Customer Reviews

My Everything

5 star:		(85)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

1. I didn't "download" this CD from itunes or anyplace else. I paid full price. I have not purchased a music CD that has not been downloaded in 3 years.

2. I started playing songs on it over and over again. The "My Everything" cut and the "My Everything-revisited" are my favs.

3. I read everything I could before the CD came out because I wanted to know the story behind the CD.

i'm 38 and hiphop is still my favorite genre of music primarily because of the beats. For so many years we have been getting this watered down R&B (exculding Ms Alica Keys and Ms. Jill Scott). I was getting plain sick of the genre...no more Luther, Sade is too infrequent with her releases. Will Downing has changed so much I don't know his music anymore. Toni Braxton seems to have fallen off the side of the earth in terms of musical direction.

Its soooo nice to have you back Anita. Your music really does fill such a large void out there. So nice...

Truth be known I had anxiously awaited Anita's new disc for quite some time ( along with a few million of her other loyal fans! ) and while any release from Ms. Baker is a time of celebration I must say I am having rather conflicted feelings toward " My Everything " A classic case of earnest desire looking reality square in the face.

Again, I am a huge fan of Anita Bakers previous works and still consider " Rapture " to be one of the few classic Soul, R&B discs ever released. But " My Everything " while it has its moments, simply pales in comparison to the best of what this artist has to offer. Beginning with the title track, an extremely radio-friendly song that has been playing on Smooth Jazz stations before the actual release of the cd, is pleasant and a nice way of beginning the disc but not exactly a classic in its own right. Nevertheless a nice enough tune and worthy of its presence on this disc. But problems soon arrive and disappointment also reared its ugly head. " How Could You " simply comes across as filler material and left no impact on this music lover whatsoever. Now things do ' heat up ' again with " In My Heart " a luxurious, sexy number that brings out the best in this singer and was unrepentant in its overt desires. For me easily the best song to be found on this cd. Unfortunately after hitting that high note ( no pun! ) Ms. Baker's release tends to collectively, song by song, build up speed heading directly down hill. " Serious " the one song not written by Ms.Baker is agin nice enough but rather bland and nothing that captured my imagination and " Like You Used To Do " a duet with Babyface, again pleasant enough, seemed rather forced and out of place. Plus, if you're going to have someone duet with the amazing Anita lets try to find someone who can match her amazing vocal abilities. Sadly, it certainly isn't Babyface who seems miles behind Ms. Baker in the talent pool. The rest of the disc, again competant enough and pleasant in its own small way, simply comes across as rather umm, well, nice enough but never seems to fully realize its true potential. All in all while each song poured out of my speakers it seemed as though not one really grabbed my attention and had me searching for my replay button. I kept pondering at the end of the disc, is that all there is?

Now admirers of Anita Baker may fault me for comparing this release with previous works but whats a music lover to do? After being a loyal follower for many years now I, like those loyal fans, have high expectations for what this singer is capable of and when a disc is released under her name I do expect a quality product. That's not saying that " My Everything " is a disaster, it certainly isn't that. But after being out of the public eye for quite a few years now I guess I was expecting that Anita would bring forth a disc that showcased her many talents and though her songwriting skills are, lets say competant, it seems as though she perhaps tried to do too much on this disc. And, sadly, the cd suffers because of that. Nevertheless, a fan I will remain and anxiously, yet again, find myself waiting for her next release.

I own all of Anita Baker's CDs and bought this one the day it came out without evening hearing it first - like SADE and LUTHER and other singers that have their own instantly memorable "signature" sound, this is pure Anita Baker all the way - that's good...and bad. While these songs are surely listenable and pleasant in Anita's patented quiet-storm style, one wonders why it took TEN YEARS for this? The title track (and its jazzy scat reprise!), the Babyface duet, and a few others are strong and earn repeated listens, but much of this is below Anita's high standards such as Sweet Love, Angel, Giving You the Best, Been So Long, etc. But I am glad to know that a singer with as much talent, style, and grace as Anita Baker can take off a decade and then release a new CD that tops the charts - good to know there is still a sizeable audience for QUALITY MUSIC instead of thw empty, throwaway padlum that passes for Top 40 pop music today.

