It sounds like Ashanti’s had a run-in with a bitch named Betrayal, and she’s got the bruises to prove it. Throughout The Declaration, her fourth album of pop promiscuity, the echo of a splintering heart nearly drowns out her lovelorn cries. And assuming the album has even a lick of emotional authenticity, someone really did a number on her.
Her factory-sealed voice and pull-string purr are still there, but now when Ashanti sings about a cheating lover, she does more than pout—she burns. It’s clear Ashanti Douglas is human now, and not just some MTV-friendly paper doll. She’s long been known as the cute chick riffing over the MC-of-the-moment’s tough-guy rhymes, and she’s a pro at delivering tracks with karaoke cache—midrange crowd-pleasers like “Foolish.” Her voice is pleasant if sometimes uninspiring, but on soulful songs like “You’re Gonna Miss,” the pain in her sweet-as-Smarties voice is definite.
But even with all the emo-passion, nearly half of this album is lukewarm. Her broken-hearted desperation is shrieky and vampy when a stronger move would be poignancy or bravado—or maybe just a deeper peek inside her life. Despite its declarative aim, “The Way That I Love You” barely sets off a smoke detector, let alone rings any alarms. Beyoncé’s ’06 vocal conniption fit was enough to make you call 911, but Ashanti—even wielding a bloody knife (as in the video for the song)—isn’t wild-eyed or extreme enough to raise your heart rate.
The album’s impressive production line-up, which includes Robin Thicke, Jermaine Dupri, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, and Pharrell Williams—Irv Gotti is nowhere to be found—concocts promworthy slow-dance grooves and easy-breezy jump-rope jams. And she hits some expected notes: The requisite maternal tribute (“Mother”), a few love-conquers-all ballads (“Girlfriend” and bonus track “All I Want”), as well as an awesome kiss-off/empowerment anthem (“Declaration”), far and away the album’s diamond in the rough. Eccentric soundman Seven Aurelius’ production is deliciously lush and Ashanti’s voice—normally as thin as a strip of Zig-Zag rolling paper—sounds gloriously pumped.
In truth, the one-time Mistress of Murder Inc. would be lucky if she made it through an American Idol audition unscathed. But hip hop’s hard-on for a pretty face and a viral verse—she’s hooked up hooks for Fat Joe, Shyne, and, of course, Ja Rule (2001’s “Always On Time”) in the past—keeps Ashanti in the game. By the sound of her latest, though, that wasn’t enough to keep someone from stepping out. Then again, a broken heart sounds better than a broken record.
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Comments
1.
MackN2U says:
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I completely agree, this album sucked.... check the review here:
http://www.sound-savvy.com/2008/06/artist-ashanti-album-declaration.html
July 14, 2008 at 3:20 pm
2.
team_ashanti says:
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whoever wrote this article was biased. it's obvious that they didn't like ashantoi from the start so i don't know why they were chosen to review her CD. i find it very tacky and unprofessional of vibe to hire such journalist to do work for their magazine. even if the=y didn't like her they should have been professional about it and just completed the assignment w/o the impecunious,insidious name calling it's time for vibe to step up their game and stop hiring children. the declaration is a grown and sexy album [much like all of her albums] maybe the author hasn't reached that point in their life yet to appreciate realness when they hear it. and enough w/ comparing everyone to beyonce, it's getting old!
June 27, 2008 at 12:07 pm
3.
TBALLER says:
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go check out the DAGO BRAVES the next best new rap group in SAN DIEGO
PS. REZ RATS
June 26, 2008 at 4:59 pm
4.
adeola says:
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ashanti were av u bin all dis while n plz wuts up wv u we miss ur sexy dancing steps
June 25, 2008 at 1:53 pm