Categories:
Cart 0

Your cart is empty

Toni Braxton|Sex & Cigarettes

Sex & Cigarettes

Toni Braxton

Available in
24-Bit/88 kHz Stereo

Unlimited Streaming

Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps

Start my trial period and start listening to this album

Enjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription

Subscribe

Enjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription

Digital Download

Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.

As her 1993 blockbuster debut approached its 25th anniversary, Toni Braxton proceeded to collect accolades while moving forward. Her duets album with Babyface was designated Best R&B Album in 2015 by the Recording Academy -- making her a Grammy winner in three decades -- and the connection with her foundational audience was reaffirmed in 2017 with a Soul Train Legend Award. Her every-few-years release schedule was maintained with this short album, in which she responds to a habitually philandering lover with her distinctive mix of fire and finesse. This has more of the former element than any previous Braxton release. Although the title track is placed second in the sequence, it's really the first scene, or at least the album's basis, an emotionally raw if composed confrontation supported by piano and strings. "I guess you're too cold or too bold to give a fuck," she remarks with a sting. "FOH," one of two Babyface collaborations, is far more explicit, with jealousy and contempt at a boiling point. Only "Missin'," the closing song on the standard edition, deviates from the rough story line, and that's for its lack of sourness; it's built on a light galloping rhythm yet is all about longing, merely one form of emotional engulfment displayed by the singer. There's also a hint of reflective sweetness to "Long as I Live," but the ache is incurable, and the Colbie Caillat collaboration "My Heart" glistens but is otherwise drained. Elsewhere, Braxton alternates between regret and admitting romantic dependency. The productions, typically polished for a Braxton album, are subtly diverse, with "Deadwood" easily adaptable to contemporary country, "Sorry" rooted in classic Southern soul, and "Missin'" verging on tropical pop. Non-standard edition bonus track "Forgiven," a ballad of closure, would make much more sense as this album's finale than it does in its original state, as the backdrop for the credits sequence of Roland Joffé's The Forgiven.

© Andy Kellman /TiVo

More info

Sex & Cigarettes

Toni Braxton

launch qobuz app I already downloaded Qobuz for Windows / MacOS Open

download qobuz app I have not downloaded Qobuz for Windows / MacOS yet Download the Qobuz app

You are currently listening to samples.

Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.

Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.

From 12.49€/month

1
Deadwood
00:03:59

Jonathan Allen, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Toni Braxton, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - EARL HARVIN, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Boutin, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Kwame Ogoo, String Arranger, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Royce Doherty, ComposerLyricist - Clarissa Farran, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Epstein, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Fredrik Ball, Producer, String Arranger, Keyboards, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist

℗ 2017 Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

2
Sex & Cigarettes
00:03:48

Antonio Dixon, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Toni Braxton, Vocal Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Boutin, Mixer, Engineer, Vocal Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Patrick "JQue" Smith, ComposerLyricist - Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, ComposerLyricist - Gary K. Thomas, String Arranger, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin E. Ross, ComposerLyricist

℗ 2018 Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

3
Long As I Live
00:04:51

Antonio Dixon, Producer, Drums, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Eric Walls, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Toni Braxton, Vocal Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Boutin, Mixer, Engineer, Percussion, Vocal Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Walter Barnes, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal)

℗ 2018 Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

4
FOH
00:02:47

Daryl Simmons, ComposerLyricist - Dapo Torimiro, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Toni Braxton, Vocal Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Boutin, Mixer, Engineer, Percussion, Vocal Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kameron Glasper, ComposerLyricist

℗ 2018 Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

5
Sorry
00:03:55

Jonathan Allen, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Fitzmaurice, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Toni Braxton, Vocal Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - EARL HARVIN, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Hilary Skewes, Strings Contractor, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Ball, Producer, Keyboards, Percussion, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Boutin, Mixer, Engineer, Percussion, Vocal Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Kwame Ogoo, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Royce Doherty, ComposerLyricist - Clarissa Farran, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ben Epstein, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Fredrik Ball, ComposerLyricist

