The Stoop (album)

The Stoop is the debut studio album released by duo Little Jackie, released on July 8, 2008 by S-Curve Records. The album's lead single, "The World Should Revolve Around Me", achieved international success, reaching number 90 on the US Pop 100 and peaking within the top 30 on the UK Singles Chart and the Irish Singles Chart.[1][2] The album itself did not fare as well on the UK Albums Chart, where it peaked at number 138.[3] The album garnered generally favorable reviews upon its release. Critics were generally favorable in their assessments of the album, praising the lyrics and production.

The Stoop
Studio album by
Little Jackie
ReleasedJuly 8, 2008 (USA)
September 1, 2008 (UK)
September 5, 2008 (Ireland)
GenreR&B
Length34:00
LabelS-Curve
ProducerImani Coppola, Michael Mangini, Adam Pallin
Little Jackie chronology
The Stoop
(2008)		 Made4TV
(2011)
Singles from The Stoop
  1. "The World Should Revolve Around Me"
    Released: 2008
  2. "The Stoop"
    Released: 2008

Composition and songwriting

Singer-songwriter Imani Coppola and programmer Adam Pallin, who make up the duo, recorded the album separately. Pallin felt that the process was mutually beneficial, noting the pairing "between what the music suggests and what she does lyrically. It probably wouldn't have come together the way it did if we had worked in the same room together."[4]

Adam Pallin reflected that the song "28 Butts", about a woman wasting her life, was pivotal to the album with respect to its vibe, which helped set the tone for the rest.[5] Coppola says that in terms of the lyrics she had to tone herself down, as she was "going through a little angry phase, getting in touch with my inner whore."[5]

The lyrics were deemed "bitter" by Billboard. "Cryin' for the Queen" was widely interpreted as a criticism of Amy Winehouse.[6][7][8] However, NPR's Marc Hirsh commented that "the issue isn't that New York is so much flyer than London, so much as that Winehouse's trainwreckery has squandered whatever goodwill she once claimed in the colonies."[6] In a 2008 interview with VH1, Coppola stated "I don't want her to die; I just want her to be okay. I struggled a very long time to get into the position I am in today [...] so it's really just disrespectful and disgraceful to everyone – this golden opportunity, just destroying yourself."[8] NPR made the song its "Song of the Day" for January 19, 2009.[6]

In "Go Hard or Go Home" Coppola talked about deep family scars without self-pity and that the title track of the album captures both the "comforts and craziness of home" even for those who might not "have a Brooklyn stoop to sit on."[9] According to Coppola, "The World Should Revolve Around Me," the first single and video off the album,[5] was inspired by a break-up, and talking about people's need for space, reflecting the kind of thing that people say when they are angry that they might later regret.[10]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Billboard[12]positive
Ebony[13]positive
The Guardian[14]
The New York Times[15]Positive
Spin[16]

The album was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics. The New York Times praised the songwriting as "modern and quick-tongued" with "insouciant, articulate takes on relationships in various stages of disaster".[17] Associated Press indicated that the music was "contemporary and classic", with a "funky Motown vibe mixed with hip-hop beats".[18] Billboard called the album an excellent debut and said Imani Coppola's fans would be pleased by the "bubbly blend of swinging hip-hop rhythms, bright R&B horns and sassy soul-siren vocals."[19] Salon said that the album provided "a perfect soundtrack for a lazy summer day" and that Coppola has a "knack for satire."[9] Blues & Soul spoke about the music having "A bittersweet musical vibe that combines a respectful nod to the soulful Motown rhythms of the past with a sneer to the many social and cultural issues that consume today's public."[20] Ebony's Adrienne Samuels praised the album's harmonies and lyrical range, although she expressed some concern that the harmonies "get a little stale after the first three songs." Nonetheless, Samuels concluded, "the album is a worthy listen."[13] People commented that, were it not for Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, The Stoop "might have been truly groundbreaking."[21]

Some critics were more skeptical of the album. A review by Jude Rogers for The Guardian felt that while "In terms of pop's major aims, 'The Stoop' is practically a perfect record," the songwriting was often too harsh and that "Coppola trips over" the "fine line between songs about sassy, female independence and old-fashioned arrogance" regularly.[14] Spin awarded the album two and a half stars (out of five) and praised the title track, but felt that for much of the album Coppola sounds like "a confessional folkie playing funky dress-up."[16]

Commercial performance

The album achieved limited success, peaking at number 138.

