Product Description

Although Clay Aiken was the first of the AMERICAN IDOL second-year finalists out of the gate with his MEASURE OF A MAN album, winner Ruben Studdard subsequently presented his full-length debut with the appropriately named SOULFUL. Displaying a genuine love of R&B and soul, Studdard follows in the footsteps of his hero, Luther Vandross, on this charming set of songs.
Studdard starts off, oddly enough, by apologising on the pleading slow jam "Sorry 2004". With the following"No Ruben", Studdard offers up his take on the "keeping-it-real" tune (a la Jennifer Lopez's "Jenny from the Block"), where he thanks everyone from the people at his local barbershop to the "brothers at the laundromat for the covers". No stranger to classic cover songs, Studdard also croons the Bee-Gees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" and the time-honoured standard "For All We Know". Elsewhere, he reminds everyone that "material things come and go" on the synth- and beat-driven "Take the Shot", once again proving that this AMERICAN IDOL winner has his heart in the right place.

Track Listing

1. Carlito Marron
2. Cumbiamora
3. Aganju
4. I Wanna Lu
5. Baby Groove
6. Ifa De Copancabana
7. Clima Quente
8. Juras De Samba
9. Talavera
10. My Honey
11. Yaba
12. Conga E Bongo
13. Ala A A

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6750 in Music
• Released on: 2003-12-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import

Customer Reviews

ruben studdard soulful
this album has supassed itself it travels everywhere with me
soft mellow and meaningful every song on this album will capture your mood excellent
buy it today

Save your money
Sorry, 2004. Yep, sorry about this sorry CD. Ruben chose the songs andadded minimal writing contributions to several. The lyrics of the rapsongs are absolutely infantile. His gasping, gurgling sound on this CD isnothing like what he demonstrated during the AI2 competiton. He is offpitch on the ballads and breathless due to his ever increasingly massivegirth. His voice is imitative of Barry White and Luther Vandross, but hein no way can come close to those superior R&B artists. Check them out andyou will see.
Unlike the crystalline clear, fresh and pure voice of Clay Aiken, therunner up of AI2 whose stunning CD "Measure of a Man" and his glorious,astonishing new single "The Way/Solitaire" which showcases a truly unique,original and non paralled voice in American pop music today, Ruben justdoesn't excite the devotion and desire to play his CD "Soulful" more thanonce. Hopefully, Ruben will do better next time around.

Just Brilliant
I cannot believe that this is Ruben's first album. From the start of the first tune I was hooked, I just had to give a copy to my brother-in-law.
He enjoyed it just as much as me. I enjoyed the gospel tune with Fred Hammond, and the up tempo tunes. Ruben has a fantastic and (luther like) tone to his voice, which captures your thoughts. I just cannot wait for his next album and hope that it is very soon.
I hope that he continues to shine with everything that he does,from this moment onwards.