Goodies

iTunes Review

On her debut album, 19-year-old Ciara Princess Harris strikes a balance between R&B divas past and present. Specifically, her style falls between the icy inflections of Janet Jackson and the bodacious grandstanding of Beyonce. Bolstered by productions from a lineup of fellow Atlanta luminaries — including Jazze Pha, Lil Jon, and Bangladesh —Goodies gives the female vocalist the opportunity to outshine a male-dominated field of contemporaries. The title track is a woozy confection of club music and crunk, while Missy Elliott’s appearance on the mesmerizing “One, Two Step” is enough to remind the listener of Aaliyah, another charismatic young singer who straddles the line between R&B and hip-hop. Rather than shower the listener with a series of Mariah Carey-like glissandos, Ciara plays it low-key. She's the smooth operator, calm, cool and always in control. Whether on the sweltering “Oh” or the no-nonsense demands of the title track, her breathy soprano can convey sexual heat and frosty attitude with equal aplomb.