X [Deluxe Edition]

by Chris Brown

Overview

Over two years in the making, a period that involved a multitude of revisions and delays, anger management therapy, drug rehabilitation, and a jail stay for parole violation, X surfaced in September 2014 as Chris Brown's sixth full-length studio release. In a way, the album is a corrective. The influence of European dance-pop, which resulted in some of Brown's most forgettable material on Fortune, is all but eliminated in favor of contemporary R&B and pop productions that tend to suit the singer better. Brown does maintain his bad-boy image. It's on typically full display in the chintzy "Loyal" -- its hook a misogynist pleonasm -- and the part-clever/part-nonsensical string of R. Kelly quotes that is the Trey Songz duet "Songs on 12 Play" ("And I'm feelin' on yo booty, drivin' me crazy, half on a baby"). On "Drown on It," the pied piper of R&B himself joins in, and he and Brown dole out an unsurprisingly cartoonish variety of metaphorical and/or explicit come-ons that include "Just like a male mermaid, baby." Brown combines memorable hooks with some stellar production work on the rubbery disco-funk of "Add Me In" (courtesy of Danja) and the blithe, swaying "Time for Love" (a collaboration with Jean Baptiste and Free School). In these and a few other songs, romantic affection, expressed with seemingly genuine sweetness, takes precedence over sexual aggression and petulance. More importantly, Brown's voice, still boyish, sounds most natural and full of life in these settings. Additional guest appearances come from Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Usher, Tyga, Akon, and Kendrick Lamar, but Brown's lone spot reserved for a woman is his best collaboration here. On the darker but no less striking "Do Better," he and Brandy continue a fruitful association that previously resulted in the Top Five R&B hit "Put It Down" and the phenomenal Two Eleven album cut "Slower." It's one of the more compelling R&B duets of its time, with their vulnerable confessions as sharp as their aspersions. [The deluxe edition adds four tracks, including the pre-album singles "Fine China" (one of Brown's best), "Love More" (featuring Nicki Minaj), and "Don't Think They Know" (pieced together from Digital Black's Aaliyah-enhanced song of the same title, previously unheard elements recorded for it, and Jon B.'s "They Don't Know"). The sticker on the cover of the compact disc version referred to these three singles, as well as "Loyal" and "New Flame," as "#1 hits." When the album was released, none of the five had topped Billboard's Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, or Hot R&B Songs charts, or any of the publication's charts that track digital sales, airplay, and streaming.] ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	09/16/2014
Label:	Rca
UPC:	0888837400923

Tracks

1. X
2. Add Me In
3. Loyal
4. New Flame
5. Songs on 12 Play
6. 101 (Interlude)
7. Drown in It
8. Came to Do
9. Stereotype
10. Time for Love
11. Lady in a Glass Dress (Interlude)
12. Autumn Leaves
13. Do Better
14. See You Around
15. Don't Be Gone Too Long
16. Body Shots
17. Drunk Texting
18. Lost in Ya Love
19. Love More
20. Don't Think They Know
21. Fine China

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chris Brown   Primary Artist
Lil Wayne   Featured Artist
Trey Songz   Featured Artist
Usher   Featured Artist
R. Kelly   Featured Artist
Tyga   Featured Artist
Aaliyah   Featured Artist
Brandy   Featured Artist
Brent Paschke   Guitar
Donnie Lyle   Music Direction
Rick Ross   Featured Artist
Akon   Featured Artist
Nicki Minaj   Featured Artist
Kendrick Lamar   Featured Artist
Jhene Aiko   Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Chris Brown   Composer,Creative Director,Executive Producer
Majors   Programming
Bob Robinson   Composer
James Chambers   Composer
The Anonymous   Producer
Verse Simmonds   Composer
Steve Arrington   Composer
Leslie Brathwaite   Mixing
Lauren Christy   Composer
Ian Mereness   Engineer
Jon B.   Composer
Roccstar   Producer
Nicolo Arquilla   Composer
Nieman Johnson   Composer
Mike G   Management
Natural   Engineer
Scott Hoffman   Composer
R. Kelly   Composer,Producer
Jermaine Dupri   Composer
Nate Hills   Composer
Bu Thiam   Management
Tim Kelley   Composer
Brandy Norwood   Composer
Brian Springer   Mixing,Engineer,Vocal Engineer
Jaycen Joshua   Mixing
Darius Harrison   Composer
Dwayne Carter   Composer
Brent Paschke   Composer
Diplo   Producer
Usher Raymond IV   Composer
Abel Garibaldi   Engineer
Danja   Producer
Cathy Dennis   Composer
Glenn Schick   Mastering
Count Justice   Producer
Mark Kragen   Composer
Tom Coyne   Mastering
Tyrone Griffin   Composer
DJ Replay   Composer
Ryan Buendia   Composer
Tremaine Neverson   Composer
Michael Stevenson   Composer
Gharah Degeddingseze   Composer
Free School   Producer
Melvin Hough   Composer
Charles Carter   Composer
Jean Baptiste   Composer,Producer
Maurice Simmonds   Composer
Shawn Carter   Composer
Babydaddy   Producer
Malissa "Mali" Hunter   Composer
Mark Pitts   Composer,Executive Producer
Jeffrey Walker   Composer
Courtney Walter   Design,Art Direction,Creative Director
Mark "Exit" Goodchild   Vocal Engineer
Daniele Autore   Composer
PK   Producer
Joseph "Lonny" Bereal   Composer
Anonymous   Producer
Malissa Hunter   Composer
Tra Beats   Producer
Brandon "B.A.M." Hodge   Producer
Roger Parker   Composer
William Roberts   Composer
Michael McHenry   Composer
Eric Bellinger   Composer
Kenneth Coby   Composer
Onika Maraj   Composer
Andrew Swanson   Composer,Drum Programming
Bobby Brackins   Composer
Thomas Wesley Pentz   Composer
Eliot Hazel   Photography
Keith Thomas   Composer
Marcella Araica   Mixing,Composer
Sydne George   Composer
Thomas Cullison   Assistant
Amber Streeter   Composer
Mel & Mus   Producer
Benjamin Bush   Composer
Kendrick Lamar   Composer
Dewain Whitmore, Jr.   Composer
Lucas Nathanson   Composer
Nicnac   Producer
Clarence Coffee, Jr.   Composer
Trehy Harris   Mixing,Assistant
Ryan Kaul   Assistant
Razihel   Producer
Daniel Coriglie   Producer
Dennis-Manuel Peters   Producer
Mario Bakovic   Producer
Scott Effman   Composer
Victoria Monet   Composer
Tommy Brown   Producer
Darhyl Camper   Composer,Producer
Sevyn Streeter   Composer
Waung Hankerson   Composer
Nicholas Balding   Composer
Darrell Eversley   Composer
Freshm3n III   Producer
Howard Eversley   Composer
Shaun Spearman   Composer
Glass John   Composer,Producer
Rivelino Wouter   Composer
DJ Camper   Composer,Producer
Leon Youngblood   Composer
Kyle Edwards   Composer
Trae Beats   Producer
Steven Franks   Producer
Maddox Chhim   Assistant
Ambiance & Soundz   Producer
Jonathan Solone-Myvett   Composer
Justin Booth Johnson   Composer
Tranell Lamar Simms   Composer
Samuel "Sam Hook" Jean   Composer