The Light of the Sun
Encyclopedia
The Light of the Sun is the fourth studio album
by American recording artist Jill Scott
, released June 21, 2011, on Blues Babe Records and Warner Bros. Records
. It is her first release by the label, following her four-year hiatus from recording music and departure from former label Hidden Beach Recordings
. Production for the album took place at several recording studios and was handled primarily by Scott and collaborator JR Hutson
. Music writers have noted the album for its neo soul
sound, element of improvisation, and Scott's feminine themes.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200
chart, selling 135,000 copies in its first week. It became Scott's first US number-one album and produced two singles, including the Billboard R&B
hit "So in Love
". Upon its release, The Light of the Sun received positive reviews from most music critics. Scott is currently promoting the album with her Summer Block Party
concert tour.
, Jill Scott took a hiatus from recording music. She undertook acting roles in the movies Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? and Hounddog, and she had a starring role in the television series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
. During her hiatus, she divorced from her husband of six years Lyzel Williams in 2007, became engaged to former drummer Lil' John Roberts in 2008, gave birth to their son Jett Hamilton in 2009, and broke up with Roberts. Scott subsequently ended her hiatus and began sessions for The Light of the Sun.
In 2009, Scott left her former record label Hidden Beach Recordings
. During the album's recording, she was countersued by Hidden Beach, which claimed she had left without fulfilling a six-album contract. The lawsuit was settled in 2011, and Hidden Beach plans to release in August the compilation album The Original Jill Scott from the Vault, Vol. 1, the first in a planned album series of Scott's previously unreleased recordings. In 2010, Warner Bros. Records
signed Scott to a deal that gave her direct control over her marketing and promotion. In a strategy to re-establish Scott's presence with fans, she signed a multi-tour deal with Live Nation
/Haymon Ventures to expand her concert touring. Scott co-headlined a national, 20-date arena tour with recording artist Maxwell
, the Maxwell & Jill Scott: The Tour
, in 2010.
, JR Hutson
, and Justice League for the album. Scott first worked with Hutson on her previous album The Real Thing.
In an interview for HitQuarters
, Hutson said of Scott's approach for The Light of the Sun, "She’s now in charge of a lot of different things and with it comes a lot of trials and tribulations, and I think her goal is to just give people a very realistic glimpse of where she is in her life right now." Scott has noted songs such as "Hear My Call" and "Quick" as reflective of the "darkest moments" in her life and has said that much of the album's music developed from studio jams and freestyle sessions. In an interview for Metro, she called its recording "largely improvised" and elaborated on the process, stating:
concert tour, which will conclude on August 28. The tour featured Anthony Hamilton
and Mint Condition
as opening acts, Doug E. Fresh
as host, and DJ Jazzy Jeff
on turntable
s. Scott also promoted the album with performances on the television shows The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Live with Regis and Kelly
. She headlined the Essence Music Festival
on July 1.
On April 11, Scott released the song "Shame" on her Soundcloud
account. It features rapper Eve and vocal group The A Group. Its music video was filmed at the Cecil B. Moore Recreational Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, where Eve and rapper Black Thought
were in attendance. Scott said in an interview for CNN
that she spent several Summers at the rec center and that it was in trouble of being torn down. The video premiered April 13, on Essence.com
. It was later released as the album's second single in the United Kingdom. The album's first single, "So in Love
" featuring Anthony Hamilton
, was released on June 26. It spent nine weeks on the US Billboard
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
, peaking at number 10 on the chart, one week on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 97, and three weeks on Billboards Radio Songs, peaking at number 71 on the chart.
chart, with first-week sales of 135,000 copies in the United States. It is her first number-one album in the US. It sold 55,000 copies in its second week on the Billboard 200. As of August 31, 2011, The Light of the Sun has sold 312,900 copies in the US.
