Should have kept ‘The Vault’ shut
Ashanti
The Vault
Release Date: Oct. 14
Genre: R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop
Grade: C-
The newest album from Ashanti contains a few gems, but fails to outshine her previous albums. “The Vault” has 12 unreleased songs she recorded in 2001.
Toning down the tempo from June’s “The Declaration,” Ashanti shows a more soulful sound, throwing you into an emotional frenzy of love and relationships.
“Let’s Do Something Crazy” is the first song on the album with a danceable beat as it leads into the fourth track. Complimenting Ashanti’s soulful voice, rapper Flo Rida provides a smooth-flowing verse. This song picks up the pace for the middle of the album.
“Pretty Little Flower” featuring J-Star has the most appeal on the album as a catchy track with a mainstream feel. A repetitive hook flatters the rhythm of the entire song as J-Star’s rap vocals package it with melodic ecstasy.
The album slows down with the track “Where I Stand.” Her soulful vocals combined with a steady pace and passionate lyrics exhibit a hint of pain. With a universal message, Ashanti compares her struggle to that of the guy she’s crushing on.
All of a sudden, the album crashes into the sixth track, “Satisfy,” which steers the album toward an unexpected left turn. The speed of the song is almost uncomfortable, but has the potential to sink in over time. This sassy song holds an abundance of attitude towards the opposite sex. Strangely though, the ending sounds like Ashanti’s voice being scratched over a turntable.
With “Mrs. So So,” there is hope that the album gets better. It’s another track filled with attitude and assertiveness via Ashanti’s heavy lyrics and purposeful tone. Once again, hints of a rapper’s voice sprinkled throughout the song pull it together.
The remaining four songs are not horrible, but they are not great. The yearning for these songs will change depending on your mood. The 10th track, “Saw Your Face,” tells the story of Ashanti falling for a man that’s already taken. While there is nothing wrong with the lyrics, the rhythm and production are lacking.
The last song, “To the Club,” is a combination of ‘70s funk and R&B. It’s nothing spectacular, but it has a decent beat and a catchy hook.
Ashanti’s album, “The Vault,” is several gems short of a treasure chest. It’s not the best album, but not the worst.
Danielle Gonzalez can be reached at editor@nevadasagebrush.com.
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on Monday, October 20th, 2008 at 10:31 pm and is filed under Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment.
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