Bittersweet is one of the most interesting albums I have heard this year from an RnB artist. Mainly because of Blu Cantrell's origional, sexy voice. She has an edge, a broken heart and also a new found love that you can here in songs like "Risk it All." It's bitter, it's sweet, but most of all, it is filled with great songs that you are sure to enjoy. Here is my song by song rating ot the album:

1. I Love You (8/10)

Overall, Blu Cantrell's sophomore album, "Bittersweet," is a great buy that you should make no hesitation about getting. You'll enjoy her album from beginning to end.

Blu Cantrell has one of the best voices in the industry. "Sleep In The Middle" had the potential to be a huge hit. So why didn't Arista records promote it?? The only single released was "Breathe" which was not well promoted. If you want people to buy your products you need to PROMOTE them!!!! Maybe they should go back to college and take marketing/business classes over again. This underrated cd has some great cuts on it. "Don't Wanna Say Goodbye" and "Holding On To Love" are two more of my favorites. If you like r+b/soul music check this cd out.

In 2001, Blu Cantrell hopped on the trifiling men-bashing bandwagon with the summer single "Hit Em Up Style (Oops)." Produced by Dallas Austin, it's a tale about a scorned woman who gets back at an unfaithful lover by maxing out his cards at Neiman's. It went Top Ten, got mucho play at the clubs, and helped make her debut "So Blu" go gold. But Blu's popularity ended as quickly as the single disappeared from the charts, and it seemed that she was heading for One Hit Wonderland. Fortunately, Blu returns with her solid album, appropriately titled "Bittersweet." First off, anybody looking for a song similar to "Hit Em Up Style" will be out of luck. Not content on repeating herself, Cantrell has grown and moved on from that single. The album's better cuts are the ballads which make the best use of Blu's supple voice. I really dug "Unhappy," as well as "Sleep in the Middle," which finds Cantrell trying to move forward from a relationship that didn't work. "Risk It All" shows how far out of her way Blu will go for her man, while "Impatient" is a cute upbeat jam with Fat Joe and LIl' Kim. "Bittersweet" comes with a bonus DVD with the video to "Hit Em Up Style" as well as a 3-part interview with NY-based DJ Wendy Williams, who was responsible for that horrific interview with Whitney Houston in early 2003. The interview is pretty much what we've come to expect from Wendy Williams: raunchy, gossipy, and wonderfully trashy. It's not quite as revealing as I'd want it to be, but it's still entertaining and it nicely compliments this CD which overall beats the sophomore slump.

(...) First off, I would like to thank the Grammy people for using their brains and giving this album a "Best Female R&B" nomination.

This album isn't quite as good as "So Blu", but who cares, it's a hell of a lot better than Beyonce's. This album, "Bittersweet" is more relaxed, but not in the sense that is ballad heavy (there are more up-tempos here than there were on "So Blu"). It's more relaxed in the sense that Blu isn't really belting here with the exception of "Sleep In The Middle". She's singing in a nice, laid back tone, and there are no "big ballads". This is fine with me; in my opinion there was enough belting and enough big ballads on "So Blu". But apparently, if a singer isn't screaming her lungs out (cough, Christina, cough), it's not good enough.

The album opens with my favorite track, "I Love You". This song was produced and co-written by Kevin "Shekspeare" Briggs. (Blu herself also wrote it). The song starts with a fifteen second piano introduction, and then the more modern R&B beat kicks in. The lyrics in the first verse are terrific: "We live in a world where reality/ depresses all of the emotions that/ live inside of me/ life can be so cruel/ but you make it easier/ ya picked me up when I was down/ now my feet's on solid ground". The hook has an old school flavor which I love. The bridge is also great.

The next song is "Sleep In The Middle" which, as I noted earlier, is the song where Blu shows off her vocals. I like this song as well. The climax is breath taking. The next song is "Unhappy". I would like to say right now that I would never of opened an album with three ballads, but whatever Arista. "Unhappy" is good, though it doesn't stand out like the first two songs did. And I wish she ditched the horrible backing vocals on the hook and bridge. This song is good lyrically: "I'm still the same girl ya fell in love with/ the same one that's been putting up with your bullsh**".

Finally the up-tempos kick in. The next song is "Impatient", a hot song with Lil' Kim and Fat Joe. Kim gives a better rap than Joe; she even does a hilarious Sean Paul impersonation: "I can be a housewife or the freakiest ho, yo, just gimme the light and pass the dro". The song is catchy with great vocals from Cantrell. I especially like the latin guitar music. "Breathe" with Sean Paul, was the album's first single and did nothing on the radio, though it should have. The song is terrific and I actually like Sean Paul's rap (partly due to the fact that the lyrics are printed in the CD booklet).

The ballads are back. "Risk It All" is a sweet ballad that is pleasent to listen to, though not a standout. Lyrically it's corny as hell, but the music and vocals are good. This song does sort of sound like it belongs on "So Blu" though. The next song is "Don't Wanna Say Goodbye" which I love. It starts out with a rain affect, then some weird music, before the beat and vocals come in. The bridge is terrific. Also this song is co-written by *the* Stevie Wonder! (...) "Happily Ever After" is next. This song begins acapella, before an old school uptempo R&B beat kicks in. Blu's vocals on this song are also old school. I really like this song, though it sounds a bit pop at times. The next song is... a bit weird. It's about love, and it's called "Holding On To Love". Lyrically it is also corny and Blu's great vocals are killed with pro tools, whick she does not, I repeat does not need. This song does grow on you, but sounds really bad at first.

The next song is the up temo jam "Let Her Go", which I love. The lyrics, bridge and vamp are very good. This song sounds like it should be a filler track but it actually isn't. However, the next song is much better. "Make Me Wanna Scream"... I love this song! It's my second favorite. I love the lyrics, the hook, the rap, the reggae flavor, everything! This was released as a second single and has yet to take off. The final song is "No Place Like Home", which perhaps the best album closer I have ever heard. The lyrics and vocals are good; so is the music. I was walking down my street this afternoon and listening to this song on my walkman. It felt great, looking at where I grew up and listening to this song.

This CD also comes with a bonus DVD featuring a juicy interview with radio DJ Wendy Williams, as well as the "Hit Em Up Style" video (from "So Blu").

Please people, buy this album! It is well worth the money. And Blu, if you're reading this, if Arista drops you, you should see it as a blessing. Trust me, there are lots of record labels that will give you the publicity you deserve. And to everyone else, let's not make another mistake and let an extremely talented singer slip into obscurity! Thanks and God bless.

I am giving the VOICE 5 stars. The CD gets about 4 1/2. Don't let that light skin and centerfold sex kitten image of Blu fool you. She not only can sing, she has a powerful voice. More R & B (a little less hip hop) and a few more tightly written songs and you would have to put her next to Kelly Price in your collection. Some would still say she belongs there now. And really, the CD is good too! The listening samples here do not do it justice. Trust, there is no one on the r&b/hip scene today who can touch this voice! She even has legit jazz skills!