LyricalLesson Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 It's just amazing how the bulk of this 11 year old album still sounds so current to me. I just revisited it again after not hearing it for quite some time, and I feel compelled to talk about it in depth. One of the last times it was brought up on the board, sometime last year, I found out that it was one of Dayz' favorite albums and I said we needed to talk about it sometime. IMO, it's one of the most complete female R&B albums since the turn of the century, and it just gets better with age. Let's start with track 1: "We Need A Resolution" I'm going to wait for others to chime in first, because I don't want to feel like I'm talking to myself. But let me start off by saying that I believe WNAR is my favorite Aaliyah track of all time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 WNAR is my favorite Aaliyah track of all time. [2] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet.Xone Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 The video, choreo, vocals, lyrics, the haunting feel of the song, EVERYTHING was on point with it. & the look she gave to the camera at the end: OMFG!!!! At one point, though, she looked like Golden Brooks in the video Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EphraimAdamz Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 close this thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu. Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 OH!!!! Plus 1 just for making this thread! This album to be is just pure perfection! I'm going to come back to this tonight as I'm writing an essay regarding this album on Microsoft Word now LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrylf Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 We Need A Resolution is just mindblowing on all levels for me, and hottness on all levels, the vocals, the instrumentals, the lyrics, the song as a whole, the video as a whole, and the dance routine. Did she ever perform it on stage? Like I know she did More than a Women but I cant think if I remember her performing WNAR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I love the album, more than a woman, we need a resolution still sound so fresh to me. I loved the video for more than a woman too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Love this album. WNAR was my jam. I bought the album the first day it came out. Never No More and I Refuse are the standouts for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Love this album. WNAR was my jam. I bought the album the first day it came out. Never No More and I Refuse are the standouts for me. I love I refuse too. I need to get this album again - someone borrowed it a few years ago and I never got it back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utopia Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 How can anyone talk about the album without mentioning What If Loose Rap Extra Smooth It's whatever More than a woman I Care For You the album is amazing. What If is the type of track that i see Janet and Aaliyah doing together. I love the lyrics on this album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utopia Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 (Soo) He got line for line wasting my time (Ooh) Running round tryin' to catch my eye (Eye) Disturbing my groove, tryin' to be smooth (Ohh) Get the boot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I thought the album was mediocre until she died. Then I paid more attention to it, and enjoy a few songs like More Than a Woman and Rock The Boat :wub: And I Miss You... except, I think that was on that other cd that came out after she died Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailey Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I thought the album was mediocre until she died. Then I paid more attention to it, and enjoy a few songs like More Than a Woman and Rock The Boat :wub: And I Miss You... except, I think that was on that other cd that came out after she died yes Rocco the Boat....LOVE THAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyricalLesson Posted May 6, 2012 Author Share Posted May 6, 2012 The first time I heard "We Need A Resolution" in its entirety was when Aaliyah visited MTV's TRL to debut the video. I remember being completely hypnotized by what I was hearing, and seeing. The dark, tantalizing, out-of-this-world sounding instrumentation was matched with equally tantalizing vocals. The song's subject matter is obviously not terribly unique, but the manner in which it is sung puts it in a whole 'nother league when compared to other singles released around the same time frame. Vocally, the song is so complete: strength and softness, vulnerability and confidence, top notch harmonization and absolutely unmatched adlibbing -- all is shown, all delivered with a haunting, otherworldly yet angelic tone. Not even a remedial and corny rap by Mr. Mosely could ruin this high-end diamond of a track. The video... there are very few videos in the HISTORY of music videos that are more sultry and seductive. Scene after scene, Aaliyah absolutely melts the camera, some of the most stunningly beautiful images I've ever seen. The gothic princess face shots, the snake pit scenes, the scenes with her wearing her shades, and the scenes where she's traveling in the metallic space orb -- on a scale of 1-10, she was easily a 15. Words cannot express how much in love I was with her entire aura when I first witnessed this video. WNAR may be THE song that best shows how current the sound of the album still is. It could be released today and still sound fresh, it's not dated by any means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu. Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I wrote a lot...I accidentally pressed the 'x' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selz Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Loose Rap is the song that tends to pop up in my head from time to time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu. Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I seriously can’t explain how much I love this album. It truly is one of my favourite albums ever. I read this online once and I wholeheartedly agree! “Aaliyah isn't just a statement of maturity and a stunning artistic leap forward, it is one of the strongest urban soul records of its time.” How true is that? I honestly feel like “Aaliyah” was her Control moment. The street but sweet Aaliyah we knew had blossomed into this mature young woman and this album is testament to that. I wonder how the album would have sounded if Timbaland had more input to it. Like the album is already perfect as it is…what would it be like if more Timbaland was on it? We Need A Resolution – an amazing opening to an album! Seriously this sone is totally dope. The beat, Arabian sample, sexy vocal delivery and mesmerizing tone of the song is perfection. The video was fucking awesome too! That snake scene is just HOT! Loose Rap – this song is a total shadefest ! “Talk smack behind my back but then when you see me You try to come up and talk to me [Don't talk to me]”. YAS! You better sing, Aaliyah! This would have been an awesome single had things gone to plan. Rock The Boat – one of the sexiest sex songs ever. I’m actually surprised it was allowed on radio back then because let’s face it – it was rather saucy . Then again folks weren’t as uptight about that stuff back then lol. Honestly this is one of my favourite songs of all time. The video is hot too! It’s such a shame it’s what killed her but I know she’d be proud of it especially since her heart and soul went into this. It’s just so hot and sexy and seductive and tranquil. More Than A Woman – the first song by a female artist to tope the charts posthumously. The first posthumous single by any artist to knock off another posthumous song in chart history. Even non-Aaliyah fans could tell you what this song it. It was really big in the UK at that time. The video was amazing! Every video this era was on point! I think this song is perfect. Never No More – when I first heard the album this was a song that I had to repeat over and over. I used to imagine myself singing it to the people that used to beat on me. At that time I had hoped it would be released as I felt like the message had to get out there. I Care 4 U – Amazing. Mind-blowing. Spine-tingling. one of the best ballads…ever. Aaliyahs haunting vocals on this is just purely brilliant. I can’t believe it was recording during the OIAM sessions. Missy did the damn thing on this. I always imagined the video to start with Aaliyah sitting on a sofa in a dark broken down NY apartment wearing a fur coat with tights, and a red hat. Similar to this: But with straight hair and no hat. Then she gets, up and walks out of the building through an alleyway…it’s dark outside. She enters into another building. Then it cuts to her sitting on a sofa with that same fur coat but this time in a subway. Then it’s back to the building Aaliyah was entering before…except this time she’s singing on a mic in a smokey room at a jazz club. Her hair is straight and she’s wearing a long shiny black dress, looking similar to this: And that’s it for the rest of the video with shots back at the subway scene every now again. The video ends with her at the subway on the sofa welcoming her ‘beau’ and they embrace. Extra Smooth – another shady song !! I swear this would have been a great single. I just love it. It’s fun, bouncy and so catchy! Read Between The Lines – I love the latino/samba feel to it. The vocal arrangement is pure fire! U Got Nerve – this was an instant favourite when I first heard it and I thought it would be a single. This would have worked well on ‘pop’ in 2001! The attitude in this song is FIERCE! I Refuse – wow. I don’t even know what to say. This song has one of the best buildups in a song ever. Aaliyah sounds so beautiful on this! I always thought this video would be set in a period Victorian time setting…similar to Downton Abbey but it wouldn’t be a single…just a video for fans. I think this song is smartly produced. It’s so slick and it truly makes my heart race every time I hear it. It’s Whatever – such a sweet summery song. “If I’m a drink, you’re my lemon squeeze” ! Once again she sounds beautiful. I often find myself putting this in a ‘cant get to sleep’ playlist. It helps me relax. I Can Be – I used to struggle telling what Aaliyah sung on this ! This song is hot! Not many people sing about wanting to be a mistress lol! It’s very “Queen of the Damned”! I think it would have fitted in that movie. It’s nice to see Aaliyah switch into a completely different direction