... They've had more line ups than you've had hot dinners, but they're obviously talented and have gone far!
This is their second album, The Writing's On The Wall, where the band still had four members; Beyonce, Kelly, LaTavia and LeToya. The last two have since left and sued the remaining ... Read review
mistress Erykah Badu with the tough, edgy pop of TLC. Like other US R&B girl groups, their follow-up to 1998's self-titled debut comes with the suitable glossy sheen a...
mistress Erykah Badu with the tough, edgy pop of TLC. Like other US R&B girl groups, their follow-up to 1998's self-titled debut comes with the suitable glossy sheen a...
Writing's On The Wall - CD
Intro (The Writing's On The Wall) So Good (Ft Missy Elliot) Bills Bills Bills (Ft Missy ... more
Elliot) Confessions (Ft Missy Elliott) Bug A Boo (Ft Missy Elliot) Temptation Now That She's Gone Where'd You Go Hey Ladies If You Leave (featuring Next) Jumpin...
mistress Erykah Badu with the tough, edgy pop of TLC. Like other US R&B girl groups, their follow-up to 1998's self-titled debut comes with the suitable glossy sheen and hot, late 90s producer--in this case She'kspere, the dude behind TLC's summer of 99 hit "No Scrubs". His magical, minimalist touch makes tracks like "Bills Bills Bills" and "Bug A Boo" memorable for their insouciance, and deft, hardcore harmonies. Writer/producer Missy Elliot also puts in her several thousand dollars-worth on "Confessing", a low-key love groove. Though teenagers when they recorded this album, Destiny's Child sing convincingly of faithless lovers, e-mail stalkers, and extra-marital temptation, complete with cod-Shakespearean quotes. They also do a gospel version of "Amazing Grace", letting their voices buck and weave a cappella. Apart from a few less than enthralling ballads, it¹s an engaging, sassy mix. --Lucy O'Brien
mistress Erykah Badu with the tough, edgy pop of TLC. Like other US R&B girl groups, their follow-up to 1998's self-titled debut comes with the suitable glossy sheen and hot, late 90s producer--in this case She'kspere, the dude behind TLC's summer of 99 hit "No Scrubs". His magical, minimalist touch makes tracks like "Bills Bills Bills" and "Bug A Boo" memorable for their insouciance, and deft, hardcore harmonies. Writer/producer Missy Elliot also puts in her several thousand dollars-worth on "Confessing", a low-key love groove. Though teenagers when they recorded this album, Destiny's Child sing convincingly of faithless lovers, e-mail stalkers, and extra-marital temptation, complete with cod-Shakespearean quotes. They also do a gospel version of "Amazing Grace", letting their voices buck and weave a cappella. Apart from a few less than enthralling ballads, it¹s an engaging, sassy mix.--Lucy O'Brien
A review by JessL on Writing's On The Wall, The - Destiny's Child September 11th, 2003
Author's product rating:
Originality
Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics
Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks
A couple of weak links
Value for Money
Advantages:
Lots of great songs, strong vocals
Disadvantages:
One or two weak fillers
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I am not a natural at writing opinions on music, and it shows, but this is my most-played album at the moment, and as it's this month's competition, why not?
Destiny's Child are a very well-known girl band hailing from Houston, Texas, consisting of Beyonce Knowles, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. They've had more line ups than you've had hot dinners, but they're obviously talented and have gone far!
This is their second album, The Writing's On The Wall, where the band still had four members; Beyonce, Kelly, LaTavia and LeToya. The last two have since left and sued the remaining members twice over.
The album begins with the intro; their take on The Godfather. They lay down a set of Destiny's Commandments that will appear throughout the album before each song, such as 'Thou shall pay bills' for the song Bills Bills Bills. It ends with Beyonce saying, 'Isn't it obvious? The writing's on the wall' which explains the title of the album! A nice idea, but I skip it because there's no point to it!
The first proper song is SO GOOD, a light, summery song; hitting back at all the critics and backstabbers who had trashed Destiny's Child. This is definitely one of the best from the album - not an instant hit but it grows on you! Sticks in your head for ages afterwards and you can't help singing...
Next is BILLS BILLS BILLS, a heavy, man-bashing R'n'B song, the type that DC do so well! The girls are challenging a boyfriend who constantly sponges off them; taking advantage of them and their generosity. Can't imagine this song doing too well with the men! Very strong, catchy and almost anthemic with it's chorus.
CONFESSION was initially one of my least favourites, but this grows on you. It's a smooth, soulful track, confessing all to their boyfriend, such as kissing their ex to annoy him. The first minute or so is jerky, but then it kicks in properly and you can't resist singing along! Features Missy Elliot but she doesn't have much part in the song in general. 4/5
BUGABOO is another 'girl power' song, if you like! This time, it's a clingy, possessive boyfriend that needs kicking to the kerb. Sassy, with strong vocals and a drummy beat which makes it irresistable on the dancefloor! It reminds me slightly of country music for some reason, but I think that's just me!
