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CD Review: "21"
Topics: Omarion, Bakersfield, Mas Magazine, Bakotopia.com, music, Bakotunes, entertainment, CD Review
Posted by lpena Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:56:01 PST
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0 responses 0 comments For R&B singer Omarion there’s no such thing as the infamous “sophomore slump,” just a second album with suave and sexy lyrics backed up by upbeat sounds.

In “21,” Omarion offers listeners a raw and more manly Omarion, who named the album “21” to mark his 21st birthday in November. Looking at the album cover, you won’t see Omarion with his Snoopy-ish braids and white tank tops as his role as David in the movie “You Got Served,” but a more refined young man in a suit.

On “21,” Omarion wrote or co-wrote eight of the 12 tracks on the album. Despite his young age, he uses funky and catchy rhythms that pay homage to early 80’s R&B and funk when Prince, The Time and Rick James were kings of the airwaves. He does this on songs like “Electric” and “Just Can’t Let You Go.” The song “Wrong for Me” is a bonus track.

Omarion also receives a musical helping hand from music’s “IT” producer Timberlandon the sleek, yet danceable, “Beg For It” and the up tempo love song, “Ice Box.”

Timberland has worked recently with artists such as Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake and Diddy.

On “Ice Box,” Timberland lends his vocals. Pharrell Williams, from the music producing team The Neptunes, lends his song-writing muscle on the song “Obsession” and helps out with background vocals. “Obsession” is a strong effort by both, but it falls a little flat with Williams making childish sounds to represent how a his heart beats when a girl walks through the door.

Omarion, whose real name is Omari Ishmael Grandberry, was part of the R&B group B2K. The quartet had hits like “Uh Huh" and “Bump, Bump, Bump.” After B2K disbanded because of creative differences in 2004, Omarion went solo with the debut album “O.” The title track  of “O” topped the Billboard album charts.
He was also an actor in the films “Fat Albert” and “You Got Served” and the TV shows “The Bernie Mac Show,” “One on One,” and “Cuts.” Later this year, Omarion will be in the upcoming movie, “Reggaetón.”

The first single from the album “Ice Box” has been receiving air play at local radio stations and is featured on music video channels MTV and BET. In the song, Omarion begs his lover to try and work things out after the couple has hit a rough spot in their relationship. What makes the song work is Omarion’s powerful vocals blend well with Timberland’s rich, deep voice and the contrast of crisp piano keystrokes with swift drum beats.

Although love and sex are the main themes of the album, there’s only a few slow songs on it like “Made for TV” and “Been With A Star.”

Time seems to be another theme found on the album. There’s a clock ticking in the beginning of “Ice Box” and “Midnight,” plus countless references to time throughout the whole album.

All and all, “21” by Omarion is a surprisingly complete album with strong lyrics and refreshing music that will impress his fans and guarantees him a place as one of the faces to watch in 2007.

INFO:
“21” by Omarion
Epic Records
12 tracks, excluding bonus track
Price: $9.72 to $9.99
Available at: Best Buy, Wal Mart, Target 

**Story originally printed in Mas Magazine Volume 2, Issue 18, 1-12-07

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