For the first time in 9 years, RnB/Pop Queen Jordin Sparks has released an album. "No Restrictions" is her 4th studio album, and her first full-length body of work since 2015. Comprised of 15 songs chosen out of a pool of over 150 potential tracks, "No Restrictions" is about exactly what it is titled - Jordin being fully, completely open and herself and sharing her growth with the world.
TRACKLIST
Forever (feat. T-Pain)
Where There's Smoke...
Remember
No Restrictions
FFWD
More Than Enough!
The Wall
Admit It
Give Love A Try
No Cry (feat. Stonebwoy)
Call My Name
What Are We Doing? (feat. Shawn Stockman)
YCFWM
Lavender Flower
Fight Of Our Life
If you don't already know, Jordin Sparks is an icon. She's well known for winning season 6 of the singing competition TV Show, American Idol in 2007 and still holds the record as the youngest person to ever win the show when she was just 17 years old. Her 2007 self-titled debut album went RIAA platinum and charted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, selling over 2-million copies world-wide. The album featured hit singles like the Grammy-Nominated collaboration with Chris Brown, "No Air", "Tattoo" and "One Step At A Time". Jordin went on to release a second album in 2009 titled "Battlefield", which charted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Jordin has such an impressive list of accomplishments throughout her 17 year long career and we could be here all day talking about them, but let's just go through some. Jordin has opened for Alicia Keys, The Jonas Brothers and Britney Spears, sang for former USA President Barack Obama at his inauguration, and has added acting in tv, film and Broadway to her talents. Additionally, she is a philanthropist, a wife and a mother to a son who has inspired her to create this new music which we will now hear on the "No Restrictions" album.
Forever (feat. T-Pain)
Kicking off the album is the track "Forever" which features another iconic long-lived artist, T-Pain. I think it's the perfect song to introduce this album, not only because it's a bop but because of it's meaning. "Forever" is about the fact that life is short, so you shouldn't waste a single second of it. Live it up while you can, and don't let anything stop you. Jordin and T-Pain flawlessly blended together in this collab, taking nostalgic early 2000's RnB, Hip-Hop and Pop to create a track that takes us back to the good old days.
Where There's Smoke...
Track two is "Where There's Smoke...", a very classic, funky RnB song with a mixture of bass, guitar, piano and horns which gives it a very authentic soundscape. It reminds me a bit of some songs by Alicia Keys, Bruno Mars, and H.E.R.. I even kind of heard a bit of Ariana Grande vibes within the melody. The song is about hearing rumors of your man cheating, and there's so many of them that it's nearly impossible to believe that they're not true. Jordin is using the old saying, "where there's smoke there's fire" to say, "if there's this many people saying you're cheating, then you must be cheating".
Remember
"Remember" is the second single off of "No Restrictions", and was released about a month before the album. "Remember" is an interpolation of Michael Jackson's song "Remember The Time" and samples his voice. It keeps those nostalgic tones, with a bit of funk to it's groove, but has a popping bass and a modern pop infused RnB melody. Many are saying this song is reminding them a lot of Brandy, and honestly, I can agree! "Remember" is about when a romantic relationship starts to become tense, and you're not really sure what happened. So you start to remind them about the times when things were better, and when things were easy. You reminisce on the good parts, and begin to wish that things could be like that again.
No Restrictions
Next, we have the title track, "No Restrictions" and lets just say this song's lyrics stay true to it's title! "No Restrictions" is a sensual, sexual song about experiencing the best love making of your life. There's no holding back, which is the whole point of "No Restrictions"! The bass here is deep and heavy, and the groove and melody feel influenced by afro-beat. If you've ever been this deeply in love, you'll be able to relate to exactly what Jordin sings about in this song. It's that kind of thing you only experience when you're truly deeply connected to someone on a soulmate type of level.
FFWD
"FFWD" is the abbreviation for "Fast Forward", meaning speeding up or skipping through time. This song has a very classic Rhythm & Blues style groove and instrumentation, really putting emphasis on blues notes with tones of jazz and soul mixed in there as well. "FFWD" is about not wanting to waste time on a rough patch within your relationship, and just wanting to fast forward to when things will be alright again - because you're confident that they can be.
More Than Enough!
"More Than Enough!" was released as the third single for this album just a week before it's release. The best way I can describe this song is that it is pure dance pop magic. The production will have you up and moving around; it's definitely what I like to call feel-good music. It's a song that's meant to lift your spirits and put you in a good mood. "More Than Enough!" is a message to that person that knows how to make you feel better even when you're at your worst. They do more for you than you could ever ask for, and you don't know how you could ever thank them.
The Wall
Next, we have "The Wall", which is a bop and half and I'm manifesting and hoping it's next the single! This song features an addicting bassline, with funk and disco vibes that will have you moving and grooving. There's moments of spoken melody that really give the song a unique touch, and it's an ear-worm of a rhythm. Jordin's voice is stunning and takes control as she effortlessly slips back and forth between chest and head vocals. "The Wall" is just a fun, super catchy song about having undeniable feelings for someone; feelings so strong that you can't let yourself hold back from them.
Admit It
Jordin said in an Instagram post when she released "More Than Enough!", "If you think you know what this album will sound like... think again!" - and let's just say, once I reached this song, "Admit It", I believed her. I was immediately taken back when a banjo started to play. "Admit It" is a high energy, hip-hop and country fusion track with tons of blues notes and a minor key color. Not gonna lie, my jaw was on the floor for this one. The only words I managed to say were "YES GIRL!". "Admit It" is about knowing your man is being sketchy and no matter how much proof you have against him, he will never admit to any wrong doing.