Music has moved on, that's true. This is no Alicia Keys-style neo-soul or over-produced Beyonce kind of album. It's classic, tasteful, and classy--all the things Anita Baker has always been. And that's fine with me, thank you very much. No, there's no "Sweet Love" (a once-in-a-lifetime song, admit it), but "How Does It Feel?" and "In My Heart" would stand up to anything from "Rhythm of Love," my favorite post-"Rapture" album.

One more thing: For Ms. Baker to still be in such fine voice after years away from recording is no less than remarkable. I'm so glad she's back--this album really reminded me how much I'd missed her particular brand of lush, polished R&B.

Can't wait for the standards album, which is supposedly coming next from Blue Note. We can only hope someone at the label has the moxie to propose a duet with Cassandra Wilson!

and I, like many other lovers of Miss. Anita's music have been waiting a long while. But it seems as if Anita is back to stay!

I admit that I was skeptical that after being away for so long, that Anita's music would be fresh enough to compete with the rest of the stuff that is out in the music world, as well as compete with the memory of her prior masterpieces. But when I heard how the first track opened, with that classic formula, I knew she had done alright.

All of the tracks stay within the limits of safety, most likely to keep the interests of her traditional listeners. However, songs like "Like You Used to Do", a duet with Mr. Babyface himself, reach out to any newcomers to draw them to the magical voice of Miss Baker. Not one song on this CD is hard to listen to, she has done a great job at holding the listeners attention.

Now that I have listened to the CD about 10 times over the past week and a half, there is no doubt in my mind that Miss. Anita Baker has returned for good. I grew up listening to this woman, I knew the words (the REAL words) to "Same Ole Love", "Rapture" and "Fairytales" long before I could understand what she was singing about. But in the past ten years understanding has come with experience & age, and repeated replays of Anita's melodies. Only GOOD music can touch a soul that way. Keep on singing Anita!

2004 really proved to have a great return on old school R&B music, which has been overlooked on radio for quite a few years. Largely, thanks to Prince and his comeback album Musicology, many artists are really having great comebacks including Patti LaBelle, Teena Marie, Boyz II Men, and Anita Baker. Anita had mostly spend the past decade out of the public eye. Some people still wondered if she could ever record great music again. For die hard Anita fans, that truly is a yes. Sadly, Anita lost both of her parents, and really couldn't find anything worth dealing with in the music industry. Nevertheless, a hard core fan base, and her touring again landed her a new deal with Blue Note Records, the label home to Norah Jones, and originally The Pointer Sisters.

Her Blue Note debut, My Everything, one of two albums of music Anita's music released, is a really exotic and exciting return to her seductive voice and soul. The album is most a combination of Jazz, smooth Adult Contemporary R&B, and Soul. The songs on here are great and just full of life here. Although the album is short, it is just simple and not overdubbed, just like her earlier records. The album includes great soulful tracks including the comeback track You're My Everything, Like You Used To Do, the soulful collaboration with Babyface, Serious, and the seductive modern R&B ballad Close Your Eyes. The songs here and the rhythmic seduction of Anita's voice and performance on My Everything is superb, especially within the 10 year hiatus she undergone. Her voice and style really hasn't lost its shine at all. This is pure classic Anita Baker. My only problem with the record, is there could've been more tracks added on than just 9, 10 actually because You're My Everything had a revisited track as well, but that is alright. That was how most of Anita's earlier records were issued, with very few songs.

The other Anita Baker album that was released earlier this year was A Night Of Rapture: Live, a collection of her live performances promoting her landmark record, Rapture. That was the appitizer, but My Everything is truly the main course. This is one of the very best R&B records issued this year, and the best of Soul in awhile. Welcome back Anita!! This was really well worth it.

