Review rated by 63 Ciao members on average: very helpful
Ashanti is probably still most famous for her collaboration with Ja Rule on his massive hit “Always On Time”. Ja Rule even signed Ashanti to his record label Murda Inc. and she was the first signing to the record label. Ashanti also collaborated with Fat Joe on his hit “What’s Luv?”. She was responsible for singing the very catchy chorus. Because of Ashanti’s popular collaborations it seems she has gained instant success as she is already a name and has only released one single. Personally I think her debut is good but not really what I was expecting. I thought it would have been much better.
Ashanti wrote the song Ain’t it funny (remix) for Jennifer Lopez and supposedly she even sang back up on I’m Real (remix) to beef up jLo’s thin voice, now I believe that.
Ashanti is going to be huge, and her debut album is worth a listen if you like R’n’B and pop. Her sound is great and I love her voice, it’s unique and you can tell it’s powerful unlike a certain Miss jLo. Don’t get me wrong, I like jLo but her voice is nothing special, she can hold a tune but her voice isn’t powerful. This girl is talent, at only age 21 she has already renowned for singing and song writing. She even co-wrote the entire album!
Now there have been several comments made about Ashanti being the new Aaliyah. All I can say is nobody will replace Aaliyah but Ashanti is good in her own right. You can’t compare them both just because they both have exotic names! Their music style is quite different but there are similarities you’ll pick up on. Ashanti is good but Aaliyah left her mark on the R’n’B world and made a huge impact from day one.
Ok well when I purchased this album I had high hopes for it. Her collaborations had been fantastic and what was to say her debut wouldn’t be. Honestly I was rather disappointed as there were some weak links which brought the whole album down. I mean I was wrong to an extent but pleasantly surprised at the same time. There are lots of things reminiscent to the reigning queens of R’n’B but Ashanti manages to incorporate her own style into the songs.
The album is good but not great, there is always room for improvement. There are signs of originality on the album but there’s just too much of that wanabe R’n’B princess sound on it. For a debut I think it is really good but does lack originality in some places for instance two of the tracks on the album sample the same song which is “One More Chance” by Notorious BIG. (Foolish and Unfoolish). One good thing about the album is that you wont find yourself saying “didn’t I just listen to that song a minute ago?”. The songs are all different and have their own style, but if you love one song it won’t necessarily mean you’ll love all of them.
One of the major irritations on the album is the skits. Why oh why do skits exist. They just stop an album from flowing and just ruins the atmosphere. I found the whole skit thing annoying and a waste of perfectly good album space. The whole vibe on the album is about relationships as in makeups and break ups. The skits are short little clips of Ashanti speaking about her love and stuff like that, it really is unnecessary. Also the whole relationship vibe on the album gets old real quick. She should have sung songs about other topics and not just love.
The length of some of the songs is quite ridiculous in a sense because you just feel they are far too long. Some songs such as “Rescue” and “Call” seem to last forever and drag on. This is disappointing as the length of a song should have nothing to do with the track itself but this does bring the songs down.
THE TRACKS~~
INTRO 1:25
The intro is just a montage piece showcasing all the collaborations Ashanti has done before releasing her own material. I guess it is a nice start to the album showing what she has done just before doing her own stuff. It feature short clips of songs such as “What’s Luv?”, “Always On Time” and plenty of others.
