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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing debut; Where's the Gladys Knight & Billie Holiday?, May 22, 2007
Paris Bennett was one of my favorite contestants from the fifth installment of American Idol. I loved her renditions of Billie Holiday from here initial audition and dug here mature-sounding vocals throughout the season itself. I was disappointed at her fifth-place finish, feeling that America had once again cut short one of the more brilliant talents of the competition early. Sure, fifth place was quite respectable, but Paris had a talent more deserving than just fifth. While a number of people might support my theory of Paris, her debut album, the independently released and produced PRINCESS P just doesn't do Paris justice. Sure, there are a couple of listenable tracks that would've been fine on a major-label production, but a majority of the album just feels cheap and uninspired. The talented Paris is often made to sound unfairly amateurish on the album due to the material and the production.
The album opens with an intro ("All Hail the Princess") in which Paris asserts, and convincingly I must say, that she is a princess. "Ordinary Love", the first official track of PRINCESS P is also convincing enough that PRINCESS P may end up being satisfactroy. "Ordinary Love" or the following track "Dreamin'" are by no means the second coming, but they are solid enough. Paris sounds fine here, but you wish she'd sound more inspired and allow herself to get "loose". Paris's vocals (which are good)only turn out to be a small quibble when the next couple of tracks fail to captivate anything. "Daddy" is touching to an extent, but it is missing more inspiration and perhaps first and foremost better songwriting. The hook isn't truly catchy or exciting, and the structure of the number is just plain weird; the song ends with a bridge! While "Daddy" isn't horrible, "Let Me Rap" featuring the brutally awful Kevin Covais ("Chicken Little") from Idol is a joke. What was Paris thinking? She raps, he raps, they both sing, and it is terrible! It is short, which is a blessing. Finally, "My Boyfriend's Back" has a more pop-influenced feel, but it just feels "cheap"; the album speaks budget-indie label all over it which is unfortunate.
"Can't Control Myself" is the first of a couple of tracks that builds the momentum of PRINCESS P back up. The production on "Can't Control Myself" allows Paris's resonant alto vocals to cut through more than on some of the previous numbers. Here, I felt Paris sounded more polished vocally with a hint of falsetto and lovely harmonized background vocals supporting her. The duet with her uncle/producer(?)J. Isaac Moore, "Duet" is actually one of the better tracks of PRINCESS P. The production has a timbre reminiscent of the 1970s, perhaps the first time Paris feels like she's identified with the proper time period as opposed to the over-zealous hip-hop lingerings that appear on PRINCESS P. Neither "Can't Control Myself" or "Duet" are exceptional, but in regards to PRINCESS P itself, they are one of the few saving moments.
A terribly corny intro ("I'm So Hot") goes in one ear and out the other while the song of the same name follows suit. "Get Bizzy" is better and in Paris's defense, proves to be one of her best vocals of the album. "Caught Up" unfortunately is a repeat of the majority of the club tracks from the album (one too many club tracks), while "B-Bye" proves to be competent enough. "Burnt Up" is perhaps the worst, while the end of the album showcases the very best material of PRINCESS P. "I Will" features Grear, James & Company and actually feels like it would work fine on a proper major label debut. The background vocals are a bit too low in timbre to me and make for a bit of a "murky" texture. Paris is pitchy at times here in particular, but her vocals sound much more energized here. It is "Best Friends" that finally brings a respectable level of credibility to PRINCESS P featuring her mother (Jamecia Bennett) and famed R&B/Gospel singing grandmother Ann Nesby. Unfortunate for Paris is that she didn't take note of the great final tracks of PARIS and make the rest of the album in that vain.
Paris still has great potential, but for me I think PRINCESS P was a bad side-step. There is no Billie Holiday style song here and the attempt to make Paris sound young makes her sound way too young and corny. Lose the hip-hop influenced R&B, fine better songwriters/songs, and don't try to sound so young. Paris's rendition of "Midnight Train To Georgia" from the Season 5 Idol soundtrack proves she is an old soul and is meant to do more soulful singing as opposed to contemporary hip-hop. 2 stars, unfortunately.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't Waste your Money!!!, May 23, 2007
What a big disappointment. The intro started bad and the whole production was bad. I was a big fan when she was on American Idol and I was anxiously awaiting her first CD. I don't understand the intro, how can you declare yourself a "Princess" when you haven't even sold your first million CD's yet. I feel that her mother and grandmother should have directed her career better since they have experience in the record industry. The rap song with Chicken Little is a joke. He was a poster child for "Vote for the Worst" She should have stuck with the songs that made her a hit on Idol. This CD will be in cutout bins in 3 months and you will be able to buy it used on Amazon for $1.99 in 6 months. My advice to her Dump your record producers and go back to your roots. Also don't go to Glamor Shots for the album cover!!!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Paris, Paris, Paris... This CD saddens me., May 8, 2007
OK. I'll start off with this... Paris Bennett, who arguably had the most "potential talent" in season 5 of American Idol, should've blown the roof off with her debut CD. I don't blame Paris, so much, but the terrible "SIMPLISTIC" production. The production does absolutely nothing for Paris and her big voice.
The CD starts of cutesy... The intro is cute and "Ordinary Love" is 1 of the few songs I actually like off this CD.
"Ordinary Love" - This was the first song I heard off this CD, months ago, and I was anxiously anticipating this CD. I liked her voice in a rock / r&b flavor, which is sort of how she presented herself on idol. HOWEVER, then I heard 3 other songs ("Dreamin'" / "I'm So Hot" / "Burnt Up") SIGH! Not very good at all. They sound like something I could've produced like 15 years ago.
"Can't Control Myself", "Get Bizzy", "Caught Up" "B-Bye" are not such bad songs. I can see myself potentially getting into them, but I definitely expected a whole lot more to showcase the true vocal talents of this pretty young girl.
"Duet" and "I Will" are pretty little ballads, which actually showcase the fact that Miss Paris can in fact SING!
"My Boyfriends Back" is kind of cute. LOL
One last note: Chicken Little rapping? OH LORD! (NO NO NO) And Paris had the nerve to make fun of Sanyaja?
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