Customer Reviews

And Then...

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

this is real R & B! Joe is exceptional and this is a fabulous album! i enjoyed every track on here especially Street Dreams because that joint is hot! brilliant and definately worth buying money well spent!

I was introduced to Joe once I heard the slow jam, "All The Things (Your Man Won't Do). The song was nice but you never know what is to come of a r&b artist. The song was featured on the "Don't Be A Menace....." soundtrack. Later, he had a midtempo song, "Don't Wanna Be A Player" on the "Booty Call" soundtrack. I liked that song as well and I knew that I would pick his CD up once it dropped. "All That I Am" was the first CD that I purchased from Joe. I later found out from my man "Tony" that he had a CD before that entitled "Everything". "All That I Am" was a nice CD. I enjoyed songs such as "Good Girls", "How Soon", "Love Don't Make No Sense" and "No One Else Comes Close To You". "Love Scene" was another song that was on this CD and that song seemed to be the theme for his next CD, "My Name Is Joe". The CD had a sexual theme attached to it as well as the singles, "I Wanna Know", "Treat Her Like A Lady" and "Stutter". These songs went against the sexual theme of the CD but the songs provided a good balance to "My Name Is Joe". The CD would sell over 4 million copies and is definitely his most successful to date. "Better Days" had Joe going against what his 2 previous CDs and he was talking about various issuses in the world with songs like the title track and "Isn't This The World". It looks like Joe's fans weren't ready for that as "Better Days" barely went gold. I liked the CD but not as much as I had enjoyed other Joe CDs. However, "Alone" definitely ranks as one of his best songs ever.

With "...And Then" Joe is back to basics. His has the romantic songs that we are used to hearing from him and the sexual themes are back as well. "Sweeter Than Sugar" gets the CD off to a good start as Joe appreciates all the blessings and the material things that he has been able to get since he is a successful r&b artist. Songs like "...And Then", "Jeep" and "Bedroom" will remind you of songs that were on the "My Name Is Joe" CD. The songs have the sexual undertones that you were used to hearing. As always, Joe finds a way to mix the romantic songs with words that we can relate to. "Priceless" is my favorite song on this CD as Joe still does the romantic song but there is a Jaheim twist to the song as Joe proclaims that there's nothing wrong with finding love in the ghetto. Other classics on this Cd include "Another Used To Be", "It Ain't Like That", and the R Kelly produced "Make You My Baby". "Another Used To Be" has Joe at his best in my opinion and that is when he sticks to the romantic themes of his "All That I Am" CD. "It Ain't Like That" has Joe telling his girl that she can't believe what her friends are saying because they just want to break them up anyway. Although once again Joe is going back to his ghetto roots as he says and I quote, "I'm not the only one with a Cranapple Benz, Droptop sitting on 24 inch rims". Joe must have been listening to Chico Debarge or just going back to his upbringing as "Tony" informed me. "Make You My Baby" sounds like something that could have been on R Kelly's "Chocolate Factory". Joe puts his touch to the song and this song should be a single in the future. "Ride Wit U" features Lloyd Banks and Young Buck of G Unit and I am sure the song was done since Joe did vocals on their current single, "I Wanna Get To Know You". The song is pretty good but "Ride Wit U" would have been better if they would have had 50 Cent actually rapping and not talking during the song.

Overall, "..And Then" is a nice r&b CD. If you enjoyed "All That I Am" and "My Name Is Joe" then you will enjoy "...And Then", even if you are mad that you purchased "Better Days". Hopefully, Joe will continue to make CDs like this in the future.

James' Top 5

1) Priceless
2) It Ain't Like That
3) Another Used To Be
4) Make You My Baby
5) Testify

I was so happy to hear this cd because i really was not feeling his last one( better days) at all, maybe one or two songs which isnt enough to keep it in the stereo. this cd took me back to the joe i love to listen to. my absolute favorite track is testify for anyone who had a hard time finding true love and finally found it this is the song:) i absolutely love it. i think this cd is a must have for all r&b fans

I consider Joe to be one the smoothest R+B vocalist today in music as far as young people is concerned. He has been in the game for a while now and one listen to this cd will tell you why. From start to finish there is no skipping of any track here. He gives a good mix of mostly mid and slow tempo songs. It also includes 2 tracks that were not included on R. Kellys "Loveland" cd that joe remade very well. I think this one is better than his last but still there is no toping his first 3 cds. Overall he always gives nothing less than a 3 star cd which most artists cannot say. Now to the cd...whats good?

*More and More -- One of the best slow jams on the cd
*Ride wit U -- A tight midtempo cut with G-unit. Should be the next single.
*Priceless -- The name says it all.
*You dropped your dime
*It aint like that
*Another used to be

Overall these tracks right here are the best of the best. Anyone who enjoys good singing with nice beats(hip-hop/r+B) to the smoothest of the smooth should get this cd. For fans its a no-brainer.....just get it. This cd shows growth form joe and is a good follow up to the last cd.

Get it!!

