So Damn Happy

by

Aretha Franklin

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I'm not sure what Anthony Nelson was thinking when he suggested that our beloved Queen should "pass the torch". All it takes is two or three notes of the first song, "The Only Thing That's Missin' Is You", and you know that this is the real deal from the one and only Queen Of Soul. I love alot of other female artists such as Roberta Flack, Gladys Knight and Etta James. However, the feeling that you get from Ree can only come from her! When she starts playing piano on "So Damn Happy" it takes me to a place where no one else can take me. She is a true living legend and there is absolutely NO ONE that would ever be worthy of taking the torch from her!

I know that a duet album had been in the rumour mill for along time. I don't know if it is still in the works, but I'd like to suggest a long-awaited duet with Aretha and Mitch Ryder! Both Detroit natives, both rock/soul belters - how could it miss???

I'm a fan of Ree's music and I pay my due respect to the Queen of Soul but she misses it on this album.

She recorded too many tracks in her falsetto tone which becomes annoying after the fifth or so track. She also has a vocal sound that makes me think that she had her dentures in while she recorded this album.

The album overall pulls Ree in too many directions - from the hip hop flavoured tracks Holding On and No Matter What (featuring Mary J. Blige on background vocals) to Good News (a gospel track) to the title track and You Are My Joy (which Ree wrote and produced herself), there are too many genres on one album. And why did she include a reprise of You Are My Joy? It was unnecessary.

Overall, the album did not inspire me and after listening to it a few times, it left me empty. I hope Ree will make up for it in her next release. And Ree, please tone it down on the falsetto vocals.