Album Review: The-Dream - Love-Hate (with links)
Update: Check out this interview with The-Dream. It’s a good read. “I wrote “Umbrella” for $7,000. Inflation is crazy!” Thanks ddot.
Shawty is a 10 (ft. Fabolous) – I am sure everyone has heard this song by now, but it’s still a banger. It seems slightly out of place this winter because it has a summer feel, but it still has captured our attention, even though I initially thought it was T-Pain (lol). In retrospect of the entire album, it’s the perfect introduction to The-Dream’s album – influenced Prince cords, written for the ladies, but enough bass for the fellas.
I Luv Your Girl (listen)– If you like “Shawty is a 10,” then you will like this song. The production and vibe are similar. Lyrically, The-Dream is finding himself enticed by a woman with a man – hence, “I luv your girl” – and she doesn’t seem to help as The-Dream tells her “shawty you need to go, and she responds ‘F&^k that AGGIN!’” Reecie pointed out that his lyrics are very R. Kelly-ish in this song…her favorite line “I feel bad, but not that bad…”
Fast Car (listen)– Now, this is where the album gets interesting. The-Dream definitely got an A in “Prince 101.” Yes, it reminds me of Little Red Corvette, but not as good. Yes, the production is very 80s-ish. Yes, thehonorable has a guilty pleasure…This song is a banger. I am sucker for when the production changes up, adding and layers a variety of instruments.
Nikki – Okay, I am officially pulled into the album. The-Dream took a page from Justin Timberlake’s “FutureSex/LoveSound” album, or better yet, the old soulful albums of Marvin Gaye, wait…wait…what am I thinking. He took a page from Prince’s Purple Rain to have the production of every song connect to each other (well, at the beginning half of the album). So, you will hear the beat from “Fast Car” add a new musical instrument/layer and strip another instrument, all while transitioning to “Nikki” and before you realize it, the next song has began. I am sucker for that…and I enjoy the transitions and the time behind the sequencing.
As for the song, The-Dream encounters his ex-girlfriend whom left him for another man and she regrets it and wants The-Dream back, but now The-Dream is now “making love to Nikki and she loves me back.” It’s well-written song with an enticing storytelling concept. I speculate that The-Dream was inspired by Prince’s “Darling Nikki” song, which is about a sex-fiend that seduced Prince. “Darking Nikki” is inspired by the film Purple Rain, when Apollonia decided to work with Prince’s rival, Morris Day, and she regretted it. Get it?
Shorty Needs My Love - Nikki ends with a chopped and screwed “Shorty Needs My Love” vocal…Okay, I am on “eh” OD on this song, but the 80s inspired/Timbaland influenced production is simply hot. The song is pretty much self explanatory, but I would’ve loved to hear Nelly Furtado on this beat or the remix.
Falsetto (watch the video)– I am fan of this album’s sequencing, mixing, and transitioning (thus far), The-Dream invested a lot of time and detail into the little things of the album. I haven’t been this impressed with sequencing since Erykah Badu’s “Mama’s Gun.” For instance, the guitar at the end of “Shorty Needs My Love” and the beginning in “Falsetto” was excellent. This song reminds me of J. Holiday’s “Bed” (written by The-Dream). This song is a banger and even better in context of the album.
If you follow the blog, you’d know I wasn’t sold on The-Dream’s songwriting. But this album was extremely well-crafted and he shows a wide range of songwriting throughout the album - yes, he can turn it up and write pen some great lyrics or he can write to catch your attention with simple lyrics that focuses more on the melody than content.
Be prepared for his signature trademark “Ehs,” “Ellas,” “Ohs,” “Ahs,” “Oh-oh-ah-ah,” etc…I wonder how he ASCAP those. But yea…I am slightly overdosed right now.
Playin in Her Hair – Skip. The “ehs,” “heys,” “ah!,”and the lyric content is made for the ladies.
Purple Kisses – Do I need to remind you of his inspiration? Okay…I won’t say Prince’s name. This production of “Purple Kisses” is very similar to J. Holiday’s “Bed.” Hot song, but for the ladies.
