
CONQUERING LOVE & WAR
Words by: Gerren Keith Gaynor
Though she was first introduced to the world as Toni Braxtonâs little sister, Tamar Braxton has quickly made a name for herself thanks to her larger than life personality, which is popularly displayed on the sistersâ show, âBraxton Family Values.â Considering her older sisterâs already iconic status in music and a waned attempt at solo success in 2001, some may have doubted the youngest Braxtonâs chances at superstardom. But Tamarâs lead single and title track, âLove and Warâ silenced the doubters and has since solidified her as a serious contender on todayâs R&B roster.
The singleâs old-school R&B flair and soaring vocal arrangements ignited burning nostalgia for true soul music and the days when the genre wasnât overdone by the influences of hip-hop and electronic dance music. The Billboard charting single not only earned Tamar the right to be taken seriously, but also ushered her into musical terrain with todayâs vocal greats. On the album âLove and War,â Braxton lives up to the hype thatâs been generated from her television fame and explosive singles, including the Mtume âJuicy Fruitâ and Notorious B.I.G. âJuicyâ sampled track, âThe One.â The 14-track album, which is executive produced by her husband Vincent Herbert and the legendary L.A. Reid, is a bonafide R&B collection, fittingly packed with tender ballads exploring the uphill battles of love and heartache.
Tracks like âAll the Way Homeâ and âStay and Fightâ best illustrate the albumâs theme of lovers being wedged between adoration and emotional warfare. Tamar admits such songs are the soundtrack to her once embattled marriage with Vincent, which was documented on their reality show, âTamar & Vince.â âI want to stay and fight with you, fight until my heart is black and blue, fight âtil thereâs nothing left, not one single strand of the love we had,â Tamar passionately sings in the chorus of âStay and Fight,â a slow and moving ballad. The majority of the songs on âLove and Warâ are timeless rhythm and blues tracks that effortlessly show off Tamarâs enchanting vocals. Though itâs hard not to hear the similarities with her older sister Toniâs signature inflections, Tamarâs vocal range transcends the Braxton name. OnâPieces,â which is written and produced by Bryan Michael Cox (Usherâs âConfessionsâ), Tamarâs voice is impressively powerful and elegant, and showcases her clean riffs and falsetto.
Braxton does, however, take some risks by switching up the pace with songs like âTip Toeâ and âOne on One Fun,â which are alternative, up-tempo tracks where she ventures to keep up with the Joneses (Ciara, Rihanna, Beyonce). Unfortunately, they donât exactly match the level of mastery displayed in her astounding ballads. Lyrics like âI donât want my business on the Wendy Williams showâ and âIâm your super girl and youâre the truthâ are quite a departure from the rest of the albumâs finesse. She does manage to pull it off on âHot Sugar,â a sassy dance tune that best executes what is an obvious attempt at commercial success in the pop realm.
But Tamar is at her best when she sticks to the basics, like with âWhere It Hurts,â and âSound of Love,â a stripped down and sensual ballad where Braxtonâs breathy voice is piercing and unmistakably mesmerizing. âTake me higher, take me âtil Iâve had enough. Make me scream Iâm all yours,â she sensually croons. Itâs on tracks like these where Braxton proves not only can she hold her own, but that she can belt like the best of them.
In a climate where contemporary singers are reluctant to record ballad-heavy albums for fear of compromising sales, âLove and Warâ is arguably the strongest R&B album in years.Collectively, it is a cohesive body of work that will set a new standard in the genre. Itâs clear that Tamar and company took their time with this project and the rewards will certainly pay off. Not since BeyoncĂŠâs â4â (2011) has an R&B album contained this level of fervor and execution. For years, Tamar has fought to step out of the shadow of her older sister and become the breakout star she always wanted to be, and with âLove and War,â sheâs finally earned her stripes.
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