Customer Reviews

Ten

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

for someone with Brian's level of natural talent to determine how to best "showcase" his voice. If he's true to his voice, he would simply sing ballads and turn more toward jazz and gospel...If he is to make a living and sell CDs to satisfy the music company, he has to compromise his true talent and try to cross over to the more secular music. It's a difficult position to be in...

That said, I will ALWAYS buy his music, but I can't help but wait, wait and wait longer for his return to the "I Remember You" format which is the pure "unsaturated" Brian. This man can sing anything and his voice is truly the BEST of our time right now (in terms of male vocalist)...but this CD is conflicted with what the masses want and what Brian is really cabable of...

I really like, "Find Myself in You" and "Shoulda Been Lovin You", but he's already demonstrated his ability to master Marvin's sound...and while it is certainly sensually melodic and sweet, it's not Brian. Most of the other songs are extremely disruptive in terms of the music itself. The electronic voices used takes away from his vocals especially on "Unhappy Without You", and "Can't Leave you Alone"..There are a few quick glimpses of the real Brian in "A Little Too Late", "I Do" and "More and More", which are the more exceptional songs on this CD. I was really happy to hear him layering background vocals again which I haven't heard in a while.

I'll keep waiting, maybe he will follow suit of the some of the others in the business, (Duke, Tamia) and create and produce under his own label...he definitely gets a 4, just for the turmoil he must go through to make his music.

In a R&B world where albums seem to be hit or miss as of late, Brian McKnight's latest disc Ten is surprisingly good. There is a heavy dose of familiarity, both with what McKnight is used to giving as well as the production style from today's hottest beat makers. An great example of the latter is "Used To Be My Girl." With Tim and Bob lending their signature sound, it forces the listener to compare McKnight to Bobby Valentino since he's known for using a similar format for his songs. A track that sounds like a Tim and Bob song (actually produced by Brian Cox) titled "Comfortable" is just as good. McKnight does include his 'steppers' song "Find Myself In You" on this album, a cut that was previously on the soundtrack to Madea's Family Reunion. "What's My Name" sounds like it came straight from one of his earlier albums outside of the hint of falsetto which tends to be more prevalent on his later records. "Unhappy Without You" is another Tim and Bob production that tastefully uses a touch of hip-hop for the background (anybody remember Souls of Mischief's mega hit "93 Til Infinity"?). Brian McKnight busts out on of his impassioned love songs "A Little Too Late" and "Missing You." Brian conjures up a little 70s funk for "Shoulda Been Lovin' You," a song that puts you in the mind of Marvin Gaye instantly. "Again" is a nice mid-tempo cut produced by Tim and Bob while "More and More" is a quaint serenade placed eloquently over a piano riff. The final Tim and Bob offering titled "Can't Leave You Alone" reverts back to their familiar production but includes a guest rapper to break up the flow a bit. "I Do" is basically classic Brian McKnight in every sense. He also proves he can still do power ballads too with "The Rest Of My Life." He closes this phenomenal album with "Red White And Blue," a surprising poignant duet with Rascal Flatts and "Don't Take Your Love Away," a song that stands on its own even though (only for a moment) it sounds like a remix of Janet Jackson's "I Get Lonely." Although Ten is not a perfect ten as far as ratings go, it certainly has the makings to be one of his best albums to date.

10 is the CD is most often listen to these days. Why? Because Brian McKnight is so incredibly gifted - he's a wonderful singer, musician, and composer and he has the ability to invoke certain moods when you listen to his songs. I love Used to Be My Girl (the beat is thumping); I love Again (I feel the sadness in the music and the lyrics); I love A Little Too Late (the words, the music, I believe him when he sings); I love Missin' You (please release this as a single). I love so many songs. Now all he has to do is win awards, something he greatly deserves. Kudos Brian!

Loved, loved this album. The faster tracks are the hotness. "Unhappy without you" and "Used To Be Your Girl".

All I can say is Wow! I'm blown away by this cd. It's full of beautiful ballads and faster hot R&B tracks. It's been worth the little wait that his fans have endured just to hear this stunning new cd. I love it.

There is a heart wrenching yet stunning ballad about going off to war that he's done with the Rascal Flatts. It's called Red White and Blue and it'sso beautiful and sad ("Baby, how's our little baby girl, Does she know her Daddy's halfway around the world ... I've only seen her in a photograph, Don't know whether to cry or laugh"). This cd prooves how talented a song writer Brian really is (he wrote and collaborated on every song). I also love Find Myself In You (which I knew from Madea's Family Reunion), A Little Too Late, Holdin On, Can't Leave You Alone and I Do. I haven't been wowed from a cd like this in ages.

If you are a Brian McKnight fan, then you'll love this. If you aren't a fan yet, then you will almost definately become one fast. This is the standout cd of his career in my opinion. I love it (love the cover too - has a nice glossy finish on the cover that says Ten that you can only see up close), and can't stop listening to it.

McKnight does exactly that on Ten, an album that features four Tim & Bob collaborations. Two of the songs rank as high as anything from McKnight's past: "Used to Be My Girl" and "Unhappy Without You," despite reading like bitter pre- and post-breakup laments, carry the nuanced bounce and swagger that held up Valentino's first album, and McKnight is as impassioned as ever. In the hands of most other male vocalists, the lyrics would probably sound like embittered rants from an insufferable jerk. It's spry grown folks' R&B. Apart from these tracks, as well as one collaboration with Brian Cox, McKnight handles all the writing and production. From this portion of the album, "Shoulda Been Lovin' You" is the standout, an elegant throwback to Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" where seduction is swapped out for regret and self-flagellation, both of which come off as real talk rather than pitiful wallowing. With 2005's Gemini and this release -- two of his finest albums -- McKnight is on something of a roll.

I've always been a fan of Brian McKnight, but as far as his albums are concerned, I haven't really been a fan of any of the ones he released after Back at One. And despite popular opinion, I didn't think his last album Gemini was all that (in fact, I think U-Turn was better than that). But Ten actually DOES feel like a step in the right direction.

I'm not exactly sure why this album is called Ten, though, considering it's only his ninth album (that is, unless he's including From There to Here), but there are some wonderful tracks to find on here. "What's My Name" is okay, but I find myself turning to other songs like "I Do", "The Rest of My Life" and the piano ballad "More and More". The soundtrack favorite "Find Myself in You" is also on here, and it still sounds good.

Another highlight is my personal favorite, "A Little Too Late". Also good is when Rascal Flatts show up to help Brian with the necessary war-condemning song "Red White and Blue" (I guess ALL black musicians like Rascal Flatts -- hey, I like them too). But "Unhappy Without You" made me say just that, and speaking of that, I still stand by the belief that Brian just ain't as great at fast songs as he used to be; in fact, the only one I ever really liked was "On the Down Low". Not only that, but most of the fast songs on here have the same beat. But Ten is still the best album he's made in a while, so check it out.

Anthony Rupert

THIS IS A GREAT THOUGHT PROVOKING ALBUM. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! THE INTENSITY OF THE WORDS IN THE SONGS SHOW WHAT BRIAN HAS BEEN THROUGH IN HIS PERSONAL LIFE. I CAN TRULY RELATE AND I'M SURE HIS OTHER FANS WILL TOO.

Brian McKnight has done it again. If you are a true "Brian McKnight" fan, you will agree that he is a "truly" talented and is good at what he does - making good music. This is a very good CD.

This CD is the best from Brian McKnight so far. The song "Used to be my girl" is just awesome--the rhythm, tempo, and McKnight's singing...Wow.