Firstly, for Joe's fourth release AND THEN.. has been a solid album. I personally have been listening to rnb albums for years and enjoy joe's peers which include the likes of Donell Jones, R.Kelly, Usher, Tyrese and D'Angelo and this latest album is up there with the best of them. This album has moved away from the nucleas of dealing with mixed issues in life, which was his last album BETTER DAYS. Unlike Better Days, Joe has had time to sit down (not like Better Days where he had to quickly release a follow-up album in response to the popularity of stutter)and collaborate with the likes of R.Kelly, which has a clear reflection in the opening track "Sweeter than Sugar". However, I feel that this is a movement away from Joe's unique style and could be perceived as a weak attempt to try and pattern the commercial album sales in the recent footsteps of R.Kelly. Joe's talent is mixed on the album, with certain tracks that you would skip over completely in the quest to find the zeneth of sexy rnb. The standout tracks include "Jeep" which is so sexy that if you have a jeep, damn...you are gonna get some. Another standout is 'bedroom' which echoes the tune of all men who wanna sex it up with their lady. Sweeter than sugar is also good, but it sounds way too much like R.Kelly. This is so bad, that to a fan of both artists, you cant tell the difference. To further that opinion, Joe has lost the following patterning of his songs which he has used so well in the past, and has taken to sounding like R.Kelly in breaking down the lyrical patterning at the end of each line, stopping and starting, like a car in peak hour traffic. As a true and loyal fan of Joe, I do like his album, yet I am so frustrated at his approach and his reception from the general public as an artist. It just seems that Joe has taken to trying to sound like Kelly to sell albums and purely wants to increase his paper value. Its just seems to be clear, that fans just dont appreciate his talent such as the absolutely amazing tracks on Better Days, such as ALONE and IT WONT END. Have you heard these tracks??? Those two songs are the greatest ever written. No one can some up sadness and pain like he can...yet it doesnt seem to sell records which seems to lead to the cessation of the sales of Better Days and the release of this new album. In conclusion, this is a four star album which is a good listen, but if you want real soul and rnb, forget about the commercial crap and listen to Better Days, because that is by far his best work.

To Luis and all haters out there, check out earlier threads to get the cut on the R.Kelly cut..especially Luis, who had the audacity to rip a whole page from VH1, that news came out in 2002 when 'Stutter' was blowing up and Kelly felt Joe was digging his style, Joe was not hurt by that comment, infact he was 'flattered' that Kelly gave him a mention, cos, though he too is very good, he doesnt have the radio credibility that Kelly's got, so to be mentioned by Kelly is a plus not a minus...Secondly, if u really bothered to buy the album and not stream it off the internet, you would have read on the album cover that R.Kelly is one of the producers of the album, so whats all the hate about??? Joe, carry on doing what u know best, dishing out love songs that these haters cannot comprehend..

And Then..., Joe's fourth release with Jive Records, 5th release overall is a pretty good album considering all the stuff coming out from R&B artists today... I actually think its better than his last effort, "Better Days". Its got its share of slow jams, and the typical R&B with some "ghetto" imagery etc.. His track with G-Unit is not bad either. Riding on the success of his third album 'My name is Joe', Joe came out with a hastily produced and average album in 2001 called "Better Days" aimed primarily at the commercial populace. Taking a two year break was worthwhile because 'And Then' is Joe winning formula again. Most of his album is worth listening to numerous times and you probably might skip few tracks here and there.

In the R&B industry, I believe there are only three major players that have found there winning formula and stuck to it. R. Kelly is indisputably the king of thugged out R&B, Brian McKnight holding sway in power ballads, while Joe takes the crown when it comes to sex-laden, romantic R&B. From the first track ' Sweeter than Sugar' you will know you are in for a smooth ride...The guy has got the touch in such a way that listening to his music can only lead to one thing- a roll in the sack...other tracks that appeal to me are 'And Then', 'More and More', 'Priceless', `Make you my baby," and 'Jeep.'

Joe is a great artist because his lyrics and performances are mostly in tune with a woman's true desires when it comes to romance. The things that I long to hear, Joe speaks through his music.

I've always been a fan of Joe, he's got the traditional RnB voice and this album is great work from him. But that might just be the problem, he doesn't stray far from his working formula it's the same stuff in a different package if you know what i mean. It remains a good cd to add to ur collection and certainly not something you should pass on.

Some people have no apreciation for music. I've had this album for some time now, and still not old to me. Joe has obviously evolved, both musically and vocally, and it shows. This album was excellently dont and just what I'd expect from Joe. In a world of emerging artists, its the veterans like Joe that really stand out in this industry. I'm sure we can expect more in the future from Joe, like this platinum quality album.

This is what I'm talkin'bout. No offense to Joe's skills but I thought his last CD really lacked that "Joe" flavor we all know and love. With this album the very first single smacks you in the face with Joe's old style of singing. This CD is really nice. For those who think he should not have collaborated with other artist, please get with the times. Other artist brings flavor to a project that the singer may lack (even though Joe is a fabulous singer). It's all about appealing to the masses to make that record sell and by far R Kelly and the other writers on the album brings that appeal to the masses.