Grammy winner Ciara’s second album The Evolution, released Dec. 2006, successfully uses harmonious and energetic tempos as a backdrop for lyrics documenting her personal growth.
After the success of her first album, Goodies, Ciara lives up to expectations with a continuation of the catchy beats that made such songs as “Goodies” and “1,2 Step” instant hits.
Aside from the four interludes that include Ciara’s reflections on life, the album flows in a way that allows the listener to hear all the songs through without becoming lost or bored. Twenty-one year-old Ciara, who co- wrote and co-produced the majority of the album, draws upon her experiences as a dancer to create rhythms which are ideal for those looking to practice their moves.
Ciara starts off the album with “That’s Right,” which features Lil Jon and is about living life for oneself. Lyrics like “Hangin’ with my friends till the break of dawn” and “I can do what I want,” emphasize the theme of independence. “Like a Boy” continues with Ciara’s frustration over her past male relationships with “what if I made you cry, played you like a toy?”
By the middle of the CD, though, there is a change in tone from annoyance with men to a finding of love with the songs “C.R.U.S.H.” and “Make It Last Forever.”
The album ends with the denouement of her relationship in “I Found Myself,” which includes such declarations as “my life’s moving forward, my ship has sailed” and the optimistic, “after all that I’ve been through, I found myself.”
Listeners are given a glimpse into Ciara’s personal journey and a view of her musical progression as well. The instrumentation in “Like a Boy” has a classical influence while “Make It Last Forever,” is reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s. The album also includes the soulful “So Hard” and dance hit “Get Up,” which was featured in the Step Up movie soundtrack.
Ciara uses her impressive dancing skills to teach her listeners how to perform the dance moves used in the two music videos featured on the bonus DVD. There is no doubt that Ciara is a talented performer, but the outlined steps are much too complicated for any novice.
Listeners can find more to appreciate than her dance moves, though. The album is easy to listen to and covers multiple genres, perfect for all musical tastes.