The Rundown: Marsha Ambrosius, Friends & Lovers
A track-by-track look at the singer's sophomore solo CD.
1 / 17
The Rundown: Marsha Ambrosius, Friends & Lovers - Following up her gold-selling 2011 solo debut, Late Nights & Early Mornings, singer-songwriter Marsha Ambrosius returns to add her brand of love and senuality to the landscape of R&B. Having proven that she can make hits for the likes of Michael Jackson and Alicia Keys, the soul music veteran mines her well of musicality to explore the skewed lines between being friends and being lovers. Click on to get a track-by-track breakdown of her latest melodic journey. (Photo: RCA Records)
2 / 17
"Friends & Lovers Intro" - The former Floetry member rides into her sophomore solo project with this ethereal (almost slow-mo) introduction. In her light, breathy vocal style, Ambrosius sings of a friend who's steadily heading for the lover zone. (Photo: Earl Gibson III/Getty Images for BET)
3 / 17
"So Good" - The atmospheric boom and echo of this track, with Marsha singing of how badly she's craving her new love, oozes with sensuality and longing. "I can tell by looking at you," the chaunteuse confesses, "that thing is good." (Photo: Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET)
Photo By Photo: Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET
4 / 17
"Night Time" - On this erotically rhythmic track, the soul songstress continues on the topic of carnal desires, belting out to her man about how much he occupies her mind and her sexy thoughts.
5 / 17
"69" - "Take my clothes off, stiletto heels still on deck," Marsha purrs on this cut. "Take my clothes off. You better get ready, get set." With a title inspired by the hot, um, position, it ain't hard to tell what's got Ms. Ambrosius singing... all of it atop a misty mixture of echo-y synth-n-bass punches. (Photo: Valerie Macon/Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 17
"Shoes" - Marsha mines the sounds of '60s love ballads for this track as she stretches the sexual issue to include notions of her not being able to say "no" to her lover's advances. (Photo: James W. Lemke/Getty Images for BET)
7 / 17
"How Much More (Interlude)" - Call this another one of the LP's "quickies." This one is a moment where Ambrosius's man confidently testifies to how he's able to satisfy his woman.(Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Vh1)
8 / 17
"Stronger" featuring Dr. Dre - Teaming with Dr. Dre, Marsha remodels Sade's 1988 classic "Stronger Than Pride" into a hip hop-driven celebration of love, replete with a sample of Jeru the Damaja's 1994 hit "Come Clean." The Aftermath label head also jumps on the mic to provide the lyrical beatdown. (Photos from Left: Valerie Macon/Getty Images, Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella)
9 / 17
"You and I" - Blending tender balladry with staunch hip hop swagger, this cut showcases the innocence of Marsha Ambrosius's vocal stylings as she swoons about reconnecting with a lost love. "Hope you're still the same as when I left," she pines. "Still remember the first time we kissed." (Photo: Courtesy of RCA Records)
10 / 17
"La La La La La" - Melodic, love-stroked keyboard work rides a head-snapping boom bap on this track where Marsha sings an ode to her man's love as well as his bedroom abilities. (Photo: Rob Kim/FilmMagic)
ADVERTISEMENT
11 / 17
"Cupid (Shot Me Straight Through My Heart)" - Sprinkling this cut with cascading piano notes and heavenly synth accents, Marsha gets inspired by Michael Jackson (who she wrote the song "Butterflies" for) as she waxes melodically with emotional chord changes and lyrics that acknowledge the absolute power of the love angel. (Photo: Brad Barket/Getty Images)
12 / 17
"Kiss and F--k" - "I think I'm in love, just tell me I am," Marsha starts off this sexy, bossa nova-influenced cut. "One taste of your lips and I can't pretend." The singer's voice is brushed with an accoustic guitar that floats her desire to be loved by her man. (Photo: Jason Merritt/BET/Getty Images for BET)
13 / 17
"Love" - For this moment, Marsha ditches the blantant cries for sex for an unabashed need for an absent love, singing over a seamless blend of swaying piano and a head-nodding rhythm. "I hop into the shower. The water running with my falling tears," she confesses. "Every second, every hour, it's only been a week but it feels like years." (Photo: James W. Lemke/Getty Images for BET)
14 / 17
"Run" - For every love that's found, there's one that slips through the cracks, which is what Ms. Ambrosius explores on this ballard. Sung over a solemn piano, the song twists with the longing that only she can get from a tune. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)
15 / 17
"OMG I Miss You" - Marsha hits another homerun with yet another love track that strikes at the heart of missing someone. (Photo: Paul Abell/PictureGroup)
ADVERTISEMENT
16 / 17
"Streets of London" featuring Skye & Lindsey - Marsha teams with the singing duo Skye & Lindsey to sing an ode to her home city of London, England. "On the streets of London is the place that I call home," sings Marsha. "Where the strong only survive, where you make it on your own." A song that's both inspirational and extrememly heartfelt. (Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images)