Customer Reviews

How to Be a Lady 1

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is worth swiping the card. Electrik Red held their own with How to Be a Lady, Vol.1. It's about time we have a girl group that is out there because we don't get that much often except for male R&B groups, solo artists, etc. When this group came out with "Drink In My Cup", there was something about this group I liked and I had to check them out when the album was released. You know what? I'm glad I did. I expect good things from them and more music in the future. There's nothing negative I can say about this album. All of their songs are hot especially Devotion, Bed Rest, Freaky Freaky, W.F.Y., So Good (originial & remix), & Drink In My Cup. Much luv and I wish you ladies the best. The-Dream & Tricky Stewart did their work on the production. SWIPE THE CARD!!!!!!!!!!! This is an album you must get.

The ladies of Electrik Red (Kyndra, Lesley, Naomi and Sarah) have something to tell you: they're strong females who have massive quantities of sexy sex. The strength of the ladies is undermined, as usual, by the fact that the slick production and otherwise overall appeal of the album is due to two talented male producers, The-Dream (Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Usher, etc) and Tricky Stewart (Fabolous, Beyoncé, Mya, etc).

The album title is misleading - How to Be a Lady - and meant to challenge stereotypes about promiscuous women (i.e., whores). The album cover and lyrical content, however, elevates the stereotype that whores are not ladies. That aside, the musical content of the album is strong. The lyrical content of the album is all about sex, which becomes problematic for some songs like the poppy "P is for Power." I've mentally changed the lyrics from "you ain't gettin' no P" to "you ain't gettin' with me" because it's embarrassing to listen to such idiotic lyrics. "W.F.Y." has the same lyrical problem; although it's anthemetic, insanely driving electronica-R&B at its best and the most atmospheric song on the disc.

The club banger "Drink in My Cup" is an obvious first-single that'll be the theme-song of too many frat parties. It's along the lines of Lil Jon & the Ying Yang Twin's "Get Low" minus the non-stop, sweatin' energy loss. But if you've been hooked by "Drink in My Cup" (and not "Friend Lover" or "So Good"), then the only other song that sounds similar to it is "W.F.Y." The standard R&B fare is found in the slinky "9 to 5" and sensual "Go Shawty", the latter sounding like a B-side from TLC's "FanMail." The easily identifiable tracks helmed by The-Dream are the seriously catchy "Freaky Freaky" and 1990's Janet Jackson sounding "Bed Rest". "Muah" sounds like "Purple Kisses" from The-Dream's album "Love/Hate", which means it sounds like an updated, updated Prince song.

"Kill Bill" is the weakest song on the album. It's shouty and very young sounding for an otherwise overly mature album. But you can't know excellence without knowing inferiority.

Save for the nonstop sexually revolting lyrics (blame it on The-Dream's ability to 'empathize' with the female condition), The-Dream and Tricky Stewart have compiled one strong, full-sound electronica-R&B late-night horizontal-dance cd. Even the more forgettable songs, "So Good" and its subsequent remix and "On Point", fail to compel me to change to a more interesting track. I highly recommend this album if you like electronica/Over-Auto-Tune-R&B (e.g., Ciara, Beyonce, Rihanna, etc). If you don't like listening to whores tell you they're not whores, then I suggest you buy the clean version of this album.

Albums like this: The-Dream's "Love/Hate", Destiny's Child "Survivor"/"This Is the Remix", TLC's "FanMail", and Kelis' "Kaleidoscope"/"Tasty".

So underground! Wish they got more publicity but the songs are fun and full of femme power. Edgy and aggressive but ladylike :) Stays in my car.

Electrik Red caught my attention with their song called "So Good" because the beat is amazing, the lyrics and hook are catchy and Lil' Wayne is featured and you know if Wayne speaks, hip-hop fans listen. After hearing the song, I saw its video on 106 and Park and was surprised because I didn't think this was a group, I thought it was one newcomer. Soon after seeing the video I was on the telephone with my friend and she kept singing songs. I said, "What are you singing?" Her reply? "Oh, it's a song on Electrik Red's CD! You have to listen to it." So I listened to it, all of it, and it's a decent debut.

