Customer Reviews

Full Moon

5 star:		(205)
4 star:		(60)
3 star:		(32)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

Based on the opinions of fellow Amazon reviewers ... I was expecting a mediocre album full of relatively "safe" and "uninspired" material; and after hearing it I agreed since I could never listen the album from start to finish. But now I think the real reason I why couldn't finish 'Full Moon' is because it's very rich CD, like a gourmet cake or something. The key (in my humble view) is to listen to 'Full Moon' maybe two to three songs at a time -- then the album becomes an utterly satisfying. Now let's get to the music...

'Full Moon' begins with a funkdafied interlude before moving onto the title track (and second single), a song with a fresh and futuristic vibe that is stunningly on-target. Moving right along, we go into the utterly 'divalicious' "I Thought", which sounds like a fast song Whitney Houston could have pulled off a few years back. "I Thought" oozes a sassy and mature confidence that belies Brandy's own personal growth; I think this song would make an excellent finale single for this album.

Then we go into "When You Touch Me", Brandy's best R&B ballad ever - it's absolutely perfect. Teddy Riley (Guy, Blackstreet, etc) contributes "talkbox" vocals (think Blackstreet's "Don't Leave") that are profoundly plush, and add so much to this already wonderful song. "When You Touch Me" is a modern R&B masterpiece -- I'm thinking this will be the third single. "Like This" is a Janet Jackson-esque ballad in my opinion, musically reminiscent of "Rope Burn" or "I Get Lonely" from the 'Velvet Rope' album.

"All In Me" employs Rodney's flowing harp sounds (a la "The Boy Is Mine") coupled with Timbaland-esque beats that make for an impressive album track. But it's "Apart", a spledid blend of Neo-soul sensibilities and modern R&B (think Michael Jackson's "Butterflies") that gets my vote for most original-sounding song on the album - it was an early favorite of mine. I can't get enough of the sampled vocal riff that occurs repeatedly throughout "Apart"; this is a definite single in my opinion.

The 'Velvet Rope-ish' Janet Jackson vibe continues on the chorus harmonies of "Can We", a decent midtempo; the bridge of the song is cool. Next up is "What About Us", which I find to be only slightly above-average when compared to songs like "Full Moon" and "When You Touch Me". But it's "Anybody" that should have most Pop/R&B fans floored. "Anybody" is producer Rodney Jerkins' blatant update of the original Timbaland sound, but it works -- very well, I might add.

"Nothing" is another one of those pretty sad love songs. Michael Jackson contributes a subtle guest vocal on "It's Not Worth It", a song that vaguely reminds me of "Angel In Disguise" from 'Never Say Never'. MJ's recurrent background vocals on "It's Not Worth It" are beautiful - listen closely. "He Is" musically has the same purity as "Brokenhearted" did from Brandy's first album. "Come A Little Bit Closer" is easily one of my favorites; it has that Babyface/Diane Warren warmth to it, with excellent vocals by B-Rocka (Brandy's nickname).

"Love Wouldn't Count Me Out" is simply beautiful. "Wow" is also one of my favorite songs on the album, it has a very optimistic feel with a wonderfully breezy tempo; I like this one a lot. We finally end 'Full Moon' with "I'd Die Without You", a remake of P.M. Dawn's 1992 masterpiece with a lil help from Brandy's younger brother, Ray J. This version of "I'd Die Without You" is well done -- the violins (and nicely done vocals by Brandy and Ray J) do the original justice; I'm impressed.

At over 70 minutes long, Brandy's 'Full Moon' album is very much indeed a "full" piece of work. I strongly suggest not listening to it all in one sitting, it will probably be too much for most people (myself included) to take in. Start slow, and you'll come to appreciate the work that Brandy and co-executive producer Rodney Jerkins put into this album.

Thanks for reading!

Knyte.

I really love Brandy's nu' album "Full Moon", eventhough it's been over a year. I still play it over & over, cause this album is one of the best R&B albums around. Here's my review of "Full Moon" tracks:

1]B.Rocka' Intro: I love it! Excellent intro!

