Tlc - Fanmail
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Free Music Notes for Fanmail
Free Music Review: Hands down for TLC, another success!!
Hit: 5 Stars
TLC is a group with a lot of experience in the music industry, and this acquired maturity shines on their third album, "Fanmail". It's their new and twisted style of hip-hop R&B that clearly shows a lot of effort in the strong, smooth musical and lyrical outcome. Many of the songs are fast-paced, fun songs, but TLC also mellows out to put their heart into a few slower ones too, and a few of the songs have an electronically-altered feel. All around it makes for a great mix, and the best TLC album yet. I've had this CD over a year and it still hasn't grown old, and I doubt it'll start anytime soon. Here's a quick summary of each song:1. Fanmail: What the CD's all about - the fans; pretty good song, a little slow in the beginning (starts off as an intro) but gets a little more into it throughout - 8.5/10
2. The Vic-E Interpretation (Interlude): Not much to say cuz it's just an interlude (extremely short too); some culture
3. Silly Ho: This song ROCKS!! expresses TLC real strength in bounce-beats and cool lyrics. Proves that TLC are NOT like today's typical music "silly ho", they just know their stuff - 10/10
4. Whispering Playa (Interlude): another interlude, kinda funny
5. No Scrubs: You've all heard this song, so you know what I'm talkin' about. It's real, out there, and the message comes across with the kind of crisp clarity that only TLC can master on these subjects - 10/10
6. I'm Good At Being Bad: Another one of the real highlights on this album. TLC keeps it tight especially with Left Eye's rap, good alternating soft/loud. Great song to be the longest on the CD - 10/10
7. If They Knew: Continuing the streak of faster songs, this song also has a great beat and cool lyrics, but without as much in-your-face; still great - 9.5/10
8. I Miss You So Much: First real slow song, but it's a pretty good one. I'm not as much into the slow songs but this one's a sweet love song - 8/10
9. Unpretty: This song has great classic guitar playing and the hook chorus we all love. Great message that's painfully but still singably (is that a word??) well-sung - 9.5/10
10. My Life: My personal fave - it's really catchy and again Left Eye shines in her rap, that's what it's all about. Explosive - 10/10
11. Shout: Like "My Life", it's got a catchy hook and a tight rap, the kind of song that makes TLC, but the topic's a bit fried. Last of the great songs - 9.5/10
12. Come on Down: another slow song, I don't like this one as much. It makes TLC vulnerable and to me it doesn't demonstrate their real style, still listenable though - 7/10
13. Dear Lie: Also slower, but with more depth to it. It was released as a single but didn't see much success, but is has some potential. In the beginning it sounds like #8 - 8.5/10
14. Communicate (Interlude): Interlude so whatever, it has some point to it but I'm not so sure it's worth it
15. Lovesick: This song seems to be pretty popular, but in my opinion it's missing a little substance. The digital remastering may have been a mistake, but the beat's still good and the hook's catchy - 8/10
16. Automatic: I think this song's cool, the title really fits the song. Kinda robo-ish new techno style - 9/10
17. Don't Pull Out On Me Yet: Also a little slow and the lyrics are lacking. For such a great album they really should've gone out with a bang - 7/10
Even with the few weakpoints on this album, when I listen to the CD I don't skip a single song, I just listen straight through. It's fun to sing along with. In my opinion, Left Eye's raps are the best part because it wraps up the song and keeps it tight, but it's only in moderation or else it'd turn into a rap CD. I think anyone could listen to this CD. If you're new with TLC and you're trying to figure out which album to start with, I recommend this one. I often listen to rock music too, but TLC just does something for me and I hope it does for everyone. As for the slower tunes, just give them time and they grow on you. Trust me, you won't be disappointed - just one hour and you'll be hooked!!!
