Bittersweet (Blu Cantrell album)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
The Guardian	[4]
Rolling Stone	[5]
Vibe	[6]
The Village Voice	[7]

AllMusic editor Tim Sendra called Bittersweet "another fine slice of contemporary R&B propelled above the ordinary by her arresting voice and the sympathetic and interesting production." He found that "the record has a melancholy tinge and Cantrell sings with a depth of emotion that many of her contemporaries can't reach [...] Cantrell is a real talent and Bittersweet is the kind of record fans of modern soul music should champion. Tough, smart, sexy, and impassioned with a sound that shows imagination, it would be a shame if it slipped through the cracks."[3] Billboard declared the project a "perfect showcase for Cantrell's honey-dipped vocals," and cited "Breathe", "Sleep in the Middle", "Make Me Wanna Scream" and Impatient" as highlights.[8]

Vibe critic Jason King complimented Cantrell for her "formidable voice" and wrote: "Though her voice lacks distinctive personality, she bowls you over with jazzy vocal licks and a pyrotechnical intensity that's pure Holiness church." King found that the uptempo track on Bittersweet seemed "generic compared to her stunning ballads."[6] Beccy Lindon from The Guardian found it problematic that the "laid-back jazz of Cantrell's debut has been replaced with myriad styles and a more calculated, dancefloor-friendly sound [...] You can't help but feel that this sugar-coated package is meant to attract a mainstream audience rather than develop Cantrell as an artist."[4] Rolling Stone's Barry Walters noted that Bittersweet "still flaunts a dexterity and worldliness that set her apart from her streetbound peers. But lackluster lyrics and mediocre melodies make the poorly sequenced album's overwhelming blandness neither bitter nor sweet."[5]

Bittersweet debuted and peaked at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 in the week ending July 12, 2003, with first week sales of 29,000 units.[9] A considerable drop from her previous effort So Blu (2001) which had opened at number eight on the chart,[10] it also reached number eight on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, becoming Cantrell's second top ten album.[11] In the United Kingdom, Bittersweet peaked at number 20 in the week of August 31, 2003.[12] It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on October 3, 2003, followed by a gold certification on July 22, 2013.[13]

Sample credits

• "Breathe" contains excerpts and samples from "What's the Difference" by Dr. Dre featuring Eminem and Xzibit.
• "Don't Wanna Say Goodbye" contains excerpts and samples from "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" by Syreeta.
• "Round Up" contains replayed elements from "Dueling Banjos", written by Arthur Smith.