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INDIA ARIE: Testimony Vol 1 – Life And Relationship US/UK Motown, 2006 1) Intro: Loving 2) These Eyes 3) The Heart Of The Matter 4) Good Morning 5) Private Party 6) There’s Hope 7) Interlude: Living 8) India’s Song 9) Wings Of Forgiveness 10) Summer 11) I Am Not My Hair (feat. Akon) 12) Great Grandmother 13) Better People 14) Outro: Learning 15) I Choose I have always respected India Arie. She sings from the heart about what really – and I really do mean really – does matter in life. Her previous efforts have seen some real lyrical gems such as "Strength, Courage And Wisdom", "Little Things", "Brown Skin" and the pointed "Video" and have laid open her simplicity, her honesty and her testimony for plain, honest, genuine simple back to basics living. Indeed, India is a girl after my own heart. I don’t personally feel that India is the greatest singer in the world; she seems to me to be rather limited, but what she does works well. Or it used to. This is her third effort and although I applaud the beauty and sincerity of her song writing, I have to be blunt and say that I found the album very, very boring. It's all sunshine and no shade, and I for one became very restless very quickly. This is probably – as far as I am concerned anyway – the least soulful work she has created. It’s more rootsy if not folky, and as we have come to expect there is the sop to the hippity-hoppers with the inclusion of the dreadful Akon. Tracks such as "Private Party" and "Wings Of Forgiveness" are not bad, and as I say, lyrically I connect with what she says BUT overall we have nothing memorable or essential. I am sure her fans will love this, and the mainstream music press will appreciate it more than I, and that’s OK. Please take a listen to it, but I rather think that this set will not be for you. -Barry Towler Other Fresh CD Reviews Albums of the Month in 2006 Albums of the Month in 2005 Albums of the Month in 2004 Albums of the Month in 2003 Albums of the Month in 2002 Albums of the Month in 2001 Albums of the Month in 2000 Albums of the Month in 1999 Albums of the Month in 1998 Albums of the Month in 1997 |