Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Voyage to India

 
Album Review: Voyage to India

  • Artist: India.Arie
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: September 24, 2002
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

Despite an excellent debut, India.Arie still had much to prove with her second record. Several of her neo-soul compatriots, from D'Angelo to Erykah Badu to Macy Gray, had faltered with sophomore albums, and it appeared she may have already said everything she had to say on Acoustic Soul. That anticipation, and trepidation, is exactly what makes Voyage to India such a beautiful surprise; it's a record that easily equals her debut, boasting better vocal performances but also better songwriting and accompanying production. As on her debut, there is a marked balance of organic and artificial: an acoustic guitar paces many tracks, though the edges are shorn off for a digital feel; the beats are often sampled, but there are still plenty of handclaps and fingersnaps; and the arrangements are simple yet obviously very polished. The improvement in her songwriting is most obvious from the first three tracks (after the short intro). The themes driving "Little Things" (keeping it simple), "Talk to Her" (the importance of honesty, warmth, and communication in relationships), and "Slow Down" (taking life one day at a time) certainly have been covered already, many times even, but India.Arie writes with a fresh perspective that makes it sound as though she's the first to broach the topic. And, finally, her delivery is the best of any neo-soul vocalist, barring only the incomparable Jill Scott, alternately earnest and playful and sexy and questing. It all adds up to one of the most glowing comebacks of the year (if she ever left), an important record whose stamp -- the Motown logo -- isn't the only thing it has in similarity with a classic LP by Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Growth (Lyrics) India.Arie (1:00)
Little Things S. Sanders, A. Fischer India.Arie (3:29)
Talk to Her (Lyrics) S. Sanders, Andrew Ramsey India.Arie (5:10)
Slow Down S. Sanders India.Arie (3:52)
The Truth S. Sanders, Andrew Ramsey India.Arie (3:29)
Beautiful Surprise India.Arie (2:28)
Healing India.Arie (:55)
Get It Together Andrew Ramsey, S. Sanders India.Arie (4:54)
Headed in the Right Direction B. Miller India.Arie (3:29)
Can I Walk with You B. Miller India.Arie (3:50)
The One S. Sanders India.Arie (3:21)
Complicated Melody India.Arie (3:13)
Gratitude India.Arie (1:05)
Good Man Willie Baker, Andrew Ramsey, S. Sanders India.Arie (3:32)
God Is Real Traditional India.Arie (4:36)
Interested [*] India.Arie (4:05)

Credits

Eloise Bryan (A&R), David Leonard (Engineer), Shannon Sanders (Producer), Mike Tocci (Engineer), Greg Fuqua (Engineer), Aliesh Pierce (Make-Up), Ricky Quinones (Guitar), Chris Athens (Mastering), Khari Cabral Simmons (Bass), Blue Miller (Producer), Blue Miller (Guitar (Acoustic)), Shannon Sanders (Keyboards), Alvin Speights (Mixing), John Catchings (Cello), Blue Miller (Programming), Paul Morton Jr. (Guitar), India.Arie (Producer), Musiq (Soulchild) (Arranger), Steve Grossman (Percussion), India.Arie (Executive Producer), Terry Harrington (Vocals (Background)), Nina Freeman (A&R), Laurnea Wilkerson (Vocals (Background)), Valencia Bruch, Annalee (Design), Paul Morton Jr. (Keyboards), Liz Loblack (Product Manager), Kerisha Hicks (Vocals (Background)), Alvin "Cornbread" Garrett (Bass), Tony Harrell (Keyboards), David Davidson (Violin), Avery Johnson (Bass), India.Arie (Vocals (Background)), John Willis (Guitar (Electric)), Paul Morton Jr. (Programming), Blue Miller (Vocals (Background)), Sandy Brummels (Art Direction), Shannon Sanders (Vocals (Background)), Jim Lightman (Engineer), Mike Tocci (Mixing), Robert "Georgia Boy" Watson (A&R), Steve Grossman (Drums), Doug Kahan (Bass), Joyce Simpson (Vocals), Algebra (Vocals (Background)), Valencia Bruch, Annalee (Art Direction), John Adler (Engineer), Andrew Ramsey (Producer), Kedar Massenburg (A&R), Shannon Sanders (Percussion), F. Reid Shippen (Mixing), India.Arie (Guitar), Norman Jean Roy (Photography), Bryan Russell (Bass), Kedar Massenburg (Executive Producer), Brent Barrett (Guitar (Electric)), Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr. (Vocals (Background)), Terry McMillan (Percussion), Avery Johnson (Engineer), Blue Miller (Engineer), Vernon Mungo (Engineer), Paul Morton Jr. (Producer), Robert "Georgia Boy" Watson (Mixing), Gillian Russell (A&R), Shannon Sanders (Programming)
Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
Wikipedia: Voyage to India
Top
Voyage to India
Studio album by India.Arie
Released September 24, 2002 (U.S.)
September 30, 2002 (UK)
Recorded 2001–2002
Genre Soul, R&B
Label Motown
Producer India.Arie (also executive), Blue Miller, Paul Morton, Jr., Andrew Ramsey, Shannon Sanders
Professional reviews
India.Arie chronology
Acoustic Soul
(2001)
Voyage to India
(2002)
Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
(2006)
Alternate cover
International cover

