Everytime Tha Beat Drop featuring Dem Franchize Boyz
A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me)
Sideline Ho
Why Her?
Hell No (Leave Home) featuring Twista
Doin' Me Right
Raw featuring Swizz Beatz
My Everything
Gotta Move On
Getaway
Few can coo a love song as convincingly as Monica, but The Makings of Me confirms what many have suspected since the ATL-based firebrand lit up the charts with Brandy in 1998: it's when she's digging through the wreckage o... more »f a busted-up relationship that she dishes up her best work. Makings, luckily, is littered with liars, cheats, and assorted degenerates--when Monica's not wagging her finger in the face of a "Sideline Ho" ("Ain't you tired of spending all the holidays alone?" she wants to know), she's dismissing the fiancé who dissed her with a brisk, silk-voiced "Hell No." Appealing brassiness aside, Makings benefits from excellent production (Missy Elliot slinks up "Gotta Move On" with Far East flavor and lets flecks of Curtis Mayfield fly on "A Dozen Roses") and a handful of hip-hop luminaries. While the Twista-boasting "Hell No" gives off heat courtesy of the sheer speed of its rap exchange, it's Dem Franchize Boys who rule this particular guest list: The Jermaine Dupri-produced "Everytime Tha Beat Drop" doesn't play--it demands a dance floor. Instantly. Every time. --Tammy La Gorce« less
Few can coo a love song as convincingly as Monica, but The Makings of Me confirms what many have suspected since the ATL-based firebrand lit up the charts with Brandy in 1998: it's when she's digging through the wreckage of a busted-up relationship that she dishes up her best work. Makings, luckily, is littered with liars, cheats, and assorted degenerates--when Monica's not wagging her finger in the face of a "Sideline Ho" ("Ain't you tired of spending all the holidays alone?" she wants to know), she's dismissing the fiancé who dissed her with a brisk, silk-voiced "Hell No." Appealing brassiness aside, Makings benefits from excellent production (Missy Elliot slinks up "Gotta Move On" with Far East flavor and lets flecks of Curtis Mayfield fly on "A Dozen Roses") and a handful of hip-hop luminaries. While the Twista-boasting "Hell No" gives off heat courtesy of the sheer speed of its rap exchange, it's Dem Franchize Boys who rule this particular guest list: The Jermaine Dupri-produced "Everytime Tha Beat Drop" doesn't play--it demands a dance floor. Instantly. Every time. --Tammy La Gorce
"If you want to know what's going on with her or where her mind is at listen to her CDs. I feel that someone espically females can relate to her songs. They CD flows from beginning to end. And when you listen to some of the words to the songs you'll be like "what the" or just say damn! Hopefully Monica has some staying power in this business b/c she is truly talented. Definite reommendation.
Fav Tracks: Everytime the Beat Drop, Hell No, A Dozen Roses, Why Her"
The Makings of Me - 3.5 stars
Geminigirl | Philadelphia, PA United States | 02/11/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Two things made me delay getting this disc - I hated Monica's cover shot and wasn't sure what the purpose of her posing like that was AND the release of EVERYTIME THE BEAT DROPS as the lead off single. I was very disappointed in this choice and feared that the entire album would contain songs like this & being unfamiliar with the "snap" music craze, I just didn't get it.
With the release of A DOZEN ROSES (YOU REMIND ME) - my interest was piqued enough for me to give the disc a chance. I really love the use of the Curtis Mayfield sample from THE MAKINGS OF YOU (one of my fave tracks from the CLAUDINE soundtrack!) and I LOVE the video, Monica looks fabulous and she & Jamie Hector sizzle as a screen couple!
I had problems with the following tracks:
SIDELINE HO - although her vocal performance is beautiful & the music production is pretty, I don't care for the lyrics at all so I usually skip this track.
HELL NO (LEAVE HOME) - although her vocal performance is strong, the lyrics and music production are unremarkable
RAW - awful track, can't say anything complementary about this one
The others that stood out to me in a good way & that I enjoy listening to in addition to A DOZEN ROSES are:
WHY HER? - really pretty mid-tempo song featuring an exceptional chorus
GETAWAY, DOIN' ME RIGHT & MY EVERYTHING - are vintage Monica tracks featuring strong vocal & music production
GOTTA MOVE ON - the melody reminds me of A Taste of Honey's hit, SUKI YAKI; it's a catchy track with one negative - Missy Elliot's shout outs during the track
I'd recommend this disc to Monica fans with a word of caution - it's not a strong/cohesive album like THE BOY IS MINE or even AFTER THE STORM. I gave it 3.5 stars because there are more than a few enjoyable mid-tempo & ballady songs that are truly vintage Monica but I'm confused as to what direction she & her producers were going with this project. I hope this doesn't spell the end of her recording career as Monica is one of the more talented songstresses on the r&b scene who just needs to get with producers who can fully utilize & showcase her beautful voice.
"
R&B singer or Rapper
Renaissance | All Over | 11/07/2006
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I've been down for Monica since the beginning; but now I am FINISHED, I love Monica's voice, but whats up with all these singers wanting to be rappers...WTF!!! I want the soulfoul Monica from the first CD, "Sideline Ho" ARE YOU SERIOUS!!! again WTF!! Could someone please come out with a soulful mature CD, cause this one aint even close."
A very Ghetto Monica, what happen to the class
Lamar B. Combest | WASHINGTON , DC | 10/15/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I should have known from the cover of the cd that this cd was gonna be something else. First let me say I am a Monica fan and have been for years.... Clive Davis signed Monica when she was 15yrs old because she had a voice and was groomed to be the Next Whitney.... With pipes that could hang with some of the other divas out there. Its very obvious now that Clive tried to change Monica's image from the begining just like he did Whitney.... But as you can see even with Whitney you can take the girl from the streets but you cant take the streets from the girls its always been there just disguised. My problem is Monica your NOW A MOTHER!
and cursing on songs aint cute and lowering yourself to sing a song like sideline HO is below your standards for the kind of pipes you have....How your gonna explain that to your son when he gets older? I just expected more from you cause I know you can SANG! You have the makings of a diva use the talent GOD gave you dont settle for any type of production..."
Scorpios ALWAYS produce perfection!
Ms. Renee | WA | 05/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Monica is my role model, always has been, always will be! I looove this album. She put her foot in it & then some. I can listen to the album all the way through and not feel as if I want to turn the track or take the CD out. Some of my favorites are SIDELINE H-, RAW, GOTTA MOVE ON, MY EVERYTHING, DOIN' ME RIGHT. This album made me proud. It was a long-awaited album for me and Monica definitely delivered. Her voice has just gotten better and better. There is no one out there like her! She's been doing it for more than a decade....and she's not going anywhere! Love this album!! It's a must buy."