reviewed by Shardae Jobson
In contemporary R&B, Amerie is one of the most overlooked and dignified singers of the genre. “1 Thing” is likely to always be her signature song, but Amerie previously and continues to make some really great tracks that her peers would otherwise destroy—and not in a good way. In Love & War is her fourth album, and despite the release of two pulsating tracks (“Why R U” and “Heard ‘Em All”) the singles didn’t garner as much attention as they should have. The thing with Amerie is when she hits the mark, her songs are fantastic. Towards the end of the album, some songs are a bit of a dud, but her latest work further displays her versatility in both vocals and music that don’t exactly come across as random either for this singer.
The opening loud and proud drum beats of “Tell Me U Love Me” sounds like a bonus track off her third release Because I Love It, which is her most consistent album and of course was not released in the U.S. officially. Music execs have proven to us time and time again they don’t know what they’re doing when it comes to their artists. Not only should that album have been available, the duet track from In Love & War, “Pretty Brown”, featuring the It Boy of R&B right now Trey Songz, would have been the perfect first single, and arguably the best one on the album. It is a revision of the song “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)” by ‘90s group Mint Condition, and does not disappoint in its 2009 rebirth. In a perfect music world, “Pretty Brown” would win a Grammy. The aggressive soprano tone of Amerie with Songz’ smooth, sweet nothings voice is an excellent match in duet heaven and deserves perpetual repeats. This song should be spun in the clubs and have a smoking hot music video to boot. No need for big words or phrases here. This song is the one.
Amerie is keen on consulting the tribulations of being in love. She sings of the flirtation that propels two people to come together and the agony of when all of a sudden, love is nothing that it promised (shown a little livelier but simultaneously darker, like on the track “Higher” with its “Trampled on Foot”-esque guitar riffs). There is a sincerity in her voice that is not as audible in some of the other R&B girls (aside from Keyshia Cole) which gives her a personable appeal, not so solely based on being ostentatious in presentation, but interestingly seems to be her downfall in getting more attention.
“Swag Back” is another brave stand-out, a “broken-heart don’t fit no more” jam, while “More Than Love” featuring Fabolous is breezy but honest. Amerie always comes across as the kind of girl that seethes when underestimated and delivers when she truly lets go as showcased in “Heard ‘Em All”. It’s fast, choreography-tinged, with prove yourself, once and for all lyrics. “Red Eye” is another tune that recalls Because I Love It, specifically the song “Crazy Wonderful”, and is sexy and relaxing.
As an undertone of the album, it seems that Amerie is aware she is not as blown-up as her peers, and In Love & War is her confident reprisal. Her sophomore disc Touch that featured “1 Thing” was her one big hit, and with her latest, she wants to show an industry she’s not another long-haired hottie that could easily grace the cover of a men’s magazine. Even the album’s artwork is taking chances, with watercolor splashes of red, white and black, and freedom poses declaring she’s here. However, what makes Amerie great also doesn’t make a full-length album feel complete at times. Songs like “Dangerous” and “Different People”, though opposite in sound, both feel a little sparse.
Then there’s one of the last songs on the album titled “The Flowers” that may deliver a yawn from a listener. Amerie is best when experimenting with her likeness of old school funk and go-go fun music. She especially shines when she gets her Kelly Clarkson-on and acknowledges she’s wasting tears on an absolute loser—but she’s only human—and instead of trying to save the love, at least wants some answers before she says goodbye, executed so well among the old school hip-hip beats on “Why R U”.
Amerie certainly has the ability to be a bigger star, and maybe with better promotion and a harder push for recognition, as the lyrics she so boastfully sings on the first track: “I’m going to make you love me. I’m going to give you what you never had until you’re always thinking of me”, here’s hoping Amerie is given a chance to glow in a industry that maybe doesn’t understand love or war when it comes to music.
This album gets: three stars and a half
original post written with peace, love and hair grease
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