In an effort to create an edgier sound and more mature image, 3LW released their sophomore album, A Girl Can Mack, on Sony/ Epic Records. The album features the original 3LW members, Kiely Williams, Adrienne Bailon and Naturi Naughton. The girls try to sing more grown-up lyrics in varying styles but fail to be as appealing or entertaining as in their self-titled debut album.
“I Do (Wanna Get Close To You)” was the first single off of A Girl Can Mack, featuring Loon and produced by P. Diddy. This song is the highlight of the album because of its catchy beats and the excellent techniques 3LW uses with hook lines and choruses. Loon is one of a few artists featured on the album and his steady rhymes compliment the pace of the song and the voices of the girls. Throughout the album, 3LW has effective but simple collaborations unlike artists such as Jennifer Lopez who use other singers to compensate for limited vocal abilities.
After their first single did not receive any airplay and the video was not played on MTV, 3LW released “Neva Get Enuf.” This single features a collaboration with Lil’ Wayne and has well produced harmonies. Still, the song offers nothing new and has the same beats as the rest of the album. Despite 3LW’s website asking people to call MTV and request their video on TRL, the video has not been successful at all on the countdown.
The “three little women” fail at creating a mature sound and they fail at creating mature lyrics.”Good Good Girl” allows 3LW to offer a sultry sound but they fall short of singing like Toni Braxton, and the tacky lyrics are far from captivating. The girls coo to a man and say, “My mother would have a fit/You made a good good girl, do a bad bad thang/ Although my mind is strong, my body, isn’t listening.” The girls poorly leave behind their pure image and cross over to an edgier sound.”
They also make it clear as to what type of man they are searching for. The gentleman must be “bandana rockin, out on the blockers/ chasin that dough, bad baby daddies, 1st of the month/ child support, all non-voting, newport smoking/3rd strike paroller/dry philly rollers.” It seems that more time was spent to write catchy lyrics, while little concern was given to creating the best sounds the songs could possibly have had.
Despite their previous efforts, 3LW will continue to release “I Need That (I Want That)” featuring Lil Kim as their next single. Yet, it is doubtful that 3LW’s A Girl Can Mack will be certified platinum as their first album did. The girls also might have lost fans when Naturi Naughton was kicked out of the group based on an argument that started when a plate of food was thrown in her face.
3LW will begin touring soon, starting in New Jersey, with their new member, Jessica Benson. Perhaps, with Benson, the group will achieve new successes on a third album, but A Girl Can Mack proves to be an ordinary and unmoving hip-pop album.