The album debuted at number 83 on the Canadian Albums Chart
. In the Netherlands, the album peaked at number 51 and spent two week on the Mega Album Top 100
chart. In France, it reached number 103 and spent one week on the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
's albums chart. In Belgian Wallonia, the album reached number 99 and spent one week on the Ultratop 50 Albums
chart. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number 69 on the UK Albums Chart
and at number 14 on the R&B Albums Chart
.
s. At Metacritic
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 73, based on 15 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Allmusic editor Thom Jurek called it "21st century Philly soul at its best" and stated, "Scott sounds more in control than ever; her spoken and sung phrasing (now a trademark), songwriting, and production instincts are all solid". Entertainment Weekly
s Mikael Wood complimented its "earnest introspection and earthy textures" and noted "a distinctly early-aughties vibe". Jon Pareles
of The New York Times
commended Scott's "proudly and forthrightly feminine" themes and called the songs "springy with a sense of improvisation, both in the rhythms and in their elaborate vocal overlays". Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe
wrote that the songs, "which alternate between luxurious to fleet and funky, are about the affirmation of self in the face of doubt and conflicted love", adding that "Intermittently, Scott veers from the warm, intimate keyboard-based sound that has dominated much of her work". The Washington Post
s Bill Friskics-Warren noted the arrangements' "sumptuous orchestration, jazzy flourishes and neo-soul
beats" and stated, "The full range of human emotion, from defiance to hurt and hope, is expressed over the course of the album". Kevin Ritchie of NOW
noted the songs' "lively improvisational vibe" and called Scott "a captivating, blunt performer, here emphasizing classic arrangements and raw emotion over poetic invention".
However, Andy Gill of The Independent
criticized Scott's lyrics as "a sticky puddle of self-regard" and found its songs "[un]developed much beyond a languid soul
-jazz
vamp". Rolling Stone
writer Jon Dolan gave the album three out of five stars and her "trademark" musical style "warm and inviting, if rarely thrilling, neo-soul". BBC Online's Daryl Easlea wrote that it "at times [...] veers towards self-indulgence, and some of its ideas are not fully followed through", but complimented its "freewheeling vibe" and called it "a lovely, bittersweet album that celebrates the joy of life". Despite criticizing its two opening tracks, Slant Magazine
's Jaymie Baxley complimented Scott's "sensuality and worldliness" and viewed that "Scott has reasserted herself as a relevant voice in modern R&B" with the album. Elysa Gardner of USA Today
commended Scott for "waxing poetic and righteous about love, heartache and self-empowerment", adding that she "infuses her lithely soulful confessions and declarations with grace and dry humor". Holly Gleason of Paste
gave the album a nine out of 10 rating and stated, "Her dexterity in juxtaposing genres, infusing her swooping jazz-singing with near-gospel
fervor, kittenish moans and shameless spoken exhortations is commanding". Chicago Tribune
writer Greg Kot
stated, "She’s perfected a style that toggles between singing and conversing, and balances more conventional pop structure with spontaniety". The Guardian
s Caroline Sullivan noted its "uplifting sung-spoken pieces" and stated, "it's Scott's warm womanliness over the whole album that makes it a must-hear".
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American recording artist Jill Scott
Jill Scott
Jill Scott is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, poet, and actress. In 2007, Scott made her cinematic debut in the films Hounddog and in Tyler Perry's feature film, Why Did I Get Married? That year, her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3, was released on...
, released June 21, 2011, on Blues Babe Records and Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. It is her first release by the label, following her four-year hiatus from recording music and departure from former label Hidden Beach Recordings
Hidden Beach Recordings
Hidden Beach is an American independent record label specializing in Urban Alternative, R&B, Soul, Inspirational and Contemporary Jazz music genres...
. Production for the album took place at several recording studios and was handled primarily by Scott and collaborator JR Hutson
JR Hutson
JR Hutson is an American soul and R&B producer and songwriter, who has worked with artists including Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild.-Biography:...
. Music writers have noted the album for its neo soul
Neo soul
The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
sound, element of improvisation, and Scott's feminine themes.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, selling 135,000 copies in its first week. It became Scott's first US number-one album and produced two singles, including the Billboard R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
hit "So in Love
So in Love (Jill Scott song)
"So in Love" is a song by American R&B/soul artist Jill Scott, taken from her fourth studio album The Light of the Sun . The song features Anthony Hamilton...
