Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 2, 2008 11:32:15 AM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Blige Airs Growing Pains

Posted Dec 18, 07 5:13 PM CST in Gossip,  Arts & Living 

(Newser) – Mary J. Blige has moved on from empowerment to soulful diva on her first disc in two years, the Boston Globe’s Joan Anderman writes. "A celebration of the artist's hard-won happiness," Growing Pains won Anderman over by "revealing her weaknesses." Blige still urges listeners to stand tall on a joyful "Just Fine," but now sings a slow “I need you to rescue me" on "Feel Like a Woman."

MJB has “lost or just outgrown the brassy urgency of her twenties,” says Rolling Stone’s Robert Christgau—but he salutes her return to hip-hop that informed her early career. The retro style imbues proud proclamations like, “I work this relationship nine to five.” But while her past confessions felt like "painful late-night outbursts," her new tunes "sound more like she's had a lot of therapy."

Sources Boston Globe, Rolling Stone

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Jay-Z to Sign Record $150M Deal

    Apr 3, 08 7:19 AM CDT
    Jay-Z to Sign Record $150M Deal Rapper Jay-Z is about to decamp from record label Def Jam and sign a $150 million deal with concert promoter Live Nation, reports the New York Times. The deal, Live Nation's biggest to date, will give the superstar financial backing for tours, his own record label and other related ventures such as talent consulting. It reflects the ongoing scramble in the music business as CD sales plunge and fans download more and more of their music. More »

  • Winehouse More Than a 'Genius Junkie'

    Mar 2, 08 5:09 AM CST
    Winehouse More Than a 'Genius Junkie' It's tempting to chalk up the popularity of singer Amy Winehouse to her headline-grabbing bent for self-destruction, writes Sasha Frere-Jones in the New Yorker. But that would be a mistake. He takes a closer look at Back to Black, with its "perfect" single "Rehab," and finds much to treasure. What might initially come off as mere imitation of classic soul and R&B is actually a novel evolution, he argues. More »

  • Keys Finds Her Groove

    Nov 17, 07 3:29 PM CST
    Keys Finds Her Groove Alicia Keys is an undeniable talent, and Entertainment Weekly finds ample evidence of that on her third and latest studio album As I Am, out this week. Whereas previous efforts showcased her mastery over a panoply of styles—hip-hop, soul, classical—those elements have been folded this time around into a smoother, more pop package, writes reviewer Neil Drumming. More »

  • Jay-Z Spins a Gangster Tale

    Nov 1, 07 11:23 AM CDT
    Jay-Z Spins a Gangster Tale ''Believe half of what you see/None of what you hear/Even if it's spat by me,'' declares hip-hop mogul Jay-Z on his new record American Gangster, framing himself and other rappers as "actors." Entertainment Weekly finds the record, titled and themed after the Ridley Scott film, diverse and satisfying. More »

Singer Mary J. Blige performs during a taping of BET's "106 and Park" at CBS Studios Monday, Dec. 17, 2007 in New York. Blige's latest album "Growing Pains" hits stores Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)   (Associated Press)
Singer Mary J. Blige poses in this undated file photo.   (Associated Press)
Mary J. Blige performs at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)   (Associated Press)
Mary J. Blige, recipient of the ASCAP Voice of Music Award, is seen through the crowd as she is interviewed on the red carpet at the 20th Anniversary ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards in Los Angeles, Monday,...   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

hip-hop • music review • relationship • Mary J. Blige • R


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Arts & Living Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »