Album review: Chris Brown's 'F.A.M.E.'

When Chris Brown opens his new album with “Deuces,” a sleek kiss-off that sweeps aside an ex as “nothing but a vulture,” he’s not hiding any bitterness. A few minutes deep into the track with Tyga and Kevin McCall, the most troublesome line of the album unfurls: “Like Tina did Ike in the limo, it finally hit me. I got a new chick and it ain’t you.” The poison dart isn’t delivered by Brown but the underlying message is clear and it’s one that’s been long-trotted out by Breezy’s defenders: Rihanna brought it on herself.

Before the domestic abuse incident in February 2009, Brown was a promising pop star prepped to inherit some of Michael Jackson’s early solo-career shine but with a modern, sexy edge like Ne-Yo. After the highly publicized pictures of Rihanna’s bruised face, Brown became, to many more people, that violent pop star who beat up his girlfriend. Brown attempted a few apologies, awkwardly appearing on “Larry King Live” and claiming to not remember the fight. Meanwhile, his career was presumed dead by many in the industry.

But on the release date of his fourth album, “F.A.M.E.,” Brown is enjoying a slew of hit radio singles. How did he do it? By nearly abandoning Jackson circa “Off the Wall” and instead attempting the outré unapologetic genius of R. Kelly. “F.A.M.E.,” an acronym, rather astoundingly standing for “Forgiving All My Enemies,” isn’t without a mild flick of contrition here and there, but for the most part, Brown is full-steam ahead as a Lothario whose appetites know no bounds.

As a lover and an artist, Brown will wear any mask to get what he wants — sex, street cred or radio redemption. As much as he cycles from a sexually confident tough guy on “Look at Me Now” to simpering romantic on “Should’ve Kissed You,” he also churns through several modes on “F.A.M.E.” Overall, the album leaves not an impression of one singular style but of the great effort required to mix and match so many times. “Beautiful People,” with its powdered-sugar synths and dance floor positivity, is almost a Kylie Minogue song. With a few shifts in production values, “All Back” could have easily found itself in the coffers of Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood.

All of it is done capably, even superbly in some cases, though “F.A.M.E.” also feels strained and sometimes downright desperate. That said, there’s no denying he pulls off some neat coups. “She Ain’t You” is carried aloft on a gussied up sample from Jackson’s “Human Nature” and the sentiment of the song is refreshingly complex. “Look at Me Now” is ubiquitous for a reason, built around a hypnotic toss between bass thumps, alien effects and rapid flow from Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne.

The truth is that Brown, like his ex-girlfriend Rihanna, who has used S&M and sexually violent imagery for her own visceral and at times confusing artistic expressions, is a provocateur. And as a provocateur who particularly likes playing with the masks of masculinity — from the angry to the apologetic to the always-conquering — he seems to be seeing his violent encounter with Rihanna as a kind of strange gift, something he’ll no doubt manipulate for years to come, even as the memories of Rihanna’s bruises fade.

—Margaret Wappler

Chris Brown
"F.A.M.E."
Jive
Two and a half stars

Comments

[Nick]

The ending of this review is terrible. He served his sentence (Although it was extremely lax). Move on, as did Rihanna and Brown. Only about half of this is a review.

[Portia]

This is a horrible review. You should be fired.

[elah]

Can we say, "Chris, great work"!!!! No need to analyze every cut. Watch BET this week for views inside of the team that came together to make the album. Yesterday, he gave I think, the best performance 106 & Park has ever aired. Good work Chris, God bless you as you continue to grow.

[elah]

The two comments below are right....horrible review of this young man's work

[OT]

accept the fact that this album is genius. His personal life is PERSONAL. In contrast this review is shocking and should be more honest

[lakerfan]

YOU SHOULD BE FIRED ON THE SPOT!! I GUESS YOU HAVEN'T NOTICIED HE HAS THE #1 SONG OUT RIGHT NOW! YOU CALL YOURSELF A JOURNALIST? DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST!!!

[Holly]

Did I really just read this garbage? If I'd never heard of Chris Brown before and was about to sit and listen to his music for the first time, your review was completely worthless. If you consider yourself a music journalist, write about the music, not the persona that the media is creating.

[Keep it Movin]

The title of this article is called Album Review...Where is the review of the album?? What dumby allowed you to post this crap? The album is awesome! Chris is one of very few truly talented people in the business, he deserves some respect, if you can't write a fair, honest, and unbiased review; or any other type of literature then you ought not write at all.

[prettygirl]

Omg are youu serious chris brown did awesome on this cd #killyoself for this wack review in fact it seem like your opinion not a review .

