After a brief rest on the bench, our Best You Never Heard feature returns this week with little known gems by Ashanti, Fantasia, Mario and Alexandra Burke.

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Ashanti – You’re Gonna Miss

Ashanti’s criminally underrated LP ‘The Declaration’ (2008) housed many a hit, with one of its best offerings being ‘You’re Gonna Miss’. Produced by LT Hutton, the 80’s inspired Synth-Pop meets R&B cut had ‘winner’ written all over it; which makes the lacklustre performance of the album (due to industry politics etc) all the more unfortunate. Still, regardless of the record’s eventual fate, we’ve still been gifted gems like this. Awesome track.

Listen:

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Fantasia – Til My Baby Comes Home

The incomparable Fantasia served up the hotness on her remake of Luther Vandross’ ‘Til My Baby Comes Home’ from 2005. Lifted from ‘So Amazing…An All-Star Tribute To Luther Vandross’ compilation, the American Idol alum took the song to church and beyond! Passionately sung and really capturing the essence of the track’s lyrical narrative, Ms. Barrino’s version, IMO, gives the original an undeniable run for its money. Some 5 years later, I cannot get enough of ‘Tasia’s vocal runs and riffs on this one. The business.

Listen:

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Alexandra Burke – Nothing But The Girl

It’s a given that X-Factor sensation Alexandra Burke has a level of talent which positions her as world-class. However the material on her otherwise successful debut ‘Overcome’ didn’t really provide her the firmest of foundations to showcase that (though she ’s making the best of what’s she’s been given and nailing each and every live performance). The album does indeed boast a few gems though, one of the biggest stand-outs being ‘Nothing But The Girl’. Penned by Ne-Yo, the song is a delicious slice of Electro-Pop, with a side helping of R&B. If there’s any justice in the world (or her label lol) this has to be a single at some point in the albums shelf-life.

Listen:

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Mario – Music For Love

R&B crooner Mario delivered his strongest offering yet with 2007’s ‘Music For Love’. Featured on the 24 yea old’s equally as great  ‘Go!’ LP, the track is a metaphorical nod to the art of making love. Though such a topic is much-treaded on territory in R&B, the song separates itself from the masses with ridiculously clever wordplay, which makes for it to sound sensual as opposed to sleazy. Some may call it a stretch, but this is a modern day R&B classic, which most certainly should have received the single treatment. Interestingly, a video was in the pipeline, yet was axed for unknown reasons.

Listen:

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Hit(s) or Miss(es)?

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

This week’s edition of Best You Never Heard features little known gems by Kelly Rowland, The Saturdays, Mary Mary and Mariah Carey.

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Kelly Rowland – Love Again

Though the label handling of the re-release of Kelly Rowland’s ‘Ms. Kelly’ in 2008 left a lot to be desired, the fact it yielded the stunningly beautiful ‘Love Again’ made the whole project worth it IMO. Without question, the best the 28 year old has sounded on track to date, the stripped back, sparse production really allows for the force that can be Kelly’s voice to soar to emotive heights I hadn’t previously thought possible (in being 100% honest). If ever there was a little known track I wish could be included on her forthcoming project, it would be this, so as for the masses to really see that my girl has got pipes! Here’s hoping there’s similar sounding tracks, which showcase her vocals to their full potential, on her hotly anticipated 3rd solo album.

Listen:

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The Saturdays – Fall

Lifted from The Saturdays’ self-titled Platinum 2008 debut, stirring ballad ‘Fall’ hands-down serves as one of the ladies best offerings to date. Though overlooked as single in favour of the album’s more popier/radio-friendly cuts, this Ina Wroldsen penned number really drove home the potential the group have beyond the Pop niche they’ve fallen into. With lyrics which give a refreshingly darker take on a a relationship break-up, as well as stellar vocals (largely from lead singer Vanessa), this is a must-have for one’s music collection. Awesome track!

Listen:

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Mary Mary – Believer

As mentioned previously, I have a soft-spot for crossover Gospel (aka Gospel music which sounds like everything else I usually listen to!) Sister duo Mary Mary have carved out a niche for serving up such gems since bursting onto the scene in 2000 with their smash ‘Shackles’.  One of the pair’s best tracks IMO is 2005’s ‘Believer’ from their self-titled LP released the same year. Perhaps the most lyrically engaging and thought-provoking song I’ve heard in…well…forever…this ultimately is made even better by such lyrics are over a banging beat. This one knocks!

Listen:

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Mariah Carey – Melt Away

Though somewhat a controversial statement, ‘Butterfly’ and ‘The Emancipation of Mimi’ aside, Mariah Carey actually hasn’t released much in the way of a solid album from start to finish IMO. Instead, each of her LP’s boast stand-out cuts which further enhance the quality of her extensive back-catalogue. One of my all-time favourites comes in the form of ‘Melt Away’ from her 1995 album ‘Daydream’. Produced by Babyface, the breezy mid-tempo stands as one of Mariah’s first forays into outright R&B – and arguably one of her best. An updated take on this sound is the sort of music I’d happily lap up from Mimi for her next LP.

