Friday, November 20, 2009

Ryan Leslie- Music Review




Ryan Leslie is one of the best self promoters around. Any avid YouTube watcher knows to check out his videos of beat making or promotional teasers of potential music videos since about 2004. Nine months after putting out his debut CD to underwhelming response, Ryan Leslie is back, this time, with "Transition."

Transition, a true summer love story from the passionate multi-instrumentalist, features 11 songs that Ryan wrote and produced. The lead single, "I Choose You," is a ballad that differs from his previous mid-tempo hits and already has radio programmers buzzing. Other tracks on Transition include "You`re Not My Girl," which offers up a video directed by Anthony Mandler (Beyonce, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Fergie), "Something That I Like" featuring Pusha T of the rap duo The Clipse, and "To The Top" which showcases Ryan's signature falsetto.

In addition to putting out his own album (his second this year), Ryan has been busy in the studio handling production for R&B superstar Mary J. Blige's upcoming album, singer songwriter Keri Hilson, pop phenom Chris Brown, grammy nominated vocalist Jazmine Sullivan, and rapper Fabolous, among others.
Nominated for 2009`s BET Awards and the Soul Train Awards "Best New Artist," Ryan isn`t showing any signs of slowing down for 2010. The transition doesn't refer to his music. Instead, the singer says his sophomore disc was inspired by "a summer of secret love." After that fling ended, the result became "Transition": an 11-track set full of futuristic R&B tunes that finds the 31-year-old R&B-crooner sweet-talking his sweet hopeful. "I just want a girl that still looks good with no makeup," he sings on the opening track, "Never Gonna Break Up," promising to never break up if he found the one.

Overall, Transition is sweet and worth listening to. One of the reasons Ryan Leslie’s music should be appreciated is because it’s always positive. It’s seldom today to have artists have music a grandmother and child can listen to at the same time. . His work usually leaves listeners with a smile and bopping their heads to his simplistic beats. As long as he doesn’t try to rap on every track and stays true to his audience he’ll always do well.

Transition is set to release November 3rd.

Tracklisting:


1. Never Gonna Break Up
2. Something That I Like (feat. Pusha T)
3. Zodiac
4. Is It Real Love
5. Sunday Night
6. You’re Not My Girl
7. To The Top
8. Nothing
9. Guardian Angel
10. All My Love
11. I Choose You

Written by DJ Big Mike of WOTC 107.7 Off Tha Chain Radio

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