Goodies - Ciara > Reviews > You Can Have Those "Goodies" Back

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
Value for Money	Satisfactory

Advantages:	Some hits
Disadvantages:	Not consistant

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

"Goodies" is the debut album by the Atlanta R&B sensation Ciara, who shot to fame with her single "Goodies" in 2004, and since there she has managed to pave the way for other R&B musicians from the Dirty South who have attempted to use the distinct Hip Hop sound from this region of the US and put it together with R&B, which doesn't tend to have regional differences. Since then Cherish, Akon and T-Pain have used what she started (with the aid of Jazzy Pha's production) to make up the new style of Crunk & B.

The album managed to top the US Billboard charts, and didn't do as well here as it only made the top 30. The three main singles "Goodies", "1,2 Step" and "Oh", all made the top 5 the America too, showing that it was well-received over there, and if you tend to follow their trends more than in the UK, then you will probably enjoy this.

1. Goodies

This was Ciara's debut single, which come just after Crunk exploded on the scene, so to see this female responce to this hyped club Hip Hop. She took on the main style of city, Atlanta, and shoved some R&B into it to create Crunk & B. This track is the best example of this unique sound on the whole record.

She gets some help from the big Crunk star Petey Pablo, aiding her along the process to project her into the limelight too However I think that she would have been able to pull this off without this colloabo with te immergence of the new branch off Crunk, which as massive then. I thought that it was slightly too soft to compare to the other single whoich followed it, but it still remains one of the better ones.

**Four Stars**

2. 1, 2 Step

If you are a big Hip Hopper then you will immediately recognise the sample of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock", but with as softer, less electro style to the orginal as Jazzy Pha wanted to make it fit in with current trends of music.

This also features Missy Elliot who seems to fit into this without any effort, as she easily adapts to the beat, which she tends to go for the majority of the time and has an Old School feel, which she is famous for attempting to re-live.

**Five Stars**

3. Thug Style

This one just didn't have enough to offer to be considered to be even a half-decent track, and it definately is not a strong song if you expected to get the same as what you heard in the singles to the LP. This one just had nothing to it: a poor subject, which was too predictable, and lyrics which just didn't have anything to them. Overall it was very plain, and I doubt that many would enjoy it (although it is tolerable).

**One Star**

4. Hotline

If you enjoyed listening to the lead single from this album, "Goodies", then this is another onw hich you are bound to like as it uses the same blend of musical genre to create the Crunk & B sound, and it is made to appear fresh in a time where things required livening-up. Taking influence from Hip Hop was the best way in order to bring this out.

The subject matter is slightly lacking here, but as it is a club tune, all of that can be ignored, because you don't expect great lyricism from it, and you get the relevant hard beat to suit the style.

**Three Stars**

5. Oh

With back up from one of the Atlanta Hip Hop Ogs, Ludacris, Ciara shows us exactly how they do it in the A. Everything about this gives off the Dirty South vibe with the deep and show bassy beat, on which she sings about thing which rappers from this region of the US tend to talk about. As she has such a big name in Luda beside her, I couldn't see how she could go wrong, and she really shows us show to "Git Crunk"
with this one.

Along with "Goodies" and "1, 2 Step", this seems to stand out as added vocals are included by guests, and it always seems as though the overall sound is made better in the tunes, not to say that she is unable of doing it alone.

**Five Stars**

6. Pick Up The Phone

It is amazing that so much could come out of a track with so little as this one is just about her annoyance towards her man who will not answer the phone, and Ciara manages to keep the listener engaged throughout, especially during the great chorus melodies which has her say "I know you see me on you called I.D., so pick up the P-H-O-N-E", and this transistion from a fast tempo to a slower one forces you to remain involved as you are challenged by this switch.

**Four Stars**

7. Lookin' At You

Even though Jazzy Pha does a lot of the production in the album, this is the only time (other than in "Goodies") where Jazzy Phizzle has a vocal role in the tune, and I think that he only chooses to do it when he knows that he's made a complete banger, and this is clearly one of them. The small part which he has in this is just a little introduction whih you will have hear hundreds of times before, but regardless of this, it gives you some assurance that this is one of the big songs on the album and not just another typical fill-in.

The funky beat, which he brings forms the ideal start for Ciara to build upon with her great voice, and it all aids in giving out the best stuff which the pair of capable of coming out with when their individual talents are put together.

**Four Stars**

8. Ooh Baby

This one just didn't have enough to offer in order to be considered to be a good track, as it was highly repetitive and the themes which it dealt with were far too predictable for an R&B song. Dut to this, I was left rather bored as she talks to the listner about her man, who she claims to have made her ife complete. Ciara just isn't convincing enough for me, as if someone else attempted it, I may have felt differently towards it.

**Two Stars**

9. Next To You

I thought that as Ciara was pioneering this new fusion genre, which mixed a Dirty South variation of Hip hop and R&B, the team behind the album forced her to stick to elements of both of these style, even when it wasn't relevant to the song. This is a prime example of where the production should have been relaxed to have her just go for a softer R&B track, but as the beat is a little too excited to give off this same feeling (which would naturally with a sombre rhythm behind it). Due to this it seemed too confused, an not focused enough to seem like a true break up song (which it should be with such a delicate subject).

**Two Stars**

10. And I

Ciara goes for a slow and pure R&B tune, which has her describe her ideal man, who doesn't have to be special any way, he simply has to love her for who she is. I thought that this was a nice inclusion to the album as there were a few up-tempo tracks, and it's nice to have something clm and smooth like this from time to time.

**Three Stars**

11. Other Chicks

Thsi one begins with a hyped up club sound, before it all slows down to become a more relaxed, chilled out tune, which seems to add to the diversity which you receive in the rest of the album. It's great to see Ciara use the calmer sounds of the album to bring out more unconventional themes.

Ciara chooses to explain why she is better than the "Other Chicks" who her potential man is usually seen with in order to show that he is better off with her than them. I belive that only as a younger artst, she was capable of carrying this through, and she did come out with the goods.

**Two Stars**

12. The Title

In this album I didn't really expect to get too many quality pieces other than the singles, because I just knew that their woudn't be enough of the high-energy tracks to keep the listner involved. However, this didn't matter as when she gets deep, Ciara still manges to maintain this high standard of tune.

I thought that this one worked due to the utilisation of a soul groove, which aced as strong foundations for the remainder of the song, and I think that she would have got by if she put a minimal effort with such good production from Jasper Cameron. However, she didn't allow this
to make her think it was enough, asher singing took the tune to another level.

**Five Stars**

In conclusion, this is a decent R&B album and it goes on to use several different variations of this main style. There is a lot of variation, but at times it feels forced. If the club type of R&B is what you are into then you will like half of it, but the remainder goes on the soulful style, and it isn't as successful at executing it's main objective.