[.ca] On How Life

Gray starts from a solid foundation of retro funk and soul and builds on it by adding hip-hop signifiers and modern studio techniques. The result is one of the better debuts of the year, thanks to Gray's blunt proclamations ("I've committed murder... and I don't feel bad about it") and inimitable vocal phrasing. On How Life Is offers the sass of a '20s blueswoman plus the don't-mess-with-me strength of a 21st-century R & B icon-in-the-making. --Keith Moerer

From Amazon.com:
Macy Gray's debut draws heavily on '70s funk traditions to make its progressive-R & B points. With help from a band including former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Arik Marshall, she uses her raw yet controlled voice to celebrate sex ("Sexomatic," "Caligula"), God ("I Can't Wait to Meetchu"), and injustice ("I've Committed Murder"). Gray's songwriting doesn't seem fully developed yet, but On How Life Is is a striking first shot nonetheless. --Rickey Wright

haha this is music?:
how can anyone call this music? her voice sounds like a female axel rose with a sore throat and a cracker lodged in her throat. dont buy this junk.

The Arrival of an Amazing Talent:
When I first heard Macy Gray, I thought she had a wonderfully unique voice. I first heard her in the 1997 movie Picture Perfect. "I Try" was playing in the background towards the end, and for some reason the song stood out. Two years later, I heard "Do Something" and thought it was good, but it wasn't until "I Try" became such a big hit that I remembered who she was. I bought the CD and let me tell you, it is a fantastic album. She sounds as if she's been doing this for years, yet it is only her first CD! 1)Why Didn't You Call Me- a good album opener. It's refreshing to hear an R & B album that uses real instruments. 2)Do Something- a really good song. It really does make you think about what you should do with your life. 3)Caligula- the first raunchy song. She sounds as if she enjoys sex, rather than just singing about it to get attention. 4)I Try- it's no surprise this was such a big hit. Most artists can only dream of having a song this good on their first album. 5)Sex-o-matic Venus Freak- this song is really dirty. It should have been a single. It's one of the best songs on the album 6)I Can't Wait to Meetchu- a really terrific song. It's a very spiritual song that will make you feel good even if you're not a very spiritual person. 7)Still- another great song. She really nails this song and the emotion behind it. 8)I've Committed Murder- a very strange song. It tells a story that you don't hear in music everyday. Very unique. 9)A Moment to Myself- another really good song. It talks about being happy with who you are, and who can complain about that? 10)The Letter- a song about suicide. She's able to pull it off because she is so good at singing about taboo subjects. On some level, it sounds like she's leaving behind the days when she wasn't happy and wasn't doing what she loved to do. This is a very good CD. I highly recommend it for those who like artists that aren't afraid to take chances. It's also one of those albums that deserved to sell millions and ended up doing just that.

She Tries...She Succeeds:
01. Why Didn't You Call Me (10/10) 02. Do Something (8/10) 03. Caligula (8/10) 04. I Try (11/10) 05. Sexomatic (10/10) 06. I Can't Wait To Meetchu (10/10) 07. Still (11/10) 08. I've Committed Murder (8/10) 09. A Moment To Myself (10/10) 10. The Letter (10/10) That's 96/100 (96%). That's one hell of a CD, and if you really want to know what great music is, you'll buy it.

Several interesting tracks, but inconsistant:
Macy Gray, with her wonderfully unique style, has put together some interesting tracks on "On How Life Is," yet lacks a continuity in the quality of her work. Some of the tracks are slow and the lyrics are not inpsiring, while others are ubeat and the lyrics provide an excellent medium for showing off Macy Gray's unequivically unique voice.

Makes James Hetfield sound like a soprano:
Once in a while a person with a truly awful voice comes along.This Macy Gray person is one of them.Her voice is about ten octaves lower than a bass and sounds like she smokes fifteen packs a day.Plus stars had to be deducted because "I Try" won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal and that's very bad taste.

• Why Didn't You Call Me
• Do Something
• Caligula
• I Try
• Sexomatic
• I Can't Wait To Meetchu
• Still
• I've Committed Murder
• Moment To Myself, A
• Letter, The