Mediocrity Fills Jennifer's Most Recent Musical Endeavor
A.K.A. (2014)
1. "A.K.A." (Featuring T.I.)
"A.K.A" has a catchy chorus...but that's the only positive I can say about it as the production leaves a lot to be desired. "A.K.A" seems to be about Jennifer being in a relationship where her lover and her are in a tough spot where he doesn't even recognize her. Well it's hard to really relate with this song when Jennifer seems so unconvincing. T.I. comes in for a verse that is a bit cold instead of being hot. It's a shame as the title track could have mad a grand statement about the album's concept as a whole, but it settles for being not great.
(C-)
"A.K.A" has a catchy chorus...but that's the only positive I can say about it as the production leaves a lot to be desired. "A.K.A" seems to be about Jennifer being in a relationship where her lover and her are in a tough spot where he doesn't even recognize her. Well it's hard to really relate with this song when Jennifer seems so unconvincing. T.I. comes in for a verse that is a bit cold instead of being hot. It's a shame as the title track could have mad a grand statement about the album's concept as a whole, but it settles for being not great.
(C-)
2. "First Love"
Jennifer sings of a love that she wishes was her first and that is a nice message to send out to those who are wishing they had that chance. The production is pretty solid and the chorus is a melodic joy to listen too. But outside of that, it's nothing spectacular. But I enjoy it for the most part as it sends out that ideal that it's great to be with someone who loves you for you.
(C+)
Jennifer sings of a love that she wishes was her first and that is a nice message to send out to those who are wishing they had that chance. The production is pretty solid and the chorus is a melodic joy to listen too. But outside of that, it's nothing spectacular. But I enjoy it for the most part as it sends out that ideal that it's great to be with someone who loves you for you.
(C+)
3. "Never Satisfied"
Jennifer sings of a love she can't get enough of sexually and it makes for a decent track, though the production could have been much improved. The chorus isn't catchy enough and the rest of the song kind of fades away into your memory. For a song so adamant about expressing how hot and bothered Jennifer is about her lover, I can't imagine listeners liking this track just because it doesn't leave much of a good impression.
(C-)
Jennifer sings of a love she can't get enough of sexually and it makes for a decent track, though the production could have been much improved. The chorus isn't catchy enough and the rest of the song kind of fades away into your memory. For a song so adamant about expressing how hot and bothered Jennifer is about her lover, I can't imagine listeners liking this track just because it doesn't leave much of a good impression.
(C-)
4. "I Luh Ya Papi" (Featuring French Montana)
You if I had to chose between "Papi" from her last album and this track, I would choose "Papi" every time! "I Luh Ya Papi" is a song with another catchy chorus but the rest is instantly forgettable. French Montana comes in for her rather boring verse and doesn't help things. I'm sure he got a good check from this but I really don't appreciate what this song is and that's sad. Even the chorus starts to get annoying after awhile.
(D+)
You if I had to chose between "Papi" from her last album and this track, I would choose "Papi" every time! "I Luh Ya Papi" is a song with another catchy chorus but the rest is instantly forgettable. French Montana comes in for her rather boring verse and doesn't help things. I'm sure he got a good check from this but I really don't appreciate what this song is and that's sad. Even the chorus starts to get annoying after awhile.
(D+)
5. "Acting Like That" (Featuring Iggy Azalea)
"Oh why am I acting like that?" Well, it's because I lost the first version of this review and had to review it again!! Yeah, save your work before that happens but whatever!! Iggy Azalea's gibberish verse tries to do this song justice but she's just as bad as this song; contributing to it's bore factor.
(D)
"Oh why am I acting like that?" Well, it's because I lost the first version of this review and had to review it again!! Yeah, save your work before that happens but whatever!! Iggy Azalea's gibberish verse tries to do this song justice but she's just as bad as this song; contributing to it's bore factor.
(D)
6. "Emotions"
You know Jennifer is really trying vocally here and it's not that she doesn't succeed, it's just the emotions that this song is trying to convey feel manufactured and false. I don't feel the depth and sadness that Jennifer is going for here. The production is also pretty tired and Jennifer just can't help it recover, even with the better than average vocal delivery.
