Simply Just Faith
For the past couple of weeks this album has been a must listen for me everyday, including after work, after working out, or even before I got to bed. Faith Evans' debut album is just a epic. Her debut in my opinion is a the definition of a real R&B album. Faith was SANGING and you can feel the emotion in her vocals. Unlike R&B music today, vocals are not authentic anymore. To me, that's what is missing in R&B music real singing. It's coming back slowly with albums from Tamar Braxton, K. Michelle, Jaheim, Raheem DeVaughn. In addition, when I am on twitter my followers always ask me "why do you continue to listen to old R&B albums" and my answer is always "because these albums were REAL" Anyway back to Faye (Faith's nickname) debut.
Now giving a little bit of my introduction to Faith. I always knew Faith as "Biggie's wife" or the girl that sung background on Mary J. Blige's classic album My Life. Now Mary and Faith has always been compared because of the way Puffy marketed Faith. I feel that he tried to use the same marketing tool he did with Mary. But they were two completely different artist. That started a war because the Mary fans and Faith fans. (Yes I down with it because I am such a huge Mary fan) But to Mary fan, you have understand that Faith Evans is a big part of Mary's My Life album. Faith helped with the writing and sung background on songs like
I Never Wanna Live Without You
Listen @ 4:32 you can hear Faith perfectly
Don't Go
You can hear Faith all over this song
Damn those songs sounded so good. Actually most of my favorite songs on this album Faith sing background on it, but I Never Wanna Live Without You is the best.
So when Faith's debut came out in 1995, my family was still on Mary's My Life, so nothing was talking us away from that album. As a result, the only songs I knew were You Used to Love Me, Soon As I Get Home, & Ain't Nobody. Obviously those were the hits from the album. Not knowing that even with those 3 songs, I haven't heard anything yet.
You Used To Love Me
Soon As I Get Home
Ain't Nobody
Ahhh memories, that 90s hip-hop soul feels good...you gotta be jamming right now.
So, with my family being music lovers my mother and I found this record store near our house. They sell old records (including 45s and 33s), 8 tracks, and used CDs. Now while me and my mother was excited about all the records, I knew I wanted to get some CDs to listen to while I was riding back home to Maryland. So, as a result I got 3 used albums, Faith's Faith, En Vogue's Born To Sing, & Ralph Tresvant, Ralph Trevsant. I figured out of the 3 Faith's would be my least favorite, haha was I ever so wrong. I had a three hour drive and the album is a hour long, I listened to it 3 times. I never got a chance to listen to the other two because I fell so in love with this album. And I understood why people compare Faith & My Life, because each album had that same soul vibe. But Faith was SANGING, I said "damn I missed a lot", this album in my opinion deserves to be put on the same level as Mary J. Blige's My Life. From this album, I have some my favorite Faith songs of all time. Track 1, Faith Interlude pulls in you Faith's vibe because she is singing about the LORD. But from 7 to 15 makes this album a R&B classic. Track 7 is entitled, Come Over. Faith is SANGING the devil out of this song. Check it out
Come Over
Now you can't tell me Faye wasn't SANGING.
One of my personal favorites from Faith is track 9 "All This Love" at about 3:10 Faith's vocals just takes me somewhere where I feel like I'm singing to that special someone and I singing "I just wanna give all this love back to you" Now vibe with Faith one this one
All This Love
Faye got you in her world yet??
Another banger is track 12, Give It To Me, this is a song that also classifies the term hip-hop soul perfectly. This beat is clearly for a rapper and the person that could do this beat justice would be Faith's slain ex-husband The Notorious B.I.G. But Faith is riding this beat with her soulful vocals and nobody else was needed on this. MC Faye on the mike LOL...
Give It To Me
Doesn't this song make you want to get into you car and roll the windows down and blast this on a nice day while you cruising the streets
Now to one all time favorite Faith song, is track 13, You Don't Understand. This song touches my soul. Question: Have you ever have someone you really like and you have a feeling they like you, and both of you don't know how to say it because you are both afraid. Basically if you are going through this experience, this is the song for you. SPEAK FOR ME FAITH!! "If you love me baby, just let your feelings show"
You Don't Understand
According to Chucky Thompson, the producer of this classic album as well as My Life, he said this song was about Biggie's and Faith's relationship. He said that while she was singing this in the studio she was crying. I guess the lyric "Give it One More Chance" Faith was giving us the hint. But nevertheless, this song speaks volumes! Most definitely a personal favorite.
Then track 14, Don't Be Afraid is another favorite of mine because I feel like it's part 2 of You Don't Understand. It's like these songs tell a story, with You Don't Understand, you and that special person is playing games and you have finally admitted to each other that you like it other. Then with Don't Be Afraid, you are in a relationship and you now realize that you love with each but you are scared to say it. In my opinion, these two songs describe the beginning of a serious relationship.
Don't Be Afraid
In my opinion, You Don't Understand & Don't Be Afraid were Faith's feelings about her and Biggie's relationship.
Ending the album with track 15, a bonus track, Reasons. Even though, it's a bonus track I am happy it made the album because it fits perfectly.
Reasons
Sounds soulful don't you agree???
To conclude, I know even after almost 20 years people will still continue to compare Faith's Faith & Mary's My Life. I understand that both albums have the same type of vibe but they are totally two different albums and they tell a different story. And I am a big Mary J. Blige fan, but I feel that Faith's Faith should be in the same CLASSIC category as Mary's My Life. To me this a classic R&B debut, if you love R&B this album must be in your collection.
WHAT ARE YOU FAVORITES FROM THIS CLASSIC?
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