I just put this disc back into heavy rotation and had to add my two cents. This is one of the best most underrated debut albums by a female r&b singer in my collection! The shames of her situation are that (1) the label only released one single in the U.S. And although HIT 'EM UP STYLE was undeniable catchy and popular, it really did not showcase Blu's beautifully soulful voice and (2) the fact that women Blu's age and singing style have to compete with younger, flashier hip pop artists instead of people just accepting their music for what it is and not comparing it to other genres within r&b.

This disc is an excellently produced, balanced & cohesive r&b disc featuring a powerful distinct vocalist who doesn't need to hide behind a million guest rappers to make it hot and it's sad that it wasn't more widely heard.

I couldn't give it a full 5 stars because there are 2 songs that although I consider them "filler-ish", the beats and Blu's vocal performance made them interesting to listen to: WHEN I NEED YOU & I CAN'T BELIEVE.

The other songs work on all levels of music & vocal production and deserved more attention:

U MUST B CRAZY - midtempo groove that really showcases Blu's voice

I'LL FIND A WAY - a powerhouse ballad that coulda/woulda/shoulda been a huge hit

SWINGIN' - really like the production, it's a fun song with a modern twist on the "swing" sound

ALL YOU HAD TO SAY - a really jazzy/soulful cut that perfectly showcases her vocals

SO BLUE - I really like the beats & chorus of the song matched with her rap/singing style

BLUE IS A MOOD - really pretty song

10,000 TIMES & THE ONE - both feature excellent beats & chorus verses

Overall this is a well balanced r&b disc that should've been promoted better and one that I'd highly recommend to fans of this genre of music!