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Testimony, Vol. 1: Life & Relationship [602498798362]

India.Arie
1 disc

1. Intro: Loving
2. These Eyes
3. Heart of the Matter, The
4. Good Morning
5. Private Party
6. There's Hope
7. Interlude: Living
8. India'Song
9. Wings of Forgiveness
10. Summer - (featuring Rascal Flatts/Victor Wooten)
11. I Am Not My Hair - (featuring Akon)
12. Great Grandmother
13. Better People
14. Outro: Learning
15. I Choose
16. This Too Shall Pass
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Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 6141
Credits

Producer
Engineer
India.Arie hails from Atlanta, Georgia, but her smooth neo-soul owes more to the traditions of Philly Soul and Detroit's Motown of yore than the Dirty South rap that dominated her native city in the 2000s. Still, the remarkable thing about Arie is how she deftly marries old school R&B to an urban contemporary sound (one that is greatly informed by the beats and production of hip-hop).
2006's TESTIMONY: VOL. 1 LIFE & RELATIONSHIPS, the singer-songwriter's third album, continues to perfect Arie's unique blend of styles. Smooth and accessible, yet marked by supremely well-crafted songs, TESTIMONY shifts gears effortlessly, moving from breezy tropical tunes ("Good Mourning") to Lauren Hill-styled hip-hop ("I Am Not My Hair"), hitting all points in between. With just the right balance of old school and new, acoustic and electric, and consciousness themes with party jams, TESTIMONY is an important notch in the rising career of this talented entertainer.
Critic Reviews

Entertainment Weekly (p.159) - "[She has a] gift for warmly evocative Stevie Wonder/Minnie Riperton/Tracy Chapman melodies....TESTIMONY should resonate..." -- Grade: B
Vibe (pp.139-140) - "Arie seems to be progressing with poise. And with TESTIMONY, she opts for statement-heavy optimism instead of bitterness, fixating more on sensible arrangements..."