Fantasia, however, breaks the mold and delivers a very respectable R&B record in her first attempt. One of the main reasons it succeeds is that she does not rely on her own talent to get the job done. The production across the board is pretty slick, and Fantasia is buoyed by a big names--Missy Elliott and Jazze Pha--on a couple of the tracks. In fact, these songs are some of the best offered on Free Yourself. "Selfish (I Want U 2 Myself)" features a bumpin' (albeit overused) India-inspired beat. When the vocals come in, it's all silky-smooth, before busting into an Usher-tinged breakdown featuring Missy on the mic.
The Jazze Pha track also kicks up some dust, with the producer backing up the sassy diva over an evasive, pared-down Dirty South beat. The track could easily be a staple on any radio channel end in the word "Jam."
"Baby Mama" is another tasty cut, with a slow, mellow groove that proclaims "It's about time we had our own song/ Don't know what took so long/ Cuz nowadays it's like a badge of honor/ To be a baby mama." It is a tribute to baby mamas everywhere, and as Fantasia says, it's about time. The track is not only heartfelt (in the vein of Lauryn Hill's "Zion"), it's also extremely catchy. Although it may seem odd to see a thirtysomething white guy singing it in the elevator of your office building, that's exactly what's going to happen when this one hits the airwaves.
The covers are where the album realty shines. Idol fans will remember Fantasia's "Summertime," a sultry rendition dripping with style. The album version is better than anything she did on the show. "You Were Always on My Mind" is another stunning effort, and Fantasia delivers another signature performance. For the record, though, whoever decided on the sax solo near the end: that was not a good idea.
There are a few missteps on Free Yourself (the Tamyra Gray penned "I Believe" is horrendous schlock that cannot be rescued by Fanstasia's rendition), but the album as a whole is solid, old-fashioned R&B featuring thee best voice yet to come from America's most popular show.
Definitely Download:
1) Summertime
2) Baby Mama
3) You Were Always on My Mind
