Friends & Lovers (Marsha Ambrosius album)

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For the Bernard Butler album, see Friends and Lovers (album).

Friends & Lovers
Studio album by
Marsha Ambrosius
Released15 July 2014 (2014-07-15)
Length60:20
LabelRCA
Producer
Marsha Ambrosius chronology
Late Nights & Early Mornings
(2011) 		Friends & Lovers
(2014) 		Nyla
(2018)
Singles from Friends & Lovers
  1. "Run"
    Released: 23 June 2014
  2. "Stronger"
    Released: 23 June 2014

Friends & Lovers is the second studio album by English R&B singer Marsha Ambrosius. It was released by RCA Records on 15 July 2014.[1] The album features guest appearances from Charlie Wilson, Dr. Dre, Skye Edwards and Lindsey Stirling. On 23 June 2014 the album's first and second singles "Run" and "Stronger" featuring Dr. Dre, were released.[2][3]

Background[edit]

In March 2014, in an interview with Singersroom, Marsha Ambrosius spoke about the album, saying: "Just the new album, Friends & Lovers, that’s my baby, well baby number 2. I feel like I’m definitely pregnant with the little one, which is the second album. And it’s absolutely; it just feel crazy this time around because it’s real. The first time around was like, let me get the album out, let’s make sure the album is right, let me do what I need to do and I did that to myself. I put all of the things I need to do on the album with the last album. But, the second album is more concentrated, it’s very conceptual. I enjoy being absolutely single with some friends and lovers."[4]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
SoulTracks(favorable)[6]
Spin7/10[7]
USA Today[8]

Friends & Lovers was met with generally positive reviews from music critics and received two MOBO Award nominations for the album.[9] Andy Kellman of AllMusic wrote that "Ambrosius took her time with Friends & Lovers. In a good way, it shows, as it contains another sizable volume of impeccable – sometimes explicit – slow jams. Front-loaded with a handful of euphoric ballads, including collaborations with Da Internz and the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, the album is mostly about vulnerable but assertive sensuality."[5] SoulTracks's Melody Charles found that "Ambrosius channels her personal growth and musical prolificacy into songs that chart where we are, where we've been and where we might end up in our relationships. Friends & Lovers mirrors real life: Some you've got to have within reach, others you can do without [...] the rest just make the journey anything but routine."[6]

Martín Caballero of USA Today said, "The ex-Floetry singer has never matched the sales success of peers such as Alicia Keys or Mary J. Blige, but her appeal matches them on this strong effort as she moves nimbly between refined maturity and raw sexual power."[8] Anupa Mistry of Spin stated, "Like the cover of Portishead's "Sour Times" on Late Nights, a do-over anchors Friends & Lovers: Sade's "Stronger Than Pride," featuring a brawny verse from Dr. Dre, and set to the stark drip of DJ Premier's beat for Jeru the Damaja's "Come Clean." She might have taken the rap bonafides a bit too far with "Stronger" – especially considering she's respected enough to cover Sade – but much of the rest of Friends & Lovers is grown and sexy cool."[7]

Commercial performance[edit]

In the United States, Friends & Lovers debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, with first-week sales of 17,200 copies.[10] In its second week, the album dropped to number 45, selling 7,000 copies, bringing its total album sales to 24,000 copies.[11]

Track listing[edit]

Credits adapted from liner notes.[12]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Friends & Lovers Intro"Marsha AmbrosiusDwayne "Dem Jointz" Abernathy1:13
2."So Good"
  • Ambrosius
  • Stacy Barthe
  • Marcos Palacios
  • Ernest Clark
  • Kevin Randolph
  • Tony Russell
Da Internz5:14
3."Night Time"
  • Ambrosius
  • Sam Dew
  • Kenneth Bartolomei
  • Erik Reyes-Ortiz
  • Kevin Crowe
J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League3:37
4."69"
Da Internz4:40
5."Shoes"
  • Hudson
  • Clifton (add.)
4:33
6."How Much More (Interlude)"AmbrosiusDa Internz0:53
7."Stronger" (featuring Dr. Dre)
5:25
8."You & I"
Pop & Oak4:58
9."La La La La La"
  • Hudson
  • Clifton (add.)
3:47
10."Cupid (Shot Me Straight Through My Heart)"
  • Ambrosius
  • Marcus White
  • Ken Gold
Seige Monstracity3:55
11."Kiss & Fuck (Interlude)"AmbrosiusDa Internz1:17
12."Love"
Scott4:39
13."Run"
  • Ambrosius
  • Outer Earth
3:47
14."Spend All My Time" (featuring Charlie Wilson)
  • Ambrosius
  • Hudson
  • Clifton
  • Marvin-Paul Ambrosius
  • Hudson
  • Clifton (add.)
4:56
15."OMG I Miss You"
  • Ambrosius
  • Palacios
  • Clark
  • Randolph
  • Mark Pellizer
Da Internz4:30
16."Streets of London" (featuring Skye Edwards & Lindsey Stirling)
  • Ambrosius
  • Wansel
  • Colson
  • Roberts
2:55
Total length:60:20
Target deluxe edition bonus tracks[13]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Some Things (Interlude)"
  • Ambrosius
  • Shenice Williams
Williams3:14
18."Every Now & Again"
Harris4:24
19."Honey Pot"
  • Aaron Michael Cox
  • Clark
  • Palacios
  • Ambrosius
  • Barthe
Da Internz3:25

Charts[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "iTunes - Music - Friends & Lovers by Marsha Ambrosius". Itunes.apple.com. 8 August 1977. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Run: Marsha Ambrosius: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Stronger [Explicit]: Marsha Ambrosius feat. Dr. Dre: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Marsha Ambrosius Talks No Pressure, Friends & Lovers, Grammy Recognition, Floetry, More". Singersroom. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  5. ^ a b Andy Kellman (15 July 2014). "Friends & Lovers - Marsha Ambrosius". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  6. ^ a b Charles, Melody. "Marsha Ambrosius - Friends & Lovers". SoulTracks. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  7. ^ a b Mistry, Anupa (15 July 2014). "Marsha Ambrosius, 'Friends & Lovers' Review". Spin.com. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Listen Up: Bleachers, Morrissey, Marsha Ambrosius". Usatoday.com. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  9. ^ "Mobo Awards 2014 nominations: Sam Smith and Krept and Konan lead pack". The Independent. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  10. ^ Tardio, Andres (23 July 2014). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Weird Al Yankovic, Trey Songz, Iggy Azalea, Marsha Ambrosius". HipHop DX. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  11. ^ Tardio, Andres. "Hip Hop Album Sales: Common, Trey Songz, Iggy Azalea". HipHop DX. Archived from the original on 1 August 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  12. ^ Marsha Ambrosius - Friends & Lovers (Explicit version - CD liner notes). RCA Records. 88765 44213
  13. ^ "Marsha Ambrosius - Friends & Lovers". Target. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  14. ^ "Marsha Ambrosius Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  15. ^ "Marsha Ambrosius Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  16. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
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