Customer Reviews

Slicker Than Your Average

5 star:		(94)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am glad that this young talented British came back with a new album. This album is alittle different from the last album (Born To Do It). Craig David has shed the romantic tune to opt for a more R&B uptempo sound. This time he sings about his life in stardom and getting the British music into the masses. My personal fav songs:

Song no.2) What's Your Flava
The first hit single "What's Your Flava" is a sure hit, very catchy and I cant stop listening to it.

Song no.6) You Don't Miss Your Water
A slow balland that will charm you.

Song no.7) Rise & Fall
My next most frequent play on my stereo. This will definately be the second hit singles of the album. A clever collabration with Sting singing the chorus. The chorus has a clip of Sting's song. Weird combination but hey they sound great together! And this song truely tells u about the hardship, rise and fall of star.

Song no.9) Hands Up In The Air
Great rhythm, a perk me up song!

Song no.12) What's Changed
It's growing on me gradually.

Though I am not a fan of the opening song "Slicker Than Your Average", dont fancy the rhythm but great lyrics. Overall, this album is a good buy!

Three events took place in music in between Craig David's debut on "Born To Do It" and this, his sophomore offering. Two of them he was directly responsible for, the third not as much so. All three have benefitted this album considerably.

The first is the Craig's writing has matured. Where "Born To Do It" hobbled from cliche to cliche and sounded as though it was put together by someone still feeling his way through the music business, "Slicker Than Your Average" is a much more adventurous offering. Two of the standout cuts here "What's Your Flava?" and "Rise And Fall" benefit considerably from Craig's discovery of (in the case of the former) creative metaphors to describe women (in this case, icecream flavours) and for the latter the discovery that there are other things to sing about.
"Rise And Fall" also demonstrates Craig's increasing maturity in that it features Sting on the chorus. Sting's experience as a songwriter - which is considerable, no matter what anyone wants to say about his work after The Police - is clearly visible throughout that track.
One slight downside of Craig's maturation as a songwriter is the appearance of an expletive (well, that's what it's listed as in the lyrics, it's not exactly clear when he sings it) on the title track. No matter, a bit of swearing here and there never really hurt anybody and for an artist trying to present a slightly tougher image it's probably a sound move.

The second event is that Craig David became a famous person in his own right. Where "Born" covered very predictable lyrical ground - women and parties - in a rather domestic fashion, "Slicker" throws Craig's new-found fame into the mix as well. On tracks like "Eenie Meenie", a relatively straightforward song about a relationship gone wrong, Craig is able to outline the perils he faces of girlfriends who have a "gold-digger's degree". Fame is also the subject of the title track, a protest at his treatment by those who claim that he's sold out to the RnB world - a criticism not entirely unjustified on "Born To Do It" alone.

The third event was that garage music, Craig's musical base, became more recognisable as a viable style. The success of acts like the So Solid Crew and The Streets has fueled a hunger for the sped-up beats of garage - and Craig (who was, after all, discovered by garage impresarios The Artful Dodger) doesn't disappoint. He's always made the point that he isn't just a garage act, but including a track entitled "2 Steps Back" is a sure-fire clue that there'll be some of that about the place. That track delivers on the promise, but to some extent it suffers a bit in that the rest of the album promotes "Craig David the RnB singer" and "Craig David the garage act" seems a bit incongruous. Perhaps some garage influences throughout the album would have been a better decision.

As an album, "Slicker Than Your Average" does the job competently and successfully. "Flava" and a handful of other tracks are strong enough for consideration as singles, and there are enough slower ballads to keep that sector of the audience happy.
The musical backing has improved considerably since the skeletal tracks of "Born To Do It", improved to the point that "Flava" could almost be mistaken for an attempt at G-Funk at times. That quality is a considerable plus for "Slicker".
Having listened to the hour's worth of music, though, it is hard to shake the belief that Craig is capable of more - as many of the remixes from "Born To Do It" demonstrate - and this is merely a foretaste of what he can do. That said, it's quite a good foretaste.

As a big fan of Craig David, I bought 3 copies of "Slicker Than Your Average"!!!.I'm amazed with his new style.It's kinda different from his debut album "Born To Do It".But in his new, you get to hear his voice more and more. His new album shows that the man (Craig David) can sing and write his own stuff.
Here's what I think of the whole new tracks:

1-Slicker Than Your Average.(Amazing track. Craig replies to all of the people and newspapers who dissed him).

2-What's Your Flava?. (This song has a different style to it. It makes you wanna dance and sing along with it).

3-Fast Cars. (One of the best tracks on the album).

4-Hidden Agenda. (This track has some guitars in it.I like it. In this track, Craig shows that he can reach to the high notes!).

5- Eenie Meenie. (I think it's the best track on the album!!!!!)

6-You Don't Miss Your Water. (A smooth ballad from Craig).

7-Rise & Fall. (Craig duets with Sting on this track. A great duet. Craig sings about the rise and fall of an artist).