ps. Rest In Peace, Left Eye
Free Music Review: Fan Mail: The Return of TLC
Hit: 5 Stars
Fan Mail was released in February 1999, a long 4 and a half years since 1994's Crazysexycool. This time, they decided to go for a more futuristic sound in R&B, and decided to dedicate this album to their fans, after receiving so much fan mail from them in their long absence. Before this album came out, there were rumors of TLC breaking up, but fear not it wasnt true. They faced a lot in the media, with their bankrupcy and other problems they were facing.The album starts with the title track, Fan Mail, and we are introduced with a new voice, that is Vic E a computer generated voice. The harmonies are still tight as ever, TLC is back. The song even features Left Eye in an interview clippet at the end, where she talks about the fans. There is a Vic E interlude, then the fun song Silly Ho, which shocked a few people because TLC was now using profanity in some forms. Another interlude at the club, and then the very big hit No Scrubs, which is awesome only I complain because this is the version without that Left Eye rap.
The album continues with one of the most controversial songs by TLC called Im Good At Being Bad, which is perhaps one of their songs that uses the most profanity. If They Knew is a nice song, with a great rap by Left Eye. With the next track we are introduced to the first ballad, a stunning song called I Miss You So Much, with Chilli on main vocals.
Unpretty, the second single follows, which was a huge hit and showed people they should believe in theirselves and not get caught up in how they look or what people say. My Life is a really great song, with an excellent rap by Left Eye. Shout was the fourth single, only in the UK I believe, but its a great song. Come On Down is a Diane Warren penned song, which drips just like honey from your speakers with those beautiful vocals by Chilli.
Next is a beautiful song, another ballad, which was the third single, and my favorite song, called Dear Lie. A very personal song, very beautiful. T-Boz shines on this one. Didn't do well on the charts but forever will be one of my favorite TLC songs. Another interlude, then an intersting song called Lovesick which uses a phone as a background to the song. Automatic is a really good song too, with nice harmonies. Don't Pull Out On Me Yet is a nice album closer, some consider it to be the sequel to Red Light Special.
Overall this album is something that cant be missed. I for one think the long wait was well worth it, Dallas Austin and LA Reid produced one hell of an album, and it was so nice of TLC to make this album and dedicate it to the fans. A must have!
Free Music Review: I'M GOOD AT BEING GOOD!
Hit: 5 Stars
TLC's third release, FanMail, was a project that meant a lot of things, 1) the return of the girls after the smashing hit CrazySexyCool, 2) getting paid finally, 3) conquer many personal problems. Saying that FanMail was a very emotional record for Tboz, Chilli, and the late Left Eye, this talented girls were heading in the right direction, FanMail is the living example on how to make an album after another that seem to be unmatchable, FanMail do not use the same formula as CSC, but it reaches the high quality of the an enyojable record. Thank God for TLC. The title track FANMAIL is an ode to their fans, where they state the we and they are just the same, "cos they feel lonely too", midtempo, SILLY HO a cut that got inot radio weeks before NO SCRUBS, has a pretty uptempo beat, and as the whole album clever lyrics. NO SCRUBS, the first single, although the record do not host the superb version with Left's rap, is one of the most original get off my face song ever release. I'M GOOD AT BEING BAD, the third single in R&B and Urban outlets, a highlight between all the tracks, so bumpy, such a stomper track, singing about how can you get with me, if I'm like this, great song, IF THEY KNEW, this is a song about how can anyone love you if you're like that, another stomper jeep ride track, I MISS YOU SO MUCH, first slo jam, the title say it all, about what the song is about, UNPRETTY, an anthem to self-likeness, you should like yourself no matter what other people say, this is a great uplifting song, without sounding cheesy or corny, well done. No wonder was the second track of this album to achieve #1 status on the Hot 100. MY LIFE, yes! live it how you want it, cos it's your life, another be yourself track, less impressive than Unpretty though. SHOUT get on the bass again, this is song that make you SHOUT!, COME ON DOWN, a sexy, slo track, impressive, DEAR LIE, don't know about the opening Dear Lie, You S..., well, never agree that this song was release as a single, but, never said it was a bad song, it's an average one. Slo jam. LOVESICK, this song has the clever lyrics we all love, great song, midtempo. AUTOMATIC, urban track, one of those stickin' songs. easy to sing along. DONT PULL OUT ON ME YET, well the slo jam closer, a hidden message in it. Great closer. FANMAIL achieve what it was meant to be a Top Urban album, without any filler tracks, that you can play on your Stereo, and get a free ride into many human sensations, an album that would be remember as a great comeback for TLC in 1999.Free Music Review: It's no crazysexycool but is is crazy and sexy and very cool
