Anthony Hamilton

Love Anthony Hamilton but I won't buy his cd again because I can't put it on my ipod. His music is great but I have to actually put his CD in the machine to listen to him...too much work for 2008.

he is ver under-rated as an artist. he may not be as polished as everyone else, but he's got the voice better than some. i like this whole album.

I came across Anthony Hamilton after getting a sampler Cd from HMV which featured' Better days'. I must have rewinded that one song more times than I care to remember. Based on that excellent song, I was chomping at the bits for the CD to be released. Well my Little Sister beat me to the punch, so I was able to borrow her copy. To be honest, my view upon hearing it then, is the same as now. Whilst I'd admit the Mr. Hamilton can sing, and there are some nice moments on board, to my mind it's not a must have 5 star release. I don't know if this says more about the R&B scene nowadays that an OK release that hankers back to the Southern Soul sound of yester year is treated as the next best thing. Oh, I still love 'better days'.

Anthony Hamilton's second album has received praise as well as harsh criticism. Im on the praise side because I genuinely like his music. Comin From Where I'm From was a soulful joint that turned me on to his music. Charlene and Since I Seen You are pretty good tracks too. Lucille is my favorite track on the album. On this song, Anthony tells a story of a woman who is abused and how she left Anthony for the abuser. There are a few songs I dont care for. Cornbread, Fish & Collard Greens is a riot and not in a good way. Better Days, My First Love featuring Latoiya Williams and Chyna Black are also songs I could do without. Other than these flaws this album is not bad and warrants a listen. Anthony Hamilton's Comin From Where Im From is definitely a slept-on album for 2003 and you know what the crazy thing is? The same people who trounced this album turned around and jumped on the bandwagon when Soulife came out. Aint life grand? Standouts: SINCE I SEEN YOU, CHARLENE, IM A MESS, COMIN FROM WHERE I'M FROM, LUCILLE, FLOAT and I TRIED.

1. Mama Knew *3:28* 4/5
2. C,F&CG *4:33* 1.5/5
3. Since I've Seen't You *3:15* 4.25/5
4. Charlene *4:06* 3.75/5
5. I'm A Mess *4:24* 5.5/5
6. Comin' From Where I'm From *4:00* 4.75/5
7. Better Days *3:02* 4.25/5
8. Lucille *4:28* 6/5
9. Float *5:41* 5/5
10. My First Love Feat. Loyoiya Williams *6:14* 4.25/5
11. Chyna Black *3:59* 2.75/5
12. I Tried *5:02* 4/5

Cover Art: B+
Songwriting: B- (CF&CG lowers it big time and I'm A Mess heightens in spades and spades. Second best track.)
Production: A- (Check out Lucille and be utterly speechless in amazement and awe!!!!!)
Length: A-
Overall: B

50/12 = 4.166666666666667

4.166666666666667 = 4.17

4.17 stars.

'Ain't nobody Worryin'' has the hallmarks of a classic. The dynamic range of AH's voice is employed to the full here in such a diverse range of soul styles that you know that he knows and respects the history of Soul Music. In the pantheon of legendary soulsters; O'Neil, Womack, Gaye, Van Dross, AH can confidently take his seat.

The strength of this collection of songs lies, I think, in that the arrangements and production stays true to the songs and nowhere does that great soul voice become subordinate to mindless beats instead vocal harmony is used to carry songs along. Lyrically, too, AH's maturity shows in the fact that he doesn't yak about drugs 'n guns 'n sex 'n bitches.

I only received the CD the other day and I can't take it off.

