J. To Tha L-O (The Remixes) [PA] - Jennifer Lopez

This is my first album review so any criticisms or advice will be greatly appreciated.

I decided to review J to tha Lo – the Remixes, an album by Miss Big Butt herself, Jennifer Lopez, as it is one of the CD’s in our house that gets a lot of play time.

The album cover is a collection of pictures from her various musical videos.

J-Lo released this offering in March 2002, and the album offers ...
...singles, or on her other albums. A con, to persuade us to part with more money? Well, see what you think.

The album is available from HMV priced at £16.99.

TRACK LISTING
*************

1. Love don’t cost a thing (RJ Schoolyard Mix)
2. Ain’t it funny (Remix feat. Ja Rule)
3. I’m gonna be alright (Trackmasters remix feat 50 Cent)
4. I’m real (Murda remix ... more

This is my first album review so any criticisms or advice will be greatly appreciated.

I decided to review J to tha Lo – the Remixes, an album by Miss Big Butt herself, Jennifer Lopez, as it is one of the CD’s in our house that gets a lot of play time.

The album cover is a collection of pictures from her various musical videos.

J-Lo released this offering in March 2002, and the album offers remixed versions of many of her tracks, previously released as singles, or on her other albums. A con, to persuade us to part with more money? Well, see what you think.

The album is available from HMV priced at £16.99.

TRACK LISTING
*************

1. Love don’t cost a thing (RJ Schoolyard Mix)
2. Ain’t it funny (Remix feat. Ja Rule)
3. I’m gonna be alright (Trackmasters remix feat 50 Cent)
4. I’m real (Murda remix feat. Ja Rule)
5. Walking on sunshine (Metro remix)
6. If you had my love (Darkchild remix)
7. Feelin so good (Bad Boy remix feat P. Diddy and G Dep)
8. Let’s get loud (Pablo Flores remix)
9. Play (Sack International Remix)
10. Waiting for tonight (Hex’s Monumentous Remix)
11. Alive (Album version)
12. Si Ya Se Acabo (Radio remix)
13. Que Ironia (Ain’t it funny) (Tropical Dance Remix)
14. Una Noche Mos (Pablo’s Miami Mix Radio Edit)
15. No me Ames – with Mark Anthony (Tropical Remix)

LOVE DON’T COST A THING
***********************
The album starts off with what sounds like a computer generated voice saying “Remix”, and then launches into Love don’t cost a thing. This is a faster version than the original version and has a funky beat. The song is a message to all those men who think that money is the way to a girl’s heart:
“When I took a chance, thought you'd understand,
Baby, credit cards aren't romance,
So you're tryin' to buy what's already yours,
what I need from you is not available in stores”
J-Lo tries to sing this song with attitude and very nearly succeeds.

Rating: 7/10

AIN’T IT FUNNY
**************
This is only called a remix as it has the voice of Mr. Ja Rule on it. The correct title for this is the Murda Remix and this is exactly how the songs starts off with Ja Rule proclaiming “Murda Inc” and launching into the first rap verse. Do his raps make any sense. Not to me they don’t but I do like his voice. Ain’t it Funny is about a girl who has been hurt in the past by a chap who now wants her and she is now not interested.
“Ain't that funny,
Baby that you want me, when you had me
Love is crazy, now I can smile and say, “Ain't that funny””

Rating 8/10

I’M GONNA BE ALRIGHT
********************
I’m gonna be alright begins with the words “Oh Yes” by 50 Cent and then goes straight into a rap, which forms the first verse. Jennifer then comes in and tells the story of a relationship breaking down after much soul searching. “I used to say I couldn't do it but I did it,
after telling everybody that I wasn't with it,
though it brings tears to my eyes I can feel it,
and I know inside cause I'm gonna be alright”.

The song is very much a dance song and is different from the original version of the song, which I think is on the J-Lo Album.

Rating 9/10

I’M REAL
********

I’m Real is a slower version featuring Ja Rule again. The song is very bassy and drummy. You either love or hate Ja Rule. He doesn’t sing, he talks, but it seems to work on this track and after working with J-Lo, he seems to be in demand. The first line of the song contains an expletive. I’m Real is another song about a relationship in which the female has some doubts with the words
“Now people loving me and dating me treating me ungratefully,
but not knowing that they aint making or breaking me,
my life I live it to the limit and I love it,
now I can breathe again baby now I can breathe again.”

Rating 7/10

WALKING IN SUNSHINE
*******************
Walking in Sunshine moves on from the theme of broken relationships to that of being in a happy one. It has a poppy introduction, and is a very catchy song, which has more of a house/disco feel to it, and is somewhat different to J-Lo’s normal R&B sound, despite the ever present Spanish guitar, and speeded up vocals.

“We can make it last forever, baby
Our love will stand the test of time
And in the middle of our world
I'll be waiting for you to be all mine”

Rating 8/10

IF YOU HAD MY LOVE
******************
If you had my love (Darkchild) starts off with Rodney Jerkins singing the first verse and is about someone laying down rules before the start of a relationship. A great R&B beat prevails throughout the song.