2]Full Moon: This song is beautiful! I wish Brandy had more songs like this on this CD. The beats are catchy & smooth, & her vocals sounds very matured on this joint. I can't wait to hear more Mike City produced songs on her 4th LP.

3]I Thought: All I can say is Ohweee!!! This is a hot club joint! The beats are edgy & off da' hook! Rodney really did a good job! I love the "Bridge" part of this song, "It's not like you cared 'bout me/Seems like I didn't mean a thing/Should have been convinced to leave".

4]When You Touch Me: Cool song, this song is for the ladies. On this song, Brandy really shows that she's all "woman".
Track Grade:

5]Like This: One of my favorite songs on "Full Moon". Great vocals & beats.

6]All In Me: This song is awesome! It has that 2-Step-UK-Garage-R&B feel. It's a nu' style. Brandy did her damn thang!

7]Apart: A very unique song. Keith Crouch gave Brandy a nu' sound. It's a sad song, but it's beautiful.

8]Can We: This is a very futuristic sounding song! If this song was to have a video, it should have been like Michael & Janet's "Scream".

9]What About Us: I guess we all know this song! Brandy roars at Mr.Wrong on this song, asking him " What about all of the things that you say/What about all of the/Promises that you made"

10]Anybody: The beats of this song reminds of a Timbaland/Aaliyah song. But it's kinda' different, it has this dark/edgy feel to it.

11]Nothing: This is one of the best songs on "Full Moon". Brandy put all her heart & soul into this song. You can really tell she's singing from the bottom of her heart.

12]It's Not Worth It: Beautiful song! I'm so glad Brandy & Michael Jackson got to sing together.

13]He Is: Brandy sings to her Mr.Right on this song. Lovely piano, soft drums feel.

14]Come A Little Closer: This song is sweet & cool! Brandy did it again!!

15]Love Wouldn't Count Me Out: Brandy cries her heart out on this song! I love the ending part. I would have love to see a video for this song!

16]WOW: On this track, Brandy tells Mr.Wrong once again that she has finally found her Mr.Right. Lovely song!

17]Die Without You: Brandy & lil' bro Ray J did their thang! They really did a good job re-making this song

18]I Wanna Fall In Love (Bonus Track): Dancable, break down track! Hots beats!!!

I can't wait to hear Brandy's 4th Album!! I wanna hear more Mike City, Keith Crouch, Robert Smith & other new producers on her next cut!

Four years after her last release, we get her attempt at a "Control" album; a record that says to the world, "I am not Moesha". The good news is she's used the time to maximum affect: she sat down, thought about what she wanted to say, decided to push her image's limits a bit, and set about getting the type of production that would yield her those results. The bad news is it almost hits one out of the park, but bops the wall instead.

It's got MAD Rodney Jerkins production all over it - which, depending on how you feel about RJ could be a good thing or a bad thing - so you know it's dance heavy, and Pro Toolsed-out to boot. The record uses more ear candy and electronic popping than your average Kraftwerk album. Think Michael Jackson's "Threatened" track times twelve. On no track is this more apparant than on the unfortunately slightly-remixed version of the great song "What About Us?", which has been playing for months, but appears here only in this Transformer-sounding remix. Overall, we're left with a tone that drains the clearly talented Brandy of all her traditional warmth.

The first half of the record is strong attempts to try the heavy-harmony, beat-aerobics that are so popular right now (think Destiny's Child last 2 records), and she does justice to the style. I just wish that meant more. What it clearly means is she's got some more radio fodder here, if not an entirely classic record. All in all, you'll find a few (more than that if you're already a fan) songs that suit you, but the rest of it you'll stop playing in a couple of months.
The second half of the record seems to want to show you that the first half isn't all totally gimmick; that the woman can actually sing, so we're treated to power ballads and such. Eh.
Is it a great record? Is it a bad record? Absolutely not. In fact, it's probably one of the best we'll get out of R&B all year. Sadly.