Ditch That… - This is where album gets a little pop-influenced “experimental” (for a lack of a better word). Honestly, this sounds like a rejected Rihanna song. Oh – the “ellas” are on overload. If you can tolerate the 1st 3 minutes, the song gets better with his Justin Timberlake “2 songs, but it’s really one track with two song titles” attempt. The production at the end if more exciting than The-Dream. It’s an interesting listen, but I’ll leave this song off the iPod. Next.
Luv Songs – Where is Ginuwine? Sidebar (c) Kanye: I think Justin Timberlake and The-Dream owe him some royalty checks. This song takes me back to “The Bachelor.” Who would’ve every thought we’d be saying that Ginuwine was AHEAD of his time? Okay…yea, we all know that Timbaland was the Brain behind Ginuwine’s Pinky in their quest to take over the R&B world, but you gotta show Ginuwine some recognition. This song is a banger. Made for the ladies, but enough kick for the fellas.
Livin’ A Lie (ft. Rihanna) (listen)– I don’t like it, but I see it’s TRL appeal. Next.
Mama – Voicemail message left for The-Dream after the album was submitted:
“The-Dream…Hey buddy, sit down. So, umm…yea…we LOVE the album. It’s funky and spunky! It’s Prince, but in 2007…not the religious Prince, but the nasty Prince. But you have too many songs about love and sex, buddy.
Dream, baby, I’m you’re A&R director…we need the “BIG PICTURE” song. Where is it? Before we shoot your next video, we need the next Black Eye Pea’s “Where is the Love?,” the next Akon’s “Mama Africa,” but Dream…you are the American Dream, so let’s think big…bigger…Kanye’s “Jesus Walks.” Thanks, buddy…”
Okay…purely fictional. This is in no way to disrespect Def Jam’s A&R director Jay Brown (who is a really cool guy). The point is…yea…this song is out of place and it sounds forced.
Overall – Minus a few cuts, it’s a good album. The-Dream understands the balance between lyrical content for the ladies, good production, and enough 808 for the fellas. As a songwriter, I prefer Ne-Yo, but I will not deny The-Dream’s ability and potential to produced quality penned lyrics. Be prepared for heavy dosage of “ehs” and “ellas.”
The Dream’s “Love-Hate” album is on Def Jam Records and is scheduled for release on Tuesday, December 11th.
Posted by thehonorable
What do you think of The-Dream’s album? Is it TOO influenced by Prince? Do you think The-Dream lacks creativity or his is very creative with his work? Is his songwriting very “R.Kelly-ish”? Post your thoughts on The-Dream’s album.
i like this album, its nothing like it thats out right now and its different and very experimental, but hot! best song is Falsetto mos def!
the worst song was probably Ditch That.
i dont like the Danja feel it has, sounds like Gimme More by Britney Spears (which Danja made the beat by the way).
I like the title…it’s good to further exacerbate the old adage of the popular understanding of love and hate…the dichotomy of which is only a schematic for something other of an ethereal realization about the mechanism popularly in society and perhaps from an even older dichotomy of a misunderstood realization of keeping the nights seperated…
T-Pain, The Dream….aren’t they pretty much all the same robo-clowns that the music industries makes in their factories?
Are these guys original at all? No.
i wholeheartedly agree with your review
its funny, i was surprised that i liked this album, i was so ready to hate this album (friends call me a music snob). but i cant help but dig alot of the material, despite his unconvential vocal sound, and redundant uses of ella, eh, oh, etc—- but his production is dope, and the heavy prince influence gets extra kudos
and like you said his production just has hundreds of layers that keep ya attention, and i really did appreciate the small detail of the blending tracks
^ lol frodo is on drugs.
I’m going to buy it this week.
The more i (ehh) listen to thedream he structure (ehh) his lyrics like rkells
But i like the album
How can I submit some songs, for you to post/review on your blog?
may I have your emails?
wtf frodo? anyways i think this album sucks balls. literally the epitome of wack.
CRAP!
How much can you buy?
Ever heard of The Roots, Mos Def, Jurassic 5? You don’t have to keep eating the dog food the corporate record companies keep feeding you.
I swear, 99% of these songs have a shelf life of about 4 days.
