Lil Mo :
Meet The Girl Next Door

Release Date: 5 May 2003

Reviewed By: Fiona McKinson

1. Intro

2. Why Do We Fall In Love

3. Doing Me Wrong

4. 4ever

5. Ten Commandments

6. Ain't No Reason

7. Heaven (interlude)

8. Brand Nu

9. 1st Time

10. So Lost Without You

11. Shoulda Know

12. Disturbing Phone Call (interllude)

13. Get Over It

14. It's Your World

15. Letter From My No1 Fan (interlude)

16. Letter From My No1 Fan

Lil Mo - Meet The Girl Next Door

In a scene dominated by the likes of Beyonce, J-lo and Ashanti, Lil Mo has been underrated as a female vocalist. However her new album 'Meet the girl next door' looks set to redefine her status as a singer/songwriter to be reckoned with. Having burst on to the scene lacing such tracks as Missy Elliott's 'Hot Boyz', Jay-z's, 'Parkin lot pimpin', Ja rules 'Put it on me', and more recently, Angie Martinez', 'If I could go', Mo is back and she's armed with more duets and solos to entice R&B fans. An alleged beef with Ja Rule suggests that Mo has even had to prove herself to her contemporaries, but quality always reveals itself, and since her 2001 debut album 'Based on a true story' spawned such hits as 'Superwoman part 2', Mo has been shining.

The brightness of her talent is most evident in her songwriting, her credits include Blackstreet and Next. This multi talented artist has written, arranged or performed songs with everyone from Teddy Riley to Timbaland. However in the peak of her success, someone was out to extinguish her energetic flames, to turn down the heat of her focus and ambition. Shortly after the release of her first album, a crazed attacker hit Mo with a champagne bottle as she left a San Francisco concert venue. Mo feels that it was a set up but in typical optimistic fashion she recalls that, 'It made me think about what I really wanted out of life.' Whether or not it was induced by her sassy/streetwise image, it drew Mo towards some of the more important things in life. She immediately took a break from singing to get married and give birth to her daughter Heaven (who receives her own old school interlude on the album).

Mo was confident and with the producers such as Warryn Campbell, Brian Cox, Chucky Thompson, and old pal Missy Elliott on hand, who could blame her. 'Meet the girl next door' is an album that Mo wants everyone to relate to. 'When I say meet the girl next door, I want both men and women to identify with me. I want my fans to look at my songs as something they can relate to. I don't want to be on any special pedestal. I'm the girl who has the same kind of hopes and dreams as you do.'

The album makes for easy listening thanks to Mo's honey vocals. Appropriately it deals with universal themes, in particular love. 'Why do we fall in love' takes a philosophical perspective on it. Relationship lessons are revealed in 'Doing me wrong.' '4 Ever' featuring Fabolous, is one of the best tracks, upbeat it reflects a maturity and focuses on settling down. Look out for the Ragga remix. 'Ten commandments' ft Lil Kim is an advice manual to help the ladies to keep their man. With a heavy beat it is certainly another winner, especially as Kim was the fans choice for a guest appearance on the album. 'Brand nu' is an ode to old school motown. 'Get over it', shows that Mo has still got attitude. 'It's your world' is uplifting and describes how we can all achieve our dreams. It's a girls anthem declaring, 'If your momma won't tell ya, Lil Mo will'. Realities again rear their head in 'Letter to my number one fan' where Mo expresses her value for her fans and reveals how down to earth she is - her feelings, tears, hurt, mistakes, prayers, and the daily grind that proves she is only human. Mo has kept her ear to the streets regarding what's hot. She is proving her versatility by featuring on mix tapes, and is making waves with her retaliation to 50 cents 21 questions', '21 answers'. It is this profile of a sassy, humble and talented young artist that keeps Mo in the game.

Three favourite tracks:
4. 4Ever
5. Ten Commandments
9. 1st Time

Album out now on East West Records/Elektra

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