Aaliyah - I Care 4 U (with Bonus DVD)

Pop history teaches that posthumous releases generally fall into one of two categories. There's the creep-out, with eerie lyrics that appear to foreshadow the artist's demise (see Michael Hutchence's solo disc). And there's the cash-in: the label or management scrapes the barrel to turn a buck. Luckily, Aaliyah's I Care 4 U is neither. Serving as both a greatest hits collection and a summary of stuff she'd been working on before her death in August 2001, the disc is a keen reminder of just how talented the 22-year-old was as a singer and song stylist. Sure, it's easy to have rhythm aplenty when R. Kelly and Timbaland are guiding you, but Aaliyah's silken phrasings are her own, and her ability to unearth tenderness in even the funkiest jam is a testament to her vision of R&B as musical comfort food. Songs from her three studio albums are well represented. Among them are "I Care 4 U" and "More Than a Woman" from Aaliyah; the title track and "Got to Give It Up" from One in a Million; and "Back and Forth" and "At Your Best" from Age Ain't Nothing but a Number. Of course, the universally praiseworthy brand-new tracks--"Come Over," "All I Need," "Miss You," and "Don't Worry"--are the real goods. An accompanying DVD featuring a handful of videos and behind-the-scenes footage makes I Care 4 U crucial for fans. --Kim Hughes Amazon.com

We sure do miss this amazing talent, here's something to help us remember her well...

One of the greatest travesties to ever hot the music industry as a whole was the untimely death of its young star Aaliyah, a beautifully talented rising star who will never be replaced. `I Care 4 U' helps further prove that very fact, giving us some of her greatest hits coupled with some previously unreleased tracks to remind us of all she had left to offer. This album is a beautiful compilation. Sure it's missing some standout tracks, but that's mainly because all of her music was so exceptional. It's not your conventional `Greatest Hits' record since almost half of the tracks here are previously unreleased. Throughout Aaliyah's voice transcends and fills the listener's ears with pure pleasure.

Listening to `Back and Forth' brings back memories of the first time I heard this amazing artist. I was young; in fact she was the new thing my older sisters were so enthralled with. They would dance together in our basement to `Age Ain't Nothing but a Number' and I would sit and grove to the music. Aaliyah keeps up the energy on recognizable tracks like the ever popular `Are you that Somebody' and `Try Again', two tracks that really made her a household name. Listening to `Try Again' also reminds the listener that she was so much more than a one trick pony. Her acting career was just beginning to ignite and I'm confident that she would have exploded on the film scene. `More than a Woman' is that great mix of beat and voice that just delivers on every level. This was probably her most recent single at the time of her passing and so it really holds that much more meaning. She really was more than a woman, she was an icon.

I'll always prefer my Aaliyah sultry and seductive and she is just that on tracks like `One in a Million' and the title track `I Care 4 U'. `One in a Million' is actually my favorite Aaliyah track period. It just reminds me of all there is to love about this singer. The lyrics, the beat the vocals, it's all just so perfect. Delivers a mood and that makes a song worth more in my opinion. Aaliyah's voice is just so crystal clear in `At Your Best', but to me it's not an outstanding track. It sounds a little too dated for my taste.

Of her new tracks `Come Over' is the real standout. It's just a beautifully done track and really has every element that makes Aaliyah's music so wonderful. `Don't Know What to Tell Ya' is also a great track, a little long but great none-the-less. `Don't Worry' and `All I Need' are a little more bouncy than the other tracks here while `Miss You' slows things down again. `Erica Kane' is an interesting track (and it took my sister to fill me in on the Soap Opera comparison). It never really grew on me. The chorus is a bit too repetitive and obnoxious for my taste. The album closes with the remix version of `Got to Give it Up' and it succeeds in delivering a great dance track.

Sure, I would have made some changes in the track listing (`4 Page Letter' anyone???) but I really can't complain to much with this album. It's a great addition to your Aaliyah library. September 24, 2007

Great cd/dvd...but be cautious!

This is a great cd, although I bought it for the dvd, which contains her music videos. This is definitely a must have for any Aaliyah collector. Definitely worth the money.

However be cautious. I ordered this and it was missing the dvd when I recieved it. The tracklist for it was included, but the dvd was gone. After a bit if digging, I found that there were many others that had the same problem. And there is nothing that Amazon can do about it because it is the product manufacturers fault. So i ordered it again and it included everything. There have also been people who got the dvd, but no cd. So keep this in mind when ordering (even though the chance of this occurring is small. April 30, 2006

Just enough for the casual listener

Aaliyah's career was cut short due to a fatal plane crash in August 2001. "I care 4 U", released after her death is a mix of new material and old classics. The songs on this disc capture some of her most popular hits such as "Are you that somebody", "One in a million", and "Try again". Beyond the few hits on this disc, the remainder lack depth and creativity.

If you are seeking a light R&B experience, Aaliyah does the trick with her angelic vocals and soulful production (Missy Elliot & Timberland). However, this CD is not one of my favorites in this genre due to its repetitive nature and simply dull non-hit tracks.

Overall this an average listen and nothing more. If you are a fan of Aaliyah this will make a great addition to your collection. April 14, 2006

A prelude to "Ultimate Aaliyah" (3.5 stars)

You have to remember the timeframe to understand the reason for this album. Aaliyah had just passed and the string of incredible hits from her self-titled effort had started to wane. As a result, record execs thought it would be logical to release a half-hit/half-unreleased material to capture Aaliyah's greatest moments and bless them with new music. In theory, this strategy should work. But in practice, it doesn't always receive well and in Aaliyah's case, the response was lukewarm.

One of the biggest reasons for that response was the exclusion of hits. While most of them are here, three huge ones aren't ("If Your Girl Only Knew", "Rock The Boat", and "One I Gave My Heart To") as well as three minor ones ("4 Page Letter", "We Need A Resolution", and "I Don't Wanna"). That's 6 hits that SHOULD have been here, but I guess can't include them all if you are going for that marketing plan.

On the other hand, the unreleased material is very enjoyable. My favorites include: "Miss You" (Aaliyah's farewell anthem), "Come Over" (a sweet, syrupy ballad), and "Got To Give It Up" (remix). I would venture to say this material is BETTER than the album tracks from the self-title release. And that's saying a lot, given Aaliyah made a name off album tracks that should have been singles.

This disc was a quick compilation to accomodate Aaliyah's sudden tragedy. You can tell by its hurried release and exclusion of major hits. But there is some very good unreleased material. Therefore, I will say it's a good disc for die-hard fans, but a casual listener would be better off picking up "Ultimate Aaliyah".

Grade: C+/B- April 11, 2006

We still Miss You Aaliyah

This album is a beautiful tribute to our beautiful baby girl. Fans will recognise some of the best most successful songs from Aaliyah's recording career and also six new and exciting tracks. Aaliyah's voice sounds amazing on every track regardless of the producer. Timbaland clearly emphasised Aaliyah's talent, but on the new tracks Aaliyah still manages to shine even when she is not collaborating with Timbaland. Miss You is very moving and it is clear that we will always remember this fine and respected artist who was a true star long before Beyonce was crazy in love and Ashanti was foolish We love you and we miss you. We care 4 U Aaliyah July 16, 2005

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