Jagged Brilliance (Jagged Little Thrill - Jagged Edge)

Member Name: Lakerfanster

Product:	Jagged Little Thrill - Jagged Edge
Date:	19/10/07 (96 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great ballads,

Disadvantages: None

Introduction

I am a big fan of groups like Boyz II Men, Dru Hill and.. Jagged Edge. Jagged Edge are made up of twins Brandon and Brian Casey and Richard Wingo and Kyle Norman. I first heard of this group when I was searching on the internet a few years ago to find similar artists to Boyz II Men and Dru Hill and after downloading a couple of Jagged Edge tracks I really liked what I heard.

Jagged Little Thrill

This album comes from 2001 and was their third album after 1998's A Jagged Era and JE Heartbreak from 2000. This album contains a mix of their smooth ballads and their Jagged hip hop cuts as their name suggests. There are three singles off this album, they are Goodbye, Where the party at? and I got it. There are fourteen tracks on the album and here is my track by track rundown of Jagged Little Thrill.

Album Review

The Saga Continues opens the album with an introduction to Jagged Edge continuing from their last album JE Heartbreak.

Where the party at features Nelly and is a party track as you may have guessed. It has a very catchy melody and Jagged Edge outperform their collaborator Nelly very easily indeed.

Goodbye is next up and is one of their best ballads. It starts with a firm beat intro and develops with smooth vocals. This track has a great subject that is about a relationship ending. The song has a very conversational style and with emotive lyrics like
"Tell me Have you ever been in love
a situation where the best thing you could do
Was the hardest thing You've ever done (The hardest thing you've ever done) But you tried to do What's right
And I know deep down inside That I really wanna be
There by your side But I can't stand to see you cry
Not when it's because of me"

Cut Somethin is the fourth track on the album and is a midtempo hip hop song which features Rapper Ludacris. It isnt one of their best songs but has some nice melodies and beats. It's a very catchy track too.

Girl it's over is a slow song about a relationship ending. It's a common thing when two people just fall apart. This is one of their best ballads. An amazing harmony between the four that pins the track to your ears. Just listen to this track and you'll know the appeal of Jagged Edge.

Can we be tight is a midtempo ballad which has a great melody and some vocoder parts that work well. Brian and Brandon share the lead vocals in this song as they do in nearly all Jagged Edge songs. A great subject about trying to get back with someone you love.

I Got it was the least succesful of the three singles from this album. It features Trina and although it has a great beat and some nice hooks it just doesnt quite have that usual Jagged Edge spark although not a bad song.

Best man is a song that I really like, it starts off with a gentle piano intro and then once the vocals come in you think this is good and once a taut drum beat comes in it really draws you in and is one of the best songs on the album. A really emotive song about your partner cheating on you with your best friend. It's Been done many times before but great when it comes off.

Without You is another great ballad. It is about when you think you are losing someone you really feel for you would do anything for them. This song really comes through and their vocals sound fantastic alongside a deep bassline and nice melodies.

Driving me to drink is self explanatory really. A great hip hop cut which is about when a relationship gets you so frustrated with all the arguing. It has a very catchy meody and the music is top tapping to the extreme. A great club track.

This goes out features Big Duke and Joe Blak. It is a hip hop track with some great drum beats and melodies. One of their better up tempo songs they have done. An ode to their homies from the block.

Respect is a great track with a thumping drum beat and some nice guitar strums. The track is about giving props for the good men and having a go at men who hit their partners. Their voices sound so amazingly smooth on this track and they blend together so well.

Head of the household contains a moment when all was fine in Lakerland. when they say Shaq and Kobe. This is about being the head of the household and the teamwork with your partner to make the relationship. A wonderful ballad.

Remedy is a ballad which has a kind of hip hop feel. It is a very nice track with soft emotive vocals from Brian and Brandon especially. It doesnt have the spark as some of their other songs on here do but it is a great track.

.....BONUS TRACKS.....

There are three bonus tracks on the album that are available on the UK version. They are remixes of Promise and Let's get married from their JE Heartbreak album from 2000.

Let's Get Married (reception remix) This is a funky remix of the great Jagged Edge ballad. A very catchy track with a pumping bass. It works suprisingly well for a remix of such a legendary ballad.

Let's Get Married (Remarqable remix) This remix is with Jermain Dupri and has a great rolling beat and it's very difficult to choose which one is the best between the two remixes. Although not as good as the original version it is still worthwile.

Promise (Jermaine Dupri Mix) This is a wonderful remix that features backing courtesy of LL Cool J's infectiously catchy "I need Love" Anyone who knows that melody will know what I mean. Promise is a great ballad and this works really well proving Jagged Edge can do anything they work on.

Overall

This is a superb album and the remixes add to the attraction of the album. If you have heard those songs on their previous album then check out this album for the superb remixes. One of the best R&B albums of the 00's and I can't wait for their new album which is released very soon indeed.

Summary: Great album