Listen:

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Hit(s) or Miss(es)?

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

This week’s edition of Best You Never Heard features little known gems by Jennifer Hudson, The-Dream, Stevie Wonder and Brandy.

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Jennifer Hudson – Invisible

As seemingly one of the few who didn’t wholesomely enjoy Jennifer Hudson’s 2008 self-titled debut, for me ‘Invisible’ – alongside lead single ‘Spotlight’ – stood far and above the rest of the album’s material. Produced by The Underdogs, the anthem-esque mid-tempo ballad is delivered with such conviction, rawness, emotion that one can’t help but ‘feel’ what Ms. Hudson is singing – the testament IMO to a great song and a an even better singer. Awesome track.

Listen:

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The-Dream – She Needs My Love

2007 saw the emergence of songwriter The-Dream into the limelight with his smashing debut LP ‘Love/Hate’. Full to the brim with box-fresh hits, the album is best described as one of those where almost every track could have viably been a single – especially the steamy ‘She Needs My Love’. Put simply, the song is audio-fire! From the catchy hooks, to Dream’s trademark layered vocal arrangements, to the production (sparse cowbell driven verses which launch into a rousing chorus), this still goes hard today.

Listen:

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Stevie Wonder – So What The Fuss

The legendary Stevie Wonder served up more of his classic brilliance, this time with a modern twist, with 2005’s ‘So What The Fuss’ (lifted from his ‘A Time To Love’ LP). Featuring Prince on bass and EnVogue on background vocals, this raw slice of funk re-positioned Stevie as a legend whose new music can stand effortlessly beside today’s chart-topping hits, whilst preserving the high quality we’ve come to expect from him.

Listen:

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Brandy - Camouflage

R&B vocalist Brandy served up one of, if not ‘the’, best album of her career in 2008 with the release of the criminally underrated ‘Human’ record. Despite its lack of commercial success, the album will be best remembered IMO as serving up track after track of sheer brilliance – especially ‘Camouflage’. Produced by Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins and penned by Claude Kelly, Ms. Norwood entered new territory with this markedly Pop, organic guitar-heavy cut.  Yet she manages to ride the track flawlessly, really capturing the essence of what the song is about – a celebration of human  fragility and imperfectness. Great track.

Listen:

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Hit(s) or Miss(es)?

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

This week’s edition of Best You Never Heard features  little known gems by Michael Jackson, Wyclef and Claudette Ortiz, Kirk Franklin and Teedra Moses.

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Michael Jackson – Unbreakable (ft. Notorious B.I.G)

While the world unsurprisingly gravitated toward Michael Jackson’s classic songs in the wake of his death earlier this year, I found myself doing the same, yet also reaffirming my appreciation for his ‘newer’ music. Taken from 2001’s ‘Invincible’, Jackson’s last studio LP -  ‘Unbreakable’ stands as one of my favourite of his more recent offerings. Produced by Rodney ‘Darkchild’ Jerkins and featuring the late, great Notorious B.I.G, this epic piano-driven cut oozes funk, with a MJ’s trademark stamp on it. Without a doubt, had ‘hit’ written all over it; interestingly this was initially supposed to be a single (accompanied by a big budget video), however contractual disputes with his label Sony K.O’ed such plans. Tidbit: R&B star Brandy features on backing-vocals.

Listen:

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Wyclef & Claudette Ortiz – Dance Like This

Upon hitting ‘play’ on this one, many of you will immediately think back to Wyclef and Shakira’s 2005 smash ‘Hips Don’t Lie’. Indeed, ‘Dance Like This’ (recorded a year earlier), which features former City High singer Claudette Ortiz on lead vocals, sounds almost identical to ‘Hips’ – only with different lyrics. With both produced by and featuring Wyclef, it appears he simply tweaked Claudette’s version, which featured on the soundtrack to ‘Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights’ (straight-to-DVD) for Ms. Shakira, Shakira. With ‘Hips’ blowing up and becoming the hit it did,  very few are in the know about the original – which I would argue is the better of the two versions; this primarily due to the superior vocals and all-round more logical lyrcial content. Randomness: Come to think of it, where the hell is Claudette, she’s so talented?

Listen:

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Kirk Franklin – How It Used To Be

I’m a sucka for ‘crossover’ Gospel tracks, and few come harder on that front than Kirk Franklin, particularly on ‘How It Used To Be’. Said to have been produced by hitmaker Bryan-Michael Cox, this stirring piano-ballad has a ‘knock’ that would see it sit comfortably beside Mary J’s ‘Be Without You’ and similar sounding songs. More over, however, the vocals and vocal arrangements cut deep, really evoking emotion. Great, great song.