After that comes one of the best on the album; TEMPTATION, a very smooth song with sultry, low vocals about meeting the perfect man, but you still have a boyfriend. Repetitive, but it works really well in line with the song, and the girls' voices are shown off to their best advantage. They sing perfectly in time with each other, and it really emphasises the smoothness of the song.
The pace slows down a bit with NOW THAT SHE'S GONE. This is a quiet, passive song with Beyonce and co being treated like second best by a boyfriend - hard to believe, seeing how gorgeous all of DC are, but apparently so! Quite morose and depressing, but the slick vocals make up for it.
I was quite disappointed with WHERE'D YOU GO, to be honest! What happened to the man-bashing, ladies? The empowered feminists have been replaced with tearful wrecks, begging their boyfriends to answer their calls and demanding to know what has gone wrong in their relationship. Still very listenable, and instantly catchy - just try to block out the cheesy lyrics, and it's a great song. This has a slightly more pop feel to it than R'n'B.
HEY LADIES is back on form here, with a guitar-twanging intro and loud, demanding lyrics asking things like 'Hey ladies, why is it that men can do us wrong?' This is a similar R'n'B tune in the same vein as Bugaboo, but slightly more mellow. Beyonce warbles dangerously like Mariah Carey though!
IF YOU LEAVE is a melancholy, subdued song about two people in love, but they are both attached. The first half is OK, but there is a duet near the end, which gets terrible because it appears that Beyonce and Next are trying to outsing each other! OK, but far from memorable.
One of the best known songs from the album, JUMPIN JUMPIN is next, and what's not to like? It's a lively R'n'B track with almost hip-hop overtones, about having a great night out. It's very memorable; you'll be singing it for ages afterwards, believe me! I defy anyone not get the urge to dance to this!
SAY MY NAME is yet another man-bashing track here, with a girlfriend on the phone to a boyfriend and she has just heard another woman's voice in the room with him. Very strong and catchy; I think this did fairly well when it was released, and still gets airplay today. I like it, but if you compare it to Bills Bills Bills and Jumpin Jumpin, it does seem a bit weak and repetitive.
SHE CAN'T LOVE YOU is bittersweet and soulful, the quintet are upset and jealous that their ex boyfriend has a new girlfriend, who just doesn't match up to the DC girls! Very smooth with husky vocals; it's a good song but not that memorable. Not my favourite from the album, but still fairly good.
STAY reminds me of Christmas, for some reason! It's soft, slow, with a twinkly background, begging a man to stay with them. This is a bit cheesy and not my favourite, but I don't feel the need to skip it! Good background music though, when you're doing your homework or on the computer and need a bit of peace and quiet!
Getting to the end of the album now, SWEET SIXTEEN isn't a bad song, but throughout the song, you are expecting it to kick in properly, but it never does! Light, pleasant enough to listen to, but unmemorable. Not a lot to say about this, as it's just so dull! I can't remember a single line from this song, and it has been played many, many times, when I can't be bothered to skip it! A definite filler.
The outro is their accapella (sp?) version of Amazing Grace dedicated to Andretta Tillman, not that I know who she is! I skip this, there isn't any point to it and sounds like something they'd knocked up together, slightly drunk, in a rush!
Erm - GET ON THE BUS - why? Their voices are very jerky, having been messed around with a computer, and is a terrible way to end the album. The stopping and starting, blurred voices and thuddy beats give me a headache! Rubbish, total rubbish. The album ends on a low point with this song.
This is overall a great album - out of fifteen tracks, excluding intros and outros, there are only one or two tracks I really have to skip through because I don't like them. It's not bad, is it?
If you're an R'n'B fan, then this is an absolute essential. Girl power? Destiny's Child show Girls Aloud and the Spice Girls how it should be done! It's a shame - their talent really shows through, and I hope the rumours that they have split are untrue!
My favourite songs are Temptation, So Good and Jumpin Jumpin - if you are thinking about getting this album, then download those three songs (whoops I didn't say that) and have a listen. If you like them, then give this album a go! It's relatively cheap these days, as it's been out for a few years now.
Advantages: It's catchy and commercial Disadvantages: A couple of dead end tracks
...their constantly changing numbers. The Writing's on the Wall is a brilliant r&b album, and it contains all of the recent hits that we've come to love and know, including the no.1 hit "Independent Women". Destiny's Child came to the world with a message, and much of it is about how girls should treat their guys or how guys shouldn't treat their girls. Once you get through all of that, you're left with a pure r&b experience. The album has recently ... ...CD with four extra tracks. Intro
Hmm, what is going on here? It's one of those trendy introductions to the album with the girls trying to act out something from the Godfather. Grin and bear it!
