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Editorial Reviews
Seventeen years after Mary J. Blige's breakthrough LP, My Life, the wiser R&B queen is back with a sequel: My Life II...The Journey Continues (Act 1). "The first My Life, I didn't understand why I was in so much pain," says Blige. "This one adds another level of understanding." The album's critically acclaimed first single, "25/8" released on August 25th entered the R&B mainstream and urban AC charts as the #1 most added record. Mary performed the song during Good Morning America's Summerstage concert series in New York's Central Park. This highly anticipated 10th studio album includes producer notables like Danja, Jerry Wonda, Jim Johnson, Kanye West, Stargate, Swizz Beatz and The Underdogs. This album continues to display Mary's distinct and undeniably remarkable voice as well as her proven ability to deliver timeless hits.
Mary has sold over 50 million albums worldwide. Her many accolades include eight multi-platinum albums, nine Grammy® Awards (she has been nominated for 29) and four American Music Awards.
Summer of 2011, Mary contributed her song "The Living Proof," to the Touchstone Pictures summer hit The Help starring Emma Stone (Superbad, Zombieland, Easy A) and Viola Davis (Doubt, Traffic, Antwone Fisher) as the film's leading track.
The R&B, hip-hop and soul icon will star alongside Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin in the upcoming theatrical release of the hit Broadway musical Rock of Ages where she will play nightclub owner Justice Charlier. The film is set to release in June of 2012. Mary is also set to begin production on the biopic film Nina, where she will star as legendary Jazz/Blues/Folk/Gospel singer/songwriter and pianist Nina Simone. Nina is scheduled for release in 2012.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I own "My Life" in three formats: 1) LP 2) CD 3) Digital. It was in the middle of the brilliant trilogy of "What's the 411," "My Life," and "Share My World" when my world was completely shaken. "My Life" will probably always be my favorite MJB album but I think it's so brave of her to look at such an iconic album in the face and not be afraid of it. Rather, she attempts to extend or revisit her perspectives from 17 years ago. "My Life" is an undeniable classic but Mary asks: "where are we now?"
She ponders this in the introduction to "My Life II...The Journey Continues (Act I)" when she says that "it's not a competitor, it's a sequel." So she is letting us know that this album has a fresh perspective but retains the genuine aspects of "My Life" that we love so much.
I'm currently on my third spin of the album and I love it so much. Since the "Mary" album, I've felt as if I've only listened to Mary casually. I truly don't think this has anything to do with Mary but, rather, the space I've found myself in at any particular time.
I loved "In the Meantime" from "No More Drama." I loved "Fade Away" and "Smoke" from "Growing Pains." & when I put on "My Life II" today, I rediscovered my love for this legend all over again.
The first half of the album is very good--minus the remake of "Ain't Nobody"-my least favorite song on the album--but trust me, the second half is where you want to be.
"Don't Mind," "No Condition," "Mr. Wrong," "Love of a Woman," "Empty Prayers," and "Need Someone" are stellar tracks.
This is the Mary J. Bilge that I know & love. & this has nothing to do with the tension between "happy" and "sad" Mary. It has everything to do with the music and she simply delivers on the music with this album, which is all that has ever mattered. Welcome back Legendary one.
I have a feeling that one day I will, too, own "My Life II" in multiple formats.
Enjoy fans.
4.5
She ponders this in the introduction to "My Life II...The Journey Continues (Act I)" when she says that "it's not a competitor, it's a sequel." So she is letting us know that this album has a fresh perspective but retains the genuine aspects of "My Life" that we love so much.
I'm currently on my third spin of the album and I love it so much. Since the "Mary" album, I've felt as if I've only listened to Mary casually. I truly don't think this has anything to do with Mary but, rather, the space I've found myself in at any particular time.
I loved "In the Meantime" from "No More Drama." I loved "Fade Away" and "Smoke" from "Growing Pains." & when I put on "My Life II" today, I rediscovered my love for this legend all over again.
The first half of the album is very good--minus the remake of "Ain't Nobody"-my least favorite song on the album--but trust me, the second half is where you want to be.
"Don't Mind," "No Condition," "Mr. Wrong," "Love of a Woman," "Empty Prayers," and "Need Someone" are stellar tracks.
