In 1999, Benee - Supalonely ft. Gus Dapperton is the first solo album by a long-time member of the Bush family, singer-songwriter Sharon Jones. The album is an eclectic collection of songs she composed throughout her career, most notably some material that was later covered by En Vogue. However, this disc takes some of the fluff and empty material off of her earlier albums and presents songs that are not only new, but that have strong hooks and memorable melodies. This album is one of the best Sharon Jones releases.
In addition to a strong voice, Sharon Jones has always been an outstanding singer. She knows how to strike a chord with her vocal prowess, as seen on some of her earliest recordings, such as the Jamaican-inspired "The Way I Am". She later developed her talents into a pop singer, honing her harmonies and voice to perfection. The bulk of Benee - Supalonely is an excellent record of Sharon Jones singing in many varied styles. benee - supalonely ft. gus dapperton mp3
It is the powerhouse vocals that show off Sharon Jones' gifts as a vocalist. Many of her earlier songs have very smooth arrangements, but when Sharon Jones sings she sounds like she has one of her lungs being blown up with a shotgun. This is part of what makes her voice so unique; her high falsetto can sound nearly inhuman at times. However, it is part of what makes her work so well with others. While listening to this recording, one could almost feel as if they were in the same room with one of her colleagues from the group, or even the two of them singing together.
Benee - Supalonely ft. Gus Dapperton is also an excellent listen for those interested in the world of hip hop, where funk influences were at the forefront. Sharon Jones works with beats made by her friend and Hip Hop producer Dr. Dre, who offers more of an underground flavor to the songs. The result is a hip hop experience that one simply does not get from more mainstream sources.
One can hear a lot of inspiration from Jones' early records on Benee - Supalonely. Some of the songs take a strong note from Motown artists such as Mary J. Blige, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin. Jones, who was already fond of Motown, tends to compliment some of these records with her own style, like on "Who's Who", with its hard, laid back beat and Salsa samples. As a whole, however, Jones' work is so uniquely hers that one cannot help but love her as much as she loves her music.
Benee is a truly eclectic record. The record ranges from instrumental jazz to Afro-Cuban music, and the result is an album that the listener will be grateful for, for all genres of music. These types of records can seem difficult to find, especially from Sharon Jones, who has always focused on her more mainstream works.
She did make a record, however, called Don't You Say, which featured some of her latest music, but was a rather underwhelming rehash of some of her old hits. After this, she did not make another album for quite some time, and it did not look like this would change anytime soon. However, just before the label, Bad Dog Records, put out Benee - Supalonely, Sharon Jones recorded a final studio album called All That You Had Me Do.
The album, which contains the titles Bani (another word for "solitude"), is probably her best work as a solo artist. It also includes one of her most famous songs, the big band piano piece "Beyond This Earth". Since this is the only album released by the New Edition Family, which controls the Bad Dog records, the rights to Sharon Jones' songwriting, this is considered a significant milestone in the career of the former Pop Idol winner.