(D+)
You know Jennifer is really trying vocally here and it's not that she doesn't succeed, it's just the emotions that this song is trying to convey feel manufactured and false. I don't feel the depth and sadness that Jennifer is going for here. The production is also pretty tired and Jennifer just can't help it recover, even with the better than average vocal delivery.
(D+)
7. "So Good"
"So Good"?...more like the exact opposite. This song feels like it's clinging to it's life but is dying a slow death. This is another track that just feels more like Jennifer had better things to do than sing this song, which is a shame because it seems like one of those songs that had poten...Nawww!! This song should have been left off the album as it is anything but satisfying.
(D)
"So Good"?...more like the exact opposite. This song feels like it's clinging to it's life but is dying a slow death. This is another track that just feels more like Jennifer had better things to do than sing this song, which is a shame because it seems like one of those songs that had poten...Nawww!! This song should have been left off the album as it is anything but satisfying.
(D)
8. "Let It Be Me"
Now was that so hard! All we needed was a song with some real emotional depth and lyrics that are both touching as well as heartbreaking. I like the guitar playing mixed with the orchestral violins. Jennifer even gives probably the best vocal performance of the album thus far here...but looking back at the album's quality so far, that's not saying much! I'm just glad we got to a good song and it only took 8. tracks. to get there!
(B+)
Now was that so hard! All we needed was a song with some real emotional depth and lyrics that are both touching as well as heartbreaking. I like the guitar playing mixed with the orchestral violins. Jennifer even gives probably the best vocal performance of the album thus far here...but looking back at the album's quality so far, that's not saying much! I'm just glad we got to a good song and it only took 8. tracks. to get there!
(B+)
9. "Worry No More" (Featuring Rick Ross)
Oh Jennifer there's a lot that you should be worry about...like the lack of quality on this album. This track is just a shallow reflection of an actual song that could have been good but we are back on the mediocrity train instead! Rick Ross...? What was the point? What did he add to the song? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But then again, this song didn't have much going for it anyway so stuff a cameo by Rick Ross as well as his forgettable rap verse. Nice!
(D)
Oh Jennifer there's a lot that you should be worry about...like the lack of quality on this album. This track is just a shallow reflection of an actual song that could have been good but we are back on the mediocrity train instead! Rick Ross...? What was the point? What did he add to the song? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But then again, this song didn't have much going for it anyway so stuff a cameo by Rick Ross as well as his forgettable rap verse. Nice!
(D)
10. "Booty" (Featuring Pitbull)
Wow, it took Jennifer 7 albums (8 if you include her Spanish album in '07) to make a song about her most noticeable and talked about asset!? Well, it was sure worth the wait. As Jennifer demands the women of the club with big butts to get the man of their dreams by seducing them with their dairy air, the beat pulsates in a way that make for hot production. Pitbull returns to collaborate again with Jennifer again and they simply work so well with each other that there is no denying that this should have been a bigger hit than it was. Now why couldn't the rest of this album be this good?!
(B+)
Wow, it took Jennifer 7 albums (8 if you include her Spanish album in '07) to make a song about her most noticeable and talked about asset!? Well, it was sure worth the wait. As Jennifer demands the women of the club with big butts to get the man of their dreams by seducing them with their dairy air, the beat pulsates in a way that make for hot production. Pitbull returns to collaborate again with Jennifer again and they simply work so well with each other that there is no denying that this should have been a bigger hit than it was. Now why couldn't the rest of this album be this good?!
(B+)
11. "TENS" (Featuring Jack Mizrachi)
"TENS" seems like a song dedicated to her gay fans...but I find it hard to see why? This song certainly doesn't make me want to walk down a runaway. If anything, it makes me desire to stop playing this album on Spotify! Shade heffa!! Oh Jack Mizarchi is here...just because. His appearance serves no purpose but to serve the superficiality of the song. It all doesn't work, production, lyrics, singing, the chanting, etc. Just lame!
(F)
"TENS" seems like a song dedicated to her gay fans...but I find it hard to see why? This song certainly doesn't make me want to walk down a runaway. If anything, it makes me desire to stop playing this album on Spotify! Shade heffa!! Oh Jack Mizarchi is here...just because. His appearance serves no purpose but to serve the superficiality of the song. It all doesn't work, production, lyrics, singing, the chanting, etc. Just lame!
