The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3

The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 is the third studio album by American R&B/soul recording artist and actress Jill Scott. It was recorded at Bazz Studio, The Cosmic Dust Recorders, Currie House Studio, Glenwood Place Studios, Headquarters Studio, The House That Quest Built, Keswick Studios, Kush Studio, Sigma Sound Studios, The Studio, Studio 609, and Studio Atlantis.[2] It was released on September 25, 2007, by Hidden Beach Recordings to positive reviews from music critics.

The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
Studio album by
Jill Scott
ReleasedSeptember 25, 2007 (2007-09-25)
Recorded2005–07; Various recording locations
GenreNeo soul[1]
Length50:39
LabelHidden Beach
ProducerJill Scott, Abduology, Adam Blackstone, Dre & Vidal, Jacob J. Gold, C. Harris, Shafiq Husayn, JR Hutson, Om'Mas Keith, Khari Mateen, Steve McKie, Jesse Owenz, C. "Spaun" Reeves, Omari Shabazz, Stokley, Scott Storch
Jill Scott chronology
Collaborations
(2007)		 The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
(2007)		 Live in Paris+
(2008)
Alternate cover
Deluxe limited edition cover
Singles from The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
  1. "Hate on Me"
    Released: August 2007
  2. "My Love"
    Released: November 2007
  3. "Whenever You're Around"
    Released: 2008

On certain editions of the album, recordings of live performances of "Golden" and "The Fact Is (I Need You)" are available as bonus tracks. The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 is also available in a deluxe limited edition containing a bonus DVD. On March 17, 2009, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was Scott's last release on Hidden Beach Recordings before her exit from the label in 2010. This is also the final installment of the Words and Sounds series.

Background

In an interview with HitQuarters, producer JR Hutson commented on the creation of the song "Whenever You're Around":

"I tried to take a real Quincy Jones approach to that record. I brought in a lot of musicians and we were just vibing to a few different things, and that was one of the tracks that stood out to me in the jam session that day. So I [...] tweaked and tweaked the track, edited it [...] and reformatted it, and then eventually ended up with that track."[3]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 and number two on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, selling about 148,000 copies in its first week,[4] Scott's second highest debut on both charts after 2004's Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2. The album was eventually certified gold by the RIAA on March 17, 2009,[5] thus far selling 663,000 copies in the US alone.[6] Elsewhere, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 charted at number sixty-five in the Netherlands,[7] number seventy-nine in the United Kingdom,[8] and number 128 in France.[9]

Singles

Lead single "Hate on Me" is an unusual song for Scott, stepping out of her soft and smooth soul style and into a bigger, jazzier, more sassy style. In the album sampler, Scott says it is addressed to a group of people she found online who were "hating on her".[10] Amber Riley's character Mercedes Jones performed the song on the Glee episode titled "Throwdown", aired October 14, 2009. "My Love" was released as the second single, for which a music video premiered on September 2, 2007. The third and final single was "Whenever You're Around" and features George Duke. While there was no video shot, the promotional single was successful at R&B radio stations, reaching number fifty-six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number sixteen on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay.[11][12]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[13]
AllMusic[14]
The Guardian[15]
Mojo[16]
MSN Music (Consumer Guide)A−[17]
Q[18]
Rolling Stone[19]
Slant Magazine[20]
Sputnikmusic3.5/5[21]
Uncut[22]

The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 79, based on 11 reviews.[18] Uncut magazine commended Scott's funky sensibilities and attempt to expand on the "tempo-and libido" of her 2004 album Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2.[22] Mojo called the album "her most intense, but perhaps also her most pleasurable excursion yet."[16] In his review for MSN Music, Robert Christgau said that Scott substantiates the songs' sexual content through her phrasing, timbre, and lyrics about physical pleasure, and that the album is musically consistent because of "a contour and a groove that suits its well-inhabited breakup concept."[17]

