The Bottom Line
What a difference a couple of years makes. After retreating from the music scene for a decade, Teena Marie returned in 2004 on a new label, Cash Money Classics, and a new image: "La Dona," a female mob boss. (Sort of a female version of Ronald Isley’s "Mr. Biggs" identity.) Well, two years later, she’s still on Cash Money/Universal, but that’s the only thing that’s still the same. Sapphire finds Teena hitting the reset button and going back to what's she's best known for - sparkling torch songs.
Pros
- Teena's voice carries emotion well.
- Much of the album has a classic - and classy - R&B vibe.
Cons
- Much of the production sounds dated.
- Too many songs sound stuck in the 1980s.
Description
- Blue-eyed Soul.
- Old school, funky R&B.
- Classy and sassy.
- Sexy and saucy.
Guide Review - Teena Marie - 'Sapphire'
When listening to Sapphire, it's pretty obvious that the death of Teena Marie's friend and mentor, Rick James had a big effect on her. James, who died in 2004, was a huge influence on Teena's music. And Sapphire is practically a Rick James tribute album, as well as a throwback to Teena’s 1980s heyday.
Many songs sound like they were written to be duets with James, especially "God Has Created" and "Cruise Control," both featuring Teena's former Motown labelmate, the ever-smooth Smokey Robinson.
And although Teena has gone back to her '80s roots, she still moves her sound forward, albeit slightly, with the inclusion of the rapper Kurupt on a couple of tracks, including the first single, "Ooh Wee." The problem with "Ooh Wee" is that it sounds too dated, and Kurupt's appearance at the end of the song has a tacked-on, last-minute feel to it.
Teena hasn't lost a step vocally and still sounds sexy, even at her age (she turned 50 in March, 2006.) Her vocal range is still pretty limited, but although she’s never had the widest range in the world, she does a great job knowing her limitations and not straying outside her comfort zone. And her biggest strength, one that all the best R&B singers have, is still completely intact: her ability to convey emotion. The biggest drawback to Sapphire is that the vocals and production are sometimes too 1980s; listening to some songs will give you flashbacks to groups like Klymaxx and The Time. Which could be either good or bad.
Many songs sound like they were written to be duets with James, especially "God Has Created" and "Cruise Control," both featuring Teena's former Motown labelmate, the ever-smooth Smokey Robinson.
And although Teena has gone back to her '80s roots, she still moves her sound forward, albeit slightly, with the inclusion of the rapper Kurupt on a couple of tracks, including the first single, "Ooh Wee." The problem with "Ooh Wee" is that it sounds too dated, and Kurupt's appearance at the end of the song has a tacked-on, last-minute feel to it.
Teena hasn't lost a step vocally and still sounds sexy, even at her age (she turned 50 in March, 2006.) Her vocal range is still pretty limited, but although she’s never had the widest range in the world, she does a great job knowing her limitations and not straying outside her comfort zone. And her biggest strength, one that all the best R&B singers have, is still completely intact: her ability to convey emotion. The biggest drawback to Sapphire is that the vocals and production are sometimes too 1980s; listening to some songs will give you flashbacks to groups like Klymaxx and The Time. Which could be either good or bad.