℗ 2018 Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

6
My Heart
00:04:09

Dapo Torimiro, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Ripoll, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Toni Braxton, Vocal Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Colbie Caillat, FeaturedArtist, ComposerLyricist - Paul Boutin, Mixer, Engineer, Percussion, Vocal Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kameron Glasper, ComposerLyricist - Michael O'Neill, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer

℗ 2018 Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

7
Coping
00:03:54

Dave Gibson, ComposerLyricist - Stuart Crichton, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Toni Braxton, Vocal Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Boutin, Mixer, Vocal Producer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - James Newman, ComposerLyricist

℗ 2018 Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

8
Missin'
00:03:28

Pierre Medor, Producer, Keyboards, Drum Programmer, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, ComposerLyricist - Jaycen Joshua, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Sam Thomas, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - C. "tricky" Stewart, Producer, Keyboards, Drum Programmer, AssociatedPerformer - Toni Braxton, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jeremiah Bethea, ComposerLyricist - Cynthia Harrell, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Nakaji, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - J. Pierre Medor, ComposerLyricist - William Lovely, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ben Milchev, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Preston Reid, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel

℗ 2018 Def Jam Recordings, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Album review

As her 1993 blockbuster debut approached its 25th anniversary, Toni Braxton proceeded to collect accolades while moving forward. Her duets album with Babyface was designated Best R&B Album in 2015 by the Recording Academy -- making her a Grammy winner in three decades -- and the connection with her foundational audience was reaffirmed in 2017 with a Soul Train Legend Award. Her every-few-years release schedule was maintained with this short album, in which she responds to a habitually philandering lover with her distinctive mix of fire and finesse. This has more of the former element than any previous Braxton release. Although the title track is placed second in the sequence, it's really the first scene, or at least the album's basis, an emotionally raw if composed confrontation supported by piano and strings. "I guess you're too cold or too bold to give a fuck," she remarks with a sting. "FOH," one of two Babyface collaborations, is far more explicit, with jealousy and contempt at a boiling point. Only "Missin'," the closing song on the standard edition, deviates from the rough story line, and that's for its lack of sourness; it's built on a light galloping rhythm yet is all about longing, merely one form of emotional engulfment displayed by the singer. There's also a hint of reflective sweetness to "Long as I Live," but the ache is incurable, and the Colbie Caillat collaboration "My Heart" glistens but is otherwise drained. Elsewhere, Braxton alternates between regret and admitting romantic dependency. The productions, typically polished for a Braxton album, are subtly diverse, with "Deadwood" easily adaptable to contemporary country, "Sorry" rooted in classic Southern soul, and "Missin'" verging on tropical pop. Non-standard edition bonus track "Forgiven," a ballad of closure, would make much more sense as this album's finale than it does in its original state, as the backdrop for the credits sequence of Roland Joffé's The Forgiven.

© Andy Kellman /TiVo

About the album

Improve album information

Qobuz logo Why buy on Qobuz...

On sale now...

The Studio Albums 2009 – 2018

Mark Knopfler

Money For Nothing

Dire Straits

Money For Nothing Dire Straits

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

Brothers In Arms Dire Straits

Live 1978 - 1992

Dire Straits

Live 1978 - 1992 Dire Straits
More on Qobuz
By Toni Braxton

Secrets

Toni Braxton

Secrets Toni Braxton

Secrets

Toni Braxton

Secrets Toni Braxton

Dance

Toni Braxton

Dance Toni Braxton

Toni Braxton

Toni Braxton

Toni Braxton Toni Braxton

The Heat

Toni Braxton

The Heat Toni Braxton
You may also like...

After Hours (Explicit)

The Weeknd

1:59

Normani

1:59 Normani

Nameless

Dominique Fils-Aimé

Nameless Dominique Fils-Aimé

Starboy (Explicit Version)

The Weeknd

The Age of Pleasure

Janelle Monáe

The Age of Pleasure Janelle Monáe