Side note: she is to be HIGHLY commended for two things:

1) No guest artists
I like that an artist still wants to show the world they can do a record on their own merits.
2) No slew of intros, interludes, skits, etc.
The record starts off with an intro, but after that, it's 16 straight-up SONGS.

Thank you, sis. You get an extra half-star for being mindful of bucking what have become stupid trends.

STAND-OUT TRACKS:
#4 When you Touch Me
#6 All in Me
#9 What About Us? (Even remixed horribly, it's still a solid song. I guess they figured we'd be tired of hearing the original version by the time the record came out)
#12 It's Not Worth It
#13 He Is

I'm sorry Brandy. I'm happy you're having a new baby, I'm happy you found love, I'm happy you're no longer hearing voices and I'm basically happy YOU'RE happy... but I am not very happy w/ this cd.

Why are there so many songs that sound the same w/ the same topics (What would I do without you, Don't leave me, Why'd you leave me, I thought it was you and me, How could you do that to me, Come back to me, Touch me, I need you, etc... etc.) It's like listening to the same sad song over and over again. Sounds like Rodney locked all his writers in a room w/ Ricki Lake shows, Soap Operas and dramatic episodes of Moesha playing 24/7. I was hoping for songs that dealt w/ feeling good about life and coming full circle or feeling complete("Full Moon"), but it's the exact opposite... and there are soooooo many of them.
Anyway, there ARE some highlights on this cd that seem to stand out for me. They are:

"Full Moon" - I like the overall mood of the song... the production and Brandy's voice and the flow, but I was expecting a whole lot more from the lyrics ( "We can dance if you want, Get it crackin' if you like)... couldn't they think of something better than that? ****

"I Thought" - It's an average song lyrically... a whole lot like "What About Us," but it's alright. I like the little variations Brandy does w/ her voice and the beat is nice. ****

"When You Touch Me" - Average song w/ really good vocals and melody and stuff. I like this one a lot. *****

"Anybody" - Average lyrics again, same relationship theme. The production's interesting though. ***

"It's Not Worth It" - I like this one. The lyrics aren't bad and the production is really good. The song is good in it's own right, but having Michael in the background does make it stand out more and he gives it a lot more character. I like it alot. *****

Well, the rest of the cd is pretty average. It's basically an average cd w/ a lot of production. It didn't satisfy me at all, but it's not bad. Probably worth the purchase, especially if you've never heard this type of production before or you want to hear Brandy sound a little more mature. Definately not as good as "Never Say Never." I wouldn't hesitate to let my cousin borrow it for a month or so, but I wouldn't give it away. 3 stars.

Till this day it still amazes me how Brandy released this fabulous album in 2002, and yet no-talents like ashanti were getting more attention than her. Brandy and Rodney Jerkins both hit their creative peak with this CD, which is full of r&b and pop tunes with a futuristic millenium sound to it.

Brandy has done it again on this album which is nearly flawless. It is mostly produced and partly written by DarkChild aka Rodney Jerkins. There is not one weak track on the album, it can be listened to straight through, and Brandy seems to have a lot to say this time around. Anyone who has followed Brandy's albums knows that she does not make a bad one, she keeps up with the latest sounds, and she has the talent to carry the project. Highlights on the album include, "Full Moon," which is a beat knocker, "What About Us" "When You Touch Me" and "He Is" which is a beautiful slow track. There are so many nice cuts on the album though, too many that deserve to be mentioned. Brandy and her brother Ray-J do a nice cover of "I'd Die Without You" which was done by PM Dawn years ago. Michael Jackson did background vocals on one song and overall the production is top notch. There is enough variety there to keep you interested and it is probably going to be the best R&B album released this year. It will be very hard for anyone else to do better. Anyone who gets this album will be satisfied. Brandy has created her own niche in the business of R&B music, an originality of style that will make her a mainstay. This album is a 9.5 out of 10, and for the purpose of this review, 5 stars. 17 Tracks of bomb R&B talent.