Anthony was a victim of the music business for the first eight years of his career. He got dropped from one label, then the next label he signed to went bankrupt, recorded two albums all in this time, one never saw the light of day (and later became the Soulife album), and the other was called XTC and is pretty much none exisistent. Well now ten years later, after the then struggling musician, got signed to So So Def and released a decent album in "Comin From Where Im From" that gained him a strong fan base in 2003, well now he is not doing to bad. He released a sort of compilation album earlier in 05 called "Soulife" that consisted of previously unreleased songs from his first two canned albums, and now in December of 2005 he released the stunning soulful "Ain't Nobody Worryin" and now he cemented himself as a superstar. While he still isnt selling records in mass amounts, he now has a strong fan base. The thing i love about Anthony is that not only does he have the most gritty but yet smooth and soulful voice, he remains humble. He is unaffected by his recent fame that he has gained, he is still a country boy. And he is pround of it as you can tell after one listen to this album. Weather its the warm and summery breeziness of "Southern Stuff" or its the good old ghetto feel to "Sista Big Bones" this man is definetly a country guy. His best matireal is when he is singing about love weather its lost or gained. Like on the first single "Can't Let Go", it has that brassy thumping mid tempo clash feel to it that is similar to "Charlene". Or on the tear jerking and yet so- or in his case soul calming "Never Love Again" with its light piano touches. Either way, Anthony wont have to struggle no more after this legendary release, he won me over with his soulfulness.


Grade:
A-

I love Anthony. He is a great artist. I love this CD, I love his voice. This is a great buy!!!!

It took me a few months to write a review, because at first I wasn't feeling it like I was feeling his debut cd. Put it away and came back to it with A much different vibe about it. I LIKE IT!!!!! Nice job AH.

I absolulely love Anthony! He's definitely off da chain and has that soul in his voice! Please do not fall asleep on this one! Sample first, and if you don't like it, don't buy it, simple as that. Got to admit, this is real music like I grew up with back in the day, and much better than some of the trash that's out now. Want real, get this, want the rest,get it bootleg. I wouldn't pay any real money for some of today's junk. Not that it's all junk, just to me it is. Radio is missing real music; that's why I don't listen to some of it. This is a great follow up to Comin' Where I'm from.

Soulife was Anthony's first release prior to getting with a major recording studio and it definately holds it's own when compared to Southern Comfort and Aint Nobody Worrying. At first listen I wanted to give it 4 stars. Then I listened again at home while domesticating and it is really a great CD that has down and up tempos on it. I love Anthony's soulfulness. I have even seen him live. This is a must for true R&B fans.

My favs are;

CLEARLY
I cRY
Last night
Love and War
Georgy PARKER

Sometimes it can be hard to make a review about an album like this interesting. I just want to say the same thing about each and every song; brilliant. It appears that it is easier to rip something apart then it is to give it praise and commendation. I know that it may not appear that way when looking over my reviews, but it is.

I happened onto Anthony Hamilton by pure accident. It was one of those marvelous and rewarding accidents, that's for sure. I was actually looking for another artist entirely but this album popped up and so I decided (as I often do) to purchase it and see what it was like. Thank the lord in heaven for that because `Soulife' is actually one of my favorite albums in my CD case. Every track here is marvelously crafted and delivers beautifully. From the opening `I Used to Love Someone' (one of the best tracks on the album) to the closing track `Exclusively' (a great way to get us wanting more), `Soulife' is quite frankly flawless.

`Soulife' is a compilation of tracks Hamilton recorded in between releasing his debut album `XTC' and his sophomore album `From Where I'm From'. Due to problems with his label the album was not released until 2005, but it doesn't feel dated in the least (maybe that's because you can't date a genre like this). The songs all sound fresh and crisp; effortless to say the least. Anthony Hamilton has such a soulful voice, such a smoky and heartfelt sound that evokes real emotion and caresses the eardrums masterfully. Just listen to his subtle flow on `Georgie Parker', one of the albums most recognizable tracks.

