THE UK CORNER CD REVIEW: Ciara's 'Fantasy Ride'

review by Fiona McKinson

     *Ciara has acquired some 'haters' in the five years since she hit the airwaves. Many argue that her vocals are weak while others speculate that she is a man!

     And then there are the constant comparisons to her forerunners such as the late Aaliyah and Ciara's inspiration, Janet Jackson.

     Like those icons, Ciara is a beautiful, killer dancer but there the similarity ends. Fantasy Ride, her third album further demonstrates how she has created her own lane.

     In the UK, Love Sex Magic ft. her label mate Justin Timberlake, was the lead single. I first heard it on the advert for Trophy Wives and I was eager to find out who was behind the theme song. I was surprised to find out it was Ciara.

     In a departure from her signature sound, she has clearly matured. So much so that when I loaded her album in iTunes it was classified as pop. There is no reason why she should not cater to the mainstream audience and Turntables ft Chris Brown, is exactly the type of dance song that would appeal to the European market.

     However, I prefer the 'Crunk and B' style tunes that Ciara has inadvertently come to signify. High Price ft Ludacris is a futuristic standout track that distinguishes Ciara from competition and for some reason, Ciara's delivery reminds me of Nelly Furtado's outing with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake on Give it to Me.

     Like a Surgeon and the atmospheric and edgy Keep Dancin on Me are standout tracks. I also like the gritty attitude of G is for Girl (A-Z), which is reminiscent of the attitude in Beyonce's Diva. I Don't Remember has a vulnerability about it and co-written by Ne-Yo, is touched by the European Dance sensibilities of his hit Closer.

     The production on Fantasy Ride takes you on a myriad of tempos and genres. Despite many guest appearances, Super C's versatile talent shines beyond the marketing campaign. The 'good' in the well-crafted lyrics, mostly about relationships, may not be enough to appease the 'evil' in the haters.

     The album is definitely a ride with ups and downs allowing a multi-faceted Super C to showcase her confidence, sassy raps and sex appeal in equal measure. If you don't like it, you can always do what Ciara says and Pucker Up!

Track listing:

1. Ciara to the Stage 
2. Love Sex Magic ft. Justin Timberlake  
3. High Price ft. Ludacris  
4. Turntables ft. Chris Brown  
5. Like a Surgeon
6. Never Ever ft. Young Jeezy  
7. Lover's Thing ft. The-Dream  
8. Work ft. Missy Elliott 
9. Pucker Up 
10. G is for Girl (A-Z)  
11. Keep Dancin' on Me 
12. Tell Me What Your Name Is
13. I Don't Remember

     Fantasy Ride is out now with a deluxe edition available including bonus tracks and a DVD with exclusive video content and Behind-The-Scenes Footage.

     Visit: http://www.ciaraworld.com or http://www.myspace.com/ciara

The UK Corner covers urban entertainment from a British perspective and is compiled by Fiona McKinson. She is a freelance journalist and creative writer based in London. Contact her at info@thetalentshow.co.uk.