Search - Floetry :: Flo'Ology

A Strong R&B Release With Minor Flaws...3.5 Stars

Musac Critic | 11/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Floetry are ahead of so many contemporary R&B acts in a number of ways. First, rather than being within the box, like the formula many producers have crafted for R&B divas, Floetry choose to looks outside of the box, with one half devoted to pipes and the other devoted to poetry and alterative rap, etc... Furthermore, rather than trying to sooth couples to the dance floor, Floetry look to preserve the "sanctity" of soul, an avenue that only few singers try today and successfully pull it off (Angie Stone, Alicia Keys, Vivian Green, Jill Scott, etc...).



FLO'OLOGY itself is a good representation of the neo-soul movement and for the most part, it is a very good album. There are some hits and unfortunately, there are some misses which weigh down what would be an exceptional affair with no strings attached. However, there are flaws with this ambitious, innovative group, as with many albums.

First of all, some of the selections on this album tend to exceed the 5 minute mark and sometimes, that not only makes the track boring and drag on too long, it also ruins what was potentially a better track. With that said, there are some key tracks on this album that do past that mark, and also to Floetry's credit, some of soul from the 1970s and 1980s all pushed the envelope where duration was concerned. The biggest proponent of that aspect being the great, sometimes underrated Isaac Hayes on such classic as "Walk On By" or "I Stand Accused". However when Hayes did it, he captivated your attention-Floetry on the other hand miss slightly on the excessive "Imagination" and even on the closing track "I Want U". The most unfortunate thing about FLO'OLOGY is the fact that it loses momentum greatly at the end of the album, where material presented at the forefront felt first class. This downward spiral actually starts on the average "I'll Die".



While FLO'OLOGY does feature the above mentioned flaws, it also has some very high points. The great thing about Floetry is that you feel there is equality between spoken and sung here. The spoken words tend to be just as impressive as the sung words which makes Floetry a truly authentic group. The album opens with the above average "Blessed 2 Have", which isn't the best track on the album, but it is definitely a nice way to start the album with excellent emphasis on soulful production. Second track "SupaStar" is better featuring a nice rap by Common and nice soulful production. The show stealer of the entire album though is the sexy, soulful devastating "Lay Down" which sports a nice 6/4 groove with accompanying lush strings, and very urban sounds overall. "My Apology" is another strong track which features a unique interspersion of spoken and sung parts as well as killer produced background vocals here. Besides the highlights, there are some very credible tracks such as "Closer" (which is the slightest bit overproduced with an overabundance of vocal, background vocal, spoken word tracks, etc...), "Let Me In", "Sometimes U Make Me Smile", and "Feelings". These tracks may not showcase the highest quality of Floetry, but the are pretty darn close.



For the most part, FLO'OLOGY is a strong R&B release, yet it could've been better had the album been slightly more consistent. One positive fact though is that for the most part, Floetry at least placed the strongest material at the forefront and middle of the album. By that time, they have successfully proven themselves. Strong production and overall creativity may FLO'OLOGY a strong R&B release for 2005. 3.5 Stars.

"

For rainy days and Mondays

Amanda Richards | Georgetown, Guyana | 01/19/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fans of Lauryn Hill, India.Arie and Erykah Badu might want to give this smokin' British duo a try.



Marsha "the Songstress" Ambrosius and Natalie "the Floacist" Stewart are the super cool ladies behind the unusually named "Floetry", and their sound, as you may have guessed, is a fusion of neo-soul and poetry.



This is their third album, coming after Floetic (2002) and Floacism "Live" (2003), the first single from this album being being "Supastar" featuring Common. Songs to watch are "Blessed 2 Have", an upbeat hip hop track and the jazzy "Closer"



The UK version includes an excellent cover of Bob Marley's "Waiting in Vain", a smooth reggae/soul mix that makes getting this version worthwhile. There's another track "I Don't Know What 2 Say" which is also a nice bonus.



This smooth neo-soul album is great for romantic evenings, or rainy days and Mondays.



Amanda Richards, January 19, 2006"

Amazing!

Jae | Bronx, NY | 11/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have loved Floetry's music from day 1. I have seen them in concert several times and I must say that you must hear Marsha's voice live to appreciate it's beauty. The studio recordings of Floetry's CD's due not give this group justice, their performances are amazing.



With that said, I can say that I truly enjoyed Flo'Ology. This CD shows how the group has evolved and matured. The songs speak to me in the same way the songs from Floetic spoke to me. I saw Floetry perform at S.O.B's on 11/10/05 and I must say I fell in love with this CD from hearing the songs performed live. My favorites are "Lay Down", "Feelings", "Imagination" and "I'll Die". These songs made me want to go home and love my boyfriend all over again.

:-)



Support Floetry and if you get a chance please go see these sistas perform live, you will not be disappointed."