now. Those Were The Days – another fun, light song ala Extra Smooth. I always move my shoulders to this and dance or something lol What If – Another great R&B/metal/rock song. I fucking love the guitar on this! I would have loved to have seen this live! There’s so much attitude and ferocity. I fucking love it! Messed Up – A nice bonus track. The chorus is dope as fuck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyricalLesson Posted May 6, 2012 Author Share Posted May 6, 2012 I wrote a lot...I accidentally pressed the 'x' Ahhhh man...sorry bout that that ranks high up on my "worst s*** that can happen while on the computer" list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyricalLesson Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 I seriously can’t explain how much I love this album. It truly is one of my favourite albums ever. I read this online once and I wholeheartedly agree! “Aaliyah isn't just a statement of maturity and a stunning artistic leap forward, it is one of the strongest urban soul records of its time.” How true is that? I honestly feel like “Aaliyah” was her Control moment. The street but sweet Aaliyah we knew had blossomed into this mature young woman and this album is testament to that. I wonder how the album would have sounded if Timbaland had more input to it. Like the album is already perfect as it is…what would it be like if more Timbaland was on it? We Need A Resolution – an amazing opening to an album! Seriously this sone is totally dope. The beat, Arabian sample, sexy vocal delivery and mesmerizing tone of the song is perfection. The video was fucking awesome too! That snake scene is just HOT! Loose Rap – this song is a total shadefest ! “Talk smack behind my back but then when you see me You try to come up and talk to me [Don't talk to me]”. YAS! You better sing, Aaliyah! This would have been an awesome single had things gone to plan. Rock The Boat – one of the sexiest sex songs ever. I’m actually surprised it was allowed on radio back then because let’s face it – it was rather saucy . Then again folks weren’t as uptight about that stuff back then lol. Honestly this is one of my favourite songs of all time. The video is hot too! It’s such a shame it’s what killed her but I know she’d be proud of it especially since her heart and soul went into this. It’s just so hot and sexy and seductive and tranquil. More Than A Woman – the first song by a female artist to tope the charts posthumously. The first posthumous single by any artist to knock off another posthumous song in chart history. Even non-Aaliyah fans could tell you what this song it. It was really big in the UK at that time. The video was amazing! Every video this era was on point! I think this song is perfect. Never No More – when I first heard the album this was a song that I had to repeat over and over. I used to imagine myself singing it to the people that used to beat on me. At that time I had hoped it would be released as I felt like the message had to get out there. I Care 4 U – Amazing. Mind-blowing. Spine-tingling. one of the best ballads…ever. Aaliyahs haunting vocals on this is just purely brilliant. I can’t believe it was recording during the OIAM sessions. Missy did the damn thing on this. I always imagined the video to start with Aaliyah sitting on a sofa in a dark broken down NY apartment wearing a fur coat with tights, and a red hat. Similar to this: But with straight hair and no hat. Then she gets, up and walks out of the building through an alleyway…it’s dark outside. She enters into another building. Then it cuts to her sitting on a sofa with that same fur coat but this time in a subway. Then it’s back to the building Aaliyah was entering before…except this time she’s singing on a mic in a smokey room at a jazz club. Her hair is straight and she’s wearing a long shiny black dress, looking similar to this: And that’s it for the rest of the video with shots back at the subway scene every now again. The video ends with her at the subway on the sofa welcoming her ‘beau’ and they embrace. Extra Smooth – another shady song !! I swear this would have been a great single. I just love it. It’s fun, bouncy and so catchy! Read Between The Lines – I love the latino/samba feel to it. The vocal arrangement is pure fire! U Got Nerve – this was an instant favourite when I first heard it and I thought it would be a single. This would have worked well on ‘pop’ in 2001! The attitude in this song is FIERCE! I Refuse – wow. I don’t even know what to say. This song has one of the best buildups in a song ever. Aaliyah sounds so beautiful on this! I always thought this video would be set in a period Victorian time setting…similar to Downton Abbey but it wouldn’t be a single…just a video for fans. I think this song is smartly produced. It’s so slick and it truly makes my heart race every time I hear it. It’s Whatever – such a sweet summery song. “If I’m a drink, you’re my lemon squeeze” ! Once again she sounds beautiful. I often find myself putting this in a ‘cant get to sleep’ playlist. It helps me relax. I Can Be – I used to struggle telling what Aaliyah sung on this ! This song is hot! Not many people sing about wanting to be a mistress lol! It’s very “Queen of the Damned”! I think it would have fitted in that movie. It’s nice to see Aaliyah switch into a completely different direction