Search - Ultra Nate :: Situation: Critical

Naté's brilliance fully realized!

Mervin Malone Jr. | Austin, Texas United States | 12/20/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ultra Naté successfully redefined the boundaries of house music on this, her third full-length. The largely rock-leaning press has long contended that house, and its progenitor disco, are only about promoting the beat. Indeed, many uninformed listeners unfairly dismiss dance music as artistically inconsequential. Naté disproves all of this with a musically diverse album. "Situation:Critical" employs production from some of house music's most venerated names including Mood II Swing, Masters at Work and D-Influence.Stylistically, the album runs the gamut from house and mid-tempo disco to R&B and soul. The album is rich in content ranging from social commentary to disaffected romance. The title track is a call for altruism in a dark world whereas the midtempo disco track, "New Kind Of Medicine" acknowledges the need of terminating a bad relationship. Also, Naté's breakthrough single, "Free", is included here. The standout of the album is without a doubt "Found a cure", a song about moving on in the face of regret. This track also appears again at the album's end, remixed by Full Intention.With "Situation:Critical", Naté successfully affirms house music's importance and reaffirms her well-deserved status as one of house's most revered divas."

MAN WHAT A JOURNEY

MARC | WASHINGTON, DC | 03/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I KNEW ULRTA HAD TALENT BUT I DONT THINK ANYONE EXPECT THIS ALBUM TO BE AS GREAT AS IT WAS. MOOD II SWING WERE THE MAIN PRODUCERS ON THE PROJECT. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THERE MUSICAL ABILITIES. ULTRA DELIVERS SOME GREAT R/B AND SOULD DIGS. ANY OLE LUV IS A GREAT SONG THAT PUTS U IN THE MIND OF PATRICE RUSHIN. FOUND A CURE IS HOT AND NEW KINDA MEDICINE GETS YA GOING BIG TIME. ULTRA IS SHOWING MORE VOCAL RANGE WHICH IS GREAT AND HER WRITING IS ON POINT. THIS IS AN ALBUM FOR EVERYONE NOT JUST CLUB HEADS. DONT MISS OUT. IVE OWNED THIS ALBUM SINCE IT WAS RELEASED IN 98 AND STILL SOUNDS GOOD."

Powerful stuff!!!

J. Ahern | Gainesville, FL United States | 08/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Man, this album is astounding in all aspects: her sultry, smooth voice, the live and synthetic instruments perfectly blended together in harmony, lyrics which exude depth and solidity, and an overall superb combination of disco, R&B/soul, and house. Situation: Critical is a concept album about love and relationships, and coping with hard times. Ultra Naté shines brilliantly, in my opinion, better than her somewhat more cursory preceding albums. Even non-Ultra fans will love this, I've managed to convert some already!! Her sound is so different from others, she really is a paragon in the dance genre!Fave songs: "Love You Can't Deny" "Any Ole Love" "Release the Pressure" and "Found a Cure (full intention mix)"You HAVE to have this one...even if it's not your favorite...Ultra deserves support for her hard work, dedication, and talent. BUY BUY BUY!!!"