Customer Reviews

Id

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Ms. Gray...Take a Bow
The sophomore album is never an easy obstacle to overcome, especially when the debut album in question is the successful, multi-platinum "On How Life Is" (OHLI). Macy Gray rose to the surface of a talent pool made up of boy bands, teen temptresses and Seattle leftovers with a sound unlike anything we've ever heard. With a unique sound that is part child, part 2-pack-day-smoker, Ms. Gray knocks our socks off once again.

The first track, "Relating to a Psychopath" could just as easily fit on Beck's "Odelay" as it does on "The Id". It's a psychedelic rock and R&B jam that sets the entire mood for the cd. "Sexual Revolution" is a 60's song for a millennium crowd--sassy, sexy and completely groove-worthy. The stand out "Sweet Baby," featuring Erykah Badu is reminiscent of Gray's first album, but with much richer orchestration. "Gimme All Your Lovin...," although lyrically disturbing, is such an incredible song musically, that you can overlook the rather morbid lyrics. "Don't Come Around" is a jazzy blues ballad in which you can't help but hear Aretha's influence. "Freak Like Me" and "Harry" are the album's guilty pleasures--pop songs that are so well produced that you forget that they're pop songs. And finally, one of my personal favorites, "Forgiveness," which is smooth like butter and an all-around beautiful song. I only wish that it ended the album.

There are a few "odd" choices, for lack of a better word. I could definitely do without "Hey Young World," even though it's cool to see Macy do a song with Slick Rick. The other complete Miss is the freaky "Oblivion," which is part Cabaret, part Fiddler on the Roof and part Carnival Sideshow. It honestly has no place on this otherwise flawless album, and takes my rating down to 4 stars.

Buy this cd with an open mind and don't expect to hear a boring carbon copy of "On How Life Is" or you'll be disappointed. "The Id" stands on it's own as a unique and worthwhile sophomore effort. Miss Gray...Take a bow.

Hot on the heels of 'On How Life Is' comes Macy Gray's 2nd album, 'The Id'. And like its predecessor, this album is an impressive mix of catchy melodies, freaky lyrics and Macy's unique voice.

While there really isn't anything that screams MASSIVE HIT like I Try did, there are a large number of standout tracks on the disc, with a good blend of mid and uptempo songs. The highlights on the album include the somewhat rock-y 'Relating to a Psychopath', the jaunty and fun 'Sexual Revolution' and the tender 'Sweet Baby'. However my favourite track is definitely the bizaare circus/carnival tune that is 'Oblivion', which includes sparkling lyrical gems like 'I eat my marimbas' and 'I tingle when I sing/Bling bling bling ting ting ting'.

I could have done without the instrumental 'Blowin' Up Your Speakers' though, which threatens to do just that with its weird cacophony of noises.

However, on the whole, this is a great album and is definitely worth spending your money on.

Macy Gray did more than just avoid the sophomore jinx she went in a totaly different direction! The Id has to be the most complex and musically focused album of the year so far! The main talent Gray has in her favor is her voice. Raspy, untamed and soulfull Gray's voice is like Billy Holliday's after the worst breakup of her life! The soul in Gray's voice is almost unmatched by any other vocalist in her genre save Badu, Stone, and Arie! The album flows in such an easy on uncontrolled atmosphere that she covers every disapointment from love to therapy. The tracks "Sweet Baby" and "Relating To A Psychopath" are the standouts from an excellent disc. If you don't like her voice you should buy the disc and try to fall for it or you have missed some of the best R&B of the past few decades. With her passion fueled freshman disc and her mind numbing follow up Gray has built a library that is already bound for history.

Though Macy Gray's public image may cause many to believe she is a little wacky, in her newest album, "The Id," she reaffirms what is going on inside of her head.

With this new music, Gray admits to being a "psychopath," but she remains unafraid to "express what is taboo" in her.
By delving into her own instinctual subconscious, Gray has created an album filled with records that stretch her talents as an artist. Each track is not only funky and original but also enjoyable individually.