Give Love A Try
Continuing on the track of not knowing what things will sound like, "Give Love A Try" comes in with another surprising twist. This song is a raw, stripped down acoustic track with just a guitar and Jordin's voice. It's a lo-fi sound that feels straight off of a vinyl record. Jordin sing's with such a genuine and emotional tone, accompanied by gentle harmonies sung by herself. "Give Love A Try" is about acknowledging you've had it rough in the past, but that you shouldn't let it effect how you move forward; especially when you've found someone special, and the last thing you want to do is push them away over something that isn't their fault. It's about setting yourself free, and letting yourself love again.
No Cry (feat. Stonebwoy)
"No Cry" is a song that features beloved Ghanaian musician, Stonebwoy an is another song I could see being released as a hit single. This song takes a lot of Stonebwoy's signature Afropop /Afro-Beat / Dancehall style and infuses it with Jordin's RnB/Pop vibes, creating an incredibly catchy rhythm and beat and a melody that's bound to get stuck in your head. It also has a guitar riff that adds to the songs addictiveness and takes it to the next level. It honestly was giving me very nostalgic Black Eyed Peas energy and I was loving every second of it.
Call My Name
"Call My Name" was a single release last year with a music video, and was the first taste of what was to come for this new album. It's a sensual groove, with classic RnB tones filled with bass and guitar. Jordin doesn't hold back in showing off what she's got vocally, and has soulful church choir harmonies to back her up. "Call My Name" is about finding that love that finally makes you feel at peace. Through all the stress of day-to-day life, all that matters is by the end of the night you have that person there to make it all better. It's that feeling of ease and contentment that we all yearn for within a partner; where you no longer have to worry whether or not things are going to work out. You're just sure that they will always be there for you.
What Are We Doing? (feat. Shawn Stockman)
"What Are We Doing?" is pure nostalgic RnB Pop bliss. At the forefront is a stunning acoustic guitar picking pattern with dissonant notes ringing through the air. Then we mix this with a heavy, catchy hip-hop inspired beat. "What Are We Doing?" features singer/songwriter Shawn Stockman, a member of the infamous 80's boyband Boyz II Men. Have you ever heard the saying "right person, wrong time"? That is what this song is about - breaking up with someone who could've been the one because you were young and didn't realize at the time just how right they were for you. But now, you're ready to give it another try. Jordin and Shawn blend together their vocals in a way that feels like it was destined to be. They both have a smooth and light tone, with so much control creating this highly emotional experience.
YCFWM
"YCFWM" stands for "You Can't Fuck With Me". This is Jordin Sparks' "Look What You Made Me Do" moment; it's a very ominous, dark but empowering track about taking back your life and being the strong person that you are. It's giving a lot of big middle fingers to the big guys within the entertainment industry who feel like they can control the lives of artists. Jordin isn't taking anyone's crap anymore, and is showing that she can live her best life without anyone telling her what to do. What really stood out to me about this song is how the bass is done vocally, and how the strings bring a very haunting chill to your spine.
Lavender Flower
I don't usually pick favorites when I do album reviews, but "Lavender Flower" is hands down one of the best songs I've heard this entire year. It's a pop ballad, with ethereal synths and piano. The overall instrumentation is minimalistic, but in the best way possible because this song is about the lyrics and the vocals. This is lyrically one of the strongest songs on this album, with Jordin belting with growls and rasp, singing her heart out like she will never get to sing again. "Lavender Flower" touches on subjects of the struggles of growing up as a girl and becoming a woman, the exposure to sexualization and feeling like an object, along with the insecurities that come along with it; but it's also about the strength and power we as women have, and although we have to face these dark situations, we're still able to fight back. It's a bittersweet and relatable song for many women out there, so you may want to grab the tissues for this one.
Fight Of Our Life
Closing out the album, we have the song "Fight Of Our Life". Just when you thought Jordin couldn't sing any better, this song was created. Jordin took her Broadway experience and put it into a song, because this track sounds straight of a classic Disney film or an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. "Fight Of Our Life" is about having that one person by your side to be your peace while the rest of the world is in chaos. All you want is for them to not give up on you in the way everyone else is giving up on each other. As long as you have them, you know everything will be okay. With sparking chimes, crashing drums and orchestral strings, this song is made complete with Jordin's impressive belting range and breath control. What an absolute stunning song.
A new Jordin Sparks album has been a long time coming and she did not disappoint. Jordin wanted to release something true to herself, have fun experimenting with new sounds and with nothing to hold her back - which is exactly what she did with literally, "No Restrictions". There's a song for everybody on this album; from the pure pop lovers, to the old-fashioned RnB and Soul connoisseurs, to the nostalgic 80's fanatics and SO much more... (afro-beat, dancehall, hip-hop, contemporary RnB, acoustic, even country?!). I feel like Jordin is living her authentic self through this music and I'm so happy to see her be free and do what she wants with her music after all these years. I've been a fan of Jordin ever since she was 17. She's such a kind-hearted and genuine person who deserves tons of love on this project, so if you haven't listened yet I highly recommend giving it a chance. You just might unexpectedly find your new favorite song.
Written By Kaitlyn Nicole
*copyright not intended. Fair use act, section 107.
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