". Upon its release, The Light of the Sun received positive reviews from most music critics. Scott is currently promoting the album with her Summer Block Party
Summer Block Party
Summer Block Party is a concert tour by American R&B/soul artist, Jill Scott. Primarily visiting the United States, the tour supported her fourth studio album, The Light of the Sun. The 17-city trek began July 26th in Boston and ended August in Houston. The tour was hosted by Doug E...
concert tour.
Background
Following her 2007 album The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 is the third studio album by American recording artist Jill Scott. It was released in the United States on September 25, 2007 by Hidden Beach Recordings to positive reviews from music critics. On certain editions of the album, recordings of live performances...
, Jill Scott took a hiatus from recording music. She undertook acting roles in the movies Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? and Hounddog, and she had a starring role in the television series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (TV series)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a television comedy-drama series, produced by the BBC in conjunction with HBO, and based on the novels of the same name by Alexander McCall Smith. The novels focus on the story of a detective agency opened by Mma Ramotswe and her courtship with the mechanic Mr....
. During her hiatus, she divorced from her husband of six years Lyzel Williams in 2007, became engaged to former drummer Lil' John Roberts in 2008, gave birth to their son Jett Hamilton in 2009, and broke up with Roberts. Scott subsequently ended her hiatus and began sessions for The Light of the Sun.
In 2009, Scott left her former record label Hidden Beach Recordings
Hidden Beach Recordings
Hidden Beach is an American independent record label specializing in Urban Alternative, R&B, Soul, Inspirational and Contemporary Jazz music genres...
. During the album's recording, she was countersued by Hidden Beach, which claimed she had left without fulfilling a six-album contract. The lawsuit was settled in 2011, and Hidden Beach plans to release in August the compilation album The Original Jill Scott from the Vault, Vol. 1, the first in a planned album series of Scott's previously unreleased recordings. In 2010, Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
signed Scott to a deal that gave her direct control over her marketing and promotion. In a strategy to re-establish Scott's presence with fans, she signed a multi-tour deal with Live Nation
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
/Haymon Ventures to expand her concert touring. Scott co-headlined a national, 20-date arena tour with recording artist Maxwell
Maxwell (musician)
Maxwell , is an American R&B, funk and neo soul musician. He played an important role in the development of the soul sub-genre, neo-soul.-Early life:...
, the Maxwell & Jill Scott: The Tour
Maxwell & Jill Scott: The Tour
Maxwell & Jill Scott: The Tour is a co-headlining concert tour by American recording artists Maxwell and Jill Scott. Heavily playing in the United States, the tour supported Maxwell's fourth studio album BLACKsummers'night. Erykah Badu became a featured performer on select dates...
, in 2010.
Recording
The album was recorded at several recording studios, including Fever Recording Studios in North Hollywood, California, 9th Street Studios and Threshold Sound & Vision in Santa Monica, California, Studio 609 and The Studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The Boom Boom Room in Burbank, California, and The Village Studios in West Los Angeles, California. Scott worked with producers Terry LewisJimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
, JR Hutson
JR Hutson
JR Hutson is an American soul and R&B producer and songwriter, who has worked with artists including Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild.-Biography:...
, and Justice League for the album. Scott first worked with Hutson on her previous album The Real Thing.
In an interview for HitQuarters
HitQuarters
HitQuarters is an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It is noted for in-depth interviews with industry figures, with past subjects including Simon Cowell, Martin Kierszenbaum, Jason Flom, Diane Warren, Peter Edge, Ron Fair and RedOne, as well as its A&R...
, Hutson said of Scott's approach for The Light of the Sun, "She’s now in charge of a lot of different things and with it comes a lot of trials and tribulations, and I think her goal is to just give people a very realistic glimpse of where she is in her life right now." Scott has noted songs such as "Hear My Call" and "Quick" as reflective of the "darkest moments" in her life and has said that much of the album's music developed from studio jams and freestyle sessions. In an interview for Metro, she called its recording "largely improvised" and elaborated on the process, stating:
Release and promotion
The album was released June 21, 2011, in the United States, on Scott's own imprint label, Blues Babe Records, distributed by Warner Bros. Records, her first release by the label. It is the first release under the distribution deal between Blues Babe and Warner Bros. It was released on June 27 in the United Kingdom. On July 28, Scott embarked on her Summer Block PartySummer Block Party
Summer Block Party is a concert tour by American R&B/soul artist, Jill Scott. Primarily visiting the United States, the tour supported her fourth studio album, The Light of the Sun. The 17-city trek began July 26th in Boston and ended August in Houston. The tour was hosted by Doug E...
