Customer Reviews

Justin Guarini

5 star:		(188)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(50)

 

 

Justin really displays the range of his abilities on this debut CD. "Sorry" and "Be a Heartbreaker" have an urban hip-hop feel that many may not expect from Justin. He brings in an R&B vibe with the sensual "I Saw Your Face" and even a bit of a latin flavor in "One Heart Too Many".

He also shows he can handle a classic love ballad in "How Will You Know" and a beautiful rendition of "Unchained Melody". While "Unchained" has certainly been covered to death, I find myself listening to this one over and over again. Justin brings an incredible emotion and longing to the melancholy "Condition of My Heart" which is one of my favorites. The power ballad "Timeless" with Kelly Clarkson is nothing less than phenomenal.

Another favorite of mine is "If You Wanna" which is hard to classify, but reminds me of a Janet Jackson style song when she was in her heyday. Finally, I dare you to sit still listening to the Pop beat of "Inner Child" which is just plain fun!

While there is a range of styles on this CD it all flows together into one wonderful musical experience. Very impressive debut album!

I am impressed. I was so afraid Justin's cd would have the AI sound to it but no such thing. The songs on this album, with very few exceptions, have a consistent, soulful, R&B feel. You can really see the direction that Justin wants to go. I Saw Your Face, Sorry, Be a Heartbreaker, Condition of My Heart, Doing Things, have strong R&B vibes. The Latin feel of One Heart Too Many was an unexpected pleasant surpise. How Will You Know will make you swoon ladies. Unchained melody tends to break the flow but he does a beautiful job vocally. Some funky dance tunes add variety. All and all a good first effor from Justin.

If anybody out there has doubts about Justin Guarini's vocal talents, they'll be silenced after listing to "Condition of My Heart" for the first time. DAMN!! That is one POWERFUL voice!! One could also say the same thing after listening to "Thinking Of You", "I Saw Your Face", "How Will You Know" ... it just never ends!! Two songs that stands out, though, is his interesting rendition of "Get Here" (the popular song that Oleta Adams made famous) and his phenomenal duet, "Timeless", that he did with Kelly Clarkson. It's too bad this album never got promoted the way that it should've been. Who knows how many copies would've been sold if it had been given a fair shot? Sadly, it wasn't, and barely anybody heard about it. In any case, I felt I got my money's worth when I purchased my copy. I listen to it all the time. It never gets boring. Great music never does.

R&B music has become too sexualized these days, with lyrics that I'd be embarrassed to listen to in front of other people. Justin Guarini's album is a great throwback to the days when R&B was sexy without being nasty. I also like how there are no guest rappers on the album. I'm tired of so many R&B artists using rappers in their songs. It's fine every once in a while, but it's become too overdone and I like to listen to a song without having it interrupted by a rap. If you love good R&B music, or just good music in general, buy this album!

"One Heart Too Many"- An extremely romantic song! The Latin-style music is just gorgeous. The perfect way to start the album!

"I Saw Your Face"- A wonderful, sexy R&B song! This should be a hit if its released to radio.

"Be A Heartbreaker"- Another great R&B song! It has a great message that you should never settle for less when it comes to love.

"Unchained Melody"- This song has been covered so many times, but Justin does a great job with it.

"Sorry"- A funky, different kind of R&B song. Its the kind of song that gets stuck in your head after a few listens. An excellent choice as the first single.

"How Will You Know"- A very sweet ballad that has an acoustic feel to it.

"Inner Child"- The most pop song on the album. Its very up-tempo and different from anything Ive ever heard. A very fun song.

"Condition of My Heart"- The most beautiful ballad on the album. Its one of those heartbreakingly lovely songs. A classic.

"Doin Things (Were Not Supposed To)"- A sexy song that shows a different side of Justin. Its sensual without being raunchy.

"If You Wanna"- The most up-tempo song on the album. It has a gritty sound to it. It's fun to listen to if you're not in the mood for a ballad.

"Thinking of You"- A great mid-tempo R&B song. It has a sweet message of a guy wanting to take the girl he loves away from her fears.

"Get Here"- When I first heard that this would be on Justins album, I thought it was a bad idea since this was his trademark song on American Idol and it was already on the American Idol Greatest Moments album. But after hearing the new version, Im so glad its on here! This version is a hundred times better than the one on the AI album! The music is more beautiful and the song has much better production than on the AI album.

"Timeless"- A simply gorgeous duet with Kelly Clarkson! It's one of the best duets Ive ever heard. This could become a classic. It's not R&B, but pop/adult contemporary, but it's still fantastic nonetheless.

I was on a waiting list for this CD and was not dissapointed. The songs, lyrics and melodys are excellent. You can see the influences of Baby Face and Justin Timerlake and everyone else who had a hand in producing this CD. Justin has a beautiful voice and does not over sing, like so many other people seem to be doing. If you loved Justin before, you will love him more now. If you were not a fan of Justin's before, you will probably get hooked. Check it out, you will not be dissapointed. Another CD which is excellent and has some diversity is Kelly Clarkson's "Thankful". Both are winners!

Unfortunately I do not watch "American Idol," so I came with no preconceived notions. Was VERY curious to see what that young artist could really do. Justin can really sing! I am surpised and delighted by the subtle mixtures of styles. Very danceable, romantic and inspiring. Would definitely recommend this, and I've VERY glad I bought it!

Justin Guarini, the runnerup of American Idol Season 1, has now released his debut CD. As is known, Justin has a pretty abled voice. He is a rather accomplished singer technically. The only problem that was foreseen probably was his image and the kind of music he would sing. Taken this, his debut CD does well on many fronts but it is only mediocre and nothing superb or extraordinary.

