U-Turn (Brian McKnight album)

U-Turn is the seventh studio album by American singer Brian McKnight. It was released on March 25, 2003 in the United States by Motown Records. The album takes much inspiration in McKnight's split from his wife Julie from whom he divorced the same year. While McKnight again provided the majority of the album, he also consulted musicians Anthony "Joint Custody" Nance, Rockwilder, and production duo The Underdogs to work with him. As with previous album Superhero (2001), he also enlisted several high-profile guest vocalists, including singers Carl Thomas, Joe, and Tank as well as rappers Nelly and Fabolous.

U Turn
Studio album by
Brian McKnight
ReleasedMarch 25, 2003
GenreR&B[1]
Length57:16
LabelMotown
Producer
Brian McKnight chronology
Superhero
(2001)		 U Turn
(2003)		 Gemini
(2005)
Singles from U Turn
  1. "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda"
    Released: 2003
  2. "All Night Long"
    Released: 2003
  3. "So Sorry"
    Released: 2003

The album earned generally mixed reviews from music critics who called it uneven but well-crafted. U-Turn debuted and peaked at number seven on the US Billboard 200. In addition, it reached number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[2] Lead single "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" entered the top forty of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]
Slant[5]

AllMusic editor John Bush found that U-Turn "isn't the change of direction hinted at in the title; in fact, it's very close to format, with a pair of rap features but plenty of space for McKnight's earnest, heartfelt crooning. Over half the album was not only written by McKnight but performed and produced by him as well, and although his writing is among the best in R&B, the backing tracks are bland meldings of piano, synthesized strings, and canned beats. No surprise then, that the best tracks here are the ones where he can focus on his voice."[3] Maurice Bottomley from PopMatters felt that the album "sees him making more concessions to current musical styles while retaining his fondness for the sentimental balladry that is constant trademark [...] Mainstream and safe, certainly – but McKnight always has been – it is arguably as well-crafted a parcel of post-millennium soul as you could wish for."[6]

Billboard remarked that "with his fifth Motown set, U-Turn, Brian McKnight attempts to reel in the hip-hop crowd that has eluded him time and again [...] With U-Turn, McKnight looks to move beyond these smooth sounds [...] U-Turn provides familiarity for hardcore fans, and enough twists and turns to make new ones."[7] In a contemporary review, The Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote that "U-Turn successfully mixed mild, Superhero-style hip hop with McKnight's usual smooth jams."[4] Slant editor Sal Cinquemani called the album "so nondescript, filled with the kind of faceless R&B that sells millions but does little to resurrect a genre increasingly eclipsed by hip-hop, that I couldn’t find anything to say about it at all."[5]

Chart performance

U-Turn debuted and peaked at number seven on the US Billboard 200 in the week of April 4, 2003,[8] selling 109,000 units in its first week of release.[9] On May 13, 2003, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of 500,000 copies.[10] By February 2005, it had sold 440,000 copies in the United States.[11]

Track listing
U-Turn track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."All Night Long" (featuring Nelly)
Joint Custody4:16
2."Back Seat (Gettin' Down)"McKnightMcKnight4:31
3."Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda"
The Underdogs4:01
4."Try Our Love Again"McKnightMcKnight3:58
5."Where Do We Go from Here"McKnightMcKnight4:22
6."Been So Long"
  • McKnight
  • Brandon Barnes
McKnight3:34
7."Good Enough" (featuring Carl Thomas, Joe, Tank, & Tyrese)
McKnight4:30
8."Someday, Someway, Somehow"
  • McKnight
  • Barnes
McKnight4:43
9."For the Rest of My Life"
McKnight3:35
10."If It Was Cool"/"I Don't Know Yet (Interlude)"
  • McKnight
  • Barnes
McKnight5:55
11."U-Turn" (featuring Fabolous & Sir John)
Rockwilder4:32
12."So Sorry"McKnightMcKnight4:33
13."One of the Ones Who Did" (featuring Kirk Franklin)McKnightMcKnight4:53
Japan bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Over"McKnightMcKnight4:20

Samples

Charts

Certifications
Certifications and sales for U-Turn
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 440,000[11]

References
  1. Stewart, Alison (2004). "Brian McKnight". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 530. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  2. "Gold & Platinum: Brian McKnight - U Turn - RIAA Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  3. Bush, John. U-Turn at AllMusic
  4. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved January 12, 2020. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  5. Cinquemani, Sal (January 25, 2005). "Review: Brian McKnight, Gemini". Slant. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  6. Bottomley, Maurice (July 9, 2003). "Brian McKnight: U Turn". PopMatters. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  7. "U Turn". Billboard. March 29, 2003. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  8. "Brian McKnight Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2003.
  9. Oppelaar, Justin (April 2, 2003). "Linkin parks at No. 1". Variety.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  10. "American album certifications – Brian McKnight – U-Turn". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  11. Mitchell, Gail (February 12, 2005). "The Two Sides of 'Gemini' McKnight". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  12. "Lescharts.com – Brian McKnight – U-Turn". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  13. "Brian McKnight Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  14. "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Best of 2003". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
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