Special Occasion (Bobby Valentino album)

Last updated

Special Occasion
Bobby Valentino - Special Occasion.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 8, 2007 (2007-05-08)
Length65:38
Label
Producer
Bobby Valentino chronology
Bobby Valentino
(2005)
Special Occasion
(2007)
Come with Me
(2008)
Singles from Special Occasion
  1. "Turn the Page"
    Released: October 10, 2006
  2. "Anonymous"
    Released: April 9, 2007

Special Occasion is the second studio album by American R&B singer Bobby V. It was released by Disturbing tha Peace and Def Jam Recordings on May 8, 2007, in the United States. The singer co-wrote over three quarters of the album, which also features songwriting and production from Tim & Bob, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Timbaland, Sean Garrett, Don Vito, Bryan-Michael Cox and Dre & Vidal. [1] [2] It also features guest appearances by Ludacris, Timbaland and Fabolous.

Contents

The album was set to be released on December 12, 2006, but was delayed until May 8, 2007. Special Occasion's first official single was the Rodney Jerkins-produced track "Turn the Page". The ballad features Valentino singing about trust and taking risks in a relationship. Special Occasion debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200, selling about 92,000 copies in its first week, just over one-half of his previous album's first-week sales. [3] It also peaked at the top of the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. [4] [5] By mid-2009, the album had sold approximately 270,000 copies in the US. [6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Daily Press Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [9]
DJBooth.netStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Entertainment Weekly B− [11]
HipHopDX Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [12]

Vibe editor Damien Scott called Special Occasion a "cohesive collection of modern ballads. Valentino carves his own lane – a fusion of early ’90’s R&B; with new millennium aesthetics, like Tevin Campbell with a sidekick. As a result, Occasion is light on club-tailored tracks, and thankfully so." [13] Entertainment Weekly 's Simon Vozick-Levinson found that he "oozes suave confidence on his second set of romantic whispers, but Bobby Valentino's self-assured attitude isn't always enough to sell these songs. He gets a boost early on from a pair of effervescent Timbaland co-productions, Anonymous and Rearview (Ridin'); as soon as the tempos slow, though, Valentino's vocals start losing pep. By the disc's halfway point, he's reached a soporific low." [11] AllMusic editor Sharon Mawer described the abum as a "slice of modern urban R&B [...] which was a series of 16 songs with Bobby making love to the microphone over a sensual beat and even more sexual strings." [7]

Track listing

Information is based on the album's liner notes. [14]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"
Allamby0:38
2."Anonymous" (featuring Timbaland)
4:43
3."Checkin' for Me"
  • Emile
  • Nelson
4:07
4."Special Occasion" (Interlude) Tim & Bob 2:00
5."Rearview (Ridin')" (featuring Ludacris)
  • Timbaland
  • Harmon [a]
  • Logan [a]
3:46
6."If I Had My Way"
R. Jerkins3:23
7."How 'Bout It"
3:48
8."Turn the Page"
  • R. Jerkins
  • L. Danielsson
  • John "Jon Jon" Webb, Jr.
R. Jerkins4:22
9."Home Is Where You Belong"
  • Wilson
  • Lincoln Browder
  • Allamby
Allamby5:14
10."Let Him Go" (featuring Fabolous) Dre & Vidal 4:45
11."Only Human"
Tim & Bob4:33
12."Can't Wait 'Til Later"
  • Wilson
  • Kelley
  • Robinson
Tim & Bob4:57
13."I Was Wrong"
  • Kelley
  • Robinson
Tim & Bob4:43
14."Soon As I Get Home" Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds Tim & Bob5:28
15."Over & Over"
  • Wilson
  • Browder
  • Allamby
Allamby7:54
16."Right There (Thank You)"
  • Wilson
  • Kelley
  • Robinson
Tim & Bob1:19
Target/International bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Wreck"Garrett Sean Garrett 4:06
Circuit City bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
18."Let's Go"
3:37

Notes

Sample credits

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. [14]

Charts

Release history

List of release dates, showing region, formats, and label
RegionDateFormat(s)Label
United States May 8, 2007
  • CD
  • digital download
United Kingdom May 14, 2007

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References

  1. "Monsters and Critics".
  2. "Bobby Valentino Asks Sean Garrett, Rodney Jerkins To Attend Special Occasion". Archived from the original on March 15, 2008.
  3. Katie Hasty, "Buble Sidesteps Bone Thugs To Claim No. 1", Billboard.com, May 16, 2007.
  4. Special Occasion (The Billboard 200 chart), Billboard , August 11, 2007.
  5. Special Occasion (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart) Billboard. October 6, 2007.
  6. "Bobby Valentino Snags EMI Distribution Deal".
  7. 1 2 AllMusic review
  8. "Blender review".
  9. "Daily Press review".
  10. "Bobby V". DJBooth.
  11. 1 2 Vozick-Levinson, Simon. "Special Occasion". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on May 13, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  12. "HipHopDX review".
  13. Scott, Damien (December 14, 2006). "Bobby Valentino - Special Occasion (Def Jam)". Vibe . Archived from the original on February 19, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  14. 1 2 Bobby V. “Special Occasion”. DTP / Def Jam. 2007.
  15. "Bobby V Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  16. "Bobby V Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  17. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2020.