now. Those Were The Days – another fun, light song ala Extra Smooth. I always move my shoulders to this and dance or something lol What If – Another great R&B/metal/rock song. I fucking love the guitar on this! I would have loved to have seen this live! There’s so much attitude and ferocity. I fucking love it! Messed Up – A nice bonus track. The chorus is dope as fuck! :clapping: -- +1 -- you went INNNNN on this lol! I dig your track by track analysis, I agree with a lot. And I'm feeling your video idea for "I Care 4 U" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyricalLesson Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 Track #2: "Loose Rap" Upon first listen of LR, I wasn't exactly a huge fan of it, never really gave it a chance. I thought it was just okay, 'pleasant filler' if you will. So it was always a song that I would skip when listening to the album...for years. Last year, I felt compelled to listen to the album straight through for the first time in quite sometime. Maybe it's due to a changed taste in music, or maturity -- but this time around, I really fell in love with it. LR is smooth and breezy, and it oozes confidence, the lyrics and delivery are in-your-face in a direct, yet ladylike way. "Too many times I hear you try to knock on my crew, boy I got somethin' for all the fools, it ain't just Rhythm & Blues" Because of all the years of neglect, this song was something like a new release to me, so it was burnt on several mixes and actively played on my mp3 player for the better part of last year and early 2012. I will say though, LR is one of the few songs that sound a bit dated to me. Regardless, I'm glad I gave it a second shot, albeit after several years. It just makes an already complete album, even more superior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedElegance™ Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 I strongly agree with everything you guys have said already - there's really nothing I could add. I'll say that the second you press play and 'We Need...' starts to unfold then the tone is set for the rest of the record. Quite simply, I've always thought the album was the balance of light and shade perfected. It's a mood album, and everybody involved did an outstanding job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSimba Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 One of my favorite albums of the millennium. Her first two albums AANBAN and OIAM are great, but with this album she took it to another level. It gets extra points from me for the incredible diversity of musical styles. This will sound weird, but I love when music creates profound visuals. With this album, I hear ancient temples ("We Need A Resolution," "Loose Rap") and tropical rainforests ("Rock The Boat") throughout. (Maybe it's because I'm a synesthete lol) "Loose Rap," "I Can Be," "It's Whatever," and "What If" are some of the tracks that especially stood out, and "Rock The Boat" is my all-time favorite Aaliyah song! Very solid body of work all around, even some of the tracks didn't make the cut ("Steady Ground," "Givin' Up"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboy06 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 It was a different sound for her and you can tell that she wanted to delve deeper into other genres of music. It wasn't forced and it felt genuine. I wish we could have seen where she would have taken us musically. She was evolving and I'm sure she would taken risks instead of playing it safe. My faves: "We Need A Resolution" "More Than A Woman" "Rock The Boat" "It's Whatever" "I Care 4 U" "Those Were The Days" "What If" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janetDAYZ Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Whether one wants to discredit Aaliyah's impact and/or contribution to the music world, can be a debateable topic but what cant be debated is that the "Aaliyah" album was undoubtedly a young woman(ahead of her time and sound) making a masterpiece full of promises and not only did she DELIVER on those promises but withthis effort she also showcased growth,fearlessness,and edge. Brandy nor Monica have an album that can even come CLOSE to what this album showcased. Afrodisiac was cute try but NO CIGAR..I'm afraid. The album is so fucking organic it satisfies every craving you could possbly have.Its truly something for everbody. I could talk about how this album is better than anything THEN or NOW ALL DAY...but I digress...lol. this is the FIRST album that made me listen to music in a different way than I ever had before (inside OUT,if you will).Not ONE thing about that album sounds dated or 11 year old..AT ALL. The album has no expiration date and seems as though it never will. I love the WHOLE entire album collectively but "I Can Be" is my absolute FAVORITE for so many reasons...we'd be here all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Baby Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 How can anyone talk about the album without mentioning What If Loose Rap Extra Smooth It's whatever More than a woman I Care For You the album is amazing. What If is the type of track that i see Janet and Aaliyah doing together. I love the lyrics on this album "Lose Rap" is my jam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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