Tamia | Love Life

Tamia | Love Life Def Jam Recordings by Darnell Meyers-JohnsonTamia

was literally picked from obscurity 20 years ago when Quincy Jones auditioned her for his 1995 album Q’s JOOK JOINT. Her solo feature, “You Put A Move On My Heart” became the set’s lead single and earned Tamia the first of her six Grammy nominations. The rest, as they say, is history.

A history complete with unforgettable collaborations (“Spend My Life With You” with Eric Benet, “Missing You” with Brandy, Gladys Knight and Chaka Khan), occasional forays into hip-hop (“Into You” with Fabolous) and a multitude of cover tunes (George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”, DeBarge’s “Love Me In A Special Way”, Aretha’s “Day Dreaming”).

However, Tamia’s strongest presence has been on emotional, soul stirring ballads. Who could ever forget the betrayal of “Stranger In My House”, the defiance of “Me”, the acoustic heartbreak of “Officially Missing You”? Big songs/big vocal moments have become somewhat of a trademark for a singer who has no otherwise memorable image.

You see, in the 20 years we’ve known Tamia she infused so much of her personal life (married for 16 years to retired NBA great Grant Hill, mother of two children) into her public persona that for even the most die hard of her fan base, it began to translate as boring. Whether right, wrong or indifferent fans typically want their R&B divas to be “the one”…the “sexy” one, the “glamorous”, the “hood” one. Whatever it is, fans love to slap a label on it so they can say, “This is the chick I go to for that.” To some degree, Tamia was the “classy” one, which often was just another way of saying boring.

With her latest release, LOVE LIFE, Tamia seemingly aims to smash all that by insisting…no, demanding that a wife and mother of two can still put it down in the bedroom, on the furniture, on the floor. Yes folks, this is Tamia’s official grown AND sexy album. There’s no mistake about that.

It’s also clear this is a love letter to her husband, albeit a naughty one.

Underneath the reigning lyrical themes of love, lust, passion and all things marital bliss, the listener will find a pretty traditional R&B album here, probably the most traditional of Tamia’s career. Melodically, “Chaise Lounge” could have easily been a 70s era offering from Aretha. Similarly, “Stuck With Me” has a classic Isley Brothers vibe.

“Day One” will perk the ears of those more accustomed to Tamia’s artistry on big ballads, as will her cover of Deniece William’s “Black Butterfly”.

But it’s slow burners like “No Lie” and “Lipstick” paired up with the bump and thump of “Nowhere” and the first single “Sandwich And A Soda” which make for Tamia’s most sonically cohesive set to date. One thing for certain, you won’t get bored with this one.

Grade: A

Darnell Meyers-Johnson
The Urban Music Scene