Not only is she FINE(!) but Amerie Rodgers has a pretty, assurred voice that mixes the rawness of Mary J. Blige and softness of Faith Evans yet has a originality to it. This was captured on her feel-good debut smash "Why Can't We Fall In Love?" ,a likeable track with a strong old-school feel (heavy drum program; horn squeals and a roller-skating vibe). That same appeal is full and alive on Amerie's coherent and refreshing debut, "All I Have". Produced by Rich Harrison (who produced MJB's "Beautiful Ones" and "In The Meantime"), "All I Have" has an innocent yet determined feel with adequate production and Amerie's impressive vocals. Standouts include the lush "Nothing Like Loving You" which is VERY reminsict of something SWV would have down when they were still around; "Need You Tonight" with it's pounding beat and very raw Mary J.-esque vocals and "I Just Died" which has a sultry ambience with Amerie singing in a more tender tone and the silky, jittery beat just moving in the background. By far, (one of) the best track(s) on "All I Have". There is no filler on the album although some cuts are lesser than others but "All" is a very impressive disc that blows away generic wannabes like Ashanti (and even Alicia Keys) out of the water. If Amerie sticks around, then by this disc's indication she'll be on the same ranks as Blige and Evans. Nice debut.
...And I have to give Amerie and Harrison props for good vocal arrangements (unlike most mainstream R&B projects, she's not screeching or screaming or showing off) and not adding any "big name" rappers. It's all Amerie's show. And she does a fine job on it.

"A return to Hip-Hop/Soul, a reason to love music again." This is how they are marketing Amerie. They know she is way more than R&B. She is exactly what they are marketing her as, Hip-Hop/Soul. This is what Ashanti wanted to do and what we loved Mary for. The album's intro, which just so happens to be her first single, "Why Don't We Fall In Love?" was leaked onto radio. How hot can the girl be if her intro did so well they made it a single? I'll tell you. She is very hot. So are the beats (we have Rich Harrison to thank for that).

They are Hip-Hop beats, but she doesn't let the beats hold her voice back. She doesn't want you to like her for the beats. She knows she has a voice and wants you to take note of it. Amerie doesn't just throw around misplaced Ad-libs and calls herself a vocalist. She makes the Ad-libs apart of the songs. A good example of this would be "Talkin' To Me", her first would be single (which is now her second). You won't find yourself singing the catchy chorus. You'll find yourself mesmerized by her smooth vocals that you will start singing the catchy Ad-libs worked into the song. Talent speaks to you. After this end of summer track she'll keep you in that laid back mood with "Nothing Like Lovin' You". You'll feel like she is singing in your ear. This is definite Hip-Hop/Soul. Close your eyes, listen to her sing 'La Da Da' and she just captures you. She has a hold of you now and she'll keep you there. She has a tight grip and then sings to you about why she "Can't Let Go". She tells you that you make her feel good. Amerie is a liar. She is the one making everyone feel so much better.

She brings it back up a bit on "Need You Tonight". Not too much, she knows how relaxed and laid back you feel right now. She brings the beat in slowly and whispers to you. The infectious beat hits and you can't help but start nodding you head. It's your choice if you want to open your eyes again. You're going to close them again anyway. Then the chorus has you and you start singing along with her. She has you and you like it. The song ends. You open your eyes because the intro to "Got To Be There" throws you off just a bit. You get the idea she knows that and she throws in the beat and starts singing 'Na Na Na'. Again you are nodding your head before the chorus. Your eyes are closed again and she's asking to you to be there for her and you know she'll be there for you too. So, you stay and the next song hits you hard. The beat is just too much. You check your CD case to see what's the name of this infectious song. You want to tell people about this song by name. You read "I Just Died". You think to yourself 'Umm... Okay that's a weird title', but you start listening to the lyrics and once again you are mesmerized. There is no escaping Amerie. She has surprises, but she never fails to please. She blunt too. She'll tell you she "Hatin' On You". She wants to get away, but she can't cause she just loves it so much. Just how you have been feelin'. This track kind of makes you want to go to the next. Too much like the R&B on the radio. You can't take it. The grip is slipping, but you don't leave cause you can't help but stay and embrace the whole song at least once. It'll catch you next time trust me.

