FEBRUARY ALBUM REVIEWS

So far, 2011 is starting off to be a slow year for new R&B and Soul music. In January, only two albums of new material dropped, and one of those was five-song EP of remakes. And in February, there’s only three all-new releases: one by Ginuwine and two by artists who aren’t really full-fledged R&B crooners: British singer Adele, whose sophomore pop-R&B release drops near the end of the month; and Canton Jones, a Gospel artist who dabbles in R&B and Hip-Hop. The other releases are all compilations of music by Aretha Franklin,Smokey Robinson and others. For the full details, just look below.

ADELE – 21

The sophomore album by the 21-year-old British R&B/pop singer drops Feb. 22 in the U.S. via the Columbia Records label.

Tracklisting:

  1. Rolling In The Deep
  2. Rumour Has It
  3. Turning Tables
  4. Don’t You Remember
  5. Set Fire To The Rain
  6. He Won’t Go
  7. Take It All
  8. I’ll Be Waiting
  9. One And Only
  10. Lovesong
  11. Someone Like You

GINUWINE – ELGIN

It seems fitting that the only genuine R&B singer releasing an album this month is actually called Ginuwine. The latest project from this romantic heartthrob is due Feb. 15 via the Notifi label.

Tracklisting:

  1. Heaven
  2. Break
  3. What Could Have Been
  4. Drink of Choice
  5. Why We’re Fighting
  6. Body
  7. Batteries
  8. Kidnapped
  9. How Does Your Heart Forget
  10. First Time
  11. Frozen
  12. Busy (Bonus)
  13. Batteries (Remix)
  14. First Time (Remix)

CANTON JONES – DOMINIONAIRE

The latest from this Gospel artist with Hip-Hop and R&B flavor is due in stores Feb. 1 via Cajo Records.

Tracklisting:

  1. Already Gone
  2. Big
  3. Window
  4. G.O.D.
  5. In Da Club
  6. Worshipper (Urban Mix)
  7. You Have My Heart
  8. Necessary
  9. That Devil
  10. Beautiful
  11. All About the Kingdom
  12. When I Ride
  13. On the Run
  14. I’m Fly
  15. I Am
  16. He Reigns
  17. Be Healed
  18. Mother’s Prayer
  19. Hallelujah
  20. Worship You
  21. I Believe in Love
  22. Worshipper (Pop Mix)

ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL VOL.3: (DVD) Various Artists

This two-disc package includes highlights of the 2010 Essence Music Festival, which took place July 4 weekend. It’ll be in stores Feb. 1 via Music World Entertainment.

Tracklisting:

DVD:

  1. Janet Jackson – “Miss You Much”
  2. Mary J. Blige – “No More Drama”
  3. Trey Songz – “Say Aah”
  4. LL Cool J – “Doin’ It”
  5. Janet Jackson – “Love Will Never Do (Without You)”
  6. Monica – “Everything To Me”
  7. Keri Hilson – “Knock You Down”
  8. Raphael Saadiq – “Love That Girl”
  9. Gladys Knight – “If I Were Your Woman”
  10. Charlie Wilson – “Party Train”

CD:

  1. Mary J. Blige – “Love No Limit”
  2. Trey Songz – “Say Aah”
  3. Monica – “Everything To Me”
  4. Keri Hilson – “Knock You Down”
  5. Raphael Saadiq – “Love That Girl”
  6. Gladys Knight – “If I Were Your Woman”
  7. Charlie Wilson – “Party Train”

HIDDEN BEACH VOL.1: LOVE, PASSION & OTHER EMOTIONS – Various Artists

This collection of some of the best romantic songs ever released by the Hidden Beach label is due out Feb. 1, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Tracklisting:

  1. If We Were Alone (by Keite Young)
  2. Sweet Addiction (Tony Rich)
  3. Deep In It (Glen Scott)
  4. Not Like Crazy (Jill Scott)
  5. Fallin’ (Mike Phillips)
  6. Where Would I Be [The Question] (Kindred the Family Soul)
  7. Imagination/Crown Royal Suite (Jill Scott)
  8. Beyond the Stars (Jeff Bradshaw)
  9. Love and Paris Rain (Brenda Russell)
  10. Dedicate My All to You (Al B. Sure!)
  11. And That’s When You Love Me (Naturally 7)

ARETHA FRANKLIN – ARETHA SINGS THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK

This collection encompasses the best of the material that the Queen of Soul recorded while signed to Columbia Records back in the early-to-mid 1960s. It’s due for release by Columbia Legacy on Feb. 1.

Tracklisting:

  1. Little Brown Book
  2. Trouble in Mind (Mono Mix)
  3. Try a Little Tenderness
  4. It Ain’t Necessarily So
  5. How Deep in the Ocean
  6. Cold, Cold Heart
  7. Love For Sale
  8. How Glad I Am
  9. Skylark
  10. This Bitter Earth
  11. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive
  12. What a Diff’rence a Day Made
  13. Only the Lonely
  14. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody
  15. God Bless the Child
  16. Say It Ain’t So
  17. Are You Sure
  18. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)

SMOKEY ROBINSON – SOLO ALBUMS VOL.4

The fourth volume in the series of Smokey’s music without The Miracles is due out Feb. 15 via the Hip-O Select label.

Tracklisting:

  1. Why You Wanna See My Bad Side
  2. Love So Fine
  3. Feeling You, Feeling Me
  4. Madam X
  5. Shoe Soul
  6. Trying It Again
  7. Daylight & Darkness
  8. I’m Loving You Softly Where There’s Smoke …
  9. It’s A Good Night
  10. I Love The Nearness Of You
  11. The Hurt’s On You
  12. Ever Had A Dream
  13. Get Ready
  14. Share It
  15. Cruisin’ (Bonus Track)
  16. Get Ready (12-inch Instrumental Mix)

TEENA MARIE – ICON

Teena Marie died on Dec. 26, 2010, and already the first of what will probably be a few posthumous releases of her music is coming out. This greatest hits package comes out Feb. 15 via Motown.

Tracklisting:

  1. I Need Your Lovin’
  2. Behind the Groove
  3. Now That I Have You
  4. Irons in the Fire
  5. Portuguese Love
  6. Young Love
  7. It Must Be Magic
  8. Aladdin’s Lamp
  9. I’m a Sucker For Your Love
  10. Deja Vu (I’ve Been Here Before)
  11. Square Biz
  12. Fire and Desire

THE LOVE EP – Various Artists

In anticipation of Valentine’s Day, Atlantic Records and Elektra Records are teaming up to release a five-song EP of love songs by some of the labels’ top male artists. It’ll be available on iTunes and at the labels’ websites starting Feb. 8.

Tracklisting:

  1. Our First Time (by Bruno Mars)
  2. Sobeautiful (Musiq Soulchild)
  3. You Mean That Much to Me (Tank)
  4. Fool For You (Cee-Lo Green)
  5. Make Love Tonight (Trey Songz)

Twitt

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 at 12:00 am. It is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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