00-mary_j._blige-stronger_with_each_tear-2009-gcp.nfo
p r o u d l y p r e s e n t s ..::
Title | Stronger With Each Tear
Genre | R&B
Source | CDDA
Format | Album
Label | Geffen Records
Catalog | 602527256542
Released | 2009
Ripped | 2015
When her debut album, "What's the 411?", hit the street in 1992,
critics and fans alike were floored by its powerful combination of
modern R&B with an edgy rap sound that glanced off of the pain and
grit of Mary J. Blige's Yonkers, New York childhood. Called
alternately the new Chaka Khan or new Aretha Franklin, Blige had
little in common stylistically with either of those artists, but
like them, she helped adorn soul music with new textures and flavors
that inspired a whole generation of musicians. With her blonde hair,
self-preserving slouch, and combat boots, Blige was street-tough and
beautiful all at once, and the record company execs who profited off
of her early releases did little to dispel the bad-girl image that
she earned as she stumbled through the dizzying first days of her
career...
"Stronger With Each Tear" first four songs are decorated like NASCAR
vehicles, with IDs from the Runners and Akon, Rodney Jerkins, Ryan
Leslie, Stereotypes, and T.I. all heard before the voice of Mary J.
Blige enters the mix. Sound logos and gratuitous self-serving plugs
from producers and guest MCs are nothing new in mainstream R&B, but
when an album by Mary J. Blige is dominated by them, in such an
extended succession, a longtime follower's minor irritation has the
potential to turn to low-level rage. And while it is also
understandable that the appearance of 2009 breakout star Drake on
"The One" will help boost sales, the disparity is glaring; the MC
was five years old when "What's the 411?" was released. Trey Songz,
featured on another track, wasn't much older.
Even when factoring these matters, "Stronger With Each Tear" is a
very good Blige album, if not a classic. One of her briefest sets,
it is tremendously (almost studiously) balanced between all the
ground she has covered so well before. That's no criticism, though,
since most of the songs are easily memorable and display so much
range. Those who detest "The One" on principle, for its use of
Auto-Tune, need only to forward to the album's final song, a quiet
and sparse throwback (to 40-plus years ago) production from Raphael
Saadiq in which Blige professes new love to chilling effect.
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01. Tonight (Prod. The Runners & Akon) 4:00
02. The One (Feat. Drake) (Prod. Rodney Darkchild Jenkins) 3:13
03. Said And Done (Prod. Ryan Leslie) 3:23
04. Good Love (Feat. T.I.) (Prod. Stereotypes & Ne-Yo) 4:01
05. I Feel Good (Prod. Stargate & Ne-Yo) 3:47
06. I Am (Prod. Stargate) 3:23
07. Each Tear (Prod. Supa Dups) 4:15
08. I Love U (Yes I Du) (Prod. Polow Da Don) 3:23
09. Hood Love (Feat. Trey Songz) (Prod. Bryan-Michael Cox) 4:15
10. Kitchen (Prod. C Tricky Stewart & The-Dream) 4:30
11. In The Morning (Prod. D'Mile) 4:35
12. I Can See In Color (Prod. Raphael Saadiq) 5:32
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and all rippers that have and continue to rip quality music.
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