Example:
Dr Dre’s 1992 album The Chronic- incredible then, still sounds AMAZING today.
T-Pain, sounds like shit out of the box, will sound even shittier next year.
ella ella ella el eh eh…
wow frodo - you took that to the next level! eh!
ella, i’ve been listening to the album on repeat this weekend. I still like the beginning of the album to falsetto, so the album starts stronger than it finishes. hey!!!
after falsetto setto etto etto et et eh, i am ready to play to play something else.
hey!!!!! i did give the album a favorable review. it IS better than, eh, T-Pain’s album and it is much better than I expected.
Ralph - you can email honorablemedia [at] gmail.com
ddot - you’re right - the song structure is reminiscent of Kells.
I was not prepared to like this cd as much as I do. Purple Kisses is hot to death, i cannot stop playing that song! I think The-Dream is gonna blow T-Pain style for ‘08.
Wow, The DREAM! 11 December - i’m wait it!
this album is some bullshit
just too plastic, and all the songs sound like SNL Prince skits
when Prince was running with this sound, it was raw, had energy, and was daring
these guys just punch the shit up on the computer, and it sounds too clean, too perfect and too forced, and the lyrical content is bland, duel and lifeless
the album is just a hodgepodge of musical trends from chopped and screwed, to vocoder, to lifeless sterile guitars, and whatever else any recent radio singles that sold have
this guy could not be serious when he made this album, must be an inside joke
I could have sworn I heard some of these songs in a Mcdonalds Commercial
The Dream is going to have a good year because all the dumbed down black music has in turn dumbed down it’s audience, Shit it’s no wonder the young blacks are lagging behind in the academics, look at the bullshit they are getting in they ears
i personally loved this album..and i totally did not expect to! “F*^k that N***A”– got to be the funniest line in the entire album.
Love the fast car track…..
i prefer him over Ne-yo….who knew?
[...] out my review of The-Dream’s album here and check out Reecie’s review of J. Holiday’s album [...]
I rarely, if ever, buy r&b albums, but after hearing The Dream’s work on Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and J.Holiday’s “Bed”, I couldn’t help coping this one. Five days later - I still can’t bring myself to take it out of my car’s cd player. Having just bought Scarface’s “Mad”, Wyclef’s “Carnival” and Birdman’s “5 star” - I’d really like to listen to those albums, but I literally can not stop listening to this Dream cd. This guys penchant for songwriting, catchiness, hooks and melody is just amazing. He could easilly put out 6-7 singles from this album. “Purple Kisses” is probably the best r&b song I’ve heard in the last few years. I challenge any of you - buy this album and see if you can take it out of your cd deck - see how long it takes you. I’d really love to listen to those other albums I just bought! Remember, this is coming from someone who usually doesn’t even like this kind of music. I feel like I work for Def Jam after this review, lol, but I can’t help it…Fantastic album.
I like the album except for a few cuts ……but for yall info hes not saying ella like that….he does say it but not that much…lol…. most of the time hes saying KILLA…hes reppin his label ( Radio Killa Ent.)
THE DREAMS ALBUM IS THE SHIT..ANYBODY THAT THINKS OTHERWISE IS HATIN!!HE HAS TALENT AND HE’S ORIGIANAL…WHO EVER COMPARED HIM TO THAT FUCKEN SOUND BOARD T PAIN IS A FUCKEN MORON…
RYAN SAYS IT THE BEST!! I SERIOUSLY CANT TAKE IT OUT OF MY CD PLAYER EITHER…I LOVE THE SONG NIKKI…WELL WRITTEN AND WELL SAID FOR SURE!! A FEW MONTHS AGO I BOUGHT THE NEYO ALBUM AND DIDNT TAKE IT OUT OF MY CD PLAYER FOR 4 MONTHS STRAIGHT!!! I THINK THE SAME THING IS GNA HAPPEN WITH THIS ALBUM
Well, I was suprised i like it as much as i do..
My favourite song switches every so many days but on the overall i agree with the review
The dreams album is good,but am sorry,he ant nowhere as good
as Ne-yo!
Ne-yo is the best artist out their right now!
this album is one of the best rnb albums in years. unlike other albums almost every song in his shts a jam, very talentd dream is