Customer Reviews

Bittersweet [Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD]

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Bittersweet is one of the most interesting albums I have heard this year from an RnB artist. Mainly because of Blu Cantrell's origional, sexy voice. She has an edge, a broken heart and also a new found love that you can here in songs like "Risk it All." It's bitter, it's sweet, but most of all, it is filled with great songs that you are sure to enjoy. Here is my song by song rating ot the album:

1. I Love You (8/10)
2. Sleep in the Middle (12/10)
3. Unhappy (9/10)
4. Impatient (10/10)
5. Breathe (10/)
6. Risk it All (8/10)
7. Don't Wanna Say Goodbye (12/10)
8. Happily Ever After (9/10)
9. Holding On To Love (9/10)
10. Let Her Go (10/10)
11. Make Me Wanna Scream (10/10)
12. No Place Like Home (9/10)

Overall, Blu Cantrell's sophomore album, "Bittersweet," is a great buy that you should make no hesitation about getting. You'll enjoy her album from beginning to end.

I was a little reluctant when it came to buying this CD, because when I walked into Best Buy, I had no intentions at all when it came to getting this. I liked her first single "Breathe", and I already liked her as a singer anyway, so I just decided "Oh What the Hell" and bought it.. I was pretty impressed, and glad I had second thoughts about it. Here's my rundown on the tracklisting.

I Love You» This is a nice opener for the album. It's a very positive song about love, and it's also a very true song. Her vocals fit the beat just right. [9/10]

Sleep In The Middle» This album is definately a standout track. It's the second single from the album, and I definately think it would be a nice little hit if enough money would be put into a video for it. It's a very seductive ballad, speaking of heartbreak. Definately one of my favorite tracks. [9.5/10]

Unhappy» This song's lyrics and Blu Cantrell's vocals save this song from being TOTALLY mediocre. The beat is very slow, the vocals very mellow, and it's a sad little track, but it is actually pulled off very nicely. [8/10]

Impatient (featuring Fat Joe & Lil Kim)» Some people out there might actually be a fan of this one, but I just can't stand it. The beat just doesn't work out right with the lyrics, and everything just seems so wrong. I could have definately done without this track.. It's not her style, and Lil Kim and Fat Joe's rap don't help out one bit. [4/10]

Breathe (featuring Sean Paul)» This was the first single for the album, but it originally featured Lady Saw when it was first released as a single. Things were changed a little bit before the album's release, since noone was really reacting to the original mix at all.. it never even received airplay, and I guess they figured since Sean Paul has become internationally popular, people would fall in love with the song.. but that still didn't work out a bit. I prefer the original version with Lady Saw, but both are decent. It samples an old Dr. Dre song, and it's pulled off pretty nicely. [8/10]

Risk It All» This one is my personal favorite.. The vocals and the beat just flow along with eachother so well. This is a great ballad, and I even think this one would go over well with the fans if this one were to be released as another single. Another definite highlight of the CD. [10/10]

Don't Wanna Say Goodbye» At the very beginning this one sounds like it has a very gorey, and a very negative beat (if that makes sense).. it just doesn't sound like anything Blu has done. However, the song turns out very nice, and is done to a pretty nice beat. It's another sad ballad, dont very nicely. [8.5/10]

Happily Ever After» This used to be one of my favorite tracks.. very nice beat, and great bluesy vocals. However, I can't say much for the lyrics on this one. (Happily ever after/Let's start a story chapter).. But it's still a great listen. [7.5/10]

Holding On To Love» This one is a pretty fun track. I'm loving the very original beat on this one, and her voice sounds a little different on this one, compared to the other tracks on the album. I really think it's nice, and very radio-friendly. [9/10]

Let Her Go» I really LOVE the beat to this one. Just the beat alone would make me say that this is probably my second favorite, beside "Risk It All". However, this song flows nicely to the beat, with a nice concept, and it sounds very attitude-packed. Yet another highlight. [9.5/10]

