Rap-Up.com || Review Roundup: Brandy

Brandy’s fifth studio album Human hits stores and digital retailers today. What are the critics saying? Find out below.

Entertainment Weekly: The huskiness that defined Brandy’s prior work has been replaced by wispier and higher tones. The result is pleasant but far less ambitious than her last CD, 2004’s Afrodisiac. B

Los Angeles Times: On Human you can hear Brandy striving (understandably) to express herself, yet the result rarely rises above diary-entry tedium. The few highlights come when Jerkins, who helmed most of the album, including the catchy lead single, “Right Here (Departed),” manages to dial down Brandy’s introspection and increase the groove factor. 1.5 out of 4

Newsday: Considering Brandy’s rocky recent past, the sweet serenity and uplifting R&B anthems that fill her new album, Human (Epic), are nothing short of stunning. B+

Boston Globe: Human is better than good enough. It’s a light, breezy listen that shows off Brandy’s resilience, humility, joy, and vibrancy.

Rap-Up’s Favorite Tracks: “Right Here (Departed),” “Piano Man,” “Long Distance,” “1st & Love”

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11 Comments

adamfromoz
December 9th, 2008 at 5:51 am
we got the album in australia last week and i totally agree with the reviews; its easy listening but unambitious (blending in with lots of the slow female R&B – Michelle Williams et all). 1st & Love, Piano Man and the 2 singles (as rap up says) are the best. 3 out of 5
Cameron Damon
December 9th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Human is an introspective album that is both easy to relate to and holds up over repeated listens. It’s decidedly more airy R&B/POP however, it doesn’t lose it’s soulfulness in the process. Brandy’s vocals remain incredibly translatable and incredibly emotive.

I agree with Rap-Up.com that “Piano Man,” “1st and Love,” along with “Fall,” and “True,” are the albums best tracks. “A Capella (Something’s Missing)” is clever and also deserves a listen.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the album was re-released in 3-4 months with more urban R&B tracks (possibly the Timbaland produced missing tracks) to increase market share and sales.
Thabest
December 9th, 2008 at 8:57 am
this album is quite bad. indeed this is brandy worst album. her voice is too much digital with the use of the protools now she sounds like a robot. all this songs sounds the same and sounds like anything on the radio we already heard from no air, to bleeding love, to irreplaceable to my love to apologize or no one. Afrodisiac was so much better than this.
aspade
December 9th, 2008 at 11:19 am
sorry ill pass im just not interested in brandy music, she bores me really!
Catie
December 9th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I’m still debating on whether or not i’ll buy her album. The reviews of it definitely did not help me.

To me, she just doesn’t have that spark anymore that she used to have. Considering what she has gone through though, i’m not surprised.
branfan07
December 9th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Brandy has the courage to not try to put out music that everybody wants to hear but to put out music thats true to herself and this album is not meant to make you wanna go to club and dance all night its meant for you to be inspired and being that everybody wants to “hop up out the bed and get their swag on” now a days, good music like brandy’s is all of a sudden written off as “bad” or “boreing” this is brandy’s most personal work to date and she accomplished what she was trying to achieve!
B-RYAN the Producer
December 9th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Ive listened to Brandy\’s album 4 times from beginning to end and I must say Brandy never left. Her sultry and raspy yet smooth soulful vocals cant even be put in the same catagory as the yelling and screaming and t-paining. For those who say its not R and B , explain what R and B is now days cuz I dont know other than neyo… otherwise Brandy is creating a definitiion of her own and thats VETEREN. Her emotional verses with trills and libs on every track makes you wanna rewind it and try to mimick. Her harmonys are sooo profound it takes quite a few listens to process all the music that is happening on each track. But i forgot this generation wants it simple, they want single ladys, voguing, oh and SEX on the table. Now everyone should have a place in music incl all ppl. her album may be too HUMAN for Posers
Socivol
December 9th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Human is by far the most cohesive R&B effort that has come out this year. The songs are so relatable and soothing. I can\’t understand how anybody could not believe this isn\’t a great R&B album. And the best thing about it is the lyrics aren\’t shitty just to fit some kind of rhyme scheme they are actually cohesive and good. The only thing I would say is the album is somewhat \
crunkpoet
December 10th, 2008 at 12:01 am
love the album..its so laid bak…and better than the last one i might add…..by the way she always sounds like a robot to me lol
Stephen
December 10th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I have not bought the album as of yet, but after reading the mixed reviews, I am not too sure. I really love the 1st single off the album “Right Here (Departed), thats the only song I have heard so far off the album. I reside in Chicago, can you tell me are there any record stores left here, that still sell CD singles. In case you are a music lover like me, who assumes the whole album will be nice after merely hearing 1 or 2 songs off the album? Why waste money and pay over $10 for a cd when you only like maybe the first 2 or 3 songs…………….
Cameron Damon
December 10th, 2008 at 11:09 am
You can buy the digital copy of the single from iTunes or Amazon. I believe the physical CD is going for $8.99. If you liked “Right Here (Departed)” you’ll enjoy the rest of the CD.

It’s absolutely worth the money.