Neon Reviews: Raven Symone’s Self-titled Album

So!  Raven wasn’t just talking junk when she said she wasn’t gonna change with this new project.  While it has a decidedly more urban-R&B feel than her last project, “This Is My Time” which bordered on the pop/R&B borders, if you’re looking for music with more depth than “Boys can be wack sometimes” or “You think you have cool clothes but mine are cool AND expensive but I get ‘em for free so stop hatin’”, then you’ve come to the wrong place. Now, don’t get me wrong.  I actually like this album.  Straight up, no sarcasm-face implied.  Good dance beats, and sometimes you NEED music that ain’t that deep or complicated.  Raven has a talented army of producers behind her, and her vocals are undeniably strong…

BUT, like my McNugget Story said in a previous limelight entry, Raven has a tendency to sound forced when she sings.  I can’t really blame her — she was a star since she was 3, and all child stars seem to overdo everything, to ensure the cuteness is projected.  Plus, her mentor was Bill Cosby.  And y’all know that from the Coogi sweaters to the dancing, that man overdoes IT.  And by IT, I mean every-freaking-thing.  ~pauses and makes the wiggly fingers around my face to the Cosby theme song while screaming JELL-O!~  ah, yes.  Point made.  But I don’t know if the cutesy exaggerations is something Raven will outgrow with time, or if she’s just embraced the semi-cheese as a part of her personality.  After all, it did make Disney like a billion dollars so it can’t be all bad. The only problem I see with it is, will the cutesy and overdone still be marketable when Raven turns 30?

Okay, okay.  Screw 30 — we’re talking about 22 right now, which is Raven’s current age.  And she’s ROCKIN’ 22.  Here’s a rundown of my top 5 favorite tracks:

• 5. That Girl: Let’s dance, people!  Lyrically she’s talking about how she’s that “got it girl” and she’s got a bunch of cool stuff and it was all comped (dang I hate celebrities sometimes), and you (speaking to someone hatin’…I guess like I was just doing…omg raven totally owned me) can’t do it like her.  Yeah, okay, see…she’s responding to haters that I’ve actually never heard hate in the first place.  Except for me.  And she ain’t experienced the Chelly.  Whatev.  Love the dancey beat going on.  The oversinging happens a little bit but she kinda owns it from the second verse on, so yay!  And her little shriek/growl combo at the very end?  Priceless.
• 4. In Your Skin: Another track discussing hatin’…but instead of being directed at the haters as “That Girl” was, this one is mostly about uplifting those being hated on.  Raven encourages folks to be comfortable in their own skin, and even advises those hating to take that energy and focus it on bettering themselves.  All to a nice little mid-tempo groove.  “I’m cool being simply me”?  Go’n girl!
• 3. Keep A Friend: I love this song because there really hasn’t been a decent song about straight-up friendship in a hot one(well, except for “True Friend” by Hannah Montana.  but i’m too old to openly admit that I purchase Hannah Montana CDs so…nevermind.  Carry on.), and Raven definitely sells it.  Plus, she’s admitting she’s wrong and wants to repair the friendship.  A nice little twist.  Admitting you were wrong and apologizing to someone because you want to keep them as a friend? What a novel idea.  How very un-Heidi Montag of her.  Guess Raven won’t be squeezing in at your VIP table at Les Deux or S-Bar or whatever MTV-sponsored club you’re paid to make the little ones believe is hot this season, pumpkin.  My disdain is BLINDING!!!  But, um, back to Raven.  Sorry.
• 2. Anti-Love Song: Raven basically sings about how she doesn’t want to talk about how crappy an ended relationship was — and effectively sings about it without singing about it.  It’s a cute way to approach the sitch.  AND Raven totally owns the vocals.  Even sings softly and sweetly at some points.  Which…awesome.  Raven, if you’re reading this: please do that more.  It works for you.
• 1. Stupid:  THIS SONG SHOULD NOT WORK…but it totally does.  Maybe I’m just a sucker for Raven rapping because I still cuddle with my “That’s What Little Girls Are Made Of” cassette single when I go to sleep at night, I don’t know.  But it’s hilarious and somewhat fierce…without being a mockery.  What makes it work for me is that Raven isn’t putting on airs.  She’s not trying to be Jay-Z, or even Lil’ Mama (thank you Lord).  She’s just being Raven and being sassy and a little silly and it completely…works.  It just does.  If I ever see Sean Garrett in person, remind me to give him a dollar in appreciation for this track.

Bottom line:  Raven’s collabos with Oak of the Knightwritaz are hands-down my favorites.  Apparently Oak really reigned in her vocals and it shows.  The Sean Garrett tracks are my 2nd favorites.  The Kwame tracks…are hit-or-miss.  She sings so hard on the track “Green” that I can’t really listen to it and I already deleted it off my iPod.  That’s really the only song I can’t stand.  Everything else is at LEAST decent, by current R&B standards.

My That’s So Chelly semi-psychic vision for this album: It won’t get the love it deserves.  Like Raven from the mainstream media in general.  Which sucks.  Here’s hoping my vision is straight outta the That’s So Raven files — awesomely wrong with a phat laugh track…because Raven worked hard on this album, and it shows.

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