Make Me Wanna Scream (featuring Ian Lewis of Inner Circle)» This track is much like track #4, "Impatient", but to me this track is alot more fun. The beat is actually pretty decent, and the lyrics flow nicely with it as well. I could do without the rapper on this one, but besides that, it's pretty nice, and it's definately worth a listen. [7.5/10]

No Place Like Home» Eventhough this may sound pretty corny after a few listens, this is a nice little closing track for the album. It's very true.. very lovely.. I love the beat.. I lover her vocals on this one.. I just love the track, PERIOD. Definately worth a listen! [9/10]

The CD also includes a DVD, which to me, I could have also done without, especially since it was about two dollars extra, than the copies with no DVD. It features a little biography, weblinks, pictures, the "Oops! (Hit Em' Up Style)" video, and an interview with Wendy Wallace (the one who had the pretty.. rough experience with interviewing Whitney Houston earlier this year).. In the interview, there's alot of cursing done, which is why this CD has a parental advisory sticker! Wendy looks pretty trashy in this one, and there are alot of things revealed, and annoyingly enough, alot of things NOT REVEALED. Just about all the questions regarding her personal life, and about relationships, she would tell everything that went on, but she would always keep the person she was dating confidential news, which got annoying after the first six or seven times.

All in all, the CD is worth all the money, and if you'd like to see the old "Oops (Hit Em' Up Style)" video, you should definately consider trying to get your hands on a limited edition copy with the DVD.. if not I wouldn't really waste my money on the DVD.. I would just grab the CD and buy a coke at checkout.. LOL!

Anyway, this is a nice little buy.. way better than her first album, in my opinion, and I think you'll enjoy it, and think the same.

Blu Cantrell has one of the best voices in the industry. "Sleep In The Middle" had the potential to be a huge hit. So why didn't Arista records promote it?? The only single released was "Breathe" which was not well promoted. If you want people to buy your products you need to PROMOTE them!!!! Maybe they should go back to college and take marketing/business classes over again. This underrated cd has some great cuts on it. "Don't Wanna Say Goodbye" and "Holding On To Love" are two more of my favorites. If you like r+b/soul music check this cd out.

Blu Cantrell is very beautiful and very talented! So why then, is she not a superstar? Probably-hate to say- it is her age which I believe is in her mid thirties. That is too bad because I love Blu's voice. This album is very different in the fact that Blu's voice is powerful but with a slight jazz style. Her lyrics are very mature and is straight "grown folks music" that should be appreciated. On Sleep in the Middle Blu really blows the song out of the water! I also like Unhappy and Let her go! Blu emotes a certain type of pain and joy (which ever type of song at the time) that isn't found in too many artists. She knows what the hell she is talking about yall! I think Blu Cantrell's music is very focused and it almost seems as if Blu isn't following any cut song format... just singing!
She does uptempo too. Breathe(with Sean Paul) and Impatient(with Lil Kim and Fat Joe).Happily Ever After that is very jazzy!
I recommend this Cd highly. I didn't appreciate it at first but I had to realize what a gem this is!
My favs: Sleep in the Middle, Unhappy, Let her go, Risk it all, and Breathe

In 2001, Blu Cantrell hopped on the trifiling men-bashing bandwagon with the summer single "Hit Em Up Style (Oops)." Produced by Dallas Austin, it's a tale about a scorned woman who gets back at an unfaithful lover by maxing out his cards at Neiman's. It went Top Ten, got mucho play at the clubs, and helped make her debut "So Blu" go gold. But Blu's popularity ended as quickly as the single disappeared from the charts, and it seemed that she was heading for One Hit Wonderland. Fortunately, Blu returns with her solid album, appropriately titled "Bittersweet." First off, anybody looking for a song similar to "Hit Em Up Style" will be out of luck. Not content on repeating herself, Cantrell has grown and moved on from that single. The album's better cuts are the ballads which make the best use of Blu's supple voice. I really dug "Unhappy," as well as "Sleep in the Middle," which finds Cantrell trying to move forward from a relationship that didn't work. "Risk It All" shows how far out of her way Blu will go for her man, while "Impatient" is a cute upbeat jam with Fat Joe and LIl' Kim. "Bittersweet" comes with a bonus DVD with the video to "Hit Em Up Style" as well as a 3-part interview with NY-based DJ Wendy Williams, who was responsible for that horrific interview with Whitney Houston in early 2003. The interview is pretty much what we've come to expect from Wendy Williams: raunchy, gossipy, and wonderfully trashy. It's not quite as revealing as I'd want it to be, but it's still entertaining and it nicely compliments this CD which overall beats the sophomore slump.