concert tour, which will conclude on August 28. The tour featured Anthony Hamilton
Anthony Hamilton (musician)
Anthony Hamilton is an American R&B, and soul singer-songwriter, and record producer who rose to fame with his platinum-selling second studio album Comin' from Where I'm From , which featured the singles "Comin' from Where I'm From" and "Charlene."-Life and career:Hamilton was born in Charlotte,...
and Mint Condition
Mint Condition
Mint Condition is an R&B band from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Formed in the late 1980s, its original members were lead singer Stokley Williams, bassist Ricky Kinchen, guitarist Homer O'Dell, pianist Larry Waddell, keyboardist Keri Lewis, and keyboardist/saxophonist Jeffrey Allen...
as opening acts, Doug E. Fresh
Doug E. Fresh
Douglas E. Davis , better known by the stage name Doug E. Fresh, is an American rapper, record producer, and beat boxer, also known as the Human Beat Box...
as host, and DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Jeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
on turntable
Turntable
A turntable is generally a rotating platform, and may refer to:-Music:* Turntable, a motor-driven platform that normally rotates a gramophone record at a constant rotational velocity as part of a phonograph....
s. Scott also promoted the album with performances on the television shows The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Live with Regis and Kelly
Live with Regis and Kelly
Live! with Kelly is a syndicated American television morning talk show, hosted by Kelly Ripa. The show has aired since 1983 in New York City and 1988 nationwide. Tony Pigg has been the show's announcer since its inception...
. She headlined the Essence Music Festival
Essence Music Festival
Essence Music Festival is an annual music festival celebrating contemporary African American music and culture. It is the largest event celebrating African American culture and music in the United States. It has been held in New Orleans, Louisiana every year since 1995 except for 2006, where it...
on July 1.
On April 11, Scott released the song "Shame" on her Soundcloud
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform which allows collaboration, promotion and distribution of audio recordings.-History:SoundCloud was originally started in Stockholm, Sweden, but was established in Berlin, Germany in August, 2007 by sound designer Alex Ljung and artist Eric Wahlforss...
account. It features rapper Eve and vocal group The A Group. Its music video was filmed at the Cecil B. Moore Recreational Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, where Eve and rapper Black Thought
Black Thought
Tariq Trotter , better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor...
were in attendance. Scott said in an interview for CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
that she spent several Summers at the rec center and that it was in trouble of being torn down. The video premiered April 13, on Essence.com
Essence (magazine)
Essence is a monthly magazine for African-American women between the ages of 18 and 49. The magazine covers fashion, lifestyle and beauty with an intimate girlfriend-to-girlfriend tone.-History:...
. It was later released as the album's second single in the United Kingdom. The album's first single, "So in Love
So in Love (Jill Scott song)
"So in Love" is a song by American R&B/soul artist Jill Scott, taken from her fourth studio album The Light of the Sun . The song features Anthony Hamilton...
" featuring Anthony Hamilton
Anthony Hamilton (musician)
Anthony Hamilton is an American R&B, and soul singer-songwriter, and record producer who rose to fame with his platinum-selling second studio album Comin' from Where I'm From , which featured the singles "Comin' from Where I'm From" and "Charlene."-Life and career:Hamilton was born in Charlotte,...
, was released on June 26. It spent nine weeks on the US Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
, peaking at number 10 on the chart, one week on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 97, and three weeks on Billboards Radio Songs, peaking at number 71 on the chart.
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, with first-week sales of 135,000 copies in the United States. It is her first number-one album in the US. It sold 55,000 copies in its second week on the Billboard 200. As of August 31, 2011, The Light of the Sun has sold 312,900 copies in the US.
The album debuted at number 83 on the Canadian Albums Chart
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
. In the Netherlands, the album peaked at number 51 and spent two week on the Mega Album Top 100
MegaCharts
MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top...
chart. In France, it reached number 103 and spent one week on the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique
The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry...