Just listening to the first few tracks and already being familiar with "What About Us?", it's obvious that Full Moon, Brandy's 3rd studio release, will not fail to disappoint. With the Darkchild clan muscially at her side, Brandy lays down some stunning vocals while giving us her most personal and initmate CD to date. Full Moon is sure to keep heads bobbing well through the summer. The best tracks include "Full Moon", "I Thought", "What About Us?" & "It's Not Worth It".(Only my favorite four tracks are included in reviews so this was pretty difficult and any other day, this list would be different.) A few petty gripes: "Come A Little Closer" resembles "I Care About You" from the movie Soul Food a bit too much especially with its Babyface-inspired production. Also Rodney Jerkins walks the fine line of overproducing a few tracks specifically "Can We". Even then, Brandy pulls it off and manages to put together an impressive package. But it's Brandy's collaboration with Mike City on "Full Moon" that's the most innovative. That floating, bouncing bass line keeps it going as Brandy tells us about a guy catching her eye while in a club one night. Brandy's vocals this go-round actually aren't anymore grandiose than they were on Never Say Never, her previous release. Then again, I was more than satisfied with her vocals on that cd also. Full Moon deserves 4.5 stars and is well worth the purchase.

This album is the best in my collection, I bought it almost 2 years ago and I still cannot stop listening to it! The diversity of this album is immense. Here is my personal opinion on each of the tracks;

B Rocka Intro - Brilliant beat, really sets the album off on its way.

Full Moon - A great start, the perfect relaxation song, the beat is great and the lyrics bounce off each other. Also a great remix on the single. 8/10

I Thought - After listening to Full Moon this song is a plesently surprising second. The beat is great and the tune is really imaginitive. One of the best. 9/10

When You Touch Me - A powerful ballad which is just as pleasing as Full Moon. The songs length goes by un-noticed as Brandy sings her way up and down the scale. 7/10

Like This - At this point you tend to think 'When will this album pick up the pace?' but just hang in there. This is a slick production but nothing totally off the scale. A slow beat with a good guitar melody. 7/10

All In Me - The start of this song just picks your ears up straight away, the tune is infectious. It starts off quite slow but then the mid-section makes you want to listen to this over and over, Brandy rapping sound brilliant and unique. 9/10

Apart - This track seems to be filled with eastern promise, and it delivers. The great bassline and Brandy's vocals complement each other immensely. This is a very good track. 9/10

Can We? - Seems reminisant of the first release 'What About Us?' but it holds its own, especially in the mid section and the end where the computer sounds blast through the speakers to create an awesome effect on the song. 7/10

What About Us? - Well, what needs to be said about this song? Its gritty bassline and simple yet flamboyant tune and lyrics are just fantastic. Brandy sounds great and this is one of the best on the album. 10/10

Anybody - This song is an Aaliyah style song and Brandy carries it off with ease. It sounds great all the way through and is very well produced. Its one of my favourites. 10/10

Nothing - WARNING!!! Do not listen to this if you have just broken up with your parter, because this is a really tear-jerking ballad. It is lovely all the way through and the end is just beautiful. 9/10

Its Not Worth It - This song is strange because you expext it to be really good because it has Michael Jackson appearing on it, but in my opinion it is one of the worst on the album. Although it is still very catchy. The beat goes from slow to fast and works! 7/10

He Is - This song is reminisant of a smokey filled room with a singer in a dress on stage. A nice slick production but not a stand-out. 8/10

Come A Little Closer - A beautiful ballad, just a pleasure to listen to over and over. 10/10

Love Wouldn't Count Me Out - Strong piano ballad which seems to try too hard, but still manages to pull out a decent song. 7/10

WOW - The ultimate revenge song! This sounds such a happy song with its strings and its catchy chorus, but its about rubbing the fact that you've found someone else in your ex's face, still very nice. 9/10

Another Day In Paradise - Sure you've all heard this. Quite bland and in my opinion isn't the best way to end the album. 6/10

A fantastic album all in all with a complete diversity of songs. No song is dire and they all please no matter what your taste is. Well done Brandy!