ONE HEART TOO MANY- Latin-tinged midtempo that is kinda bland overall. It does get the CD off to a kinda scary start. The song sounds cheap and I was afraid that the CD would have this kinda style to it throughout. Plus, the Latin inflected music is kinda out of date as of late. Maybe in 1999 it would have worked better. This is definitely a filler song. B-

I SAW yOUR FACE- This slow, beat heavy and at first anticipated debut single from the CD. This song is great overall. Its soulfulness coupled with the arrangement makes this the more better. It is produced by the Underdogs and Babyface who happen to have many great songs on CDs recently. A

BE A HEARTBREAKER- This neosoul futuristic sounding unique cut is the music that I can definitely see Justin singing. He works well with this song which fits his semi-eccentric attitude. I definitely like this song. A-

UNCHAINED MELODY- This remake of the big hit from the 50s or 60s is ably handled by Justin. I first heard this version live on American Idol and I was surprised there. The song is definitely dramatic and sentimental in its entirety. Justin handles this suprisingly well. A+

SORRY- Official 1st single from the disc. This midtempo is not one that I liked much initially but it definitely has grown on me a little. The song is relatively 80ish but it definitely does work as a whole. B+

HOW WILL yOU KNOW- Also produced by the Underdogs and Babyface, this breezy, relatively laidback song is beautiful to say the least. It certainly is smooth and has some good vocals. The song can possibly be boring to some but it is the kind of ballad that I like and one that fits his voice. A-

INNER CHILD- Horrible, disco sounding song that is reminiscent of the eighties. This song really sucks and I never listen to it. Imagine the worst bubblegum pop of the the late 90s. F

CONDITION OF MY HEART- Written by Brian McKnight, this song also produced by the Underdogs and Face is certainly one of the strongest ballads located on the CD. The beats are tight here and the song is soothing. A

DOIN' THINGS (WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO)- This bluesy, hip-hop soulful Philly soul jam is tight. The theme here is kinda not my style but I like the instrumentation and the beat. This is the kinda music Justin is for. A

IF yOU WANNA- Song is too poppish and bubblegum and the beat is too heavy. I am wondering why he would go from the former song to something this horrible and lame sounding. Truly filler and too robotic. B-

THINKING OF yOU- Also produced by the Underdogs and Babyface, this gentle ballad has some of the most powerful vocals on the CD throughout. It is peaceful like most of the songs and is very interesting. Definitely one of the best. A

GET HERE- This remake of the Oleta Adams, Brenda Russell written song is one of the best versions I have heard. Justin puts his unique stamp on this song and the arrangement is awesome here. The beats are unbelievable on this Underdogs and Face produced CD.

TIMELESS- This duet with Kelly Clarkson is a powerful one. Kelly's powerhouse vocals coupled with Justin's mellow but also quite powerful voice gives this song some definition. I like it, I like it alot. It has that sailor kinda vibe to it and is interesting. A

Overall, Justin's CD is great as a whole. There are some songs that are too filler. However, the ballads and the neosoul midtempos work well. I really was surprised by this CD and it is a little better than I expected. However, the weak points definitely weaken the CD too much.

THINKING OF yOU-

With his debut CD, Guarini has proven he can hold his own in a recording studio. The album starts off well with the Latin-inspired "One Heart Too Many". The songs "I Saw Your Face", "Be A Heartbreaker" and "Doin' Things We're Not Supposed To" provide a strong R&B feel. One of the best songs on the CD is the single "Sorry", which has a rock feel, but is not easily categorized. "Sorry" is one of the most new and original-sounding songs on the CD and showcases Guarini's versatile vocal talents well. There are three ballads on the CD: two breezy tunes called "How Will You Know" and "Thinking of You" and a third, "Condition of My Heart" which showcases the raw emotion Guarini's voice is able to convey so well. "Unchained Melody" and "Get Here" are the two respectable covers on the CD, though I thought some of his live performances of these songs were more passionate. Nonetheless, both songs are well suited to Guarini's voice. Perhaps my favorite song on this album is "If You Wanna", a funk/dance tune supported by wonderful synthesizer and bass lines. "If You Wanna" was co-written by veteran songwriter Carole Bayer Sager, Wade Robson and Guarini himself. The riskiest song on the album is probably "Inner Child", a pop tune that sounds a little dated. However, the payoff comes at the end of the song when Guarini lets loose in a very Prince-ly manner. The final song on the CD is "Timeless", a great love ballad on which Guarini and Kelly Clarkson blend quite well. Overall, this a solid collection and makes me feel excited for Guarini's next album, which I hope will feature even more of his own personality and songwriting.

This CD is a great first effort for Justin. I bought this CD for the duet with Kelly ("Timeless" which is an incredible song by the way), and was pleasantly surprised by the smooth R&B feel of this CD. The songs are really well-polished, and Justin's vocals are incredible. If you're a fan of Babyface, Brian McKnight (who wrote one of the songs on the CD), etc., buy this CD! You won't regret it.

i've been waiting a while for this CD...and it did not disappoint. WOW!! very cohesive and consistent. still not sure why unchained melody and get here are on here as they've been covered so much...but other than that...excellent tunes! lots of smooooooth R&B - rather unexpected since it was a 'pop' show, but quite satisfying nonetheless.

Justin and Kelly have both proven that their talent extends beyond American Idol. good luck to them both - and BUY THIS CD!!! you will NOT be disappointed!!! :)