Voyage to India is the second studio album by American soul/R&B singer India.Arie, released in 2002 (see 2002 in music). It peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, going Platinum by the RIAA. At the 2003 Grammy Awards, it won "Best R&B Album", and the single "Little Things" won "Best Urban/Alternative Performance". The song "Get It Together" was featured on many film soundtracks including Shark Tale (2004).

Contents

Track listing

  1. "Growth" – 1:00
  2. "Little Things" – 3:29
  3. "Talk to Her" – 5:10
  4. "Slow Down" – 3:52
  5. "The Truth" – 3:29
  6. "Beautiful Surprise" – 2:28
  7. "Healing" – 0:55
  8. "Get It Together" – 4:54
  9. "Headed in the Right Direction" – 3:29
  10. "Can I Walk with You" – 3:50
  11. "The One" – 3:21
  12. "Complicated Melody" – 3:13
  13. "Gratitude" – 1:05
  14. "Good Man" – 3:32
  15. "God Is Real" – 4:36
  16. "Interested" – 4:05

British edition

  1. "Brown Skin" (Live)

Singles

Information
"Little Things"
  • Released: 2002
  • Writers: India.Arie, Andre Fischer, Anthony Roberson, Shannon Sanders, David Wolinski
  • Producers: India.Arie, Shannon Sanders
  • Director: Sanaa Hamri
  • Chart positions: #89 U.S., #33 U.S. R&B, #62 UK
"Can I Walk with You"
  • Released: 2003
  • Writers: India.Arie, Blue Miller
  • Producer: Blue Miller
  • Director: —
  • Chart positions: —
"The Truth"
  • Released: 2003
  • Writers: India.Arie, Andrew Ramsey, Anthony Roberson, Shannon Sanders
  • Producer: Andrew Ramsey
  • Director: Sanaa Hamri
  • Chart positions:
"Get It Together"
  • Released: 2003
  • Writers: India.Arie, Andrew Ramsey, Anthony Roberson, Shannon Sanders
  • Producers: Andrew Ramsey, Shannon Sanders
  • Director: —
  • Chart positions: —

Charts

Chart (2002) Peak
position
Canadian Albums Chart 12
Dutch Albums Chart 47
French Albums Chart 123
German Albums Chart 90
Italian Albums Chart 47
Swedish Albums Chart 37
Swiss Albums Chart 53
UK Albums Chart 82
U.S. Billboard 200 6
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 1
U.S. Billboard Internet Albums 6

 
 

 

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 "Voyage to India" Read more

 

Mentioned in