Eight years is a long time to go without a new Brandy album â and the illustrious singer knows it. âSorry for my tardy / Long time I was broken-hearted,â she sings on âSaving All My Loveâ, the opening track on âB7â, her first studio album since 2012âs âTwo Elevenâ. The song also serves as a tribute to her late mentor and idol Whitney Houston, as she nods to âthe goatâ over a euphoric hotbed of kick drums and unrelenting keys doused in urgency.
But more than an apology to fans, âB7â is about healing. At its core, itâs an album about love, but that love isnât always for someone else. Focusing on self-worth and her own spiritual transformation â hence her seventh albumâs title: the number seven is in certain circles considered to be highly spiritual and is often associated with inner wisdom â Mississippi’s Brandy Norwood puts herself under the microscope.
On âUnconditional Oceansâ she acknowledges a dysfunctional past: âUsed to be a mess / Had no heart to heal / Was self-sabotaging.â She doesnât stay down for long, though, finding herself a new swagger on the empowering âI Am Moreâ, manoeuvring the busy production, understanding her worth, and even finding time to flip some of Eminemâs lyrics from Biggieâs posthumous 1999 hit âDead Wrongâ (âI got a lion in my pocket, I’m lying but not lying/ Iâm a lion in my pocketâ).
She addresses mental health on the raw âBye BiPolarâ, and demands communication on the pristinely produced âSay Somethingâ. âRather Beâ finds her copping to a moment of weakness, warmly wearing her heart on her sleeve as her love interest plays hard-to-get. But Brandy shines brightest on âLOVE AGAINâ, a transcendent slice of R&B featuring Daniel Caesar, set to a backdrop of hypnotic hi-hats and immersive guitar licks.
Although âB7â could probably benefit from an injection of tempo from time to time, as well as a little trimming â the granular âHigh Heelsâ, where Brandy raps under her Bran’Nu alias, disrupts the albumâs more refined moments â it mostly thrives, thanks to her unwavering resilience, the unique texture of her vocals and the stellar production courtesy of DJ Camper, Lonnie Smalls II and the late LaShawn Daniels.
It may have taken almost a decade to arrive, but Brandyâs new album was worth the wait â not simply because of its ear-candy qualities, but also because it has helped one of R&Bâs most revered talents find her smile again.
Details
Release date: July 31
Record label: Brand Nu
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