FOOLISH 3:46
This is Ashanti’s first solo single release and it’s a brilliant song. It samples the Notorious BIG song “One More Chance” which ironically sampled Debarge‘s
song “Stay With Me”. This song is fantastic but one thing that annoys me is that it isn’t 100% original. It’s just using someone else’s music and singing over it. Don’t get me wrong I love the song but I really don’t agree with it being the first solo release. She should have come out with something more original. The song is definitely worth listening to as Ashanti sounds great on it, her voice suits the music perfectly and I think its one of the best songs on the album. Personally I will always prefer “One More Chance” only because it’s one of my favourite songs but this is also a good sample. The song itself is about a relationship and about how a man can be so foolish to blatantly hurt you and to make matters worse you will always run back to him. Don’t know if anyone can relate to that but the lyrics in the song are pretty good. I also think Ashanti’s tone was good on this song as it isn’t as chilled out as it is on some of the other tracks. 8/10
HAPPY 4:22
Apparently Ashanti’s second release. This is a very…well happy song! The beats on this song are excellent and very addictive. I can just imagine chilling out to this song in the summer. The song has the summer vibe going on and I think it will be deliberately released in the summer as it’s an obvious choice for a summer chill out song. It’s got a really different sound to it compared to some of the other songs. At the start of the song is features Ja Rule saying “Murda Inc.”. Yawn. But he doesn’t make any other appearances on the song. This song is quite catchy and likeable but it does take time for it to grow on you, I wasn’t really a fan of it to begin with but it has grown on me and I do like it now. The overall sound of the song is quite different and not really like other stuff which makes it more likeable. The song is all about being happy that you’ve found your one true love and everything is good and you just feel happy. Definitely a feel good song which instantly lifts your spirits with it’s positive lyrics. Overall a nice song to listen to if you’re feeling down because it will cheer you up. 7/10
LEAVING (ALWAYS ON TIME PART II) 3:55
This song is always on time part II. It sounds quite similar to it with the same kind of beats and melody, you will easily be able to notice the similarities between the two songs but this song is still good in its own right. This song is extremely catchy and Ashanti’s style of singing is brilliant on this track as she sings quite lightly but that meshes really well with the music and beats. Ja Rule also makes an appearance on this track like Ashanti did on always on time. He raps in the middle of the song instead of all those “uh, uh, uh” we are all so familiar with. I think his appearance on the track gives it the “Always On Time” feel which isn’t a bad thing. I don’t know why but I keep thinking this song has a really summery vibe to it. I think this song is definitely worth listening to especially if you were a fan of “Always On Time” It’s so similar but different if you get what I mean. The beats are definitely similar but Ashanti’s singing style separates this song from that one. But the beginning and ending of the song is identical to that of “Always On Time”. 7/10
NARRATIVE CALL (SKIT) 0:36
This is just another skit (argh!) and is just Ashanti talking about a guy who she had a really strange relationship. This is just so unnecessary, someone please tell me the point of having skits?! 0/10
CALL 5:05
I love the way this song starts out. It kind of sounds like a harp with a hip hop edge. Ashanti’s voice sounds rather distorted on this song which can get quite annoying in some places. This song starts off really positively but as it goes on it just gets repetitive and annoying. I liked it the first time I heard it but there isn’t really much going on in the song so 5 minutes just seems like an eternity. It just drags on a bit too much. I mean when it started I thought wow this song is hot because it’s so different and original but the originality seems to wither away as the song continues. The same harp sound just continues throughout the song and it doesn’t get any more exciting as it goes on. I have to say I’m also disappointed with the way Ashanti sings on this song, you can’t really make out her voice that much as she isn’t singing very loud. I really think this song would have been a lot better if Ashanti had sung a little louder and the song should have been shorter. Five minutes for this kind of song is just far too long. Overall I’m pretty disappointed with a song that started off so well. 4/10
SCARED 4:43
