| | |  | | Home » All of Me | | | | | | | Product Promotions: | | | | | Description: | | All Of Me follows the Grammy Award-winning singer's 2008 US debut, Shine. The new album is heralded by two critically acclaimed singles, "Fall In Love (Feat. Nas)," and "Break My Heart (Feat. Rick Ross)." | | | Product Details: | | | Audio CD Release Date:
| February 28, 2012 | | Studio:
| Atlantic | | Number Of Discs:
| 1 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 15 reviews |
| | | Track Listing: | | | 1. | The Life | | 2. | International (Serious) feat. Chris Brown and Trey Songz | | 3. | You And I | | 4. | Love The Way We Used To | | 5. | Cold Crush | | 6. | Don't Break It | | 7. | Break My Heart (feat. Rick Ross) | | 8. | Thank You | | 9. | Who We Are | | 10. | Wonderful Life | | 11. | Found My Way... | | 12. | Back To Love | | 13. | Blue Skies | | 14. | Speak Ya Mind | | 15. | Do My Thing (feat. Janelle Monáe) | |
| | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 15 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 7 found the following review helpful:
 OkayMar 03, 2012
By M
"BMRHoward"
Really upbeat. The interludes are kind of lame. Maybe they are not lame; maybe I am too old(34) to understand their usefulness. The last track with Janelle Monae was a great way to end an otherwise uninspiring album.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Just OKApr 21, 2012
By Lettie
It's a cool CD, but nothing to write home about. It lacks a certain presence that makes you feel it and remember it. She also uses too many interludes, they take up 1/3 of the CD.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Estelle All Of MeApr 06, 2012
By Janice
the CD was okay, . I had to listen to it a couple of times before knowing if I liked it or not because there were just too many interludes , like it was trying to copy the Lauren Hill Cd, even mentioned miseducation in one of the songs, lol. Once I got pass them, the music is nice.
4 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Solid Enough, but SHINE was a more complete, enjoyable effortFeb 29, 2012
By Michael Brent Faulkner, Jr.
"Brent Faulkner"
Estelle returns to the R&B scene after a multi-year hiatus following her flagship album, Shine. Shine was a superb, well crafted effort that yielded one signature hit, "American Boy," featuring ubiquitous rapper Kanye West. Unfortunate for Shine was the `one-hit-wonder' status that the album received, despite how incredibly solid the material was. Further unfortunately for Estelle is that All Of Me does the British starlet no favors and delivers no hits the caliber of "American Boy." Sure, "American Boy" may have been a novelty cut, but it was the song that not only won Estelle her only Grammy, but also established her in the industry as a lucrative artist. All of Me does not try to supersede Shine, and is a more flawed, less alluring album overall. There are some shining moments, but no `crowning achievements' per say.
"The Life" opens sincerely with Estelle's a cappella vocals, but it never comes off as incredibly fresh or new. Sure, Estelle begins rapping, like on "Wait A Minute (Just a Touch)," but the performance is less enthralling. "The Life" lacks energy to an extent, regardless of its solid, though not necessarily exceptional production work. It's not a bore, but it's not valedictory. "International (Serious)" is a much better cut, featuring Chris Brown and Trey Songz. It's not the `freshest' collaboration or cut either, but there is enough potential. David Banner's production work is a highlight, as are Estelle's vocals. The cut technically isn't too long at just under 4 minutes, but the repetitiveness at times does make it seem the slightest bit longer than it is. Regardless, "International (Serious)" is one of the best cuts from All of Me.
"You and I" is one of many interludes that seek to discuss relationship issues, but end up as nothing more than sheer annoyance to the listener. "Love the Way We Use To" follows featuring a jazzy, `tongue-in-cheek' opening. Estelle sounds lovely enough, but there is still a disconnect here between listener and artist that seemed not to be an issue on Shine. She sounds find, the track is merely average. "Cold Crush" is more enjoyable, hearkening back to 1980's R&B production. The uptempo vibe works well with the chanteuse, as does the catchy, well penned refrain: "Cold crush/I'm trying to keep my cool/I want you so much..." Length bodes in "Cold Crush's" favor at just over three minutes. "Don't Break It" caps off "Cold Crush" with another interlude that makes you shake your head as to `why?'
"Break My Heart," featuring Rick Ross, provides All of Me a much need lift - a `pick-me-up' if you will. Estelle sounds polished and Ross provides capable rhymes. "Break My Heart" is certainly not Estelle's best, but it is easily a standout on this effort. The production is a highlight for sure, notably the drum programming. "Thank You," a recently released single is well produced with solid, clear vocals from Estelle. The old-school vibe is obvious here, hearkening or at least alluding back to the neo-soul vibes that made Shine such a solid effort. "Thank You" for all its accolades still feels a shade unfinished; it is missing something. Certainly "Who We Are" (another interlude), does nothing to keep the momentum of the effort flowing or atoning for any of "Thank You's" improprieties.
"Wonderful Life" has a nice hip-hop soul sound, but still has a `flatness' about it. "Found My Way," yet another waste of :25 follows, followed by "Back to Love," another cut that has some potential, but lacks memorability when all is said and done. Sure the four-on-the-floor drum programming is great, but there is nothing else earth-shattering enough to make "Back to Love" the next greatest hit. "Blue Skies" passes (another :20 interlude) and leaves some of the best material at the close of the album. "Speak Ya Mind" is spunky to say the least, finding Estelle rapping with great conviction. The only let down is the extended interlude tacked onto the cut, though this one does follow the logic of the album. Better than "Speak Ya Mind" is enjoyable closing cut "Do My Thing," featuring Janelle Monáe, which makes the listener ask why wasn't this cut featured earlier.
Overall, All Of Me is solid enough, but not exceptional. All of Me lacks the `trigger' to truly provide Estelle a new audience. Her fans of "American Boy" only won't be wowed by this unabashedly R&B affair and those fans who love the totality of Estelle's Shine will be less impressed with the less neo-soul vibe of Shine. Perhaps Estelle will better crafter her next album. This one does have its moments to say the least.
6 of 8 found the following review helpful:
A breath of fresh airFeb 28, 2012
By computer-girl
"computer-girl"
Estelle is a breath of fresh air within the current atomosphere of female R&B/Pop artists.
She really does have a distinctive sound during a time when autotune is managing to often prevent me from distinguishing one pop singer from another (male or female).
There are some very upbeat songs that you can feel free to dance to.
The highlights for me are:
The Life
International (Serious) - Carribean
Love the Way We Used To
Break My Heart - 80s vintage soul
Thank you - 80s vintage soul sort of reminded my of a Mary J. Blige Bad Boy collaboration
Wonderful Life
Do My Thing - (this kind of reminds me of Outkast, I happen to also like Janelle Monae)
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