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Rebirth is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Jennifer Lopez, released on March 1, 2005 by Epic Records. Her first studio effort in three years following This Is Me... Then (2002), the R&B, Hip-hop and Pop oriented album lyrically covers topics based around love and friendship. After the release of the album, Lopez addressed the album's title as being a new beginning for herself, and critics felt it was a fresh start following her ill-fated highly publicized romance with Ben Affleck. Lopez worked with several producers on the album including Rich Harrison, Rodney Jerkins, Brandy Norwood, her then-husband Marc Anthony and long time collaborators like Cory Rooney.
Rebirth was praised for its mild tracks and noted for its production, however garnered less than favorable reviews for the music itself. Nevertheless, the record experienced international success. In the United States, the album performed moderately on the charts, debuting at the second spot of the Billboard 200, exceeding sales of 260,000 copies in its opening week, however it slowly began to flounder on the chart. It was her first album to miss the million mark in sales, and has sold around 3 million copies worldwide. Rebirth spawned the international hit single "Get Right", which topped several major music markets including the United Kingdom, becoming her biggest hit there since "Love Don't Cost a Thing". It was followed by a friendship-themed "Hold You Down" featuring rapper Fat Joe, which performed disappointingly on the charts, halting further promotion of the album.
Rebirth was listed as one of the twenty best albums of 2005 by the Brazilian website Canal Pop. It spawned the commercially successful single, "Get Right" which reached number-one in several music markets. The album's second single "Hold You Down" performed moderately but disappointingly.
User Album Review
Odd voice,the Lopez squeak. It's sort of reedy and thin and breathless; she always sounds a bit too worried and self-conscious to really lose herself in the music. There are bits in every J-Lo song where her less-than-convinced tone of voice can actually transport the listener to the recording studio, and a vision of the confused expression on her face, trying to make what's on the lyric sheet work in her mouth.
Having said that, whoever decided that Jen should follow in Beyonce's massive funky footsteps with older-than-old-skool brass workouts like "Get Right" and "Whatever You Wanna Do" has earned their bling bonus for the financial year. And the sonic variety doesn't end there. "I Got U" is summery '70s soul, "Cherry Pie" is Prince meets NERD, and "(Can't Believe) This Is Me" could come straight out of a dramatic heartbreak moment in a Broadway musical (no, really!).
And "Step Into My World" deserves a special mention for being equal parts Timbaland log-drums, belly-dance poise and gasping harmonies that suit her voice down to the ground.
Nice work, Ma'am!
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