The album is a great mix of soulful ballads that play strong to the R&B side of things and stay true to what makes Hamilton such an admirable artist. A song like `Day Dreamin' is so infectious in its melody and Hamilton's silky vocal delivery that you can't help but fall for its grace, while `Ball & Chain' (one of my favorite tracks here) delivers a completely different feeling, coupling the laid back soul vibe with pressing lyrics that `paint a perfect picture'. Ballads like `Clearly', and even more so `I Cry', crawl under the listener's skin and bring us right into the mood and mindset Hamilton was in while recording. `Ol Keeper' has a very funky vibe that sets an instance bounce in your groove. Tracks like `Icing on the Cake' and `Love is so Complicated' play this same funk vibe and actually come off a tad disco-like.

Two of the cuts here feature guest vocals. `Last Night' features Sunshine Anderson and while the chorus gets a little `blah' the verses work very well. It's not one of my favorite songs, in fact it may be my least favorite song here, but I don't skip it. Drastically different is the way I feel towards `Love & War' featuring Macy Gray. Now my feelings for this song are very surprising since I've never been a fan of Gray herself; in fact when she first appeared on the music scene I was repulsed by her lack of talent, but I actually enjoy her here. Maybe I need to give her another try. She works so well with Hamilton, her rasp contrasting in a beautiful nature against his smooth texture.

In the end `Soulife' is masterfully constructed to get the listener intoxicated by this man's music and create in us a desire to know everything he's ever touched. This was my first experience with Hamilton, but it was not my last. Thanks to this brilliant album I have experienced all that Anthony has recorded, but `Soulife' will always have a special place with me for it brought this wonderfully talented man to my ears. Anthony Hamilton sings music that means something; music that reaches people.

Here's to hoping his music reaches you.

Everybody trounced his previous album Comin From Where Im From but I thought it was a decent offering. This album is more of an improvement over that album and it shows his true potential as an artist. I Used To Love Someone was a great song to start off the album. I Cry and Georgie Parker might sound dated to some people but I love those track because it reminds me of R&B/soul was before it got bastardized. Day Dreamin, Clearly, Love Is So Complicated(which nicely samples Barry White's Midnight Groove) and Exclusively are all highlights. Icing On The Cake is just that. Sunshine Anderson and Dolo Pichino show up on the beautiful Last Night. I never liked Love And War feat Macy Gray and Ol' Keeper is unlistenable. Other than that this album is pretty good and is recommended to any fan of soul music(I refuse to use the term Neo-soul). Standouts: I USED TO LOVE SOMEONE, I CRY, CLEARLY, LAST NIGHT, LOVE IS SO COMPLICATED,ICING ON THE CAKE and EXCLUSIVELY.

Anthony Hamilton is soulful, no doubt about it. I purchased the cd because I really like his voice... He could be singing the ABC's and I'd be satisfied. He is definately underrated in my opinion, but anyway, the cd is great! I recommend it to all Anthony Hamilton fans!

I'm a first-timer, concerning Anthony Hamilton but I must say he's a wonderful surprise. This project could never have any other title but "SoulLife" and he definetely knows what Soul means. As a musician I must admit some jealousy happened when I realised I wouldn't have come up with a project like this one so soon, having this sense of correct and unpretentious integrity. The best of it all, I slow-bounced while listening and getting into the context (good words and great guests)! I grew up a little bit more as a musician listening to him, thank you!

THE SHOW:
In my opinion, Les Misérables is the best musical ever written. It is surprisingly faithful to its source, the excellent epic novel by Victor Hugo. True, many plot episodes have been dropped and some characters have been combined, but the only major change is that the character of Eponine has been ennobled. The main storyline is about Jean Valjean, a man embittered by an overzealous prison system but redeemed by the kindness of a bishop. He vows to live the remainder of his life as an upright man, which leads him to be a successful businessman and mayor, the guardian of an orphan, and eventually a fighter in the doomed Paris revolt of 1832. However, there are a multitude of characters who interact with Valjean and each other. The plot is complex, and the show runs about 3 hours, longer than the typical Broadway musical. Large portions of the show are serious, but it has its humorous moments, and other parts (including the finale) are extremely uplifting.

