Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Chapter 2 is a great entry, December 27, 2002
Syleena Johnson dropped Chapter 1 last year, which had a plethora of heartbreaking, "my-man-ain't-nothing" songs. So when I listened to "Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go" (remix), where she's dancing in the video and she wants her man to love her down, I had to check and see if that was really Syleena. Then I picked up Chapter 2: The Voice and heard "I Believe in Love" and concluded that she must be on some different stuff.If Chapter 1 was a dark period for her, then Chapter 2 is when the sun comes out. Songs like "So Faithful" and "Guitars of the Heart (Happy)" show that Syleena still has the gritty, funky, and soulful alto to rock these love tunes. But one of the highlights is the remake of Alicia Myers' "If You Play Your Cards Right". Like any respected diva, Syleena makes the song her own, and this remake even tops Brownstone's 1997 version. But it's not all fair in love. The "triflin' man" resurfaces again on "I'm Gon' Cry" and the R. Kelly-produced "Guess What", which are actually the best songs on the album. In fact, those songs are welcomed because sometimes Syleena spreads the love jam too thick and towards the album the songs become a little sappy. And the remix to "Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go" with Flipmode Squad should have only been included on the album if it was better than the original, which is NOT the case here. And finally, I have no idea how she was able to get away with recording "No Words" (you have to listen to the song to see what I mean). But all nitpicking aside, this album is in a class by itself, but be forwarned: Syleena, being an R&B chick who can actually SANG (not "sing"), may never get the respect she truly deserves because she may be too much for simple-minded people. Which reminds me, does anyone know what Simone Hines is up to these days?
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
SYLEENA IS ON THE MONEY!, December 22, 2002
I must say I am impressed with the production and vocal performance of Syleena Johnson on Chapter 2: The Voice. This is a cd you put on and let it play, no skipping tracks here; it's one smooth ride. Syleena's voice is showcased with great music and she rips the background vocals (making the sound full and unmistakeably Syleena).The opening track "The Voice Intro" is too funky, with a Marvin Gaye percussion and vocal lick vibe. When I first heard "Guess What" I knew R. Kelly had something to do with it (this song is burning up the radio airwaves and is the ladies national anthem right now). "So Willingly" is a mellow jam and similar to a Faith Evans vocal. The icing on the cake is the Alicia Meyers cut "If You Play Your Cards Right", which has always been my jam and Syleena does an outstanding job (the new school beat at the end sends this one over the top). Treat yourself to this cd, it's a good one!
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Chapter 2: The Voice by Syleena Johnson, December 22, 2002
Syleena Johnson is best described as a highly underrated diva with the voice of an angel. Not many female artists today can have their voice compared to the legends of RnB, however Syleena is the exception. Her voice is incredibly infectious, at times as smooth as Blu Cantrell and at times as raspy as Macy Gray. Unlike the new generation of RnB diva's she actually has a set of stunning songs to follow up the voice. Today artists like Amerie, Jessica Simpson & Lil Mo carry the strongest voice, yet their songs are miserably awful.The Motown era is clearly evident in her music which will allow her to appeal to older fans, but its still slick enough to be excepted in today's market, however it may not be appreciated for its true value. The album's lead single "Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go" (Featuring The Flipmode Squad) is fantastic, sultry without being slutty, and upbeat enough to rock the party. The album is very ballad heavy, which I have an undeniable soft spot for. Tracks like "Guitars of the Heart (Happy)" & "I Believe in Love" are intelligent and powerful love songs, whos lyrics are more meaningful then the typical 'I want you in bed at any expense' formula weaved into today's RnB. The album is also very experimental. Johnson tests her boundries without going off so far to push fans away. Tracks like "No Words" reflect this, and unfortunatley this is one of the times she can't pull it off. The mid-tempo ballad "If You Play Your Cards Right" & the up-tempo style dance number "The Voice" are times when it works in her favor. Her creative decisions in recording show that while she can get recognized strictly on her talent alone, that she is going to go above and beyond her call of duty. All in all this is a very impressive turn out by the upcoming diva. Make sure you keep an eye out for her, because with music this soulful and smart, there is always going to be something there worth checking out. For those who are waiting between Jill Scott or Faith Evans releases, this is something that will satisfy your liking until they can complete their material.
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