cletta1201's Full Review: Brave * by Jennifer Lopez
My love for all things Jennifer Lopez knows no bounds and it wouldn’t be right to talk about this album and not say that to you. I’m not so delusional that I don’t know that as a vocalist Lopez has her limits so in so many ways it’s knee-jerk and easy for critics to consistently pick her apart for that. I know that some people find her hackneyed and vapid and that’s okay – different strokes for different folks. One thing you can’t take from Lopez (or as I affectionately call her Santa J.Lo of The Block) is her ambition.
Despite the loud roar of criticism about her aforementioned vocal ability (or lack thereof depending on your point of view) and a personal life that is constant tabloid fodder, Jennifer Lopez continues to work and work hard and that’s gotta count for something, right? Brave is Lopez’ 6th full studio album in almost as many years (not including J To Tha L-O: The Remixes).
As objectively as possible I must say that she has never sounded better. Pop music, and particularly pop music that leans itself more towards dance is definitely a safe bet for those who lack powerhouse vocal ability (Britney Spears, Madonna – yeah I said it) and it seems that in listening to Brave, Lopez has learned her limits. She knows how to use her voice to the best of her ability and the music is stirring. It won’t make you want to save the world, but it will almost without doubt make you smile and appreciate Lopez’ growth as an artist.
One of the things that I find completely interesting about Lopez is that her music always seems to be a reflection of where she’s standing in her life. Part of me finds that point slightly endearing and a little silly. Brave is really an album full of love songs set to dance music. It appears that Lopez wants you to know that not only is she in love, but she plans on staying that way. ”Stay Together” is one of the album’s stars. A Latin-tinged homage to sticking a relationship out it feels kind of autobiographical: “Don’t Sweat the little things wake up / Stay together / It's the new break up /Everyday I think how we done it / Every way that we can keep lovin' / Toe to toe / So strong and on and on / We up and runnin' / Not a day goes by without dreamin' / Not A Thing Goes Out Just Keep Reachin' / Through The Storm We Stay Warm And On And On / We Keep On Lovin'”
”Do It Well”, the album’s lead single and “Hold It, Don’t’ Drop It” are classic Jennifer Lopez. They are big sound, thumping bass-line, blaring horns and catchy hooks. Slicker than slick, they call to mind the Lopez that so many fell in love with while she danced her way across every tv screen in the county. “Gotta Be There”, ”I Need Love” and ”The Way It Is” are mid-tempo, breezy R&B songs. ”The Way It Is” is vocally very pretty, slightly stripped down – it’s not all glitter and effects and compare it to anything on Lopez’ first few albums and you’ll see a marked difference.
”Never Gonna Give Up” holds a lot of promise with its beautiful string intro but Lopez is not really a balladeer. It’s not that the song is bad (it’s actually quite lovely), but more so that you imagine that it could have been so much more sung by someone else with a bigger voice. This brings me back to the key word for Lopez: ambition. Regardless of if Brave goes on to sell 1,000 copies ore one million, it’s a solid album where she takes a few risks – particularly vocally. Most of them time, they pay off and sometimes they make you cringe a little (”Forever”). As cheesy as it may be (and I know that it is), Brave is probably the most apropos titled for this album. Kudos to Lopez for looking naysayers in the eye and being just that.
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: Getting ready to go out
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