Shontelligence

Last updated
Shontelligence
Shontelligence.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 18, 2008 (2008-11-18)
March 10, 2009 (2009-03-10) (re-release)
Recorded2006–2008
Genre R&B
Length40:23
Label SRC Records/Motown
Producer Dwayne "Supa Dups" Chin-Quee, Classic Soul Productions, Andrew Frapton, Fredo, The Heavyweights, The Jam, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers, Stargate, Wayne Wilkins
Shontelle chronology
Shontelligence
(2008)
No Gravity
(2010)
Singles from Shontelligence
  1. "T-Shirt"
    Released: July 15, 2008
  2. "Stuck with Each Other"
    Released: February 10, 2009
  3. "Battle Cry"
    Released: June 9, 2009

Shontelligence [1] is the debut studio album of Barbadian R&B/pop singer Shontelle. It was released on November 18, 2008. [2] The album was re-released featuring the new single "Stuck with Each Other", on March 10, 2009.

Contents

Background

Speaking to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning 'Blues & Soul' in February 2009, Shontelle described how the album title first came about: "We were actually hanging out in the studio, kinda waiting for things to bubble up - you know, the guys there tend to get a bit silly sometimes with their sense of humour. So one guy somehow comes up with this bright idea - 'Hey Shontelle! Let's play a word-game with your name today! Whoever can come up with the most words using your name gets free lunch!'! So they're like 'Shontel-evator', 'Shontel-evision', 'Shontel-icopter'... Then my engineer, Al, suddenly turns round and says 'Yeah, that's some real Shontelligence there!'... And straightaway everyone in the studio turned around at the same time, and were like 'That has to be your album title!'!" [3]

Reception

Critical

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
ARTISTdirect Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
LiveDaily Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The New York Times (negative) [7]

The album has received generally mixed reviews from music critics.

Ben Ratliffe of The New York Times gave the album a mixed review stating that:

Any pop singer who's been through that mill, willingly or not, has something to tell, but it feels as if Shontelle's individuality is being squelched. The first two tracks, T-Shirt and Battle Cry, both produced by Wayne Wilkins, are the singles, and they stand apart from the rest of the album. They're rampagingly sweet R&B songs, one about the solidarity of lust, one about the solidarity of friendship. After that -- largely in songs produced by Mr. Sturken and Mr. Rogers -- things go sharply downhill. There are enough acoustic guitar and reggae grooves to distinguish Shontelligence from most R&B records, but it hardly matters; this is a record in which a song called Ghetto Lullabye, inevitably rhymes its title with the line hush now, shorty, don't you cry. A potential identity for Shontelle almost rises up in Plastic People, about political conformity, but it's for naught: redolent of Des'ree's You Gotta Be, the song is already drowning in sonic conformity. [7]

Alex Macpherson of The Guardian gave the album a mixed 3/5 stars, citing the artist's "thoughtful songwriting and an understated vocal presence". [5] The Guardian's Paul Lester was more negative, saying the album's lead single was horrible and that he preferred Rihanna to Shontelle, and labeled her a "wannabe hitmaker", citing "the bland lyrics" of "T-Shirt" being comparable to any R&B song. Both reviewers compared Shontelle to Ne-Yo. [8]

David Balls of Digital Spy gave the album a mixed 3/5 stars:

Crafted by a team of established hitmakers including Stargate and Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, Shontelligence certainly has the potential to shift units in an age of disposable R&B. But considering Shontelle's high-achieving past, it's disappointing that the handful of shining moments are dimmed by a barrage of mediocrity. Still, with her strong ambition and clear determination to succeed, you wouldn't bet against her best being yet to come.

Singles

Other Notable Songs

Track listing

Shontelligence– Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."T-Shirt"Andrew Frampton, Wayne Wilkins, Savan Kotecha3:54
2."Battle Cry"Jamie Jones, Jack Kugell, Wilkins, Jason Pennock, Jordan Omley, Michael Mani3:32
3."Superwoman"Amanda Ghost, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Ian Dench4:19
4."Cold Cold Summer"Shontelle Layne, Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers3:44
5."Roll It"Layne, Sheldon Benjamin3:31
6."Life Is Not an Easy Road"Layne, Dwayne Chin Quee, Mitchum Chin3:44
7."Focus Pon Me"Layne, Eliseus Joseph3:06
8."Plastic People"Layne, Sturken, Rogers3:59
9."I Crave You"Layne, Sturken, Rogers3:57
10."Ghetto Lullabye"Frederik Odesjo, Layne, Rogers, Sturken3:06
11."Flesh and Bone"Layne, Sturken, Rogers3:31
Shontelligence– United Kingdom edition (bonus track)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Naughty" (featuring Beenie Man)Troyton Rami, Xavier Cordover3:21
ShontelligenceiTunes Store edition (bonus track)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Blaze It Up" (featuring Collie Buddz)Layne, Holland, Harper3:53
Shontelligence– 2009 reissue edition [a] (bonus track)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Stuck with Each Other" (featuring Akon) Diane Warren 3:20

Notes:

Charts

ChartPeak
position
UK Albums (OCC)147
US Billboard 200 115
US Billboard Top R&B Hip/Hop Albums 24

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References

  1. Rap-Up.com// no one on the corner got swagga like us>> blog archive>> Album Cover - Shontellle
  2. Amazon.com - Shontelligence: Shontelle: Music
  3. Pete Lewis Interviews Shontelle - 'Blues & Soul' February 2009
  4. Sciarretto, Amy (November 17, 2008). "Album Reviews: Shontelligence by Shontelle". ARTISTdirect . Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  5. 1 2 Alex Macpherson (March 6, 2009). "Pop review: Shontelle: Shontelligence | Culture". The Guardian . London: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  6. Cady, Monica (November 18, 2008). "Shontelle news: Album Review: Shontelle, "Shontelligence" (SRC) // SoundSpike Concert News". LiveDaily . Ticketmaster . Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  7. 1 2 Ratliff, Ben (November 17, 2008). "Critics' Choice: New CDs: Shontelle - NYTimes.com". The New York Times . Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  8. Lester, Paul (November 20, 2008). "New band of the day - No 434: Shontelle". The Guardian. London.
  9. Shontelle - Battle Cry Review - I Like Music
  10. "Official "Superwoman" Promo remixes in the UK! | // ShontelleOnline.com - #1 Source for Everything Shontelle! //". // ShontelleOnline.com. 2009-11-28. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  11. https://open.spotify.com/album/4c5Cbyi9K1QW3yoX7ALCcg [ bare URL ]