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About TR from USA: L4L

Michele re the punctuation after Money (44,325) by TR from USA Hahahaha, my friends and I decided the ($*/...) is the drunk title, LMAO. She was wasted with the "nostalgia" banter on Dedicated. It's hilarious. (Friday 30 May 2014; 22:49)

To The Floor, OOC, Money, etc. (44,324) by TR from USA I feel like maybe post-Butterfly there's been that one song on each album that bothers me, and TTF was it on TEOM. I just omitted it completely from my TEOM playlist. I forget that it's even on the album now lol (I've also omitted OOC from E=MC2, Did I Do That from Rainbow, Last Night A DJ... is fine, much better than these other ones I'm listing, but it's the one I probably like least on Glitter, You Got Me from CB, and Inseparable from MOAIA). Get Your Number came close to being that way too. I'm still not very crazy about it. And I'm thinking Money is going to be the one I omit from this one. But I appreciate that there are fans who love those tracks, and it supports that MC tries to put something on her albums for everybody. These are just more often than not the tracks that are borderline-underground hip-hop edgy, whereas I prefer to get a certain residual pop feel from her urban tracks - Thirsty and Migrate being great examples. When she goes to the edge of where I expect her sound to go, (TTF, OOC, etc.) I just don't go with her haha. I personally was just never attracted to the beat/melody of TTF and OOC, which is often my first draw followed by vocals then lyrics. But again, I appreciate that they're "marmite", and not for everybody. She's multi-dimensional, I'm not gonna expect every song to be Migrate, Dreamlover, or WBT (I'm not the biggest fan of Last Kiss, Love Story, or I Stay In Love - except her notes at the end). (Friday 30 May 2014; 22:38)

Money and lyrics (44,314) by TR from USA Money: She said this was one of her favorites on the album. Does she know that she only has one verse and just repeats it twice, and the hook? Feels like it belongs on a Fabolous album. To me, it's one of the weakest ones. Like To The Floor. Skipable. Lyrics: Has anyone heard anything about us getting the lyrics? I look forward to those and the liner notes half as much as the music with each album. She's doing a lot of ad-libbing on this album and I really want to know for sure what she's saying. It's important. (This is what makes me think she's going to re-release it later this year, with lyrics and extra songs. At least I hope so, but we clearly can't rely on Def Jam.) (Friday 30 May 2014; 16:17)

Randy (44,240) by TR from USA I'm not going to completely disagree with you. I do think MC gave the fans what we wanted. There is a song for each of her billions of fans on this album, and I love that it's a walk through R&B from the 60s all the way to now. I think it's one of the best urban albums she's done, production-wise, outshining E=MC2 and Memoirs IMO. Cry alone does that. In terms of lyrically poignant songs, yeah, Cry tries, but is a little bit weird. (Why would you want to hold each other until you break down in sorrow? "Guess it's selfish of me to just expect that I'm internally happy" - huh?) But the delivery of those lines... phenomenal. Supernatural, her singing "and the beat goes" along with Roc, and her belting notes from here to heaven. Phenomenal. MILG is missing a verse from Stevie (I mean how can you have Wale smothering YDKWTD, but you throw The Stevie Wonder a friggin harmonica?), but it's phenomenal anyway. She's drunk at the start of Dedicated, but it's smooth anyway. If there was one, Camouflage is lyrically in the vein of Petals and Sunflowers. Bottom line, sounds like she had fun and freedom to play. It certainly doesn't feel as rushed as Rainbow did with all those interludes, and Ex-GF, and Did I Do That, haha. Call it a throwaway for the label or whatever, the concept and production are A+. It's definitely as strong as Emancipation (except I do feel she didn't connect with OMT, and the wailing on Heavenly was all over the place and a bit too much for me). (Thursday 29 May 2014; 3:59)

Cry. (44,049) by TR from USA I completely believe that this song is the best thing I've heard from her vocally since Lead The Way. This song is brilliant. There is no other song on the album in my opinion that has the depth of emotion like this one, and I find it remarkable that while ordinarily a song like this would close an MC album, this one opens it. I honestly think that's why I'm slightly underwhelmed with the rest of album (don't get me wrong, the production is miles above E=MC2 and MOAIA) - she starts out on such an incredible vocal that there is just no surpassing it with the remaining 13+ songs. Cry sounds like its meant for the 60s/70s. The whole album is just so amazingly retro, rolling the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 10s into one great package. And I love reading comments here where people say certain songs feel like some obscure cut from Emotions or Mariah Carey or Music Box (Meteorite gives me a bit of the Daydream Interlude or Fly Away Interlude). She studied herself for this one, and for that I really, really appreciate her effort (I won't comment on One More Try ). (Friday 23 May 2014; 22:36)

The Elusive ChanTour (43,742) by TR from USA Watch, that'll be the title, and it'll be appropriate because it'll be Christmas and folks will be like "Where is it?" Lol. (Saturday 17 May 2014; 3:21)

Unpopular opinion? (43,649) by TR from USA You know, I've had Thirsty on loop for the past three days, and I gotta say, I like it the best out of every single she's released since Don't Forget About Us. #Beautiful was amazing, but for me it still had too little MC on it. It felt like a Miguel song. But about Thirsty, this beat is just nasty, and it's a hybrid of current and throwback. That hook is giving me late 90s like nothing else right now. The bass line in it feels like old school So So Def. Her ad-libs are full voice and playful, the whispering/cooing is minimal, her Flo-Jo running over the hook towards the end was olympic and much too short. I replay her laugh after "oh you a G now?" dozens of times per listen. Its not a girly 12 year old giggle. It's a hot, mature woman. Sure, I want some amazing lyrics, but this one is fun and sassy and the lyrics fit with the beat, so I will not complain. I think she nailed this because it gives us current and throwback. For it to get spins on radio it has to appeal more to the younger crowd, and they're feeling this. Those of us who were with her from the 90s probably aren't listening to the radio like they are (I don't at all because this EDM junk is trash IMO, and whatever it is passing for hip hop nowadays has sodomized real R&B). I'm fairly critical when it comes to new MC music, and I'll tell you if I think it's bad (I didn't care for TAOLG vocally or melodically; Triumphant.. we all agree there). I think she wins with Thirsty. (Thursday 15 May 2014; 18:58)