Gray's debut album, "On How Life Is," established her as a leader of the soul singer revival, but since then the industry has seen an influx of youthful, soulful singer/songwriters.
With this new album, Gray shows why she still rules the genre.
She experiments with inventive beats and explicit lyrics, composing each song with accuracy, while demonstrating a skill that is a cut above the others.

She expresses in songs "Gimme All You Lovin' or I Will Kill You," and "My Nutmeg Phantasy" why the title of her album suits her Freudian indulgences.

Gray sings: "It's amazing what a gun to the head can do/My baby loves me now as hard as he can/My methods may be suspect/But you gotta get love however you can!" She fills the tracks with brassy horns, organs and other orchestrations, creating a new sound in her music.

With each song composed uniquely separate from the rest, Gray seems, at times, as though she is allowing the album to go somewhere it does not belong, but then she pulls it back to its center with a simple lyrical phrase.

In the disco inspired "Sexual Revolution," she sings: "Everybody break it/Every rule, constriction/My papa told me to be home by now/but my party has just begun."
T
he track "Sweet Baby" proves again that she has an extensive ability to write ballads. Erykah Badu sings back up on this record, but Gray is the spotlight singer as she wails, "Sweet, sweet baby/life is crazy/but there's one thing I am sure of/that I'm your lady/always baby/and I'll love you now and ever."

"The Id" showcases Gray's carefree and optimistic perspectives on life and love, and many of the songs are steeped in free love sensibilities.

Gray's voice may not suit everyone's liking, but her introspective lyrics and musical ability should be appreciated for their individuality in an industry that is oversaturated with manufactured sounds and voices.

Let's get past Macy's gravelly voice and eccentric behavior...once you're able to put that aside, you will realize that Macy Gray, the artist and songwriter, is incredibly talented. Remember, even when Billie Holiday sounded her worst, she was at her best, and the same goes for Macy!!

This CD, THE ID, once again features wonderfully tight, eclectic material as Macy's first CD ON HOW LIFE IS did. She is able to blend all types of music (funk, soul, blues, rock, folk, jazz, reggae) into something really refreshing. Other R&B acts could learn a lot from Macy's diversity instead of sticking with the same old tired beats and samples. There is more of a concentration on old school R&B mixed with funk and rock than was present on the previous CD. Also featured are the outstanding background vocal assistance of fellow neo-soul sistas Angie Stone (teamed up with hip-hop artist Mos Def on "My Nutmeg Phantasy"), Erykah Badu (the first single from the CD, "Sweet Baby", even though you have to really listen for Erykah's voice) and Sunshine Anderson ("Don't Come Around", sort of the kind of slow jam that Prince would do in his hey day) on several cuts and even does a decent reworking of Slick Rick's hip-hop classic "Hey Young World (Part II)". Rick also makes a guest appearance on that song.

Just like the tune "I've Committed Murder" from ON HOW LIFE IS raised a few eyebrows with its subject matter, so will the deliciously funky but dangerous "Give Me All Your Lovin' Or I Will Kill You". Equally good is the disco-inspired "Sexual Revolution". The hidden track "Shed" uses an old Pointer Sisters bassline (from "Yes We Can Can") that will definitely get you up and moving. In truth, just about everything here is superb. The only track that could have been left out was the instrumental "Blowin' Up Your Speakers", which isn't music at all, just a lot of feedback coming through your speakers. But if you liked Macy's first CD, I guarantee that you will love this one as well. A must have.

