Please Come Give A Dose To Me (Afrodisiac - Brandy)

Member Name: topsyturvy

Product:	Afrodisiac - Brandy
Date:	11/06/05 (323 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great sound, tells a story

Disadvantages: some weak songs

Brandy has always been an artist I greatly respected. I have liked her since her days on TV show Moesha and her singing days from 'The Boy Is Mine'. I really loved her albums from her last 'Full Moon' and this one is even better. This is Brandy's fifth album and after being married having a baby she has definitely grown up a lot. This album has a whole new sound and few flaws.



TRACKLISTING
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1.Who I Am
2.Afrodisiac
3.Who Is She 2 U
4.Talk About Our Love ft Kanye West
5.I Tried
6.Where You Wanna Be ft T.I
7.Focus
8.Sadiddy
9.Turn It Up
10.Necessary
11.Say You Will
12.Come As You Are
13.Finally
14.How I Feel
15.Should I Go

1.WHO I AM

This is like an intro, I always think these should be good because if not this could be the deciding point as to whether to keep on listening or to get easily bored. Here, Brandy plays it safe by going for an inbetween sound not too upbeat not too ballad like just calming. I don't usually like them but I think this is nice, it starts the album with Brandy's smooth vocals on a light beat and soothing music. Not my favourite song on the album. There is a deeper meaning to this song than you would think and looking at the words I think the songwriting is great here. She is singing here about her first marriage and how she has her daughter and what she thought was true love really wasn't. I think she is also thanking him for the lesson he taught her and what they went through and that she has grown up because of it. Definitely from hearing this album compared to her previous 'Full Moon' album I think Brandy has grown up a lot. I have always been a fan but this intro right away explains a lot and I think it is a nice start.

2.AFRODISIAC

This was Brandy's second single from the album. It was not the video I wanted for the song but however I cannot change the fact that when I first got this album I kept on playing this song, it's great. The music is really hard hitting. We are introduce in by some ha, ha, ha, ha's and then the music picks up. Brandy's singing as always is great here, not drowned out, fits with the music and just perfectly works. This song is really good, very upbeat, a standout track. This song is titled about the meaning of a drug having an effect. I think this song is cleverly written, it's about her wanting a relationship with someone and wanting to be with them all of the time, like a drug she is a ddicted to them as the line "please come give a dose to me' suggests. This is a perfect summer song and I know a lot of people who loved this song, it's just very catchy and I am glad she released it.

3.WHO IS SHE 2 U

Brandy released this song in America but we did not get it as a single although I love this song. Another favourite of mine and she slows down the album a bit with this. It begins with a slow beat then it becomes harder then Brandy sings. This is quite a calming song the music is midtempo and Brandy sings some really strong notes here and the backing singers come in smoothly. The chorus is catchy, what I like here is that Brandy gets to show of her voice here and the relaxing music keeps the song together but she really takes over. Timbaland also features in this song, very famous for working with Aaliyah so it's a great collaboration. This song is basically about her curious as to her partner being awfully familiar with another woman and she asks him who is she 2 u? She wants him to hell her who she was and to stop acting suspicious because she can't trust him. Again, this song may show her insecurity or the truth but it is a very grown up issue, written maturely.

4.TALK ABOUT OUR LOVE

This song was when Brandy did a collaboration with Kanye West, famous producer/rapper of the minute, then. It was the first single she released from the album and I am glad because it is a more grown up sound to start with. This starts almost instantly with a steady rhythm and Brandy's singing with huskier vocals. This is a great sing-a-long song, with a catchy rhythm and faint music. The chorus has louder music and this is a great song to dance to also. Kanye raps well in this song, I like his rap and think it fits in really well into the music. They work well together, as they did in the video and their work together has made a great song. This song is about people being jealous of the relatinship she has and them all talking about it and that they shouldn't break up just because everyone is talking about them all of the time. An unusal theme for a song but it's different and that's why I like it.

5.I TRIED

This is my overall favourite song of the album and I have heard it playing a lot of places although it wasn't released but I still hope she does release it as a single. This is a very powerful song and I love the mysteriousness of it. It starts of with a very deep beat and then goes more heavy and the deep, mysterious music plays. Brandy's singing is great on this song, it just fits in with the eery/sad sounding song. This is not in a way catchy but it is addictive and the sound is very r'n'b on this track. You can't help but want to bob your head to this. This has very meaningful lyrics it's about her sitting at home being upset wanting to move because she knows the relationship isn't working but she thinks she should have left him although kept telling herself it would work. It's about him being away at another woman's house while she is at home crying. She sings how she knew all along with the calls, the room bookings etc. I like this song for the fact Brandy sings it with some real emotion, like it hurts her to sing it and this is why it makes it such a powerful song.

6.WHERE YOU WANNA BE

This song starts really slow and is quite a deep and dark sounding song. The rhythm is steady and Brandy sings this quite deeply and hushed. This is not a song for high notes but it is like another emotional song. There are piano keys in the background which makes this quite sad sounding. I can only describe this as having a nice sound but the theme not really being nice. T.I. raps in this song and it fits in with the music, his voice. This song is basically Brandy standing up to her partner and asking him what he wants to do, be with her or the other woman. This is a very independent woman song for her, she is showing her strength and how she is not a walkover and although the music seems soothing the words are powerful.