In 1994, Brandy entered the R&B arena with a voice that belied her age and slick production that proppeled her to instant stardom. In "Full Moon," her third album, that same recipe for success is as prevalent as ever. Brandy has one of the most recognizable and skilled voices in the music industry today. With its emotive raspiness and impressive range, each song on "Full Moon" is given incredible depth, never overpowering the melody yet always staying the focal point. On songs like the soft "When You Touch Me," the soulful thump of "Like This," and the swaying, Eastern-influenced gem of "Apart," Brandy's skill as an interpreter of song is beautifully displayed. She takes commanding possession of each lyric, infusing creative riffs and runs throughout the song to make it undeniably hers. Tracks like "He Is," a soothing ode to a faithful lover, and the feel good, I'm-better-off-without-you anthem "Wow" display her strong lower register that furthers shows Brandy's vocal control. For singers, Brandy is a great model to follow.

It doesn't hurt that the production is impeccable either. Rodney Jerkins and company create a sonic delight, such as with the ethereally pulsating title track or the technological wonder of "What About Us." Each song seamlessly transitions into the next, creating an album that is enjoyable to listen to and admire from beginning to end

...well, almost. While Brandy's voice is certainly at its best, and the production is top-notch, "Full Moon" isn't without its fillers. Songs like "Can We," "Anybody," and "Love Wouldn't Count Me Out" seems like unneccessary additions to an otherwise great R&B album. Nevertheless, Brandy's "Full Moon" is an influential album for aspiring singers and avid music lovers who admire soulful vocal creativity and skill, and for those who enjoy great musical arrangements to accompany such undeniable talent.

Brandy's "Full Moon" is her third album and it is her first album in three years! This album shows how much Brandy has grown throughout the three years of completing this album, and the title of this album says it all! Brandy has really come full circle and complete this time, and all of the songs on this album are tight!!!

((01)) B Rocka Intro- The beat and sound of this intro is off the hook!!! Totally awesome intro!

((02)) Full Moon- Brandy's voice on this song shows how much improvement and how much her voice has changed throughout the three years that she's been gone and has now come back to the spotlight with a new sound of voice that she has to share with everyone!!!

((03)) I Thought- This song makes me want to dance everytime I put this album on, and it's just excellent!!! The beats are good, and the song is totally beyond words!!!

((04)) When You Touch Me- A seductive song that makes this song so beautiful and romantic. This song really shows that Brandy is now a real woman and is not afraid to sing about something that's seductive and smooth. Good job, Brandy!!!

((05)) Like This- A song that makes you want to just kick back and relax and not worry about a thing. Cool!

((06)) All In Me- A faster song on this album that makes this song enjoyable!

((07)) Apart- A little slow and a little fast. This song's in between, and not to mention, this song is absolutely cool as the beats of this song make it so good!

((08)) Can We- This song sounds a lot like "What About Us?", and it dives right into the next track, "What About Us?"!

((09)) What About Us?- "What About Us?"! The first single off this album, and it is tight and off the hook!!! It is also one of my favorites off this album!!!

((10)) Anybody- This song sounds absolutely wonderful and fabulous!!!

((11)) Nothing- A good slow song to listen to. Really nice!

((12)) It's Not Worth It- I love the voice message on the answering machine in this song in the beginning!

((13)) He Is- This song is actually about Robert Smith, her husband, and it just talks about sweet things about him!! This is a really sweet song.

((14)) Come A Little Closer- Sweet song about wanting to see someone you love for the very last time.

((15)) Love Wouldn't Count Me Out- A good song about not wanting to be treated any different by your loved one.

((16)) WOW- This song is another favorite of mine and I love it!!!

((17)) Die Without You- A good song to end this album.

GO BRANDY!!!