Is anyone else upset about "blame it on the alcohol" or is it just me? I guess what really burns my britches is that Jamie can REALLY sing!!! He can REALLY write! He can REALLY play? So, his choice to make some of the music he is making right now leaves me seriously... unsatisfied.
In discussing this with friends, many opinions have been garnered. Maybe fame has gone to his head. Maybe he's trapped by popularity and allowed himself to be locked into popular culture. Which leads me to ask, why isn't "good" music popular culture anymore? I'm not arbitrarily trying to knock an artist for doing what they love to do. I surely don't begrudge Jamie his success. I just feel as though he's not really living up to his potential as an artist.
But then again, neither am I.
Clearly, we live in two vastly different worlds. So the comparison will be loose but... I can relate to not knowing exactly what to do with the gift God has given you when all around you Pop Culture seems to have the "relevant" avenues already mapped out. I can relate to having success defined so externaly that the internal values seem to have no merit.
Upon hearing it again, I was overwhelmed with memories. My ex-husband and I listened to that album a whole lot. We ran that joint in the ground actually. It occurs to me that my perception of Jamie's firt release was deeply colored by the events of my own life at that time. Some sense of nostalgia has biased my need to prop the album up over the years as a glaring indictment of changes that have taken place in my life that (subconsciously) I hadn't completely come to terms with...I think.
When I listened to the album, there are definitely some moments that still truly move me like track # 10 If You Love Me, track #11 Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Our Love and track #13 Light a Candle. This is the Jamie Foxx I fell in love with all those years ago and had been looking forward to hearing from again. However the rest of the album is pretty consistent with what he is doing now. Maybe that is what bugs me.
Notwithstanding some noteable improvement in his vocal abilties, the obvious air of heightened self confidence and the improved level of production and packaging, I think I'm missing the maturity that thought would surely come in his mentality and content and I guess "blame it on the alcohol" just doesn't shout "MATURITY" to me. I'm not sure why, I guess I just envisioned Jamie as more of a legend than a fad. Some music you hear and know you will listen to it for the rest of your life. I haven't heard that from Jamie yet.
Sorry Jamie, it all just my opinion and maybe here in my blog is the only place it means anything. But Iam still looking forward to more from you because I really think you are an awesome talent!!!
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