Released 30 years ago
New Beginning
SWV · 1996
66 min · 17 tracks · rhythm and blues
Smooth harmonies and lush R&B instrumentation create a warm, inviting atmosphere that embodies romantic longing and emotional depth.
Top tracks — play these first
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You're the One — This track features a catchy melody and memorable chorus, making it an enduring hit that showcases SWV's signature harmonies and appealing production.
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Use Your Heart — With its heartfelt lyrics and emotive delivery, this song highlights the group's vocal prowess while addressing themes of love and vulnerability.
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Love Is So Amazin' — The track combines smooth rhythms with romantic lyrics, encapsulating the essence of 90s R&B and demonstrating SWV's ability to create soulful ballads.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong vocal performances but lacks some cohesion due to its interludes and variable pacing.
What we noticed
- The album features multiple interludes that create a narrative flow, with three distinct interludes spaced throughout the tracklist.
- The first half of the album maintains a consistent mid-tempo groove, while the second half introduces more varied tempos and emotional dynamics.
- Vocal harmonies are layered prominently in nearly every track, often featuring call-and-response patterns between the lead and backing vocals.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- smooth grooves for easy listening
- heartfelt ballads evoke nostalgia
- dynamic journey with interludes
- for romantic evenings
- wave-like pacing encourages reflection
Maybe skip if you
- prefer instant gratification tracks
- seek high-energy party vibes
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This album solidified SWV's influence and featured a number 1 single.
- Career context
- By the time 'New Beginning' was released in 1996, SWV was riding high on their earlier successes following their debut album, 'It's About Time.' This album marked their return after a brief hiatus, solidifying their position in the R&B scene and showcasing their growth as artists. The release came during a pivotal time when girl groups were becoming increasingly popular in mainstream music.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 New Beginning (interlude) 1:53
- 2 You're the One 4:39
- 3 Whatcha Need 3:52
- 4 On & On 3:52
- 5 It's All About U 3:43
- 6 Use Your Heart 4:49
- 7 Where Is the Love (interlude) 2:02
- 8 Fine Time 4:32
- 9 Love Is So Amazin' 5:58
- 10 Use Your Heart (interlude) 1:34
- 11 You Are My Love 4:56
- 12 I'm So in Love 5:27
- 13 When This Feeling 4:20
- 14 What's It Gonna Be 4:32
- 15 That's What I'm Here For 4:48
- 16 Don't Waste Your Time 3:56
- 17 Soul Intact (interlude) 1:48
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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