Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Jennifer Hudson- I Remember Me Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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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