Me Against Myself
Encyclopedia
Me Against Myself was universally acclaimed by critics across the world, particularly for its experimental
, creative fusion
of contemporary R&B
, hip hop music
(including old-school and British hip hop
) and Indian music
(including Bhangra and Bollywood music
), as well as its social commentary. In the UK, Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music
gave the album 8 out of 10 stars, referring to Me Against Myself as "an album of phenomenally accomplished R&B" and "an album of indisputable quality." He praised the Asian musical influence, social commentary, and "well adjusted sense of humour", particularly the "hysterical crisis of integrity" shown in the title track "Me Against Myself" where "rapper Sean mercilessly derides his “pansy” singing alter ego". Antony Hatfield of BBC Music
praised the album, stating that it "is of major league significance" and, with "influences that enter from all angles," it is "an album by gifted people with a vision beyond boundaries and a simple devotion to music." In particular, he also praised the title track "Me Against Myself", where Sean's singer and rapper personae go into battle, for its honesty and self-awareness.
Tareck Ghoneim of Contactmusic.com
also praised the album, referring to Sean as an "Asian
sensation" who is breaking barriers "making pop songs
that include sounds from Sean’s cultural background and with potential mass appeal." He stated that the "album is progressive in that it shows a fusion of Asian sounds with r’n’b and pop music." Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, praising "the Bollysoul arrangements that underscore his vocals", in reference to the fusion of Bollywood and soul music
, especially in the song "Stolen". The Liverpool Daily Post
gave the album a score of 3 out of 4 stars. Peter Culshaw of The Telegraph
referred to the album as "highly accomplished R&B, with minor Indian musical elements", but considered the best tracks in the album to be the hip hop tracks "You Don't Know Me" and "Me Against Myself" for their social commentary which deal with Sean's inner conflicts and the difficulties in "trying to make it as an Asian in the hip-hop arena." Culshaw praised Sean's talent and stated that, "currently attracting the attention of demi-god producer Timbaland
, it will be fascinating to see how Sean resolves his musical schizophrenia
."
The album received similarly positive reviews in Asia, where its British-Asian fusion sounds were also seen as a novelty. In India, A. Vishnu of The Hindu
stated that, "After having kick-started the `British sound with an Indian flavour' concept, Sean has created a cutting-edge formula, which appeals to Hip-hop fans and Bhangra enthusiasts alike." He concluded that the "album previews the future of Brit-Bhangra music, which sure is here to stay. It's time to take Bhangra to the next level." The Statesman
stated, "A mixture of R & B, hip hop and rap, it has desi
flavours as well. With bhangra influences in the background, this album is one of the most popular UK Asian crossover offerings till date." In Malaysia, Kiren Kaur of New Straits Times
also praised the album, referring to the songs "Eyes On You" and "Dance With You" in particular as "dance-floor favourites with the fusion of Desi rhythms with R&B tones." In the Africa
n country of Zambia
, Candice Soobramoney of the Zambia Post
gave the album a rating of 8/10.
The creativity and experimentalism of his debut album Me Against Myself later became a point of criticism towards Sean's more mainstream follow-up albums, My Own Way
(2008) and All or Nothing
(2009), for lacking the experimental British-Asian fusion sounds (alongside Rishi Rich
) and the social commentary that had characterized his debut album Me Against Myself, in favour of mainstream American-influenced R&B pop music in his later albums. In his review of My Own Way, Angus Batey of The Guardian stated that Sean "has lost - not for ever, one hopes - the stuff that made him stand out" in Me Against Myself. Sean later responded that the reason he gave up on the Indian-R&B fusion music that he helped popularize is because it had eventually become too common in Asian Underground
and Indian pop
music.
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
, creative fusion
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
of contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
, hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
(including old-school and British hip hop
British hip hop
British hip hop is a genre of music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. It is generally classified as one of a number of styles of urban music...
) and Indian music
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
(including Bhangra and Bollywood music
Bollywood songs
Bollywood songs, more formally known as Hindi movie songs, are songs featured in Bollywood films, often performed in item numbers.The language of Hindi movie songs, generally termed Hindi, can be complex. Some songs are saturated with Urdu and Persian terms and it is not uncommon to hear use of...
), as well as its social commentary. In the UK, Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
gave the album 8 out of 10 stars, referring to Me Against Myself as "an album of phenomenally accomplished R&B" and "an album of indisputable quality." He praised the Asian musical influence, social commentary, and "well adjusted sense of humour", particularly the "hysterical crisis of integrity" shown in the title track "Me Against Myself" where "rapper Sean mercilessly derides his “pansy” singing alter ego". Antony Hatfield of BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
praised the album, stating that it "is of major league significance" and, with "influences that enter from all angles," it is "an album by gifted people with a vision beyond boundaries and a simple devotion to music." In particular, he also praised the title track "Me Against Myself", where Sean's singer and rapper personae go into battle, for its honesty and self-awareness.
