Customer Reviews

Because I Love It

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have loved Amerie since she came out. I loved her first two albums. So when I heard that she was working on a third one, I was so excited. That was about a year ago. The amazing, innovative "Some Like It" was intended to be the first single. In an unfortunate twist of events, Amerie decided to not release it because other females were beginning to talk in their songs also, and she didn't want to be seen as just a follower again. (First off, I think that was a bad decision. The song could've had a huge impact and is nothing like anything out there. Plus, the whole reputation of being a copy-cat is a mistake. Amerie actually recorded "1 Thing" before "Crazy In Love" even came to frution. But I digress...)

So she releases "Take Control" instead. Catchy song? Yes, but it's just too much like her other works. So that single came and went without any airplay or success and us fans are left wondering what's going to happen next. A few months later, the inspirational "Gotta Work" leaks onto the internet and there is hope. I wait and wait and finally there is news of the new album... but not in the US. It figures. This kind of stuff always happens. I see that this album is coming out everywhere else in the world, except for the United States, in May. I get worried. Based on previous tendencies of the American recording industry, I begin to think that this may never see the light of day in my country. And if it ever does (it's supposed to come out in July) the track list will be extremely altered. So I decided that as soon as this came out, I would buy the import. I am so glad I did.

I love this album from start to finish. It is energetic, fun... wonderful. The first half of the album is mostly composed of Amerie's usual fare: blasting horn-infused track layered with bursts of harmonies. They are all catchy in their own right and I never skip them. But the second half shows why the working title of this album was 'None Of The Above.' The whole album doesn't fit into one category. Amerie completely flips things around and challenges herself, broadening her horizons. She dabbles in pop-rock balladry with successful product. It's unlike anything she's done before. Yet, she still keeps it personal and soulful. It feels genuine; it's still 'Amerie.' I am now convinced that she can pull off almost any genre.

Because I Love It will please all. Not only does it have the upbeat, energetic pieces she is known for, but she also branches out into 80's, pop, rock... wow. I listen to the whole thing straight through. This is her best to date. Great job, Amerie! Here's to hoping it's released in the US!

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the reviews of this album because I, too am a huge Amerie fan and highly anticipated getting this, her third offering. I grew up in a family that truly loved & exposed me to many different genres of music especially the funksters like Rick James, Lakeside, Confunshun, Prince, The Isley Brothers, The Brothers Johnson, and on and on and on. These artists' music featured horns, drums, guitars, harps, strings - you name the instrument and they probably had them on a track.

This is what I love about Amerie's music and this album in particular - as we all know by now, her single '1 Thing' was "pushed back" by the label so that another artist could steal the thunder of stepping out first with the go-go beats but this didn't stop Amerie from gaining widespread exposure with the track; unfortunately not enough people supported her 2nd album to make it the breakthrough "hit" that she so richly deserves. I've said this before in other reviews but it is really a shame that artists like Amerie, Kelis, Joi and even Mya, Ashanti, etc take true risks with their music yet are ignored by the masses while the same christened few trot out recycled music that receives undeserved accolades.

I honestly haven't stopped listening to this disc since I got it last week - the lead off single, 'TAKE CONTROL' mesmerized me and I was really puzzled as to why it did't take off in the US - it's got a great beat, musical production and Amerie sounds as sassy as usual but it just didn't capture attention.

BILI shows that Amerie is in this game to win it - she co-wrote all of the songs and showed a lot of versatility with her sound - not just relying on the sound that she & Rich Harrison devised - on these tracks, listeners will hear a variety of styles from '80's technopop & soul/r&b, to go-go to ballad pop/r&b. I hate to pick favorite tracks because they're all THAT good but the ones I keep pressing the "repeat" button on are: TAKE CONTROL, FORECAST, HATE 2 LOVE U, CRUSH, THAT'S WHAT U ARE, SOMEBODY UP THERE & PAINT ME OVER.

I'd recommend that fans get the imports because we really don't know how the label will mess around with this disc when (or even if) it's released in the states. To those who aren't 100% fans, I'd recommend this disc because of the variety of musical genres Amerie crossed yet still managed to create a cohesive fun album!

It is apparent that Amerie worked very hard on this cd and pushed herself beyond her previous efforts!! It's unfortunate that this cd was released in Europe only...because of someone else! But the stupid move by the record company will cause her to be an international star as it seems she will be if her management is paying attention. Anyway this is my first Amerie cd and there are some songs I could do without but there are some songs she nails over and over again! She put in work!!!!

Without a doubt, R&B singer / songwriter / actress Amerie is one of the most underrated individuals in R&B. Despite 2 hit singles (the jazzy ballad "Why Don't We Fall In Love" and the irresistible summer classic "1 Thing") and 2 Gold albums (the critically underwhelming "All I Have" & the brilliant "Touch"), she seems to have remained relatively low-key when she should've met at least three quarters of Beyonce's success after the underrated Crunk'n'B single "Touch" came out. Well, thankfully, she's back with that sweet, smooth, soulful voice of hers and her growing songwriting skills on "Because I Love It", easily her best effort yet.

