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Album Review
by SashaS
26-8-2002
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| Eve's 'Eve-olution' |
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Eve: 'Eve-Olution'
(Ruff Ryders)
Eve comes close to blowing our minds
There is a lot at the feet of Eve, the first lady of Ruff Ryders has had a heady year: ‘Let Me Blow Ya Mind’, the sassy duet with No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani, earned her a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration; she’s got a fashion line, two new films(*) are on the way and here is the new album, ‘Eve-Olution’. So, it looks very likely that she could be the rap’s answer to J-Lo, a versatile vixen who can move between music, movies and fashion with ease, grace and equal success.
That might be true but Eve’s music is far better than what J-Lo does, as the new album ‘Eve-Olution’ proves. It is her third album and, as usual, features an army of guests/collaborators/producers: Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Truth Hurts, Alicia Keys, Dr Dre, Tone, Swizz Beatz… These people enhance what she does, augment and illuminate around her, alike in the Marilyn Monroe dance-routine for ‘Diamonds Are The Girls Best Friend’.
‘Eve-Olution’ starts with the rap-standard ‘Intro’, a cute sound-montage aptly leading into ‘What’ that combines seriously catchy beat, lyrics-of-intention and a nice exchange between Eve and Truth Hurts. It is not only hip-hop Eve dips in but also many other genres, like a 100% funk-gem of ‘Irresistible Chick’ that recalls the best Prince’s days. This should be a single instead of ‘Gangsta Lovin’’.
Unfortunately Alicia Keys’s contribution, the ‘Gangsta Lovin’’ hit, certainly sounds like the weakest thing the nu-soul diva’s done, and we say it as the true Keys admirer. Snoop and Nate Dogg crowd studio with street-culture and vibes on a cut that certainly is one of the most impressive songs on the album. Closely followed by partying ‘Double R What’, where she’s joined by Jadakiss and Styles of The L.O.X.
The title track is sequenced at the penultimate place, but this is a token evolution as not much really gets pushed forward, sideways, anyways. The final cut is ‘Let Me Blow Your Mind’ but here, strangely, it fails to stir the juices it did last year via radio.
Eve stands her (female) ground with impunity and we respect her opinions, salute her attempt to set things straight but… it’s the way she does it, or doesn’t.
(* The recent American box-office smash ‘XXX’ with Vinn Diesel and ‘Barbershop’ co-starring Ice Cube.)
7.5/10
SashaS
26-8-2002
Eve’s album ‘Eve-Olution’ is released 26 August 2002 on Ruff Ryder/Interscope/Universal
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