This week’s pick for Second Listen Sunday is from the R&B songstress Toni Braxton catalog. She was already a force in the music world when her sixth album, Libra, arrived in stores in the fall of 2005.
Braxton’s fifth album, “More Than a Woman,” undersold, and she had to cancel many scheduled performances due to complications after discovering she was expecting her second child, resulting in a three-year gap before her next album. Wanting a change, Braxton left her label and signed with Blackground Records.
The initial version of Libra, produced by Braxton and her former spouse Keri Lewis from Mint Condition, heavily focused on ballads. However, to prevent a potential failure, the record label insisted on a re-recording with a more commercially appealing sound. To achieve this, Barry Hankerson, the label’s head, enlisted in-demand producers such as Scott Storch, Rich Harrison, and The Underdogs to create a more current and trendy sound.
Scott Storch produced the album’s first single, “Please,” which also opens the album. Catchy and upbeat “Please” aligns with the popular sound of female empowerment. Braxton’s voice is as soulful and captivating as ever, and it’s clear that she was having a good time recording the record,
The legendary Bryan Michael Cox brought his talents to the second single, piano-heavy R&B slow jam “Trippin’ (That’s the Way Love Works)”. Braxton effortlessly navigates through a range of emotions throughout the song. The highly sought-after producer, Rich Harrison, infused his signature sound into the third single, “Take This Ring,” influenced by Go-Go music. Although some critics dismiss the song as Harrison simply repeating the groove he created for Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” and Amerie’s “1 Thing”, it also works well for Braxton.
The rest of the album shows that Braxton can adapt to modern trends after a decade in the game and still appease her core fan base. Midnite” and “I Wanna Be Your Baby” would feel right at home on a project from one of Braxton’s younger counterparts. A young Keri Hilson contributed her writing talents to the infectious “Sposed to Be,” while “Stupid” and “Finally” recall Braxton’s early sound.
Despite being appreciated by Braxton’s fans, Libra went unnoticed upon release to the public. Nevertheless, it’s a solid album from one of the best voices to emerge from nineties R&B.
Final Grade: B
Libra is available on all streaming platforms.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.