jarrylf Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I didn’t really notice or care about Aaliyah until Are You That Somebody in 98 with Doctor Dolittle, then again with Try again and Back In 1 Piece, then with her next and final era, We Need A Resolution GOT ME, and it’s like Try again really taught me her name, WNAR said she’s my type of musician and that I’ll enjoy her in the most part….naturally I was so sad to find out that wasn’t gonna be true. I HURT when she died, like I cried and I felt it and I know/knew exactly why, when I get into a aartist, I get into them, I check for their interviews (especially back in the days before I had the internet or my own computer for that matter), and I was really enjoying Aaliyah and really saw things coming from her and really dug her vibe and her image. And it broke my heart that that this young talented girl who I had just discovered was gone. The blessing for me in her death is it really gave me an excuse to get on her old catalog, and discover the many changes in her sound. Interesting fact, she was my 1st concert and I didn’t even know it, I remember her, but I honestly didn’t care, I forgot the exact situation but I know it was 95 or 96, and I wasn’t there for her, I was there (with my fam) for the opening act, I didn’t know who she was or the songs she was singing, but I knew she was pretty and wearing white, and sunglasses, and I don’t think it was after One In A Million the single, but I remember my mom knew her and had her tape, and she still talks about that . Age Aint Nothin But A Number, very good debut in my opinion, and 1 of my most fave albums by her, R.Kelly really went to work on this album, and it works. What was brilliant about her is that tho she didn’t have a Monica powerful voice, she didn’t sound like a kid (the way Brandy did, which isn’t a put down) but she sounded like a young women at age 14. I LOVE LOVE LOVVVVVVVE Back & Forth, Age Aint nothing But A Number I like both of the versions of At Your Best, I love No One Knows, Throw Ya Hands Up, Young Nation, and Street thing. I think Street Thing is her most absolute most underrated song to date, like I love it so much more than The One I Gave My Heart To, and I think this song shows her range best. Of the MANY albums and artist by teens to come out in 94&95 I think this is the most underrated, I honestly love this more than Monicas debut, but not as much as Brandy’s, I think this era should’ve been more successful than it was, but she got her hits and name out there from it so it is what it is. One In A Million, I love the album, but I didn’t when I 1st listened to it, and I know fans REALLY love it and dig it but I never really LOVED loved this era that way, ever. I grew to really like it recently like within the last….4yrs. But I do like AANBAN more. But for what it is, by itself it’s growth from the debut, image and soundwise, she looked and sunded even more mature and you got more of her in the album than you do of AANBAN, I consider this like her “Control”, wheres with AANBAN you get mostly R.Kelly’s influence, wheres this 1 you get her style and all the producers that contributed not just Missy & Tim. My picks from this album are definitely the single choices, along with Everythings Gonna Be Alright, Girl Like You, and Choosy lover. 1 thing I will say that I like about this era and can appreciate, is that it’s a perfect mix of the hardness of AANBAN, and the softness, sweetness and more feminine look of the Aaliyah era. Romeo Must Die Soundtrack, for those who forgot I will include compilations, live albums, and soundtracks when they have at least 3 newly recorded songs. So that justifies this but not Dr. Dolittle. I think it as a HUGE era for her, with that movie, that song and this soundtrack (which is a great soundtrack, but I think and always thought she stole it). I really kinda wish it was a Bodygurad type of soundtrack where she or DMX did majority of the songs, and just consider it 1 of or both of their albums. But I love all 4 of her songs and think they all should’ve been hits, I LOVE Are ya Feelin Me, I love I don’t Wanna, but I’ll be honest that it wouldnt’ve made a real big commercial release. But I don’t know Why Come Back In 1 Piece didn’t BLOW UP on the charts (both pop & R& because I heard it on the white and black stations a lot (White peoples loved they DMX in those days), so for it to not be a top 10 on pop & R&B radio is a mystery to me honestly. Aaliyah, hands down my favorite era and album, its like a Janet album, to me, I love it, from the 1st listen of We need a Resolution to that HOTTTTT and sexy video, I knew the album was gonna be amazing. And I was right, I think I like every song on the album. I love Rock The Boat, More than A women, Never no more, I refuse, I can Be, Loose Wrap and It’s Whatever, but I care For you…..that song….. that song is so god damned