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Chapter 2: The Voice

 
Album Review: Chapter 2: The Voice

  • Artist: Syleena Johnson
  • Rating: StarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: September 10, 2002
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

The fact that both Buddy Guy and R. Kelly made guest appearances on Syleena Johnson's 2001 release, Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness, is quite revealing -- it tells you that the Chicago-based singer has a connection to both the past (soul and the blues) and the present (urban contemporary and hip-hop). And that urban/neo-soul outlook continues to serve Johnson well on her generally excellent follow-up, Chapter 2: The Voice. Like Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Macy Gray, Jaguar Wright, and Jill Scott, Johnson obviously has a strong sense of history -- '60s and '70s soul have had a major impact on her gritty, rugged vocals, and she brings an impressive amount of blues feeling to her performances. Johnson's phrasing recalls '70s soul belters like Betty Wright and Millie Jackson, although the album's production is quite mindful of urban contemporary and hip-hop. So when all is said and done, tracks like "Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go" and "Faithful to You" acknowledge R&B's history without sounding dated or being totally retro. Johnson covers Alicia Myers' "If You Play Your Cards Right," and she does so without giving the impression that she's stuck in the past. Chapter 2: The Voice is soul music, but it's neo-soul music that is relevant to the urban contemporary scene of the early 2000s. And considering who her father is, Johnson's soulfulness is to be expected -- her father, after all, is Syl Johnson, who is a major soul heavyweight even though he was never as commercially successful as Al Green, Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield (which isn't to say that his small following isn't devoted and enthusiastic). One of the more substantial urban/neo-soul efforts of 2002, Chapter 2: The Voice gives Syl plenty of reason to be proud of his daughter. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
The Voice/Intro Marvin Gaye, Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (4:33)
Faithful to You (Lyrics) Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (3:30)
Now That I Got You (Lyrics) Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (3:37)
Dear You (Lyrics) Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (3:39)
Guess What (Lyrics) R. Kelly Syleena Johnson (3:32)
I'm Gon' Cry (Lyrics) Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (3:31)
Is That You (Lyrics) Syleena Johnson, M. Dunn Syleena Johnson (4:30)
Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go (Lyrics) W. Michael Lewis, Trevor Smith, Syleena Johnson, M. Dunn Syleena Johnson (3:54)
If You Play Your Cards Right (Lyrics) K. McCord Syleena Johnson (6:01)
No Words (Lyrics) Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (3:46)
So Willingly (Lyrics) Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (3:46)
Guitars of the Heart (Happy) Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (5:40)
I Believe in Love (Lyrics) Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (3:51)
Outro Syleena Johnson Syleena Johnson (0:59)
Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go [The Remix] W. Michael Lewis, Trevor Smith, Syleena Johnson, M. Dunn Busta Rhymes, Sham, Syleena Johnson, Spliff Star (4:18)
[Untitled Hidden Track] Syleena Johnson (3:55)

Credits

Hi-Tek (Producer), R. Kelly (Arranger), R. Kelly (Vocals (Background)), R. Kelly (Producer), R. Kelly (Mixing), R. Kelly (Remix Producer), R. Kelly (Remix Arrangement), Timmy Allen (Vocals (Background)), Mike Dunn (Producer), Mike Dunn (Engineer), Donnie Lyle (Bass), Donnie Lyle (Guitar), Herb Powers (Mastering), Chris Trevett (Engineer), Pamela Watson (Stylist), Doug Wilson (Engineer), Serban Ghenea (Mixing), Frank Romano (Guitar), Syleena Johnson (Arranger), Syleena Johnson (Vocals (Background)), Syleena Johnson (Vocal Arrangement), Charles McCrorey (Engineer), David Flemming (Engineer), Tony Gillis (Mastering), Jackie Murphy (Art Direction), Jackie Murphy (Design), Rich Tapper (Engineer), Abel Garibaldi (Programming), Abel Garibaldi (Engineer), Jamar Jones (Keyboards), Dwayne Bastiany (Producer), Dwayne Bastiany (Instrumentation), Jim Bottari (Engineer), Darien Rapp (Engineer), Carlos "Storm" Martinez (Engineer), Tarsha Gray (Hair Stylist), Kamel Abdo (Engineer), Andy Gallas (Engineer), Ian Mereness (Programming), Ian Mereness (Engineer), Ian Mereness (Mixing), Denise Trorman (Art Direction), Denise Trorman (Design), Patrick Salisbury (Photography), Christian Robinson (Engineer), Brian Stanley (Engineer), C-Major (Producer), Ivan "Orthodox" Barias (Producer), Ivan "Orthodox" Barias (Instrumentation), Troy Corbin (Vocals (Background)), Rodney East (Keyboards), Carvin "Ransum" Haggins (Producer), Carvin "Ransum" Haggins (Vocal Arrangement), Jason Mlodzinski (Assistant), Kara Buhl (Photo Production)
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Wikipedia: Chapter 2: The Voice
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Chapter 2: The Voice
Studio album by Syleena Johnson
Released September 10, 2002 (U.S.)
Recorded 2002
Genre R&B, soul, neo soul
Label Jive
Producer Carvin "Ransum" Haggins, Ivan "Orthodox" Barias, R. Kelly, Bastiany, Hi-Tek, Scorpio, Mike Dunn, Joel Kipnis, C. Major
Professional reviews
Syleena Johnson chronology
Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness
(2001)
Chapter 2: The Voice
(2002)
Chapter 3: The Flesh
(2005)
Singles from Chapter 2: The Voice
  1. "Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go"
    Released: 2001
  2. "Guess What"
    Released: 2002