While there's not exactly anything on the level of "1 Thing" (which is featured here as a bonus track), there's definitely plenty of A-plus material on the album. As a matter of fact, a handful of songs are reminiscent of that same song and it's producer, Rich Harrison (who, for better or worse, doesn't appear anywhere on the album) - once the horn-driven "Forecast (Intro)", in which she soulfully declares "The rain keeps on falling" and "I know the sun will come out!" (amongst other things), concludes, R&B / Soul / Funk gem "Hate2LoveU" arrives with a smooth horn intro, right before getting down to business. Structurally, "Hate2LoveU" is as close as Amerie gets to "1 Thing" - hard-hitting drums roll beneath stabs of horn bursts and well-placed keyboard sweeps, providing a killer groove for Amerie to, in flamboyant "1 Thing" fashion, let loose her vocals as she professes contradictory emotions (you know, love, addiction, etc. - think Letoya's "Torn" as a funky club banger).

The song sounds great, but she has, surprisingly, got plenty of far better material on display here. Lead single "Take Control" shows Amerie letting her vocals loose once again over an infectious Tom Ze (?) guitar loop sample, professing more feelings of love with unbound exhilaration while Cee-Lo, of Gnarls Barkley & Goodie Mob, provides background vocals; "Some Like It", an 80's-influenced R&B / Hip-Pop number, is far less accessible in comparison to "Take Control", but her combination of smooth, harmonious vocals and swaggering talk-rap over the beat, which seems to contrast between smooth and hard textures, makes the song much better, interesting and more memorable; the similarly sexually assertive "Make Me Believe", with its hard-hitting drums and unavoidable strings, and the OTHER "1 Thing"-reminiscent R&B / Funk / Soul number, "Gotta Work", a typical "I've-got-to-make-it" club number, also manage to please with little effort.

As surprisingly versatile as Amerie's vocals are - honestly, the qualities of her vocals make her sound more accustomed to mushy Jazz ballads than most of the Funk-driven numbers she provides- ballads still seem to be her forte. "Crush" is another 80's-influenced R&B / Soul / Pop number, but it's far more subtle in comparison, driven by smooth synths and piano keys as Amerie delivers her sometimes-weird lyrics ('I wished I could taste your love/ lick it off of your fingertips') with enough beauty, smoothness, feeling and restraint to suit the song's obvious theme. Lipstick "inspiration" and references aside, the carelessly lilting ballad "Crazy Wonderful" follows a similar route in sound and quality, while the sensual "That's What You Are", with its smooth synths and piano keys, takes a more Contemporary R&B-leaning approach.

However, the best ballad (and actual song) on the album is the Aaliyah-reminiscent "Paint Me Over" - it's as vulnerable as Amerie's ever seems to have been, soulfully singing about letting go of a relationship from a boyfriend who has become increasingly expectant of her ("I'm still the girl that you met / You called me perfect then / But now you're changing / I'm not good enough anymore"). Bink!, the dude behind Amerie's underrated duet with Carl Thomas on "Can We Go" (from "Touch"), lays down another sound-bed of organic instrumentation -flutes, piano, drums and horns are all beautifully arranged- for Amerie to bare her bruised soul over, and it's nothing short of ace. The quicker he gets onto the A-List of producers, the better.

Speaking of production, Amerie even gets co-production credits on the following - "Hate2LoveU", "Some Like It", "Make Me Believe", "Take Control" and "Paint Me Over". Then there's still the the fact that she co-wrote most (if not all) of the tracks, and although she's nowhere near as scathing as Amy Winehouse, she good at it and she keeps it tasteful. So, why does an album only get 4.5 stars? Here's your answer - "All Roads". With Amerie's over-melismatic, strained vocals, it's a disastrous ending to an otherwise great album (if you exclude bonus tracks "1 Thing" and the Middle Eastern-tinged Crunk'n'B of "Losing U"). The lyrically ambiguous "Somebody Up There" threatens to be nearly as unimpressive, but Amerie thankfully shows control over Bryan Michael Cox's less-than-brilliant production (he should've given the beat from Omarion's "Just Can't Let You Go" [from "21"] to Amerie). "When Loving You Was Easy", with Amerie's emotional vocals, sweet harmonies and producer C-Note's string-driven production, is easily another great track, but the unexpectedly Rock-tinged bridge is something everyone could've gone without.

So on the whole, there are very few flaws to this otherwise great record. I'm hoping this record will propel her to the superstar status she deserves. She's come a long way from her days as a one-dimensional industry (or Rich Harrison) product or an unfairly tagged Beyonce-wannabe, and "Because I Love It" is solid proof. 4.5 stars!

