Title: Beautifully Human: Words & Sounds 2
		Artist: Jill Scott List price: $13.98 Our price: $12.99       buy it from Amazon Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Average Amazon customer rating: 4.5 (out of 5) product detail | more by this artist | browse the store
Release date: 08/31/2004 Label: Hidden Beach Format: Audio CD

Summary: Enter Jill ; Beautifully Human. 3.89 stars.
Rating: 4
This is an interesting album. It's also the first Jill Scott album that I have listened to in its entirety. The other two I've yet to experience song by song. Highlights include the uplifting, lead single 'Golden', the warm 'Spring Summer Feeling', the enticing, gripping and powerful 'Bedda At Home', the sweet, warm realism of 'Family Reunion' and one of the last tracks, the quiet 'My Petition'.

Song by song here goes:

1. Warm Up - 3/5 - I like how it backtracks to the ending of a song from the first album. 'He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat) I believe. However, once that is over, it's a bunch of humming and noises with the lips that is every bit weird. Not totally necessary.

2. I'm Not Afraid - 4.25/5 - A good song. Jill talks about how she's not afraid to be a lot of things, including her lover's whore. It sounds like it might be trashy, but it's indeed sexy. Plus that lyric is only one part of the song. Mysterious beat.

3. Golden - 4.25/5 - Inspiring single that I didn't like much at first because it's repetitive. However, it's indeed a highlight and one of the better tracks here.

4. The Fact Is (I Need You) - 4.4/5 I love this song. It's in my top 3 favorites on the album. I think. There are some good tracks here. But Jill describes what she has to offer in general, but notes the fact that she still needs a man in her life.

5. Spring Summer Feeling - 4.3/5 Now this one is repetitive like 'Golden', but unlike Golden it's not meant to be empowering. Also unlike that track, it has beautiful high notes in it that would make Mrs. Mariah Carey proud. By the time you reach the end of the la la la la's" and "it takes more than"'s, the notes come in, and you will be mesmerized. Download this track. I wish I could get that high.

6. Cross My Mind - 4.25/5 Another single, I've seen the video quite a few times on VH1 Soul. This is a groovy, laid-back track about how an ex gets into Jill's mind, and she remembers all the sexual things they used to do. By the song's end, she also recalls how they were otherwise terrible for each other and she kinda just moves on.

7. Bedda At Home - 5/5 Jill sees a hot one somewhere, and confesses that she'd love to do things to him. However, she's got someone 'Bedda At Home' so she denies her urges. She uses her big, chest voice on this song a lot which I just LOVE. One for the repeat button. Download this one too.

8. Talk To Me - 3.5/5 This is a track for the ladies. It's kinda boring at first, but then this full on "jazz" band comes out during the bridge and the verse that follows gets quite louder, making the track a bit more interesting. Otherwise, not a favorite.

9. Family Reunion - 4.3/5 This one just gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. It goes on about how her family is getting together, bragging, dancing, and what they cooked and just how messed up some of them are. However, Jill realizes (like most of us should) that they are still family. Lovely track.

10. Can't Explain (42nd Street Happenstance) - 3.5/5 This one kinda drags on. The production is quite pretty in the beginning and the song speaks on Jill doing a good man wrong by cheating I believe. But it's repetitive and doesn't quite go anywhere. I almost skip this one when it comes on.

11. Whatever - 4/5 Another single (the second I believe). Kinda breezy and floats on by. Talks about loving your man, sex and the usual Jill topics. She's just saying that she will do whatever for him because she loves him so.

12. Not Like Crazy - 3.7/5 This one is a strange one. It has Jill speaking again on how her man treats her well and it drives her crazy (in a good way). It's also the second and last track to feature notes that I believe to be in the whistle register. But this time around, it sounds like a ghost. Definitely kinda weird but not bad.

13. Nothing (Interlude) - 2.75/5 Unnecessary pretty much. So short.

14. Rasool - 3.75/5 This song is alright. It has an OK beat and tries to be deep, but isn't really necessary. I think it's here just to have more variety and distract you from all the love talk on this disc. It talks about a boy named 'Rasool' going through troubles and ultimately dying.

15. My Petition - 4.25/5 Another sweet track about the lack of trust in a lover and feeling like they don't come through for you when you want them to. You just have to listen to it to feel it. The song itself makes you feel at peace. I also love the ending. "Oh say can you see/by the dawn's early light?"

16. I Keep/Still Here - (3.75/5) + (3.5/5) = 3.63/5 'I Keep' is kinda neat. It kinda drags on before it's over but it talks about people who try to put you down no matter how you treat them. Still Here is a hidden track inside of 'I Keep' which describes a bunch of things that Jill thinks she is. It's alright. Pretty chill. It's just too long. Both run together at almost 9 minutes.

3.89 stars.

Download:
'Bedda At Home'
'The Fact Is (I Need You)'
'Family Reunion' &
'Spring Summer Feeling'

Summary: My name is J I L L S C O T T T T T T
Rating: 5
If you enjoy the sultry sounds of Floetry, Sade, Erika Badu, and other sexy poetic songs---you'll love this album by Jill Scott. Her name is J I L L S C O T T T T T.....Jill Scott representing love.... That one is my favorite on the album. It's about 20 seconds long and the best one.

