Album- I Remember Me
Artist- Jennifer
Hudson
Jennifer Hudson is perhaps the ultimate example of how not
winning a reality show does not mean you will fade into obscurity. The singer
was a finalist in the third season of American Idol, ultimately finish in only
seventh place. Yet two years later Hudson starred in the hit movie Dreamgirls,
earning herself an Academy Award with the role, and since then she has had a
successful acting and music career. But if you look at the singers acting and
music career, it would seem that her acting career is a much more successful
activity, with her last studio record I Remember Me selling only 370,000 since
it’s last reported sales update. With a number of acting roles coming up and no
new music beig reported, I look at the singers last album to see whether it
acts as a sign that she should just pack the music thing in.
Track 1- No One Gonna
Love You
Hudson kicks things off with a plunky RnB number that nicely
showcases one of the best things about her: her vocals. However, what is nice
about this up tempo number is that her vocal are showcased to great effect, but
not in the bland ballad way. Lyrically the track is quite simple as Hudson
sings about how this boy can try and fight it, but no one will love him like
she can. The tracks simple repetition is catchy with a snappy tone that the
listener can identify with, but with her rich vocal tone the singer make the
track more believable, with the layering of her vocals heightening the songs
power, as the singer goes from slow ditty singer to grand diva in less than
four minute and makes it seem epic and effortless. Backed by plunky piano that
simply adds to the showcasing of her vocals, this is a snappy number that
starts the record of very nicely.
3.5/5
Track 2- I Got This
Things are taken into more of a typical RnB diva state with
I Got This but still have this vitality that stops things from being bland. The
song finds Hudson telling us of how she has got this and is this shrugging off
the hardships and getting what she wants. With the power of her voice the
singer gives a forceful passion to the track that makes the statement feel
true, although the lyrical repetition does become a tad annoying. Producers
Stargate provide a simple sound to the record built upon a steady drumbeat, a
nice piano melody and some fuzzy synths, but whilst this is a solid RnB, the
song does feel like a bit of a typical RnB pop song and doesn’t quite
completely fit the singer in the way the last track did.
3/5
Track 3- Where You At
Written and produced by RnB music maestro R. Kelly, Where
You At was released as the records lead single, and is a simple RnB track that
finds the singers rich vocals asking a simple emotional question. Lyrically the
song finds Hudson calling out a man who has said all these things but is
ultimately not there for, with the simple repeated question of where you at
provided a strong chorus that is loaded with an emotional intensity. Hudson
brings rich vocals to the track that shows off her voice beautifully and allows
the singer to fully flourish as an artist, with the simple production of the
veay bass and light piano melody acting as a soft musical bed for her awesome
and passionate vocals. This very much sounds like an R. Kelly track sung by Jennifer
Hudson, but when you expect great music and it is delivered to you, don’t knock
it.
4/5
Track 4- Angel
A song solely written by fellow RnB artist and worldwide
renowned singer Alicia Keys, Angel is a light mid tempo RnB tune which also has
slightly more of a soulful quality. The song primarily acts as a love song as
Hudson sings about feeling great in the arms of her lover and just asking him
to let her be his angel. The message is quite sweet but sometimes the lyrics
feel a bit bland, particularly when moments such as the ‘la la la’ line come
into play. The singers vocals are strong but the layering of the vocals loses
some of the songs emotion, whilst the military drum beats and snappy but soft
tone of the production is nice but a bit less impactful than it should be. It
is a sweet tune, but at the end of the day it does feel like an Alicia Keys
song being sung by Jennifer Hudson, and whilst that works for R. Kelly (i.e.
the previous track), it doesn’t work here.
2.5/5
Track 5- I Remember
Me
Title track I Remember Me was co-written and produced by One
Republic frontman Ryan Tedder and was described by the singer as one of the
most emotional songs he has been involved with within his career. The song is a
confident pop number that finds the singer finding strength after sadness, as
the lyrics of the song were inspired by the tragic deaths of some of her close
family members. The lyrics find the singer singing about loss and pain, but
ultimately becoming stronger and remembering who she is and standing strong.
The way the song builds from these powerful emotional moments to these
confident choruses is really catchy and great, and with the richness and power
of her voice the singer shows off her vocals to great effect and makes this a
really strong number. Tedder keeps things simple with the production with just
a steady bass and light synth notes that give a sweet and slightly glamorous
quality to the track that is very nice to hear, and so this is a great title
track that nicely acts as the centrepiece for the record in many ways.
3.5/5
Track 6- Gone
Mid tempo track Gone brings things to a little bit of a
musically softer place but still has a forceful sound at the same time, and is
emotionally loaded. Gone lyrically finds Hudson musing on the idea of what it
would be like if her partner was gone, but ultimately coming to the conclusion
that she couldn’t handle it. The song is catchy in terms of the simple tone of
the chorus and the way the verses are a little deeper vocally and lyrically.
The richness of the singer’s vocals gives sincerity to the track that is quite
tangible, and with the layering of her vocals in the chorus the song has this
powerful I would be really hurt if you were gone essence that is nice to listen
to. The stomping drums and slightly frenzied synths of the production creates a
good sound for the track that is emotive whilst not compromising on the fact
that her voice is the singer’s best tool.
