Believe in Me

Regina Belle | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 22, 1998)
• Original Release Date: September 22, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B000007OJC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,639 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Seasoned songstress records modern classic, September 27, 1998

By 

John Jones "Musician" (Chicago IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Believe in Me (Audio CD)

Four impressive albums into her career, Regina Belle releases her fifth and finest recording. "Believe in Me" matches gorgeous production, slick writing, and peerless vocals to make one of the most impressive soul records of the year.

What's especially impressive is that Regina has obviously discovered that less is more. Often soul music can be overlong and overblown...here only one song clocks in over five minutes, and several are under four minutes. The effect is breezy and inspires multiple listens. "Don't Let Go" and "Baby Love" are smooth midtempo numbers, "I Got It" and "Come See About Me" are examples of classic soul balladry, and "I Gotch U" even sets an example of sparse, tasteful production in a genre that can be overpowered by beats and instrumentation.

Are there lukewarm moments? Yes...the pop-flavored ones. "You Make Me Smile" and "Be in Love Again" are less than spectacular, even bordering on schmaltz, but the vocals and production still make even these songs more than listenable. And songs like "Believe in Me" and the final hidden track (untitled or credited, most likely called "The One for You" or something close) are infectious and intoxicating enough to make up for any minor shortcomings.

Regina joins the ranks of Lisa Stansfield as an artist whose albums manage to stay in her own personal style and still grow and blossom with each release. This album makes it easy to believe in Regina Belle.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars GOOD ARTIST/BAD SONGS, August 11, 1999

By 

Darrren12000 "Darren" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Believe in Me (Audio CD)

I agree with the reviewer from Miami. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Regina Belle. She is definitely one of my all-time favorite singers, right up there with Nancy Wilson, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker..... This album does not reach her greatness. In fact, I have only played it one time (and I don't believe I made it through every song); on the other hand, I have played her other albums to death.

Don't get me wrong, Belle's voice sounds great on this album (as it always does). However, the songs are very boring; the arrangements are repetitive -- the same old synthisizer-laden background (that you can hear on almost any other r & b album). It didn't even sound like Belle herself was into these songs (how could she be).

Missing from this album are the great ballads and sultry moderate tempo songs that made Belle my favorite. I love it when artists experiment with different sounds; it keeps them creative and unique. However, one should not experiment with weak material. DEMAND better songs, Belle; you and your fans deserve it!!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sultry, July 25, 2000

By 

"w_alesia" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Believe in Me (Audio CD)

Listening to this CD took me into a Smokey Jazz Club, where Regina sang each song strongly from the soul, getting a little bee-bop on at times. I enjoy every cut on this CD, the ones that stand out for me are "Believe In Me, Don't Let Go, I Gotch U, I've Had Enough, Never Should have Let You Go, Baby Love." I find this CD Relaxing, Calming, expressing the different areas of love that we all face from time to time. Regina to me is a diva in her own rights. She can hold her own, her voice is sultry and strong and can awaken your inner spirit with her voice. Its for those cuddle up moments, down to those quiet moments alone, down to singing along. Feel the smoothness of Regina Belle(Believe in Me).