Summary: While not as catchy as her first, it's still worth a try
Rating: 4
After releasing her debut "Who Is Jill Scott?", Jilly from Philly took a 4 year break from music and married her long time boyfriend, Lyzel Williams. In 2004, she returned to the music scene with her 2nd album "Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds, Vol. 2". On this album, Jill is love drunk and not afraid to shout it from the rafters. This is a good and not so good thing.

It was great for her that she got to marry her man, but the theme of marital love is focused on too heavily. It's also more laidback. Another reviewer described it perfectly when he/she said that her first album is the "daytime", while this one is "night". It's not the type of music to throw on at a party, but is great for relaxing by yourself or with a partner. When I first bought the album, I played it a total of 2 times and then put it away. When listening to it while taking a nap a month later, I realized just how good it is.

On the intro "Warm Up", Jill blows raspberries, hums, and laughs knowing she's at the top of her game. "I'm Not Afraid" with it's unique, silvery beat and message of pure devotion is a winner. "Golden", the first single, sets the tone for the over all "beautifully human" theme and enjoyment of life. Jill must have been listening to Stevie when writing this song, because it reminds me alot of "As". Warning: there is no other song on this album like "Golden". The other songs are great, but none are as upbeat.

"The Fact Is (I Need You)" with it's heavenly harp and dreamy background talks about how men are not needed to complete a woman's life, but needed to be loved and cherished. "I can even raise the child we'll make, make sure he's loved and knows what God gave us. I can teach him how to walk and stand, but he needs you to help him be a man." Powerful and true. The aptly titled "Spring Summer Feeling" envelops the listener. It is here that Minnie Ripperton's influence on Jill becomes obvious, whistle register and all.

"Cross My Mind" is a grown folks song. If you've ever run across an ex and suddenly flirted with the idea of getting back with them, you will relate to this spoken word/piano led song. Thankfully Jill comes to her senses at the end of the song and sticks with her man. "You're the kind that turns my head and makes me look. You're the kind that makes me pull single dollars out my pocketbook", Jill sizzles on "Bedda at Home". The man may be fine and all, but she quickly reminds herself that what she's got at home is worth more than anything with him. Jill really lets it rip by the end of the song.

On "Talk To Me", Jill tries to understand why her man is being cold to her and tries different things to make him comfortable and open up. It starts off with a 70s groove and flips halfway to a 30s big band production. I've never heard anything like it before. Next comes "Family Reunion" and I know that everybody, black or white, has at least one family member like the ones described here. From funny drunk Aunt Juicy to the whole family grooving to Frankie Beverly on the stereo, this jam will have you reminiscing and maybe even getting your own family together.

"Can't Explain" breaks up the lovey dovey marathon. Jill pulled an Amy Winehouse and cheated. While Amy would whip up some excuse for her infidelity, Jill feels bad for what she did and begs her ex to not "give up on love because of what I did to you". Despite her obvious regret, the music sounds dreamy and starry eyed. One of the best songs on the entire album. "Whatever"'s bass beat melts like chocolate with it's occasional wah wah guitar accents. Jill's man laid it down last night and he's got her wrapped around his finger. Baby makin' music at it's best.

"Not Like Crazy" could very well be a sequel to "He Loves Me". The beat to this song slowly bounces like a ball and reminds me of a more subdued version of Raheem Devaughn's "You". Jill can't explain why she goes crazy ("not like you belong in an asylum crazy") for her husband, but she just does. From the day they met, it was obvious that he was the one for her. Jill tries on a more whispery voice that would put Mariah to shame. Definitely one of my top favorites.

Jill is probably the only artist who has listenable interludes. "Nothing is more beautiful, than loving you, holding you, being next to you, kissing your lips, taking my time with you." This could have been a full length song. "Rasool", a song about a boy in Jill's hood who meets an untimely end due to gang violence, is good, but jarring amongst a set of love songs.

"My Petition" pretty much sums up the past 8 years in this country. Masked as an acoustic song to a no good boyfriend, Jill hits out at the government for not doing what they say they will. "I want fresh foods, clean water, air that I don't see. I want the feeling of being safe on my streets, I want my children to be smarter than me. I want to feel free." Most if not all can nod their heads in agreement to those wishes. I love the beginning of "I Keep". The quiet guitar and spacey music conjure up images of an island. It's pretty much the softer version of "Hate On Me", the lead single off her latest album. Jill understands that there are people out there who "wanna break you down, steal your crown, use and abuse you", but she keeps "moving forward, pressing onward, striving further". The operatic hidden track "Still Here" closes out an enjoyable album.

While I can't push play and listen to all of the songs like her debut, this is still an album that I like to relax to every now and then.

Summary: Enjoyed The CD
Rating: 4
I purchased the CD for "Living My Life Like It's Golden". What I received was music that is diverse, creative and soulful...The cd is just like the title "Beautifully Human". I will be purchasing more of her music.

Summary: The CD is Simply Beautiful
Rating: 5
I love this CD. Every song has meaning and purpose and we need this in today's society.