[T Love]

Yes Yes Yall. Just say it CHRIS BROWN'S album is OFF THE FREAKING CHAIN. YOu hear one single and think it's the all time jam, but then the next one knocks the predecessor out of the park. The Hits just don't stop. It's absolutely ridiculously perfect. Just perfect. Chris please don't beat up any more girls and leave us out here dry listening to all these wack beats we had to endure in your absence. YOu owe us. STOP THE MADNESS and keep singing, rapping, just do it all like you know you can.

[T Love]

Provocateur, Shockateur, whatever...Chris you betta sing and DON'T STOP. Cuz if F.A.M.E. is just the beginning then IT'S GREAT TO BE ALIVE AND HAVE THE GIFT OF HEARING. Cuz I turn on the radio and flip stations until any one of the F.A.M.E. singles, any one is found. Just like Off the Wall, there's not one unlistenable note in a single one out so far. And just like Billy Jean, every single time I hear Look at Me Now I simply melt in sheer auditory ecstasy.

[Tabriya]

I dont know why you are still talking about the Chris Brown and Rihanna thing. That is over now. he did the time and got help and apologized to everyone. His album is POPBANG'.! Go ahead Chris Brown <3

[Cindi Woodard]

No one on the earth is perfect. Forgive, forget and move on and let the young experience, learn and be guided into the proper way of having a meaningful relationship through prayer. My best to both, Brown and Rihanna, let go and let God.

[yell4yell]

What a sad world we live in were people keep using the phrase 'he's done his time,paid for his crime,move on'.The bottom line nowadays and everybody knows it,we live in a 24hour media obsessed world,particularly in the Showbiz world and what somebody did on stage or of stage two years ago is always going to be referred to. Even without the TMZ style showbiz hoopla that has engulfed us all,real journalists are employed,nay driven to ask questions about the past,the present and the future. What I dont understand is why Mr Brown wasn't better prepared for this and many other interviews. Does he also believe this wafer thin mantra...'ive done my time etc'? Or is he surrounded by yes people who are affraid they will loose there jobs if they don't point out the truth to him. The black community knows that it is historically more under the spotlight because of the rap and hip hop communities sexist treatment of women and yet it fails to understand when people are horrified by violence against women,both on screan and of. Why cant the community look inward at itself and discuss openly the violence and abuse of women in its musical genres? On a more simplistic level,men in the community must have mothers,sisters or doughters....do they not see how degrading women in these songs and videos is degrading there own mothers ,sisters and doughters? I am not sure what 'treatment' Mr Brown had after his conviction,perhaps we can have some clarification if he had anger management treatment? If he had some gender awairness courses,were he could be shown that men can still find women 'sexy' without having to degrade them (in songs or videos)? Someone needs to explain to Mr Brown that his violent act will be mentioned until the day he dies and he needs to have some strategy to handle those questions. If he wants to rant and rave about it,or react in an elledgadly violent way about it,then he will not remain at the top of the charts for to long. Maybe he still needs to acknowledge his part in the 'fight' with the girl singer. Maybe it is still unresolved in his head. Maybe he is still angry that as he see's it 'the whole story didnt come out'. Maybe he thinks he has resolved it.There are many possabilities,however it seems clear that he wants to remain in the public eye and make progress and regain the crown that he thought was going to be his. If he wants to do this he needs to get some help in deeling with 'this past issue' as his reaction shows that just as he says the tv interviewer hasn't moved on,neither has he. The black community and the music community owe it to this artist to be more honest with him and say,'yes we loved your music and want to love it in the future but you still have some issues to sort and and we will help you with them,but only if we can be honest and you can be honest with yourself'. If Mr Brown wants to remain in the public eye and it looks like he does,then its not foe redemption we want to see or a number of months public service,but real work on himself. Whatever happened in that car that night needs to be sorted out for Mr Brown to truly move on,looking at him on screan yesterday he didnt seem to be handling things very well and it was uncomfortable to watch.One incident should not stop a person enjoying a future career ,but at this early stage of a come back watching his anger yesterday it doesnt look good for Mr Browns mental health or his self image. We all know that there are often more than one side to a 'story',maybe because they are both in the public eye it is difficult for both of them to acknowledge what really happened that night or what lead up to it. As for Mr Brown allegdedly comparing his public reception to Charlie Sheene,dont try and use a comparison to another persons mis- demeaners to cover your own. It smacks of the playground cry of,'well you didnt slap his legs and he threw his toys out of the pram'! Mr Sheen has enough dramas going on to last a lifetime and I doubt anyone would want to swap lives with him at the moment.I doubt few people in the white or black community are praising Mr Sheen at the moment so stop looking around to spread the blame ,look inward at yourself. Perhaps a song title for your nextt CD Mr Brown....'Looking inward at yourself'. It might hurt but it will help you grow and help the public understand you in the future. Thrusting hip movements in videos might excite a few people watching but you will excite and interest a lot more people by showing how you have grown and continue to accept your past outburst and grow from it. Nobody wants to see you fail. The Rihanna thing isnt over until we can see you have handled it and not just put a band aid on it and danced away from it. It tough and it may get tougher,but the rewards for your self growth are enormous and the rewards in the eyes of the public are enormous too.In between your tours and tv appearances try and find someone outside your circle to help you understand what happened and how to move on from it. Good Luck

