Free Yourself

By Jeremy Chau, assistant editor
Monday, January 29, 2007

Fantasia Barrino conquered American Idol, but hasn’t stopped there. Her new debut album, Free Yourself, has the musical variety everyone has been looking for.

From beginning to end, Barrino fills her listeners with ear candy as she shows how her amazing voice and superb hooks reach a new level of excellence. Because the majority of the tracks contain slow, soothing rhythms, this album is perfect for some late night crooning.

Her first song, “Ain’t Gon’ Beg You,” acts as a preview of the entire album. Barrino sings about a girl who is fed up with how she is treated and uses a powerful chorus to attract her listeners. This song is filled with an original R&B tempo and is accompanied by feelings that have been expressively poured out through the lyrics.

“Free Yourself” follows closely in the track listing. Like the previous song, it is a love ballad from a heartbroken girl. Although it is not as upbeat as the last track, her mellow yet powerful voice makes up for what the rhythm lacks.

Not only does the album contain this range of songs; Barrino did not fail to add in a little classic and upbeat strokes to her masterpiece. “Selfish” is a catchy tune that anyone can groove along to. “Summertime,” on the contrary, provides an elegant and vintage feel.

As Free Yourself progresses, the sound and style eventually wear out, which is the album’s main fault. Giving the impression that the beats and cadences were built upon one another without any new techniques, the middle and end tracks are flashing signs to push forward.

As the end comes near, “I Believe,” picks up where the album begins to fall short. Its authenticity and liveliness makes it the ideal closing track.

Overall, Free Yourself is a little on the downside of the scale. Although it is not a high recommendation, it has its ups and downs and is definitely worth a listen.