Review: Trey Songz- Chapter V

BY SABRINA VICTOR

Trey Songz, a Grammy nominated R&B artist from Petersburg, VA, has become one of R&B’s brightest artists. Songz has sold 14 million albums and singles worldwide and has a list of accomplishments including being an entrepreneur & philanthropist with his “Trey’s Angels” Clothing line and “Angels with a Heart Foundation.” On August 21^st, Trey Songz dropped his 5^th album Chapter V.

Chapter V is Trey Songz’s best album sonically, vocally, & lyrically. Not only does Songz sound more mature than in previous works, but he also takes you many places emotionally.  Chapter V includes appearances from high profile artists like T.I., Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Diddy and Meek Mill. This great album still embodies the classic Trey Songz sound but he also incorporates new elements into his music.

“Chapter V”: In the opening track Trey Songz states his title as the prince of R&B and sure does prove it by creating this slow intro with clever lyrics.

“Dive In”: This single is a how-to guide on how to gain ones affection and Trey does a good job selling his lyrics. He sings with passion, soul and pleasure, which once again reminds us why he is the prince of R&B.

“Heart Attack”: The first single of this album is a love lesson: Just because there’s love, doesn’t mean there is happiness. Trey succeeds in portraying lots of emotion in his voice on this song, which enables the audience to sense his connection to this track.

“Playin’ Hard”: In this song Trey talks about letting his ego ruining a relationship. The beat is unforgettable and this is one song that no one will be able to get out of their head.

“2 Reasons” ft. T.I.: A club banger, this song is sure to be a successful dance single like Trey’s “Say Aah” & “Bottoms Up”. With this rhythm, you can’t stop yourself from dancing when it comes on.

“Hail Mary” ft. Young Jeezy & Lil Wayne: An impressive track where Trey, Jeezy, & Weezy come together for your typical rap song about women; but it also turns out to be clever with its use of numerous football analogies.

“Don’t Be Scared” ft. Rick Ross: This song is a confession where Trey admits he’s been a player in the past, but asks his new girl to ignore what her friends say and give him a chance. With so much affection, this slow song is one of the reasons why millions of girls have fallen in love with Trey’s personality as well as his voice.

“Pretty Girls Lie: The life lesson from this intense track that Trey highlights is that “a pretty face doesn’t mean a pretty heart.”

“Bad Decisions”: In this song Trey raps while he addresses all his wrong-doing, especially in past relationships. Through the beat changes and vocals this single does a great job in humanizing Trey.

“Forever Yours”: This track features some of Songz’s best vocals to date and manages to melt the listener’s heart with the strong emotions in his voice.

“Inside Interlewd”: In 1 minute and 41 seconds, Trey’s precious and intimate vocals leaves you wanting more.

“Fumble”: In this song, Trey confesses his bad decisions again, such as not being man enough to fight temptation. With a sentiment voice, Trey manages to let us in on his love life.

“Without A Woman”: This is a classic R&B song where Trey’s vocal range is highlighted and all the soul in his voice shows why he is a successful artist.

“Interlude 4 U”: This is about being there for someone no matter what comes their way, this is another emotional interlude that Trey excels in vocally.

“Simply Amazing”: This pop song is a surprise & far different from Trey’s usual R&B sound but his vocals don’t fail to impress in this catchy track.

“Never Again”: Another pop single that Trey again nails with flying colors. This usually isn’t his forte but he sure does make it sound good.

“Check Me Out” feat. Diddy & Meek Mill: This is another club single that will for sure climb up the billboard charts as a party anthem, with its great beats and fun lyrics.

Trey Songz is a great artist and in Chapter V he creates songs that have emotion. It feels as if the audience is in his own personal diary.  This album covers subjects like Trey’s appreciation for women, clubbing, and the highs & lows of his relationships. In Chapter V, his music is a lot more mature than past albums and the great collaborations featured on this album make it clear that this is Trey’s best work so far.