Amazon.co.uk: Award-winning British artist Estelle never got her just desserts for her 2004 debut album The 18th Day. Though the record was a critical success, it failed to make the mainstream splash many had hoped for. Her sophomore project, Shine, seems hell bent on avoiding the same fate. Backed up by a coterie of high profile US starlets--Wyclef Jean, will.i.am, Mark Ronson and Kanye West--Shine has surefire commercial success written all over it; though that's not to say Estelle has sold out. Despite the high-impact American-style production, Shine remains reassuringly British. Estelle's West London twang is as sharp as ever, and even Kanye drops rhymes about "WAGS" and "London Boys" (see single "American Boy"). It's every bit as diverse as its predecessor too, featuring dancehall party jams ("Magnificent", produced by Mark Ronson and featuring Kardinal Offishall), the will.i.am produced "Wait a Minute (Just a Touch)" (which uses a twisted up sample from Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You") to lovers' rock ("Come Over") and, of course, some love ballads too, such as "Substitute Lover", overseen by Wyclef. A solid all-round follow up, Shine should give Estelle the commercial success she deserves. --Danny McKenna
Amazon.com: The UK's finest, multiple award-winning artist Estelle is back with a brand new album on a brand new label. Signed by US `Soul Sensation' John Legend to his Homeschool label, the album is a joint venture between Homeschool and Atlantic Records.
"I have known John for a while now...we worked on my first album 18th day before he was signed. He featured on "Hey Girl," played piano on "Free," and appeared in the video. As I went to do my second album I asked him to help exec-produce it. As I progressed with it, I left my label and he said he'd sign me and here we are today. We always make great songs together. While I like and listen to a lot of musicians - there aren't many I respect on a level to help me write songs or upgrade/push me as an artist...but John is one of them."
The album features collaborations with the likes of Kanye West, Will.I.Am, Wyclef Jean, Mark Ronson, Ceelo, Swizz Beatz who are just some of the `hitmakers' that Estelle has been in the studio with...and of course, John Legend.
Estelle's Second Album Shines. Shine has the sweet, unfamiliar kick of blackcurrant Ribena (Estelle's favorite drink) mixed with Pernod. I first discovered London R&B singer/rapper, Estelle (Fanta Estelle Swaray ), through her mixtapes of "Da Heat," and her 2004 release of The 18th Day. Driven by the hip-hop heavy, West London neo-soul grooves of "Wait a Minute (Just a Touch)" and the number one with a bullet UK single, "American Boy," her second album features guest appearances by some really cool blokes like Wyclef Jean, will.i.am, Kardinal Offishall, Mark Ronson, John Legend, Cee-Lo, and Kanye West. Album tracks include:
1. Wait A Minute [Just A Touch] 3:40 2. No Substitute Love) 3:33 3. American Boy [Feat. Kanye West] 4:44 4. More Than Friends 4:25 5. Magnificent [Featuring Kardinal Offishall] 3:56 6. Come Over 3:41 7. So Much Out The Way 4:04 8. In The Rain 4:08 9. Back In Love 4:01 10. You Are [featuring John Legend] 3:28 11. Pretty Please [Love Me] [Feat. Cee-Lo] 3:58 12. Shine 3:49
G. Merritt
Amazing! Wonderful mix of Neo-soul, Reggae, Hip Hop and Jazz! The type of cd I've been looking for a while, she reminds me of Lauryn Hill.
Very Nice Come Out! Estelle gets her English groove on with this CD. It's nice and playful for the most part. I get a little lost though with some of the tracks that are mostly rap. That's not my thing. She sounds like a hip Corrin Bailey RAy. My favorite tracks are:
Back in Love again You are w/ John Legend Shine American Boy w/ Kanye Magnificent No substitute
Shine Well I must say that I am surprised by all of the somewhat raving reviews. It is not a bad CD; however, there were no particularly remarkable tracks. I do like American Boy, I think her vocal style coupled with Kanye's rap style was a good match. The Wyclef collaboration was nice and of course anything with John Legend is a complement from my point of view. On a couple of other tracks I could hear Floetry's vocal sound & style. I also didn't think the lyrics were unique but I must comment about the controversy reported by her record label regarding her teeth. Estelle, do what feels best for you, it will not impact your sales, if the track and vocals are tight because it is evident from the reviews that you have the support you need.
Integrated Sounds ShineI am a minor historian of roots music, and find Estelle's "Shine" album a delightful find. I was immediately enthralled by "Wait a Minute," the first cut on this album. There are subtle musical influences that perhaps even the artists, particularly Estelle and collaborator, John Legend, may not be aware of. Recordings of 1920's jazz and other popular music of that time freely used banjo and bass as primary rhythm keepers. Duke Ellington's "Black and Tan Fantasy," and "Creole Rhapsody" come to mind. Estelle is very artful in her very similar use of rhythm keepers, adding to her incorporation of West African, British, Jamaican and other Atlantic island sounds. She also uses vocal harmonies that are reminiscent of early female jazz vocalists, such as Ivie Anderson, an Ellington collaborator. Despite her close collaboration with contemporary American musicians, she does not loose her spirit of openess to the many musical styles she must have been exposed to in London during her formative years. As with many European and African musicians, she is does not seem to shun musical forms. Or perhaps this is a trend of her generation--hopefully, it is--a rediscovery of musical roots and their use within her own compositions. Or in the words of the great Duke Ellington, to create music "beyond category."
My only major complaint about her work, which may be more a complaint about her publicists, is that the album art contains no discography to speak of. So we are not very well informed about the roles of the musicians she recorded with. This may be OK for her pop audience, but for those who like to make music history connections, it is frustrating.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