As you know, Electrik Red is The Dream's group and boy is his sound all over it! He can be heard saying things and singing. Also, anyone who is familiar with his production would be able to notice his influence from the first song. Too, his famous one-liner, "Radio Killa" is heard here more times than I can shake a stick at. Too, there are influences from other artists such as Ciara, Adina Howard and Prince. If these women have good singing voices, it was not displayed here anywhere. All 14 tracks contain women singing in a breathy manner, probably because most of the subject matter is sex. The only song that has some actual singing is track 4, "Freaky Freaky." Can you take a stab at what this song is about? It's a mid-tempo number about getting freaky. Yeah, I know, not too creative. "Kill Bill" is an obnoxious track about how the women were inspired by the movie and will not tolerate disrespect. "Drink in My Cup" and "Go Shawty" are weaker moments on this album, but alright nonetheless. "Go Shawty" really brings Adina Howard to mind.

There are no profound lyrics here. In fact, the vast majority of them are quite explicit and obscene. The beats are really good and futuristic, which was a huge plus for this album. My suggestion for their sophomore effort (if there ever is one) is that the women SING and not do whatever it is they called themselves doing on this album. Not bad, though. 3 1/2 stars.

Mikeisha's Top 5

1. "So Good"
2. "Devotion"
3. "Friend Lover"
4. "Bed Rest"
5. "Muah"

OMG, its about freaking time i mean its been a cool minute since there has been a group like this. I enjoy all the tracks except 1 and thats damn good. I hopped on this cd as soon as I heard their single, it took me 3 different stores to find this album last week but it was worth the search. My favorite i must say is friend lover it seems like they sample prince i am a star beat. I even promoted this album over twitter when i only heard the sample songs. Great Edgy album, Good Job Electrik read and kudos to Dream

I just got through with my first listen of the CD and I must say, I'm impressed. There's been a severe lack of decent girl-groups lately, and while I don't want to go around comparing artists to each other, the sassy attitude of Electrik Red is reminiscent of TLC in its heyday. Here's to years of success for Electrik Red!

i had to see what all the hype was with these girls and i'm glad i did.best girl album in a long time.{Kill Bill,P is for power,
freaky freaky and we f**** U....my songs}i hope they stay in da' game and don't fade like the rest.

Just happen to run across this on Amazon, & decided to listen. The girls have great voices & the songs are cool... Not crazy about the production... or The Dream, for that matter.

If the ladies do a Vol. 2, they may want to use a variety of producers next time. But, I do feel it's strong enough 4 me to pick up.

I bought this album a while ago but never listened to it till recently. My first impressions were that (1) the woman singing lead on a few tracks sounds very much like Kelis which made me enjoy those tracks & (2) the vibe of the album is totally giving me VANITY 6. Vanity 6 was a group of non-singers put together by Prince; they were not the best vocalists but they had ATTITUDE for days and the brilliance of Prince behind them.

The main problem with Electrik Red's album is the lyrics - a lot of these songs are graphic & somewhat foul which probably made it difficult for some of the catchier songs to get airplay. The album was written & produced by Tricky & The Dream which absolutely lends cohesion to the overall sound and the effort isn't bad but it's a shame that the lyrics didn't lean more towards the clever as opposed to the vulgar.

The songs that I really like:

SO GOOD - although there's unnecessary cussing, I like the beats & arrangement
DEVOTION - breathy vocals sound like a mash-up of Kelis & Prince
FREAKY FRIDAY - reminds me the most of the Vanity 6 "sound"
DRINK IN MY CUP - catchy
FRIEND LOVER - sounds like an '80's song
BED REST - although the production is stronger than the lyrics, I really like this track
9 TO 5 - borderline "OK-ish" but I like the doo-wop arrangement

The songs that I like the production more than the vocals & would love an instrumental:
MUAH, W.F.Y (trashy lyrics spoil this one), GO SHAWTY & ON POINT

Finally I hate: P IS FOR POWER & KILL BILL - both are trashy lyric and production wise.

Overall not a bad effort but if they get a second shot hope they tone down the racy lyrics.

love the CD but the CD cover was in bad shape unlike i was told it would be in but i payed a lot less than i would have if i got it new