Faith Evans - the First Lady (Album Review)

It's been said before and it'll continue to be said; if you bite the hand that feeds you, it'll be the last bite you ever take. Sure, Faith was the First Lady of Bad Boy Records and she was a key figure in making it the empire that it became, selling millions and becoming a prominent figure in the urban music community. But Bad Boy Records isn't the hit making machine it once was and it seems as if the signed artists with true talent are the most neglected, Diddy focusing more attention on trying to turn the other mediocre acts into the next big superstars. Which would explain why Faith has yet to receive the household name status she rightfully deserves. She sets out to change that with her 4th release, and first for Capitol, The First Lady. And it sounds like a step in the right direction. Gone are the over-sampled, hip-hop heavy, albeit good, R&B records that made Faith a hip-hop/R&B diva. In its place are more subdued, original, and soulful tunes that paint a classier portrait of Faith as a grown woman in control and anxious to prove just how worthy she is of her title.

What R&B album nowadays isn't complete without the prerequisite club banger? Faith dares not to be different and taps the Neptunes production wellspring on Goin' Out. It works on one level and doesn't on another. It starts off with a :10 vocal intro from Pharrell against a smooth bouncy keyboard/horn backdrop (that worked much better) before transforming into another thumping percussion-laden bonafide club tune. The lyrics are probably the weakest of the album, with a redundantly plodding hook, and Faith's vocals are iffy. She sounds fine on the pre-hook and chorus but her vocal work on the verses works the falsetto a bit too heavily, and is a tad pitchy.

Things are quickly rectified with the lead single, Again. Produced by Musiq stalwarts, Carvin & Ivan (who surprisingly produced half the record), its more indicative of the overall sound of the album. The percussion, handclaps, bassline, and strings all meld to form a "victory song" of sorts for Faith as she proclaims how all her trials and tribulations have made her a better woman. The testimonial lyrics are heartfelt, her vocals are on-point, and the overall sound really exudes the sound of Faith in her true element.

Carvin & Ivan continue the soul train moving with the disco shuffle of I Don't Need It. Imagine "Back to Love" without the "DJ Saved My Life" sample replaced by a natural disco sound and you've got this record. The whole "not needing material things because you have the love of your life" concept is a bit tired but Faith's flirtatious vocals and the shuffling groove of this record is enough reason to garner it a spin or two.

What deserves it more so is debatably the best track on the album and first true ballad, Stop N Go. C&I's production is precise with such a slow, swelling, push-and-pull sound to it, complementing the theme well. The whole basketball/relationship analogized lyrics are a bit unimaginative but the sincerity is there, and it coupled with Faith's voice and the gripping production is what makes the song succeed.

Another success is the live funk jam session, Mesmerized. A strong nod to James Brown, with Faith somewhat evoking Lyn Collins, the overall sound is a nice departure from the rest of the record. The live instrumentation, especially the spitfire drum kicks and repetitive bassline, really strikes the ear in a pleasurable manner and hearing Faith's sassy vocals in a register other than falsetto is a delightful treat. Nothing lyrically amazing or memorable, it's like the perfect 4:09 interlude.

Then we revert back to the true nature and sound of the record with the JD-helmed Tru Love. Yes, it sounds like the last 133 ballads JD's produced for other artists but it still has a hint of something different to make it unique. The overall structure of the song from the smooth melody to the endearing lyrics to Faith's pitch-perfect and controlled vocal performance make is definitely more understated and therefore, more beautiful.

Jealous works its smooth, jazzy sample well and has an infectious bounce that's playful and flirtatious, just like Faith's vocals, and makes the otherwise lyrically unremarkable song memorable.

In fact, the only genuine misstep of the album is the Mario Winans duet, Ever Wonder. Why? Because Mario produced it and it sounds EXACTLY like the last 377 collabos he did with other artists. Imagine Tamia's "Mr. Cool" met with Guerilla Black's "You're The One" met with Diddy's "I Need A Girl, Pt. 2" met with Mario's own "So Fine" and you have this record's ingredients. There seemed to be a concept but the overall lyrical execution doesn't seem completely thought out. If nothing more, this collabo was done to subtly spite Diddy because as far as entertainment purposes are concerned, it doesn't even deserve a witty punchline inserted here.

Fortunately, Faith quickly regains her footing with the dreamy Catching Feelings. The thumping percussion kicks imitating mini-heartbeats, twinkly keys, subtle fingersnaps, and Faith's lush vocals enhance the record's beauty by bringing all the intricacies to the fore and swirling them around into a catatonic bliss.

Get Over You brings it all back down to Earth and would make the best choice for the next single. It follows the subtly jazzy motif of both "Again" and "Jealous" but has more energy and bounce to it, giving it a nice radio-friendly quality. The lyricism, which has Faith being stuck on someone she shouldn't, is stepped from some of the other material found here and her vocals and pitch are both in a comfortable range.

The jazzy motif is proving more and more to be Faith's true forte, reinforced by Until You Came. The dreamlike state is a little more subtle and Faith's vocals are a little more intense as she speaks of how she's hesitant to fall in love with a man she finds so special (which seems to somewhat reflect her feelings of marrying Todd after Biggie's death). The spoken interlude is a bit cheesy and ghetto but it's still one of the more understated records.

Lucky Day would've been a cool, breezy way to end the album. Sounding like another impromptu jam session, that sampled "Square Biz", it's such a fun and carefree record that would've summed up the record perfectly. The sunny disco rhythm, playful lyrics, lighthearted lyricism, the album would've come full circle.

But the finale actually wants to showcase as a hook girl. Hope, her collabo with Twista for the Coach Carter Sdtk, was made into such a great song because of Faith's hook. Cee-Lo originally laced it but Faith really brought out the proper emotion in it; affirming my statement that no one can lace a hook like Faith Evans.

It might sound like a contradiction but although I prefer Faithfully, this is Faith Evans' best album. It's her best simply because this is the one she sounds most comfortable on. She sounds in her element singing against these jazzy R&B motifs and her voice sounds the most natural and relaxed. Instead of riding the beats like she's had to do with her past hip-hop/R&B cuts, she sounds more relaxed flowing with these soulful soundscapes. Her lyricism isn't the tightest and she still has a bit of a pitch problem but this sounds like Faith Evans' most genuine and unaffected album yet. Indicating that the whole R&B/hip-hop diva she was portrayed as on Bad Boy was more of Diddy's vision than the natural Faith. This may not be the album that makes Faith a household name but it's definitely a big step in the right direction. Biting P. Diddy's hand was probably the best thing Faith Evans ever did.