Cons: Where was he this whole time? Come to America!!
The Bottom Line: Never before has America been denied such melodies grooves, heartfelt lyrics, and spine tingling glory as those wickedly flaunted by Craig David.
SirMontego's Full Review: Born to Do It by Craig David
Never before has America been denied such melodies grooves, heartfelt lyrics, and spine tingling glory as those wickedly flaunted by Craig David. Long hailed as the UK’s R& B sensation, David’s latest Album “Born to Do it” hits American stores July 31, 2001.
I feel like a six year-old two weeks before Christmas.
Born Craig Ashley David on May 5, 1981, he has sold more than 3.5 million copies in his eventful 20-year lifetime. The real question is “what took American’s so long to find him?”
Originally release on October 17, 2000, I first heard David’s music nearly six months ago in February of 2001. This “energetic, sexy, playful, sweet, brash, sensual, trippy, stylish, carefree, and party/celebratory” left me wondering if all UK R&B sounded like this, and if they did, “then colour me British!” (adjectives courtesy of allmusic.com). From an American ear, his music is as danceable as Usher, as smooth as the best songs on Boyz II Men’s II, as fun as Sisqo, all mixed in with a dash of R. Kelly’s earlier—and smoother—work.
Currently, the radio has just begun playing the first track on the album “Fill Me In”. Depicting the frustrations of a female teenager’s parent, the excuses of a teenage boy, and the inconsistencies of a daughter’s story about a boy, it’s a humorous, insightful, and an insidiously catchy song about life. “Now you're dressed in black when I left you were dressed in white / Can you fill me in? / Calls diverted to answer phone / Red wine bottle half the contents gone / Midnight return jacuzzi turned on / Can you fill me in?”
To say that the lyrics are stronger than the beats, or the vocals are catchier than the rhythm would be denying justice to the entire collection. David’s vocals are as smooth as the most finely tuned machine. Combine those with the collaborative efforts of the Artful Dodger’s Mark Hill and I’m stretched to find a single flaw in the album. I’ll even venture to say a cappella or instrumental, the songs would still sound fabulous.
Other radio friendly songs include “7 days”, “Rendezvous”, and “Walking Away”, but by far the best song is “Can’t Be Messing 'Round”. Messing 'Round continues the fast paced and danceable R&B feel of Sisqo’s “The Thong Song”. It also incorporates background violins, cellos, and bass with a myriad of the standard hip-hop instruments. Put simply, he made a better “Thong Song” without imitating Sisqo. He does though, give reference to the “Thong tha-thong thong thong”.
At the risk of alienating this reader, this album is better than the first half of Keith Martin’s album “It’s Long Overdue”. If you have never heard it, I highly recommend going out and listening to tracks 1-7.
If I have too many good things to say about this album, its simply because I have been listening to if for months and am happy to hear that I’m not some lone freak listening to underground foreign music. This album will easily be remembered as one up to par with the Boyz II Men’s II and one which could perhaps get played and requested to death on the radio. I really do hope the radio spares this one. Please?
At age 18, the Southampton, England-based Craig David became the youngest British male ever to score a number 1 hit, when his debut solo single, Fill ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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