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Bittersweet (Blu Cantrell album)

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Bittersweet
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 24, 2003 (2003-06-24)
Length48:26
LabelArista
Producer
Blu Cantrell chronology
So Blu
(2001)
Bittersweet
(2003)
Singles from Bittersweet
  1. "Breathe"
    Released: November 18, 2002
  2. "Make Me Wanna Scream"
    Released: October 6, 2003

Bittersweet is the second studio album by American singer Blu Cantrell, released on June 24, 2003, by Arista Records. The album debuted at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 29,000 units in its opening week, and spawned the commercially successful single "Breathe". Despite not matching the domestic success of previous album So Blu (2001), Bittersweet charted in international markets, unlike Cantrell's debut album, performing modestly in certain European nations. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album at the 46th Grammy Awards, but lost to Luther Vandross' Dance with My Father.[1][2]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Guardian[4]
Rolling Stone[5]
Vibe[6]
The Village Voice(choice cut)[7]

AllMusic editor Tim Sendra called Bittersweet "another fine slice of contemporary R&B propelled above the ordinary by her arresting voice and the sympathetic and interesting production." He found that "the record has a melancholy tinge and Cantrell sings with a depth of emotion that many of her contemporaries can't reach [...] Cantrell is a real talent and Bittersweet is the kind of record fans of modern soul music should champion. Tough, smart, sexy, and impassioned with a sound that shows imagination, it would be a shame if it slipped through the cracks."[3] Billboard declared the project a "perfect showcase for Cantrell's honey-dipped vocals," and cited "Breathe", "Sleep in the Middle", "Make Me Wanna Scream" and Impatient" as highlights.[8]

Vibe critic Jason King complimented Cantrell for her "formidable voice" and wrote: "Though her voice lacks distinctive personality, she bowls you over with jazzy vocal licks and a pyrotechnical intensity that's pure Holiness church." King found that the uptempo track on Bittersweet seemed "generic compared to her stunning ballads."[6] Beccy Lindon from The Guardian found it problematic that the "laid-back jazz of Cantrell's debut has been replaced with myriad styles and a more calculated, dancefloor-friendly sound [...] You can't help but feel that this sugar-coated package is meant to attract a mainstream audience rather than develop Cantrell as an artist."[4] Rolling Stone's Barry Walters noted that Bittersweet "still flaunts a dexterity and worldliness that set her apart from her streetbound peers. But lackluster lyrics and mediocre melodies make the poorly sequenced album's overwhelming blandness neither bitter nor sweet."[5]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Bittersweet debuted and peaked at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 in the week ending July 12, 2003, with first week sales of 29,000 units.[9] A considerable drop from her previous effort So Blu (2001) which had opened at number eight on the chart,[10] it also reached number eight on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, becoming Cantrell's second top ten album.[11] In the United Kingdom, Bittersweet peaked at number 20 in the week of August 31, 2003.[12] It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on October 3, 2003, followed by a gold certification on July 22, 2013.[13]

