Face2Face [ENHANCED]

Babyface

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 11, 2001)
• Original Release Date: September 11, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B00005LN5Z
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #95,280 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Throughout most of the '90s, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds had a lock on the R&B/pop charts. Despite his superstar status as a solo artist, songwriter, and producer, however, his smooth, melodic brand of R&B has never been what one might call "hip." In an era of blatant and brittle R&B, Face unleashed heartfelt, crafted odes to romance that might not have been cool, but they were hot. His first album since 1997's MTV Unplugged, finds Face upping the 'tude, pumping the synths, elevating his vocals into a sly falsetto, and letting his hips shake, bringing edge and energy to his seamless silky soul. Working with beatmeisters such as the Neptunes (who contribute the percolating and sexy "There She Goes"), Face fuses his grown-up songcraft to au courant beats here. Though, as he shows on the elegant ballad "With Him," he proves he can still lower the temperature to a nice simmer. --Amy Linden

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another one from Face, September 18, 2001

By	J. Highsmith (Mitchellville, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Although, Babyface has released 3 CDs, sice 1996's, "The Day", 1997's, "MTV Unplugged", 1998's, "Christmas with Babyface" and last year's, "A Collection Of Hits", "Face 2 Face" is Babyface's 1st full length release in 5 years. As a r&b music fan of slow jams, Babyface is one of my favorite artists to listen to when I want to listen to a good slow jam. "Soon As I Get Home", "Where Will You Go", "Whip Appeal", "Never Keeping Secrets", "I Said I Love You", "Everytime I Close My Eyes" and 2000's, "Reason For Breathing" have always been favorites of mine. Babyface is known for a distinct style and that is usually good love making music that's smooth and occasionally you'll get an uptempo track to go with the slow jams and the midtempo songs. All of his full length CDs in my collection have impressed me: "Tender Lover", "For The Cool In You " and "The Day". With "Face 2 Face", Babyface is taking a different route this time. This CD is totally different from anything that he has released previously. The prime example of this is the 1st single, "There She Goes". This Neptunes' track is off the wall. This is definitely his best uptempo track ever. Babyface does things falsetto style and it brings pleasant results. Babyface fans that aren't used to this may not enjoy this song at all. This one was made just for the clubs and is not like any uptempo song he has done previously. His 2nd single, "What If" is more of what people are use to from him. It's a nice slow jam that talks about how things may have been or could still be with one of his ex-girlfriends. This is vintage Babyface and is definitely one of the best songs on this CD. A track that you would have never expected, "Baby's Mama" w/Snoop Dogg, has Babyface telling a man that he should pay more attention to his responsibilities as a father instead of worrying about who his baby's mama is dating and trying to get back together with her. The song makes a good point and Snoop delivers as usual on the rap. The only things that his fans will have to get use to are his overuse of the falsetto tone and the fact that Babyface is using a little foul language. When I think of Babyface, I think of smooth and sensual r&b music and although he does hold true to that on some somgs, you have to get use to some of the subject matter on some songs. Other highlights include the nice slow jam, "With Him", "I Keep Callin'", "Wish U Was My Girl" and the nice "How Can U Be Down". In the latter song, Babyface tells a tale about a woman that is trying to be down with him that his woman knows. She is seductively trying to work her way into Babyface's pants and he rejects her since he is with someone. I like this CD and I would give it 4.5 stars and not 5. If you are a Babyface fan, buy this CD and listen to it 2 or 3 times and it will grow on you. I promise.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not What I Expected, March 18, 2005

By	E. N. Matthan (Canton, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

I have every cd Babyface has released. I go back to his Manchild days, and then to the Deele. I was so disappointed with this. Babyface using profanity is not something that I ever thought I'd hear. There are 3 or 4 songs worth listening to; What if, how can you be down, baby's mama (maybe), and with him. Else, this is without question the worst cd Babyface ever released.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Different Babyface, September 21, 2001

By	Jiggy_Fly (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews

I admit that was expecting a CD with Babyface's classic slow songs, but surprisingly I found a CD with a more upbeat approach. While it's different from what you might expect from Babyface, the album is still good and worth buying. I like every song on the CD expect for three, "Baby's Mama, How Can U Be Down, and Lover and Friend" just don't work for me. Yeah, I would have loved for the CD to have a few more slow songs on it, but nonetheless "With Him" is definitely a stand out.

If there's one gripe I have about this CD, and it's something I've been noticing on other artist's CDs as well, it's the use of cuss words. It appears nowadays that a lot of artists are "sliding" in a few cuss words in their albums. While obviously the use of cuss words are not enough to warrant a "Parental Advisory" sticker, I still find it rather puzzling and surprising when artists that never used profanity in their lyrics before are now slipping in a few cuss words on their albums today. Babyface uses the "S" word a few times throughout CD, and it really is something that is not needed on the CD. As he has already proven, Babyface is wonderful song writer, and so he is way above using profanity to get his point across.