Customer Reviews

Stronger WithEach Tear (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I imagine 'Stronger With Each Tear' is going to be an album that people either love or hate, leaving not much room for the middle ground. On the one hand, when placed in Blige's catalog, this album seems necessary or expected; it continues where the last album, 'Growing Pains', ended with Blige seeming more confident, secure and happier than ever. As a stand-alone album though, it doesn't seem to measure up to her past work. Upon the first listen, this was the first album of Blige's that I wasn't impressed with and moved by. It doesn't have the gut-wrenching angst, sadness and anger of her earlier albums or even that of 'Breakthrough' or 'Growing Pains'. The past albums all started off with a bang even with the first track. For this album though, it takes a few tracks for the album to find its legs. That being said, this is a good album but it certainly isn't Blige at her absolute best.

The Good: After two albums that felt somewhat similar style and sequencing wise, 'Stronger With Each Tear' feels like Blige's move in a new direction musically. There aren't as many ballads or deep, depressing tracks and instead, she seems more bent on finding her groove with hip-hop and dance tracks like "The One", featuring Blige's voice manipulated by auto-tune and a dancefloor-ready beat accompanied by hand-claps and an appearance by rapper Drake. A piano and string-backed "Hood Love" is catchy and soothing and has Blige singing of love and devotion rather than her usual theme of heartbreak and angst. "I Am" is this album's version of "Be Without You"; it's very mainstream, hip-hop but pop at the same time and (in my opinion) is Blige at her absolute best musically and vocal wise on the album. Blige also takes a few chances, deviating from her usual musical path by including a track that is rather fun with silly lyrics but again, features a more confident Blige who's giving a warning to a woman coming after her man. "Each Tear" may have a title that screams of ballad and makes you think of Blige's emotional singing but it's a stark turnaround; instead, it's an uplifting, inspiring song about learning from your heart ache. There's a wide range of music and styles featured on 'Stronger With Each Tear', probably the first album from Blige in a while where she's sticking to a theme but allows the music to vary and evolve for each track rather than fit into a specific sound and style for the entire album.

The Bad: What brings the album down is that no track really rises to the level of Blige's biggest hits or her vocal abilities. In some ways, this album felt a bit tame and reserved. I kept waiting for her to let go and really dive into a song with heart, soul and raw emotion as she did with "No More Drama", "We Ride", "As" or even the last album's "What Love Is." She doesn't really have a track like that on the album, though "In the Morning" and "I Can See In Color" come somewhat close. Some of the tracks are decent, but they seem a bit beneath her after all she's accomplished musically in the past few years. The collaborations seem a bit much; you have Trey Songz, T.I. and Drake somewhat taking over some of the songs they're featured on. It's fine, but unlike the past albums, this one is shorter so it felt as if the listener is being cheated out of a real Mary J Blige experience. There are more than a few tracks that just seem okay or average and felt like filler or skip-worthy after one listen including "I Love U", "Said And Done" and "Tonight." It took a few listens for me to pick up on the theme of the music and lyrics but the album sounds as if it was somewhat rushed for the sake of getting it out before the holiday season.

In all, the album is average, not Mary J Blige at her absolute best. Yes, style-wise it's different from her past few albums and she somewhat goes back to her roots with a few hip-hop tracks but still, even after a few listens I can't help but to feel like there's something missing. Something, by the end of the album, feels unfinished, or unrealized and leaves you as a listener with an unsatisfied feeling.

Listen To These: "Each Tear", "I Am", "Kitchen", "Hood Love"

Ok so if you've heard Mary's song from the "More Than A Game" Soundtrack which is titled "Stronger" well that song sums up the theme of this album....Mary brings it again and again like she always does....it seems as if over the last few albums Mary has gained more strength from her trials and tribulations and this album is a celebration of what doesnt kill you only makes you stronger..I saw MJB at the Hollywood Bowl a few years ago and I remember the huge catalog of songs she had to choose from...her songs from in her previous albums were different...in her early years lots more club/dance songs then later on a lot more painful emotional music...it seems like MJB has come full circle and now she's stronger than ever....this album is a must listen if you are looking for something to life your spirits

Highlights from the album include...