[Gerald]

This is about the most bias review I have ever read."...He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her..." John 8:7 KJV. It is amazing to me in American society that we hold judgement on one another as if our lives are so perfect; as if we have never sinned. As if our sin was not as bad as the next man.

Psalms 25:18 - Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins KJV. The books of the bible speaks nearly 80% on forgiveness, and Jesus even spoke on it himself, stating, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you - Matthew 6:14 KJV - And Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors - Matthew 6:12 KJV.

This world is full of hypocritical people. How perfect are you? Just because your sins are not manifested for the world to see does not make them justified.

There are world hunger, wars, and devastation going in the world, and all we can focus on is someone else's imperfections.

[A Rihanna fan]

FAME = Ferociously Attacked My Ex

[ARACELI]

WHOA... THIS IS A CD FOR HIS FANS NOT A REASON TO BRING BACK the PAST AND TRY TO RUIN HIS ALBUM RELEASE OR CAREER. THIS BO HAS MAD TALENT AND WHATS DONE IS DONE.. MOVE ONE PEOPLE.. AND YES I AGREE VERY BAD REVIEW....

[Joshua AKA 'Jaiden']

Good way to rise from the ashes. Everyone deserves a second chance, ya know?

[The_truth21]

I do not understand all of the support, and unconditional encouragement for all of his immature behavior. He is a bratty little boy who seriously needs to grow up. And those who unquestioningly supportive of his actions ( i.e. the GMA fiasco) do him no good. He is going to wind up in serious trouble if he can control himself...Furthermore, his music is SUBPAR, at best. He is a petulant child who should have been disciplined growing up but obviously wasn't.

[spidly]

Hahahahaha the end of the review is laughably poor, even so I'm not here to defend Chris Brown: he publicly acts like a spoilt brat and beats women so his career should be over. We're not dealing with a genius-with-issues here, its not like his back catalogue is worth anything, he has done literally nothing of worth. If he can't deliver as a celebrity he has nothing to offer.

[Altered Carbon]

Excellent review, dead-on.

[No Longer A Chris Brown Fan]

I don't understand how people can get past his actions and still like his music. I wish I could, I love the type of fun, pop music he sings. Even before he viciously attacked Rihanna, I felt his image went hand in hand with his music. He shattered it in one night. He has a decent voice and the music is produced well but I agree with the reviewer's commentary on the lyrics. I believe that had his music reflected growth/maturity rather than calling out his "enemies" this might have been a different review. The truth is that prior to his beating Rihanna, he did not have any real enemies. Any enemies he might have were created by him. He and his team should be more self aware about this music/image he puts out there. He is a pop artist who committed a crime. Pop music is fun, light and Chris Brown can't project that image believably.

His tantrum during the GMA and insincere apology on 106 & Park show that he has not learned from his actions 2 years ago. I especially hate his song Deuces because I can't listen to it as purely a pop song but as an abuser talking to the girl he beat. His music feels insulting and disingenuous.

[SuperNovaPlus]

Thank you for reminding me yet once again that it's morally reprehensible to abuse women.

[wmbeco]

Chris Browns' album FAME haunts me.
To think DWTS will promote this guys R rated album is just not right. Here are some lyrics from NO BullS**t.

"U already know what time it is, reach up i the dresser where the condoms is
And baby when i get it ill never let go, gonna take it slow
We aint gone stop till 9 am, if u cant take it all baby say when
make u c**m over and over again, and imma leave it in "

DWTS is a great show, helping this guy to promote such filth is not really good for ABC.

He should stay and promote his crap on MTV or some other kiddies broadcast. His appearance on prime time is not appropriate.

It seems ABC has deaf ears to this situation. Perhaps they are too scared
to do anything as CBS and Chas. Sheen
has become a media zoo.

This type of entertainer (for lack of a better word) is degrading to all of aspects of television entertainment.

Thank you for your time.

[Misty]

Tis is not a review of FAME its a REHASH of the past. The person who wrote this should go back and take more journalism classes. #SAD.