However, the album's lead single, "The World Should Revolve Around Me," became a hit. It peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, number 30 on the Irish Singles Chart, and number 90 on the Billboard Pop 100.[22]

Use in Media

The song "The Stoop" appears in the 2009 movie The Final Destination and an episode of 90210 and in New York Goes To Hollywood when Little Jackie asked for Tiffany Pollard's help (New York) to record backing vocals. The song "28 Butts" appears in a season 4 episode of Criminal Minds (titled '52 Pickup').[23][24]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Imani Coppola, Michael Mangini and Adam Pallin, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."The Stoop"2:53
2."The World Should Revolve Around Me" (Coppola, Mangini, Willie Mitchell, Pallin, Early Randle)3:01
3."28 Butts"3:08
4."Guys Like When Girls Kiss"3:39
5."I Liked You Better Before"3:58
6."LOL"2:46
7."Crying for the Queen"3:25
8."Black Barbie"3:21
9."One Love"2:35
10."The Kitchen"2:29
11."Go Hard or Go Home"2:45

Charts
Chart (2008) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart 138[3]

Personnel

Adapted credits from the liner notes of The Stoop.[25]

References
  1. The Stoop, Billboard Singles at AllMusic
  2. Little Jackie, "The World Should Revolve Around Me" OfficialCharts.com. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
  3. Rivers, Joe. "Little Jackie – 28 Butts". Into the Pop Void. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  4. "Back to Pop". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  5. Times Online. "The crazy, sexy, cool Imani Coppola of Little Jackie" by Lisa Verrico. August 10, 2008.
  6. Hirsh, Marc. "Little Jackie: Tough Love for Amy Winehouse". NPR. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  7. http://randb.about.com/b/2008/06/12/new-music-little-jackie-crying-for-the-queen.htm
  8. "VH1 News: Little Jackie". VH1. Viacom. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  9. Salon. "Critics Picks: Little Jackie's 'The Stoop.'" July 19, 2008.
  10. Digital Spy. "Little Jackie" by Nick Levine. August 22, 2008.
  11. Jurek, Thom. "Review: The Stoop - Little Jackie". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  12. "Beck, G-Unit have new CDs". Today. Billboard. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  13. Samuels, Adrienne (August 2008). "Also Noted: Little Jackie". Ebony. 63 (10): 51. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  14. Rogers, Jude. "Pop review: Little Jackie, The Stoop". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  15. Pareles, Jon. "Partners, First-Timers, Next-Steppers". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  16. "Reviews: New CDs - Little Jackie "The Stoop"". Spin. 24 (8): 102. August 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  17. New York Times. "Partners, First-Timers, Next-Steppers" by Jon Pareles. July 13, 2008.
  18. San Francisco Chronicle. "Music Review: Little Jackie debut CD" by Mesfin Fekadu. July 8, 2008.
  19. Billboard. "Beck, G-Unit have new CDs. Also, new releases from Albert Hammond Jr., Ron Sexsmith, Little Jackie" July 11, 2008.
  20. Little Jackie interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2008
  21. "Little Jackie - The Stoop". People. 70 (11): 40. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  22. "Billboard Oct 11, 2008 (page 60)". Internet Archive. Nielsen Business Media. 2008-10-11. p. 60. Retrieved 9 February 2017. pop 100 little jackie.
  23. "Overview: Adam Pallin". IMDb. amazon.com. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  24. "Overview: Imani Coppola". IMDb. amazon.com. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  25. The Stoop (booklet). Little Jackie. S-Curve. 2008. 509992 36859 2 5.CS1 maint: others (link)
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