This is the Mary J. Bilge that I know & love. & this has nothing to do with the tension between "happy" and "sad" Mary. It has everything to do with the music and she simply delivers on the music with this album, which is all that has ever mattered. Welcome back Legendary one.
I have a feeling that one day I will, too, own "My Life II" in multiple formats.
Enjoy fans.
4.5
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
From the first time I heard her music,I have to admit that one key to Mary J Blige's entire career path has been uneveness. Capable of the some of the most powerful musical ideas and lyrical observations of her time one minute,than complacent to the point of resting on her laurels the next. Than again many of her musical predecessors from Aretha Franklin and Prince have careers seemingly built on inconsistency. It may in fact be at the very heart of baring ones soul in music. It is sad however Mary J finds herself in a music world in the grip of a survival crisis I've never witnessed before in my lifetime. The debate does on whether the CD format will survive over MP3's,or if soul and funk has slowly become extinct due in part to it's more posturing child hip-hop. All of these things probably factored into Mary's sequel to her career defining sophomore album. It was exciting to me when I learned she was doing this for her next album. My expectations weren't even all that way,so long as Mary lives up to herself and her artistry. Honestly,the results bare for more scrutiny than one might hope.
One of the main things about this album,after the inspiring intro featuring a conversation between Mary and Sean Combs is that the next three cuts feature....surprise surprise:guest rappers. And very cliched ones even for that. And again the rapping adds nothing to the songs. All it does is show what a low state hip-hop has come to in this day and age. No real emotional or reflective swells. Just shameless,thoughtless posturing designed to get attention and sales. And when Mary J's typically powerful voice comes in on even the fairly grooving "Next Level",you wonder why she needed Busta Rhymes there in the first place. "25/8" on the other hand is a wonderfully cinematic blend of old and new funky soul stylings,same goes for the closer "Living Proof". These songs deliver on the concept of a sequel to My Life making clear the needs of the person involved,both small and large. The country song "Need Someone" may seem a little trendy for the first few seconds but it has a country-soul flavor to it and comes at it from the gospel/Ray Charles tradition of the music which makes it work with what she's doing. Even the weaker moments such as the trashy "Mr.Wrong" could be redeemed if only the grooves were funkier and stronger. There's a sense she's going for more of an opera than a funk odyssey here. Even Rufus & Chaka's "Ain't Nobody",with it's orchestral synthesizers and loud beats tends to be more theatrical than soulful.
There's definitely the impression Mary was out to make a "big" sounding album,sort of a hip-hop opera as it were. But in a way she is just a little too late to be original on that too. Aaliyah already did that in 2001 and most recently newcomer Janelle Monae' did the same on The ArchAndroid,a fantastic musical journey also produced by Sean Puffy Combs. I can remember hearing people such as Mary J back in their heyday proclaiming they'd never make the type of mistakes of selling out the way they felt their predecessors did. That's part of what bought the whole hip-hop soul scene into place to begin with. Now,in an environment where as Smokey Robinson admitted that hip-hop has become the MAINSTREAM of music it seems as if all these young 90's innovators are now putting the cart before the horse a little bit. The lacking aspects of this album come out of conceptualization rather than performance or material. The ideas were sound. The approach has been done to the n'th degree. I cannot say Mary J Blige is an artist of unrealized potential. She's made that clear more than once with albums such as Mary and the album to which this is a sequel. While it's clear a lot of people see this album as wonderful,even brilliant sometimes....it's hard for someone such as myself not to see where someone with Mary's talent as a singer/songwriter could've done a lot better on a concept this compelling. I hope she understands that on what the album title implies will be the 2'nd act.
