Album Title
Macy Gray
Artist Icon The Trouble With Being Myself (2003)
heart off icon (0 users)
Last IconTransparent icon Next icon

Transparent Block
Cover NOT yet available in 4k icon
Join Patreon for 4K upload/download access


Your Rating (Click a star below)

Star off iconStar off iconStar off iconStar off iconStar off iconStar off iconStar off iconStar off iconStar off iconStar off icon















3:43
4:07
4:12
4:29
4:35
4:39
3:30
3:34
4:13
4:05
3:16
4:34

Data Complete
percentage bar 80%

Total Rating

Star Icon (2 users)

Back Cover
Transparent Block

CD Art
CDart Artwork

3D Case
Album 3D Case

3D Thumb
Album 3D Thumb

3D Flat
Album 3D Flat

3D Face
Album 3D Face

3D Spine
Transparent Icon

First Released

Calendar Icon 2003

Genre

Genre Icon Soul

Mood

Mood Icon Good Natured

Style

Style Icon Urban/R&B

Theme

Theme Icon ---

Tempo

Speed Icon ---

Release Format

Release Format Icon Album

Record Label Release

Speed Icon

World Sales Figure

Sales Icon 0 copies

Album Description
Available in:
In 2003, Gray released her third studio album, The Trouble with Being Myself, to rave reviews. The lead single, "When I See You", became a radio hit in the U.S. and a top forty hit in the UK, although the album was not as well received by fans. Nevertheless, it became Gray's third top twenty album in the UK. A greatest hits collection and a live album were subsequently released: The Very Best of Macy Gray (2004) and Live in Las Vegas (2005). Additionally, Gray was featured on Marcus Miller's 2005 album Silver Rain, on a cover of Prince's 1986 song "Girls & Boys". She also appeared on the soundtrack to the film Chicago with Queen Latifah and Lil' Kim on "Cell Block Tango/He Had it Comin'.
wiki icon


User Album Review
Like Alanis Morissette, Macy Gray has the unenviable task of her work always being measured against her brilliant debut album, On How Life Is. One of the most joyous releases of the decade, its blend of pop and soul seemed to captivate everyone who heard it. Since then Gray's appeared on the big screen (in Training Day and Spiderman), guested on songs for Santana and Fatboy Slim, and in 2001 tried to recreate the formula of her debut on a follow-up album, The Id - with diminishing returns. For her third album, The Trouble With Being Myself she's still wearing her musical influences on her sleeve; Prince, Parliament, Cameo and above all Sly Stone, to whom she bears, at times, an uncanny resemblance. It's a slick mixture that works best on the frivolous funk of the single "When I See You" or the infectious "Happiness".

During the album, Macy attempts to address some of the issues raised by the title (see "Things That Made Me Change" or the confessional "She Don't Write Songs About You"), but the real trouble with being Macy Gray is that her 'look at me, I'm crazy' persona sometimes overwhelms her undoubted talents as a singer. While her quirkiness was initially endearing, it now tends toward cartoonishness. Nowhere is this more obvious than on the murder fantasy "My Fondest Childhood Memories" with its slapstick horror backing and a bizarre homicidal motif borrowed from the first albums "I've Committed Murder". There's no question that Gray is one of the most distinctive soul voices around but she could do with material that really displayed that voice to its full effect. The Trouble With Being Myself bubbles along quite pleasantly, but there's no standout track to rival "I Try". It would be far more interesting if, instead of trying to repeat the latters pop genius, she tackled weightier songs. Perhaps then she could emerge as an artist worthy of contemporary soul stars like Jill Scott or Angie Stone or indeed the legends she seeks to emulate.


External Album Reviews
None...



User Comments
seperator
No comments yet...
seperator

Status
Locked icon unlocked

Rank:

External Links
MusicBrainz Large icontransparent block Amazon Large icontransparent block Metacritic Large Icon