I bought this album during my brief trip to New York ChinaTown. I had fallen in love with CoCo's voice after hearing "A Love Before Time" from the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Soundtrack. This is a strange CD for me to review, because all though I am not usually a fan of R&B, I do like this album. If I seem unfair to the R&B tracks, sorry!

1. True Lover
This song has a wonderful Spanish/Salsa sound to it. I love the Spanish Acoustic guitar and all the different percussion going on in this song. Lots of maracas and that kind of thing. The style lends itself very well to Chinese singing somehow. CoCo's voice has a perfect blend of softness and power to it. She knows how to use her voice as the ultimate musical instrument. This track really impressed me and starts off the album wonderfully. So upbeat and catchy!! One of the best songs on the album.
Rating: 10 out of 10

2. Love You Until...
Strangely enough, this song also has some maraca type sounds at the beginning. However, it is a much slower ballad than True Lover. CoCo's ballads are always among her best work. Rather than having an overt R&B sound, it sets the mood very subtly. Coco's voice has a wonderful note of pain and sadness it in, and since I haven't found a translation, I'll assume this is a sadder song. It does use some traditional R&B devices, like the chime sound after the chorus, but otherwise the theme remains slightly Spanish. This is a very nice song.
Rating: 9 out of 10

3. Another Woman's Perfume
Strange, but I knew from the title I wasn't going to like this song as well. Maybe it just seemed a little cliche to me, I don't know. Anyway, it starts with some electronic R&B sounds and a faintly typical beat. CoCo's singing is very enjoyable, and she sounds pretty tough in this song. Now, I am not the best judge of R&B, but this song just seems way too typical and boring to me. There's not a lot exciting about it. The rap section in the middle really ruined my hopes of liking this song, because the words are so predictable and uninspired. R&B fans may enjoy this, but I really didn't.
Rating: 5 out of 10

4. Watch Out For Men
Bad Title Number Two. This one, at least, sounds more Chinese and original. I really like all the little traditional sounds and cymbals in the beginning. CoCo's voice really sounds like she's giving you a warning. However, I don't like the funny telephone ringing sound, and this song could use a little more energy toward the middle to keep it interesting. It's just way too low-key. The final straw was the backup singers. They just didn't need to be there. Make them go away. Oh well.
Rating: 6 out of 10

5. Sweet Baby
I've decided the problem with this album. There are too many slow songs in a row. This is a better R&B song than the last two, even though it is fairly typical of the genre. CoCo's singing is very relaxing, the equivalent of an R&B lullaby. This is good sit-down-with-your-honey-and-snuggle music. The more I listen to this song, the more I like it. I especially like the whispery quality of CoCo's voice in this. Good song. My only complaint is that at 5:44, it is a bit long, and does get old.
Rating: 8 out of 10

6. You & Me
The second of the two title tracks, this is one of my favorites on the album. From the opening "Da da da da da," I was hooked. This, again, has some Spanish flavor to it, but is more pop-ish. Yes, the R&B feel is there too, but it is innovative and fun this time. This song isn't particularly upbeat, but it isn't a ballad either. The percussion is really great, and CoCo, of course, sounds wonderful. She really is able to embrace any style of music. This is a good song to get stuck in your head.
Rating: 9 out of 10

7. Just Me
This is my favorite track on the album. It is upbeat, but has acoustic guitar, giving it a more pop/rock feel. CoCo sounds as if she's smiling the whole time she's singing this. It's so happy, and the lyrics make me grin. "I'm okay... I am brave." Not to creative, but certainly cute. This is a great song to bop your head back and forth to, and you can attempt to sing a long even if you don't know chinese. In a way, you can't help but sing. For once, CoCo ditches all the R&B techniques she usually uses while singing (ie trills, slides, etc) and sings very cleanly. It's such a change, and it sounds great. Definitely a great track.
Rating: 10 out of 10

8. Natural Reaction
This song goes against my own natural reactions. As you can tell, I'm not an R&B fan, but this is a really enjoyable song. It has a darker sound, like Aaliyah's songs, and some interesting harmonies. The percussion has that techno flavor, which also helps. Finally, Coco's voice is both soft in places, and loud and powerful in others, creating a nice counterpoint. The best word to describe this song is sexy. It would be a good song to hear in a club and dance to. Other than that, I can't think of much else to say. Good song, worth quite a few listens.
Rating: 9 out of 10

9. When Love's in Pieces
Anyone want to place bets that this is a ballad? If you said yes, you get a cookie. ^_^ This song starts with a saxophone, which I am always a sucker for. It gives any song a nostalgic, 80s feel. Since I actually liked the 80s, that is a plus. Predictably, this is a sad kind of song at first, but the chorus seems more uplifting. It gives the song an unexpected twist, which I enjoy. The melody is very memorable. I should mention for those of you keeping track that this is an R&B song, but in a more 80s/early 90s way. It even has the classic choir in the background. I highly recommend this song because it is different from any other track on the album.
Rating: 9 out of 10

10. You Asked
What's this? Strings? This is another ballad, which opens with some strings and adds a piano. Not what you'd expect from an R&B album. This is definitely the best ballad on the album, with gorgeous, emotive vocals from CoCo and brilliant orchestration. More guitar ties this song into many of the others on the album. I'm not sure how CoCo chose this acoustic theme, but it worked very well on most of the album. This isn't a big, sweeping ballad, but a gentle, tender one. I love this kind of song.
Rating: 10 out of 10

Overall Rating: out of 10