's albums chart. In Belgian Wallonia, the album reached number 99 and spent one week on the Ultratop 50 Albums
Ultratop 50
Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995...
chart. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number 69 on the UK Albums Chart
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...
and at number 14 on the R&B Albums Chart
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
.
Critical response
The Light of the Sun received positive reviews from most music criticMusic criticism
See also Music journalism for reporting on classical and popular music in the media.The Oxford Companion to Music defines music criticism as 'the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres'. In this...
s. At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 73, based on 15 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". Allmusic editor Thom Jurek called it "21st century Philly soul at its best" and stated, "Scott sounds more in control than ever; her spoken and sung phrasing (now a trademark), songwriting, and production instincts are all solid". Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Mikael Wood complimented its "earnest introspection and earthy textures" and noted "a distinctly early-aughties vibe". Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of the New York Times. He played jazz flute and piano, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in music. In the 1970s he was an associate editor of Crawdaddy!, and in the 1980s an associate...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
commended Scott's "proudly and forthrightly feminine" themes and called the songs "springy with a sense of improvisation, both in the rhythms and in their elaborate vocal overlays". Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
wrote that the songs, "which alternate between luxurious to fleet and funky, are about the affirmation of self in the face of doubt and conflicted love", adding that "Intermittently, Scott veers from the warm, intimate keyboard-based sound that has dominated much of her work". The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
s Bill Friskics-Warren noted the arrangements' "sumptuous orchestration, jazzy flourishes and neo-soul
Neo soul
The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
beats" and stated, "The full range of human emotion, from defiance to hurt and hope, is expressed over the course of the album". Kevin Ritchie of NOW
NOW (magazine)
Now is a free weekly newspaper in Toronto, Canada. It was first printed on September 10, 1981 by Michael Hollett and Alice Klein. Now is an alternative weekly mixing arts and entertainment news with political coverage....
noted the songs' "lively improvisational vibe" and called Scott "a captivating, blunt performer, here emphasizing classic arrangements and raw emotion over poetic invention".
However, Andy Gill of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
criticized Scott's lyrics as "a sticky puddle of self-regard" and found its songs "[un]developed much beyond a languid soul
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...
-jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
vamp". Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
writer Jon Dolan gave the album three out of five stars and her "trademark" musical style "warm and inviting, if rarely thrilling, neo-soul". BBC Online's Daryl Easlea wrote that it "at times [...] veers towards self-indulgence, and some of its ideas are not fully followed through", but complimented its "freewheeling vibe" and called it "a lovely, bittersweet album that celebrates the joy of life". Despite criticizing its two opening tracks, Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
's Jaymie Baxley complimented Scott's "sensuality and worldliness" and viewed that "Scott has reasserted herself as a relevant voice in modern R&B" with the album. Elysa Gardner of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
commended Scott for "waxing poetic and righteous about love, heartache and self-empowerment", adding that she "infuses her lithely soulful confessions and declarations with grace and dry humor". Holly Gleason of Paste
Paste (magazine)
Paste is a monthly music and entertainment digital magazine published in the United States by Wolfgang's Vault. Its tagline is "Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture."-History:...
gave the album a nine out of 10 rating and stated, "Her dexterity in juxtaposing genres, infusing her swooping jazz-singing with near-gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
fervor, kittenish moans and shameless spoken exhortations is commanding". Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
writer Greg Kot
Greg Kot
Greg Kot is an American writer and journalist. Since 1990, Kot has been the music critic at the Chicago Tribune, where he has covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and business issues...
stated, "She’s perfected a style that toggles between singing and conversing, and balances more conventional pop structure with spontaniety". The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
s Caroline Sullivan noted its "uplifting sung-spoken pieces" and stated, "it's Scott's warm womanliness over the whole album that makes it a must-hear".
