Buy Now
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
-
Dec 7, 2010After factoring in the fictitious post-breakup duet with Ne-Yo (which is more like a verbal joust), the self-flagellating "Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)" (a collision of oft-used samples and references that does not sound the least bit tired), and the nakedly ambitious "Famous" (where she yearns for girls to want to be like her), it becomes increasingly clear that Love Me Back sprawls and stuns in equal measure.
-
Dec 7, 2010Love Me Back is worth so much more than the future classic tag it's been lumped with--it's an instant and self-assured blast of a record, its maker a new star to love
-
Dec 7, 2010True to her nickname "Mini MJB" (as in, Mary J. Blige), she's the best kind of R&B paradox: the vulnerable diva.
-
Feb 15, 2011Although overdoing the soulful melodrama doesn't beat overdoing the suave cool as decisively as the retro-nuevo believe, the songwriting here is a big extra difference maker, with enough pop moves to lighten the overall mood.
-
Dec 7, 2010She finds the plaintive center, the kind of soothing intimacy that almost seems like the way we'd sing to ourselves in times of trouble.
-
Jan 14, 2011It is readily apparent on Love Me Back that Ms. Sullivan is making a huge push at greater mainstream success.
-
Sep 17, 2012The 23-year-old diva plays a little nicer, adhering to the Mary J. Blige school of gritty, nuanced hip-hop soul.
-
Dec 7, 2010It's disappointing that she doesn't raise the bar on her sophomore effort, Love Me Back--but she doesn't crumble under the weight of expectations either.
-
Dec 7, 2010This Philly-born belter sounds like a direct reaction against the Auto-Tune era, with Sullivan turning her pain into a performance worthy of a vintage Apollo headlining gig.
-
Dec 22, 2010There are times when the album relies too much on vintage soul staples, with songs like Stuttering coming across as pastiche, but then the strident beat of Love You Long Time and the Elliott-produced dancehall-influenced closer Luv Back remind you of how versatile that voice can be.
-
Dec 7, 2010Her voice is narrow and jagged, with more grain and more tears as she applies gospel dynamics to her venting; the productions use hip-hop programming but aim for soul. While Ms. Sullivan revels in drama, she still has a sense of humor.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
-
Positive: 34 out of 38
-
Mixed: 1 out of 38
-
Negative: 3 out of 38
-
Nov 30, 2010
-
Nov 30, 2010
-
Nov 17, 2011