Just when you think she's losing her touch. She brings you back in and she keeps you in. She's toying with you and you like it. "Float" actually makes you feel like you are floating. Something in the beat that gives you that weightless feeling and then she starts whispering. You are definitely floating now. This girl must stop playing with emotions. Now on "Show Me" Amerie wants us to show how much we are feeling her. Just turn up the volume a little. Still floating right? Exactly just embrace all the love she's giving you back. Give her a good reason to stay away she asks. And you can't. You want more. You are still floating like I told you. She feels that you are getting greedy and that you want more and she quickly tells you on "All I Have" it's all she has to give you. You understand, but you can't quit being greedy. You are listening and taking in all of the song that you can.

The outro "I'm Reminded" hits. You are now landing. You wish it would go on. You want to float some more, but it stops and the beat leaves you. Ahh... but you come up with a great idea. You can just listen to it again. She is not trying to be any type of Hip-Hop royalty. She is just being herself and you feel like you know her personally already. That's why you stop by the record store and buy more copies. You never want to take this out of your CD player. This is your CD for your everyday needs. Let the others collect dust.

5 out of 5 stars for: Giving us what we have been missing and doing it so well. Some rough edges on the first listen, but by the third or fourth listen (which will probably all be done on the same day) the rough edges are gone and you've fallen in love just like she asked you in the beginning.

Where is the Princess of Hip-Hop/Soul?? She's just been inducted into the royal family. All hail the Princess of Hip-Hop Soul!!!

Amerie is one of the hottest R&B singers out there right now, I would go far enough as to say that she definitely has the talent to compete with Ashanti and other R&B divas. Her album is straight up R&B and it's rare nowadays for artists to keep their music one genre. Amerie's looks are a hybrid of J.Lo and Alicia Keyes and her voice is that of a cherubim. Regardless of the fact that Amerie didn't write any of her hits on this album, they are still beyond exceptionally good.

Track Highlights

1.) Why Don't We Fall In Love - This is Amerie's first single and impressive it is. This song has new flavor with a classic sound. This song would be great on a romantic evening with your honey. This song doesn't lack meaning either, the meaning is axiomatic after referencing to the title of the track.

2.) Talkin' To Me - This track has a mellow R&B beat and the song is superb, and you can't help but to sing along to the "Talkin', Talkin', Talkin', Talkin' To Me" part of the track.

3.) Nothing Like Loving You - Amerie's voice sounds great in this song over the slow bumping beat. As if it wasn't a pleasure listening to the song the lyrics go on to indicate "There is nothing like loving you".

4.) Can't Let Go - This track is one of the more up-tempo tracks with a twitchy sound to it, and Amerie's voice flowing over this beat slowly still sounds amazingly great.

5.) Need You Tonight - This song has a hot beat, it's something you have to hear for yourself, words can't explain it's greatness. Amerie's voice sounds fierce in this song and it flows really great with this rough beat.

6.) Got To Be There - This song has peaceful music to it and Amerie is actually singing a bit faster than usual making this track sound a bit sad with a semi-slow beat and vocals with alacrity.

7.) I Just Died - This track has a great beat and Amerie's voice sounds beautiful as she sings over the music box sound. This song is so beautiful that when Amerie sings the lines "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight" it sounds so sad and surreal.

8.) Hatin' On You - Amerie doesn't show hate, she shows love. Her voice is extremely aggressive in this song as she sings about "Hatin' on You" when things simply feel right.

9.) Float - This song is exceedingly dream-like and beautiful. The one thing this song has that the other songs on "All I Have" don't, is Amerie singing with an extremely high-pitched voice in the background.