THE RECORDING:
This three-CD set is an excellent recording of the show -- this is one of my most prized possessions!

First of all, the use of a full symphony orchestra lends an extra dramatic flair apparent from the first chord onward.

Secondly, I recommend this recording because of its completeness. To me, many of the most inspiring parts of the score are where Valjean shows his Christ-like compassion: championing Fantine, claiming Cosette, freeing Javert, and pleading for Marius. None of these are included on the Broadway recording, nor are the bittersweet musical sequences following several of the deaths in the second act.

Third of all, the recording cast is drawn from members of several English-speaking productions, plus one member from a non-English-speaking production. With only one exception, these singing actors do a fine job. I will comment only on the three most controversial casting choices:

People familiar with recordings featuring Colm Wilkinson as Valjean find difficulty adjusting to Gary Morris, who plays the role very differently than Wilkinson. He has a voice that's rougher, but I think it has more power and a wider range of emotion that more than makes up for the roughness: compare the sense of anguish he brings to such numbers as "What Have I Done?," "Who Am I?," and "Bring Him Home." I think that Valjean, a man who has endured so much pain and suffering in his life, would be this emotional, even if he has dedicated his life to God. However, I understand how other people prefer Wilkinson's more gentlemanly portrayal of Valjean.

Kaho Shimada, from the Japanese cast, did not speak English at the time of this recording. Her accent is no stranger than some popular country singers, and I doubt anyone who did not know she didn't speak English would realize her unfamiliarity with the language. Ms. Shimada has a "pop"-style voice, but it works well for the downtrodden Eponine.

I agree with other reviewers who dislike Tracy Shayne in the part of Cosette. The character is not one of the better parts written by either Hugo or Boublil, so I can forgive Ms. Shayne for her lack of acting the part to its fullest, but I cannot pardon her weak and somewhat fluttery voice. Surely someone better could have been found for this landmark recording. Because the role of Cosette is secondary, this flaw is not a deal-breaker.

The rest of the cast and chorus are superb -- great acting and strong voices. Special accolades for Philip Quast as Javert and Anthony Warlowe as Enjolras.

To summarize: if money is tight, skip a few meals to cover the extra cost of this recording. It's worth it!

Les Miserables is not only compelling music it is very dramatic, therefore no other version is as satisfactory a listening experience. The other versions are really on Les Miserables, the greatest hits, and therefore lack the dramatic impact. This recording is superb; buy it and enjoy!

This is my favorite Broadway production. This is the best recording of Les Mis available.

Like so many others, I have never been so deeply effected by any other staged musical. It is somewhat like going to mass. I know the story. I have seen the turntable production multible times in multiple countries. And still, whenever I find myself at a location near a live performance, I feel compelled to go again. I know that I will always be so moved as to feel marvel that such a feast of story, sights, and sounds can be put together in a single theatrical production. Somehow it seems to renew something inside of me that is good.
This play has so few spoken words that it is rather like an opera. It has inspired me to buy virtually every recording associated with it (even the French concept album)... searching for that heart felt experience. This album, better than any other, allows you to re-experience the entire play. It is a treasure.
William R. Beaty, M.D.

I have this recording memorized front to back, and when my old cassettes finally wore out, it was time to replace them digitally. Well of course it sounds phenomenal, and the booklet has all the cast info plus all the lyrics and a synopsis of the plot. I can't compare this with the other recordings, but it's my favorite as I grew up with this one.

This is another strong collection from one of my favorite young singers. I fell in love with Anthony Hamilton's voice on his breakthrough "debut", COMIN FROM WHERE I'M FROM and have continued to collect any and all offerings from him and so far have not been disappointed.

On this collection I discovered that this man has amazing range - I never heard him sing in his falsetto till he did it on on of my favorite tracks on this disc, PLEASE - a beautiful ballad. I agree with one poster's comment that a mainstream record label probably would have shelved this collection but luckily an indie label saw fit to release it.

