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It makes a certain amount of sense that Ruben Studdard's second album is a contemporary gospel album. His first album, 2003's Soulful, was pitched toward an urban soul audience, and an urban contemporary gospel album is a natural extension of that attitude, since the basic sound isn't all that far removed: the slow, smooth grooves are an uncanny ringer for the sound of quiet storm, only with a religious spin. Studdard sings songs from and works with many of the major names in contemporary gospel music -- Bill Gaither, Walter Hawkins, Fred Hammond, Marvin Winans, plus R. Kelly -- and while there are a number of cooks in the kitchen, the resulting album, I Need an Angel, winds up being cohesive since it's all coming from the same perspective. It's all easy-rolling, smooth, and polished slow grooves, sometimes easing by on the sound of the record, other times gelling quite nicely thanks to some sturdily written and arranged songs. Ruben sounds considerably better here than he did on Soulful -- the voice doesn't sound rushed or thin, it sounds like he had the time in the studio to concentrate and give good performances. He still isn't blessed with a tremendous amount of on-record charisma, but he sounds nice and grounds the album, giving it a likeable focus when it starts to sound a little samey. So, while it has no standout cuts, on the whole I Need an Angel winds up being a bit more solid than his proper debut and suggests that Studdard may be developing the skills that will given him an actual career outside of the confines of American Idol.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - R. Kelly, Arranger, Composer, Lyricist, Mixing Engineer, Producer - The Underdogs - Dabling "Hobby Boy" Harward, Recording Engineer - Ian Mereness, Programmer, Recording Engineer - Abel Garibaldi, Mixing Engineer, Programmer, Recording Engineer - Nathan Wheeler, Assistant Engineer - Paul Riser, Conductor - Andy Gallas, Assistant Engineer - Donnie Lyle, Guitar
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited, under exclusive license to RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Bill Gaither, Composer, Lyricist - Gloria Gaither, Composer, Lyricist - Richard Smallwood, Composer, Lyricist - Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Associated Performer, Producer, Programmer - Bruce Buechner, Recording Engineer - Andrew Gouche', Bass Guitar - Glendon Campbell, Drums - Sean Cooper, Associated Performer
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Walter Hawkins, Composer, Lyricist - Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Associated Performer, Producer, Programmer - Bruce Buechner, Recording Engineer - John "Jubu" Smith, Guitar - Sean Cooper, Associated Performer
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Harvey Watkins Jr., Associated Performer, Composer, Featured Artist, Lyricist - Ruben Studdard featuring Harvey Watkins, Jr., Associated Performer - Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Bass Guitar, Organ, Piano, Producer - Bruce Buechner, Recording Engineer - Glendon Campbell, Drums - John "Jubu" Smith, Guitar - Dontae Winslow, Horn - Divine Order Horns, Horn - Sean Cooper, Associated Performer
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Eric Dawkins, Arranger, Associated Performer, Chorus Master, Producer - Traditional, Composer, Lyricist - Dave "Natural Love" Russell, Recording Engineer - Dabling "Hobby Boy" Harward, Recording Engineer - Dewayne Swan, Arranger, Associated Performer, Piano - Aaron Renner, Recording Engineer - Ethan Farmer, Bass Guitar - Eric Jackson, Guitar - Toni Shepard, Mixing Engineer - Eric Seats, Drums - Tim Carmon, Organ - Dawkins & Dawkins - Rashawnda Marshall - Cassandra Grigsby - Felicia Baker - Damian-Michael Williams - Matlida Baker - Kerry Wilson - Tony McQueen - Shanika Leeks - Chara Kristine-Hammonds - Camille Grigsby - Jeanine McCoy - Liana Tyson - Cella Williams - Alexandria Sanders - Tyrice Turner - Rozlyn Seay - Taneka Lemle - Anson Dawkins - Erica King - Juna Givhan
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Eric Dawkins, Arranger, Associated Performer, Producer - Traditional, Composer, Lyricist - Dewayne Swan, Arranger - Dave "Natural Love" Russell, Recording Engineer - Dabling "Hobby Boy" Harward, Recording Engineer - Toni Shepard, Recording Engineer - Aaron Renner, Engineer - Rozlyn Seay - Tyrice Turner - Kerry Wilson - Damian-Michael Williams - Juna Givhan - Tony McQueen - Cassandra Grigsby - Natalie Ganther - Jason Mc Gee - Taneka Lemle - Erica King - Chara Hammonds - Anson Dawkins - Liana Tyson
