Rock & Rant-short and sweet bits on music industry related topics.

Here recently, I’ve been asked a few times to do a “Curious Case of” career analysis article on R&B/dance artist Ciara, whose been putting out records for almost a decade, but seems to have declining success. I can describe shortly what I think has caused this arguable decline, so I’ve opted to do a “Rock&Rant” instead. Caught in the wave of hip-hop’s major infiltration into R&B and the Billboard Top 40, Ciara came to us donned the “Princess of Crunk N’ B” in 2004 with the smash hit “Goodies.” Crunk N’ B was an R&B-influenced off-shoot from the rap sub-genre, Crunk. One would think being the face of a new genus would give Ciara a head-start on a lengthy and flourishing career, but this was the first nail in the coffin. Crunk itself had a short shelf-life in mainstream music; therefore, any of its by-products would go down with it, leaving Ciara to enter the murky waters of having to revise her sound before becoming an established act. She also had to shake her current image, which brings me to the second nail in the coffin.

Most artists have what I call a “blueprint” that they’re built from. It’s based on either their personal musical influence (ex. Usher was heavily inspired by Michael Jackson) or someone that their record label thinks it’s cool to emulate (ex. Jessica Simpson came off of the Christina Aguilera/Britney Spears factory line). I’m not sure who Ciara deems her influences to be, but it was clear her “blueprint” was Janet Jackson and the late Aaliyah (who was inspired by Jackson, herself), as she was a soft-voiced singer, but a skilled and trained dancer. Comparisons or resemblances only work if the artist matches or succeeds them in their own way. Ciara’s music lacked the depth and production sophistication of some of Jackson’s work (ex. “Rhythm Nation”) and her voice was weaker and more limited in range than Aaliyah’s. Additionally, anyone that seemed to mimic Aaliyah was immediately dismissed or criticized. Aaliyah is and was a sensitive subject as the beloved artist (especially in the hip-hop/R&B community) died at age 22 in a plane crash just 3 years before Ciara’s arrival. When you’re viewed as a lesser-version of another popular singer, it can be hard to make a lasting impact.

For “The Evolution” album, Ciara made a seamless shift from “Crunk N’ B” to R&B/dance and had a sexier image. The changes worked for audiences and “Evolution” went platinum in the U.S. Everything came to a screeching halt on the “Fantasy Ride” follow-up as her label, LaFace Records, took the saying “change is good” too much to heart. With Justin Timberlake & Britney Spears producers Danja & Dr. Luke in the liner notes, many felt “Fantasy Ride” was the most “pop” we’ve heard Ciara and that the album isolated her core R&B audience. Instant genre changes can be a killer. Furthermore, as the heat cranked up on her sexual austere, it got hard to swallow (or respect), considering she used to sing about how guys couldn’t easily get to her “Goodies.” The icing on the cake was seeing her dressed and acting like a rap video model in the music clip for “Ride” (featuring Ludacris) from her last album “Basic Instinct.” Although it got her back to her R&B/dance roots, “Basic Instinct” was, well, basic (see my review here). So there you have it: Ciara’s career is where it is because she was initially marketed on shaky ground and musically (and image-wise) moves like a rolling stone, lacking any foundational consistency. I doubt Ciara won’t go down without a fight, however, because from what interviews I’ve seen, she goes head to head with her label and is desperate for creative saliency. Let’s hope the new self-titled July 9th album gets her back on track.