So Good - 8/10
=
One of their earlier hits, it's a lighthearted and catchy song directed at an ex-boyfriend. This stuck in my head for a while after hearing it.
Bills, Bills, Bills - 8/10
=
Apparently, now their boyfriends ...
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Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
Value for Money
very helpful
23.02.2001
So Godd Review ofWriting's On The Wall, The - Destiny's Childby
Snoop_Dogg
Advantages: Some Classic tracks Disadvantages: Some below average ones as well
I have'nt really been into the girls music for long but i heard a few of there songs and they sounded quite good. So i decided to go buy this album i got home and then realised i got the one with the bonus Cd and as a whole i found it to be a excellent album. I am going to take you through each of the tracks. CD 1 1 Intro (The writings on the Wall) When you get into this relitively short track you start to get a Spanish feel with guitars and Pianos. ... ...with them giving you the jist of what the album is going to be like 6/10 2 So Good At the start you get a sole from either a guitar or Harp which sounds quite good. You get all three of them singin all the song for this one and you don't have anyone doing a solo. Its quite poppy and quite addictive. 8/10 3 Bills Bills Bills This was the first to be released as a single. When you first listen you get the clear sounds of a Keyboard and a Symbol. This ...
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Advantages: Very few poor tracks. Disadvantages: Annoying intro.
...of the rest of The Writing's On The Wall which is basically, Girl Power, but in a more sophisticated manner than the Spice Girls ever did it!
Each song carries on the theme of the intro, stating one of the DC Commandments at the beginning, such as "Though shalt not bug." but again, please don't let it put you off! With many albums I find that the stand-out tracks are always the singles (which are in this case, Bills Bills Bills, Bug A Boo, Jumpin ... ...on this album are not fillers, they're on the same level of quality as all the singles.
Confessions is a soulful track on which Destiny's Child are helped out by one of their many celebrity mates, Missy Elliott, whilst Temptation is a sultry, hip swaying song which shows off Beyonce's (who was a teenager when this album was released) song writing talents and maturity. After Say My Name, which was a hugely successful single for the band, comes She ...
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Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
Value for Money
very helpful
18.10.2003
(25.11.2003)
Thou shalt like this Review ofWriting's On The Wall, The - Destiny's Childby
Everybody
Advantages: Class set of tunes Disadvantages: you may not like BEyonce singing all the tracks and the annoying "thous shalt..."
Destiny’s child a group of young females from Texas, not the original quartet, but two missing members and two new members, allegedly due to some kind feud because of Beyonce, the lead singer, but did I notice until someone told me? No.
The CD’s a little strange I must say, with an intro and an outro with some weird girl power stuff, bit dodgy if U ask me, the outro is dedicated to somebody by the way. So how is the album, there are some quality ... ...track, track 2 is very average, they just say that they are going to be so good and keep repeating it, bit like Prince Nassem Hamed I guess…. Then it get better, next track is Bills, Bills, Bills, I’m sure you’ve heard this, in case you haven’t, this is not a song about the outgoing president, just about a “scrub” as TLC would say, nice song, works well, good tune too.
Next track confessions (feat Missy Elliot) is a bit of a bog standard r’n’b but ...
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Advantages: Great vocals, Great singles Disadvantages: Too much album filler
Don't get me wrong, this is a good album. I just expected better from these feisty Texan ladies. Out of 17 tracks there are only 9 good tracks. The thing is the good tracks are VERY good, while the bad tracks are just boring. The feistiness of the singles is not borne out in the album fillers. It was very obvious to me that "Jumpin Jumpin" was going to be their next single as it is the most upbeat one that they have not released. And this is Destiny's ... ...a Boo", "Jumpin Jumpin", "Say My Name", "Where'd You Go", "Hey Ladies" and "Get on the Bus") are just so much better than their slower numbers ("She Can't Love You" being the only good one). I'm not including their acapella "Amazing Grace" among the 'slow' songs, it's another thing altogether and I'm tempted to name it the best track on the album as it is truly beautiful. These ladies know how to sing. Just leave the mush to Celine Dion. ...
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Advantages: All the hits Disadvantages: A few weaker tracks
..."The Writing's On the Wall" came out in 1999, and it marked the start of a new era of R&B as the then-quartet Destiny's Child came out with their second album. This album had the group working as Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson came out with a brand new sound for R&B as we ease our way out of the 20th century, and into this one.
1. "Intro"
2. "So Good"
Here's a nice little one that really fits into the way that R&B was changing, and what developments were made towards the sound that is prevalent today. The thing is rather straight-forward in its content as they just speak on how they are doing well, and simply don't have any worries in their lives at the moment. It is a straight up-lifter, without any real flaws.
**Four Stars**
3. "Bills, Bills, Bills"
Personally, I saw this to be...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: great attitude, catchy tunes Disadvantages: the odd duff ballad, no lyrics included in the cd inlay :-(
...BACKGROUND INFORMATION
When "The Writing on the Wall" was released in 1999, Texan r & b quartet Destiny's Child were barely known, having previously only scored one hit - the Wyclef Jean remixed "No No No". However, their sophomoric album firmly launched them into the bigtime, proving that they had as much sass and talent to equal TLC and En Vogue.
This album was released while Destiny's Child still had its original members LaTavia and LeToya as well as Beyonce and Kelly. Over the period of time around this, LaTavia and LeToya left due to alleged power struggles within the group, were replaced by Michelle and Farrah, and then Farrah left also, leaving the trio that still existed until the announcement of their break-up recently.
It is unfortunate that so much kerfuffle ensued in the wake of release of "The Writing's On The Wall...
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Advantages: Great Songs , Great Voices Disadvantages: None!
...Destiny's Child were an American girl group consisting of Beyonce Knowles , Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.They were an RnB/Pop group. The girls are from Houston , Texas , United States. The group "ran" from 1997-2005 however some of the original members left and were replaced in between that time. Beyonce and Kelly have remained original members. To date the girls have released seven albums ; Destiny's Child, The writings on The Wall , Survivor , 8 days of Christmas , Destiny Fulfilled , #1. My favourite Destiny's Child Album is the one I am reviewing ; Survivor , as it includes some of my favourite Destiny's Child Songs. Songs on the album which were released as singles were : Independent Women Part 1 , Survivor , Bootylicious , Emotion and Nasty Girl.
The cover consists of the three girls sitting facing the camera. Beyonce...
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Label / Distributor: Columbia / Sony Music/Arvato Services
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Studio
Stereo: Stereo
Format: Performer
EAN: 5099749439429
Catalogue Number: 4943942
Additional notes
Album Notes: Destiny's Child: Kelly, La Tavia, Le Toya, Beyonce (vocals). Additional personnel: Missy Elliot, Next, Byron Rittenhouse (vocals); Gerald Thomas, Donald Holmes, Anthony Hardy, She'kspere (various instruments); Dwayne Wiggins (guitar, synthesizer, bass, programming); Charles Spikes, Sonny Lallerstedt (guitar); Vincent Lars (saxophone); Bill Ortiz (trumpet); Terry-T (keyboards, bass, drum machine); Platinum Status, Daryl Simmons (keyboards, programming); Ronnie Garrett, Raymond McKinnley (bass); Tony Williams (programming) Producers include: Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Rodney Jerkins, Dwayne Wiggins, Chad Elliot, Missy Elliot. Engineers include: Michael Calderon, Ramon Morales, James Hoover. "Bills, Bills, Bills" was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal and for Best R&B Song. "Say My Name" won the 2001 Grammy Award in the categories of Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal and Best R&B Song. The song was also nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award in the categories of Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year.
Album Reviews: Muzik (1/00, p.70) - Ranked #16 in Muzik's "Albums Of The Year '99" Q (11/02, p.124) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...It was onwards and upwards for Beyonce Knowles and sidekicks..." Vibe (9/99, p.272) - "...[a] winning sophmoric disc....funky, beat-savvy tunes guaranteed to offend certain fellas as the battle of the sexes rages on..." Entertainment Weekly (7/16/99, p.65-66) - "...more capable of confident, inventive R&B than many of their contemporaries....close enough to the spirit of the Supremes to at least win them a callback." - Rating: B Q (8/99, p.104) - 3 stars (out of 5) - "...engaging and sassy..." Muzik (8/99, p.80) - 3 stars (out of 5) - "...smart and imaginative. A sleek, confident sophomore effort - praise be to Missy and Timbaland."
Titles on disc 1
1.: Intro (The Writing's On The Wall)
2.: So Good
3.: Bills Bills Bills
4.: Confessions - Destiny's Child & Missy Elliott
5.: Bugaboo
6.: Temptation
7.: Now That She's Gone
8.: Where'd You Go
9.: Hey Ladies
10.: If You Leave - Destiny's Child & Next
11.: Jumpin' Jumpin'
12.: Say My Name
13.: She Can't Love You
14.: Stay
15.: Sweet Sixteen
16.: Outro (Amazing Grace)
17.: Get On The Bus (CD)
Titles on disc 2
1.: Bills, Bills, Bills (remix) - Sporty Thievz
2.: No, No, No (Part 2) - Wyclef Jean
3.: Say My Name (Timbaland remix)
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