For some reason the beginning of this song reminds me of Aaliyah and to be honest I really don’t know why. This song is a lot more chilled out compared to the other tracks. It definitely has that relaxation vibe to it; it’s a very cool song which I quite like. The song has quite a guitar sound to it which is pretty good. The song also features Irv Gotti who honestly doesn’t do much besides whisper in the background. I like this song because it is mellow and ideal to chill out, I liked it the first time I heard it and I still do. I like it because it’s quite different to all the other songs and doesn’t fully relay on that hip hop, R’n’B sound. The only thing bad about this song is the repetition of some of the lines in the song which is highly unnecessary. Ashanti sounds really good on this track as her voice is quite mellow just like the music and beats of the song. Overall I think this song is definitely worth listening to because it’s so mellow and relaxing. I really like the beats on this song and the way she sings. I think this song is worth listening to. 7/10
RESCUE 7:25
All I can say about this song is 7 minutes? Why oh why?! Oh my god, this song is far too long and because of that I hate it. I kid you not but for about three minutes toward the end there is nothing but music, no singing no nothing. What is the point of it then?! The song is just mellow, chill out song starts off rather nicely. It’s just a quiet type of song and Ashanti isn’t really singing loud on it or anything, I quite like her tone as it is really chilled out and gels with the whole vibe of the song perfectly. But after that it all starts to go down hill, her quiet singing starts to become really annoying and the repetition of certain lines is not impressing. The length of this song is just ridiculous. Ashanti sings in total for about 4 minutes so that’s 3 useless minutes dedicated to the same annoying tune which just continues to go on until you just want to kill yourself. I wasn’t impressed with this song whatsoever, it started out well, the tune seemed nice, her singing was also impressive but what happened? It all went down hill and because of that I just skip this song every time this CD is in my CD player. 3/10
BABY 4:25
This song is quite slow and very likeable. I wasn’t sure about it when I first heard it but the more I listened to it the more it grew on me. It takes a while for you to get into to the song as there is a long, slow intro but when it does finally begin it sounds great. It’s quite a chill out song but with an R’n’B edge. The song has a very cool beat to it and the music seems to be rather Indian inspired which works really well with the beats. I think Ashanti’s vocal talent is apparent on this track, as she does sound really good on it. The repetition of the word ‘baby’ in the chorus isn’t as annoying as you would think it would be. It is actually rather likeable. I do find myself singing along to it quite a lot. This song is definitely a well put together one. I like this song because it is original and stands out on the album. Personally I think this song is one of the best because it catchy and mellow at the same time and Ashanti sounds great on it. I think this song will definitely satisfy the R’n’B listeners. 8/10
VOODOO 4:42
For some reason this just reminds me of Brandy. It’s quite upbeat and a fun song. I like the tune as it is quite different and the way Ashanti sings is good. I like the song because it’s quite happy and catchy. It’s got quite a fun vibe about it. The beats of this song are really good, I like them because they are really catchy and different, gives the song a much better vibe. At times the beats can sound quite odd but they mesh together well giving the song a bit more originality. The tune has also managed to grow on me quite a bit, I wasn’t really bothered with it before but I like it now. This is definitely is one of the more happy songs off the album, it’s not one of the best but is still good in its own way. I can really imagine getting down to this song as it is one of those groove style tracks. I like the sound of this song because it kind of has a hip hop style to it which there isn’t really much of on this album. If you R’n’B and hip hop I’m sure you’ll like this song. 8/10
MOVIES 4:09
This is a kind of slow, hypnotic song which I absolutely cannot stand. The background music is absolutely awful and I just think there is no rhythm in this song at all. The way she sings is really quietly which goes well with the music and beats but to be honest there isn’t really much music because it’s just an odd sound effect. I would think this song would be a lot better if only there was more music and the beats were toned down because they’re just so damn annoying. This song is more ballad based and would be much more likeable if only there was a tune. When it begins you can instantly tell this song is annoying and I hate to say it but there isn’t much going on in this song. The lyrics seem good but why would you want to listen to them after listening to this song. I know a lot of people who adore this song but honestly it’s just not my thing, it’s to light, quiet, there isn’t much a tune and the beats are just irritating as hell. It really depends on what kind of music you are into because you might like this song as it is quite a chill out song, if you can chill out to those annoying beats. 3/10
FIGHT (OVER SKIT) 1:18
Sigh…yet another skit. This time it’s Ashanti telling her man they need to talk, and how they need to sort their relationship out. It’s not really worth listening to as it’s just Ashanti and some bloke talking with the sound of waves in the background. She’s just telling her man it’s over whilst he keeps repeating the ‘f’ word. How productive. 0/10