Single Review.
Due to the subject matter of Kelly Rowland’s “Dirty Laundry” (in which she collaborated with The Dream), this review is going to be quite different from my usual; it’s more so going to address the content versus the music. The song being true to its title, Rowland reveals the sad and dark truth that she was victim of domestic abuse “almost 10 years ago (the time marker given in the song; former fiance` Roy Williams denied via Twitter that it is he she’s singing about).” She also discusses her career frustrations while Destiny’s Child group-mate, Beyonce`, thrived in the spotlight. It’s difficult enough to openly confront such pain without being in the public eye, so I commend Kelly for her bravery and I hope it inspires others to support a cause, speak out and/or leave their abusers. Vividly detailing specific altercations, conversations and the lengths she went to, trying to conceal her troubles, the track gives insight into the experience and mindset of the physically and verbally abused and can serve as an empathetic, educational tool. “Dirty Laundry” even points out the typical tactics of batterers, like social isolation and exacerbating things one is sensitive about: “He pulled me outside and said ‘Don’t nobody love you but me; not your mama, not your daddy and especially not Bey.’ He turned me against my sister; I missed you.” Musically speaking, the hard-hitting, but winding beat under Rowland’s emotional vocal delivery (sounds like a mix of anger and being on the verge of tears) makes for a very entrancing, memorable tune. I hope that the completed album, entitled “Talk a Good Game (scheduled for a June 18th release),” follows this introspective path as opposed to the tawdriness of prior singles, “Ice” and “Kisses Down Low.” Beyonce` discussed her broken relationship with her father and past miscarriage in her “Life is But a Dream” HBO documentary, Kelly’s sharing her abuse story and Michelle went public with her long-term struggles with depression. Guess reaching your 30’s is about shaking the pain and shame. Sounds good to me. Hear "Dirty Laundry" here.

Album Review.
Likes: Nightingale, In Case, Shouldn’t Come Back, Warrior
Dislikes: Heart Attack, Neon Lights, Really Don’t Care, Something That We’re Not
Overall: Disappointing, conformist and doesn’t do Lovato’s ability justice.

A decent singer-songwriter who could play both guitar and piano, Demi Lovato seemed like a burgeoning talent to watch with her first 2 albums, “Don’t Forget” & “Here We Go Again.” On 2011’s “Unbroken” however, it appeared her record label, Hollywood Records, wanted to take a different direction by significantly reducing Lovato’s writing credits and giving the album a mainstream-friendly techno-dance ambiance versus her usual pop-rock. On the new “Demi,” Lovato’s writing credit has been restored, but not without the help of a lot more people (an average of 14 writers & 8 producers more than “Forget” & “Again”) and the album is practically doused in electronic-dance effects. Just like JSaysOnline contributor Eddie J. stated in “5 Artists Only as Good as Their Producers,” when you add too many people to the creative team, it can ruin a perfectly working formula. Lovato may make it onto the Hot 100 Billboard chart (especially with tracks like “Neon Lights” that sound like a sampling of current hits), but the budding artistry that could make her formidable and give her longevity is in jeopardy.

“Demi” is so difficult to listen to. Musically, it’s over-produced and noisy; there’s so much going on. The sweet and simple melodies (sometimes with a gradual build-up) that made some Lovato tunes endearing (ex. Catch Me, Falling Over Me, Fix a Heart) are scarce. If we’re going to get noisy, let’s at least rock out (ex. Remember December).  Vocally, there’s a wearing over abundance of high-pitched emo-rock whines and squeals. The vocal richening and progress heard on “Unbroken” is best featured on “Nightingale.” Lyrically, Lovato tries to redeem herself and leave familiar traces of her writing style (ex. “Without the Love,” “Warrior”), but they get lost in the wash of songs that paint a picture of a high-school romance and all the adolescent reactions that come with it (ex. “Really Don’t Care). The fact that the same young woman who wrote “For the Love of a Daughter” (from “Unbroken”) is the same one who co-wrote “Heart Attack” throws me. I can’t figure out what was more of a reductive step; writing juvenile lyrics or the concept recycling (“Never Been Hurt” is identical to the “Unbroken” title track).

It’s so ironic how self-titled albums (particularly those released after a debut) are never worth the declaration and are no way indicative of who the artist is. Promoted as her “most personal album,” (even with a very symbolic cover) it’s twisted how there doesn’t seem to be much Demi on the record at all. “Demi” sounds like a compilation of demos for other or newly-signed pop acts. While in the early stages of recording, Lovato said in an interview that “fans can expect a less dancy, pop album. No dubstep for me; I'm good. I miss hearing real instruments on the radio...I want my lyrics to mature and my sound to mature just like I have." Hollywood Records clearly wasn’t feeling her on that. This whole thing reminds me of how RCA called themselves whipping Kelly Clarkson into pop shape on the “All I Ever Wanted” album after the rebellious “My December” didn’t move units. It’s also reminding of how Britney Spears’ “Circus” failed to tell the tale of her 2007 breakdown. Lovato sought treatment at a rehabilitation center for an eating disorder and self-harm, and was subsequently diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Aside from the hit “Skyscraper,” which is honestly a love song written before Lovato’s treatment, the revelations of that time have yet to be heard musically. Hopefully, Lovato will find her true voice again.