Yes, she sounds like Donald Duck. And no, we don't even want to know how much herb she burns. But Macy Gray is no joke, she's a seriously good artist.
The Id follows the pop-funk-rock-soul-psychadelica formula that worked so well in "On How Life Is" and surpasses it. There are some great tunes on this CD.
"Sexual Revolution" is a disco-Eurobeat ode to fulfilling carnal pleasures. The bassline is killer.
In the midtempo "Boo", Macy decries her dysfunctional relationship with lyrics like "If this is love, it's a good thing you don't hate me."
The opening "Relating to a Psychopath" mixes 60s girl group bounce with some rock guitar and crazy lyrics.
"Sweet Baby," the first single, is reminiscent of "I Try," with a beautiful string opening and a heartfelt testimonial to a love nobody else thinks will work. A hard-to-detect Erykah Badu sings back up and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers lends some axework.
Other highlights include "Gimme All Your Lovin' or I Will Kill You," a tongue-in-cheek ballad lamenting a relationship that's about to crash and burn. Freak Like Me and Oblivion are other highlights.
"The Id" demonstrates Macy's wide-ranging musical influences. Music writers often include her in the neo-soul category that includes Badu, Jill Scott and Maxwell, but she's as close to Sheryl Crow and Lenny Kravitz as she is to any of them.
"The Id" is equal parts funny, tormented, boisterous and downtrodden. More than anything, it's good music for just about every taste.

i love this album. nothing makes me happier than "related to a psychopath." the girl's lyrical, passionate, has a tremendous sense of humor, and is deeply talented. i love her voice--in a world of overproduced, under-talented music, a human voice with all the trappings of glee is a truly a thing of beauty. perhaps i'm a sucker for the unusual--willie nelson, johnny cash, neil young--the voices of which are generally not considered melodious. and yet, they're considered some of the most influential musicians of our time. perhaps, "we're kissing mysteries?"
i love to read the lowest ratings and was entertained, as usual, by the total lack of understanding held by those who rated this album 1star. this album perfectly embodies "the id." it is free and macy is not typical. she is not top 40. she's not clear channel. and these people obviously are.
and thank god she's not...cuz i "got to feel this dance in my head"

Macy Gray's follow-up to her stunning debut "On How Life Is" is a satisfying, if not electrifying, effort. The album's best moment comes in its lead track "Relating To A Psychopath".

"Relating" is a high-stepping, propulsive track featuring some of Gray's best singing to date. She spits out words here like machine-gun fire; her voice like a snare drum snapping the song to attention like military troops in the presence of a four-star general. Staccato piano and clavinet accents drive the beat, and "Relating" is ready to fly. Perfect.

"My Nutmeg Phantasy" is also delicious. It's a funky, clavinet-driven track featuring a swinging, sing-along chorus and a fine guest-appearance by Angie Stone. Macy sings against the beat in spots, creating a very sexy tension. It's not Marvin Gaye and "Let's Get It On", but pretty damn good.

If only I could say the same for the rest of the album.

There's some fun disco ("Sexual Revolution"), a sunny save-the-children plea (Hey Young World Part 2"), and plenty of good-but-not-great tracks ("Harry", "Sweet Baby", "Boo" and "Oblivion"--which is the first R&B song I've ever heard that sounded like it was inspired by a Russian wedding). But too much else sounds like filler.

The Eagles' Glen Frey once said you have an entire lifetime to write your first album, and one year for your second. But given Macy Gray's obvious talent, I'm more than willing to cut her a bit of slack.

I look forward to years of music from this distinctive and talented woman. She definitely has the music in her.

Just so there isn't any doubt, Macy Gray tells us right at the beginning of her sophomore set The Id "you are relating to a psychopath...your role model is in therapy...you must be real far gone...you're relating to a psychopath." Consider this an honest warning. Macy does seem just a wee bit out there, often, but the music she makes is warm, creative and embracing. Freud defined the "id" as "that part of the psyche responsible for instinctual impulses and demands for immediate satisfaction of primitive needs." Perhaps this album might be called "Macy Gray's Id", as it explores her relationships (real or imagined), and her demands for personal & sexual satisfaction. If you liked her 1999 release On How Life Is, you will probably like The Id as well. This album is also creative, funky, carefree and optimistic. Her songwriting shines again, and the music has the same unforced quality as before. Many of the same musicians and collaborators appear here, but I sometimes found myself noticing the musicianship on this album even more. There are also vocal appearances by Erykah Badu, Slick Rick, Sunshine Anderson, Angie Stone and Mos Def. If this album is not as commercially successful as her debut (which sold 7 million copies, spawned several successful singles and garnered a Grammy for I Try), it certainly is as much of a personal achievement. Gray not only wrote or co-wrote nearly every song, she also co-produced the album.