My favorite tracks are: NEVER GIVE UP - the vocal & musical arrangements are great & I especially love hearing the organ/wurlitzer in the background; THEY DON'T KNOW - excellent funkdified muscial arrangement; WHY - the lyrics plaintively speak about Anthony's struggles in the music biz; DON'T SAY WHAT YOU WON'T DO - I love how he sang in every vocal register he's capable of and FALLIN IN LOVE - a beautiful ballad.

I could keep scratching my head and wondering why this young man's music isn't fully embraced or supported but instead, I think I'll just press "repeat" and continue to enjoy the music. I'd highly recommend this collection to new and old fans.

This CD is typical Anthony Hamilton and it does not disappoint. It's one that I had to cop two copies of, one for the car and one for home. One of the very few CD's out there that you can put on and listen to in its entirety. I definitely recommend this selection to any and all...

Considering the way that Anthony Hamilton's albums are generally released, I'm not sure if Southern Comfort is a true album full of new material (especially because it's on a label that I've never heard of) or if it's just a collection of unreleased tracks like Soulife was. But whatever the case, there ain't a thing wrong with it.

Actually, I just found out that this IS an album of unreleased tracks, and now that I think about it, this album is to R&B what Nas' The Lost Tapes is to rap: it makes you wonder why these songs were left off the proper studio albums. This collection never runs out of highlights, like "Better Love", "They Don't Know" and "Sailin' Away". And "Please" surprised me, because I had no idea that he could do falsetto.

Anthony also does a great job when he goes political, like in "Don't Say What You Won't Do". In fact, I can list every song on here as being great. There is also apparently an explicit version of the album because of a few choice words he says on "Glad U Called" (good luck trying to find it), but at any rate, Southern Comfort will give you just that.

Anthony Rupert

I can understand why a profit-seeking major label, which can be interpreted as narrow-minded, would not release this album. There is no song that one could readily identify as a single (except for maybe Better Love). Yet this is in my opinion his best album. As a true fan of Mr. Hamilton I may be biased but this is a seminal album that truly appears to reflect someone's experience. Music can be intended to make us shake our rumps, which is fine, we need that some times. In my opinion music is the easiest art form for people to relate to. Easier than paintings, sculpture or poetry that we may not be able to explain how they move us. Music is more literal. I can relate to every song on this album, link it to different timepoints in my life or people around me that I love. To be honest I can say this about all of his albums but this is beyond deep. I'm talking Marvin Gaye, 70's - "Here my Dear" deep! Buy it!

I love Anthony's music and this release is even better than the Major Labels ones.

Soulife was Anthony's first release prior to getting with a major recording studio and it definately holds it's own when compared to Southern Comfort and Aint Nobody Worrying. At first listen I wanted to give it 4 stars. Then I listened again at home while domesticating and it is really a great CD that has down and up tempos on it. I love Anthony's soulfulness. I have even seen him live. This is a must for true R&B fans.

My favs are;

CLEARLY
I cRY
Last night
Love and War
Georgy PARKER

Sometimes it can be hard to make a review about an album like this interesting. I just want to say the same thing about each and every song; brilliant. It appears that it is easier to rip something apart then it is to give it praise and commendation. I know that it may not appear that way when looking over my reviews, but it is.

I happened onto Anthony Hamilton by pure accident. It was one of those marvelous and rewarding accidents, that's for sure. I was actually looking for another artist entirely but this album popped up and so I decided (as I often do) to purchase it and see what it was like. Thank the lord in heaven for that because `Soulife' is actually one of my favorite albums in my CD case. Every track here is marvelously crafted and delivers beautifully. From the opening `I Used to Love Someone' (one of the best tracks on the album) to the closing track `Exclusively' (a great way to get us wanting more), `Soulife' is quite frankly flawless.

