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Title: Disappointing debut from this neo-soultress
Review: While India.Arie does deliver "acoustic soul" as the title of the album promises, this cd falls short of delivering the complex and unique sounds of other "neo-soul" artists such as Jill Scott or Erykah Badu. India.Arie has a sultry and beautiful voice, and it is apparent that she is a strong black woman deeply proud of her spiritual and ancestral roots. However, sometimes her lyrics come across as more preachy than proud. I also thought that her lyrics were trite and over simplified. There is more to songwriting than making sure the words rhyme. The first three tracks after the Intro, "Video", "Promises", and "Brown Skin" are the strongest tracks on the cd. But as I continued to listen, my excitement dwindled. Ms. Arie is a talented young woman, but she needs to work on her songwritting skills, and perhaps find stronger production. I believe her sophomore effort will be better.
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