Your Review: Mary J. Blige – ‘Growing Pains’

Published: Thursday 20th Dec 2007 by Sam
With Mary J. Blige on course to sell over 600,000 copies of her new album ‘Growing Pains’ in it’s first week on sale, there’s no denying the ‘Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul is onto a smash with her eighth studio effort.
Saying that, what do you think of ‘Growing Pains’? Which tracks are you feeling / dislike? Do you think Mary rose to the task of topping her 2005 mega-successful ‘Breakthrough’? Drop your views in the comment section.

Your thoughts?

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  1. Broken December 20, 2007

    i think my favorite song from the album is probably |What Is Love| its really calm and has a nice baseline and it seems like good’ol Mary to me.

    =D

  2. Anonymous December 20, 2007

    If I had to rate dis album I would give it a 9. Ever since wats da 411 I have considered Mary a singles’s only lady. Meaning dat I only like her singles she put out but neva really like her albums all dat well but I got to say this is My favorite Mary album after Wat’s da 411. She change her style a little but you could still here da old mary on dis album. She’s back to having fun again and dats da mary I like.

  3. Anonymous December 21, 2007

    Okay i’m a HUGE Mary J. Blige fan, so i love all of her albums including this one. When i first heard it i didn’t know what to make of the album because it really wasn’t what i thought it would be. Nontheless it’s a great album. Its hard for me to pick just one favorite songs because the whole album is great, but the one that stands out to me the most is grown woman complex…makes me reflect on my life thus far….:) GO MARY!!!!!

  4. Anonymous December 21, 2007

    It’s a great album, my favs are roses and grown woman ft Luda. There’s a bonus track called nowhere fast which is totally fierce too and should have made the album.

  5. Anonymous December 21, 2007

    the last album from mary that i liked was the 2nd one. every since then i’ve been suckered into buying her albums and haven’t liked the 3rd through the last. i don’t think i will be suckered this time. i have to hear everything on the net before making that decision

  6. Anonymous December 21, 2007

    Growing Pains will not do the same success as its predecessor–The Breakthrough. Reason: a failure opened single “Just Fine”. Looks like MJB is taking a different direction this time–A lighter choice of an album which mostly consists of fun, med-tempo tracks rather than big ballads which she does best.

  7. Anonymous December 21, 2007

    Love the album. It is certainly for the grown ladies…those of us who have been with Mary J since the beginning, while dealing with out own drama. I can’t name my fav, cause there are too many to list. But Hurt Again stays on rotation.

  8. Anonymous December 21, 2007

    Alright, regardless of how “Just Fine” did, “Growing Pains” is an amazing album. And might i add i feel like its better than Breakthrough. With Breakthrough, i didn’t like the beginning of the album cause i felt like it was too hip-hop. But the singles were nevertheless amazing. With “Growing Pains” Mary is less hip-hop with most of the tracks and takes and new direction which shows that Mary is always evolving as an artist. Thank You.

    And last but not least I must say “Hurt Again” is my favorite song on the album. It takes you to the place that songs like “Everything” or “Deep Inside” or “Take Me As I Am” take you. Also, “Talk To Me” is great as well.

  9. Anonymous December 22, 2007

    I love this album!!!You can listen to this album from beginning to end…But if i had to pick my favorite songs…and i say songs bcuz they are soo many!!
    I love “Smoke”…i love how that record moves…it just has a visual.my other favorite songs are “Shake Down”,”Roses” and “Come To Me”.
    The last two songs sound like where Mary is about to go with her music.It definitely shows her growth over the years

  10. finest1eva December 22, 2007

    Mary Mary Mary…..you did it this time. Each time I would buy your album I would have to skip from song to song. I was starting to count you out….thinking you were getting too commercial for your own good. I stayed true and I knew you would come around. This album proves it. IT IS THE SHHHHH! Ahhh man! EVERY song is good. You did not slip up one time. Alright, “Just Fine” isn’t your strongest, but luckily its at the beginning of the album and we quickly forget with all the amazing sounds afterwards. Thanks for coming strong on EVERY single. The Dream came hard for you. He deserves a Xmas bonus.

  11. NLJ December 23, 2007

    This album is amazing! Music this year has been slowly going back to the way it use to be! Mary’s album confirms it all, ending the year with a bang! I have to say I only dislike one song and that is Till The Morning! 15 out 16 is wonderful compared to these cds where only 6 of em are good!

  12. Anonymous December 28, 2007

    I’ve always been impressed with Mary. R&B has always been my favorite genre of music, my home – and when you see these female artists comin out selling sexuality and calling it “music” it makes me wonder.. I really do believe that Mary is taking it back to when the music was about the music. Mary, along with Alicia, Ne-Yo are bringing back R&B when hit after hit after hit would come out!
    As for Growing Pains, im IN LOVE with “What Love Is” and im surpised not so many people put “Come To Me” as their favs. It is for sure mine! Mary, go get em’!!

  13. Scott December 28, 2007

    I don’t think “Growing Pains” tops “The Breakthrough” but there is nothing wrong that, “The Breakthrough” is a great album, “Growing Pains” is not bad, I haven’t really had a great listen to it yet though, “Fade Away” is the jam, and of course the singles “Just Fine” and “Work That”

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