Search - Brandy :: Human

A Testament to "Human" Strength

firefairyangel | Canada | 05/14/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As one of the classic artists from the 90s, Brandy remains a staple in the collection of many R&B fans. Her departure from Atlantic Records meant a general belief that her project would receive greater investment from a new label. However, the album also went through several changes in the process, causing some of the material recorded early on to be scrapped. One of the major factors in this was a re-connection with long-time collaborator Rodney Jerkins, who had previously worked on both the Never Say Never and Full Moon albums. Also, due to personal turmoil from involvement in a car accident, Brandy understandably took some time off to collect herself during the creation of this album. However, this break gave her ample time to craft a cohesive and engaging album, which seems to be a true testament to what it means to be human.



A spoken intro begins the album with Brandy defining what it means to be human, providing a brief but nice transition into the first song. "The Definition" is one of the more upbeat tracks the album has to offer, with Brandy sounding confident and happy as she sings about overcoming the past and finding love. The bridge in particular is a highlight, both lyrically and vocally. "Warm It Up (With Love)" is more of an inspirational track, talking about the need to warm up the world with love. Fans are often torn on this track, some calling it a favourite while others find it mediocre. However, this is the kind of track that makes its way into your head and remains there for days at a time. The bridge once again showcases Brandy at her best. The criminally underrated lead single, "Right Here (Departed)," follows, marking one of the albums strongest offerings. The track emphasizes how well Brandy and Darkchild work together, as it is a simply brilliant song. The production effortlessly highlights Brandy's vocal abilities, especially the toned-down instrumentation of the bridge. This track is arguably one of the best in Brandy's entire catalogue.



The same can be said for "Piano Man", another track that attests to the chemistry between Brandy and Darkchild. It is also one of the more unique tracks thematically, describing asking a DJ to play a song that can have "the whole world singing," or in other words, something everyone can relate to. Once again, the bridge is the strongest part of the track, as it gives Brandy ample room to shine vocally. This is another one of the best tracks to come from Brandy's entire career. The "Long Distance Interlude" again provides a nice tie-in to the following track. Here Brandy calls her man to talk about how difficult it is to be in a long distance relationship. "Long Distance", the first true ballad of the album, uses just a piano and Brandy's passionate delivery to evoke the struggles of being away from a loved one. Many have criticized the choice of this song as a second single, believing it not to be accessible enough. Nevertheless, as an album track it certainly remains strong. "Camouflage", identified in a recent interview as one of Brandy's favourites off the album, is one that comes with an important message. Here, Brandy sings about love not being worthwhile when one has to change themselves for it to work. Compared to other tracks, this is more of a grower although its message is certainly one that needs to be heard.



"Torn Down" is another track that may seem like filler at first, but soon gets stuck in the listeners' head. The vocals blend nicely with the production as Brandy sings about the strength of love. The bridge again is the highlight of the entire track. Although this is not the strongest offering on the album, it is by no means a bad song. Title track "Human" contains more subdued production that allows Brandy's vocals to be the primary focus. This track describes how Brandy is "perfectly human," acknowledging that she'd made mistakes. This is one of the only tracks on the album that has Brandy credited as a writer, and it is clear that this is one of the more personal tracks. It has also been interpreted as one of the few that makes reference to the car accident. "Shattered Heart" describes giving one's heart to someone, yet asking them not to shatter it. The production on it takes on a darker tone that suits Brandy's voice quite well. The tempo change partway through the track certainly helps to keep it interesting and fresh. Brandy's delivery truly pulls the track together to make it another of the stronger offerings. "True" is a powerful ballad and yet another album highlight. The subdued production combined with the strong lyrics to showcase Brandy's passionate and emotive lyrics.



The ingenious "A Capella (Something's Missing)" uses only an electric guitar and Brandy's voice to create the entirety of the production. While many have deemed this one of the more forgettable tracks, credit must be given for taking such a risk. This song is a true testament to the range of Brandy's voice, and it is amazing what can be crafted even without complex production. It is true that this is not the most memorable song, however that only serves to strengthen its position as the hidden gem of the album to be re-discovered each time one listens. "1st and Love" is an addictive, more upbeat track about meeting a new guy. This is easily one of the catchiest offerings, prompting many fans to push for it to be a single. The sparse production again leaves Brandy plenty of room to shine, bringing all the emotion to the track with just her voice. "Fall" is yet another of the strongest tracks in Brandy's entire catalogue. Co-penned by Natasha Bedingfield, this track easily showcases all of Brandy's strengths. Both lyrically and vocally it is one of the best offerings on the album. Here Brandy sings about wanting to fall in love without the accompanying fear of trusting someone new. The bridge again is the strongest part of the song. As an added bonus, the album ends off with a brief a capella segment of "Camouflage," providing a nice touch to close things off.



Overall Mark: 5/5



The only real problem with this album is the inexplicable lack of support it received from the label. The label failed to capitalize on the initial success of "Right Here (Departed)", creating long delays before the next single, and generally poor promotion. Despite, or perhaps because of, this album being a long time in the works, the final result is a stunning piece of work that showcases Brandy at her best. Many of her career highlights can be found on this album. Although she is only credited as a writer on a couple of tracks, it seems clear that Brandy was very much involved in the creation of the entire album. Upon first listen, one could easily assume that she had written much of the material herself, marking a true testament to her ability to connect with the tracks. Particularly baffling are criticisms which argue that the album is not "radio-friendly" enough, as many of the tracks seem as though they could easily be played alongside other singles of the time. Nevertheless, Brandy has once again created a consistent and powerful album. Regardless of sales or chart positions, with the material provided here, she has clearly demonstrated why she has nothing to prove.

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