By Odeisel
Faith has always occupied the fringes of fame. She’s always been recognized but not as recognized as perhaps she should; always outshined by the brighter luminaries with whom she was associated. Despite possessing superior vocal talent and writing a sizable part of her My Life album, Faith will always run second to Mary J in the hearts of the people. Although her success in music occurred earlier, Faith will always be connected with her brief, whirlwind relationship with the Notorious B.I.G. Now, all these years later, there’s still something about Faith that keeps us willing to listen and with her new album Something About Faith, she stands ready to return to those glory days while not dating her sound.
The title track, with extended strings and airy synth, brings that familiar feathery voice replete with her patented background vocal arrangements. The slow bump and low-key, running piano have her right in her familiar element. The frenetic strings that introduce “I Still” give way to a melodic tale of renewed love. Snoop Dogg continues his pop guest appearance run with “The Way You Move,” a rhythmic contemporary jam. His lackluster, cliché performance doesn’t elevate the song but it doesn’t hamper it either.
Producer Malik Pendleton concocts a hypnotic guitar string/bass keyboard driven work that fits Faith’s short-burst stanza arrangement perfectly on “Real Things” which decries attempts at showing love with the credit card.” Faith asserts “minimize on merchandise, maximize and realize the realness in life.” Amen.
“Gone Already” features a “Tender Love” similar piano and hand claps with strong drums supporting the high-powered ballad about a woman who has checked out of a relationship way before she actually says good-bye. The Friday night, just-got-paid-and-ready-to-party themed “Party,” featuring Redman is as expendable as the Snoop track but serves as ballad breaker. “Sunshine” livens up the album with digital synth and a dancing groove.
Ex-husband Christopher Wallace’s “Everyday Struggle” is interpolated on the Raekwon-backed song of the same name. The live band adds a fresh energy to the song and Rae’s verse closes the track on a perfect note.
Faith reunites with long-time collaborator Chucky Thompson on four tracks, the aforementioned Snoop duet, as well as the bouncy “Worth It,” the snazzily sexy “Your Lover (Part I & Part II)” which has a “Girl From Ipanema” meets new millennium R&B feel that rocks, and the California guitar-driven inspirational “Troubled World,” which features a lower pitched Faith with Kelly Price on backup. Thompson’s chemistry with Faith is still in effect, and none of the songs share similarities musically which is even more impressive.
The dithering soft soul of ballad “Baby Lay” delivers the essence of what makes Faith stand out among her contemporaries when it comes to well done, non-overwrought ballads; a fitting close to the album.
Something About Faith is a strong album that plays to her strengths as an artist. It is lengthened by a some filler, but a masterful job was done with switching up vocal arrangements and beats per minute so that the songs convey similar spirit but don’t blend together in sound. Whatever it is about her, you’re sure to get it on this album.
Faith Evans-“Gone Already”
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Faith Evans lives up to her promise of providing really fee-good music in her newest album. Her single “Sunshine” livens up her album with its dancing beat and good vocals.
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