#2 The One (Feat. Drake) - great song produced by the only and only darkchild...Drake spits a great verse at the end
#4 Good Love (Feat. T.I.) - another very upbeat positive song featuring a good verse from TI at the end appreciating the women
#5 I Feel Good - MJB at her best trying to appreciate all the good in her life and everyone else's
#7 Each Tear - MJB telling everyone how each tear has truly made her stronger and a better person for going through the pain

I like most of the album...the above ones are just the highlights....I would check it out...and especially at the one day $3.99 price!

Mary has accomplished so much as an artist and a woman, and I've watched her grow since What's the 411?. With each project she seems to grow, however after The Breakthrough something happened to the way she presented her music and for me it works. My Life will forever be my favorite Mary Album because it seems the most personal. This album reveals Mary in another new chapter, and I am right there with her. Its a happy album and it makes you wanna get close to the one you love and tell them how much you love them just in time for the holiday. Thanks for not letting me down Mary its grown folks music...check it out free,your mind and Enjoy.

I fell in love with Mary J. Blige after I heard the Breakthrough album and I started listening to her previous work. Stronger with Each Tear, I feel is a reprise of Love & Life. Love & Life didn't do that well due to the fact that it was not for her. These new songs sound fitting for people my age (I'm 15) and I feel Mary needs to do songs that are from the heart. When I heard the tittle of the new album I was excited because I thought it was going to be a reprise of My Life or No More Drama which are very personal and life-helping. These songs are about love and it seems like they are only to her husband. I want Mary to sing to me, but Mary J. I will still always buy your albums. I just feel that Mary can do better and this isn't her best.

Favorite Songs:
Tonight
The One
Said & Done
Good Love
I Feel Good
I Am
Each Tear

Stronger with Each Tear is definitely another solid MJB album, if not as great as her exemplary, Grammy-winning The Breakthrough or it's equally fine follow-up, 2007's Grammy-winning Growing Pains. Both albums garnered exceptional critical response as well as platinum certification (The Breakthrough went triple platinum). 'Stronger With Each Tear' is another great contribution, even if its status is diminished from the those two great MJB albums. The material isn't as spectacular, but still alluring and enjoyable nonetheless, with some tracks that would've been equally at home on previous MJB albums. The production is top-notch, much like the fine work on 'Growing Pains'. As always, MJB's voice is magnificent, even on material that is slightly less satisfactory than previous albums.

The album opens up with the somewhat clunky "Tonight". It doesn't quite allure like better starts such as 'The Breakthrough's' "No One But You" or 'Growing Pains' thrilling "Work That", but it works and sets the tone of the album. It isn't bad, mind you, but it took a couple of listens for me to truly get into the song. Follow-up track "The One", featuring rap up-start Drake is better, making a few more concessions to hip-hop than Blige has made in the past. Sure, that sounds crazy, considering that Blige is the queen of hip-hop soul, but with a plethora of production effects there is a more outright, hip-hop oriented sound here. It doesn't trump "Grown Woman" from 'Growing Pains', but it is enjoyable. Did Blige need auto-tune? No, she's MJB, the queen!!!

"Said And Done" is the first track that truly captivates me personally, as it could've easily fit on any of Blige's previous albums, even dating back to 2002's No More Drama. The production is cutting edge and Blige sounds her most inspired on 'Stronger' than she did on either of the first two cuts. "Said and Done" showcases a track of which Blige exemplifies. It makes enough concessions to hip-hop without compromising the queen's prodigious pipes.

"Good Love", featuring recently freed T.I., is another fine track that just feels good. Sure, it's nothing revolutionary, but it finds MJB in her zone. T.I. is fine, but he doesn't even come close to overshadowing Blige. "I Feel Good" is typical Blige, much like tracks "Hurt Again" or "Stay Down" from 'Growing Pains'. "I Am" is nearly synonymous with Blige's #3 Mega-hit "Be Without You", though not as quite as classic as that number. However, Blige sounds phenomenal and that is key.

On "Each Tear", Blige has a 4-beat pattern supporting her, making for sound production work. Different from previous numbers, "Each Tear" shows more of a forward-thinking song that showcases Blige's vocal strengths. The songwriting is on-point as is Blige. "I Love You (Yes I Du)" cleverly lifts from Billy Paul's "Let The Dollar Circulate" (Young Jeezy's own "Circulate" also utilizes this sample), providing another enthralling performance from the queen. The exceptional duet between her and burgeoning R&B star Trey Songz, "Hood Love" proves to be one of the album's valedictory moments - a personal favorite of mine. "Kitchen" finds MJB exploring sounds beyond her traditional scope, much like Alicia Keys does on her recently released The Element of Freedom. While it isn't my favorite track, "Kitchen" certainly showcases what types of songs MJB's next album could include.