(F)
12. "Troubeaux" (Featuring Nas)
So one wonders how Jennifer got Nas, arguably one of the best living rappers out now to guest star on this track!? [eek] I have to say that Nas always brings a credibility to the music he does with each artist he collaborates with because of his immense talent. I love the old school feel of the song and the heavy samples of Tom Scott and The California Dreamers's "Today" with Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's “The Reminisce Over You” makes for an excellent mash up.
(B+)
So one wonders how Jennifer got Nas, arguably one of the best living rappers out now to guest star on this track!? [eek] I have to say that Nas always brings a credibility to the music he does with each artist he collaborates with because of his immense talent. I love the old school feel of the song and the heavy samples of Tom Scott and The California Dreamers's "Today" with Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's “The Reminisce Over You” makes for an excellent mash up.
(B+)
13. "Expertise (Ready Set Go)"
This song has a pop/R&B feel mixed in with a rock tone to it. It's a little late to be experimental on an album like this but better late than never I suppose. It's a decent track as I've heard far worse from this album so I don't mind if it's kind of forgettable.
(C)
This song has a pop/R&B feel mixed in with a rock tone to it. It's a little late to be experimental on an album like this but better late than never I suppose. It's a decent track as I've heard far worse from this album so I don't mind if it's kind of forgettable.
(C)
14. "Same Girl" (Featuring French Montana)
You know I liked this song better when it was "Jenny From the Block"!! Did we really need another song to indicate how much Jennifer hasn't changed?! French Montana's superfluous verse adds nothing but needless noise and I just don't care anymore as I just want to put this album to bed. But then again, a bad finish to a overall bad album makes sense.
(C-)
You know I liked this song better when it was "Jenny From the Block"!! Did we really need another song to indicate how much Jennifer hasn't changed?! French Montana's superfluous verse adds nothing but needless noise and I just don't care anymore as I just want to put this album to bed. But then again, a bad finish to a overall bad album makes sense.
(C-)
"A.K.A"...aka a steaming pile of cow manure!! Never has an album reeked of desperation than this one right here. Jennifer has shown in the past that she is capable of producing some solid albums from "This Is Me...Then" to "Brave" to "LOVE?" So I don't know what went wrong with "A.K.A." This album is not only missing themes and a concept but the music is really lacking feeling like leftovers from a Rihanna album session. You know when I reviewed Madonna's "Rebel Heart" last year, I mentioned that as juvenile as the album could get there was an equal amount of maturity and class in the music. Sure there are moments like that on "A.K.A", but they are so rare and hard to find. Now Madonna is 11 years Jennifer's senior and has been in the music game for farrrr longer, but that is no excuse for such a lackluster effort like this album. Even Janet's "Unbreakable" succeeding in tapping that well balanced line of style and substance to become one of her best albums in years. "A.K.A." feels like a terribly misguided regression in what Jennifer has done with her music so far. Sure, "Booty" is great and "Let It Be Me" holds your emotional attention, but there isn't enough to sustain an album. "A.K.A" proved to not be the hitmaker that even "LOVE?" was as it flopped worldwide and didn't make it even into the top ten of any charts. Apparently the album wasn't meant to be this bad as it was originally meant to produced by RedOne, who intended for the album to be much more musically diverse. But instead, Jennifer got stuck with Cory Rooney and Benny Medina as executive producers; wanting only a pop and R&B sound for the record. "A.K.A" really could have used some creativity and more insight into what was going on in Jennifer's life. Once again, this woman is a mother yet there is nothing that truly symbolizes what that new found motherhood meant to her. It's just more love/sex songs as well as songs about how down to earth Jennifer is. Yes, we get it. You are great in the sack, have a nice ass and just like everybody else, but do you have to be so boring about it. "A.K.A." could have been a much stronger album but it cracks under the obvious lack of creative weight it holds. Who knows what will happen next for Jennifer's music as "Ain't You Mama" is a step in the right direction for me! There might be some hope for Ms. Lopez yet. We can only pray this was the only misstep as her successful career continues to march on. But until then...
"A.K.A.", Jennifer's technically clumsy and off putting 8th studio release is quite the travesty of music. The album tries to hard to tap into the relevancy of today's music without trying to forge some needed depth in songs that are poorly produced, horribly written and lazily sung overall."
(D+)
(D+)
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