Mixerr Album Reviews #230

This is Michael Mixerr. I will do a review on Gina Thompson's album If Only You Knew from 1999/2000. I will try to give you a rundown of each track.
Missy Elliott never gave Gina Thompson a chance while she was under her wing at Goldmind Inc. from 1996 to 2001. Elektra and Goldmind never really played her videos and didn't really put in much effort as into promoting the If Only You Knew album.

 

The introduction is very good. It has great vocals as well as the lyrics. I wasn't really feeling Take My Number Down. I couldn't stand the raspy voice in the background vocals. Ladies Anthem has a really great beat! Her voice is really great on it! Calling U is a very soothing song. This one is a standout track!

Ya Di Ya was her first single featuring Missy Elliott. It has that Spanish mix and feel. The music video could have been improved with a little more money. Not her fault. Elektra and WMG were on the verge of going bankrupt around 1999-2001. This one is a standout track!

This is what Ya Di Ya is all about:
Gina just came from a late night, but once she got in she didn't feel right. The guy is uptight from the first time they met because Gina did not return his page. If he pages her once or twice, that's nice. It's crazy for ten times that he pages her. The mess that the guy is talking about Gina wants to say bye to him. The guy she is trying to get with is talking about irrelevant nonsense and it makes her want to leave him. Gina does not want to hear it. She does not want to be bothered by him. He is just really getting on her nerves.

Gina is not in the mood for the drama this evening. So Gina think the guy should be leaving because she doesn't need this or him because is it doesn't pay the bills. There are more guys with more skills that will definitely satisfy Gina. His talking is weighing out his good looks.


Coolin' Out was my favorite song of the whole album! Why wasn't this a single?! It was choice material. Gina lays down her smooth vocals on this track which she showcases very well. I love the religious, smooth church organ sound with the Hip Hop sample along with the 19th century/20th century ragtime vocals at the very beginning of this song. Think of this track as a 19th century meets 21st century type of track. I think Elektra and Goldmind Inc. messed up big time by not choosing this song to be a single.


You Can't Play Me has a very erotic-sounding beat to a slow and mellow attitude-packed track. Which I think is done very nicely!  It does sounds very lot like Monica's "So Gone" to me. (Maybe she sampled it. I don't know.) Anyway, this one is a standout track!

It Hurts seems to sample Toni Braxton/Deborah Cox ballad Nobody's Supposed To Be Here. The gospel interlude has a real church vibe to it. Caught Up is sort of my favorite song (I can't decide), although it the hook will stick in your head for days on end. Turn Around would have been great for a third single and a music video! It features Lil Mo in the background. Up All Night is a romantic song featuring Jon B. This one is a standout track! I know some of her lyrics are laid back. Don't Take Your Love Away is another love ballad. The outro was OK.


This album wasn't promoted enough because it wouldn't sell very well.  None of the singles charted. That's why. Elektra did the right thing. You can see the maturity from her first album, Nobody Does It Better, to her second (this one). This is one of those albums where its better to buy the singles instead of the whole album. That's what people did 10 years ago when CD singles were still popular. (Along with cassette singles, but those were dying out.) But I understand the fans were upset with Elektra. I get it. The fans say Elektra lost a star.

As you may know, I never did like Gina Thompson that much. (Don't take it personally.) The only songs I liked from her were Why Do Fool Fall In Love, The Things That You Do, Nobody Does It Better, Strung Out, Freak On, Ya Di Ya, Caught Up, Calling U, Up All Night, and Turn Around.  Anyway, I really didn't like this album all that much. Only 5 tracks being Ya Di Ya, Caught Up, Calling U, Up All Night, and Turn Around.

I rate this album, If Only You Knew, 3/5***.