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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. I'll Never Love Again |
| 2. I Just Wanna Know |
| 3. I Can Be |
| 4. I Don't Wanna Fall in Love |
| 5. So Cold |
| 6. Fly Away |
| 7. Moving On |
| 8. Come On Girl |
| 9. Never Gonna Get Us |
| 10. She's Like A Star |
| 11. Can't Say Go |
Product Description
Review
It was nearly Taio Cruz rather than Rihanna who offered to let us stand under an 'umbrella-ella-ella-ay'. For, until Jay-Z nabbed the track to give to his Barbadian protege, songwriter Tricky Stewart originally had this 23 year-old British r 'n' b singer and producer in mind for Umbrella. Yet whilst it's a shame that the move deprived Cruz of a global smash and everyone else of a video which could presumably have featured him singing in the rain like a young black Gene Kelly, Umbrella would hardly have fitted that comfortably onto Departure. Although many of the tracks on Cruz's debut solo album have obvious hit potential - with I Just Wanna Know having already crashed the Top 30 - there's not one that could in any way be described as 'novelty'.
Cruz has spent most of the last 5 years in the US, working with the likes of Timbaland and Dallas Austin. It's clearly tutored this Londoner in producing mature and polished records, as well as how to be convincingly 'sexy' - something Brits have always failed to really pull off ever since America gave us Elvis and we came up with Cliff Richard in response. Cruz could almost match John Legend in the lady-killing stakes however, even if most of his beats spring from far more modern places than the '70s soul Legend so studiously references.
Most of the ballads deploy strings over their r 'n' b rhythms, but new single, Come On Girl, is all crunchy electro. Fly Away starts with a slick electric guitar riff and I Can Be recalls '80s British pop soul acts like Joe Jackson or Fine Young Cannibals. Yet Departure is a much more American than British-sounding album, with Cruz's voice blurring into a mid-Atlantic burr. And if he's picked up any bad habits from his time over the pond then it's a slight earnestness in some of the lyrics. But despite this and an occasional tendency to play it safe on a few of the gooier slow jams, Taio Cruz is far from wet. Even without the benefit of an Umbrella. --Paul Clarke
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I buy ALOT of albums and can assure you that this is a must for all music collections. Normally you buy an album on the back of one song and then are left disappointed by the rest of the album. This is so not the case with Taio Cruz.
Every song is brilliant, there is a good mixture to suit even the most picky of listeners. Have a listen - with some of the slower songs I find myself comparing him with the talents of Seal.
Excellent.
Every song is brilliant, there is a good mixture to suit even the most picky of listeners. Have a listen - with some of the slower songs I find myself comparing him with the talents of Seal.
Excellent.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
now listen.. i normally listen to Rock and metal but I liked the tracks 'I just wanna know' and 'come on girl' so on the spur of the moment bought the CD! I was really surprised by the versatility of the tracks.The man is as good as any US r&b star and there is a clear quality in the songs. Lots of strings and great backing vocals makes this a real pleasure to listen to. All the tracks offer something interesting but the best ones beside the singles are 'She's like a star' and 'moving on'. He does sound like Terence Trent Darby on the first track ' I'll never love again' which is not a bad thing ( TTD was once a great talent)If you like r&b with strings, good choruses and quality production then this disc is for you!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album is excellent. This guy has talent and great potential.
You don't want to skip any of the songs.
The great thing about it is that it's not Americanised R&B, Tiao Cruz has a very distinct original sound.
Can't wait for the next album.
You don't want to skip any of the songs.
The great thing about it is that it's not Americanised R&B, Tiao Cruz has a very distinct original sound.
Can't wait for the next album.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
cd
excellant cd delivery was fast and product in excellant condition. would use sellor again. packaging very good no scatches or scuff marks on cd. Read more
Published 2 months ago by rosebansal
Taio Cruz
Departure
Well where did this chap come from. Suddenly he was every where on the airwaves and I am not suprised not only was he very good on the eye but god he can't... Read more
Well where did this chap come from. Suddenly he was every where on the airwaves and I am not suprised not only was he very good on the eye but god he can't... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mrs. Hayley M. Pearce
Taio Cruz - Britain's answer to Neyo
I really like this album, even if it is a bit older now. Lots of chilled tracks, some might find it boring but I think he does them really well. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2009 by J. French
Great Album
If you like taio cruz you'll love this album, it's one of the best album's iv'e bought in a long time.
Published on 29 May 2009 by blu-boi
GREAT ALBUM
Have had this album for a couple of weeks now, i must say that i agree with all the reviews. All the songs are FAB!!!
Oh and the price has come down from when i bought it too!
Oh and the price has come down from when i bought it too!
Published on 22 May 2009 by S. Rahman
Quality
The audio quality on this CD rivals top US releases any day of the week. The blend of instrument vocals and backing is also perfectly done. Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2009 by J. Mills
WOW!!
WOW!!
Just received this in the mail! After hearing this album, there is no contest; ALBUM OF THE YEAR! Absolutely amazing vocals and songwriting! Read more
Just received this in the mail! After hearing this album, there is no contest; ALBUM OF THE YEAR! Absolutely amazing vocals and songwriting! Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2009 by Iain Coldwell
Decent
I like this album, most tracks are nice. Like a star is without busta rhymes but track 8 is fantastic
Check it out
Check it out
Published on 1 Feb 2009 by Murdo
The best album R and B this year without a doubt
Well i do not write reviews but I felt I had to add to hype up this album, if you buy a lot of black music albums you will greatly enjoy this album, even if you can not listen to... Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2008 by Eramuna
Finally something to rave about on the UK RnB scene
Taio released the catchy "I just wanna know" back in 2006 and since then has been working on various projects (collaborations with Nitin Shawney, Omar & Will Young) as well as... Read more
Published on 20 April 2008 by Mr. K. Patel
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