Tweet
It’s Me Again
Atlantic
If it’s true that an artist’s reality is reflected in their music, it’s good to know that Tweet is doing well. It has been three years since the release of the melancholy Southern Hummingbird, but this spring Tweet returns singing a different story on her new album It’s Me Again.
The tone of It’s Me Again shows that time has healed many of Tweet’s emotional wounds. The disc begins with an introduction that has the singer eager to celebrate life and love-a noticeable difference from the debut’s intro, which served as a diary entry outlining the reasons for her depression. The calm tone found in the opening is prevalent throughout It’s Me Again, with “Cab Ride” being the first of a series of mellow songs. Using an updated version of the theme song from the television show Taxi as a backdrop, Tweet’s soft vocals complement the flute beautifully as she sings about linking up with a companion for the night. “My Man” offers something different, with the drummer bringing the song to life in a way that can only be matched by a live experience. Following is the jazzy, playful tune “Sports, Sex & Food.” In this number Tweet assumes the role of a matriarch, offering to young women the secrets to keeping a man.
It’s Me Again-like its predecessor-falls short when Missy Elliot is allowed free reign on tracks. Although the single “Turn Da Lights Off” sounds good despite erratic shouting by Elliot, the rest of the songs suffer because of her input. The strength of Tweet’s songs (and consequently the album) lies in her soulful vocals and mature subject matter-not her mentor’s star power. It’s Me Again has the potential to become one of the year’s most successful releases. Let’s hope Tweet’s camp does it right this time by releasing material that is indicative of the album’s excellence instead of relying on the commercial appeal of the upbeat tracks.
