Wikked Lil' Grrrls

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Wikked Lil' Grrrls
Studio album by
Esthero
ReleasedJune 28, 2005
Recorded2003-2005
Genre
Length67:57
LabelReprise Records
Producer
Esthero chronology
Breath from Another
(1998) 		Wikked Lil' Grrrls
(2005) 		Everything Is Expensive
(2012)
Singles from Wikked Lil' Grrrls
  1. "We R in Need of a Musical Revolution!"
    Released: November 2004
  2. "Fastlane"
    Released: April 2005[1]

Wikked Lil' Grrrls is Canadian singer Esthero's second album, her first full-length in seven years. It was released on June 28, 2005 in North America by Reprise Records. The album elicited mixed reviews upon its release, with contemporary music critics generally praising her vocal performance but expressing mixed feelings regarding the record's eclecticism. The album gave Esthero her first album chart entry in the US, reaching number 24 on the US Heatseekers Albums chart. The album includes two singles, "We R in Need of a Musical Revolution" and "Fastlane."

Background and recording[edit]

Esthero was dropped from Work in late 1999 due to poor sales of her first album Breath from Another, and the label's absorption into Epic Records.[2] She eventually signed with Reprise Records.[3] Orlando Puerta, marketing director at Reprise Records noted: "Somehow she persevered, and she is special enough for us not to let go of her." Esthero began writing material for her second studio album before her departure from SME. It took over four years and in late 2003 she started recording sessions. In November 2004 a six-song promotional EP entitled We R in Need of a Musical Revolution was released. It features three tracks not included on the album: "The Lull-a-Bye", "I Drive Alone" and "Amber & Tiger's Eye".

Musical style[edit]

The album was noted for its diversity of musical styles. Vibe described the album's style as "an alternately futuristic and vintage soundscape of reggae, jazz, hip hop, and electronica."[4] AllMusic's Johnny Loftus commented that the album falls "in a drifty place between modernized trip-hop (and) mild R&B."[5] Regarding the album's stylistic eclecticism, Esthero stated in an interview with The Washington Post that her "taste is so vast it ends up like a premixed iPod shuffle."[6]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic(57/100)[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Entertainment Weekly[9]B-
Slant Magazine[10]

The album received generally mixed reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 57, based on 8 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews". Johnny Loftus of Allmusic felt that Wikked Lil' Grrrls is a "personal statement, if not a labor of love", however considers that the album "occasionally gets lost between songwriting, thematics, and stylistic flow". He gave the album 2.5 stars out of 4 and noted "We R in Need of a Musical Revolution", "Everyday Is a Holiday (With You)" and "If Tha Mood" as album's highlights.[11] In extremely negative review from Splendid magazine, Mike Meginnis said: "A towering monument to Esthero's overpowering sense of self satisfaction, this mess overstays its welcome and abuses whatever attention you're willing to spend on it. In short, it's not a career highlight".

Some critics were more favorable in their assessments of the album. Sal Cinquemani, of Slant Magazine, was highly positive in his review of the album, awarding it four out of five stars and commenting that album "establishes her as the progenitor of what could be called electro-ethno-pop". Billboard magazine also was positive, calling the album "another eclectic musical trip". Rolling Stone gave the album three stars out of five and called the album "lyrically feisty and stylistically expanded".

Release and promotion[edit]

Singles[edit]

The album included two singles."We R in Need of a Musical Revolution," the opening track, was first released as part of a six-song EP of the same name, released in October 2004.[5] An accompanying music video was filmed and released to promote the song,[12] but the single failed to chart. The second single, "Fastlane," premiered in April 2005;[1] it was released commercially in July 2005 as second single from album. It reached number five on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs, becoming her second Top 5 on the chart (her first being the non-album single "O.G. Bitch").[13]

Live performances[edit]

To promote the album, Esthero appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on July 7, 2005.[14] She also opened for John Legend.[2]

Commercial performance[edit]

The album gave Esthero her first album chart entry in the US. The album debuted at number 24 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart dated July 16, 2005.[13]

