France.
.co.uk
------
It's hard to believe that Full Moon is the young Brandy's fourth
album. Despite her youth, the former Moesha TV star has had an
admirable career. Her debut single, the hyperkinetic "I Wanna Be
Down" boasted rap support from female MCs, Lyte, Yo Yo and Queen
Latifah ( /exec/obidos/artist-search/Queen%20Latifah/%24%7B0%7D
)-not bad for a teenager! Since then all her subsequent singles,
from "Baby" to her irreverent cover of Phil Collins' "Another Day
in Paradise" have been radio-friendly A-list hits. And let's not
forget her duet with Monica, the classic "The Boy is Mine".
Like her previous albums, Brandy has an on-form, Rodney
"Darkchild" Jerkins in the producer's chair and her deeper vocal
power and technique are never in question. Not only does this
emphasise her growing maturity, but the songs are as good as
ever. The single, "What About Us" with its jerky syncopated
R&B-hip-hop rhythms has smash written all over it but luckily
this isn't a one-hit wonder album. The title track and "I
Thought" are cut from the same elegant and funky cloth and should
get even the more jaded fan jumping. Brandy updates her style
very well showing off her versatility throughout. Just cock an
ear to the bouncing "All of Me" and "It's Not Worth It" with
their atypical two-step rhythms, the Aaliyah (
/exec/obidos/artist-search/Aaliyah/%24%7B0%7D )-like "Anybody"
and the lovely ballad, "Nothing" and you will understand why
Brandy has the potential to cross over into even bigger
mainstream success.--Reuben Dessay
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BBC Review
----------
And so we are blessed with the fourth album from Mrs Smith nee
Norwood. Like her male contemporary Usher, Brandy is one of pop's
foremost polymaths; actor, writer, singer and, in part, producer
she has a handle on pretty much every element of the
entertainment business.
With her television show 'Moesha' now out of production, Brandy
has shifted the focus back to her music and after a long absence
from the studio she has married, re-assessed her game and grown
up a bit. With a crew of gifted producers, Keith Crouch, LaShawn
Daniels, the mighty Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and her now
husband Robert Smith, Full Moon serves up a large slice of R&B
pie that is topped with honey, nuts and brown sugar.
Most of the tracks on this album fall largely into one of two
camps. The first of these is the formulaic down tempo ballad
characterised by soft pads, chimes, finger snaps and smooth,
creamy harmonies. In style terms, tracks such as "When You Touch
Me", "Like This", "Come A Little Closer" and "Love Wouldn't Count
Me Out" do very little to differentiate themselves from one
another.
However, we are left to work out which emotional tack Brandy has
chosen to take... most of the time she seems to be showing her
man 'the hand' either that or trying win his attention and
affections. Of these "Wow" is the best ballad, a great chorus and
vocal arrangement combined with Robert Smith's sun kissed groove
make this a hymn to their relationship and a genuinely uplifting
cut.
Slush and mush aside, it is the up tempo pieces that provide the
records killer moments and not surprisingly Rodney Jerkins is at
the helm every time. Stuttering electro bass lines and crunchy
drums propel tracks like "I Thought" and "Can We" away from the
traditional R&B sound in to a new arena. Darkchild's futuristic
jam on "What About Us?" has to be the high point here, a great
vocal hook and a grinding b-line put the track on a level with
The Neptunes feat. Britney Spears "I'm A Slave 4 U". No doubt
Full Moon will put Brandy firmly back on the , quite how she
will eclipse this next time round remains to be seen... we wait
with baited breath. --Christian Hopwood
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