Why is everyone so sleep on Blu Cantrell?? This girl is tight to def, and she can definitely sing her a** off!! I cannot fathom why her albums don't do as well as they should!

This is Blu's second album, and she continues her multiple music influences on this album. Even so, she still brings down the house with her vocal power.

There are some decent uptempo tracks on here that will get you moving. Of course, we all know the song "Breathe", and it was definitely a single worth releasing. Blu really tore it up and the beat is defiintely infectious. "Impatient" is one of my favorite songs on the album. It features guest cameos from Fat Joe and Lil' Kim, and they spit tight raps. The Queen Bee comes in and throws her stuff around and then Blu comes in a rips it as well. Nice work. "Make Me Wanna Scream" borrowed what was hot at the time, the Indian sounds in the background, much like 112's "Na Na Na Na" and R. Kelly and Tyrese's "Pick Up the Phone". This song has a guest spot from Ian Lewis of Inner Circle, and he delivers well here.

Blu Cantrell is more known for her voice than anything else, and her ballads really let that voice shine. Check out the beautiful "Sleep In the Middle", which is my favorite song on this album. This song is easy to relate to, because we have all been through a situation where we can do bad all by ourselves. Blu makes sure that she shines and tears it up on this one. "Unhappy" is another standout track vocally that Blu really does well with. It's not overproduced and doens't have extreme harmonies in the chorus, but is a simple song that really shines on this album. "I Love You" has more of Blu's voice, and she throw down on the ad-libs, probably her specialty. This song is definitely catchy and worth more than one listen.

There are a couple of boo-boos on this album. "Happily Ever After" is just wrong, especailly with the chorus..."happily ever after....let's start a story chapter..." Is that supposed to be good lyrics? I hope not. Also, "No Place Like Home" doesn't quite have the "oomph" that I expected it to have. And "Let Her Go" is just wrong from the jump.

All in all, this album is pretty darn good. I think that with some stellar material and some good guest stars, Blu can definitely leave a deeper mark on the music industry. I hope that that happens soon before Blu becomes fodder on "where are they now?" lists.