7.FOCUS

This starts with a very solid beat and keeps midtempo. Another calming track, Brandy's vocals very blending with the music again she is singing more quietly in this song, like out of hurt and no longer strong. The song is repetitive at first but then there is a pause and she sings the story. You can pick up the emotion from every song which I like and I feel already at this song we have found out a lot of what she has been through. This song is about Brandy trying to get back on track and instead of thinking about him and the other women she has to get back to where she was and try to put it behind her, instead of dwelling in the past. Another strong song and well written.

8.SADIDDY

This is a very upbeat song with a very quick paced rhythm. It's an unusual sound, Brandy sings stronger in this song again above the music even though it is pretty loud. Not my favourite song on the album the backround noise is quite annoying but the chorus is powerful and louder so I like the fact it might be a song that takes time to like. I think this is about her having to have worked for what she has and then her ex trying to get some of her money and trying to blame her for what happened. This is her over it now she is out with her friends and says he can call her what he wants beause she isn't sad anymore. The song fades out with a very electronic sounding noise, still powerful right up until the end.

9.TURN IT UP

This starts very hip hop like with a rapper saying something I can't hear again very instant start. Brandy eventually sings and she easily sings stronger than the music. This is annoying at first but then turns into a catchy song. The drum beat is repetitive as is this sound in the background which keeps playing. I like the way that at some lines the music quietens down so she makes her point. She sings it in a pace which makes the rhythm stick. Not a song I listen to a lot but after reviewing this I probably will. This song starts about her wanting to make the perfect song and then she sings about how working with Timbaland people are going to want to 'turn it up' because it will be a hit. I like the whole idea for the song, it's different her asking him to give her he different music types to get this successful song.

10.NECESSARY

This has a guitar strings sound at first and for some reason sounds Indian but it isn't at all. The music is not as loud here and the strings keep on playing through out. This is not an original sounding song and no way near as powerful as some of the other songs. I like Brandy's singing here but feel it isn't at it's best because the music is lifeless. It's a bit repetitive and too samey. This song is in general just about her being in love and being motivated by thinking of someone. She tries her best and looks her best for this person and the necessary part is what she thinks their love is. It's an odd context she is using the word necessary in but the words work still. She ends the song of with "I feel naked singing every quote" obviously this is her really opening her heart to everyone with these lyrics.

11.SAY YOU WILL

Another slower song with a hard beat. She sort of hums along with the music and then sings. This song to me isn't amazing, it's quite slow and there is barely any music just the beat and the vocals and the vocals are very plain and less outstanding in this song. I feel Brandy should use her vocals more powerfully instead of doing more dull songs like this. The song seems to play on for a little too long and seems too repetitive. There is no real change in high or low throughout the track. This song is about her feeling great after meeting this guy and wanting everything in her life to revolve around him. The words even in this song are basic and seem like no real challenge as the chorus occupies most of the track.

12.COME AS YOU ARE

This is another very r'n'b track. Starts with a whistle type sound, very Timbaland sounding. Brandy picks up the pace of the album again here and the music is catchy. Another song that gets you moving and she sings in short cut off sentences making the track sharp, edgy and different. I like this song and feel it was really needed here because the previous 2 tracks were downers on the album. Some parts get a bit repetitive in this song but nothing torturous and it is midtempo and very like her style. This song is about her thinking when she was a girl holding hands was enough, no sex was thought of but now she is older she is a woman and much more passionate. Some words are weird in this song but you get the point it is about her being a woman and grown up now and how she has changed a lot.

13.FINALLY

This is a not a standout track. Brandy's singing sounds ok at some parts but then can sound a bit whiny. The music is nothing spectacular here very dull and few changes. At the chorus her singing is gentle and she seems to sing the notes effortlessly. This is her singing about what she could have done, she could have stayed with the guy but she didn't she looked around, asked herself what she wanted. This is her looking back on her decisions and sometimes wondering how she couldn't have felt hate but now she fogets those thoughts, has moved on and is at the place she wanted to be. I like the words more here because it shows she has pulled herself through this huge emotional rollercoaster and made it to the end.

14.HOW I FEEL

A tranquil and peaceful starting song with a hazy atmosphere. The music stays peaceful and Brandy's sings more low-key here. Again, not exactly a favourite of mine. Too quiet, lifeless and no real parts in it which standout and make me wake from my drifting away to sleepy self. The song sounds too sickly sweet and I like a song to have some personality and strength. This is about her thinking he isn't like he used to be hardly calls anymore and doesn't realize she is slipping away from him. She is sick of waiting and is trying to believe something that isn't really there.

15.SHOULD I GO

This is weird this song is Brandy but she has sampled it from Coldplay's Clocks. She also mentioned Coldplay in the song I Tried, so I'm guessing she is a fan. This is very repetitive and I like this Coldplay song so I don't know if I actually like her version of it with her own lyrics or I love the music already. The singing again very blending with the music although some words much stronger than others. The song is about her thinking of her musical career wondering if it's her main priority anymore. She is annoyed with the internet putting music out before it's released and the fact there are so many artists nowadays. She also sings about Aaliyah wishing she could have worked with her which is a nice touch. Then she ends it by saying she is back.

After hearing the whole album I feel as if we have lived through Brandy's journey with her. She is a talented songwriter and her experiences are craftily put into words in a way where she can grab the listeners heart for those minutes. I feel she has become stronger through her past experiences and some of these songs tell of sad times of hers which she sings with deep hurt but so powerfully. A lot of the songs here are standout tracks and I am always eager after hearing her albums for the next. With this album she has pulled herself out of her sad times and the next album will be a whole new chapter of her life.

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