Boys Run The World: Chris Brown’s Fortune Review
July 11, 2012 by Zamani Khethelo
Boys Who Run The World: Music Reviews
Last year we saw the International music industry being run by the females, Your Beyonce’s, GaGa, Britney and Rihanna dominating the charts.
2012 is the year for the Kings to take back their thrones, while the ladies take some much needed rest.
I will be reviewing Chris Brown, Usher and Francine Ocean; oops I meant Frank Ocean’s latest offerings.
Chris Brown- “Fortune”
“Fortune” serves as Chris Brown’s follow up to his 2011 album; “F.A.M.E” and honestly both albums should have just been released as a double disc called; Fame and Fortune”, like Beyonce did with her; “Sasha Fierce” offering, because there is no creative difference or growth between both albums.
“Fortune” has so far given Chris Brown his first number one album in the UK and his second number one album in America.
Despite the album’s commercial success, artistically it’s his weakest offering.
The album is filled with songs that sound like remixes we’ve heard before from Breezy and sex anthems that would have worked better if he had just decided to do a sex-duet album with the new Queen of soft-porn R&B; Kelly Rowland.
The album opens with the infectious dance anthem; “Turn Up The Music”. The song is an electro-pop masterpiece produced by; “The Underdogs”. When you hear this one, whether you like Breezy or not, you cant help but want to “Turn Up The Music” and “Put you hands up in the air”, sexy or not. I still wish they had put the version with Rihanna on the album, as RihRih gave that song the extra punch it needed.
We then go to the second track called; ‘Bassline’, which like the title suggests is a heavy Bassline influenced up-tempo where we find Chris Brown annoyingly rapping like young Nicki Minaj fan Sophia Grace. If Chris Brown should ever want to quit music, he can definitely look into a future as a Nursery-Rhyme voice over artist. The song has a nice beat, but it soon becomes very monotonous and boring.
The third song on the album is “Till I Die” an R&B/ Hip Hop infused track featuring Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa. It’s a nice solid up-tempo, but offers nothing new we have not heard before.
The fourth track; “Mirage” one of the stand out cuts from the album featuring; “Nas”, is a mid-tempo hip hop banger and Kelis’ex-husband delivers as expected.
“Don’t Judge Me” is the firth track and also one of the good songs on the album, It’s a pop ballad about a troubled relationship, and this is the Chris Brown I love to hear.
Yes I love it when he is dancing and flying all over the place, but I like when he shows some depth and different dimensions to his music.
“2012” the sixth track, is a mid-tempo sex fest song; *cues Kelly Rowland gyrating*
“Biggest Fan” track seven is another sex-fest song *cues Kelly Rowland stripping*
“Sweet love” track eight is a 90s R&B influenced sex-fest song. *cues Kelly Rowland tossing weave*
Track nine; “Strip” featuring Kevin McCall is another R&B hip hop sex-fest song. *cues Kelly Rowland playing with pole*
“Stuck On Stupid” is a Pop/ R&B ballad, but it sounds like any other ballad you’ve heard from Breezy.
We then move on to “4 Years Old” another one we’ve heard somewhere on Breezy’s previous albums.
“Party Hard/Cadillac interlude” starts with beautiful strings where Chris is singing about partying hard with a certain lady he is pining for, mmmh I wonder if he is singing about his girlfriend Karate-Kid or his ex Rihanna, I choose to believe the latter.
The song then fades into an interlude called; “Cadillac” featuring a girl called; Sevyn. Oh how I wish this would have been a full song, I think it would have been refreshing to hear a song where Chris Brown plays with other genres, as this song is very 60s/70s Doo-Wop R&B inspired.
The second last song of the album is the single; ‘Don’t Wake Me Up”. Another electro-pop infused loved ballad.
This song is also one of the highlights of the album. It’s a beautiful techno-dance ballad, if you were to slow down the tempo it could actually make for a beautiful acoustic version, and sorry for this comparison, but it also reminds me a bit of Rihanna’s “We Found Love”.
The album closes with; “Trumpet Light” a heavy based, futuristic dance number featuring Sabrina Antoinette. It’s a fairly nice song, but it would not have been my choice to close the album with.
Overall this is an ok album, but its not a very memorable one.
I remember in my reviews for Rihanna’s “Talk That Talk” and Kelly Rowland’s last album (I forgot what its called) my main points were that the albums were ok, but just like Breezy’s album, not memorable.
And the fans attacked me for saying that, but now look how quick both those albums fell off the radar. *shrugs*
Score- 5/10
By Zamani Khethelo
Rethabile on Wed, 11th Jul 2012 9:48 pm
I saif the same thing about dont wake me up!! I think im gonna buy the album,just because i have a soft spot for CB..
namzie on Wed, 11th Jul 2012 10:16 pm
So Kelly Rowland is the queen of soft porn.Hahahahahahahahhahaha…..as I go back to read…WOW…
BongaPercy on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 12:34 am
I’m with you 100%.
cherries on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 12:38 am
Lmao, deathby all of that queing Kelly Rowland, tltltl..
Nothing about this album says ‘download me (I’m not even going to lie & say ‘buy me’, just dont like Chris like that), I’ll just hear the songs whenever I hear em..
LadyMillion on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 3:59 am
Francine Ocean… nisil’ yaz
soul sista on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 5:33 am
Breezy my Breezy!
golden diva on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 5:37 am
I like this boy, he makes good music!
Letebele on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 7:05 am
First thing that came to mind: Lelo didn’t write this! She looooves Breezy and doesn’t have it in her to say anything negative.
Deathby: cues Kelly Rowland. Oh kodwa Zamani*deepsigh*
bumbum on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 8:06 am
Love CB but he’s aging faster than his age
Biskiti on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 9:19 am
Call it old age or plain NV, mara Chris Brown’s music has just never done it for me. So it’s a skip for me, unless some track captures me on the radio, but i highly doubt it.
I wish all those RNB groups that dominated the 90s could come back with the resurrection of Destiny’s Child…i misss that kind of music. Boys II Men, En Vogue, Brown Stone, 112, SWV gogos, etc. guys Khumbul’amastudios!!
SocietyG on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 11:43 am
I got my FORTUNE album 2 days after it was released and I must say I have not stopped listening to it.
My Favorites on the album are “Don’t Judge Me”, 4 Years Old, Party Hard, You Better Tell Somebody, Stuck On Stupid.
Overall the album is awesome. Not his best but I think it will do well.
Oh @Biskiti I guess you’ll be excited to hear Tyrese,Tank & Genuwine coming together to give us a lil something.
Biskiti on Thu, 12th Jul 2012 2:24 pm
Oh Nkosi enofefe Siyabonga!!! Thanks for the good news SocietyG, let’s hope they are not adding to the techno junk that already abundantly available…JeniWine usa phila? Shuu…iNkosi iya spara maIthandile!