“If you had my love and I gave you all my trust would you comfort me?
and if somehow you knew that your love would be untrue,
would you lie to me and call me baby”.

The lyrics are a bit bland in this song and not exactly awe inspiring but the tune is good.

Rating 7/10

FEELIN SO GOOD
**************
Feelin’ so good has an introduction that sounds exactly like Howard Jones New Song, for those of you who can remember back to the Eighties. This song has quite a pop feel to it and P. Diddy (J-Lo’s ex) provides the rapping at the beginning after which J-Lo provides the dance lyrics. This song takes a break from relationship issues and is just about feeling good in yourself.

“Now the day is turning into night
And everything is still going right
There's no way you can stop me this time
Or break this spirit of mine
Like the stars above I'm gonna shine”

Rating 8/10

LET’S GET LOUD
**************

Let’s get Loud begins with the words "Do It" repeated over and over again accompanied by a drum beat, which eventually reaches a crescendo and then falls silent. Miss Lopez then sings “Cos I’m gonna live my life” over and over, through which a scratch effect can be heard. A piano then accompanies, which leads into a dance beat, leaving an over-riding feeling of an 80’s type disco feel, spattered with a lot of giggling, although also having a Latino sound to it. Again, very unmeaningful words in this one, with a lot of “gotta’s” slung in for good measure.

“Life is meant to be big fun
You're not hurtin' anyone
Nobody loses
You gotta do it, you gotta do it your way
To gotta prove it”

Rating 8/10

PLAY
****
Play is a sultry and sexy remix and although this has been absolutely slated, I like it. It starts off with a synthesiser which has quite an 80’s feel to it. Another bassy number with lots of whoops throughout. J-Lo sounds rather like Madonna in this track. Of course in this version J-Lo does use an expletive, but it doesn’t spoil the enjoyment of a song about asking a DJ to play her favourite song.
“I don't care if everybody's gone, turn it up, cause it turns me on,
keep dancing all night long,
it feels so right that it can't be wrong,
I get chills up and down my spine”

Rating 8/10

WAITING FOR TONIGHT
*******************

Waiting for Tonight starts off with a funky beat which is rather like a fast heartbeat. The song speeds up and J-Lo almost seems at times to be trying to keep up with the music, which she manages quite well! There are a lot of echo effects on this track and a real nightclub dance beat to the song. The song is about a woman waiting for her lover to visit her that evening.

“Tender words you say
Take my breath away
Love me now, leave me never
Found a sacred place
Lost in your embrace
I want to stay in this forever”

Rating 8/10

ALIVE
*****
This song is a ballad and I can’t for the life of me understand why it has been put on a remix album as it seems totally out of place. It’s a miserable take on being happy just to be alive. The song is mainly piano based. The song sounds more like it would be at home on a Whitney Houston Love songs album. In my mind, a weak track, purely because of its existence on this album.

“Feeling lucky just to be here tonight
and happy just to be me and be alive
I guess I've found my way it's simple
when its right feeling lucky just to be here tonight and
happy just to be me and to be alive”

Rating 2/10

SI YA SE ACABO
**************

A Spanish song but with a funky R&B feel to it. I can’t tell you what the song is about as I don’t understand Spanish!!

Rating 5/10

QUEN IRE IRONIA
***************

Que Ire Ironia is Ain’t it Funny sung in Spanish. The song has a very salsa type feel and beat to it. Jennifer’s voice seems quite stretched at times in this track.

Rating 7/10

UNA NOCHE MAS
*************

Una Noche Mas is a Spanish version of another of Jennifer’s songs, Waiting for tonight. This again has a very fast beat, which at times seems almost too fast for the song. J-Lo seems to be in sexual goddess mode in this track, as she supplies much moaning and groaning within the lyrics.

Rating 7/10

NO ME AMES
**********

No Me ames is a duet with Marc Anthony, which he starts off with a guitar. It then becomes a duet, with Anthony singing one line and J-Lo the other before speeding up and becoming a very salsa oriented song. If you haven’t heard the voice of Marc Anthony, his voice is very similar to that of Youssou N'Dour who sang with Neneh Cherry on Seven Seconds.

Rating 7/10

FAVOURITE TRACK: I’m gonna be alright

My overall impression of this album is great apart from the one weak track – Alive. J-Lo hasn’t got the strongest of voices, which is evident on a lot of her offerings, but this album, with all the different beats can cleverly disguise this fact throughout most of the songs. This is a great album to put on whilst doing housework to sing along to.

It’s interesting to note that Jennifer’s songs are mainly about the man in her life at the time. When these songs were written, that man was Kris Judd. However, she’s now moved on to pastures new with Mr. Affleck, and her new album is a load of slushy filled messages to him.

All lyrics copyright the artist.
 

...less