Cassie:
Cassie

Release Date: 28 August 2006

Reviewed By: Melisa Tang

1. Me & U

2. Long Way 2 Go

3. About Time

4. Kiss Me

5. Call U Out

6. Just One Nite

7. Hope You’re Behaving (Interlude)

8. Not With You

9. Ditto

10. What Do U Want

11. Miss Your Touch

Chris Brown - Chris Brown
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One of Bad Boy’s latest signings, 19-year-old Cassie has been blowing up radio and music television channels with the release of her debut single, ‘Me & U’. A sexy and provocative track, the lead single has been an instant R&B/Pop hit, with its combination of simple but suggestive lyrics over a pulsing electro beat proving to be highly addictive.

Whilst the young singer may need to brush up on her live performances, (as her MySpace blog admits), there is no doubt as to her singing talent, as shown on this debut album. Having entered the music industry by chance, the former model is now tipped to be one of the hottest acts of the year, and with her signing to Ryan Leslie’s Next Selection, (the man behind tracks by Donnell Jones, Beyoncé Knowles and Cheri Dennis), being backed by Diddy’s Bad Boy label, the youngster is set for big things.

The next single to be released from the Leslie-produced LP is the catchy ‘Long Way 2 Go’, an up-tempo R&B track which sees Cassie asserting her independence, telling potential boyfriends how to approach her.

‘Ditto’ is another radio-friendly song, about finding and falling in love with the perfect man, whilst ‘Not With You’ is a sweet mid-tempo ballad about sacrifice and commitment to make a relationship work. The summery feel is continued with the upbeat ‘Just One Nite’ and pop-infused ‘What Do U Want’, and a sultry Cassie can be heard on the seductive ‘Call U Up’.

Born to a Filipino father and African-American Mexican mother, the New London, Connecticut, native has seen her star status rise quickly; she is now the face of Missy Elliot’s new line of ‘Respect M.E.’ Adidas clothing, and also stars as the leading lady in Mario’s new video.

Unlike some of her R&B contemporaries, Cassie has debuted with an album full of potential singles, not succumbing to the usual mix of mediocre ballads and club tracks, which often leaves the listeners struggling to justify the money spent on their purchase. Summery and light-hearted, Cassie’s self-titled LP is a good standing for her debut into the industry.

Some may question the depth of the LP, and although admittedly some of the tracks are lacking in lyrical substance (like ‘Kiss Me’), the combination of Leslie’s production and Cassie’s syrupy vocals carry the album, making it a successful and satisfying debut.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Top three tracks:
1) Me & U
2) Long Way 2 Go
9) Ditto

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