8-Personal. (I'm sure this will be a MASSIVE hit!!!!!)

9- Hands Up In The Air. (This song is nice, especially for the clubs).

10- 2 Steps Back. (This is a U.K Garage 2 Step song. Craig samples the chorus of Jimmy Cozier's 2 step back).

11- What's Changed?. (Amazing song. I like the rythim and the lyrics).

12- World Filled With Love. (This song is great. It sounds like "Walkin' away" from his debut album).

Check it out and i'm SURE you'll love it!!!

This is the best Craig David cd.......I liked Born To Do It but this cd is muuuuuch better.These songs are the kind i can relate to and am used to since i grew up in Europe...Craig is like a brother to me .I look up to him..And i went to 2 of his shows in the uk that rocked.
S.T.Y.A.-This is a hot track.The rap is awesome

Whats Your Flava-The track that made me by the cd. Even though we didnt see to much of the video in the U.S.

Fast Cars-This was the second song that i started liking after buying the album.

Hidden Agenda-Great song. Ive had a relationship like that once. I didnt see the video in the U.S. that much.

Eenie Meenie-This song rocks...But if u listen to it to much you'll start skiping the end part. He rocked this song at the concert.

Y.D.M.Y.W.T.T.W.R.D.-This is a great ballad. Its slow but it is funky.

Rise N Fall-This third single i dont think hit stores in the U.S. And i didnt see the video in the u.s. either. But is a great song.

Personal-Great song...The best part is at the end. Lovely. This track is for all the love makers.And the video was great.But i only saw it once in the u.s.

Hands Up In The Air-This was the third song that i started liking after buyin the cd.Great club hit. Love it.

2 Steps Back-Great song to dance to......Very rnb ish......and gets ya off your feet.

Spanish-I didnt listen to this song until i played the whole cd one day...Thats when i started loving it....The rap is off the hook. And i loved the video.It starts out like Fill Me In did. But i dont think this was a single in the u.s.

What's Changed-Katie Holmes makes a great appearance on this track. I really like it.

World Filled With Love-This song i can really relate to. Its like walking away pt.2 I really love it. And the video was awesome.But it didnt get released in the u.s.

I like all the tracks on the cd.And hope to see more from Craig.

Giving the STARS:

*- Even if you're the most loyal fan, you don't deserve this album
**-If you've got money to burn, buy this CD or else,...just copy the songs
**-Need something to add in your CD collection?
**-Fans from this artist's genre would enjoy this
**- Contemporary CLASSIC.

The Naughty Lad from England carries his succeeding record with innovative R&B grooves. Craig has already gained a horde of fans, especially female fans who couldn't get enough of his urban music and his hot physical features (including yours truly, hehe). However, this songwriter and former DJ is more than just about physical attributes (okay I'll stop it).

Is Craig David suffering from the sophomore album jinx? Well, both yes and no. Personally, I found "Slicker Than Your Average" very diverse- with this young, endowed vocalist and songwriter merging different aspects of the urban genre- mixing R&B, hip-hop, club, and a bit of Britpop. In a way, this second album was "Americanised"- where one listener can detect American R&B influences. Perhaps, the only thing that sojourns Craig David in breaking Uncle Sam's music scene with his first album is the past critics. "Born To Do It" in my sincere opinion is a debut phenomenon. With songs like "Fill Me In", "Rendezvous", "Walking Away" and "Rewind", it is certainly hard to believe that a 20-year old newbie would be able to release such album in the US.

With his second album, "Slicker Than Your Average" released, does it maintain the `Craig David formula' (dance, hip-hop, r&b)? Or does he experiment with his second album to reach out and receive a wider audience? Is it `slicker' than being born to do it? Read on to find out what do I think of the Southampton's Golden Lad's redux.

You've probably heard of "What's Your Flava?", his first single off the album which is full of synthesizers, bizarre space-like sound effects and mischievous lyrics. I'm a follower of Craig David but I'm a tad disappointed with this song. Comparing it with his first single from Born To Do It, "What's Your Flava?" was not as dominant as "Fill Me In" (which consists of slick lyrics, good beats and catchy guitar effects). I was expecting that his first single would be also focused on beats and lyrics but...

Second single "Hidden Agenda" showcases his falsetto voice. My friends joke that Craig was influenced by the puppet scene in The Sound of Music (where Craig goes "aAAaaAAAAaaa" "EeeEEEeeEeeee"). Nevertheless, this is a refreshing and ear-candy track. The title song "Slicker Than Average" is a very personal song for Craig. In which, he says that critcs must leave him alone and do his own thing while "Hands Up In the Air", "Spanish", "Fast Cars" are a combination of American R&B and UK vibe. Speaking of UK vibe, a Britpoppish track is "World Filled With Love", which displays Craig's positive outlook in life. One surprising track would be "Rise and Fall" with Sting. The sounds almost feel like journeying into Mexican fields with stirring lyrics. I certainly love this collaboration. Joining the mainstream sensual R&B tunes is "Personal". The eighth track is much better than the slow jam "Follow Me" (from BTDI) but not as outstanding as "Rendezvous". A superior song would be "2 Steps Back", where we can listen to Artful Dodger's impact of English Garage. Smooth. Dance-y. Good output but I prefer "Rewind".