Track listing

[edit]
Bittersweet track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."I Love You"Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs3:48
2."Sleep in the Middle"Shep CrawfordCrawford4:34
3."Unhappy"Trixter4:08
4."Impatient" (featuring Lil' Kim and Fat Joe)
  • Larry Gates
  • Michelle Bell
Precision5:00
5."Breathe" (featuring Sean Paul)
3:47
6."Risk It All"
Oliver4:59
7."Don't Wanna Say Goodbye"Soulshock & Karlin4:01
8."Happily Ever After"
  • Hill
  • Veney
  • Shelton
3:49
9."Holding On to Love"
  • Stewart
  • Wirlie Morris
  • Tab
  • Cantrell
  • Trixter
  • Morris
3:47
10."Let Her Go"
  • Stewart
  • Tab
  • Cantrell
Trixter3:25
11."Make Me Wanna Scream" (featuring Ian Lewis of Inner Circle)
3:28
12."No Place Like Home"Mike CityMike City3:44
Total length:48:26
International edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."I Love You"
  • Briggs
  • Cantrell
Briggs3:48
2."Sleep in the Middle"CrawfordCrawford4:34
3."Unhappy"
  • Stewart
  • Tab
  • Burks
Trixter4:08
4."Impatient" (featuring Lil' Kim and Fat Joe)
  • Gates
  • Bell
Precision5:00
5."Breathe" (featuring Sean Paul)
  • Martin
  • Matias
  • Bembery
  • Bradford
  • Harris
  • Joiner
  • Mathers
  • Aznavour
  • Pitts
  • Martin
  • Matias
3:47
6."Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)"Dallas AustinAustin4:12
7."Risk It All"
  • Oliver
  • Cofield
Oliver4:59
8."Don't Wanna Say Goodbye"
  • Schack
  • Karlin
  • Butler
  • Wonder
Soulshock & Karlin4:01
9."All You Had to Say"
  • DiAndre Davis
  • Tab
  • Cantrell
  • O.J. Harper
Stewart4:24
10."Happily Ever After"
  • Veney
  • Hill
  • Shelton
  • Laues
  • Hill
  • Veney
  • Shelton
3:49
11."Holding On to Love"
  • Stewart
  • Morris
  • Tab
  • Cantrell
  • Trixter
  • Morris
3:47
12."Swingin'"
3:59
13."Let Her Go"
  • Stewart
  • Tab
  • Cantrell
Trixter3:25
14."Round Up" (Lady May featuring Blu Cantrell)4:14
15."Make Me Wanna Scream" (featuring Ian Lewis of Inner Circle)
  • Richard
  • Cantrell
  • Burruss
  • Don Vito
  • Trixter
3:28
16."No Place Like Home"CityCity3:44

Sample credits

  • "Breathe" contains excerpts and samples from "What's the Difference" by Dr. Dre featuring Eminem and Xzibit.
  • "Don't Wanna Say Goodbye" contains excerpts and samples from "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" by Syreeta.
  • "Round Up" contains replayed elements from "Dueling Banjos", written by Arthur Smith.

Charts

[edit]
Weekly chart performance for Bittersweet
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australian Hitseekers Albums (ARIA)[14] 14
Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)[15] 23
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] 71
French Albums (SNEP)[17] 91
Irish Albums (IRMA)[18] 73
Scottish Albums (OCC)[19] 36
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 82
UK Albums (OCC)[12] 20
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[21] 5
US Billboard 200[10] 37
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[11] 8

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications and sales for Bittersweet
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[13] Gold 100,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Bittersweet release history
Region Date Label
United States June 24, 2003 Arista
Germany July 21, 2003 BMG
Japan July 23, 2003
United Kingdom July 28, 2003 Arista

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Susman, Gary (2003-12-04). "Here are the Grammy nominations". Entertainment Weekly.
  2. ^ "Complete list of 46th annual Grammy winners and nominees". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Sendra, Tim. "Bittersweet - Blu Cantrell". AllMusic. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
  4. ^ a b Lindon, Beccy (August 8, 2003). "CD: Blu Cantrell: Bittersweet". The Guardian. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Walters, Barry (August 7, 2003). "Recordings: Blu Cantrell, Bittersweet, 2 stars". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 11, 2003. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  6. ^ a b King, Jason (June 27, 2003). "Blu Cantrell - Bittersweet (Arista)". Vibe. Archived from the original on April 28, 2005. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  7. ^ Christgau, Robert (October 28, 2003). "Rousing Constituencies". The Village Voice.
  8. ^ "Essentials". Billboard. July 12, 2003. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  9. ^ Martens, Todd (July 2, 2003). "Beyonce, Branch Albums Storm The Chart". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  10. ^ a b "Blu Cantrell Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Blu Cantrell Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  13. ^ a b "British album certifications – Blu Cantrell – Bittersweet". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  14. ^ "ARIA Hitseekers – Week Commencing 22nd September 2003" (PDF). The ARIA Report (709): 17. September 22, 2003. Retrieved January 21, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "ARIA Urban Albums Chart – Week Commencing 6th October 2003" (PDF). The ARIA Report (711): 14. October 6, 2003. Retrieved January 21, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Blu Cantrell – Bittersweet" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  17. ^ "Lescharts.com – Blu Cantrell – Bittersweet". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  18. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Blu Cantrell". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  19. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  20. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Blu Cantrell – Bittersweet". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  21. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 21, 2021.