Should I Go

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Should I Go"
Song by Brandy
from the album Afrodisiac
Recorded2003
StudioHit Factory Criteria (Miami)
Genre
Length4:56
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Timbaland

"Should I Go" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood from her fourth studio album, Afrodisiac (2004). It was written by Walter Millsap III, his collaborative partner Candice Nelson, and mentor Timbaland, while production was helmed by the latter. "Should I Go" is built on percussive beats, syncopated handclaps and a piano riff that samples British alternative rock band Coldplay's song "Clocks", written by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and Chris Martin for their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002). Lyrically, Norwood as the protagonist openly talks about contemplating stepping away from the music business, admitting that she is trying to figure out where she fits in today.

Background

In June 2002, Norwood gave birth to her daughter Sy'rai. Soon, she resumed work on her then-untitled fourth studio album with producer

demo recordings and at least four full songs until late November 2002,[5] and although Smith expected the album to drop by spring 2003 at one time or another,[2] Norwood and Big Bert ended their relationship in mid-2003, resulting in the album's delay and several personnel changes.[6][7] Norwood eventually decided to scrap most of the project, and instead enlisted rapper Timbaland, with whom the couple had previously worked on Kiley Dean's Simple Girl album, as the album's main contributor.[8] Impressed by Timaland's input, Norwood rediscovered the musical affection, she had missed on previous album Full Moon.[9]

As with other tracks on Afrodisiac, "Should I Go" was largely inspired by British alternative rock band Coldplay.[10]

Timbaland consulted his protégé Walter Millsap III and writing partner Candice Nelson to work with him on the bulk of Norwood's fourth album.[6] Many of the themes and musical styles of their records were inspired by British alternative rock band Coldplay's debut album Parachutes (2000) which Nelson had just started listening to at the time.[10] Conceived after the production of "I Tried" which samples Coldplay's "Sparks", "Should I Go" was written along a backing track Timbaland had produced around "Clocks", another Coldplay song from their second album A Rush of Blood to the Head.[10] Impressed with Millsap and Nelson's knowledge of the British band, he played them the music he had crafted prior to recording sessions for Afrodisiac.[10] The pair took it to the car, driving around while listening to it.[10]

The development of "Should I Go" was motivated by the idea of what Millsap and Nelson imagined Norwood might feel at times and in the business as it was constantly changing.

audio engineering of the track.[11]

Composition

"Should I Go" is a

pop ballad,[12] that displays influences of dream pop and alternative rock.[12] Built around a repeating melody, it features a minimalist soundscape of bluesy guitar and syncopated hand claps, while incorporating a cascading piano arpeggio that samples from the instrumental break of Coldplay's 2002 song "Clocks".[13] The song itself was inspired by the English rock band Muse,[14] and penned by band members Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and Chris Martin.[11]

"Should I Go" features the female protagonist wondering aloud whether it's worth bothering with the bureaucracy of the

urban contemporary with other female teen singers such as Aaliyah and Monica and she felt that the "Industry was more like a different world."[3] Vocally, the song concludes with intricately layered vocal harmonies with Norwood dropping the chorus a cappella at the end.[3]

Critical reception

Allmusic, Andy Kellman concluded that "Should I Go" was "about as honest and searching as anyone gets these days, and while it's also noteworthy for allowing Brandy and Timbaland to pay tribute to shared love Coldplay, it's the music industry that's being contemplated, not a romantic relationship. Whatever Brandy decides to do, consider her mark made."[17]

Less enthusiastic with the track, Terry Sawyers from PopMatters commented that "Should I Go" sounded "exhausted and porously dull", and that "without the punch up of a good backbeat, Brandy can drift and drain, melting into the song without making more than a breeze of an impression [...] despite the limp handclaps, which seem placed more to keep you awake than to actually support the song."[18] Andy Battaglia of The A.V. Club wrote that the song "floats over a clunky sample [...] that goes nowhere" and added that the song showed "Brandy in her best and worst form: Unmoored as a musical presence, she sounds most at home in pop-R&B clothes that would seem to make her one of many stars that twinkle more than shine."[12] Stylus Magazine's Josh Love called the song a "rarity in Brandy’s catalogue",[15] while Keya Modessa from The Situation declared it a "spectacular close."[19] Kitty Empire, writing for The Observer, remarked that "Timbaland samples great swaths of Coldplay's "Clocks" on the splendid, soul-searching "Should I Go"."[20] Billboard magazine summed the track as "gorgeous" and found that it demanded repeated plays.[21]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Afrodisiac.[11]

References

  1. ^ Johnson, Billy (2002-09-27). "Brandy Preparing To Begin Work On New Album". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  2. ^ a b Reid, Shaheem (2002-11-18). "Brandy Makes Recording Next Album A Family Affair". MTV News. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  3. ^
    Gannett Company
    . Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  4. ^ "Talk About Our Love". Tourdates.co.uk. 2004-06-28. Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  5. ^ "R&B singer Brandy working on a new album". Xpress. 2004-06-28. Retrieved 2008-10-16.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^
    Wenner Media LLC. Archived from the original
    on November 12, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  7. ^ a b "Grammy-winning singer set to release her fourth album". Entertainment Weekly. 2004-06-25. Archived from the original on 2009-04-26. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  8. ^ "Kiley Dean's New Album". Entertainment Showcase. 2003-06-01. Archived from the original on 2012-05-25. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  9. ^ "Brandy on Afrodisiac". ForeverBrandy. Net Music Countdown. 2004-06-01. Archived from the original on 2006-11-14. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h "Exclusive: Songwriter Candice Nelson Reveals Inspiration Behind Brandy's "Afrodisiac" Album". YouKnowIGotSoul.com. 2012-12-10. Retrieved 2012-12-13.
  11. ^ a b c d Afrodisiac (Media notes). Brandy Norwood. Atlantic Records. 2004.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ a b c Battaglia, Andy (2004-07-12). "Brandy: Afrodisiac". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
  13. ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (2004-06-28). "Afrodisiac review". Slant. Archived from the original on 13 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
  14. ^ "Chris talks us through Rush A Rush of Blood to the Head" (PDF). Coldplay.com. November 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 8, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  15. ^ a b c Love, Josh (2004-07-29). "Brandy – Afrodisiac – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
  16. ^ Browne, David (2004-07-09). "Afrodisiac (2004)". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2008-12-20. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
  17. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2010-03-06.
  18. ^ Sawyer, Terry (2004-09-17). "Brandy: Afrodisiac". PopMatters. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
  19. ^ Modessa, Keya (2004-06-28). "Brandy, Afrodisiac". The Situation. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  20. ^ Empire, Kitty (2004-06-27). "The Bees, Free the Bees". The Observer. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  21. ^ Paloetta, Michael (3 July 2004). "Esstential Reviews, Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-01-01.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Should_I_Go&oldid=1194961056"