Customer Reviews

Shine Through It

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

When I first heard that Terrance Howard was doing an album, my inital thoughts were that he'd do an album similar to Eddie Murphy's Love's Alright. With Love's Alright, Murphy filled the CD with guest apperances ranging from Paul McCartney to Michael Jackson. I could see easily see Howard playing the guitar for real R&B vocalists such as Dwele, Eric Roberson or Anthony Hamiltion while Howard played the music. Imagine my surpise when Mr.Howard was the one singing on his debut CD. The album opens with a lush ballad while the rest of the album is a mixtue of different styles ranging from bossa nova, to jazz to even a dabble in big band. While the album is nowhere near as good as Jamie Foxx's first two discs it's miles ahead of anything recorded by Corbin Bleu, Philip Michael Thomas or Don Johnson.

Terrence Howard takes us to another time and place with his debut album "Shine Through It". A beautiful and inspiring compilation of melody and structure missing from the music scene for decades. Although many may be shocked that his music is far from the rap/hip-hop sounds heard in "Hustle and Flow", Terrence definitely has the talent for creating a soulful sound that inspires and soothes.

Fans of the actor probably won't be surprised at the depth and breadth of the music on SHINE THROUGH IT. Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated for his starring roles in Hustle and Flow, Ray, Crash and Lackawanna Blues, the charismatic Mr. Howard is on a press junket for his latest film Iron Man. Soon, however, he'll turn his full attention to this debut album release as the word begins to swell that Terrence Howard delivers in a big way! Diverse is an understatement... the eleven self-penned tunes range from acoustic soul to jazz to orchestrated rock featuring horns and strings. Coming to mind for me are artists like Jeffrey Gaines, Lenny Kravitz, Richie Havens and, I'm going to throw in Billy Preston and Jimi Hendrix as well. I'm talking deep, right from track one Howard releases big, bold vocals tempered by breathy, distinctive releases. Backed by the Band of Kings (A-Listers including Miles Mosely, Kamasi Washington, Serafin Aguilar and Tom Lea), Terrence packs a mean guitar, as well as relevant and poetic lyrics and those unbelievable vocals that conjure up a tightly-woven tapestry of patterns, colors and textures. "Music has always been the road that leads to where I'm headed," Terrence says on his MySpace page. "In the movies, I'm doing what somebody else is asking me to do. Music is my own personal form of expression, I must say what I have to say." And what he has to say is shinning through!

I pre-ordered the CD and got it today. I love it. It is not for everyone though, This reminds me of the days when men just sang what they felt. He does not have one of those voices of today that all sound the same, his is more bluesy, bayou, "Lackawanna Blues" with a little Hispanic haunting kind of sound. Miles Mosley was a very good choice on this CD. My favorites as of right now are Sanctuary and She was mine, however Love Makes You Beautiful and Shine Through It really hold their own! I will pre-order the next CD also. Oh and the insert in the CD is exquisite by itself, whoever put that together, deserves stand alone cu dos! It's not for everyone but it is for me. Congratulations Mr. Howard on a fantastic first offering.

I admit I rolled my eyes when I heard he was going to make this album....
It's quite a bit raw along most edges, and a little hokey at times, and just pushed a little too hard. Taking all that, I find intensely listenable. The mix is definitely not perfect, but that lack of perfect studio polishing adds to the album, If it were professionally produced it would lose a lot of charm, and be much easier to forget.
I've not worked my way through the album but once, but Love Makes you Beautiful is a highlight.

This Cd is really good, I'm surprised! Terrence's music is like a babbling brook on a cool spring day!(LOL) The songs are smooth and he has this rawness to his voice that's hypnotic! I love No. 1 fan you can hear the emotion in his voice and it's really refreshing! Good work Terrence!!

I always knew that Terrance Howard could play the guitar from his movie "The Best Man", but I had no idea that he had such a nice voice. I love this Cd. my favorite songs on the CD are No.1 fan, Love Makes you beautiful, Shine Through it, and Sanctuary! This is a nice cd to read a book to or maybe have a candlelight dinner while listening! It's beautiful!!

my favourite song is sanctuary throughout the whole cd he sound like a cross between seal & terence trent d'arby.y'all stop hatin ya either luv it or hate it, but i luved it throw it on when ya chillin with friendz or wanna just be romantic @ least tha brutha tried give hi his propz he sang it'z hard out here 4 a pimp hell right now it'z hard out here fa everybody.remember that scene in the best man he played guitar.

Listen - I believe Terrance is a talented actor but com'on now... a singer? Yes - Hustle and Flow was entertaining... I even thought some of his lyrical execution was pretty good!

When it comes to singing though? Terrance sounds like a washed up wannabe Seal. He tries to weave some deep tales in his songs but most of the time it just does not make sense. I want to be there with him but most of the time I just get lost in a bunch of mumbo jumbo. The background music is absolutely fantastic. His voice is absolutely terrible. He is trying to push the limits and he figures by producing his own album he can do just that. I think I saw in the video here on Amazon that he was seeking feedback and many people he was talking to said he was breaking all the rules and doing it with great success. As much as I'd like to agree he pretty much is breaking my ear drums with his irritating voice.

Sure being different is okay - I think it's great. There are plenty of artists that I really love and enjoy who are different from D'Angelo to Maxwell to Andre 3 stacks. All of these artists are talented... I mean very talented in a artistic kind of gifted nature. The album is missing any type of geniuine soulfulness - I guess that's what I was looking for... some type of soulful depth. No interesting lyrics can take the place of a soulful command of your content.

Terrance is just not soulful. He comes off as cocky with a false sense of reaching for something greater than what he is able to give. I commend him for doing something different but I do not find his execution graceful. All the fantastic background music cannot mask it either.

Sorry - this album just doesn't cut it.

I stumbled across this accidentally on purpose through Zune's dj function (I believe it connected via an Eva Cassidy song). Most of what comes up ranges from just okay to how-the-hell-did-that-make-the-list bad. On rare occasions a treasure comes up unexpectedly and literally stops... everything. Sanctuary was the specific song and of course I listened to the whole album and added I Remember When, No. 1 Fan, Love Makes You Beautiful to favorites.

Sanctuary is simply haunting, and I Remember When brings me back to oh, about 15 in Newport, RI. Lyrics, voice, everything's perfect.

Thank you for the experience, Mr. Howard. I hope you continue - I keep checking to see. I'm not sure anyone could top these but I have a feeling you might surprise.