Monica Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
Ten years and four albums deep into a career while many singers her age are just getting started, Monica has now been through enough in her life to fully relate to all the subject matter she works with. Despite the title of the album and all her talk about making a more personal set of songs than before, she isn't credited as a songwriter on any of these ten songs -- all the more peculiar given that the songs she co-wrote on 2003's After the Storm were hardly problematic. She evidently went through some more storms and significant life experiences after she last recorded (including the birth of her son and a perhaps predictably rocky relationship with Young Buck), and though she wasn't involved in the songwriting process, she certainly sounds more connected to her material. After the obligatory club track -- the decent but ultimately forgettable "Everytime tha Beat Drop," featuring fellow Atlantans Dem Franchize Boyz -- The Makings of Me rolls through a concise and mostly sweet (if occasionally unremarkable) set of songs that don't depart far from After the Storm. Missy Elliott remains a valuable collaborator: the Curtis Mayfield-sampling "A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me)" is practically a replay of the similarly nostalgia-tinted "So Gone," albeit a welcomed one; "Doin' Me Right" is the album's "Knock Knock," providing yet another sweet twist on a soft-soul classic; "Gotta Move On" is a kiss-off dipped in honey. (The minor drawback to each of these songs is that Elliott has yet to find a discreet way to put a vocal stamp on her productions.) The Underdogs-produced "Sideline Ho" is the clearest instance where Monica didn't have to dig deep or put herself in someone else's shoes to sell her material: "Ain't you tired of being on the sideline?/Tired of getting yours after I get mine?" If she's the least bit jealous, the other woman would have no way of knowing. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
If the gap between Monica's first and second albums wasn't long enough, After the Storm followed nearly five years after its predecessor. That's an extended period of inactivity by anyone's standards, let alone a still-young performer whose first two albums went multi-platinum. Despite that often problematic issue, After the Storm picks up where The Boy Is Mine left off with nary a speed bump. Rather than come across as if there's lost time being made up, the album has all the assuredness and smart developments that should keep Monica's younger longtime followers behind her -- all the while holding the ability to appeal to a wider spectrum of R&B and hip-hop fans. The batch of Missy Elliott-produced songs -- "Get It Off," "So Gone," "Knock Knock" -- provide a bulk of the most exciting material, with just the right amount of swagger added to the singer's more wide-eyed personality of the '90s. Another promising aspect is that Monica did a fair amount of the composing herself; while not every tune is solid, "I Wrote This Song" can go toe to toe with any of the hits she's had written for her. The only significant factor working against her is that snail's-pace release schedule. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On her second album, The Boy Is Mine, Monica is given a little more room to strut her own stuff. Previously, she was an inexperienced vocalist whose raw talent was sculpted by a bevy of producers. Here, she sticks with Dallas Austin; not only does he give her songs immaculately crafted musical backdrops -- both ballads and up-tempo dance numbers sound irresistible -- but he helps her cultivate her voice so she sounds more mature than her 17 years. That doesn't exactly camouflage the uneven material, but it does make it easy to swallow. She does have a better, more consistent batch of songs here than she did on Miss Thang, and the best songs -- such as the Brandy duet "The Boy Is Mine" or the bouncing "Street Symphony" -- are as good as mainstream urban R&B gets in 1998. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Monica had signed to Arista's Rowdy imprint several years prior to this release, so she had ample time to ensure her debut would be nothing short of successful. The album focuses on hip-hop and contemporary urban cuts, including a pair of R&B chart-toppers. The first is "Don't Take It Personal," also a massive pop hit, propelled by a heavy bottom bass with Monica's indelible vocals ringing as she embraces an introspective lyric. The second, "Before You Walk Out of My Life," is a bittersweet lyric with unwavering vocals. "Like This and Like That" has that pocket beat; the song's flow is dictated by Monica's vocal chorus and an animated rap by Mr. Malik. Monica gives her own rendition on several numbers; while they all are plausible, the blues number "Let's Straighten It Out" is the most engaging, as she shares vocal duties with Usher. In spite of her youthful age, Monica conveys a surprisingly mature sound. ~ Craig Lytle, All Music Guide
