Aaliyah:
I Care 4 U- Virgin Records

Release Date: 3 February 2003

Reviewed by Melisa Tang

1. Back & Forth

2. Are You That Somebody?

3. One In A Million

4. I Care 4 U

5. More Than A Woman

6. Don't Know What To Tell Ya

7. Try Again

8. All I Need

9. Miss You

10. Don't Worry

11. Come Over - (featuring Tank)

12. Erica Kane

13. At Your Best

14. Got To Give It Up - (remix)

15. We Need A Resolution

16. Rock The Boat

Aaliyah Album - I Care 4 U

The first album to be released after her untimely death in August 2001, 'I Care 4 U' looks set to extend the legacy that was Aaliyah Dana Haughton.

This greatest hits compilation draws together singles from the songbird's previous three albums, 'Age Ain't Nothing But A Number', 'One In A Million', and 'Aaliyah', displaying the singer's growth, both vocally and emotionally, from the inexperienced and street-wise Aaliyah on 'Age Ain't Nothing…', to the sassy and sexy girl on 'Hot Like Fire', to the mature young woman on 'Rock The Boat'.

The CD illustrates the immense talent of the 22-year-old, and kicks off with her debut single, 'Back And Forth', taking us back to the early '90s with an old skool vibe, courtesy of her former mentor, R. Kelly. This party track is a good introduction to the album, opening with the line: "It's Friday, and I'm ready to sing, pick up my girls and hit the party scene…" This leads into one of my personal favourites, the stunning 'Are You That Somebody', from the Dr. Dolittle soundtrack. The pulsating Timbaland beat is so infectious, making it arguably one of the best records of 1998. The tempo is then briefly slowed down for the romantic ballads 'One In A Million' and 'I Care 4 U', on which the beautiful young diva shows off her silky vocals.

The album also contains six previously unreleased tracks, including her new single, 'Miss You', on which she sings: "It's been too long and I'm lost without you, what am I gonna do, said I've been needing you, wanting you…" - poignant lyrics that are eerily fitting for the video, which features a handful of Aaliyah's closest friends, led by Missy Elliot, DMX and Lil' Kim. 'Don't Know What To Tell Ya', 'Don't Worry' and the slow jam 'Come Over' (ft. Tank), are equally commendable pieces of new material, and only reminds us of the huge loss Aaliyah's death was to the RnB world.

As is always guaranteed with an artist of such talent, there are so many highlights on this LP, including the Grammy award-winning 'Try Again' from the Romeo Must Die soundtrack, Aaliyah's first UK No.1 'More Than A Woman', and the soulful 'At Your Best', a remake of the Isley Brothers' original.

However, some of her most memorable hits, like 'If Your Girl Only Knew', 'Four Page Letter', and her top ten US single 'The One I Gave My Heart To', are noticeably absent from the tracklisting, making the album somewhat incomplete. Luckily for us British fans though, Blackground Records have added two bonus tracks, the cool 'We Need A Resolution' (ft. Timbaland), and the sensual 'Rock The Boat', which were sadly not included on the US release. Examining the playlist closely, I noticed that strangely, Aaliyah's first and last releases opened and closed the album, which would have been quite a sentimental idea if it was deliberate, but rather freaky if it was unintentional.

Overall, 'I Care 4 U' does not disappoint, and makes up for the missing hits in the shape of a limited edition DVD, allowing you to revisit some of Aaliyah's biggest music videos, for example, 'Back In One Piece' (ft. DMX), and the Egyptian-inspired video for 'Try Again', which won her MTV awards for the Best Female Video and Best Video in a Film.

This is a must-have for all dedicated Aaliyah fans, and is an essential purchase, especially since some of the proceeds will be donated to the Aaliyah Memorial Foundation, benefiting the Revlon/UCLA Women's Cancer Research Program and the Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in Harlem, USA.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Favourite three tracks:
2. Are You That Somebody
9. Miss You
16. Rock The Boat

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z