Track listing
Personnel
Credits for The Light of the Sun adapted from Allmusic.- The A Group – background vocals
- Nathaniel Alford – engineer
- Yameen Allworld – background vocals
- Sherlen Archibald – publicity
- Ashaunna Ayars – marketing
- Todd Bergman – assistant
- Michelle Bishop – violin
- Adam Blackstone – bass, composer, electric bass, keyboards, producer
- Randy Bowland – 7-string electric guitar, composer, guitar, producer
- Bruce Buechner – engineer, production engineer
- Luke Burland – publicity
- Sandra Campbell – project coordinator
- Warryn CampbellWarryn CampbellWarryn Campbell is an American record producer. He specializes in gospel music and R&B.-Career:His work includes production and songwriting credits for Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Xzibit, Yolanda Adams, Dayna Caddell, Mos Def, Missy Elliott, Kierra Sheard, Brandy, Dave Hollister, Men of Standard,...
– composer, instrumentation, producer, programming, vocal arrangement - Chris Chambers – publicity
- Jeff Chestek – string engineer
- Sean Cooper – sound design
- Eli Davis – production coordination
- Kimre Davis – production coordination
- Vidal Davis – composer
- Aaron Draper – background vocals, percussion
- Dré – producer
- Corte Ellis – background vocals
- Luis Eric – horn
- Teresa Evans – production coordination
- Rick Friedrick – assistant
- Full ForceFull ForceFull Force is a group of R&B performers and producers from Brooklyn, New York, USA, calling itself the original hip hop vocal band.-Members:*B-Fine - drums and drum programming*Shy Shy - bass guitar...
– composer - Larry Gold – string arrangements, string conductor
- Steven Gomillion – photography
- Robert Greene – make-up
- Bernie GrundmanBernie Grundman-Biography:He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1983 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chris Bellman, Patricia Sullivan and Brian Gardner, mastered 37 projects which received Grammy Award nominations in 2005.Grundman...
– mastering - Anthony Hamilton – composer
- Andre Harris – composer, engineer
- Donald Hayes – horn
- J.R. HutsonJR HutsonJR Hutson is an American soul and R&B producer and songwriter, who has worked with artists including Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild.-Biography:...
– A&R, background vocals, composer, engineer, executive producer, instrumentation, keyboards, producer, scratching - Bruce Irvine – engineer
- Eve Jeffers – composer
- Karl JenkinsKarl Jenkins-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
– composer - Liza Joseph – A&R
- Brandon Kilgour – engineer
- Emma Kummrow – violin
- Dennis Leupold – photography
- Damien Lewis – assistant
- Jennie Lorenzo – cello
- Glen Marchese – engineer, mixing
- Khari Mateen – composer, instrumentation, producer
- Luigi Mazzocchi – violin
- George "Spanky" McCurdy – composer, drums, producer
- Barry Moody – composer
- Susan Moses – stylist
- Jairus Mozee – bass, composer, guitar
- Peter Nocella – viola
- Rickey Pageot – composer, keyboards
- Charles Parker – violin
- Vanessa Parr – engineer
- Paul SlaytonPaul WallPaul Michael Slayton , better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper. He is currently affiliated with Swishahouse Records, having released several albums under the label as well as...
– composer - Dave Pensado – mixing
- Rebecca Proudfoot – A&R
- Zachariah Redding – assistant
- Lacy Redway – hair stylist
- Tim Reid – marketing
- James Chul Rim – engineer, vocal engineer
- "V" Roane – background vocals
- John Roberts – drums, horn
- Montez Roberts – assistant engineer, engineer
- James Darrell Robinson – composer, drums, producer
- Eric Rousseau – sound design
- Jill Scott – A&R, art direction, background vocals, composer, executive producer, producer, vocal arrangement
- Phillip "Logann" Scott III – engineer
- Paris Strother – composer, keyboards
- Sean Tallman – engineer
- Phil Tan – mixing
- Vidal – producer
- Courtney Walter – design
- Ayana Webb – background vocals
- Kelvin Wooten – bass, composer, drum programming, guitar, keyboards, piano, producer
- Eric Wortham – composer, keyboards, producer
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Wallonia) |
99 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
83 |
| Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
54 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
103 |
| UK Albums Chart 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... |
69 |
| UK R&B Albums Chart UK R&B Chart The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week... |
14 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
1 |
External links
- The Light of the Sun at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- The Light of the Sun at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...