Grade: 85/100
Jennifer Hudson’s first track of her new album, “JHUD,” says it all.
This woman is “Dangerous” — in a good way for listeners and a bad way for competing artists.
Hudson’s last complete studio album was released in 2011, and now the songstress is back with plenty of punchy, danceable R&B.
Hudson is normally known for her breathtaking ballads. The woman can sing and has proved it multiple times with slow songs full of emotion and a wide vocal range. However, “JHUD” is more dance-orientated and shows Hudson’s fun side.
Plenty of this album feels ’70s-inspired. Her track, “It’s Your World,” featuring R.Kelly sounds like a contemporary disco track. Her duet with Iggy Azalea, “He Ain’t Going Nowhere,” also gives listeners the same feel.
The old-school R&B dance feel is something that artists haven’t brought to us for a while. Most artists have been leaning toward the pop world, or filling their tracks with rap, making it more hip-hop than R&B. Now, it feels like Hudson is pulling inspiration from Diana Ross, Destiny’s Child and Aretha Franklin.
Another thing that helps Hudson’s record is the amount of collaborations on the album.
Hudson has included T.I. and Timbaland along with R.Kelly and Azalea. Since Hudson hasn’t released a record in three years, the collaborations help make the album a little more relevant. Especially her Azalea track since all of her music has been abuzz recently.
But Hudson’s true talent can’t just be pushed to the side.
Even without ballads and big tracks, her vocal range and pure talent shines through on every track. Hudson has created an album that reminds us she’s a natural. Hudson can sing anything and we’ll eat it up.
“JHUD” will bring you back to R&B’s traditional roots with a contemporary twist.
All of her songs will please her older fans while bringing in new fans with her dance tracks. The record has a good mix of new and old, slow and fast to create an album that is simply, “JHUD.”
Seeing Hudson back recording records will remind people that R&B singers with soul and vocal range still exist. She shows that songs with heavy pop influence and rap artist collaborations aren’t the only recent options when wanting to listen to an album with soul influence.
“JHUD” gives you the opportunity to put a record on, play it all the way through and at the end, say you were given a true rhythm and blues experience.