After MS Diagnosis And Label Setbacks Tamia Tries Once 'More'
18/03/2004 20:32
Around the summer of 2003 Canadian chanteuse Tamia was flying high of the success with the single "Into You" a duet with Elektra label mate Fabolous and a remake of her 1998 classic "So Into You". However, Tamia then suffered several setbacks, pushing back her highly anticipated thrid studio album 'Still' several times. When promo for the album started Tamia felt sudden numbness in her legs and she was hospitalized and then diagnosed with MS, an incurable disease affecting the central nervous system. Almost a year later, with the upcoming april 6 release of her album, reworked and titled 'More', another devastating blow occurred when Sylvia Rhone, the chairman of Elektra, was fired after Warner Music announced 1,000 job cuts. Although the singer stated she was devastated by the news, she still wanted to go on with the release of the album.
Four years has elapsed since the release of 'A Nu Day', her second studio effort and although the album was certified gold by the RIAA the singer wasn't catapulted to the same level of super stardom as many of her contemporary's. For 'More' the singer has worked with hit makers such as Babyface, R. Kelly, Jermaine Dupri and Mario Winans. Shep Crawford, the producer behind her super smash single "Stranger In My House", also contributed with another track entitled "Tomorrow". In spite of this, not much in terms of musical direction was changed. The album offers mostly slow, sensual mid tempos and ballads with the occasional upbeat tracks such as "Mr. Cool" (performed together with Winans). Highlights of the album includes red-hot, tropical sounding "I'm Yours Lately" in which she coos seductively "And now I wanna make you breakfast/ Do you want your favorite food" as well as R. Kelly produced "Questions" which uses a drip-dropy beat whilst she's taking help from the girlfriends and fellas in deciding if her man is cheating. In the title track Tamia slams her inattentive man with lines such as "Just another day I'm not being in your way so I'm all alone" and even: "Don't make me twist your arm to stay, a little me will be ok, just walk out the door". With additional songs such as lead single "Officially Missing You", "On My Way" and haunting ballad "Whispers", the album contains some fairly strong material which might not be as commercial as her career needs but further expand on Tamias already solid catalog loved by R&B fans across the globe.
4/5
