Because I Love It

Because I Love It
Studio album by Amerie
Released May 14, 2007 (2007-05-14)
Recorded 2005–07
Genre R&B, funk, soul
Length 51:48
Label Columbia, Sony Urban
Producer Lenny Nicholson (executive)
Amerie (executive and vocal)
Bryan-Michael Cox, The Buchanans, Cee-Lo, Quran Goodman, Destro, One Up, Chris & Drop, Mike Caren, Curtis "C Note" Richardson, Bink!, Kore & Bellek, Rich Harrison (Bonus)
Amerie chronology
Touch
(2005)		 Because I Love It
(2007)		 In Love & War
(2009)
Singles from Because I Love It
  1. "Take Control"
    Released: October 17, 2006
  2. "Gotta Work"
    Released: April 14, 2007
  3. "That's What U R"
    Released: October 23, 2007
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Evening Standard[2]
The Guardian[3]
NME(7/10)[4]
The Observerfavorable[5]
Pitchfork Media(7.3/10)[6]
Stylus MagazineB[7]
Time Out[8]
The Times[9]
Vibefavorable[10]

Because I Love It is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Amerie. Originally set for a late 2006 release, and originally to be called None of the Above, the album was released in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2007.[11] In the United States, the album was released to various retailers on different dates—it was made available as online exclusives for Walmart.com on July 3, 2007 and FYE on January 15, 2008, while its physical release did not materialize until September 30, 2008, by which point all future singles and promotion had been scrapped due to Amerie's departure from Columbia Records.

Singles

"Take Control" was the lead single from the album, and its music video debuted in the US in December 2006. The song peaked on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at number 66 but was considerably more successful overseas, reaching number 10 in the UK. The official remix featured South Korean pop singer SE7EN.

"Gotta Work" was released as the album's second single outside the US. It was used to help promote TNT's coverage of the 2008 NBA All-Star Game in the US, and AXN Television in Asia.[12][13] The single peaked at number 21 on the UK Singles Chart and number six on the UK R&B Singles Chart.

"Crush" was scheduled as the third single, but its release was cancelled. A remix of "Crush" produced by Johnny Douglas was intended to be used for the radio version of the single.[14] Instead, "That's What U R" was released as the album's third single on a limited promotional-only basis. The radio version was a remix that added rap verses by Fabolous and Slim Thug;[15] this version can be found on some Asian limited editions of Because I Love It.

Critical reception

Because I Love It received wide critical acclaim from various music critics. AllHipHop.com praised the album giving it 5 out of 5 stars, stating that Amerie has the "ability to convey excitement without sounding insane" but pointing out that "doesn’t fit neatly into any specific genre anyway, so she might as well leave the standard R&B fare to the army of standard R&B chicks available to sing them."[16] Allmusic also praised the album; giving it 4½ out of 5 stars, stating that the album "lassoe[d] each song, whether it require[d] salt, sugar, heartache, delight, or any combination thereof." and further noting that "[s]he is the only female singer on the album, and hearing her backgrounds dance and swim around her leads is as moving as anything else in modern R&B".[1]

