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91
MSN Consumer Guide (Robert Christgau)
Through almost as many producers as Mary, this album has a single identity, a contour and a groove that suits its well-inhabited breakup concept.
80
Mojo
It is her most intense, but perhaps also her most pleasurable excursion yet. [Jan 2008, p.104]
80
All Music Guide
These songs sound like they were written as she was fed chocolate-dipped strawberries while sprawled out on a bed cloaked with rose petals.
80
Amazon.com
Scott weaves through the music like a woman who's taken her time contemplating what feelings ought to sound like.
80
Boston Globe
The 15 tracks on The Real Thing feature a slew of styles and producers--among them Scott Storch (DMX, 50 Cent), Adam Blackstone (the Roots), Om'Mas Keith (Jay-Z), and Shafiq Husayn (Jurassic 5)--all gathered in pursuit of a mission outlined on the album's gorgeous, abstract opener, a meditation on open-mindedness.
80
The Guardian
Though the blues are at the heart of the album, what makes the most impression is Scott's sensual bravado.
80
Uncut
Upping the tempo-and libido of her Grammy-winning "Beautifully Human," here Scott lays the funky paramaters wide open. Jan 2008, p.100]
70
Sputnikmusic
What's right here is awesome, and I for one have got a lot of joy out of listening to it.
70
Rolling Stone
Scott's music is more about groove and mood than song.
60
Slant Magazine
The Real Thing isn't exactly a step down from the last volume, 2004's "Beautifully Human," but it's conceptually even less diverse, which makes it her weakest album to date.
60
Q Magazine
It's a bedroom album, albeit an intelligent, challenging one. [Jan 2008, p.110]
The average user rating for this album is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.