Ciara to the stage...but does she perform? (Fantasy Ride - Ciara)

Member Name: Sunrisesunset

Product:	Fantasy Ride - Ciara
Date:	20/08/09 (7 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: stand out tracks are great, a few great duets

Disadvantages: too many guests, lack of vocal ability, jumbled track list

In 2004 Ciara Harris burst on to the music scene, her dance moves blowing us all away. She shifted millions of copies of her debut, Goodies, and 2006's follow-up, Ciara: The Evolution, but Fantasy Ride has stalled before it'd even started. Changing her image from a tomboy with hot moves to a diva with high heels, she even changed her music too. Was it a mistake leaving her Crunk roots behind? Millions of fans who appear to have deserted would say so, but I disagree.

The concept behind this album was that Ciara's music would take listeners on a ride through three different genres of music: Crunktown tracks would represent Crunk, Kingdom of Dance would supply hot dance numbers, and Groove City would allow us to mellow out to smooth r'n'b. Originally the album was going to be released on three discs, but the powers that be decided to stick to one for unknown reasons. However, the songs still fit into the different genres, so it's still clear which 'city' or 'kingdom' they'd have belonged to. Sadly the songs are not logically grouped together as they would have been on three separate discs, so you find yourself moving from Groove City's sultry duet with The Dream, Lover's Thing, to Crunktown's Work, and soon you're back in Groove City with Keep Dancin' On Me.

Ciara's vocals depend on the type of genre she is in. On uptempo songs like Work and Pucker Up she's not actually singing but speaking over the track, so in those instances her vocal talent is hard to judge. Even songs like the international hit Love, Sex and Magic featuring Justin Timberlake do not require Mariah Carey circa 1990 vocals. Then you enter Groove City where Ciara's voice cannot be hidden or avoided. Her voice is fine on Keep Dancin' and Tell Me What Your Name Is, but when she pushes her voice too far is becomes harder to listen to, which is the case on I Don't Remember. She is clearly trying, which deserves respect, but this song just supports those who believe she should stick to fast numbers.

The lyrics fit those expected by today's artists. The emphasis is on catchy phrases that listeners' will remember on the first listen, not deep, moving words that will feel fresh in twenty years time.

Ciara drew in many guests, but possibly too many. Sometimes a duet suits the song, e.g. Ludacris on the operatic High Price and Chris Brown on Turntables, but at times the person seems to have been included just for the sake of if. The first single Never Ever is a prime example of this. The featured rapper Young Jeezy is not necessary yet he was included anyway. Ciara could have easily carried the song by herself, but it seems the record label did not have enough faith in her to let that happen. A woman who has been in the business for five years should not need support from six guests. One or two would be suffice, but six?

Despite the jumbled track list, overload of guests, and lack of strong vocal ability, I enjoyed this album and play at least two or three of the songs on a regular basis since purchase. Loyal Ciara fans seeking more Ciara from 2004/2006 will be disappointed because she has moved on.

Standout tracks: Tell Me What Your Name Is, Work, and Turntables.

Summary: Ciara successfully combines her past, present and future sounds for her third outing