Personnel includes: Macy Gray (vocals); Marsha "Songstress" Ambrosius (vocals); Pharoahe Monch (rap vocals); Lukas Haas (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Victor Indrizzo (guitar, drums); Mark Ronson, Dallas Austin (guitar, programming); Arik Marshall, Jinsoo Lim, Beck (guitar); Tracy Wannomae (bass clarinet); Printz Board (trumpet, flugelhorn); Tom Rawls (trombone); Jeremy Ruzumna (piano, Wurlitzer piano, Chamberlain, Farfisa organ, synthesizer, programming); Zach Rae, Adam McDougal (synthesizer); Justin Medal-Johnsen (bass); Scott Breadman (percussion); DJ. Kilu Grand (programming, turntables); Rick Shepherd (programming); Traci Nelson, Bobby Ross Avila, Audra Cunningham-Nishita, Fanny Franklin, Sy Smith, Chino Smith (background vocals).
Producers: Macy Gray, Dallas Austin, Darryl Swan, Killu Beckwith, Dave Way.
Recorded at Paramount Recording Studios, Royaltone Studios, and Ameraycan Recording Studios, Hollywood, California; O'Henry Sound Studios, Burbank, California.
This is a Hyper CD, which contains regular audio tracks and also provides a link to the artist's website with the help of a web browser.
This is a Hyper CD, which contains regular audio tracks and also provides a link to the artist's website with the help of a web browser.
With her third album THE TROUBLE WITH BEING MYSELF, Macy Gray continues down a path whose stylistic roots spring from both the Parliament-Funkadelic and Hi Records camps. As much a storyteller as she is a singer, Gray tucks into tales of unrequited love (the lush "She Ain't Right For You"), quests for higher fulfillment (a Gamble & Huff-flavored "Jesus For a Day"), and darkly tinged reminisces of growing up (the Farfisa-pumped "My Fondest Childhood Memories.")
The unconventional singer also shines when she eases into a mellower groove, be it the tranquil aura of "Happiness" with its neat mix of acoustic guitar, children's chorus, and unobtrusive beats, or "Speechless," the kind of mid-tempo soul number sure to register favor with fans of producer Willie Mitchell's work. Other songs fitting in more with the Ohio native's quirks include an off-kilter "Every Now and Then," with its odd, Phish-like time changes, and the loping "It Ain't the Money," featuring co-writers and guest rappers/vocalists Pharoahe Monch and Beck.
What the critics say...
Rolling Stone (07/24/03, p.84) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...It's Macy working in her sweet spot..."
Spin (7/03, p.108) - "...As a current-events commentator, Gray's got better beats than 'The New York Times' and funnier lyrics than Fox News..." - Grade: B+
Entertainment Weekly (07/18/03, p.72) - "...Gray's third collection is crammed with easy-going rhythm-section grooves, topped with chicken-scratch guitar riffs, plonking piano chords, and nimble horn charts that span '60s soul and the jauntier aspects of present-day hip-hop..." - Rating: A-
Uncut (6/03, p.104) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...She's one of the few industry-saviours with soul, and is indeed being herself, no trouble..."