There are several songs here that seem to go in a new musical direction for Gray. The first, Relating to a Psychopath, is uptempo and very colorful- like a psychedelic circus; hand-clapping, crazy voices, all with a beat reminiscent of a musical sequey on the 60's TV show Laugh In. You can almost see the go-go dancers and giant dots. Another song that steps into new territory is Sexual Revolution. It starts off slowly with strings and piano, then breaks (like a revolution?) into a swirling, disco-era dance anthem about everyone's right to express their sexuality freely. Her duet with Slick Rick, Hey Young World Part 2, has an `oompah' marching band quality, like a hip-hop polka, which works well with the subject: instructing young children on life...

get ahead and accomplish things
you'll see the wonder and the joy life brings
don't admire thieves, they don't admire you
their times are limited and hardrocks too
listen be strong and scream
woopie doo!
go for yours cause dreams come true
you'll make your mommy so proud of you too...

The last song in this new territory is the most intriguing, called Oblivion. Again with a hurdy-gurdy, polka sound, it's bizarre taken up a few notches- like a burlesque in WWII Berlin. All of this lends a strange Alice in Wonderland quality to the album. Though interesting, I prefer the more seductive R&B numbers, like Boo, Sweet Baby (with Badu), or Don't Come Around - a classic soul duet with Sunshine Anderson. Forgiveness, near the end, goes into the territory where I want to dwell with Gray:

where is the forgiveness that you promised me?
am I too late? / gone astray
misplaced the keys to all my churches
seems I've chased all my angels away...

The `hidden' track at the end, Shed, has a welcome funkiness, and cleverly compares shedding our clothes to shedding our egos- becoming completely vulnerable. On several numbers the song endings are cut short- I wish we could hear the jams to their very end. But this is still a highly enjoyable album. This unique musical artist inspires us as she expresses her creative ideas and satisfies her urges. Go ahead with your bad self, Macy. As long as you're honest, we'll be there listening.

Macy Gray burst onto the scene in 1999 with her critically and comercially well received debut on how life is. On that album, Macy used her scratchy, quiet, and completely unique voice in a mixture of bizarre playful funky songs and many slow, soulful ballads. On Macy's second album, the id, she proves that life was not a fluke, but the album is scattered and many of the songs are missing the playful funk that made her debut great. The albums best songs are the soulful ballads, including dont come around, harry and sweet baby. The album does offer some unique gems, songs only Macy would be able to pull off without sounding irritating or disturbing. The opening tack is relating to a physchopath, where she scolds her lover for admiring someone so deranged while at the same time cooing 'you are so good at keeping me company". Another classic is "hey young world", where Macy, an unlikely role model (she admitted to experimenting with drugs), pleas with future generations to respect their parents and to stay out of trouble. Macy shows in this song that her often ridiculed squeaky voice, which is her most unique and important quality as an artist, can be strong and powerful. The other great song on here is gimme me all your lovin or i will kill you. When Macy squeals" i have lost my mind" it neither worries nor bothers you that you completly believe her and its doubtful that many other artists could pull off this song so effectively. However, sometimes macy's weirdness works against her. Oblivion pushes the limit lyrically but musically sounds like bad carnival music. The other problem with this album is that many of the ballads end up sounding similar and repetitive. In the end, this offers many treats but you'd like to see macy get funky in a more diverse and focused way. This album proves macy as a legitimate artist capable of pushing the limits of soul and pop music, but she hasnt quite reached her own limit yet.