Tareck Ghoneim of Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com is a Leeds UK based entertainment magazine/webzine. The site was launched in April 2000 by a small team and has now expanded to 12 fulltime staff and many freelance contributors from across the globe...
also praised the album, referring to Sean as an "Asian
British Asian
British Asian is a term used to describe British citizens who descended from mainly South Asia, also known as South Asians in the United Kingdom...
sensation" who is breaking barriers "making pop songs
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
that include sounds from Sean’s cultural background and with potential mass appeal." He stated that the "album is progressive in that it shows a fusion of Asian sounds with r’n’b and pop music." Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, praising "the Bollysoul arrangements that underscore his vocals", in reference to the fusion of Bollywood and soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, especially in the song "Stolen". The Liverpool Daily Post
Liverpool Daily Post
The Liverpool Daily Post is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Friday and is published in Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales editions, and is a morning paper...
gave the album a score of 3 out of 4 stars. Peter Culshaw of The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
referred to the album as "highly accomplished R&B, with minor Indian musical elements", but considered the best tracks in the album to be the hip hop tracks "You Don't Know Me" and "Me Against Myself" for their social commentary which deal with Sean's inner conflicts and the difficulties in "trying to make it as an Asian in the hip-hop arena." Culshaw praised Sean's talent and stated that, "currently attracting the attention of demi-god producer Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
, it will be fascinating to see how Sean resolves his musical schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
."
The album received similarly positive reviews in Asia, where its British-Asian fusion sounds were also seen as a novelty. In India, A. Vishnu of The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
stated that, "After having kick-started the `British sound with an Indian flavour' concept, Sean has created a cutting-edge formula, which appeals to Hip-hop fans and Bhangra enthusiasts alike." He concluded that the "album previews the future of Brit-Bhangra music, which sure is here to stay. It's time to take Bhangra to the next level." The Statesman
The Statesman
The Statesman is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper founded in 1875 and published simultaneously in Kolkata, New Delhi, Siliguri and Bhubaneswar. The Statesman is owned by The Statesman Ltd., its headquarters at Statesman House, Chowringhee Square, Calcutta and its national...
stated, "A mixture of R & B, hip hop and rap, it has desi
Desi
Desi or Deshi refers to the people, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent and, increasingly, to the people, cultures, and products of their diaspora. Desi countries include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh...
flavours as well. With bhangra influences in the background, this album is one of the most popular UK Asian crossover offerings till date." In Malaysia, Kiren Kaur of New Straits Times
New Straits Times
The New Straits Times is an English-language newspaper published in Malaysia. It is Malaysia's oldest newspaper still in print , having been founded as The Straits Times in 1845, and was reestablished as the "New Straits Times" in 1965. The paper served as Malaysia's only broadsheet format English...
also praised the album, referring to the songs "Eyes On You" and "Dance With You" in particular as "dance-floor favourites with the fusion of Desi rhythms with R&B tones." In the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n country of Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, Candice Soobramoney of the Zambia Post
Zambia Post
The Post Zambia is a tabloid independent Zambian newspaper. It is one of the three primary newspapers of the country. The newspaper was set up in 1991. The Sunday edition of the post newspaper is called the Sunday Post and contains a special section focusing on education called Educational Post...
gave the album a rating of 8/10.
The creativity and experimentalism of his debut album Me Against Myself later became a point of criticism towards Sean's more mainstream follow-up albums, My Own Way
My Own Way (album)
My Own Way is the second studio album by British Contemporary R&B singer Jay Sean, released May 12, 2008 on Jayded Records and 2Point9 Records. Recording sessions took place from 2006 to 2009. Production was handled by Jay Sean and several other recording producers, including Jared Cotter, J remy,...
(2008) and All or Nothing
All or Nothing (Jay Sean album)
All or Nothing is the third studio album by British R&B singer Jay Sean, released 23 November 2009 in the United States as the singer's international debut album with Cash Money Records and Universal Republic and a week later on 30 November 2009 with Jayded Records and 2Point9 Records...
(2009), for lacking the experimental British-Asian fusion sounds (alongside Rishi Rich
Rishi Rich
Rishpal Singh Rekhi better known by his stage name Rishi Rich is a British Indian music producer born in Croydon, England and based in London...
) and the social commentary that had characterized his debut album Me Against Myself, in favour of mainstream American-influenced R&B pop music in his later albums. In his review of My Own Way, Angus Batey of The Guardian stated that Sean "has lost - not for ever, one hopes - the stuff that made him stand out" in Me Against Myself. Sean later responded that the reason he gave up on the Indian-R&B fusion music that he helped popularize is because it had eventually become too common in Asian Underground
Asian Underground
Asian Underground is a term associated with various British Asian musicians who blend elements of western underground dance music and the traditional Asian music of their home countries in South Asia...
and Indian pop
Indian pop
Indian pop music , often known as Indian-Pop, Hindi Pop, Indipop or Indi-pop, refers to pop music in India. Pop music really started in the South Asian region with the famous playback singer Ahmed Rushdi's song ‘Ko-Ko-Korina’ in 1966...
music.
Track listing
Music videos
Charts and certifications
| Country | Providers | Peak position |
Certification | Shipments/Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
The Official UK Charts Company The Official UK Charts Company The Official Charts Company , previously called the Chart Information Network and then The Official UK Charts Company, compiles various "official" UK record charts, including the UK Singles Chart, the UK Albums Chart, and the UK Official Download Chart, as well as genre-specific and music video... |
29 | Gold | 100,000 |
| India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
Indian Music Industry Indian Music Industry The Indian Music Industry is a trust that represents the recording industry distributors in India. It was founded on February 28, 1936 as Indian Phonographic Industry ... |
1 | 5× Platinum | 2,000,000+ |