First let me just say that some of my fondest childhood memories are chillin' at home with my family with the "Rapture" album on. And as a musician I fell in love with the passion of her lyrical delivery--completely original, full of strength and sensuality. That combined with live jazz rhythm section equalled skill and artistry you cannot deny. That said, the title song alone is worth getting this album!!! Radio needs this music desperately!!!
Anita is back and each song is flawless in her delivery. Those that already know about Anita will enjoy this immensely, and those that don't need to be educated!!!! These pop girls need to take a lesson and learn that anyone can wail on a song, but the true magic happens when the singer's voice is in unison with the band behind her, creating a fluid harmonic force that envokes joy and hope. That's why I and many others fell in love with Anita in the first place! She is a true definition of a Songstress, and her return was long overdue!!!!
So boy bands, forget the dance moves and pick up some instruments!!! And pop girls, forget the yelling and screaming and try to feel what your singing, unpopular as that may be. Then the tricks will be rooted in truth and won't sound forced or unnecessary. Buy this Album!!! Tell your friends, request her on the radio!!! And Blue Note Records-- as one person said already, Back this woman up with your full arsenal; she's earned it many times over!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Anita! Never leave us again!!!

I almost got into an argument with a cashier when purchasing this album. He mentioned it was the best thing he'd ever heard by Anita in years. I had to disagree based on airplay so far but was giving the album a chance. I had already noticed that the phrasing, improvisation and clearly - the voice we know - was not there. I gave the album a chance, hoping for more, but it didn't happen. This CD has been on my living room table for quite a long time now. I've listened to it in it's entirety about three times just knowing it will hit me at some point but it doesn't.

Yes, I've been a fan of Anita's too. I was ecstatic the day The Songstress was re-issued on CD many years ago. I have the Chapter 8 album on the original vinyl release. I'm from Detroit too and have every reason to plug Anita. Anyway, very disappointing. Of about 650 CD's and 600 more vinyl LP's, I was sifting through them all about a week ago and hate to say it but I picked about 20 to sell and Anita's latest will be one of them going to the cut-out bin. The "work" was obviously not put in to this album.

I was just listening to "My Everything" on the radio prompting me to write this. The vocals almost seem amateuristic and a forced attempt to rekindle past masterpieces.

Times are hard around here although I've heard better things about other parts of the country but paying $16-$20 for something you have confidence that you'll get your $$$ worth and you don't is rather tiring.


I think Amazon's offer to purchase her latest effort for a penny when opening a credit card sums it all up. Sorry Anita but do give me credit for introducing your work to a whole new audience when inviting co-workers and friends to your concert at Pine Knob way back in the 80's.

Imagine my surprise today when I went into the store, and saw a 'new' Anita Baker cd on the shelf!! I didn't even know there was one coming, cause I thought she had retired from recording...and i'm 'still wondering' if these are 'new' recordings, or just something that Barry Eastmond & Babyface cooked up in the studio..using old tapes?(It doesn't say anywhere in the liner notes the DATE that this was made) Either way, I don't really care..because the enjoyment that I get from holding a collection of 'new songs' from Anita Baker overshadows that.
She is..by far..one of the truly gifted voices of the past 20 or 30 years. I've enjoyed every single song that she's ever recorded..because I feel there are certain singers that just give you JOY by simply listening to them. And she is one of THOSE voices. Although i'm only listening to this cd for the first time, her voice is always like an 'old friend'. I still love all of her 'earlier' work..but this cd sounds just great so far.
As Gary Jackson asked her(in the liner notes of "A Night Of Rapture - LIVE")...I, also wish that she would go back into the
studio and concert scene. I know that I'd be first in line to buy a ticket to any type of live-performance by her!! The 3 videos included on the 'live' cd are worth getting..if you don't already have it.
Thank you Anita...for all the music..and 'You Bring Me Joy' each and every time I play ANY of your songs. The voice of an Angel...making the word EMOTION really mean something.
This new cd "My Everything" is a refreshing addition to my cd collection. Many have tried to come close to Anita's voice...but if you really want to 'smile from the inside out'...pick this up. But don't stop there....all of her earlier work is already out there waiting to grab you by the heart and mind. Believe me, you won't be sorry!!

I absolutely love this cd.The last time I actually liked every song on a cd was her Rapture cd. One critic wrote she didn't introduce anything different, Anita Baker is all class! If you listen to her songs you would know that. She don't need two or three rap stars to make her music good;after all she is Anita Baker. She sings the way she like, for those of us that like good music from a sultry songtress without all that,beatbox, yeah-yeah crap. Sometimes you don't know who's cd to buy to get the song you like. If you like Anita Baker, there is no guessing.You go Girl!! Keep on lovin' your FAMILY!