(...) First off, I would like to thank the Grammy people for using their brains and giving this album a "Best Female R&B" nomination.
This album isn't quite as good as "So Blu", but who cares, it's a hell of a lot better than Beyonce's. This album, "Bittersweet" is more relaxed, but not in the sense that is ballad heavy (there are more up-tempos here than there were on "So Blu"). It's more relaxed in the sense that Blu isn't really belting here with the exception of "Sleep In The Middle". She's singing in a nice, laid back tone, and there are no "big ballads". This is fine with me; in my opinion there was enough belting and enough big ballads on "So Blu". But apparently, if a singer isn't screaming her lungs out (cough, Christina, cough), it's not good enough.
The album opens with my favorite track, "I Love You". This song was produced and co-written by Kevin "Shekspeare" Briggs. (Blu herself also wrote it). The song starts with a fifteen second piano introduction, and then the more modern R&B beat kicks in. The lyrics in the first verse are terrific: "We live in a world where reality/ depresses all of the emotions that/ live inside of me/ life can be so cruel/ but you make it easier/ ya picked me up when I was down/ now my feet's on solid ground". The hook has an old school flavor which I love. The bridge is also great.
The next song is "Sleep In The Middle" which, as I noted earlier, is the song where Blu shows off her vocals. I like this song as well. The climax is breath taking. The next song is "Unhappy". I would like to say right now that I would never of opened an album with three ballads, but whatever Arista. "Unhappy" is good, though it doesn't stand out like the first two songs did. And I wish she ditched the horrible backing vocals on the hook and bridge. This song is good lyrically: "I'm still the same girl ya fell in love with/ the same one that's been putting up with your bullsh**".
Finally the up-tempos kick in. The next song is "Impatient", a hot song with Lil' Kim and Fat Joe. Kim gives a better rap than Joe; she even does a hilarious Sean Paul impersonation: "I can be a housewife or the freakiest ho, yo, just gimme the light and pass the dro". The song is catchy with great vocals from Cantrell. I especially like the latin guitar music. "Breathe" with Sean Paul, was the album's first single and did nothing on the radio, though it should have. The song is terrific and I actually like Sean Paul's rap (partly due to the fact that the lyrics are printed in the CD booklet).
The ballads are back. "Risk It All" is a sweet ballad that is pleasent to listen to, though not a standout. Lyrically it's corny as hell, but the music and vocals are good. This song does sort of sound like it belongs on "So Blu" though. The next song is "Don't Wanna Say Goodbye" which I love. It starts out with a rain affect, then some weird music, before the beat and vocals come in. The bridge is terrific. Also this song is co-written by *the* Stevie Wonder! (...) "Happily Ever After" is next. This song begins acapella, before an old school uptempo R&B beat kicks in. Blu's vocals on this song are also old school. I really like this song, though it sounds a bit pop at times. The next song is... a bit weird. It's about love, and it's called "Holding On To Love". Lyrically it is also corny and Blu's great vocals are killed with pro tools, whick she does not, I repeat does not need. This song does grow on you, but sounds really bad at first.
The next song is the up temo jam "Let Her Go", which I love. The lyrics, bridge and vamp are very good. This song sounds like it should be a filler track but it actually isn't. However, the next song is much better. "Make Me Wanna Scream"... I love this song! It's my second favorite. I love the lyrics, the hook, the rap, the reggae flavor, everything! This was released as a second single and has yet to take off. The final song is "No Place Like Home", which perhaps the best album closer I have ever heard. The lyrics and vocals are good; so is the music. I was walking down my street this afternoon and listening to this song on my walkman. It felt great, looking at where I grew up and listening to this song.
This CD also comes with a bonus DVD featuring a juicy interview with radio DJ Wendy Williams, as well as the "Hit Em Up Style" video (from "So Blu").
Please people, buy this album! It is well worth the money. And Blu, if you're reading this, if Arista drops you, you should see it as a blessing. Trust me, there are lots of record labels that will give you the publicity you deserve. And to everyone else, let's not make another mistake and let an extremely talented singer slip into obscurity! Thanks and God bless.

A voice like this only comes around once in a blue moon. Blu was amazing on her first album and came back even stonger on her second. Too many so-called singers today really CANT sing and rely on oversynthesized beats to carry their songs. But while Blu doesnt skip on the bass for great jeep-bangers like "Impatient", "Breathe", and "Scream", she still actually saaaaaannngs!!!She hits a breathtaking note on "Sleep in the Middle" that sent chills down my spine and she is incredible on "Risk it all", "Dont Wanna Say Goodbye", and "Holding onto Love" Buy this album! This is definitely a voice you want to support!

I am giving the VOICE 5 stars. The CD gets about 4 1/2. Don't let that light skin and centerfold sex kitten image of Blu fool you. She not only can sing, she has a powerful voice. More R & B (a little less hip hop) and a few more tightly written songs and you would have to put her next to Kelly Price in your collection. Some would still say she belongs there now. And really, the CD is good too! The listening samples here do not do it justice. Trust, there is no one on the r&b/hip scene today who can touch this voice! She even has legit jazz skills!

Reflecting on some of the great songs of the past sends you right back to cd's like 'Bittersweet'. Packed with great vocals and great lyrics. I thought 'Sleep in the middle' would have been a huge hit. Music is suffering and why are the great ballads being passed over for one note, one beat songs. How did Mariah manage to sell so many copies of ' Mimi'? Why is Blu not doing so well. Mariah can sing but her songs have little emotion. Blu is the complete opposite. Help someone, please help the music industry. Help the great singers to reach platinum - please promote them well. I am looking forward to more music from Blu.