Wikked Lil' Grrrls

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
After the release of Esthero's heralded 1998 disc Breath from Another, the Toronto singer seemed to have an open road of opportunities ahead of her. Breath soared on people's best-of lists, allowing Esthero the chance to collaborate with everyone from the Black Eyed Peas and Mos Def to Sugar Ray. Her future seemed filled with long-term opportunity and promise. Strangely, however, after that bright burst, the singer all but disappeared. Aside from the occasional guest performance, it was seven years of curious silence. For being such a talented singer-songwriter--one deeply influenced by Nina Simone, Saul Williams, and Burt Bacharach--her jazzy, sultry, hip-hop grooves were timely, yet strangely absent. Finally, with Wikked Lil' Girls and its first single, "We R in Need of a Musical Revolution," the silence wasn't just broken, it was blown wide open. An acerbic, beat-driven track, the song unapologetically attacks the current state of pop music ("I'm so sick and tired of the s#@! on the radio") rightfully and righteously. The disc then shifts from uptempto timeless pop ("Every Day Is a Holiday," featuring Sean Lennon) to sexy downtempo ("Beautiful Lie") and then to a later section of slow songs and smooth jazz--a fluid rollercoaster of sound. The final song, "Dragonfly's Outro," is a gorgeous, float-on-clouds track with horns sampled from '80s soundtrack legend Bill Conti. Mixing up vocal styles, interesting samples, and great contemporary beats, it shows how great Esthero can be at her best--an amalgamation of many influences and her own talented, wikked ways. --Denise Sheppard

Product Description
Wikkid Lil' Grrrls is a sexy, sophisticated blend of hip-hop, jazz, dance, rock and soul. Add Cee-Lo Green of Goodie Mob, Sean Lennon and a crew of producers including Dr. Dre cohort Camara Kambon (Eminem, Mary J. Blige) and Wikked Lil' Grrrls is as wikked cool as Esthero herself.

Wikked Lil' Grrrls,Esthero,Reprise / Wea,Adult Alternative Pop/Rock,Canada,Electronica,Pop,Rap,Rock,Rock/Pop

Wikked Lil' Grrrls

Tracks:

We R In Need Of A MusicalReVoLuTion
Dragonflys Intro
Blanket Me In You (Never Is So Soon)
Everyday Is A Holiday (With You) -(featuring Sean Lennon)
Thank Heaven 4 You
If Tha Mood - (featuring Shakari Nite)
Bad Boy Clyde
Beautiful Lie
Junglebook - (featuring Andre 3000)
My Honeybrown
Wikked Lil Grrrls
Gone - (featuring Cee-Lo Green)
My Torture
Melancholy Melody
Fastlane - (featuring Jemeni and Jelleestone)
Dragonflys Outro
Brave Bear Woman

Amazon.com

After the release of Esthero's heralded 1998 disc Breath from Another, the Toronto singer seemed to have an open road of opportunities ahead of her. Breath soared on people's best-of lists, allowing Esthero the chance to collaborate with everyone from the Black Eyed Peas and Mos Def to Sugar Ray. Her future seemed filled with long-term opportunity and promise. Strangely, however, after that bright burst, the singer all but disappeared. Aside from the occasional guest performance, it was seven years of curious silence. For being such a talented singer-songwriter--one deeply influenced by Nina Simone, Saul Williams, and Burt Bacharach--her jazzy, sultry, hip-hop grooves were timely, yet strangely absent. Finally, with Wikked Lil' Girls and its first single, "We R in Need of a Musical Revolution," the silence wasn't just broken, it was blown wide open. An acerbic, beat-driven track, the song unapologetically attacks the current state of pop music ("I'm so sick and tired of the s#@! on the radio") rightfully and righteously. The disc then shifts from uptempto timeless pop ("Every Day Is a Holiday," featuring Sean Lennon) to sexy downtempo ("Beautiful Lie") and then to a later section of slow songs and smooth jazz--a fluid rollercoaster of sound. The final song, "Dragonfly's Outro," is a gorgeous, float-on-clouds track with horns sampled from '80s soundtrack legend Bill Conti. Mixing up vocal styles, interesting samples, and great contemporary beats, it shows how great Esthero can be at her best--an amalgamation of many influences and her own talented, wikked ways. --Denise Sheppard

Album Description

Wikkid Lil' Grrrls is a sexy, sophisticated blend of hip-hop, jazz, dance, rock and soul. Add Cee-Lo Green of Goodie Mob, Sean Lennon and a crew of producers including Dr. Dre cohort Camara Kambon (Eminem, Mary J. Blige) and Wikked Lil' Grrrls is as wikked cool as Esthero herself.

Customer Reviews:

Love this!!.......2007-02-05

I heard a couple of these songs and bought the CD. I love it! Every song is good! This CD stays in my car and I never get tired of listening to it! Check it out!

FUNKY.......2007-01-03

This girl is great, her voice, her mix, her sound, her lyrics, every song is real, true and funky. Love this album!

A few times through, you'll call it a favorite........2006-12-19

I remember when i first bought this album, I gave it a listen and wasn't sure at first what to think, every song is so different and unique that it was hard to follow the flow, but then you almost understand her reason behind the flow, I absolutley love this album, I saw her concert not to long ago and it made me appreciate it even more, just to see her emotions she throws into each song in person really sinks in that she put her heart and soul into this album.

Still that classic trip hop sound, but with some swing twist.
a must own for any true Estero Fan.
=S=

Musical revolution, just in time........2006-12-06

Well I agree with one of the other reviewers in that it isn't completely new style-wise, but it's very new for Esthero. She still sounds like the old Esthero... a wide eyed, hand in your face, with a hand on her pants.

The closest comparison would be a Gwen Stefani hip hop type CD, but it's so much more. (I hate reviewing this since I can't do it justice with words.) Esthero still has her trip hop sex appeal songs, but also has hip hop.

I could do without some of the cussing though since it at times seems it's just for shock value. Don't get me wrong though some of it happens at just the right moment.

Of all my reviews on here, this has probably been the toughest for me to articulate the true nature of the CD.

Let me just say this. If you like hip hop, but also like her Trip - Hop Breathe from Another CD, buy this, as it's basically Breath From Another 2010: better, stronger, faster...

Revolution.......2006-08-06

Esthero spoke words of truth about our need for a musical revolution. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be something everyone is ready to handle. Thankfully, I am. Esthero's "Wikked Lil Girls" is original, fiery, and bubbling with pizzazz as it blends different sounds and moods into one long story of a woman's journey to find freedom to be herself.

"Thank Heaven 4 U" is mellow, cool and 'beautiful, "Junglebook" is catchy and energetic, "Gone" is soft and heartfelt, as Cee-Lo only adds to the expression of the emotions involved with love changes. "If Tha Mood" could easily be a standout with its horns, sexy lyrics and danceable melody, until the guest rapper's slow, uninterested style dirsupts the flow. On the upside, Esthero somehow manages to touch on the subject of being with someone else's man sensual and daring rather than trashy. This requires a true skill that she has definitely captured and made into an assertive, confident declaration of what a woman wants. Finally, "My Torture" has a tropical jazz sound with lyrics that are so meaningful yet nearly frightening ("Set myself on fire//anything to turn your head") that it is an absolutely memorable ballad of the torture attached to love.

It's a shame Esthero is so overlooked, considering her talent and ability to collaborate with different artists. Maybe one day we shall have our revolution.

Soul Music:

Soul Music

soul music

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