Listen:

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Teedra Moses – Backstroke

Soulful songstress Teedra Moses served up an R&B classic in the form of her debut LP ‘Complex Simplicity’. As hard as I try, I cannot remember where I stumbled upon the CD, yet what I do remember quite vividly is playing it on my iPod one night in 2005, while laying in bed. The intention was to see what the growing underground buzz was about…let’s just say I started a love-affair with the album there and then, an affair which still holds strong today. A particular album stand-out is ‘Backstroke’, which is best described as sensuality epitomised. With it’s suggestive coos and convincing vocal delivery, this stands as testament to the undeniable talent that is Teedra Moses. Tidbit: Still waiting on her sophomore LP ‘The Young Lioness’!

Listen:

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Hit(s) or Miss(es)?

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

It’s back! After being rested on the bench for almost a year, our much-loved Best You Never Heard feature returns this week. For new(er) That Grape Juice readers, The Best You Never Heard is a once weekly feature which showcases great songs which aren’t known (as much as they should be) to the masses. This week’s edition features little known gems by Madonna, Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis and R&B quartet Metro City.

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Madonna – Dance 2night (ft. Justin Timberlake)

Lifted from Madonna’s 2008 effort ‘Hard Candy’, ‘Dance 2night’ is a lush throwback to her Madegesty’s 80’s heydey. The Justin Timberlake produced (and featured) cut boasts a thumping bassline over a funky Electro-Pop groove. Why this wasn’t a single in some capacity really baffles me, as it’s hand-down the album’s best song next to ‘4 Minutes’.

Listen:

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Mariah Carey – For The Record

Though Mariah Carey’s 2008 LP ‘E=MC2′ was argued by many to be a let-down (myself included), it’d be unfair to deny that it features a song or two which can be deemed some of her best work. Indeed, the Brian M Cox produced ‘For The Record’ not only serves as the album’s biggest highlight, it stands as one of my favourite Mariah cuts ever.  A ballad with that ‘knock’, ‘Record’ easily completes the trinity of recent Mimi classic ballads (‘We Belong Together’, ‘Don’t Forget About Us’). From the lyrical content which makes you ‘feel’ what she’s singing, to her outstanding vocal delivery (I’m almost certain this was recorded during the ‘Emancipation’ era), this is – to it bluntly – the business. I’d certainly welcome more tracks in the vein of this for future Mariah releases.

Listen: 

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Leona Lewis – Take A Bow

Singing sensation Leona Lewis has taken the world by storm since hitting the scene back in 2006. While I feel some of her released material has been a bit hit and miss, when the East-Londoner knocks it out of the park she knocks it all the way out! This is perhaps best evidenced on ‘Take A Bow’, which featured on her debut LP ‘Spirit’. An edgier ballad than we’re used to hearing from Ms. Lewis, this one exudes a real epic aura, which is bolstered by her progressively soaring vocals. Awesome track.

Listen: 

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Metro City – Be Without You (Mary J Blige Cover)

Male R&B quartet Metro City, who I’m sure this is the first time you’re hearing of, delivered this stunning rendition of Mary J Blige’s ‘Be Without You’ in 2007. For the life of me, I cannot even remember how I stumbled upon this one, yet for a hot minute I played this more than the original. Unlike your typical cover version, this studio-recorded take on the song features tweaked lyrics, as well great (new) harmonies and arrangements. A winner.

Listen: 

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Hit(s) or Miss(es)?

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

Check out these shots of Rihanna, via Just Jared, on the video set of yet another single – namely ‘Disturbia’. Judging by her outfits, the David LaChappelle directed vid looks like it’ll be pretty interesting; which it needs to be, as the song is the absolute pits.

What do you thin of the pics?

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

Hmm…ok, I guess. They are evidently still very ‘green’, which is understandable. I’m thinking those Danity Kane comparisons can be put to rest for the time being now though.

Random tidbit: I’m a bit puzzled as to how little promotion they’ve done thus far considering their self-titled debut is due in stores early July. I wonder if it’ll be pushed back?

What do you think of the performance?

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

The 2008 MTV Movie Awards went ahead as planned yesterday night, despite a fire that destroyed parts of Universal Studios in Hollywood, California (where the show took place). A host of stars made appearances at the show including Jennifer Hudson, Will Smith & son Jaden, T.I., Megan Good, Chris Brown and girlfriend Rihanna.

What do you think of the pics?

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

After six years of dating, Cherish member Neosha King tied the knot with boyfriend Jason Lawrence early this month. The small, intimate beach ceremony was held on Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Neosha On Jason: “Jason and I both had come out of bad relationships,” explained Neosha, “and we met when he visited his childhood friend, who was also my sister Farrah’s then boyfriend. From the beginning, there was something special between us.”