Uses in media[edit]

The title track appeared on the soundtracks to Miss Congeniality 2 and John Tucker Must Die, a season five episode of Smallville, and was used in an early promotion for the TV shows Desperate Housewives, and Las Vegas.[15] "Everyday Is a Holiday (With You)" was featured in the 2005 film Monster-in-Law, and was used in a season two episode of the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy.[15]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."We R in Need of a Musical Revolution"Esthero, James Robertson, Jully Black, Spookey RubenJames Robertson, Spookey Ruben, Esthero4:06
2."Dragonfly's Intro"Jemeni 1:32
3."Blanket Me in You (Never Is So Soon)"Esthero, Adam BravinAdam 12, Esthero4:58
4."Everyday Is a Holiday (With You)" (featuring Sean Lennon)Esthero, Sean LennonEsthero, Sean Lennon4:05
5."Thank Heaven 4 You"Esthero, Camara KambonCamara Kambon4:30
6."If Tha Mood" (featuring Shakari Nyte)Doc McKinney, Kobe Eshun, Krista GonzalesDoc McKinney4:31
7."Bad Boy Clyde"Esthero, Krista GonzalesDoc McKinney3:36
8."Beautiful Lie"Esthero, Larry KlineEsthero5:10
9."Junglebook"Esthero, Brian West, Gerald EatonTrack & Field, Esthero4:49
10."My Honeybrown"Esthero 0:26
11."Wikked Lil' Grrrls"Esthero, Krista Gonzales, Malik WorthyDoc McKinney, Malik Worthy, Esthero4:18
12."Gone" (feat. Cee Lo Green)Esthero, Keith Crouch, Green, JubuKeith Crouch, Kamillion, Esthero5:16
13."My Torture"Esthero, Bravin, Oliver JohnsonAdam 12, Esthero6:26
14."Melancholy Melody"Esthero, James PoyserEsthero4:36
15."Fastlane" (featuring Jelleestone & Jemeni)Esthero, Krista Gonzales, DocDoc McKinney4:53
16."Dragonsfly's Outro"Esthero, Bill ContiAdam 12, Esthero4:05
17."Brave Bear Woman"Esthero 0:18
Total length:67:57

Personnel and credits[edit]

Adapted from AllMusic[16] and album booklet.[17]

Charts[edit]

Chart (2003) Peak
position
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[13] 24

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Paoletta, Michael (April 23, 2005). "Venus Hum Sings Some New 'Songs'". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 17. p. 26. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b Harrington, Richard. "Esthero, Mixing It Up Again". Washington Post. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Esthero - Dictionary definition". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  4. ^ Out the Box: Beyond Hip-Hop and R&B (Vibe Aug 2005). Vibe/Vibe Media Group.
  5. ^ a b Loftus, Johnny. "Esthero We R in Need of a Musical Revolution [EP] [Bonus Track] review". Allmusic. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  6. ^ Harrington, Richard. "Esthero, Mixing it up Again". The Washington Post. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Reviews for Wikked Lil' Grrrls by Esthero - Metacritic". Apps.metacritic.com. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  8. ^ Loftus, Johnny. "Esthero Wikked Lil' Grrrls review". Allmusic. RhythmOne Group. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  9. ^ Feliciano, Kristina. "Wikked Lil' Grrrls review". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
  10. ^ Cinquemani, Sal. "Esthero Wikked Lil' Grrrls review". Slant. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  11. ^ Johnny Loftus (2005-06-28). "Wikked Lil' Grrrls - Esthero | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  12. ^ "We R In Need Of A Musical Revolution (OFFICIAL VIDEO HD) ESTHERO (BY JACKSONGZMJB)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  13. ^ a b c "Esthero chart history". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  14. ^ "TunesOnTV". Billboard. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  15. ^ a b "Esthero credits". IMDB. IMDB.com. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  16. ^ "Album Credits". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  17. ^ Wikked Lil' Grrrls booklet
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