On the exceptional closing tracks "In The Morning" and "I Can See in Color", Blige revisits classical soul influences, producing two of the strongest tracks on the entire album. "In The Morning" is an impassioned and sexy grown-folks love song while "I Can See in Color" is soulful and inescapably brilliant. Even where 'Stronger' falls short of better MJB albums, it showcases strongpoints with an array of great production work, taut songwriting, and captivating vocal performance by none other than the queen of hip-hop soul. 4 stars.

I have been a diehard MJB fan since I can remember and once again she does not disappoint. Mary has grown into such a beautiful classy woman that its hard to believe that the same girl who was singing about heartbreak on her 1994 Album "My Life" is now singing about being proud and happy about being herself and most importantly LOVING herself. Now how many females artists of today can say that they are truly happy with themselves and really appreciate there success?

Although this Cd is very short compared to her usual 14 plus cds, every track is still worth the listen. My favorites, "The One", "I Am", "Good Love" and "Each Tear".

I really hope she keeps up with the amazing inspirational work and not sell her soul like most of these so called "cookie cutter wannabe singers". THANK MS. BLIGE FOR PUTTING OUT ANOTHER HOT RECORD!!! Im already looking for album Number 10!!!

i don't know how she does it, but mary's albums get better with each release. there are those who stand by her '90s albums as her best, but i disagree--i think her '00s albums are better, and more accessible to a wider audience. mary grows and changes with the times. her music may sound more current now, but her voice has never changed. if anything, it's stronger, deeper and richer. this album is slammin' from beginning to end! work, mary!

Mary J. Blige is such a consistent artist. Music lovers can expect good music from her every time she releases something new because she has set a bar for herself that she maintains. Has her music gotten better over the years? Well, Mary from the 90s is Mary at her best, but the music she has released after that is great, some even classic. But the difference is that much of the music created by Mary in the 90s is timeless.

Every time she releases an album, I listen to it all the way through because I'm a fan of hers. I have so much respect for her transcending from drugs and domestic violence. I love the title of the album. This album has a bit of a laid back tone. While there are ballads, mid-tempos and up-tempos, the majority of the music is mid-tempo, like one of the tracks that was released, "I Am." "I Am" is a good piano-laced track. Mary is letting her object of affection know point blank that no one is going to love him better. Trey Songz lends his talent to a track called "We Got Hood Love." This track informs listeners that though relationships can be inconsistent, they can be "good." I was especially moved when listening to "Each Tear." Mary says that each tear is a lesson, which it is. This is easily one of the albums finest moments.

3 stars means that this effort is decent. Mary did a nice job, as usual. Pick this album up if you want a soothing yet modern sound.

Mikeisha's Top 5

1. "Each Tear"
2. "Kitchen"
3. "Hood Love is Good Love"
4. "I Am"
5. "Good Love"

I was really looking forward to this album, as I have been an MJB fan FOREVER! Yes, since she sang back-up for Father MC but no one knew who she was! As someone who appreciates music (I can do without the flashy costumes, superweaves, and alter-egos), I can listen to each album and tell that something different/new was going on, as your sound grew/improved as you dealt with life's challenges. While I have my favorites (411 & Share My World), I will always make room for more Mary!

One love!

Though not another "Breakthrough", referring to Blige's landmark 2005 release, "Stronger with EachTear" continues the artist's exertion as a powerful woman who is in control of her life and is at the apex of her womanhood. With cuts like "The One", "I Feel Good", "I Am", "Each Tear", "Kitchen", "In the Morning" and "We Got Hood Love", a superb duet with Trey Songz, Blige is at the top of her game.

Like her previous releases, the album shows the singer's versatility as she easily handles the dance tracks and midtempo numbers as well as she does the ballads, featuring lush strings arrangements.

"Stronger with EachTear" solidifies Blige's reign as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and there is no one in the wings to dethrone her.

The only "weak" entry is "Color" from the "Precious" soundtrack. The song just seems out of place, like there must have been a necessity to add a twelfth track just to "pad" the album.

A singer of Blige's character doesn't have to add a "filler".

Thus, the album loses 1/2 a star, giving it 4.5, rounded off to 5 to meet Amazon's scale.