You didn't buy this album did you??

Ray J: Radiation “The Persistent Brother” An Album Review by Nfared
Brandy is a superstar in her own right. In the process of making herself a
music mogul she has cast something of a huge shadow. Her brother Ray J seems to
have spent most of his career trying to step out of that shadow. His struggle to
develop a consistent image is made obvious as he continues to flip-flop styles,
switching from singing on his first album “Everything You Want” to not really
singing but not really rapping on 2001’s “This Ain’t A Game” back to singing on
his current release “Raydiation”. He still has his work cut out for him.

DarkChild’s signature fast paced sound highlights “Keep Sweatin”. Ray J
though, sings with too much effort (the spit is almost visible as he says, “now
Push it back/Push it back!). Lyrically he is no better, “Then I felt someone
grab me/and say ain’t you from Cali/then say welcome to Miami/and yeah/she was
on me heavy”. Expressing his feelings on “What I Need”, he is less forceful, but
nasal to the point of frustration. Frustration goes to irritation with “One
Wish”. Ray J sings in an unbearable high-pitched tone that displays little vocal
control and sounds like constant whining. The production adds to the frustration
with a disturbing speed change at the line. “I’d be O.K. if I get one”. The ear
catching production of the ballad “Melody” brings a little satisfaction and
finds Ray J singing in a less nose pinching tone on the chorus, “Melody/said
that I love/Melody/said that I/adore you/Melody/said that I/need you.” Sister
Brandy lends vocals on “War Is Over”. While the
message about ending war is relevant, the song suffers from an odd combination
of a confused sounding Ray J. and a subdued Brandy; this track is a far cry from
their enthusiastic duet, “Thank You” on Ray J’s first album.

Needle Meter With his track record, it’s a slight surprise that Ray J has
managed to put three albums under his belt. In a painfully obvious effort to be
unlike his sister, he has created a sound and image that even he does not seem
totally convinced of, and one that is more than likely to change by the time he
decides to drop another album. Come out come out Ray J, wherever you are.
One Needle














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