One of the main things about this album,after the inspiring intro featuring a conversation between Mary and Sean Combs is that the next three cuts feature....surprise surprise:guest rappers. And very cliched ones even for that. And again the rapping adds nothing to the songs. All it does is show what a low state hip-hop has come to in this day and age. No real emotional or reflective swells. Just shameless,thoughtless posturing designed to get attention and sales. And when Mary J's typically powerful voice comes in on even the fairly grooving "Next Level",you wonder why she needed Busta Rhymes there in the first place. "25/8" on the other hand is a wonderfully cinematic blend of old and new funky soul stylings,same goes for the closer "Living Proof". These songs deliver on the concept of a sequel to My Life making clear the needs of the person involved,both small and large. The country song "Need Someone" may seem a little trendy for the first few seconds but it has a country-soul flavor to it and comes at it from the gospel/Ray Charles tradition of the music which makes it work with what she's doing. Even the weaker moments such as the trashy "Mr.Wrong" could be redeemed if only the grooves were funkier and stronger. There's a sense she's going for more of an opera than a funk odyssey here. Even Rufus & Chaka's "Ain't Nobody",with it's orchestral synthesizers and loud beats tends to be more theatrical than soulful.
There's definitely the impression Mary was out to make a "big" sounding album,sort of a hip-hop opera as it were. But in a way she is just a little too late to be original on that too. Aaliyah already did that in 2001 and most recently newcomer Janelle Monae' did the same on The ArchAndroid,a fantastic musical journey also produced by Sean Puffy Combs. I can remember hearing people such as Mary J back in their heyday proclaiming they'd never make the type of mistakes of selling out the way they felt their predecessors did. That's part of what bought the whole hip-hop soul scene into place to begin with. Now,in an environment where as Smokey Robinson admitted that hip-hop has become the MAINSTREAM of music it seems as if all these young 90's innovators are now putting the cart before the horse a little bit. The lacking aspects of this album come out of conceptualization rather than performance or material. The ideas were sound. The approach has been done to the n'th degree. I cannot say Mary J Blige is an artist of unrealized potential. She's made that clear more than once with albums such as Mary and the album to which this is a sequel. While it's clear a lot of people see this album as wonderful,even brilliant sometimes....it's hard for someone such as myself not to see where someone with Mary's talent as a singer/songwriter could've done a lot better on a concept this compelling. I hope she understands that on what the album title implies will be the 2'nd act.
13 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This hit iTunes 12am this morning. Smooth, sexy, hard, soulful, beautiful. That's how I would describe this cd. Mary J brings yet another winning cd. Thanks for including The Living Proof, an anthem for the struggle. The guest list is perfect also. Wonderful early Christmas present from Mrs. MJ. Thank you for answering the phone Mary, MMMMaaaarrryyyy!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
best ablum
I think it is her best album she has put out. I love all the songs cant pick my favorite. I love the veriety of sounds on it and the different colaberations on it too. Read more
Published 10 days ago by D. Palmer
Still Like the Old School Better
Overall, I like the CD. But I'm always going to love Mary's earlier work. That's just me. Some people don't like her version of "Ain't Nobody", but that's actually one of my... Read more
Published 25 days ago by tenacioustexan
Mary does it again
Great songs, my best r the ones they don't play on the radio. 5 stars great cd, she still has the stuff
Published 1 month ago by mel mel
Nicely Done Mrs. Blige :}
I listened to this disc a couple times before I decided to write on it. First off, I have not listened to much of Mrs. Blige's music. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Calvin B. Miles
Mary J Blidge My Life 2
There are several songs on this cd that i like. This is one of her best. The product arrived as promised and i was very pleased with the condition. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mary Ann Miller
MARY J.
OMG ... MARY GETS BETTER WITH AGE. I LOVE THE SONG CALLED "MR. WRONG." I AM SO GLAD SHE CAME OUT WITH THE JOURNEY CONTINUES. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Georgette Fields
You go Mary
"My Life II" is soooo much better than Mary's last albums "Growing Pains" and "Stronger With Each Tear"! Read more
Published 2 months ago by M. Ottersboeck
The Journey does Continue--moved on!
Overall another good piece of work from Mary. But the edge she had when she was singing through her pain is absent. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jewels
My Life II
I will admit that the title; "My Life II" does come off as just a ploy and this just seems like a proper follow up to "Stronger With Each Tear". Read more
Published 3 months ago by Lamar Gray
As the "JOURNEY CONTINUES", so does Mary J. Blige.
Mary stated at the beginning of this record that "this was not a sequel". She's absolutely correct. Read more
Published 3 months ago by D. Baker
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