Customer Reviews

So Blu

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Blu Cantrell has arrived with "So Blu" An album that has the jazzy, rhythm, blues style with a smokey jazz club written all over it.

Blu's vocals are some of the finest in todays music market. It is so nice to see her first single "Hit Em Up Style (Oops!)" which is definitely beyond pop music norm is in the Billboard Top 10 on the Hot 100 Singles chart....How refreshing! A song with Oops! in it that has actually vocals, style and a refreshing jazz quality all its own.

Blu Cantrell definitely has her own style, sound that I just can't eject from my CD player.

A fantastic CD from beginning to end. Forget all the hoopla! about Alicia Keys who I feel is overrated. Get blue with Blu Cantrell and you will definitely won't be disappointed.

All the songs are strong - my favorites include the first single,
also "Swingin'", "Waste My Time" and "So Blu".

The Ella of our generation has arrived!

This album took me completely by surprise, I was expecting her to be a one hit wonder after hearing "Hit Em Up Style (Oops!)", but I found a cheap copy of the album and thought I would give it a try. I was blown away.
The first thing you will notice about this album is that she has an incredible voice, very soulful and powerful. Her beats are flawless and very catchy and you will be hooked after one listen. Top tracks include "The One" which is an awesome upbeat track and the sounds of the storm mixed in with the song works very well. "I Can't Believe" is definitely one of the most emotional tracks on the album, in the bridge she sounds like she could burst into tears at any moment. "Waste My Time" is a stinging message to an ex-lover and L.O.'s rap is very cool.
Some people call this the album for the broken-hearted and this is a good description, she believes every word she sings, it's like she completely understands the way you're feeling and her music is somehow comforting. Sure, any singer can sing about heartbreak, but Blu does it in a way that I've never heard before.
What's even more incredible about this album is that she co-wrote most of the tracks. This impressive debut will ensure that Blu has a long and prosperous career.

Listen, you either love her or you don't. Bottom line, girlfriend knows how to sing a heartbreaking song. (Well, second to Mary J., but Mary is livin it up at the moment, so somebody has to take over the hip hop blues).

Blu reminds you of a hip hop verson of Bessie Smith. Strong and rough, but she tugs the heartstrings. If you went through a period of hurt, whether it is in the past or present, you can feel it when Blu sings about it. She's no Alicia Keys, but hey, she's not supposed to be. She's Blu. Blu's style, Blu's way, Blu's songs.

Unfortunately, because radio(especially NY radio) does not play anything worthwile these days, (minus the neosoul of Jill Scott, Maxwell, Musiq Soulchild, Bilal, etc), you cannot be good. Blu is just displaying the hurt and anger we have all felt when we have been involved in a love gone bad. If you want a more adult hip-hop contemporary album that packs a punch of love gone wrong, get Blu Cantrell. You will not be disappointed.

Facts about me: I buy new CD's almost every week. I always give new artists a chance and I always know about up and coming artists before anyone else. Its a hobby, I love it.
The first time I heard "Hit Em Up Style" back in April, i knew that the song was going to be a major hit. Now, a few months later, I am glad to see the album release of this beautiful young rising star. Not all the songs on this CD have that jazz fused with R&B sound, as a matter of fact, there is only two songs that are like that. But thats good, the CD shows diversity in the R&B genre. The ballads "I'll Find A Way" and "I Can't Believe" are awesome. Ms. Cantrell has an amazing and powerful voice that will keep you satisfied track after track. Producers include Dallas Austin, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Redzone. The CD also includes all the lyrics to every song and a biography of how Blu got started in the music industry. While there is nothing as stellar as "Hit Em Up Style" on this album, there are 13 great tracks. Definitely worth every penny I spent on it.
I am going to see Blu Cantrell live on Aug 18th at a radio show... and I am definitely looking forward to it. What a talent! Don't pass it up!

Blu's voice is so unique and thick. She can actually sing, something that a lot of singers these days ironically lack. She hits the perfect notes and makes you want to listen, whether the song is interesting or not. You just want to hear her voice and hear the spectacular notes she can hit. Amazing first album. It's better than the second one.

