• Record Label: Stax
  • Release Date: Nov 23, 2009
Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Unexpected simply feels like a leap more than a step.
  2. It’s a neo-soul record. A very good one, because that’s what she does, her passionate voice bringing abundant personality.
  3. Unexpected offers more musical variety than previous discs, from the lively and fun “I Ain’t Hearing You’’ - about a man who can’t possibly be cheating - to the more formulaic “Tell Me,’’ where synthetic beats and the dreaded Auto-Tune take away from the warmth of Stone’s spirit and voice.
  4. Angie Stone’s fifth album, is her strongest to date, as she delivers an LP that effortlessly combines the finest elements of Neo Soul with old-skool R&B.
  5. This is precisely what her old fans expect by now, and it's unlikely to reel in many new ones.
  6. Mojo
    60
    Structurally, melodically and harmonically some of the material is formulaic but the sublime quality of Stone's vocals - especially on shimmering ballads such as Maybe and Tell Me - save the day. [Feb 2010, p. 95]
  7. She is singular in her ability to be among the most stylistically diverse contemporary artists of our time, without being flashy about it.
  8. Q Magazine
    40
    Her fifth solo album mixes positive-message R&B, hip hop and funk with variable and often unsubstantial results. [Mar 2010, p.110]
  9. Uncut
    60
    Stone's impeccable vocal ensures that her past glories thrive on this new frontier. [Mar 2010, p.96]

There are no user reviews yet.