photographers: Tai Linzie; Ellen Von Unwerth. Arranger: Larry Gold. Personnel: Robert Taylor "R.T.", Espen Lind, Joe Davi (guitar); Gloria Justen, Igor Szwec, Emma Kummrow, Olga Konopelsky (violin); David Barnett (viola); Jennie Lorenzo (cello). Audio Mixers: Kevin "KD" Davis; Phil Tan.