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been a fan of TLC the greatest trio in the world for years -3d is great, I loved the tlc tip and of course every one loved crazysexycool - the album of the 90's and after years of no TLC they returned with Fanmail - not their best album out of the four but still amazing and it still finds its way into my CD player after all the years since it was released as do the other cds they have made. Anyway here's my review:1 - intro - quite good but not the best intro they've done - best being crazysexycool followed closely by 3d 3/5
2 - silly ho - this song rocks! great club song, great sound, as usual, by T-Boz and great TLC message and victual Vic-E adds a cool and stylish touch - songs like this make u realise how cool, how talented, how intelligent, unique and great TLC are! 5/5
3 - no scrubs - best song on the album and one of the best they've released - what about ur friends, waterfalls, creep and red light special are others in the top 5 6/5
4 - i'm good at being bad - i love this song - great to dance to and left eyes rap is amazing 5/5
5 - if they knew - this is an okay song but not the best on the cd and i usually skip it 3/5
6 - i miss u so much - this is a very nice tearfully emotional song - T-boz sounds really good on this track and the words are brillaint 5/5
7 - unpretty - nice positive song - every one knows it 4/5
8 - my life - i like this song - good to dance to and left eyes rap is good 4/5
9 - shout - this song is very good - easy to dance to, i just have to hear the intro and i'm dancing - sounds really good and as usual left eyes rap is amazing! 5/5
10 - come on down. i love this song - chilli sings it and shows of her beutiful voice, which we should hear more often. can't wait 4 her solo effort. this is a very soulful mid-tempo ballad kind of song and is great to chill to. 5/5
11 - dear lie - another great song, the words are great and T-boz sounds brillaint. i really like this number - 5/5
12 - lovesick - okay song but nothing too good 4/5
13 - automatic - same as above really but not as good 3/5 - the album seems to go down hill after dear lie
14 - don't pull out on me yet - kind of like come on down but not as good - 2/5
overall good cd - all TLC fans will like it. Not as smooth or sexy as crazysexycool - more upbeat songs like the tlc tip - worth buying!
Free Music Review: First Rate
Hit: 5 Stars
First I want to say that I am a 50 year old white man who looks like a Country Music fan. Why say this? ....because today's music product is marketed to different diverse groups by radio stations that only play what their market people tell them to play , and all of us are neatly packaged into clique groups who are supposed to listen to what the rest of our peers listen to. In other words, I'm not supposed to be a TLC fan. When something really good comes along, it is called a "crossover" to signify popular appeal, proving my point. In the music business there is an old axiom that says, "There is no such thing as a country song, only a county singer, -i.e. that the song is the heart & soul of a recording. If there is good material in the hands of a talented artist, there will always be a good product. This is rare in today's music business. TLC could have followed the lead of almost everybody else in the industry and released "hype". Instead they have that magic combination that few artists have...good songs, great talent, great production , and a sincere desire to make the best album they can. This album is really great. I can't say enough good things about it. Another reason I mention my age is because I have lived through the glory days of the Beatles, Sam Cooke, and on and on, and it becomes increasingly difficult to find good stuff. TLC is one to those few artists that I anxiously await each new release and can buy without lisenting first. In today's "hyped up clique oriented music world", that is hard to find. This album has not left my auto-CD player since I bought it and will not leave for a long time. Thanks TLC for bringing back to me the spirit of what an old man like me misses in today's music! In short....FIRST RATE SONGS + FIRST RATE TALENT X FIRST RATE PRODUCTION = FIVE STARS.