Favorite songs:

I Can't Believe - Favorite song on the album. Extremely good vocal use and such a beautiful song.

I'll Find A Way - Second favorite song on the album. It's beautiful and her vocals are way out there.

Til I'm Gone - Looooove this song. It's so true and pure and beautiful.

When I Needed You - This is just an all around beautiful song.

So Blu - This song is different, it has great catchy lyrics, it's a great track.

In the world of R&B a lot of artists seem to have trouble balancing the rythem with the blues. Blu Cantrell balances that very well on her debut SO BLU. First off, Blu's voice is loaded with emotion and she sings her heart out on every track. She does justice to every single song on SO BLU. We've all heard the smash hit "hit 'em up style (oops!)" but the rest of the album is just as good. When Blu Cantrell sings, you know and feel every word. That's hard to get across and very few singers can do it. Blu pulls it off very well. SO BLU is a mix of R&B with jazz, swing influences, and pop sencabilities. The album begins with "waste my time", a sort of in your face uptempo track and ends with "blu is a mood". The most emotional ballad on SO BLU has got to be "i'll find a way", in which Blu tries to get over an ex. Blu Cantrell is now one of the new queens of R&B!

I must admit that when I first heard Blu Cantrell on the radio, I was not thrilled with the lyrics to the song, "Hit Em Up Style" yet the song intrigued me. Even more than her physical beauty, the beauty in her voice also compelled me to purchase this album. While many will say that Cantrell both physically and vocal bears strong resemblance to fellow r&b chanteuse Faith Evans, Cantrell's style is in actuality quite different. Other than on the first single, Blu shines in the slower and jazzier tunes on the album. Her mellow voice breathes fire into such songs as "I'll Find a Way", "All You Had to Say" and "So Blu." It also helps that she collaborated with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (of Janet Jackson fame), and Dallas Austin ( of TLC and Monica fame). Songs such as "Swingin'" and "10,000 Times" were better left off of the album. However, in spite of those additions, Cantrell delivered a solid debut effort.

There comes a time when a singer truly sings, while encompassing different elements of non-mainstream music, and then the album is released and the world really doesn't take notice. Such is the case of Blu Cantrell. She has the beauty, the voice, and the material on this album that really should have catapulted her to mega-stardom.

I initially bought this album when it first came out about three years ago, but never really got into it for whatever reason. I just dusted it off today and actually enjoyed it. This album is the epitome of a classic. Blu has elements of jazz, rap, R&B, gospel, blues, and a little rock on this album. She defines what good music really should be.

The song "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops)" made the world really take notice to this woman. The single was quite catchy, and will definitely have you singing along. The video was played in heavy rotation in various music video outlets and was definitely the bomb female anthem. lol "One" has a seriously infectious hook with some serious upper-register harmonies that will have you take notice. "Waste My Time" is a nice number that will have you bopping your head. And watch out! Blu shows off her range on this song in the bridge, when she gets up there in the Mariah Carey range....it will take you by surprise at first listen and will make you say "damn!!" "So Blu" has the same feeling as Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama", with its inspirational feel, and it is sung well by Blu.

This album is full of ballads, but that is certainly not to its detriment. "I'll Find A Way" is probably the best song on the album vocally and production-wise. It is definitely the perfect ballad with a lovely piano intro and some strong vocals from Blu. "I Can't Believe" is a song that will invoke some feelings of melancholy, and Blu really sings as if she really is feeling the pain of the song. A beautiful ballad. "Till I'm Gone" has that old school feeling but still is enjoyable, and the vocals and delivery give you lots of feeling in this song. "When I Needed You" is another beautiful ballad that flows effortlessly as if it's being carried by the wind.

The only problem I have with this album is the song "Swingin'". It just didn't appeal to me even after a few listens. I was like, "no". Also, something isn't right with the chorus in "U Must B Crazy", even though the lyrics are tight.

I truly wish that this album wasn't as slept-on as it was. Granted, Blu Cantrell has made a name for herself, but if more people took notice to this album, her name would be more in people's mouths.