3.5/5
Track 7- Everybody
Needs Love
Another Keys penned tune (although this time co-written with
songwriter Ester Dean), Everybody Needs Love is a cool mid tempo number with a
funky groove courtesy of producer Swizz Beatz. The songs message is very simply
Hudson sings about how everyone in the world needs love and asking us to throw
our hands in the air and wish for love. The message is nice but it isn’t
anything that has been heard before, and is said in such a straightforward way
that it is quite bland. Her vocals are smooth and give a warmth to the song,
but overall this pretty much feels like a song that could have been sung by a
number of other RnB divas such as Beyoncé or Mariah Carey. The toe tapping
drumbeats of the production and nice use of horns is also cool but too simple
and so this song just seems to bask in blandness.
2/5
Track 8- Why Is It So
Hard
Co penned by worldwide selling RnB and pop artist Ne-Yo, Why
Is It so hard is another mid tempo offering from the singer that has a more
organic musical tone and a slightly soulful touch. Vocally the song is song is
stronger than the previous offerings in that the singer nicely utilises her
range, and her vocals are produced in a way that acts as a lovely homage to the
old school female RnB artists of yesteryear. The clunky but light piano
melodies and steady drumbeats give the song this nice bouncy rhythm that is
slightly infectious, and the lyrics have a strong impact in terms of the
clashing message of being in love with this person but yet finding it hard to
be in the relationship, although in the end it is just enjoyable. It is a song
of homage that reminds you of Dreamgirls Hudson, and brings things to a mellow
and nice to listen to state.
3.5/5
Track 9- Don’t Look
Down
The final Keys penned track is a feisty RnB and soul tune
that continues with the idea of Hudson producing music that is influenced by
diva’s of the past. The song is much more lyrically astute than Keys’ other
offerings, being a bit clichéd but ultimately having a simplicity that can sort
of cut you to the core, as Hudson tells her lover not to look down and just
ride on their love, almost acting as the happy ending and the good times that
the last track suggests. Hudson has a voice that lilts in a way that makes you
believe in the love, and the song really works well in the way that the singer
isn’t just using ballads to show off her voice. The snappy production with the
good use of strings acts as a nice musical bed for the singer’s voice, so this
is another RnB offering that works nicely for the singer.
3.5/5
Track 10- Still Here
Penned by renowned songwriter Diane Warren, Still Here is a
delicate piano ballad that is very much a love song that you can play to the
people in your life who have remained by your side through thick and thin.
Hudson sings of how this person is still here to help her and just remains in
her heart, almost perhaps having an ethereal quality if you look at this song
as being about her lost family members, which brings a nice, whole new meaning
to the track. With the softer tone of the ballad the singers voice nicely
shines, but the song is great in the way that she controls her voice and
commands the song to ooze out the emotion of the lyrics. Keeping the production
nicely piano led and then adding the RnB beats and soft background vocals
creates this light, building sound that is touching and simply makes this a
lush ballad from Hudson.
3.5/5
Track 11- Feeling
Good
Hudson ends the record with two cover tracks, the first
being Feeling Good, a Anthony Newley song that has been covered by numerous
artists. The song is all about how this person knows how you feel and with a
new dawn come new day to feel good. The song’s lyrics have that immediately
catchy quality, but that already exist from the original. What Hudson brings is
smooth and powerful vocals, whilst giving us a more soulful and modern RnB
twist with the clinky piano melody and grand sound of the horns. But whilst
this is a nice version, it does feel slightly weird to understand exactly why
it is no the record, and also sounds like a song that a number of other artists
could have produced.
3/5
Track 12- Believe
Final track Believe is a cover version of the acoustic led
ballad that was performed by country music duo Brooks & Dunn. The song is a
lyrically narrative led piece where Hudson sings of ‘Old Man Wrigley’, who
teaches her of life and faith through the years, both through speaking to the
man and through the memories of the man who sadly but also happily joins his wife
and child in heaven. The songs narrative tone gives the song this powerfully
emotional, cinematic feel that is great to listen to, and when paired with the
gorgeous and powerful vocals of Hudson, the song is given this grand feel that
really touches you. Production wise the track is a piano led number that builds
into this strong gospel number with the use of drums and a choir. This is a
great cover that sounds like a Hudson original and puts her voice into much
more of fitting setting where she can kind of just let go, and we get to end
the album on a nice high.
4/5
Final Review
I Remember Me is a record where Jennifer Hudson is always on
fine form vocally, putting her listeners at ease with a voice that fills you
with warmth. The records songs are also stylishly produced and have a sleek
modern feel that melds nicely with the smoothness of her vocals. The problem
with the record is that at times the songs come across as lyrically bland, and
in other cases the singer is turned into this modern pop and RnB star when she
doesn’t actually fit into that role. This album is a solid effort and nicely
steers away from being ballad heavy, but if a next record does come the singer
needs to try and perhaps go even more old school and just find material that
truly allows her voice to evoke emotion without sounding like your typical RnB
pop song.
6/10
Best Track- Believe
Worst Track-
Everybody Needs Love
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