But Trey Songz has wow'ed me not only with his work on his album "READY", but on his prior mix tape,"Anticipation". They both are classic records in my estimation and have material that people are going to be talking about for a long time.
The maturation of Trey Songz as an artist is amazing. He has developed into one of the leaders of R&B if not the front runner at this point and time. I was traveling with a close friend of mine, and she thought that the track, "Neighbors Know My Name", was a R Kelly song. And she has good reason to think that way. Trey Songz may have his differences with the R&B legend, but his music clearly displays his influences.
Track 1-"Panty Dropper"
The record begins with "Panty Dropper", and establishes the mood of the entire album at that point. Songz enters with a bang. You know what you are getting Trey Songz is not as interested in the concept of love in this album as much as he is in "making love". The album is set out to produce babies, and love making across the country. It resonates from the roots of old school R&B where Songz is not covert and blatantly honest about his intentions. However, the great thing about it all is that he is not vulgar and obscene. Panty Dropper is more of an introduction than an actual song. It is only a 1:26 long, but has the listener wishing the song would continue on. It is the perfect tease to the rest of the album.
"I want to make love to you/This right here's a panty dropper/ This is my panty droppin' love song nothing but your heels on/ Lovin' you/ This right here's a baby maker/ And we'll be making babies tonite"
Track 2-"Neighbors Know My Name"
Trey Songz follows up the intro with a classic song, "Neighbors Know My Name". This song is one of the best on the album. The song features great writing and a classic composition that incorporates a sound of someone beating against the wall in the actual beat. The song is pretty self explanatory. Due to the commotion caused by love making, the neighbors should know Trey's name. This in turn should force some disturbance to the neighbors and they would in turn knock on the wall to tell them to cut it out. My boring t description downplays how beautiful the song really is as to not give it away, but you get the point. Trey Songz displays his vocal capabilities in this song, and the song itself is catchy and forces you to smile. It is amazing how Songz can take an experience like the neighbors knowing his name due to sex and make a song out of it.
Check it out here:
Track 3-"Invented Sex" (feat. Drake)
Converted from a mixtape track, "Invented Sex" is a track that brings along a familiar friend-Drake. The track is mediocre at best and though the concept is cool, the track itself is boring. Even Drake can't revive the life of this song with a dull hook, and a track that doesn't really show Trey's vocal capabilities either. Probably the worst track on the record, likely because it has been in rotation for awhile, and no one knows what to do with it to bring it to life.
Track 4- "I Need a Girl"
The first single off the album is "I Need a Girl". This song caught on very fast at BET and MTV, with a bridge that calls out to "every girl in every little city" to shout out to him. Only to be expected, this song is tailored to the ladies. Trey Songz tries to attract his female base by saying that "he needs a girl" and really, what girl wouldn't want to date Trey Songz. The song was accompanied by a very beautiful video, setting Trey in some exotic island chasing a love interest that seems to be eluding him. All that considered the song flows well and is a great song to listen to. It has crossover potential and brings in all listeners not just those interested in R&B.
Track 5-"One Love"
"One Love" is a song for the lovers. Again Trey falls nothing short of amazing in this song. He invests all his lyrical and vocal talent in this song. It's a great track, with guitars everywhere and a very subtle drum line.
"You are all I need and I'll never let go"
Do I need to say much more? Trey Songz has compiled the song for every couple in America with this track.
Track 6- "Does He Do It"
In almost a juxtaposition to the previous track, "Does he Do It" is a break up song that asks his ex-significant other if her new lover does the same things he does. Many people can relate. When you lose a significant other, you always wonder whether the next guy/girl does the same things you do or better. Trey asks a series of questions that forces his ex to remember the things they used to do. The song is very lively for it to be a break up song. It differs other songs because Trey doesn't seem bitter or upset, but clearly tries to resonate thoughts of their previous love life. It seems as if the song will make her come back to Trey. It's a very nice song. The song moves well, with no real bridge or slow points. The song is feels very good even with the nature of the content of the song.
Track 7- "Say Ahh"
An anthem for the club scene, Say Ahh brings upon a cast of characters, both producer Yonny and Fabolous. The song has great energy and provides an interesting concept to convince ladies to drink(as if they really needed help),have a good time that would ultimately result in them being taken to Trey Songz/ Fabulous home. The track sounds like it is taken out the book of Swizz Beats, and Fabolous provides a very nice feature with nice wordplay and a few quick and fitting punchlines such as:
"I play a little doctor/ All I prescribe is cranberry and vodka/ Then you call your girl like what the hell he gave me/ She like you betta do like Jamie/ And blame it on the liquor". Nifty huh?
Songz presents the song in more a songwriter/rapping style. Not much singing per se, but good lyrics.
"Tryin' get you homer/ Would you be Marge Simpson?" is pretty much the gist of the song.
This song is very catchy easy to dance to and nice to listen to. It's the triple threat. So for all that enjoy this song, cheers and drink up. Tilt your head back and just"Say ahhhh".
