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| Artist: Mary J. Blige
Label: Geffen Records
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy New: $10.97
You Save: $3.01 (22%)
New (61) Used (39) Collectible (1) from $2.38
Rating:  143 reviews
Sales Rank: 906
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 001031302
UPC: 602517520301
EAN: 0602517520301
ASIN: B000X3VN5U
Release Date: December 18, 2007
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
 don't love it September 9, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
i dont know, it is just not what i expected, i dont love this CD. maybe i was expecting something along the lines of "be without you" but this does not measure up. i feel like no songs are memorable.
 I love me some MJB! August 31, 2008
Definitely something to listen to on a slow day where you are just relaxing, or if you are in the mood to sing in the car/shower. I actually heard a few of these songs at my Zumba class, so they are good for working out too.
Jason and Maggie ain't got nothing on this August 11, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains (Geffen, 2007)
Whenever you release a big album (be it classic, certified platinum or both), expectations are always gonna be high for your follow-up. How do you exactly follow an album like Mary J. Blige's 2005 hit, The Breakthrough? Well, she must not have worried about it, as Growing Pains is another great album.
Although her first single, "Just Fine", wasn't exactly the smash that "Be Without You" was, it showed her on a more fun and upbeat track than usual. But for everyone who says that she sounds best on tracks about drama, "Hurt Again" and "Talk to Me" are right up your alley. The only problem is that after 16 years of albums, some of these topics can start to sound redundant. That's why that tracks like the NE-YO/StarGate-produced "Fade Away" and "Come to Me (Peace)" are a nice change of pace. Even the duet with Usher, "Shake Down", while only a fair song, adds a little bit of love into the mix.
You can still rely on Mary J. Blige to deliver that great R&B in a time where R&B is losing the battle with hip-hop and country music as the leading genres. The only question is how Mary will follow up this album. -EJR
A Fine Addition To The Musical Catalog... July 30, 2008
Mary J. Blige took me to another place on her last album, The Breakthrough. I saw her, both musically and image-wise, in the bloom of her womanhood. She returned after releasing the greatest hits package, "Reflections...", with the unexpected bass-driven "Just Fine". That track was a jewel, in my opinion eclipsing her feel good songs of earlier because she had a lot of fun singing the song. However, it is not a full representation of the album "Growing Pains".
"Growing Pains" is what the title says, a buffet of different emotions, and whether or purpose or not, the sequence of the songs feels a bit spontaneous. Never the less, Mary croons, screams, cries and does all of the things a woman does. Really taking this into account will help people understand the unconventional feel of the album flow.
The album opens with a womanly pride anthem, "Work That" making it alright for every woman to love her body and essence regardless of what society says. For the most part, the winners on the disc helps you to forgive the small missteps made here. It is in the middle of the disc that the jewels exist. "Hurt Again" is a beautiful plee with falling in love after heart break; "If You Love Me?" proves that actions speak louder than words; "Fade Away" calls to the need we all have to want to run away from problems; "Roses" is a firey demand for understanding playing to the tough time in love(almost scary how serious Mary sounds on this song); "Till The Morning" is fun and sassy and "Work In Progress" is one of the greatest and most sincere songs Mary has ever recorded, stripping her of celebrity and going to her human vulnerabilities. "Work In Progress" clearly should have been the last song to close this album out. However, most listeners will have gripes about the sequence of songs.
There aren't any terrible songs on the collection, but there are a couple of guest appearances that should have been shelved. "Shake Down" feat Usher is a misnomer, full of almost laughable analogies ("We gonna work this out like fitness") and the chemistry for that track just isn't there. Also, the Ludacris donned opening of "Grown Woman" and his overall presence on the track is unecessary and is evidence that this track should have been reworked or just been pulled altogether.
At the close of the album after several songs that flowed in mood, the muscial landscape of the album completely shifts to a rather odd alternative style with "Come To Me (Peace)" and "Smoke" At this point in the album, neither of these songs was necessary. Now while "Come to Me" is a decent song, it belonged somewhere earlier in the album and "Smoke" truthfully doesn't fit at all.
Aside from the odd sequence and pointless guest apperances, "Growing Pains" is an album worthy of sitting aside the works that we love Mary for to this day.
My favorite songs in order:
1. Just Fine
2. Work In Progress
3. Hurt Again
4. Fade Away
5. If You Love Me?
6. Till The Morning
7. Work That
8. Roses
9. What Love Is
10. Stay Down
 Growing Pains July 15, 2008
I am really enjoying this cd. It is Mary J Bliges' best cd. I listen to it everyday. My coworkers have it too. It is well worth the money.
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