Re Damizza (43,645) by TR from USA Personally, I think it makes the song even better when we can speculate who it might be about. Nobody will probably ever really know for sure if Thirsty is about Damizza, but I find it that much more an enjoyable song to think that it might be - particularly the small background part becomes cuter where she giggles (again, perfect use) before and after "you're a G now," like she's saying "aww, that's cute". Sure, he nailed Crybaby and I Still Believe and all three hundred of those incredible ISB remixes - especially Pure Imagination, but I mean really, who is Damizza now, and what can he do about it but ride the wave? It'd really be giving him and his brand a boost of publicity. I'm not worried about him Emineming this situation. If his ego swings the other way and he gets cocky, let him have it. Makes him look even thirstier. (Thursday 15 May 2014; 17:09)

Okay so who is Thirsty about? (43,539) by TR from USA Eminem? Lol. But seriously. I can imagine it's about Nick, but probably not haha. Definitely ain't about Derek, Luis, or Tommy. (Tuesday 13 May 2014; 18:12)

Thirsty (43,528) by TR from USA I love it. I need to see the lyrics, but I love the beat/production and vocals (especially the last note). The hook sounds straight out of the 90s. I feel like this album will be full of radio friendly songs. That's what she needs to push this era. Emancipation and Butterfly were both loaded with them. Anyway, can't stop listening. Great work MC. (Tuesday 13 May 2014; 17:05)

Re: Trish and Billy (43,495) by TR from USA Trish, I completely agree with you about Butterfly comparisons. Her writing was much deeper I think prior to the Walter fallout. I also agree with you about There For Me (and I'm adding Lead the Way). Billy, thanks for pointing that out. I just realized the Barry White credit on the original It's A Wrap. I'm just hoping she gives us new vocals and a sick beat for it. Would be great if JD gave it some 90s So So Def flavor, in my opinion. He nailed that HATEU remix sample. Could have done without at least one of the two rappers (OJ). (Monday 12 May 2014; 23:46)

Writers on MIAMTEC (43,488) by TR from USA I notice Barry White is listed as a writer on the It's A Wrap rehash with Mary J. I wonder if she interpolates a line like she did in We Belong Together or if it's a remix that samples a Barry White song - you know how Jermaine D. does. Either way, that should be interesting. Also, so far I'm not impressed (surprisingly) by Darkchild's contributions to this album. He was the one I was most excited about when I heard they were working together. Walter A. is not listed as a writer on any of the new songs, but wiki (I know it's not a credible source) lists him as a partner on this. I really hope that means he co-produced One More Try, and not just one of the throwaway tracks. (Monday 12 May 2014; 19:32)

Background vocals - Butterfly (43,484) by TR from USA I think her background vocals on the Butterfly album were the best she's ever done. All throughout that album, she had just the right amount of subtle and hidden vocal flourishes - specifically on Beautiful Ones, Fourth of July, and Breakdown. (All of her "I don't wanna break down" runs mixed with BTnH's are like a maze - you just start spiraling within them. Beautiful.) It wasn't dramatically overdone (a la My Saving Grace, as much as I like that song, and much of what she's done lately i.e. the video announcing MIAMTEC title). I feel like back then the backgrounds were deliberate and almost written into the track whereas post-Rainbow they've grown and became kind of a safety net for live performances so she can pick and choose what she hits. Also, I love when she line drops previous songs in newer ones. I literally just noticed she added "okaaay so it's 5 am" (from Crybaby) in the background of Impossible, right after she sings "Love you like it's 5 am and I'm off work." And then she giggles a little (and I'll admit sometimes the giggling gets on my nerves, but this one was seductive and like a little wink to the true fans who caught that). And of course we all know she line drops from The Roof into Lullaby. Any others? (Monday 12 May 2014; 19:22)

One More Try (43,404) by TR from USA I'm crazy excited and nervous at the same time for the George Michael cover, and I'm hoping she doesn't go overboard with any background vocals. It would be beyond amazing if Walter co-produced this with her (aren't they re-teaming?), and they at least partially used an orchestral arrangement, and she isn't whispering and cooing all over the place. This song doesn't need incessant high notes, or flourishes, or layering. It's going to take a massive amount of soul to bring this anywhere close to where George had it. Of course, I wouldn't trust anyone else but her to do this song justice. (Remember back in the late 90s when that girl group Divine remade it? No one else does, either.) But basically, it would be perfection if this carries the same quality production as how she and Walter handled "All Cried Out" for Allure. Fingers crossed, and I'll try my best to lower my expectations a bit haha. If she'd done this during the pre-Butterfly era, #1 with a bullet no doubt. Now... ehhhh. Excited regardless. And 6:21 gives me hope that she's not rushing through it breathlessly (TAOLG), but nurtures those incredible lyrics with heartbreaking, haunting chest vocals (think Petals). Give me Without You/Open Arms/Beautiful Ones even Bringing On The Heartbreak-style on this. It could be a single for sure, and bring George on tour to turn out a surprise duet. (Friday 9 May 2014; 21:07)