Despite mixed criticism towards its ballads, Spin praised the album's sound and called it "R&B at its most dynamic".[17] The Observer gave it a favorable review, writing "It's no classic, but the obligatory ballads are mercifully few, allowing a series of punchy, soulpowered tracks to shine".[5] The Guardian gave it a 4 out of 5 stars while lauding Amerie as "one of the greatest singers in pop music" and that Because I Love It was a "spectacular work" because [Amerie] "catches the fleeting thrills and momentary rushes of intensity that permeate otherwise mundane days, and stretches those feelings out across four-minute songs without ever letting up."[3] NME gave Because I Love It a rating of 7/10, describing it as "bar-raising pop" and calling it a "whip-smart collection of retro R&B that’s more Winehouse than Aguilera".[4]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Forecast" (Intro)Bob James, Chris Paultre, Derrick "Mayham" BraxtonChris & Drop 1:10
2. "Hate2LoveU"  George Brown, Ronald Bell, Claydes Smith, Robert Mickens, Richard Westfield, Dennis Thomas, Robert Bell, Gene Redd, Woodrow Sparrow, The ClutchOne Up 3:11
3. "Some Like It"  Malcolm McLaren, Anne Dudley, Lenvert NicholsonAmerie, Len Nicholson, Destro Music, Quran Goodman 2:56
4. "Make Me Believe"  Curtis MayfieldAmerie, Len Nicholson 3:22
5. "Take Control"  Daryl Hall, John Oates, Sara Allen, Cee-Lo Green, Mike Caren, Tom Zé, WaldezMike Caren 3:42
6. "Gotta Work"  Isaac Hayes, David Porter, Loren Hill, Rich Shelton, Kevin VeneyOne Up 3:10
7. "Crush"  Makeda Davis, Simon Johnson, Andre GonzalesThe Buchanans 3:39
8. "Crazy Wonderful"  Johnson, GonzalesThe Buchanans 3:48
9. "That's What U R"  Derrick Braxton, Chris PaultreChris & Drop 3:36
10. "When Loving U Was Easy"  Curtis RichardsonCurtis Richardson 3:21
11. "Paint Me Over"  Roosevelt Harrell, Willie HutchBink! 4:12
12. "Somebody Up There"  Bryan-Michael CoxBryan-Michael Cox 4:45
13. "All Roads"  Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Richardson, Michel LegrandCurtis Richardson 3:08
Bonus tracks
No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
14. "1 Thing"  Rich Harrison, Stanley WaldenRich Harrison 3:59
15. "Losing U"  Khaled Hadj BrahimKore & Bellek 3:26
16. "Take Control" (Remix featuring Se7en East Asia Bonus track)   3:43
17. "Streets Alone"  Chris Paultre, Derrick BraxtonChris & Drop 4:17

Sample credits

Charts

Chart (2007) Peak
position
European Top 100 Albums[18] 56
French Albums Chart[19] 159
Irish Albums Chart[20] 65
Japanese Albums Chart[21] 13
Scottish Albums Chart[22] 38
Swiss Albums Chart[23] 42
UK Albums Chart[24] 17
UK R&B Albums Chart[25] 4

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United Kingdom (BPI)[26] Silver 60,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. 1 2 Kellman, Andy. Review: Because I Love It. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2009-11-04.
  2. ↑ Elwell-Sutton, Chris. Review: Because I Love It. Evening Standard. Retrieved on 2009-11-04.
  3. 1 2 Macpherson, Alex. Review: Because I Love It. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2009-11-04.
  4. 1 2 Elan, Priya. Review: Because I Love It. NME. Retrieved on 2009-11-04.
  5. 1 2 Fox, Killian. Review: Because I Love It. The Observer. Retrieved on 2009-11-04.
  6. ↑ Finney, Tim. Review: Because I Love It. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved on 2009-11-04.
  7. ↑ Casillas, Andrew. Review: Because I Love It. Stylus Magazine. Retrieved on 2009-11-04.
  8. ↑ Draper, Jimmy. Review: Because I Love It. Time Out. Retrieved on 2009-11-04.
  9. ↑ Jelbert, Steve. Review: Because I Love It. The Times. Retrieved on 2009-11-04.
  10. ↑ Odom, Shanel. "Review: Because I Love It". Vibe: 76. August 2007.
  11. ↑ "(UK) | Amerie - Because I Love It". RCA Label Group. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  12. ↑ "Amerie - rnbdirt.com". rnbdirt.com.
  13. ↑ "Video: Amerie’s AXN Commercial". Rap-Up.
  14. ↑ "New Song: Amerie - 'Crush' (video mix)". That Grape Juice. 2007-11-07. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  15. ↑ http://www.upabove.com/album.aspx?albumID=190
  16. ↑ Alex Thornton (2007-05-23). "Alternatives Reviews : Amerie: Because I Love It [IMPORT]". Allhiphop.com. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  17. ↑ Hogan, Marc. "Review: Because I Love It". Spin: 64. September 2007.
  18. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums – Chart Listing For The Week Of Jun 02 2007". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Amerie – Because I Love It" (in French). lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 24 May 2007". Chart-Track. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  21. ↑ ビコーズ・アイ・ラヴ・イット | エイメリー [Because I Love It | Amerie] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. May 20–26, 2007. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Amerie – Because I Love It". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Amerie" (select "Albums" tab). Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. May 20–26, 2007. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  26. ↑ "British album certifications – Amerie – Because I Love It". British Phonographic Industry. June 29, 2007. Retrieved June 7, 2015. Enter Because I Love It in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search

External links

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