Product Description

Despite having her first album get lost amid all the attention lauded on debuts by Alicia Keys and India.Arie, Syleena Johnson made quite a mark with the contemporary soul stylings of CHAPTER 1: LOVE, PAIN & FORGIVENESS. Her follow-up CHAPTER 2: THE VOICE keeps the magic flowing as Johnson sings about going through the hellfire of a bad relationship and coming out on the other side as a bona fide survivor.
Songs like the mid-tempo groovefest "Now That I Got You" and optimistic "I Believe In Love" point to lessons learned by someone who's seen the good and bad aspects of love. Blessed with a strong and soulful timbre, Johnson has a range that allowsher to go from the slow-rolling gritty funk of "I'm Gon' Cry" to the stripped-down, near-acoustic arrangements of the considerably airier "Guitars of the Heart (Happy)". While there are no cameos by unlikely guests like Buddy Guy this timearound that point to Johnson's background as the offspring of famed soul singer Syl Johnson, longtime booster R. Kelly returns to lend his compositional and vocal skills to the defiant "Guess What".

Track Listing

1. The Voice / Intro
2. Faithful To You
3. Now That I Got You
4. Dear You
5. Guess What
6. I'm Gonna Cry
7. Is That You
8. Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go
9. If You Play Your Cards Right
10. No Words
11. So Willingly
12. Guitars Of The Happy Hart
13. I Believe In Love
14. Outro
15. Tonight I'm Gonna (Remix)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #191379 in Music
• Released on: 2002-11-11
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Syleena Johnson - The Voice album review
Syleena Johnson - 'Chapter 2: The Voice' album review

“Stand up if u want to be seen, reach out so you can capture your dreams, cry out if you want be heard, it told me to be strong and take heed of my word.” (The Voice).

The first enlightening words taken from the intro of a remarkable album.
Chapter 2: The Voice – a title which many of you may not be familiar with.

The album belongs to Chicago-based chanteuse Syleena Johnson, daughter of legendary blues soul man Syl Johnson who had hits with songs like "Take Me to the River."

Johnson's shimmering smoky voice is unique, but the most concise way of describing her style is mid-tempo soul, meets contemporary RnB, combined with the good old-fashioned blues (no doubt inspired by her father).

The name of Syleena's debut album released in 2001, through Jive Records was entitled Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness, the raw honesty of a story, which the gifted singer/songwriter had lived through. In her second project however, Chapter 2: The Voice, the 25-year-old soulstress puts the heartache to one side and presents the listener with a variety of sounds, beats and feelings. Striking about this album is how Johnson has steered away from the traits of contemporary RnB artists. She has incorporated a personal style blissfully drenched with ‘rhythm & blues’ – without sticking to the over-used RnB ‘pop’ element, which so many artists follow.
Her mature talent brings back that classic quality.

The Voice has allowed Johnson to collaborate with the likes of Carvin Haggins and Ivan who are best known for their work with Jill Scott and Musiq and the results come ringing out in songs like “No Words” and “I’m Gonna Cry” which insanely at 3 minutes 30 seconds, did not seem long enough.

Chapter 2 takes the listener on a groove-funk based journey where strength in Syleena’s own instrument The Voice’ is as much to do with finding ‘the’ strength in our own individual lives; ‘…take heed of my word’

Syleena’s powerful womanly vocals take us through her spiritual and personal self. As her voice soars the music remains refreshingly chilled and cool. “Now That I Got You” is a good example. It’s soothing in the right places and sexual in other ways.
“Tonight I’m Gonna Let Go” is a sweaty mix of pure sexuality and lust. Co-written with R.Kelly, the track’s club remix features some of hip-hops top names Busta Rhymes, Rampage Sham and Spliff Star from the infamous ‘Flipmode Squad’ Its filled with Syleena's sexy husky, and very suggestively seductive voice. ‘Tonight I’m gonna get aggressive so don’t you dare put up a fight, tonight I’m gonna put it on you baby. Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.’ – enough said!