Track listing
  1. "Let It Be" (Jill Scott, Khari Mateen) – 1:50
  2. "The Real Thing" (Scott, Andre Harris, Vidal Davis, Jason Boyd, Ryan Toby) – 3:24
  3. "Hate on Me" (Scott, Adam Blackstone, Steve McKie) – 3:29
  4. "Come See Me" (Scott, JR Hutson) – 4:59
  5. "Crown Royal" (Scott, Hutson) – 1:48
  6. "Epiphany" (Scott, Scott Storch) – 2:31
  7. "My Love" (Scott, Blackstone, McKie) – 3:50
  8. "Insomnia" (Scott, Omari Shabazz) – 3:55
  9. "How It Make You Feel" (Scott, Stokley Williams) – 4:32
  10. "Only You" (Scott, Tyrone Benjamin Goldstein II) – 3:32
  11. "Whenever You're Around" (featuring George Duke) (Scott, Hutson) – 4:05
  12. "Celibacy Blues" (Scott, Blackstone, Randy Bowland) – 2:15
  13. "All I" (Scott, Blackstone) – 4:56
  14. "Wanna Be Loved" (Scott, Hutson) – 3:22
  15. "Breathe" (Scott, Om'Mas Keith, Shafiq Husayn) – 2:06
Deluxe limited edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16.""Imagination/Crown Royal Suite""J. Scott, Hutson5:50
17."Rightness"J. Scott, A. Harris, V. Davis3:40
Best Buy edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16."The Way (Live in Paris)"Scott, Andre Harris8:19
17."Whatever (Live in Paris)"J. Scott, Ronald "PNutt" Frost7:32
Bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."A Long Walk (Music Video)" 
2."Golden (Music Video)" 
3."Cross My Mind (Music Video)" 
4."Hate on Me (Music Video)" 
5."My Love (Music Video)" 
6."The Reel from the Real Jill Scott (An intimate conversation with Jill)" 
iTunes Deluxe limited edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16."Imagination/Crown Royal Suite"J. Scott, Hutson5:50
17."Rightness"J. Scott3:40
18."Golden (Live)"J. Scott, Anthony Bell10:08
19."The Fact Is (I Need You) (Live)"J. Scott, Pete Kuzma6:40
French edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16."Golden (Live)"J. Scott, A. Bell10:08
17."The Fact Is (I Need You) (Live)"J. Scott, P. Kuzma6:40
Japanese edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16."Imagination/Crown Royal Suite"J. Scott, JR Hutson5:50
17."Rightness"J. Scott3:40
18."Bedda at Home (Live in Paris)"Scott, Carvin Haggins, Ivan Barias, Frank Romano, Johnnie Smith8:32
19."Hate on Me (Video)"  

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[5] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Abram, Malcolm X (October 21, 2007). "Singer has love and sex on mind". Akron Beacon Journal. p. E5 E. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  2. "Jill Scott - Real Thing Words and Sounds, Vol. 3 CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  3. "Interview With JR Hutson". HitQuarters. May 10, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  4. Hasty, Katie (October 3, 2007). "Rascal Flatts Races To No. 1 In Debut-Heavy Week". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 4, 2007.
  5. "American album certifications – Jill Scott – The Real Thing (Words and Sounds, Volume 3)". Recording Industry Association of America. March 17, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
  6. Mitchell, Gail (April 5, 2011). "Hidden Beach Slates New Jill Scott Album for Spring". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  7. "Dutchcharts.nl – Jill Scott – The Real Thing - Words and Sounds Vol. 3" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  8. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  9. "Lescharts.com – Jill Scott – The Real Thing - Words and Sounds Vol. 3". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  10. ""The Real Thing" – In Stores September 25, 2007". jillscott.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2007.
  11. "Whenever You're Around – Jill Scott". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  12. "Hot Adult R&B Airplay – Chart Listing For The Week Of Sep 20 2008". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Missing or empty |url= (help); |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  13. About.com review
  14. Allmusic review
  15. The Guardian review
  16. "Review: The Real Thing". Mojo: 104. January 2008.
  17. Christgau, Robert (February 2008). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  18. Metacritic
  19. Rolling Stone review
  20. Slant Magazine review
  21. Sputnikmusic review
  22. "Review: The Real Thing". Uncut: 100. January 2008.
  23. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  24. "Jill Scott Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  25. "Jill Scott Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  26. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  27. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  28. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
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