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Album Review
by SashaS
8-1-2003
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| Indie.Arie takes a journey to new fields |
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India.Arie: 'Voyage To India'
(Motown/Island)
Rewind #6: India.Arie – bless on lesson
Why, of why, some artists do better when they are obviously inferior to some less successful ones, I cry in front of my imaginary Crimbo tree on the big morning? A scan of the American LP charts reveals that India.Arie’s ‘Voyage To India’ has sold ½ million copies in its 12 weeks, peaking at No. 6; Ashanti’s self-titled disc sold four times as many copies in three times as many weeks after reaching the top spot.
India.Arie is definitely better singer than Ashanti, has better songs and is as contemporary as the new R&B diva; what she has more is soul in her songs that are also more conscious. The last one could be the reason that after the double-platinum certified debut ‘Acoustic Soul’ and 7 Grammy nominations, Arie is still trailing in the selling stakes. She is also of much low-profile which keeps her from the exposure that J-Lo generates despite being… How shall I put it? If shape were a talent, Jen would deserve an Oscar and that’s the extent of it.
That’s not to say that India’s ain’t a good-looker but that her musical gift is something many can only dream about. ‘Voyage To India’ – less of a real travel to the sub-continent but the inner depths of our chanteuse – starts with a little intro song ‘Growth’ that simply states that this woman’s credo is “Carpe diem”. Living now and enjoying each single moment is also the theme to ‘Little Things’ but everything else pales in comparison to her love for music.
‘Talk To Her’ deals with honesty and encourages humans to tell the truth, “The whole truth”! Well, I’m not so sure that after too many millennia of being ‘diplomatic’ and ‘economical’ with the truth we can suddenly turn it around. I doubt we can really handle it! ‘The Truth’ is a spoken-word song juggling love for the Big Guy and (her) perfect man in a world that is so deeply flawed. The album closes with ‘God Is Real’…
Assertively delivered, India.Arie certainly confirms her diva-credentials without having to drag the tag with her.
As she sings at one point, “There is a bless-on in every lesson…” Erm, or perhaps that was “blessin’”?
8.3/10
SashaS
8-1-2003
Indie-Arie’s album ‘Voyage To India’ is available now on Motown/UMG
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