L.A. Reid clearly knows his biz.( well, most of the time, anyway) He discovered Blu in Atlanta, and immediately grasped that this voice, this persona had what it takes to dazzle like a meteor shower. Her freshman CD, So Blu, is a novel fusion of jazz and R&B, fairly sizzles with finger snapping rhythms and silvered vocal pyrotechnics, also travels the melancholy course of the shattered & broken heart with its' skillful, powerfully delivered and knowing ballads. Although "Hit 'Em Up" was the breakthrough song for this golden-throated Neo-Soul-ite, there are several others on the CD that coulda-shoulda followed as very hot hit-chasers. "Swingin'" was a natural to follow "Hit 'Em Up", and Arista/Red Zone et al seriously, egregiously missed the mark in neglecting to release "Swingin'" as a timely successor to quench the thirst of the markets' new Blu devotees. Arista failed Blu utterly, cheating her fans. Clearly, L.A. Reid is no Clive Davis, despite his industry savvy. They all dropped the ball after this CD, and Blu's career careened off a cliff. A large percentage of the buying public had no idea that Blu was both American Music Award AND Grammy nominated for this CD; she went gold and was on her way to platinum.( Can we say PR, boys and girls ??!!) With better management, aggressive promo and a more attentive record exec, it SHOULD have gone platinum. L.A Reid needs to woodshed with Clive for a while, see how a Diva is made, vis a vis Whitney and Alicia.

This young womans' talent is considerable. Any woman who has lived even half a life will relate strong and heavy to "I'll Find A Way". It is EveryWomans' Anthem. It is a tale of heeartache and survival, of pulling up from the depths of your soul the strength to move on, richer with the knowledge that it is better to've loved and lost than not to've loved at all.
" Can't Believe That You Did This To Me" is heartbreakingly, tenderly poignant. I wept the first time I heard it, having recently had the experience it describes. My women friends all have this CD, and we all know the words forwards and back...Blu sings all our pain, her experiences parallel all of ours; we all feel each note touch our hearts, like sticking a finger into a bruise...you can't help but nod your head and say " Yep, you know THATS' right". There really are no throw-aways/ filler tracks on this CD, and the reviewers who say otherwise are just hatin' on Blu...typical. I'm not personally crazy about " Ten Thousand Times", but it does have its' appeal."Til I'm Gone" is a real gut wrencher..."He won't love me til I'm gone, gone.." Yeah, baby, sing the song. Makes you wanna jump up and holler "AMEN".
All in all, the CD is visceral, emotion flowing in Blu's every note, the rich and soulful timbre of her dulcet voice staying in your mind and ears hours after you finished listening; the lyrics capturing a moment from your own life and holding it up to you for further examination.
Too bad Arista didn't respect Blu as much as her fans do.
Me and my galpals, we're waiting for the next one, and hoping L.A. gets up off it and delivers for this girl. With a voice like hers, its' criminal that shes' not a legend by now.
"So Blu"/Blu Cantrell is for the heart what a 10K race is for the body... it is the musical equivalent of curling up, post break-up, with a pint of Ben and Jerrys' and watching sad movies...it just feels good to feel that pain; you have no other choice. You feelin' me ?? :)
Bottom Line: BUY THE CD. You won't regret it, unless of course, you've never been in love.

I tried my best NOT to like Blu Cantrell, ONLY because I thought she was gonna be one of those "Gimmick" or "1 Hit-Wonder" kinda artist....Damn was I wrong. I can honestly say that Blu Cantrell is one of the best new artist to coming along in years.
Not only is she Beautiful, she is also VERY talented with a Strong power-house diva voice. So many people have compared Blu to Faith Evans, I love Faith very much as well, but Blu's voice is much, much, more stronger & seasoned with a wider range of capability....and that's no lie. I am so surprised by this young lady's voice, that I can't seem to get enough of her CD, it's a great debut album for a new artist. The stand-out tracks are "U Must B Crazy" "Swingin'" "I'll Find A Way" and my absolute favorite is the jazzy tune called "All You Had To Say" after hearing that song, I knew I had to give in and give her the Props & Credit that she is much worthy of......
If this is her debut, I can see her only getting better through out her career and that's alot more than I can say for some of the new artist that have come out in recent years.