You may notice that I have been comparing these songs with his past singles because I was really, REALLY expecting that Craig would create or improve the same music formula in his new harvest. Musical production failed to control "Slicker Than Your Average". Craig David is one of the few male singers who have the skills and potential but the pressure of taking the US might have forced him to experiment stuff and see what is best for the audience. The result? A mixed identity. Trust me, if Craig would polish everything in his third CD, you would realize how "average" this CD is.

If you are starting a Craig David collection, start off with "Born To Do It".

Slicker then your average: More upbeat, club vibe to it then his first release "Born To Do It". Overall at a first listen I liked this one better then his first. With songs like "Rise and Fall" and "fast cars" heavily played in my cd player. But the reason i gave this album 4 stars instead of 5 though, was because ive only owned it for 2 weeks and i can see the songs getting played out fast, unlike "born to do it" which for me never gets old.

It's no surprise that expectations for Craig David's second album would be high following his successful debut 'Born To Do It'. While it is still too early to speculate the degree of success 'Slicker Than Your Average' will experience, it would be unfair to compare STYA with BTDI because they are so different. I don't care much for the title track but standout tracks include:

Hidden Agenda
You Don't Miss Your Water ('Til The Water Runs Dry)
Rise and Fall (feat. Sting)
Two Steps Back

What's Changed
World Filled With Love...

Six tracks out of thirteen ain't bad but I find the rest of the album to be filler material... It is obvious that Craig has grown musically and should be praised for experimenting but it just didnt' work for me. Having said all that, the album is worth purchasing just for 'Rise and Fall' featuring Sting, it contains samples from 'Shape Of My Heart' and certainly the highlight!

UK pop sensation Craig David has named his second CD, "Slicker Than Your Average." For better and for worse, it lives up to its name. David is a gifted singer blessed with a falsetto that can soar kite high, and some of the songs here compliment his voice quite well. The title track is a bangin' slice of smoothed out r&b that's packs more punch than anything off his debut, "Born to Do it," while "Fast Cars" grooves along assertively. Not quite ready to forsake his two-step roots, David also shines in "2 Steps Back," which is sure to light up any UK garage nightclub. But while the disc may be a good listen, "Slicker Than Your Average" isn't always a good read. The lyrics do little more than offer a crash course in R&B Cliche 101. It's "hands up in the air" this, and "fly girl" that. But he gets points for not using the word "jiggy" as he did in his last album. "Slicker Than Your Average" isn't a bad record, but when paired against the ruggedness of, say, Jaheim's "Still Ghetto," it sometimes comes across as lightweight and fluffy. Still, there's a handful of really decent tunes to make it somewhat worth your while. In my school of music, it gets a B-.

The highly anticipated second release from Craig David proves that he knows the correct formula for creating great music. If you enjoyed "Born To Do It", you are sure to enjoy the new album "Slicker than Your Average". The opening title track is suggestively written and dedicated to all the people who never paid Craig his props and became hypocrites when he became who he is now. Other tracks, such as "Eenie Meenie", "Fast Cars", and the single "What's Your Flava?" are some of the danceable tracks on the album. All of them, of which, are pretty impressive, especially "Eenie Meenie", which takes the famous children's chant to a sarcastic level where Craig contemplates on leaving his girlfriend. Some of the slower tracks, such as "Rise and Fall featuring Sting", are very intimately related to Craig's feelings on all that he has been through. The lyrics "I never used to be a troublemaker/Now I don't even wanna please the fans" clearly admits his troubles that come with the industry. My most favorite track is "Personal". The song in itself has a nice, slow, bump-n-grind beat to it. Craig spits lyrics like, "I'm behind you in the bedroom with your hands against the wall/(Ooh...)/But keeping one eye on the door", which proves that he knows how to break it off gently. I'm sure that if you'll take a chance to listen to the album, you'll understand that Craig knows exactly how to please the fans. And there's no doubt in my mind that he'll keep doing so for a long while.

When Born To Do It premiered in the US last year, it was a daring crossover success -- mixing enough uk garage 2-step beats with proper R&B production and smooth lyrical skills. Unfortunately, the follow-up is seemingly less about the perfect intimate bonding of 2-step with R&B and more about the bonding between R&B and what R. Kelly is reminded of. The opening single "What's Your Flava?" is probably the tightest on the album as it bounces through fun lyrics about different shades of women -- it's Raekwon's 1995 tune "Ice Cream" recycled for 2002/3. While Craig might've taken that chancier step into more gangster territory, he forewent the unison with ex-producer Mark Hill (of uk garage Artful Dodger fame) this time and got caught in a slump. Possible other hits would be "Eenie Meenie" or the interesting duet with Sting, but radio and will probably pass.