`Soulife' is a compilation of tracks Hamilton recorded in between releasing his debut album `XTC' and his sophomore album `From Where I'm From'. Due to problems with his label the album was not released until 2005, but it doesn't feel dated in the least (maybe that's because you can't date a genre like this). The songs all sound fresh and crisp; effortless to say the least. Anthony Hamilton has such a soulful voice, such a smoky and heartfelt sound that evokes real emotion and caresses the eardrums masterfully. Just listen to his subtle flow on `Georgie Parker', one of the albums most recognizable tracks.

The album is a great mix of soulful ballads that play strong to the R&B side of things and stay true to what makes Hamilton such an admirable artist. A song like `Day Dreamin' is so infectious in its melody and Hamilton's silky vocal delivery that you can't help but fall for its grace, while `Ball & Chain' (one of my favorite tracks here) delivers a completely different feeling, coupling the laid back soul vibe with pressing lyrics that `paint a perfect picture'. Ballads like `Clearly', and even more so `I Cry', crawl under the listener's skin and bring us right into the mood and mindset Hamilton was in while recording. `Ol Keeper' has a very funky vibe that sets an instance bounce in your groove. Tracks like `Icing on the Cake' and `Love is so Complicated' play this same funk vibe and actually come off a tad disco-like.

Two of the cuts here feature guest vocals. `Last Night' features Sunshine Anderson and while the chorus gets a little `blah' the verses work very well. It's not one of my favorite songs, in fact it may be my least favorite song here, but I don't skip it. Drastically different is the way I feel towards `Love & War' featuring Macy Gray. Now my feelings for this song are very surprising since I've never been a fan of Gray herself; in fact when she first appeared on the music scene I was repulsed by her lack of talent, but I actually enjoy her here. Maybe I need to give her another try. She works so well with Hamilton, her rasp contrasting in a beautiful nature against his smooth texture.

In the end `Soulife' is masterfully constructed to get the listener intoxicated by this man's music and create in us a desire to know everything he's ever touched. This was my first experience with Hamilton, but it was not my last. Thanks to this brilliant album I have experienced all that Anthony has recorded, but `Soulife' will always have a special place with me for it brought this wonderfully talented man to my ears. Anthony Hamilton sings music that means something; music that reaches people.

Here's to hoping his music reaches you.

Everybody trounced his previous album Comin From Where Im From but I thought it was a decent offering. This album is more of an improvement over that album and it shows his true potential as an artist. I Used To Love Someone was a great song to start off the album. I Cry and Georgie Parker might sound dated to some people but I love those track because it reminds me of R&B/soul was before it got bastardized. Day Dreamin, Clearly, Love Is So Complicated(which nicely samples Barry White's Midnight Groove) and Exclusively are all highlights. Icing On The Cake is just that. Sunshine Anderson and Dolo Pichino show up on the beautiful Last Night. I never liked Love And War feat Macy Gray and Ol' Keeper is unlistenable. Other than that this album is pretty good and is recommended to any fan of soul music(I refuse to use the term Neo-soul). Standouts: I USED TO LOVE SOMEONE, I CRY, CLEARLY, LAST NIGHT, LOVE IS SO COMPLICATED,ICING ON THE CAKE and EXCLUSIVELY.

Anthony Hamilton is soulful, no doubt about it. I purchased the cd because I really like his voice... He could be singing the ABC's and I'd be satisfied. He is definately underrated in my opinion, but anyway, the cd is great! I recommend it to all Anthony Hamilton fans!

I'm a first-timer, concerning Anthony Hamilton but I must say he's a wonderful surprise. This project could never have any other title but "SoulLife" and he definetely knows what Soul means. As a musician I must admit some jealousy happened when I realised I wouldn't have come up with a project like this one so soon, having this sense of correct and unpretentious integrity. The best of it all, I slow-bounced while listening and getting into the context (good words and great guests)! I grew up a little bit more as a musician listening to him, thank you!