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39 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A soulful, hypnotic journey., June 3, 2008
Soul/Jazz vocalist Lalah Hathaway has a velvet, smoky voice that demands exuberant attention. Her songs wrangle with passion and vibrant inimacy.
Enjoying traditional jazz and neo-soul styles, "Self Portait" is a familiar and yet still the future of adult/contemporary R&B and vocal jazz.
Lalah's songwriting is tight and compelling with her vocals enjoying the spotlight as her talents are well exposed through vibrant production here.
With "Self Portrait", her new disc just out on the reactivated Stax imprint (which is distributed via Concord Music Group) and her fifth studio album, including the Joe Sample duet The Song Lives On, and on which she co-wrote and co-produced, she is poised to express who she is, where she is, today, at this very moment.
After four years from the rather mediocre and monotonous Outrun the Sky, on this one she takes listeners on an intimate, explorative path through her own past, present and future and how it's shaped the woman she's now become.
The album also brings Lalah together once again with renowned producer Rex Rideout, who served as the producer of the 2004 Grammy-nominated all-star tribute album "Forever, For Always, For Luther", for which Lalah achieved her first #1 single for "Forever, For Always, For Love".
The CD also calls upon the talents of co-writers and vocalists Rahsaan Patterson and Sandra St. Victor.
Leading the 12-song collection is "Let Go," a dance-oriented, up-tempo number she produced with Rex Rideout and wrote alongside Rahsaan Patterson. And just as the title suggests, the song is about acknowledging and releasing whatever's not working to make room for the next experience. The track reminds the listener of Lalah's 1990 hit "Heaven Only Knows".
Both songs share the same vibe of exercising the faith that everything will be just fine at the end of the day. "I've had to let go of quite a few things, quite a few situations and a couple of mindsets," she admits about the origins of her first single. "Every so often, I have to remind myself to just let some stuff go - from people and relationships to an old pair of jeans".
Ms. Hathaway is one of American finest Soul/Jazz chanteuse.
I have to admit that she is extremely attractive...as well.
This selection of songs sees her on jazzier territory, that will appeal to fans of Anita Baker and Regina Belle.
Engaging songs like "For always" and "Tragic Ivevitability" underline just how fine a singer Lalah is.
Special guests Lenny Castro on percussion, Brandon Filelds on saxophone and Tim Carmon on keyboads. .
"1 Mile", and "Learning To Swim" are smoother affairs with gentle lilting grooves.
I just love the songs she sings and her soulful style.
Enjoy !
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29 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Sorry but I disagree w/ others -- I'm bored, June 27, 2008
Maybe I was expecting too much or maybe I have been spoiled by Lalah's past work (solo and guest appearances) but to me, this CD and "Outrun the Sky" are so subpar to what she's done and what I know she CAN do. I absolutely adored her first two CDs. The production, music, and lyrics were fresh, unique, creative, original, and touching. And of course, the voice is nothing short of hypnotizing. The same goes for every one-track guest appearance she has done on others' work, as well as her contributions to that one Joe Sample CD. But this latest CD is nothing like that. In fact, to me, it's exactly the opposite -- music, lyrics, and themes are boring, uninventive, unoriginal, untouching. And I never thought Lalah would stoop to putting rap on her material (for the rap fans, nothing against it, I just don't think it's necessary or fits Lalah's voice/style). And I don't even want to talk about "Outrun the Sky." Except for a couple of decent tracks, the male bashing was so unlike her and I was truly disappointed. I love Lalah as much as the next fan. That's why I must be honest with my feelings when I say -- and it hurts to say because I never thought I'd have to -- that Lalah now sounds...like...everybody...else.
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22 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Lalah's Best Effort, June 19, 2008
"Self Portrait" is Lalah's debut CD for the Stax label. Although much more satisfying than Angie's Stone's disappointing debut disc for the label, "Self Portrait" is missing that certain "Wow!" factor that is found on Lalah's previous efforts.
After an amazing CD release with the eclectic, funky "Outrun The Sky",
I was expecting one step up or, at least, to stay with the same formula of her previous effort. Not that this CD is bad. It is good, compared to today's standards. But, unlike her previous CD, none of the songs here stand out. The first single release "Let Go" just sounds very run-of-the-mill, radio-friendly music. Lalah is in fine voice throughout the entire disc but, overall, the material was just good. Nothing great or memorable here.
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by Lalah Hathaway 
