Late Nights, Early Mornings

Marsha Ambrosius | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 1, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: J-Records
• ASIN: B0044HLA7W
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (184 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,914 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Anticipation (Intro)

2. With You

3. Late Nights & Early Mornings

4. Hope She Cheats On You (With A Basketball Player)

5. Far Away

6. Lose Myself

7. Your Hands

8. I Want You To Stay

9. Sour Times

10. Tears

11. Chasing Clouds

12. The Break Up Song

13. Butterflies (Remix)

Editorial Reviews

The Grammy Award nominated "songstress" from Floetry, Marsha Ambrosius debut solo album LATE NIGHTS & EARLY MORNINGS will be released on J Records/SONY Music Entertainment March 1st 2011. I Hope She Cheats on You (With a Basketball Player) , was the 1st single released from the album. Her current emotional ballad Far Away is a hit and was #1 most added impact week at the urban adult format. Marsha Ambrosius, a dexterous singer, songwriter, producer & musician started her career in the soulful duo Floetry. Floetry proved to be a successful neo-soul duo releasing four albums. Floetic, the group ' s debut album was certified Gold and Flo'Ology, the sophomore album debuted at #2 on the Billboard R&B chart. One of Marsha's early and greatest career achievements was having the honor to pen the classic hit "Butterflies" for the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson. In addition to her Grammy nominations, Marsha was named BMI's songwriter of the year award (2003) and has been nominated for awards from Soul Train's Lady Of Soul Awards & NAACP Image Award organizations. Marsha as a solo artist is featured on both the CENTRIC Selects and BET Music Matters artist campaigns. Beyond production by Marsha on LATE NIGHTS & EARLY MORNINGS, the album features production by Just Blaze, Dre & Vidal and Rich Harrison.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 59 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Songstress Comes Correct With Music For The Grown & Sexy March 1, 2011

By Gary Anderson

Format:MP3 Music

In 2002 I was flipping through the channels and came across Floetry's "Say Yes" video playing on one of the music video channels and was immediately drawn in. The mixture of smooth soulful music, and the pure sexuality of the lyrics was a powerful combination. Add in my affinity for English women's accents, and I was sold.

I went out and bought the album that day, and found the rest of the album, in a rare coup for me, matching up to the enjoyment of that first single. Floetry was made up of "Songstress" Marsha Ambrosius and "Floacist" Natalie Stewart. Their combination of soul music and spoken word was a welcome breath of fresh air.

Sadly, Floetry only put out one more album (plus a live album) before splitting up to go solo.

The Floetic couple's final album was released 5 years ago this past November, and finally we are getting another taste, albeit in solo efforts.

Last year Natalie Stewart put out an album called "The Floacist" which was fantastic. Pretty much what you would expect from one of the members of that great group.

This year it's Marsha's turn, albeit long overdue. Over the past five years or so she has put out numerous mixtapes and been featured on songs by other artists including Nas, The Game, Busta Rhymes, Earth Wind & Fire and Slum Village among others.

She was originally signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath records, and unfortunately much like the good Doctor's own Detox album, Ambrosius' solo debut has been pushed back many times over the course of the last year.

Now, however, she is no longer with Aftermath, and finally the album is here, and many people are wondering whether or not it would live up to the hype.... Whether she could match the brilliance of the Floetry days, or the level of Stewart's album.

I'm here to tell you it does. If you have ever heard a Floetry album, you know what to expect here. Smooth soulful music, with lyrics that are poignant and real. There's no cookie cutter teen diva wannabe type lyrics on here, these are raw emotional subjects tackled by the Songstress.

Her single "I Hope She Cheats On You (With a Basketball Player)" is both hilarious and shocking in it's bluntness and emotion. Telling of her man who has left her for someone else, and her wishing him to get the same type of treatment that she got. For him to know what it feels like to be betrayed, and to take it to that next level, for it to be an athlete.

There are various ways you can view that aspect of the song, whether it's a sort of added insult that she's dating a pro-player, or just the high profile diss. Either way, this song signals that Ambrosius is more than capable of stepping out on her own.

Some artists when going solo after being in a group, are unable to really duplicate that success when moving on by themselves for whatever reason. Ambrosius is more than willing and able to put the doubters to rest with this solid solo debut.

Standout tracks include: I Hope She Cheats On You, Far Away, and Lose Myself among many others.

Production on this album is tight, with much of the production work being done by Ambrosius herself, but also some assists by Just Blaze, Andre Harris, Vidal Davis and Syience.

Overall this album is very sensually seductive. This is grown folks music here, ladies and gentlemen. This is not Rhihanna. This is not Ciara (who I like). This is not Beyonce. This is a real woman speaking from real experiences and doing so in her own way. This isn't the same old stuff you hear on the radio that you probably wouldn't be able to tell who sang it. In the vein of Erykah and Jilly from Philly, Marsha Ambrosius is here folks.

Now let's just see if we can get a Floetry Reunion album next year, huh? Read more ›

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Definition of Sensuality March 2, 2011

By GoddessLala

Format:Audio CD

I wrote the following review on iTunes (though I've shortened it a bit here), and I'm writing it again here.

To Marsha: You did it. I'm proud.

