erikb

I'm still to decide if I think the move from producer Rodney Jerkins to Timbaland was a good idea or not. The sound and beats are different, at least for a fan's sensitive ears, but there are signs of this being a move in the right direction. The somewhat harder beats and less electro-pop for example (even if I loved the previous album Full Moon).

Her cool voice is still the same; in my mind one of the best voices in the r&b genre. There's a hint of scratchiness to it now - a trace of the things happening in her life lately? I think she does those dark, downbeat songs a lot better than anything else. I guess this simply is a sign she's not a teen anymore?

I like the album even if there are a couple of really weak songs towards the end. At first, I was worried that with someone like Timbaland there would be too much of eccentric effects and hip-hop inspired beats, but it is quite the opposite. The slow songs are weaker and this was never the case before.
Ten out of ten for style and voice, but minus several million for the filler songs... ;-)