I have to admit this new SWV album "I Missed Us" snuck up on me. I had no idea this was even brewing so I was excited to get the album and finally push play. "Co-Sign" is dope with a throwback breakbeat vibe although I have to say...the scratching at the beginning was pedestrian at best. Regardless, the vocals are on point and I love the flavor. "All About You" jumps off like a breakbeat celebration with Bob James "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" and for the life of me I cannot remember the song title of the other breakbeat! It felt like a block party 'bout to jump off. "Show Off" has a throwback vibe too, but not because of the breakbeats - SWV recycled classic lines from throwback R&B records right off the jump with the Jodeci "Come and talk to me". Biggest turn off of the song was A.X.'s line "with the candles lit'ed". If you get a feature on an SWV album PLEASE come correct with your wordplay.
"Everything I Love" sort of stumbles in with the drum fill and sounds like another breakbeat driven song is coming, but then it breaks down to more of a ballad vibe. "Do Ya" is another record with a throwback vibe and by now I'm treating the album more like a mixtape - complete with the typical airhorn and fatman scoop type hosting and laced with a ton of samples. I'll have to sit down and expose all the samples flipped into this album later. You'll easily recognize Pattie Labelle and Chaka Khan influences. Thankfully we didn't get the airhorns and Fatman Scoop-like screaming all over "The Best Years". I can only take so much of that before I feel vomit creeping up the back of my throat. Vocally, SWV delivered and I dig the sample based production, but hated the bad mixtape crap that somehow dominates the album early with airhorns and that ridiculous Fatman Scoop-screaming. Thankfully as a DJ I can simply chop that crap out of my mixes and speaking of mixtapes...the 2:18 mark of "Keep You Home" is ABSOLUTELY going to be chopped and looped by me into an upcoming mixtape.
Clearing out the mixtape flavor of the early tracks, the album settles in for classic 90's R&B and is really a great album. If you remember SWV then you will love this album. If you don't remember SWV I think you will still love this album (assuming you're a fan of R&B). It's refreshing to hear a group of women harmonize and drive songs with their vocal talents. I know I can't give credit to SWV for the genius of "If Only You Knew", but SWV truly blazed this cover vocally. I love this song (both the original and the SWV remake). Overall I would have to say SWV delivered a gem with this album. I know I harped about the airhorns and the damn Fatman Scoop screaming (and that shit IS ANNOYING), but as a collective - I like the album and will be chopping some of it in my mixes. I'm not as high as so many others on this album to the point of declaring it a top album of 2012 though. It's great to hear SWV back again and the album has some dope tracks, but the cover songs and the over-use of recognizable samples AND the mixtape noise/hosting pieces knock it down a notch in my book.
Tracks Listing :
SWV – Co-Sign (3:44)
SWV – All About You (3:42)
SWV – Show Off (Feat. A.X.) (3:45)
SWV – Everything I Love (3:34)
SWV – Do Ya (Feat. Brianna Perry) (3:30)
SWV – The Best Years (4:56)
SWV – I Missed Us (3:34)
SWV – Better Than I (3:36)
SWV – Keep You Home (3:37)
SWV – Time To Go (2:45)
SWV – Use Me (3:08)
SWV – Love Unconditionally (3:59)
SWV – If Only You Knew (5:10)
"COSIGN" Official Video
BTS of the "COSGIN" Video Shoot
SWV Official Website: therealswv.com
SWV on Twitter:
@THEREALSWV
@LeleeLyons
@Only1Coko
@TajGeorge
All Booking & Media inquiries: Management at 21Voices@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment