Complex Simplicity

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Complex Simplicity

Studio album by Teedra Moses

Released

July 20, 2004

Recorded

2003–2004

R&B, soul

Paul Poli, Raphael Saadiq, Lil Jon

Professional reviews

All Music Guide link
ThisIsRealMusic.com (Listen Up) link
Rolling Stone link

Teedra Moses chronology

The Young Hustla Compilation Volume 1
(2004)

Complex Simplicity
(2004)

The Young Lioness
(2008)

Alternate covers

Asian cover

British cover

Complex Simplicty is the debut album by American R&B/soul singer Teedra Moses, released in 2004 (see 2004 in music) on TVT Records. All tracks are produced by Paul Poli, except "Take Me", produced by Raphael Saadiq, and "You Better Tell Her", produced by Lil Jon. All lyrics are written by Moses. While underperforming on the charts and being virutally unknown in mainstream music, the album has managed to become an underground classic, a feat highly attributed to its positive critical ratings and reviews.

1 Track listing
2 Reviews
3 Unreleased/non-album tracks
4 Singles
5 Charts
6 Release history
7 References

[edit] Track listing

[edit] North American edition

"Be Your Girl" – 4:09
"You'll Never Find (A Better Woman)" (featuring Jadakiss) – 4:13
"Caution" – 4:37
"Backstroke" – 3:37
"No More Tears" – 4:11
"Rescue Me" – 4:06
"Take Me" (featuring Raphael Saadiq) – 4:44
"You Better Tell Her" – 6:15
"Outta My Head" – 3:39
"Complex Simplicity" – 4:16
"For a Lifetime" – 4:15
"Caught Up" – 4:14
"Last Day" – 3:41
"I Think of You (Shirley's Song)" – 6:06

[edit] British edition

"Be Your Girl" – 4:09
"You'll Never Find (A Better Woman)" (featuring Jadakiss) – 4:13
"Caution" – 4:37
"Backstroke" – 3:37
"No More Tears" – 4:11
"Rescue Me" – 4:06
"Take Me" (featuring Raphael Saadiq) – 4:44
"You Better Tell Her" (featuring Lil' Scrappy) – 4:29
"Outta My Head" – 3:39
"Doin' You" – 3:58
"Complex Simplicity" – 4:16
"For a Lifetime" – 4:15
"Caught Up" – 4:14
"Last Day" – 3:41
"I Think of You (Shirley's Song)" – 6:06
"Still Your Girl" (featuring Raphael Saadiq, Truth Hurts and Scipio) – 4:15

[edit] European edition

"Be Your Girl" (Video)

The European and Asian releases of Complex Simplicity had the same track listing as the North American edition. The Asian release had an alternate artwork but was otherwise identical to the North American release. The European release was enhanced to include the video for "Be Your Girl", but was otherwise identical to the North American release. No video was included on the British edition.

[edit] Reviews

Complex Simplicity has been embraced by many fans, bloggers and music critics. The album is said to be "awe-inspiring and cool and touching and kind of avant-garde in a weird homegrown way^[1]." Vibe called the album "a great entry into the R&B game.^[2]." Further, All Music Guide's review stated boldly that, "This, Moses' debut, is the best R&B album of 2004 -- if not the best pop-oriented R&B album since CrazySexyCool.^[3] " The album compelled many critics to compare to superstars and legends of R&B, including Mary J. Blige ^[4], Deniece Williams ^[5] Teena Marie and Cherrelle.

[edit] Unreleased/non-album tracks

"Still Got Love" — featured as a B-side to the 12" single for "Be Your Girl". Originally listed on the Complex Simplicity track listing.
"Cut Buddy" (featuring Kwamé "K1 Mill") — this track was originally intended for Christina Milian, and now has been recorded by Natasha. The demo version appeared on a Trackmasters mixtape hosted by Milian.

The following tracks were also originally intended for Complex Simplicity, but were replaced by newer tracks:

"Blow Me Out"
"Winter '96"
"Cabaret"

[edit] Singles

"Be Your Girl"

Released	June 1, 2004 (US), May 31, 2004 (UK)
Writer(s)	Teedra Moses, Paul Poli, N. Jones, R. Santiago, C. Jones
Producer(s)	Paul Poli
Video director	Hype Williams

"Be Your Girl" was Teedra Moses' first ever released song, and introduced her debut "Complex Simplicity". The track, produced by Paul Poli, is a teaser of her superb style, being a 90s soul-inspired track, laced by a mellow and sexy synth that takes back to the 80s funky. It contains replayed elements from "One On One" (N. Jones, R. Santiago, C. Jones).

The video for the song was directed by Hype Williams. Promo singles were issued in the US and the UK, however retail singles were only available in Germany. The UK had several different version of the promo CD single, produced by TVT UK.

Chart positions

#87 (US)

"You'll Never Find (A Better Woman)"

Released	October 18, 2004 (UK)
Writer(s)	Teedra Moses, Paul Poli, V. Allen, A. Hudson, J. Hall
Producer(s)	Paul Poli

"You'll Never Find (A Better Woman)" (featuring Jadakiss) was the first single from "Complex Simplicity", but was only a radio single.

It features rapper Jadakiss and contains a sample from Alicia Myers' "Better Woman Or Bigger Fool" (V. Allen, A. Hudson, J. Hall), from her I Fooled You This Time LP.

"You Better Tell Her"

Released	2005 (US)
Writer(s)	Teedra Moses, Jonathan Smith, Darryl Richardson, Armando Perez
Producer(s)	Lil Jon

"You Better Tell Her" (featuring Pitbull & Lil' Scrappy) was the third US single from the album, and 12" copies were available for promotional use, with a small number of CD singles produced by Black Moses Music in circulation.

It features rappers Pitbull and Lil' Scrappy, and it's the 3rd version of the song, after the no-rap version featured on the US edition of the album and the only Lil' Scrappy-featured version featured on the UK release. All 3 cuts were produced by Lil Jon.

[edit] Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200	168
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	20
U.S. Billboard Top Independent Albums	11
U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers	10

[edit] Release history

Region	Date	Label
United States	July 20, 2004	TVT
Canada	July 20, 2004	EMI
Australia	September 8, 2004	TVT
Asia	February 2, 2005	Victor Entertainment
United Kingdom	June 20, 2005	TVT
Europe (except the UK)	January 20, 2006	TVT

[edit] References