Jennifer Hudson - I Remember Me, a review



You'd be hard-pressed to find a breakthrough as turbulent and rippling as Jennifer Hudson's - it has all of the ingredients for a modern popstar's career, let alone debut. Already with an Academy Award under her belt, Hudson wowed critics and audiences alike with her showstopping performance in Dreamgirls, only to go and cap it off with a #2 album and a string of hits - the biggest across the Atlantic being 'Spotlight'. Yet with the good came the tragic - the murder of such a large proportion of her family soon after the release of the album sent shockwaves around the world. But Hudson's come back fighting, with a monumental weight loss and stunning new figure to boot.

I Remember Me kicks off its long list of production talents with Rich Harrison's 'No One Gonna Love You', a midtempo moment of reflection. "I named it 'I Remember Me' because I feel like in 29 years I have lead over four different lives," Hudson revealed on the red carpet at the Oscars last month, and with the lyrics 'I've been through some things, please don't hold that against me', it's a brusque dismissal of any preconceptions about her. Her vocals are immediately set to soar, and the tune is fine if a little unexciting. 'I Got This' attempts to put Hudson into the Kelis or Kelly Rowland mould of confident dance swagger (it's no coincidence that producer StarGate was also behind Beyoncé's Irreplaceable).


'Where You At' takes the first single pedestal, penned by R Kelly and it's not exactly subtle (fitted with customary piano tinkles and repetitive drumbeats) and whilst Hudson's vocals do acrobatics as impressive as those that earned her the little gold statue. 'Angel' is as 90s as they come, this time aided by Alicia Keys' songwriting and production. It's effortlessly catchy and probably the strongest single potential on offer.

The self-titled track, Hudson's only writing credit, is noticeably Ryan Tedder-influenced with its saccharine synthesised strings and predictable song structure that really don't do her justice. The omnipresent Ester Dean is drafted into 'Gone', responsible for hits such as Rude Boy, What's My Name?, Outta Here and Jai Ho! It immediately benefits from the poppier disposition and will probably go down as one of the favourites by many listeners. 'Everybody Needs Love' is a fast tempo but ultimately forgettable track that would be more suited to a Destiny's Child album than hers.

There's an inoffensive, universally appealing quality about 'Why Is It So Hard' that speeds things along pleasantly. Jazzier elements are introduced to 'Don't Look Down', a solid song filled with generic proverbs that come off a little cheap and uninspired. The queen of soft ballads, Diane Warren, lends her skilled hand to the proceedings with 'Still Here', a slow-building perfect backdrop to Hudson's sirenlike performance.


There's then a generic 'Feeling Good' cover that I'd rather hoped she'd have left behind on the talent show circuit. The album finishes with 'Believe', easily the best vocal performance by Hudson and as stirring a performance as they come.

It's unlikely that this album is going to win any more fans than she already has, what with its safe tendencies, but it's immediately a step up from her debut with more solid moments, a shade more variety and a stronger songwriting team. There are no real wow moments (except the closer, maybe) but with a voice like that do you really need them? (The answer is yes. Sorry.)

Rating: 6/10
Highlights: Believe, Gone, I Remember Me, I Got This
Avoid: Feeling Good, Don't Look Down, Everybody Needs Love

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