special, classic and unique, I LOVE it I LOVE IT TO DEATH, its brilliant, and so soulful, and them harmonies slayed, like I said, personally she gave me a Janet album in my opinion, and I care For You was a big part of that. I Care For you, I loved it when it was new but today I think they left THE BEST unreleased stuff off like The Things I like and Giving Up Is Hard To Do. But for what it is, I was really happy that finally she had the soundtrack songs on a album, so I get to talk about Are you that somebody, which when I was little I thought was Janet before I saw the video, and it was before I was a Janet fan so I couldn’t really tell (come to think about it at 1st VERY 1st listen I thought Try Again was janet too). I didn’t like that they also left off the jewel Journey to the past, which was nominated for a Oscar! Among other greats. But I LOVE Don’t Know What to tell you and Miss you. Can I come over…..not so much, I like it, but it don’t do much for me lol. BUT I LOVE the remix to Got To Give It Up on there too I think her discography was headed down the path of legendary, and it was cut right before it blew up. And I just think it’s so sad because she would’ve fit in so great today, and would’ve slayed so many things and became bigger than her 90’s peers. That’s just my opinion. And the potential I saw (In the span she was out I do wish there were at least 1-2 more albums and eras, but she did quality not quantity, so I aint mad at her. My Ranking 1.Aaliyah 2.Age Aint Nothing But A Number 3.I Care For You 4.Romeo Must Die 5.One In A Million Honorable mentions, the Your Body's Calling remix with her SLAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYS my life, and it's so creepy that they sound so in love and he was old and she was 14 when she recorded that. My previous installments of Discography chat Alicia Keys- TLC- Toni Braxton- Paula Abdul- Missy- The Spice Girls- En Vogue- Destiny's Child- Mariah Carey- Whitney Houston- Ludacris- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9324-discography-chat-ludacris/ Mary J. Blige- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9148-discography-chat-mary-j-blige/ Jill Scott- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9179-discography-chat-jill-scott/ Jennifer Lopez- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9206-discography-chat-jennifer-lopez/ Outkast- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9083-discography-chat-outkast/ Erykah Badu- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9107-discography-chat-erykah-badu/ Christina Aguilera- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9007-discography-chat-christina-aguilera/ Britney Spears- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9048-discography-chat-britney-spears/ Ciara- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9130-discography-chat-ciara/ Other members installments Common- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9378-commons-discography/ The Black Eyed Peas- http://planetjanet.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/9201-discography-chat-black-eyed-peas/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Wonder Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Aaliyah is probably the most overrated artist of the 90s next to T_C. I am here for her first two albums though, esp the latter. When "4 Page Letter" came out, that's when I really started to notice her. I remember her "Back And Forth" days, but at the time I was investing my time in Janet (circa 1994). Her "At Your Best" cover is DEFINITELY better than the original. Her "Choosey Lover" cover is cute, but it's not touching the original in the slightest bit. I remember her being quite popular when OIAM came out. "Hot Like Fire", the Timbaland remix, was my favorite video and song from her at the time, and still remains to this day. She has a few classic songs, which isn't a surprise - "One In A Million", "Back And Forth", "If Your Girl Only Knew", and more or less "Are You That Somebody". I listened to her third album a couple months ago, and I still don't see the hype. OIAM > that. But "Slay The Boat" is definitely one of my faves from her, "We Need Revival" still slays, and "I Care 4 U" is such a magical song. I'm more or less here for "More Than A Woman", but moreso the video. Aside from the albums, "I Don't Wanna" and "Try Again" are my other faves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrylf Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Another common Bey stan opinion about another underated person, not suprised, disapointed, but not suprised 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SloLove Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I like Aaliyah but she wasn't the saint everybody tries to make her out to be...but Aaliyah was my fav album Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janetDAYZ Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Musically and easily the most daring and innovative chick out of her peers. Aaliyah is HANDS DOWN her best album. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboy06 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Aaliyah>>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedElegance™ Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Aaliyah falls in line with everything I love about '90s R&B. The opening bars of 'Back & Forth' take me straight back. Her contemporaries may have won out with vocals, and even looks, but artists like Brandy and Monica were never seeing Aaliyah's presence. There was something so fluid and confident about her work on record as well as on camera. However, ironically, Age Ain't Nothing But a Number hasn't aged well at all. But at the time it was a great introduction - and it probably still serves as one now. I just have to be in the right frame of mind to play it. The fact that she was SO young escapes my memory a lot of the time. I really only use the album for B&F and her gorgeous and understated cover of 'At Your Best'. As a whole, though, it's just too dated for my taste. As quiet as it's kept, One In a Million is one of the most groundbreaking albums of our generation. All credit will forever go to the Aaliyah album acting as a touchstone for the urban pop grooves polished to perfection by the likes of Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, but the truth is it can all be traced back to OIAM. It was born in a time when Missy Elliott and Timbaland were still discovering their own identities in R&B, and I think it served them all the better having artists as green as Aaliyah and Ginuwine along for the ride. The production on OIAM, Supa Dupa Fly, and The Bachelor changed R&B. In fact, more than that, it changed music. The impact spread so wide that indie acts ranging from Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Gossip have cited the albums and sounds as inspiration - the latter even covering 'Are You That Somebody?' as a B-side. Even in 2012 appreciation for the era is apparent - just last month Ed Sheeran put his own spin on Ginuwine's 'Pony'. As an album it's honestly nothing spectacular, it just represents spectacular chemistry - not least on the flawless 'If Your Girl Only Knew'. Other faves are the title track, '4 Page Letter', 'I Gotcha' Back', and her Slick Rick-assisted cover of Marvin's 'Got To Give It Up'. Aaliyah is essential listening, imo. I'd like to say that it's not partly because she died, but I just couldn't play that album without a new set of ears. Her death emphasized every song, every note. Then again, every song and every note was vital to that album. She'd perfected the balance of light and dark played out on albums one and two, and she'd grown into her looks. 'We Need a Resolution' will never grow old to me. The fact she put her trust and belief behind such an un-single-like single always stood out to me. You know it didn't sound like a hit, but she had to show off the fruits of that dark and twisted labor. How easy would it have been to kick things off with 'Rock The Boat'? Nope, she didn't want it that way. She had to serve us with the epic red lips and live snake adorning her neck. And I loved her for it. It's that broodiness and intensity weaving through almost every track that makes it so heavy for me. 'Loose Rap', 'I Care 4 U', 'Extra Smooth', 'U Got Nerve', 'I Refuse', all exquisite. I can't fault that album, right down to the cover and font I think it's a stunning piece of work. What can we wonder about Aaliyah that we haven't wondered before? Probably nothing. It opens the door to too many naysayers who will tell you she's only popular because she died. But fuck that. Trajectory shows that she was bigger and better with each release, her soundtrack cuts were incredible ('Are You That Somebody?' and 'Try Again' are two of the greatest in my lifetime), and her star was undoubtedly still on the rise. It's nice to think all of that would've continued but we will sadly never know. As with Michael and Whitney, I've learned to be thankful for what she gave us in such a short amount of time. Seven years, people. That's all we got. My ranking... 1. Aaliyah 2. One In a Million 3. Age Ain't Nothing But a Number 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*~WhitePicketDreams~* Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 No need for a Discussion: Aaliyah > End. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSimba Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 The Aaliyah album is definitely my favorite but I'm gonna give my runner-up AANBAN a vote just to spread the wealth a bit Rundown from the beginning... Although Age Ain't Nothing But A Number sounded like part two to R. Kelly's 12 Play (since he produced it), it's still great R&B album on its own. I have to give a special mention to "Street Thing" ... absolutely amazing beyond words. The way it switches key and then they start singing "You can climb the highest mountain..." - that's my favorite Aaliyah ballad and one of her best vocally. The title track is my next favorite and I of course dug both big singles "Back and Forth" the remake "At Your Best (You Are Love)." I distinctly remember all 3 of those singles when they came out, so they've left a strong impression with me. One In A Million was a strong sophomore release; she showed some growth here. It was a great idea to usher in a new sound, working with Timbo and Missy, for the start of the late 90s. Lots of solid tracks (and some filler i.e. "Ladies in the House" ) - but every single released from the album was on point: the title track and especially "The One I Gave My Heart To" (another great vocal) and "4 Page Letter." "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" and another great Isley Brothers remake "Choosey Lover" are my favorites of the non-singles. Oh yeah, and the Marvin Gaye-remake "Got To Give It Up" with Slick Rick. The ballad "Journey To The Past" from the Anastasia soundtrack deserves a mention, and of course gotta give it to "Are You That Somebody" from Dr. Doolittle. That's my favorite music video from her, and she looked very classy in it. I haven't heard Romeo Must Die in full, just the 4 Aaliyah tracks (as well as the 1 Ginuwine track) - all good stuff. Now the Aaliyah album is my very favorite album of the decade 2000-2009. It's near perfection, and I say that regardless if she had passed on or not. I think I already briefly reviewed it a while back, but again... the sound was very diverse and still ahead of its time today. It would be so exciting if more R&B albums were as adventurous as this. "We Need A Resolution" is a great opener. "Loose Rap" is bananas! "Rock The Boat" is my all-time favorite - a perfect summer song, but it also makes me think of heaven for obvious reasons. Some of the other highlights for me were "More Than A Woman," "I Can Be," "It's Whatever," and "What If." Even the bonus material that didn't make the cut is some pretty amazing stuff. Everyone Timbaland, Static Major, etc. put a lot of hard work into this project, and a brilliant product was realized. My main criticism with I Care 4 U is that I wish it was more of a proper hits collection--even though all of her albums are worth owning - still, it's nice to get a good feel of her discography if you're just getting into her music. "Miss You" is my favorite of the unreleased songs. That was a nice tribute video too. So overall, Aaliyah had an excellent, consistent run while she was here. personal ranking (+ plus favorite) 1. Aaliyah ("Rock The Boat") 2. Age Ain't Nothing But A Number ("Street Thing") 3. One In A Million ("The One I Gave My Heart To") 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SloLove Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Why do y'all type so much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrylf Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Why do y'all type so much? Because the whole purpuse of Discography chat is you talk about what the artist, each album and era meant to you and the singles, the look, etc. It's not manditory but it's expected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SloLove Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Because the whole purpuse of Discography chat is you talk about what the artist, each album and era meant to you and the singles, the look, etc. It's not manditory but it's expected I don't read posts when people type so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrylf Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 I don't read posts when people type so much OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSimba Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Why do y'all type so much? I'm usually told what I write is too short *feels accomplished* Thank you for that lol This is a quick summary of what I said: Her debut was good, so was her followup, and her last album was amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrylf Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 I gotta say I love the love for Age Aint Nothin But A Number, I thought most people pushed that aside for One In A Million Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janetDAYZ Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedElegance™ Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Why do y'all type so much? Why do you type so little? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slave Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 THE SELF TITLED ALBUM, YES YES AND YES! CAN WE PLEASE DISCUSS HOW EPIC "I REFUSE" IS? OMG. BELONGS IN A MOVIE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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