Jennifer Lopez’s long-anticipated album, A.K.A. is one week away!! We got a chance to listen to the album before the big release. Here are our track-by-track thoughts.
A.K.A. feat T.I. – From the opening beat and vocalizations, it is clear that, as Jennifer says, “this is not the girl you used to know”. A.K.A. is a hard-hitting, bass-heavy track with a fed up Jennifer singing to an ex. “It took you too long, to find out, what you want, right now.”
First Love – All of you should know all about First Love and own it on iTunes!
Never Satisfied – We got a sneak peek of Never Satisfied when Jennifer performed it in Dubai. The studio version puts a different spin on the song. It is a bit darker and fits really well with the rest of the album. It is rock-tinged and a different sound for Jennifer, but it really works. Jennifer sounds great vocally, as well. “I’m never satisfied, Honey, my appetite, is keeping me up at night, I’m going crazy, for more of your love.”
I Luh Ya Papi feat French Montana – Again, you guys should know all about this one! If you haven’t already, buy it on iTunes!
Acting Like That feat Iggy Azalea – This is an understated bass heavy mid-tempo. Don’t let the understated beat fool you, though. Jennifer goes hard lyrically, warning her lover, “Why you acting like that, you gon’ miss me when I’m gone”. This is probably one of the most anticipated songs from the album, since it’s Jennifer’s first collab with a female rapper. Lyrically, it’s the perfect song for them to collaborate on.
Emotions – This sounds like one of Jennifer’s most personal songs ever. “I tried to give you all my time, babe. But it never meant a thing to you, so don’t you call my name.” The lyrics and Jennifer’s vocals are standouts here.
So Good – This is the kind of song you listen to in the car with your windows down. It’s a feel good track about thriving after a break up with punchy and, what we suspect are some autobiographical, lyrics. “I bet you think I need you. I’m telling you I don’t, you lost your mind. I used to be so see-through, but now I never let you on my mind”
Let It Be Me – This is a stripped down ballad backed by a Spanish guitar. Lyrically, it showcases Jennifer’s hopeless romanticism. “Let it be me that will anchor your soul. Until the clouds fall out of the sky and the snow falls down in July, let it be me that you think of.” If Jennifer recorded Como Ama Una Mujer in English, we think it would sound like this. It really plays to her strengths as a singer, and it is definitely one of the highlights for us!!
Worry No More feat Rick Ross – There are a lot of layers and interesting echo and auto tune effects on this one. Rick Ross was the perfect choice for this song. “Imma always hold it down for ya, look at how I move around for ya.”
Booty feat Pitbull – Jennifer closes out the standard edition of the album with this up-tempo party song. Don’t be mistaken, however, because this is very different from Jennifer and Pit’s other collabs. It’s a fun song with a bit of an Egyptian vibe. There are a couple of sections where Jennifer could perform a dance break and show everyone how it’s done. “Have you seen her on the dance floor, she got the boom, shake the room.”
The Deluxe edition features 4 additional songs – TENS feat Jack Mizrahi, Troubeaux feat Nas, Expertease (Ready Set Go), and Same Girl feat French Montana.
Tens feat Jack Mizrahi – This is definitely a different track for Jennifer, with lyrics like, “Where my glam queens at, where my real queens at?” and, “We serve, bitch, We don’t work, bitch.” It’s a lot of talky-singing and some Spanish thrown in. You’ll either love it or hate it, but it’s a fun track.
Troubeaux feat Nas – This is a catchy mid-tempo where Jennifer sings about being attracted to a guy she knows will be trouble. Because of the spelling, it’s probably pretty easy to figure out who this song is about! Someone from Team JLo also gets a shout out during Nas’ rap. “I deep down know I, should be good, I ain’t blind, you’re the kind of guy that always got all these girls running after you”.
Expertease (Ready Set Go) – This is one of the catchiest songs on the album. Jennifer starts off singing low, almost in a kind of growl before jumping into the chorus. “Let me show my expertise, I’m an expert tease and you know it” Another highlight!
Same Girl feat French Montana – The solo version was, of course, a buzz single released earlier this year. French adds a verse at the beginning and near the end.
In a nutshell: This is definitely one of our favorite JLo albums!! Jennifer has talked a lot about returning to her roots and we think she really achieved that. It is a classic JLo album with all of the different elements we all love to hear from her, but with a few twists and surprises. The album showcases a lot of different sides of Jennifer – her hopeless romanticism, vulnerability, but also a lot of strength. Vocally and musically it seems like Jennifer really pushed herself and did some different things on this album, while still retaining her core elements. JLovers, you will love it!
Stefan’s highlights: So Good, Let It Be Me, Booty, Acting Like That, Expertease
Heather’s highlights: A.K.A., Never Satisfied, Emotions, Let It Be Me, Expertease
Can’t wait any longer? You can listen to 30 second snippets of the standard edition tracks here:
If you haven’t already, pre-order the album on Amazon or pre-order an autographed album at Jennifer’s official myPlayDirect store!! A.K.A. will be released in the US on June 17!!