Album Review.
Likes: Can’t Get Enough, Agree on Goodbye, Let Go of My Heart, Take the Long Way Home
Dislikes: Microphone, Ayo
Overall: Nice return; good pop/R&B album. Doesn’t try too hard to be current & isn’t too stuck in the past.

When you’re a “boy band” from the late 1990’s that was formulated to make a quick buck and fizzle out, some might say it’s risky business releasing an album after a 13-year hiatus. The reality, however, is that 98 Degrees still has it and the groups that set your heart ablaze and made your adolescence stay with you. Which is why after all this time, now adult women are willing to open their wallets and pay to see 98 Degrees on “The Package Tour” with Boyz II Men and New Kids on the Block (who had a successful tour with the Backstreet Boys).

Because of their soulful influence and tight, classic harmonies, many argued 98 Degrees was vocally the best group of their era. Unfortunately, the new “2.0” doesn’t display this. The vocals are just as soft and smooth as before, but with the harmonies existing merely as support, the equilibrium between lead singer Nick Lachey and the other members is off. The feature of an acoustic version of the prior hit “Invisible Man” is the most true to the group’s signature sound. Speaking of signature sounds, usually when an artist has been around for a while or has been on a long break, the record label either relies too heavily on the old bag or tries to “update” the artist. Both extremes can turn out badly. In a rare case, “2.0” is a happy medium. After the poorly-written, cheesy, pointless EDM (electronic dance music) happy “Microphone,” all is well. Splashes of dub-step are matched with more traditional pop, R&B (love the Michael Jackson realness on “Can’t Get Enough”) and even hip-hop (“No Part of You”). Lyrically, for every shallow moment (ex. Girls Night Out) there’s an alternative (“Let Go of My Heart”). When all's said and done, I really enjoyed “2.0” and was pleasantly surprised. Welcome back, 98 Degrees.

Album Review.
Likes: Tonight, In Your Hands, Plastic Roses
Overall: Hardcore current pop lovers will enjoy it; doesn’t show off her voice as hoped

Note: I usually try to post reviews for new albums within a week of their release. I was unaware that Jessica Sanchez’s “Me, You & the Music” came out on April 30th.

If you watch “American Idol,” you likely were looking forward to an album from season 11 runner-up Jessica Sanchez, the youngling with a yet mature and huge voice. Now that her debut “Me, You & the Music” is out, was it worth the wait? Sadly, the answer is mostly no. I’ll explain why I use “mostly.”  If you keep up with popular music, you know that dance music is the hot trend right now. Out of all the genres, techno-dance is debatably the most basic and repetitive in pattern, not to mention it weighs heavily on effects (hence the “techno” title) versus instrumentation. That considered, it can be difficult to find melodic pleasure and showcase or give proper attention to vocal chops in that genre. Sanchez’s voice struggles to be in the forefront on this busy raucous of an album. I give the producers credit for trying to shake up the usual techno with rougher edges, urban embellishments and Prince (“Don’t Come Around”) and Elvis incarnations (“In Your Hands” might be a sample of “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You”), but the production is over-complicated and there are altering effects on Sanchez’s voice that aren’t needed. At times, her voice sounds lighter and thinner; very different from the soulful girth heard live on “Idol.” Some of the cuts are catchy in spots and have nice grooves, but they’re buried under all the extras.  You really want a moment where you hear Jessica just blow. The closest you get to it is “Crazy Glue” and “Plastic Roses.” “Glue” is based on a silly metaphor, which brings me to the lyrics. You can forget about it; nothing too stunning in that department. With a title like “Me, You & the Music,” you’d think you get something tender with a lot of, well, musicality. The album’s bubbly enough to be likable, but it defeats its own purpose by downplaying Jessica Sanchez’s powerhouse vocal. Oh, and Interscope Records could do a much better job promoting this album. 1 single was released just 1 month before the album’s release and Sanchez has appeared on few television and radio programs to push it. At least give the record a fair shot, Interscope. Geez.