Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
'Incredible' is inspiritional!, July 16, 2002
Mary-Mary's sophomore album `Incredible' is filled with inspiration. Each track lyrically inspires and encourages the listener to trust in God when we feel insecure (`Little Girl'), when we fail (`I Try'), and when we need to be reminded that he's near and right by our side (`So Close'). However, one of the major weaknesses of this album is related to their sound. In the songs `Incredible', `God Bless', `He Said', `Hold On', and the bonus track, `Happy', I believe that the hip-hop beat and rhythm overpowers Mary-Mary's vocals, and hinders the power of the words they are singing. Despite the evident weakness I see in `He Said', the song has amazing lyrics, which combines words that could be spoken in Jesus' perspective, with Tina and Erica's encouraging words to trust in the Lord. Additionally, this song has a great transition into the track that follows it - `In the Morning.'
Although, I believe some tracks deter from the power of the lyrics, there are two songs in which the musical accompaniment accommodate the lyrics - `In the Morning', `This Love.' These two songs are unique to this album because `In the Morning' has an instrumental string orchestral introduction which sounds like a musical conversation between the violins and cellos. Also, `This Love' has a poignant verse that I believe is important, especially for Christians, that God's love is better than mother's and father's love. Mary-Mary also compensates for their overpowering sound with Holy Spirit filled songs like `I Try', `So Close', `God Has Smiled On Me', `You Will Know', and `Trouble Ain't.' Each of these songs has a slow R&B sound, which can serve as meditative prayers. My favorite of these slower tracks is `I Try.' From the way they sing `I Try' I can definitely feel that Tina and Erica are making this song a prayer - a cry of their hearts. I wouldn't be surprised if they were recording this song on bended knee. Although Tina and Erica didn't not participate in the writing of `Thank You', and `God Has Smiled On Me', in these songs I believe Erica and Tina indirectly responds to the events of September 11, 2001, and diseases like AIDS, cancer, and anthrax. In both songs the lyrics imply that they are thankful for God's love and protection from tragedy, disease, crime, and drugs.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent sophomore cd..., January 15, 2003
I love this cd... When I first got it there were songs I loved immediately... I had my favorites and I played them over and over... then they started to wear on me cause listen to music ALL the time... in the car, on the computer, in the shower... ah, but I digress... some take a while to get use to, but now they are my favorites, and I could listen to the whole cd without flipping a track...The first five tracks just flat out jam... "Ordinary People" is a true testimony to my life, because Lord knows I'm nobody special, yet and still He loves me... I wish I had heard "Little Girl" when I was 13 and their Stevie Wonder "You Will Know" remake is gorgeous... made me wanna cry. "This Love" is a tight song too featuring gospel artist Fred Hammond and I like it's message. My main reason for loving this cd is it's truth. I'm a lyric person and these speak to me. Songs like "So Close" and "I Try" discuss how you feel when you messed up or you feel your not worthy of Christ's love, which I've felt many times, but how He loves us unconditionally and if we just call upon Him, He'll be right there to help us. Plainly put, this album is just real... It has a message and if you look at this as merely an R&B album you are truly missing that... I am encouraged everytime I listen to it... Hoped this review helped. God bless!
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
When I need to see the bright side of life, August 14, 2002
... I turn to Mary Mary. You see, I'm a 'the glass is half empty' type of person. This is why melancholic songs often resonate deeper in me. But sometimes, I really need someone to pat me on the back and tell me: "come on girl, things are not that bad!" Their first album "Thankful" never failed to bring a smile on my face. When I heard "In the morning" for the first time, I felt the same positive energy. I'm glad to find here what I already enjoyed on their first recording. There are beautiful ballads ("This love", "God has smiled on you", "You will know", "So close") that make me regret not to be able to harmonize with the girls. There is some gospel with "I try" and "Thank you" (listen to the end of it, it sounds live). There are upbeat r'n'b tracks ("God bless", "He said", "Hold on", "Ordinary people", "Trouble ain't", the sweet "Little girl", the title track) that make you clap your hands and groove along. Some songs seems to have been produced by the same people who worked on Brandy latest album "Full Moon" ("Give it up Let it go" for example). They have the same deep heavy beat. The voices are never drowned in the music though. If you are Christian, the songs are praising God for always being there for you, thanking him for his love, and encouraging you to hold on to faith. There are also several songs about gaining confidence in yourself because God created you who you are for a reason. If, like me, you are not particularly religious, the radiant confidence and joie de vivre of the Atkins sisters will reach you anyway. I'm sure you'll be smiling too. NB: Tracks 16 to 19 are silent but track 20 is a 3:00' hidden bonus track.
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