Ready Now is the second studio album by American singer Truth Hurts. It was released by Pookie Entertainment on June 1, 2004 in the United States.[1] Hurts worked with Raphael Saadiq on the majority of the album.[2]
| Ready Now | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 1, 2004 | |||
| Length | 41:46 | |||
| Label | Pookie | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Truth Hurts chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background edit
Conceived after Hurts' departure from Aftermath Entertainment, she elaborated on the production of the album in 2011: "Ready Now was a new era in my career as an independent artist. I had the pleasure of working with Raphael Saadiq and put a lot of energy into this album. I truly learned a lot from past experiences in the industry dealing with my last album. Therefore, it was a new start, with a new identity, and new attitude."[3]
Critical reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [4] |
| Slant Magazine | [5] |
AllMusic editor Todd Kristel called Ready Now a "sultry sophomore album [that] is more concise than her hour-long debut. None of the songs seem like unnecessary filler, and even the seven-minute "U" doesn't overstay its welcome. She still relies on backup singers to complement the vocals, but her voice has gotten stronger; she displays greater emotional nuance (e.g., "Ready Now") and vocal nimbleness (e.g., "Can't Be Mad"), and the production of her voice has gotten less overblown [...] It's still a satisfying set of sexy, silky smooth music."[4]
Slant Magazine critic Sal Cinquemani described the album as "a decided departure from 2002's Truthfully Speaking and added: "Truth, Saadiq, and company have opted for neo-soul over high-tech hip-hop while retaining a forward-thinking sound." He felt that "Hurts oozes personality, and the racy, sexy, and mature Ready Now almost completely fills the promise of her debut."[5] Stefan Braidwood from PopMatters found that "although the album is not lacking in cohesion, its many points of reference form a whole that is both evocative of the (superior) originals, and less than the sum of its parts."[6]
Chart performance edit
Ready Now debuted and peaked at number 173 on the US Billboard 200.[7]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Knock Knock" (featuring Raphael Saadiq) |
|
| 3:53 |
| 2. | "Ready Now" |
|
| 3:55 |
| 3. | "Ride" |
|
| 3:04 |
| 4. | "Love U Better" |
| Battlecat | 4:45 |
| 5. | "Catch 22" |
| A. Jackson | 4:38 |
| 6. | "Phone Sex" |
| A. Jackson | 3:17 |
| 7. | "Whatchu Sayin'" (featuring Loon) |
|
| 3:50 |
| 8. | "Lifetime (Interlude)" | Watson | Truth Hurts | 0:53 |
| 9. | "Lifetime" |
| Saadiq | 3:22 |
| 10. | "Can't Be Mad" |
| A. Jackson | 3:54 |
| 11. | "U" |
| 7:22 |
Notes
- ^[A] denotes co-producer
Sample credits
- "Ride" contains excerpts from "Hail Mary” as performed by Tupac Shakur.
Charts edit
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[7] | 173 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[8] | 46 |
References edit
- ^ Cinquemani, Sal (14 May 2004). "Review: Truth Hurts, Ready Now". Slant. Retrieved 2019-12-18.
- ^ "Truth Hurts - Ready Now". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-12-18.
- ^ "Truth Hurts Picks Her 10 Favorite Songs She's Recorded (Exclusive)". February 8, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ a b https://www.allmusic.com/album/r686537
- ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (May 14, 2004). "Thuth Hurts: Ready Now". Slant Magazine. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ Braidwood, Stefan (May 31, 2004). "Truth Hurts: Ready Now". PopMatters. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ a b "Truth Hurts Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ^ "Truth Hurts Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2020.