Album Review: Better by Chrisette Michele

I like Chrisette Michele. I think she has a wonderful voice and is an interesting songwriter. I especially like her when she is mixing in jazz influences with modern R&B. I was struck by her ability to do this on the opening track "Like a Dream" of her first album I Am back in 2007. It's a song I still am drawn back to on occasion and so it stays with me and I find myself inclined to root for her.



The problem is Chrisette Michele has become a hit and so doesn't spend as much time playing around with her jazz influences as I wish she would. Also, sad for all of us, she wastes her talents on a few songs on this latest album by featuring rap artists. I just want to hear Chrisette Michele sing, I don't want to hear some silly rap thrown in on top of what was otherwise an OK song.

You can tell where I'm going with this review obviously. I want to like the album. There are times when we get vintage Michele, "Let Me Win," but too much other stuff is here for me to recommend this album.

My hope is that she will get Q-Tip to produce her next album and they will fully explore her ideas of jazz and R&B. One can hope.

Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 1 out of 5 stars for Just OK.




Here is an example of another female vocalist teaming up with Q-Tip. Of course I don't want Q-Tip rapping on the Chrisette Michele album just producing. OK I think I've explained all that enough. This way when Christte Michele and Q-Tip read this blog post they'll understand how their partnership should work.