10.) Show Me - This track is yet another beautiful song. Amerie is singing about her showing her love and she wants to be shown love in return.

11.) All I Have - This track is probably the slowest one on the album but yet it isn't quite a ballad. This song is indicating all one has to give.

12.) Outro - This track is a song in it's own, it has a great beat and terrific lyrics, the only downfall about it, is that it isn't longer.

The only downfall of this album is that it comes to an end. The good news is, is that if you get hooked up with this CD you can listen to the hot beats and Amerie's beautiful voice on repeat.

Everybody I know likes the single "Why Don't We Fall In Love". The Mary J. Blige comparisions have been flying - due more to the music of that single moreso than her actual singing voice - and, having bobbed my head to a solid Mary track back in the day, I figured I'd take a risk with it. At the price they're selling it, I couldn't resist.

Well, the album really soars and is easily one of the best R&B albums out so far this year (#3 by my list). It accomplishes this by no less than 3 obvious methods:
1) Amerie can sing your lady's weave off
2) There's primarily 1 composer/producer - Rich Harrison - and he's a solid old-school-minded producer (circa 80s, when it was developing into a decidedly electronic yet still soulful phenomenon), so the album has a tight consistency and vision.
3) It draws from solid influences that were great the first time we heard them, but twists them into the new millenium enough to be original-sounding.

And, when it comes down to it, she really does have Blige-sounding moments, except she's clearly a superior singer. And while Blige has moved beyond making records that tend to go where this one goes (unfortunately on some fronts, thankfully on others), but Amerie has stomped a mudhole firmly into the R&B world with this record and her talent. It's fun, clean stuff that, through tight and busy vocal arrangements and an eye on what works in R&B, you'll be listening to for a while.

Definitely for fans of Mary, SWV and Brandy.

Amerie jumped on the scene with the success of her 1st single and 2002 summer smash, "Why Don't We Fall In Love". The radio stations have been playing the song constantly and there are also two other versions in heavy rotation as well: A Whodini, "One Love" remix and another remix featuring Ludacris. With the success of the song, I agree with Columbia wanting to release Amerie's debut CD now. The production is handled by Rich Harrison, who produced a song on Mary J. Blige's "Mary" CD entitled "Beautiful Ones". He does a good job allowing the music to flow with Amerie's voice, in my opinion. After a 2:39 version of "Why Don't We Fall In Love", (I never heard a song where the version of the song on the video was longer than the version on the actual CD), Amerie keeps things going with "Talkin' To Me". This nice midtempo jam is just the song that can keep your career going so she doesn't become a victim of VH1's one hit wonder segments. Contrary to what some people may think, Amerie reminds me a lot of Mary J. Blige when Mary first started. This is because of the sound of the music, the fact that Rich Harrison is the producer and Cory Rooney, who wrote and produced songs for "What's The 411" being one of the executive producers for "All I Have". Songs like "Talkin' To Me", "Float", and the title track will support my theory. While listening to Amerie's CD you will also hear a little Aaliyah (RIP), Monica and Ashanti in her as well. This is no fault of Amerie. This just occurs because of the wide variety of female artists that are in the r&b game today. Amerie proves to be versatile in the fact that she can perform the uptempo, midtempo and slow songs very well. 2 of the best songs on her debut are slow jams, "Nothing Like Loving You" and "Show Me". Amerie doesn't have any filler material on her CD but there are songs that are clearly better than the others. Other songs worth checking out are "Need You Tonight", "I Just Died", and "Can't Let Go". Overall, Amerie has an enourmous amount of potential. "All I Have" will definitely be in your ride until the end of the summer and for the rest of 2002. With the right single choices, Amerie will definitely be here to stay. She seems to be a very positive and grounded young woman, so I wish her luck. You can also hear her on Nas' "Rule" and on an upcoming song on LL Cool J's next CD.

James' Top 5

1. Why Don't We Fall In Love
2. Talkin' To Me
3. Need You Tonight
4. Nothing Like Loving You
5. Show Me