Blaque Out is the second studio album by United States R&B trio Blaque. Originally expected to be released by Columbia Records in December 2001, it received a Japan-wide physical release on January 29, 2002 only, before finally being released as a digital download through iTunes on May 22, 2007. The band worked with a variety of producers on the album, including Dallas Austin, Full Force, Trackmasters, Salaam Remi, Dru Hill member Nokio, as well as Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers.
The album earned largely lukewarm reviews from music critics who felt it was similar to the group's self-titled debut album (1999) but lacked inspiration. Blaque Outs only single "Can't Get It Back" was released on October 29, 2001, and peaked at number 91 on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Critical reception
AllMusic editor Jason Birchmeier rated the album two and a half out of five stars. He wrote that
Blaque Out "finds the urban trio of female vocalists exploring much of the same terrain they explored on their debut album a few years earlier. However, like that album,
Blaque Out has its share of lackluster filler. On the album's better moments, the trio co-opt many of the era's more successful trends, sounding often like Destiny's Child and other times like
Janet Jackson."
Demetria Lucas, writing
Vibe, found that "on
Blaque Out, Shamari Fears, Brandi Williams, and Natina Reed rely on their predecessor’s platinum-proven formula, creating a solid but seldom inspired sophomore set. Reed rhymes on nearly every track with a voice and flow identical to
Lisa Lopes's, which makes for monotony ... While
Blaque Out never ventures into uncharted R&B territory, Blaque still has the recipe for success."
Release
Initially expected to be released in United States on December 11, 2001,
was eventually released in Japan in 2002 and finally made it to
iTunes in 2007.
In a 2012 interview,
Natina Reed commented on their record company's decision to shelve the album's physical release in the United States: "I think they missed out the most of being able to identify what Blaque really was at that point ... This album branched out a little more than the first one did and reached out to many more types of people ... It was a big record, but we dropped the ball on that record. Whether we did that, it was simply because we were making changes. Me and
Kurupt from Tha Dogg Pound were expecting a child at this point and the label did not want to replace me .. That’s pretty much what happened during that time. It is confusing to the fans, but it was a little bit more personal than people thought it was."
Track listing
Notes
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After the 2007 iTunes version of the album disappeared from online catalogs in 2008, the album resurfaced via iTunes in 2011 with "He Said She Said" excluded from the album; the track was later released separated as a single on 9 August 2008, renamed "He Say, She Say".
Sample credits
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"Can't Get It Back" samples from the song "We're Going to a Party" (1977) by American R&B singer Evelyn "Champagne" King.
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"Bliss" samples elements from "Wrapped Around Your Finger" (1983) by English rock band The Police.
Release history