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Associated Performer, Producer - Bruce Buechner, Recording Engineer - Andrew Gouche', Bass Guitar - Sean Cooper, Associated Performer - Fred Hammond, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Marvin Winans, Composer, Lyricist - Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Associated Performer, Keyboards, Producer - Bruce Buechner, Recording Engineer - Manny Marroquin, Mixing Engineer - Dewayne Swan, Keyboards - Sean Cooper, Engineer
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Fred Hammond, Arranger, Associated Performer, Composer, Featured Artist, Lyricist, Mixing Engineer, Producer, Programmer - Ruben Studdard featuring Fred Hammond, Associated Performer - Noel Hall, Composer, Keyboards, Lyricist - Tommie Walker, Programmer - Joey Woolfalk, Guitar - A.J. Wright & The Tribe Called Judah - Felecia Bowles - Jacqueline Bridges - Daneen Brown - Jamie B. Brown - Tanshina J. Cidel - David L. Miller - Yolanda Murray - Anita Wilson - Kevin Wilson, Recording Engineer - Doc Wiley, Recording Engineer - Hart Gunther, Assistant Engineer - Ray Hammond, Engineer, Mixing Engineer - Kevin L. Wilson, Assistant Engineer - Helen Zeigler
(P) 2003 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Traditional, Composer, Lyricist - Eric Dawkins, Arranger, Producer - Derek Clark, Arranger, Associated Performer, Co-Producer - Anson Dawkins, Arranger - Dabling "Hobby Boy" Harward, Editor, Recording Engineer - Toni Shepard, Editor, Recording Engineer - Aaron Renner, Engineer - Renner Vaughn, Engineer - Calvin "Joonie" Gary, Jr., Guitar - Andrew Gouche', Bass Guitar - Tony McQueen - Natalie Ganther - Erica King - Liana Tyson
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Associated Performer - Mary Mary, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Ruben Studdard featuring Mary Mary, Associated Performer - Marvin Winans, Composer, Lyricist - Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell, Producer - Bruce Buechner, Mixing Engineer - Andrew Gouche', Bass Guitar - Sean Cooper, Associated Performer
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Ruben Studdard, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Thomas Lauren, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Alvin "Cornbread" Garrett, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Berry Gordy, Jr., Composer, Lyricist - Alphonso Mizell, Composer, Lyricist - Frederick Perren, Composer, Lyricist - Deke Richards, Composer, Lyricist - James Beville, Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
Album review
It makes a certain amount of sense that Ruben Studdard's second album is a contemporary gospel album. His first album, 2003's Soulful, was pitched toward an urban soul audience, and an urban contemporary gospel album is a natural extension of that attitude, since the basic sound isn't all that far removed: the slow, smooth grooves are an uncanny ringer for the sound of quiet storm, only with a religious spin. Studdard sings songs from and works with many of the major names in contemporary gospel music -- Bill Gaither, Walter Hawkins, Fred Hammond, Marvin Winans, plus R. Kelly -- and while there are a number of cooks in the kitchen, the resulting album, I Need an Angel, winds up being cohesive since it's all coming from the same perspective. It's all easy-rolling, smooth, and polished slow grooves, sometimes easing by on the sound of the record, other times gelling quite nicely thanks to some sturdily written and arranged songs. Ruben sounds considerably better here than he did on Soulful -- the voice doesn't sound rushed or thin, it sounds like he had the time in the studio to concentrate and give good performances. He still isn't blessed with a tremendous amount of on-record charisma, but he sounds nice and grounds the album, giving it a likeable focus when it starts to sound a little samey. So, while it has no standout cuts, on the whole I Need an Angel winds up being a bit more solid than his proper debut and suggests that Studdard may be developing the skills that will given him an actual career outside of the confines of American Idol.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:51:10
- Main artists: Ruben Studdard
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: J Records
- Genre: Jazz Gospel
(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited
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