Jason On Neosha: “When I saw her walk down the aisle it hit me that we were getting married,” says Jason, a design engineer. “We’d been in love for so long and on one accord that it always felt like we were married. She was so beautiful it simply reaffirmed that she was The One for me.”

You can click here to read the entire feature

I actually had no idea that Neosha was engaged or anything. In any case, congratulations to both her and Jason.

Any thoughts?

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

According to our friends over at AOL Black Voices, Whitney Houston’s recent concert at Tobago’s Plymouth Jazz Festival yesterday (April 27th) was a shambles:

The ‘Greatest Love of All’ singer performed on the last night of the festival, just before headliner Rod Stewart took the stage.

Houston opened her show with ‘Its Not Right, But Its Okay’ and by her third song, ‘Saving All My Love,’ the once soprano’s newfound tenor tone was in full rasp.

Delivering only seven songs during her 30 minute set, Houston was reportedly paid a whopping $3 million for the show.

Though journalists were flown in from all over the world, Houston refused to allow media and photographers within 200 feet of the stage. She brought her own photographer to the venue and only he was allowed to shoot her performance.

Wearing a white gown with a single shoulder strap, Houston skipped around the stage and continuously shouted to the crowd: “I love you Trinidad !’

Unfortunately, the concert was in Tobago!

Locals shouted back each time: “This is Tobago!”

The 44-year-old music icon ambitiously attempted ‘And I’ll Always Love You,’ however she struggled through the build up and knew better than attempt the high finish.

She bowed and then squatted after her pseudo-encore of Chaka Khan’s ‘I’m Every Woman,’ which Houston also recorded for ‘The Bodyguard’ soundtrack.

With the continued reports of Whitney’s diminished vocal state, I’m beginning to wonder whether making a ‘comeback’ is in her best interest (the album is slated for a November release). For, I’m more than sure she’ll be torn to shreds by the media and public alike should she attempt to turn in such performances back home in the States. Here’s hoping she gets herself together ASAP.

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

After months of speculation, it appears that R&B songstress Amerie has severed ties with Columbia Records, following the removal of her name from the labels roster. The singer’s third studio album ‘Because I Love It’, though critically acclaimed and a hit in Europe, did not receive a Stateside release. Instead, a succession of proposed release dates, came and went without yielding the album. Reliable sources confirm that the singer is currently locked in talks LA Reid’s Def Jam. {Source}

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

It turns out the rumors of friction among Hip-Hop collective G-Unit turned out to be true:

“50 Cent revealed today that the Tennessee rapper was no longer in G-Unit the group, but would still record for the label.

‘You can look at it and see that’s Game [former G-Unit rapper] all the way. I was giving him a chance, giving him the benefit of the doubt [to remain with the group]. You can take this as an official notice right here – pretty much you can say: Young Buck is no longer in the group G-Unit, but signed to G-Unit [Records] as a solo artist’, 50 Cent told DJ Envy, a co-host on the Hot 97 Morning Show with Miss Jones.” {Source}

Maybe he’ll actually have a chance of success on his own…just a thought.

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

Beyonce’s new material seems to be coming thick and fast. Following the hysteria that ensued upon the surfacing of ‘Beautiful Nightmare’ last week, a snippet of another recently recorded track called ‘Kick ‘Em Out’ has hit the net. I’m really feeling the song, from the production to Beyonce’s flow to everything. Judging by the material heard thus far, I’m thinking she may just deliver the album we’ve been waiting to hear from her for some time now.

Hit or Miss?

LISTEN: Kick ‘Em Out

Filed Under: The Best You Never Heard

According to MTV.com, rapper Fabolous is set to release a ‘concept album’ ala Jay-Z’s ‘American Gangster’ as his next LP. Check out the report below:

“What Jay-Z did [with ‘American Gangster’] … he took that Frank Lucas character and put it in the frame of his Jay character,” Fab opined. “That’s what I wanna do. I don’t wanna say I that I’m actually the character, but take some of his scenarios or some things I went through and tell it in my tone.”

Fab refused to disclose the movie he was patterning his album after, but he said it isn’t too old, though it is classic. He doesn’t anticipate too many cameos, and producers on Loso’s radar include DJ Toomp, Kanye West, Just Blaze and Polow Da Don. With a structure in place, he feels he can complete his opus at a more expedient rate than usual.

I’m anxious to see what Fab comes up with. For some reason, his last LP ‘From Nothing To Something’ didn’t really shift as many units as it should have IMO, so I’m definitely hoping for big things this go-round.

Your thoughts?

Filed Under: Craig David, Diddy, Janet Jackson, Keisha White, The Best You Never Heard