On his second album, Juslisen, Musiq -- who dropped the "(Soulchild)" surname -- delivers on the promise of his debut, turning in a slyly assured, smoothly sexy collection of neo-soul. One of the most appealing things about Musiq is that he never oversells his songs, never indulges in hyperbolic screams or exaggerated grunts and moans. He lays back on the groove but doesn't disappear into it -- he deepens it and gives it character, making this more than a supremely seductive neo-soul record. And, to be sure, it is that, a wonderfully romantic mood album, but it's more than that because Musiq has other skills besides crooning and keeping a mood. First of all, he and his collaborators are first-class writers, sustaining interest not just through the singles, but through the album tracks. Then, he and his producers know how to deliver a sound that at once hearkens back to classic '70s soul and feels lushly contemporary. Musiq doesn't hide his love for classic soul -- he's seen on the back cover digging through crates of vinyl, surrounded by eight-tracks -- but the great thing about what he pulls off on Juslisen is that this love is absorbed, ingrained in the very music, so while it's reminiscent of Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye at times, it never feels like a forced attempt to follow in their footsteps. Which, of course, is why it feels like a worthy heir. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
M. Soulchild (Producer), Anthony Mandler (Photogram), Carlos "Storm" Martinez (Tracking), Jim Bottari (Tracking), Parris Bowen (Keyboards), Vidal Davis (Engineer), Leesa Brunson (A&R Assistance), Carlos "Storm" Martinez (Engineer), Eric Tribett (Drums), Junius Bervine (Multi Instruments), Vidal Davis (Producer), James Jones (Clavinet), James Jones (Organ), Michael McArthur (Executive Producer), Vidal Davis (Multi Instruments), Matt Cappy (Flugelhorn), A. Jermaine Mobley (Guitar), Serban Ghenea (Mixing), Andre Harris (Producer), Randy Bowland (Guitar), Francesco Romano (Arranger), Eric Roberson (Vocals (Background)), Wendell Haskins (Fashion Stylist), Eric Roberson (Tracking), Ivan "Orthodox" Barias (Arranger), Jeff Bradshaw (Trombone), Chris Gehringer (Mastering), James Poyser (Keyboards), Eric Roberson (Vocal Producer), Haim Young (Producer), Francesco Romano (Guitar), Anthony Bell (Engineer), Andre Harris (Keyboards), Carvin "Ransum" Haggins (Executive Producer), Ayana Hipps (Vocals), Jerome Hipps (Executive Producer), Tara Podolsky (A&R), Larry Gold (String Arrangements), AAries (Vocals (Background)), James Poyser (Producer), James Poyser (Percussion), Timothy Day (Engineer), Troy Corbin (Vocals (Background)), Ayinke (Vocals (Background)), Dave Wilson (?), Donahue Baker (Producer), Tina Davis (A&R), Vikter Duplaix (Programming), James Jones (Fender Rhodes), Jim Bottari (Engineer), James Jones (Keyboards), Akisia Grigsby (Art Direction), James Jones (Wurlitzer), Jon Smeltz (Engineer), Carol Riddick (Vocals), Mama's Boys (Producer), Andre Harris (Engineer), Derrick Hodge (Bass), Vikter Duplaix (Producer), Andre Harris (Multi Instruments), Pablo Batista (Percussion), Jethaniel Nixon (Bass)
Ivan "Orthodox" Barias, Carvin "Ransum" Haggins, A. Jermaine Mobley, Hakim Young, Donahue Baker, Vikter Duplaix, Jerome Hipps, Michael McArthur, James Poyser, 88 Keys, Musiq
Juslisen is Musiq Soulchild's second album, released in 2002. It debuted on the Billboard at #1 on May 25, 2002, on both the Billboard 200 (where it spent 35 weeks, falling off on February 22, 2003) and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, spending 48 weeks there, eventually disappearing from the tally on April 26, 2003. It was nominated for "R&B Album of the Year" at the 2003 Grammy Awards.
Track listing
"scratch interlude" (0:31) (Kyle Jones)
"newness" (3:47) (Musiq Soulchild, Ivan Barias, Carvin Haggins)
"caughtup" (3:26) (Soulchild, H. Bohannon, Barias, Haggins)
"stoplayin" (4:04) (Soulchild, Barias, Haggins, Andre Harris)
"religious" (4:18) (Soulchild, Haggins, Darren Henson, Taalib Johnson, Joseph Modeliste, Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli, Keith Pelzer, George Porter)
"babygirl" (3:33) (Soulchild, C. Najpa)
"halfcrazy" (4:13) (Soulchild, Barias, Haggins, Francis Lai)
"time" (5:16) (Soulchild, Ivan Barias, Carvin Haggins, Frank Romano)
"future" (4:00) (Soulchild, Junius Bervine)
"intermission: juslisen" (2:07) (Soulchild, C. Najpa, S. Stewart)
"realove" (4:27) (Soulchild, James Poyser)
"onenight" (4:42) (Soulchild, Haggins)
"previouscats" (4:00) (A. Jermaine Mobley, Eric Roberson)
"solong" (4:15) (Soulchild, Barias, Haggins, Valvin M. Roane)
