Who is Jill Scott? (Who Is Jill Scott? - Jill Scott)

Member Name: Starshine_lady

Product:	Who Is Jill Scott? - Jill Scott
Date:	08/11/09 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wonderful Jazzy hip-hop infused neo-soul sounds, great production and awe inspiring lyrics

Disadvantages: Hardly any except that one or two songs have aged slightly.

This debut album from Jill Scott is a neo-classic soul master piece. The 'Jiltro' introduces us to the artist as over an old school hip hop beat as she talks about how she loves to write both poetry and sing. Many would have already been familiar with Jill Scott before this formal introduction into the mainstream(ish) music industry as a spoken word poet on the Philly underground circuit as well as having toured with the Roots and added vocals to an additional version of their prolific 'You Got Me'.(1999) which she also co-wrote.

The best thing about this album is that it is heavily influenced by Scott's spoken word background and paints vivid pictures in the mind. Her words are telling a story and welcoming us into her world. I actually feel like I am sitting in her living room with her when she is confronting an ex-girlfriend of her current partner in 'Getting in the Way'. I envision walking down the streets of philly when she sings 'A Long Walk'. I can also see a plate of toast and two scrambled eggs lain out in front of me when I listen to 'The Way.' Scott is a highly reflective and skilful poet and lyricist. That teamed with her amazing vocal abilities is what makes her stand out from other artists within her genre. Listening to her album is like watching a stage play or film, such is the way she paints pictures with her words. We feel her exact sentiments, her emotions and her passion seeping through the melodic tracks and she definitely gives 100% on each and every one of them. She is definitely in love on this album!

This album is definitely a classic. The only thing I would say is that in my opinion whilst every single track on the album is definitely valid, One or two have aged. 'One is the Magic' is insightfully written and would still sound great live. However I feel the production on this one slightly dated now. The same could be said for 'Watching Me' although this could be disputed as its sound could now be considered vintage rather than dated.

I adore Jill Scott's debut. The sound is heavily reliant on Jazz and old school hip hop overtones alongside spoken word which I feel really set Scott out from the rest of the Neo-soul artists at the time, whose music is generally more reliant on a 70's soul/funk feel.

Summary: A classic debut from Jill Scott where Spoken Word and superior vocals weave songs into narratives