Chapter 2: The Voice is the second studio album by American singer Syleena Johnson, released in the United States on November 26, 2002 by Jive Records.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "The Voice/Intro" (Syleena Johnson, Tony Cottrell, Lawrence Howard Brown, Oleg Lopatin, Marvin Gaye, Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson) – 4:33
  2. "Faithful to You" (Johnson, Dwayne Bastiany) – 3:30
  3. "Now That I Got You" (Johnson, Bastiany, Deniece Williams, Susaye Greene, Henry Redd, Nathan Watts) – 3:37
  4. "Dear You" (Johnson, Carvin Haggins, Ivan Barias, Jamar Jones) – 3:39
  5. "Guess What" (R. Kelly) – 3:32
  6. "I'm Gon' Cry" (Johnson, Haggins, Barias, Frank Romano, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr., Booker T. Jones) – 3:31
  7. "Is That You" (Johnson, Mike Dunn) – 4:30
  8. "Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go" (Johnson, Dunn, James Seals) – 3:54
  9. "If You Play Your Cards Right" (Kevin McCord) – 6:01
  10. "No Words" (Johnson, Haggins, Barias, Romano) – 3:46
  11. "So Willingly" (Johnson, Haggins, Barias, Romano) – 3:46
  12. "Guitars of the Heart (Happy)" (Johnson, Joel Kipnis) – 5:40
  13. "I Believe in Love" (Johnson, Christian Robinson) – 3:51
  14. "Outro" (Johnson, Cottrell) – 0:59
  15. "Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go" (The Remix featuring Busta Rhymes, Rampage, Sham and Spliff Star of the Flipmode Squad) (Johnson, Dunn, Seals, Trevor Smith, Roger McNair, Leroy Jones, William Lewis) – 4:18
  16. "Joined at the Hip" (hidden track) – 3:55

Personnel

  • Kamel Abdo – Engineer
  • Timmy Allen – Vocals (bckgr)
  • Ivan "Orthodox" Barias – Producer, Instrumentation
  • Dwayne Bastiany – Producer, Instrumentation
  • Jim Bottari – Engineer
  • Kara Buhl – Photo Production
  • C-Major – Producer
  • Troy Corbin – Vocals (bckgr)
  • Mike Dunn – Producer, Engineer
  • Rodney East – Keyboards
  • David Flemming – Engineer
  • Andy Gallas – Engineer
  • Abel Garibaldi – Programming, Engineer
  • Serban Ghenea – Mixing
  • Tony Gillis – Mastering
  • Tarsha Gray – Hair Stylist
  • Carvin "Ransum" Haggins – Producer, Vocal Arrangement
  • Hi-Tek – Producer
  • Syleena Johnson – Arranger, Vocals (bckgr), Vocal Arrangement
  • Jamar Jones – Keyboards
  • R. Kelly – Arranger, Vocals (bckgr), Producer, Mixing, Remix Producer, Remix Arrangement
  • Donnie Lyle – Bass, Guitar
  • Carlos "Storm" Martinez – Engineer
  • Charles McCrorey – Engineer
  • Ian Mereness – Programming, Engineer, Mixing
  • Jason Mlodzinski – Assistant
  • Jackie Murphy – Art Direction, Design
  • Herb Powers – Mastering
  • Darien Rapp – Engineer
  • Christian Robinson – Engineer
  • Frank Romano – Guitar
  • Patrick Salisbury – Photography
  • Brian Stanley – Engineer
  • Rich Tapper – Engineer
  • Chris Trevett – Engineer
  • Denise Trorman – Art Direction, Design
  • Pamela Watson – Stylist
  • Doug Wilson – Engineer

Charts

Chart (2003)[1] Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 104
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 19
U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers 1

References


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chapter 2: The Voice" Read more