Track 8- LOL : ) (featuring Gucci Mane and Soulja Boy)
The record only gets more playful with the insertion of "LOL :)" featuring Soulja Boy and Gucci Mane. Produced by Tony Scales, this song is for a younger fan base, with a heavy snare, constant clap and whimsical lyrics. However, the content is still true to the album, with the mentioning of sexual behaviour used in the electronic realms of Twitter and the internet. This song sounds like it should be on an episode of Barney, but yet has a sense of style too. Gucci Mane and Soulja Boy come along for the ride as well, but are victims of Trey Songz slaughtering the track on the very first verse. They are very nice features to help boast Songz' street credibility within the industry, but this is far from what Gucci Mane and Soulja Boy produce on a regular basis. This is an opportunity for Gucci to step outside of gangster rap and open up avenues in features for artists like Trey Songz and recently Mariah Carey. He does well but not amazing. Soulja Boy seems to be the perfect feature on this track as he is able to relate to the younger crowd more so than a Gucci Mane or Trey Songz, but he contributes very little to the record when he does have something to say, even with the breakdown of the drums in the background to help accent his verse. Soulja Boy still falters, and it is evident that he still has steps to make to be a competent emcee. This song nonetheless is radio friendly, otherwise clean outside of the blatant references to sex, and has an immense amount of energy that will get anyone moving their feet. I for see this song getting a pretty nice buzz that may even produce a video considering the names on the track. Trey has very little features on the album so it's good to hear someone outside of Songz on records like this one.
For your listening enjoyment:
Track 9- "Ready to Make Luv"
The transition point of the album comes at "Ready to Make Luv". A slow, love ballad, Trey Songz incorporates snare drums and an orchestra of instruments to prepare the listener for the slower part of the album. Beautiful is an understatement to describe this interlude, concluding with him repeating that he's ready. Again, the listener will be disappointed to learn that this track is only a 1:21, as it builds into something you hope to become a love ballad, but is simply a means to an end. Again, Trey is probably best at creating cliffhangers that lead into the next song.
Track 10- "Jupiter Love"
Ready to Make Luv prepares you for "Super Duper Jupiter Love". This song is DANGEROUS! It will undoubtedly produces babies. It's very soultry and the ballad that we all knew Trey Songz was capable of. He absolutely takes this song to another level. It is very slow, and great to listen to. It is a ballad of epic proportions. This track is enough to buy the album alone.
Just when I thought the whole futuristic, space age concept was becoming old and jaded, Trey Songz is able to make it his own and make it become something alluring. Thank you Trey.
Track 11- "Be Where You Are"
Again, I have to mention that the maturation of Trey Songz is impressive. "Be Where You Are" is a pop record by all stretch of the imagination. Edrick Miles produces a track that seems created for the quintessential Beverly Hills female shopping on Rodeo Dr. It has a pop feel to it and Trey Songz reminds you of Babyface as he serenades the track wondering where his love interest and how he wishes he were there. This song will undoubtedly tie another genre of listeners into his fan base. Trey Songz seems to be all about progression in this album and this album does so gracefully and with ease. The transition is easy and the album flows very nicely even with the incorporation of this track in a setting of songs that were primarily slower and had more of a ballad feel to it. This song doesn't cause ruin the pace of the album nor does it cause a lack of transition. It's a nice track, produces a nice feel and you don't even notice that this song follows a ballad and actually precedes another one. It's almost the perfect medium.
Track 12-"Black Roses"
Okay, my first real criticism of Trey Songz comes in "Black Roses". Songz again goes for a pop/soft rock feel in this song. It is a break up song, but you don't feel bad nor do you sense that he is angry or sad. It's a break up song that is really emotionless. Songz wants to deliver "black roses" and the song has great lyricism, but unless you truly listen to the song, you won't discover that it's a break up song. It moves really well and does not sound like a break up or R&B song. "Does He Do It" was okay, because it pertained to physically missing someone and asking if someone missed the other in a physical capacity which is okay. However, "Black Roses" is the tale of a love dying and Trey having to break it off, but you don't sense that it is either hard or a bad thing. The song itself perturbs me. I cannot understand where the song is coming from, and think it fails to fulfill its goal of being a legitimate break up song.
Track 13- "Love Lost"
Where Black Roses falls short, "Love Lost" more than makes up for it. This song has heartbreak written all over it and poses the question, "What do you do when love is lost?". It's a great song and you feel the pain. Trey shows off his vocal ability and the track by Edrick Miles brings back thoughts of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature". Trey Songz voice pours over this song beautiful. A classic song and as a listener and critic you can only hope this song gets incorporated into a soundtrack very soon. This song embodies the classic, dramatic Hollywood break up that is captured on screen and penetrates the ears down to the very base of your soul. Great song.
Track 14-"Hollalude"
Simply put an interlude to the next song, "Holla if Ya Need Me". It's a very good interlude but again, you always wish that the interlude would be an actual song.
Track 15-"Holla If Ya Need Me"
This is my personal favorite track on the record. The track itself is engaging and incorporates Trey's voice in falsetto in the backdrop. The track is very simplistic but flows nicely and everything seems to be well calculated and perfect. The drums are perfect, and just enough keys and guitar that provide the perfect backdrop for Trey to shine as an artist. This is another song that can be felt. Trey says that even though that the two aren't together anymore, she can still holla at him if she needs him. It is a very nice track and I think many people can relate to a love lost that you still can have a functioning friendship with or hoping that the relationship can rebound one day. It is well done in just about every aspect and a perfect way to wind down toward the end of the record.
Track 16- Yo Side of the Bed
This track was also on Trey's mix tape "Anticipation", and this comes from an Aerosmith/Prince background. You can hear the strong influences in the heavy guitar riffs and 80s sound drums. "Yo Side of the Bed" is another heartfelt song about a love being lost. It is in songs where Trey is able to show what he can do vocally is where he shines the most. This song portrays the best of Songz. He carries the record vocally and the guitars are an excellent accompaniment to his voice. The support him and even have their own solo that make the song an amazing record. It is the perfect soft rock song that Prince and Aerosmith would be proud of. Trey has shown his maturation of musical influences in this album and only looks to get better. He fails to be trapped in any box or genre and this song is a prime example.
See for yourself:
For the bonus tracks you can buy the album at Amazon or iTunes.
