As the title of my opinion suggests, I think this is by far the best of all three (four, if you count "This is the Remix") of Destiny's Child's albums. It was released at a time when Beyonce, Kelly, Le Toya and La Tavia were on the edge of monumental success, and contains just the right balance of urban RnB and comerciality to be a real get up and dance and sing along, whilst retaining the cool factor album! Basically, it's great RnB, not as "hard" as their first album, "Destiny's Child" and not as commercially poppy as "Survivor".
When you press play, don't be put off by the annoying intro in which you hear Beyonce and Co. huskily discussing "Destiny's Child's Commandments of Relationships". Yah. Just skip that part and listen to the first song, "So Good" a song penned by Destiny's
Child (as are most of the songs on this album, or at least co-written)which has the same sort of message as their later hit, Survivor- "This is for the haters who said we wouldn't make it/Now we're doing platinum and now you can't take it". However, it's better than Survivor. With a great bass line and impressive vocals, it was a good choice for the opening track and lays down the message for most 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 Jumpin and Say My Name)but most of the other songs 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 Can't Love You which is another sexy, though slightly bitter song, with a Spainish feel.
The only song on this album that I ever skip (if you're not counting the intro), is the Outro (Amazing Grace). As on the album Survivor, the group seemed to want to add on a religious song with which they could show off their vocal talents, and though every member of DC has undoutable talent, there's too much warbling on this track for me to like it, infact it makes me cringe, but it is redeemed by Get On The Bus, a very cool song which is probably the most "hardcore" RnB of them all.
The version of The Wrinting's On The Wall that I own was the second release, which contains a bonus CD. This has four tracks on it, Independent Woman, parts one and two, Eight Days of Christmas, and No No No part two. All of these songs are pretty good, Independent Woman being best known as the Destiny's Child Charlie's Angels song, with the funky remix, part two. Eight Days of Christmas puts a modern spin on the traditional christmas song, and though it's quite cheesey, and has an extra cheesey video with DC dressed up in "sexy Santa" outfits, it's definitely alot cooler and less sentimental than any of the songs you'd find on NSYNC's christmas album. No No No was funked up by Wyclef Jean, is a great song and gave Destiny's child their first massive hit, so why it was just tacked on the end of the bonus CD I don't know! It seems like too much effort to stick in the extra CD just to listen to four songs, even though No No No Part Two is so very good.
Overall, this album is definitely worth the money- it's been out for about 3 years now and I'm still constantly listening to it. Helped along by famous friends like Missy Misdemeanour Elliott, Next and Wyclef, Destiny's Child made a great album. Even after all their troubles and their change of line up, they deserve all their success and this CD should be a staple in the music collection of all fans of RnB and pop.
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Hello again - I agree, this album's great, and actually has more better songs on than 'Survivor' - my favourites are 'So Good' and 'If You Leave' - see you around! :)
KarenUK 25.11.2003 23:30
My 13 year old daughter liked them and has followed their solo stuff.
franproc 08.11.2003 18:53
I have (and love) this album, I'm a big fan.
xxxxx
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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...
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This silky-voiced Texan foursome combine hints of the slow, laconic sweetness of R&B ... more
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...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
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...
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Advantages: Very catchy songs, a lot of big hits, work with a lot of artists on the album, a lot of tracks, great variation between tracks Disadvantages: A lot of slow songs can get repetitive first listen-through
Oct 18th, 2003
(Nov 25th, 2003)
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