J. Holiday
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J. Holiday
By Tameka Smith
July 20, 2009
Of the Frontpage Milwaukee staff
Round Two
Capital Records
March 10, 2009
R&B
$12.99
Rating System: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Sex Sells! The new signer sensation, J.Holiday, stayed undetected and unknown to the world when he first released his song, “Be with Me,” in 2007 which mingled at the number 83 spot on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs Charts.
It wasn’t until Holiday released his hit single “Bed” that he became an instant sex symbol and hot commodity that fans hummed his catchy lyrics everywhere. “I wanna put my fingers through your hair, wrap me up in your leg, and love you till your eyes roll back, I’m trying to put you to bed, bed, bed.” Sex always sells! Bed remained number one for five weeks on Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs and number five on US Billboard Hot 100.
J. Holiday released his R&B sophomore album, Round Two in March 2009. Anticipation was just as high for the singer to release a well rounded album like his first. However, it wasn’t going to be much of a Holiday to celebrate this year compared to previous works from Holiday.
Unlike his first gold-selling album that sold 105,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number one on the top Hip-hop/R&B albums, Round two sold a disappointing 55,000 in its first week. A complete TKO and I don’t mean by the singer.
The advantage Holiday had over his first album was the privilege of working and producing with one of the hottest song writers and producers out right now—The Dream. Holiday had more input on his second album which may have led him to his own downfall. Round Two stepped away from what might have appealed to his broadest audience the most---sex, drugs, and the deceit.
Holiday mimics the soul sounds of R&B music from the 90’s when Silk, Joe, Dru Hill, and Keith Sweat where making hit after hit. Many of whom, the younger generations cannot relate to; except for the older audience. Yet, the older audience who can remember the soulful sounds of Tyrese and Boyz II Men, usually don’t go to the store to pick up the album of a young popular new comer to the music game.
Depending on what type of audience, the type of album Holiday produces will either appeal to the older or younger generation. He’s losing his younger generation to old school concepts they weren’t raised on. You know, like some of the traditional concepts like asking the woman’s father for hand in marriage or actual dating before having sex. In this generation everything is about “Birthday Sex.”
What happened to birthday flowers and a movie?
The creative flow that was present in his debut album isn’t present in Round Two. In his song, “Sing 2 U” he uses hit phrases from songs and collaborates them all into one song. “Do you like it nice and slow, just let me know, cause baby if you do imma have you singing in your falsetto, I don’t see nothing wrong with a little bumping grind.” In those couple lines alone, he used classic lyrics from Usher, Dream, and R.Kelly.
As far as the sounds of the R&B singer, he has kept a consistent tone and melody that works well with his songs. Many artists are beginning to use auto tuning devices like that distorts the voice and corrects vocal pitches. The device results in the singer’s tone sounding like a stringy guitar, which takes away from the quality of the song and singing. Holiday kept his music natural sounding which makes songs from him easy to identify.
Holiday’s influences growing up were the smooth sounds of Marvin Gaye and Al Green. Later, he found the enriching sounds of Jodeci and Boyz II Men to be the key pitch to the notes he sang. It’s apparent in his Round Two that he returned to his earlier memories of what he viewed as music and incorporated that touch in his songs.
I can’t knock J. Holiday for wanting to get involved with song writing and taking a different approach to his sophomore album. That’s what the audience listeners expect, to see growth and maturity from a new upcoming artist. Especially when the artist was as breathe taking as Holiday was.
But, his songs were too mundane. If you’re going to sing about the traditional love stories and how you’re changing your ways from a boy to a man, do it in a way that hasn’t been done. Too many of the hooks and melodies were too similar to really differentiate between songs.
Although he took a more mature approach to the album, there wasn’t enough creativity to make me suggest to a friend to buy the album. I would rather sing the hit of his first album; because quite frankly that’s exactly what his second album did… put me to bed, bed, bed.
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