5 Best Tracks (IMO) (In No Order):

"Paint Me Over"

"Some Like It"

"Take Control"

"Crush"

"That's What You Are"

"Because I Love It" is a genius album that showcases all of the elements that make Amerie Unique + Classic and what Amerie is synonymous with ; strong vocals, great production, intricate lyrics and phenomenal delivery .Because I love it such a breath of fresh air in a state of music that is overtly mundane, recycled and empty. Because I love it starts off with a fresh intro "Forecast" which is spunky and inspirational yet short (would have been great as a full song). Than the album begins with a bang with "Hate2LoveU" that is superbly James Brown esque with its big band sound and soulful harmonies, the beauty don't stop there. Each and every song thereafter holds its own ground. This album, similar to other Amerie albums, can be played the whole way through without missing a beat. I LOVE THIS ENTIRE ALBUM. But songs that I find myself repeating are "Hate2LoveU", "Crazy Wonderful" which puts listeners in a trance of imagery and ecstasy. "Some Like It" which is sampled flawlessly and shows Amerie's playful and fun side in a creative and engaging way. "Crush" a song that has an 80's R&B/Pop vibe a la Whitney Houston. "Gotta Work" a high impact Saxophone laced song with motivational lyrics and Amerie's powerful vocals. and "That's What U R" a sensuous yet classy song that is both bold and delightful. I play this album practically everyday and I am grateful to Amerie for giving real music fans a fix of what they need, Music with exceptional quality. If you are looking for a classic than Because I Love It is for you.

If you are a bonafide Amerie fan like myself you NEEEED to add this CD to your collection. I remember seeing the first single/video for this and was all amped up for this LP, only to find out it wasn't making it to the U.S. She definitely steered from the go-go type music and more into eclectic genres of R&B. If you do buy this in the states its hard to find and ranges from 25-40 bucks as an import. Thank goodness for Amazon.com!!! You will find it at dirt cheap here.

This album is better than anything Beyonce has ever put out. Amerie is a far better artist and she doesn't need Jay Z to back her up like Beyonce. this wasn't released in the states becasue Amerie and Beyonce are on the same label and Columbia didn't want to upstage its number one star. Beyonce look out!!!!! This album is Fire it's hot.

Amerie's third album "Because I Love It" is an absolute smash. It doesn't sound like anything else that's out there right now. You could listen to this album without skipping a track. This album Amerie is taking you deeper into her life and things she's been thru and u hear it in tracks "Paint Me Over" where she loves someone but they want her to be somebody that she's not and she can't change who she is. "When Loving u was Easy" she loves someone but it's hard to love them because of the way he treats her. "Somebody Up there" she appreciates that she has found real love and someone is watching over her. "All Roads" she sings about how everything in her life is like a journey to where she's at today.

Amerie shows her sensual side in "That's What U R", "Take Control", and "Some Like It", where she talks and sings while she's playing hard 2 get with a guy she's interested in. The bonus track "Losing U" is okay and "Crush" is a nice song to listen 2 while ur relaxing thinking about your crush. The rest of the tracks are pretty good and are all worth a listen.

Overall, this album is well-rounded and Amerie fans won't be disappointed. This album shows that Amerie doesn't need Rich Harrison for a hit record. Amerie has star quality and has what it takes to be a star. She just need support from the record company & better promotion and the sky would be the limit for Miss Amerie.

Amerie's third album Because I Love It is arguably Amerie's greatest achievement. It's a crying shame that this album is not easily available in the United States having only getting a proper release overseas. Everything that people love about Amerie is here; the blaring instruments, creative beats and writing, the in your face attitude and sexiness, the energy and the individuality. Amerie is a one of a kind artist.

She receives top shelf help from the likes of the great CURTIS MAYFIELD (yes THAT Curtis Mayfield) and Cee-Lo Green The Soul Machine which gives the album the edge that was hardly needed but much appreciated. The production is dynamic and vivacious and mostly handled by a guy named "C-Note". I don't know much about him except that he's an amazing producer that brings the best out of Amerie and it's a mystery why he didn't have a hand in her follow up album IN LOVE & WAR.

There isn't a weak moment on this album. Because I Love It is an extraordinary album from start to finish. Take Control, Crush, Crazy Wonderful, That's What U R, When Loving U Was Easy, Hate 2 Love U, Paint Me Over etc. etc. are all outstanding songs making this album her best to date. Without further adieu, make sure you give yourself a chance to experience this gem. 5 stars.

*Amazon has the cd going for 42.99 which is OUT OF THE QUESTION!!! IDK where they get these bogus prices from. The cd is great but not that dang great! lol but see if you can get it like new, used, or new from one of its vendors at a much lower cost. I certainly did!*

I'm so glad I got Amerie's latest CD, it's dissapointing that the "industry" is contributing so much to the restriction of her albums as an artist. I love this album I really can't stop listening to "when loving u was easy" my favorite track on the album. I have been a long time fan of Amerie since "All I Have" her first album, I've followed each of her releases since then and this girl still manages to sound different on each album, she's got skills, as soon as people try to fit her in their little category, she flips it. . The "Because I love It" album continues to emphasize her raspy, sexy, unique voice, which is what makes me love her music. Unlike alot of other artists more mainstream Amerie isn't afraid to play around with funky beats, strings, and vocal arrangements. She's In a class of her own, I love her and have always supported all her projects. This album just proves record labels, and management teams are making a huge mistake in underestimating her talent. This album is sooo sick!!!! I can't wait to see what she comes ip with next.
Get it girl!!!!.....