OVER 5:34
This is a smooth, sultry and sexy song which is just so mellow and cool to listen to. I wasn’t really keen on it to begin with but it grew on me. It’s not really a party song or anything but definitely one to chill out to. I like it because it has a really slow vibe to it. The sound and tune of the song sounds really familiar and I’m sure I’ve heard it before but I’m really not sure. The beats go really well with Ashanti’s style of singing on this track and that makes the song more likeable. In a way the tune does get rather repetitive but it doesn’t stop it from being a good song. The song is about a relationship that’s over. The skit just before this track is just an introduction to the fact that the relationship is over. This song has the ability to stand out on the album because the lyrics are quite deep and I can imagine a lot of people relating to this song. This is quite a sad song because it shows the end of something but then again it does have a positive side to it if you listened to the skit just before. 7/10
UNFOOLISH 3:14
I really don’t understand the point of this. As you can guess this song is like a part 2, to “Foolish” sampling the same song used on that track. This song has a much more positive side to it compared to “Foolish” but I fail to see why this song even exists. It’s meant to be “Foolish” with an edge but it has lots of rather annoying beats which differentiates it with its counterpart. Now this song has the same chorus but the verses are different giving out a more positive message. In “Foolish” her message was she wasn’t strong enough to walk out but this song is showing she does have the strength to walk out. The song also uses a rap by the late Notorious BIG which does sound really good on the song I must admit. Even though this song does sound good I don’t really see the point of it if you get what I mean. It’s just a slightly edited version of “Foolish” with different lyrics but the same sound. Overall I think it’s a good song but the irritating beats giving it the more so called edge is unnecessary. If you like “Foolish” you’ll probably love this anyway. 5/10
SHI SHI (SKIT) 0:14
I’m guessing Shi Shi is Ashanti’s little sister as this skit is just some girl congratulating Ashanti for everything that happens and she says “from your little sister” so yes I’m sure it’s her sister. It sounds like phone message and is quite sentimental but as I keep saying what’s the point? Ashanti, honey they might mean something to you but please leave it out! 0/10
When the song starts out it kind of has a guitar sound. When it starts out there are children saying their names, age and ambition highlighting their dreams. Get it? It’s a nice sentimental start. The song starts out quietly with just a guitar and Ashanti’s powerful voice but as it continues it is rather reminiscent of tracks by Diva’s such as Whitney and Mariah. I don’t know why but the chorus sounds really corny for some reason. The verses are nice and the song does have a pretty sound to it but the chorus sounds rather outdated bringing the song down quite a bit. I do like the guitar sound on the song though as it is different to the other songs on the album. The song just doesn’t really sound like it’s from this album and does seem rather out of place due to it’s outdated sound although the lyrics are lovely and worth listening to. They’re very inspirational if you get what I mean. 6/10
THANKYOU 1:47
This is just Ashanti in gospel mode thanking all the important people in her life. Pretty useless but her voice does sound amazing. I can’t really imagine listening to this on it’s own though because it is pretty annoying. But this does show off her vocal talent as she does sing quite powerfully. 1/10
OVERALL~~
I must say I was quite impressed with this debut but I think there were some weak links and Ashanti should improve on these before she releases her next LP. Instead of trying to be the new queen of R’n’B Ashanti should try to create her own sound and be unique, everything else will fall into place. What’s the point having yet another R’n’B diva?
I recommend this album to R’n’B fans and pop lovers as there are some tracks that will keep you satisfied. Personally I was rather disappointed as there was a huge hype surrounding Ashanti because of her successful collaborations. I was rather disappointed but that doesn’t mean this album isn’t worth listening to, it’s still a decent CD and I think after a bit more experience she will improve on the mistakes she made with this album.
Great op! I love Ja and would be interested in hearing the Always on Time part II track but I don't think it would be worth buying a whole album for! x
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by (2%):
07.01.2006 21:26
/GREAT REVIEW!
28.06.2005 00:20
wow this is a great review ashanti songs are great nat xx
21.04.2005 13:12
Great op! I love Ja and would be interested in hearing the Always on Time part II track but I don't think it would be worth buying a whole album for! x