- Audio CD (28 Feb 2011)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Lava
- ASIN: B004AP8XRI
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (113 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 85 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. Price Tag |
| 2. Nobody's Perfect |
| 3. Abracadabra |
| 4. Big White Room |
| 5. Casualty Of Love |
| 6. Rainbow |
| 7. Who's Laughing Now |
| 8. Do It Like A Dude |
| 9. Mamma Knows Best |
| 10. L.O.V.E. |
| 11. Stand Up |
| 12. I Need This |
| 13. Who You Are |
Product Description
Review
It’s all well and good having a multi-octave voice, but without control it’s an accident waiting to happen. Jessie J – born Jessica Cornish in Redbridge – rushes up and down her scales on this anticipated debut album; but there’s more than one occasion where her fluctuating pitch is a pain in the ear.
The frustration doesn’t end there. As evidenced by her breakthrough debut single, Do It Like a Dude, Cornish has an annoying habit of inserting zany tics where songs would benefit from being played straighter (one Ke$ha is quite enough, thanks). A pretty acoustic ballad, Big White Room – recorded live, applause included – is ruined by unnecessary gymnastics. A shame, as when she’s not overreaching Cornish showcases sweet, if unspectacular, vocals.
The songs of Who You Are are expectedly split between slower, slushier affairs and punchy anthems for bolshy teens, those coming to this collection off the back of Do It Like a Dude. If modern pop-lore is to be believed, said track was originally written with Rihanna in mind (Cornish has a background in co-writing material for other artists). While the decision to keep it makes it clear Who’s Laughing Now (more bad-attitude swagger), it’s a lightweight Rude Boy rip-off masquerading as confrontational thug-pop. Hearing a BRIT School girl from London’s suburbs deliver lines derived from Caribbean slang is uncomfortable, and in terms of female empowerment the lyrics make Alexandra Burke’s Broken Heels sound like Independent Women Part 1.
Mamma Knows Best brings a big-band-trapped-in-a-synthesizer sound to the fore, more Pixie Lott than Ain’t No Other Man-period Christina Aguilera. Better is the following L.O.V.E., which walks the line between affecting and aggressive superbly, Cornish’s snarl balanced by a tender side that rarely makes an appearance; if one could squint their ears, it’d be a ringer for something from The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill (and that’s serious praise). The title-track returns Cornish to an acoustic accompaniment, and makes for a fine closer – it’s her Hometown Glory, without the raw emotion but touching nonetheless.
With Cornish’s profile at a high and awards in the bag, Who You Are is a guaranteed commercial hit. What it’s not, though, is a collection that confirms the arrival of a significant solo talent. It’s too patchy, too hurried, the powers behind it too eager to capitalise on the artist’s current chart success. There’s ample room for improvement, but given the well-documented hurdles Cornish has already overcome one shouldn’t write her off just yet. When the pressure’s lifted, she could conjure up a classic.
--Mike Diver
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
CD Description
Who You Are is the debut album from London's Jessie J (real name Jessica Cornish), winner of the prestigious Brits Critic's Choice and BBC Sound of 2011 awards. Before releasing her debut single "Do it Like a Dude", Jessie had already written songs for the likes of Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera. The album includes the singles "Price Tag" (featuring B.o.B.) and "Do it Like a Dude".
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Opportunities missed, mistakes made, profiteering ahoy,
By
This review is from: Who You Are (Platinum Edition) (Audio CD)
I rather like Jessie J. I rather like her music too. I would also be first in line to defend music made for adults, artists being able to express themselves how they wish, and record labels running a business profitably.However (and it's a big however), it's utterly inexcusable that a CD should be on sale that contains graphic language and sexual content without having the industry-standard warning. Especially one that the record company knows full well will appeal to a younger audience. This smacks of a deliberate ploy since there is a Parental Guidance label which is almost illegibly small and printed in a corner on the back. To add insult to injury, they have seen fit to re-issue the original album with a few extra tracks. Since the album was already popular (and thus didn't need to be brought to our attention à la Fleet Foxes first CD being re-issued with a later EP), this is just profiteering. It rewards only those people who haven't yet bought the album and penalises all those who have already made the record company (and Jessie J) a bunch of cash. Of course the extra tracks can be downloaded individually, but this is more expensive (remember, young audience) than getting them with an album. Pretty much an indictment of the industry all round, and one which harms both Jessie J and her fans but not, I suspect, her label.
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Jessie J,
By
This review is from: Who You Are (Audio CD)
My Daughter kept on and on for a Jessie J CD for her 8th birthday wasnt any hassle to get hold of one for her so I bought it for her but dont know if I missed anything in the write up but had no warning that there was any swear words on the CD. There were quite a few really strong one that I dont want her singing along to shame because quite enjoyed listening to the rest of it.
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Album **Needs a warning about the language though!!**,
By
This review is from: Who You Are (Audio CD)
My daughter asked for this album and I was wary as I expected it to have some bad language in, I checked online and found no warning so ordered it. As I wasn't convinced I listened to the album myself once it arrived to find too much bad language to consider allowing my 9 year old to have the album, that aside it is a great listen, just not while the kiddies are around :o)
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