Late Nights and Early Mornings (LNEMs) is a superb R&B album by the Marsha Ambrosius, aka Songstress, whose sensual and melodic voice the world fell in love with when Floetry debuted the intoxicating adult groove, "Say Yes." Every track on LNEMs is worth the listen as each one provides the perfect amount of what I like to call "Marsha Passion" so that, when listened to in its entirety, yields a poetic and intense overdose of the woman who soothes her listeners with her smooth voice. To me, this album is Marsha's Miseducation, you know, Lauryn Hill's album that people will continue to talk about and love decades later. The lyrics to every song written (or co-written) by Marsha mirror the feelings we wrote in our diaries. Needless to say, Marsha is so human--let that marinate.

Anticipation: What better way to commence LNEMs? 10/10

With You: This, I believe, is the 2011 version of "Say Yes." Lyrics so passionate and sensual without being vulgar. Who can't relate to this track? 10/10

Late Nights & Early Mornings: The beginning of this song will hypnotize listeners. More specifically, Marsha's voice will mesmerize you and pull you back to that moment after a passionate night with your lover with the previous night's sensual grooves lingering on your soul. Also, this reminds me of a Prince track. Just listen. 10/10

Hope She Cheats on You (With a Basketball Player): This is Marsha's #Ustreamfam's song :) We're most definitely proud of this track. Who would've thought it would end up like this? "Look at how it all turned out now...." If you've ever listened to this song and thought it was ludicrous in that ridiculous kind of way, I implore you to listen again. 10/10

Far Away: This song is extremely personal for me, and the first five seconds will set my tears to going. This is the track that has opened people's minds and hearts with lyrics so real. You can hear the emotion in Marsh's voice as this song is personal for her as well. 10/10

Lose Myself: This song has that Lauryn Hill vibe, and if you check the album notes, you'll see that she wrote this incredible song discussing how one has to lose sense of self in order to love someone else. You can't relate to this song unless you've been in the situation, but even if you haven't, you feel something. Listen to the words because they cry nothing but the truth. 10/10

Your Hands: My absolute favorite on LNEMs. This is the 2011 version of "It's Getting Late" and you get the "Getting Late" vibe from the first twenty seconds with Marsha's signature "Baby" repetitions. Intoxicating. 10/10

I Want You to Stay: Immediately provides us with that MJ vibe as it was written by our Songstress for the King of Pop. Marsha's voice brings listener's MJ on this track and you can definitely hear how he influenced her. He's proud of you, Marsha. 10/10

Sour Times: This is a cover of Portishead's track. Poetical truth. What better way to describe it? I love Marsha's voice on teh track. 10/10

Tears: Just listen to it. Close your eyes, lean back, and listen. Lose yourself in the voice, especially when she literally has to walk into her kitchen to hit the note around 1.40 seconds because being in her at-home studio gave her too much feedback. If you've listened to this song already, then you know which note I'm speaking of. 10/10

Chasing Clouds: Oh, how I adore this. Again, who hasn't felt this way? 10/10

The Breakup Song: Self-explanatory, and just incredible form the first ten seconds. Strong Marsha emotions on this one. 10/10

Butterflies (Remix): We all know the original version, you know, the one on Michael Jackson's "Invincible" album. Marsh wrote it, so thank her, please, for "Butterflies." Her version gives listeners her vibe. 10/10

Marsha, I'm so proud of you.
Ustreamfam,
GoddessLala Read more ›

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Marsha Ambrosius delivers her long awaited solo debut March 2, 2011

By Perverted Alchemist

Format:Audio CD

The last ten years have been an interesting journey for British soul singer Marsha Ambrosius. She penned the hit single "Butterflies" for Michael Jackson before she even had an album. She released a couple of successful records with her former partner Natalie Stewart as part of the short-lived duo Floetry. She became the go-to-girl for singing hooks on hip hop songs from artists like Nas, The Game, Blackalicious, Wale and David Banner. She also was signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment for a number of years...and like everyone else signed to the label that's not named Dr. Dre, 50 Cent or Eminem, her project was put on the back burner- when the release dates weren't being pushed back repeatedly. After years of numerous delays and setbacks, Marsha decided to part ways with Aftermath and sign with Clive Davis' J Records, where she released her long overdue debut album "Late Nights & Early Mornings".

Most of the album's production was handled by Marsha herself, with assistance from Kanye West protege Canei Finch on a couple of tracks. She gets outside production on a few of the songs on the album. Rich Harrison produces the title track "Late Nights & Early Mornings", which bears an obvious Prince influence. Just Blaze handles the piano driven ballad "Far Away", a song largely inspired by the suicide of a best friend due to bullying over his sexuality. Marsha's longtime collaborators Andre Harris & Vidal Davis produces the sensual ballad "Your Hands". Focus handles the southern soul sounding ballad "Tears", while Syience turns in the synth heavy "Chasing Clouds".... Marsha pulls off a couple of successful covers on this album, such as her take on Portishead's "Sour Times (Nobody Loves Me)", Lauryn Hill's "Lose Myself" and the aforementioned "Butterflies", which was done as a tribute to the memory of Michael Jackson- despite her having covered the song years earlier . Overall, "Late Nights & Early Mornings" is a pretty solid and mature debut solo album from Marsha, and should be seen as an indicator of what's to come from her. Read more ›