Stone Love is the third studio album by American singer Angie Stone. It was released by J Records on July 6, 2004, in the United States. Originally conceived as a collaborative but introspective album which Stone planned to call Diary of a Soul Sister and was expected to feature female singers such as Gladys Knight and Chaka Khan, the album features a wide range of collaborators, including Warryn Campbell, Andreao Heard, Jazze Pha, and Missy Elliott. Duo Floetry, singers Betty Wright, Anthony Hamilton, and Snoop Dogg, as well as Stone's daughter Diamond and her former fiancée, rapper T.H.C., appear on Stone Love.
The album earned generally favorable reviews from music critics who noted its more upbeat, amorous nature and declared it another well-crafted effort from Stone. It reached number six on the Dutch Album Top 100 and entered the top twenty of the albums charts in Belgium, Finland, and Sweden. In the United States, it debuted at number 14 on the US Billboard 200. Stone Love produced three singles, including the Dance Club Songs number-one hit "I Wanna Thank Ya" as well as the Grammy Award-nominated song "U-Haul." Stone Love would mark Stone's final album with J Records.
Guest vocalists on Stone Love include rapper Snoop Dogg, Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart from English duo Floetry as well as singers Betty Wright and Anthony Hamilton which Stone cited as "natural partnerships."[6] Stone's daughter Diamond Stone appears on the Walter Millsap-produced "You're Gonna Get It," while her former fiancée, rapper T.H.C., appeared on "Karma."[7] On her decision to name the album Stone Love, Stone told The San Antonio Current: "[It] encapsulates everything about love. That term to me embodies love. I find that a title is as important as the album, it connects the project. There is motherly and sisterly love, man and woman love, but no love is stronger than Stone Love."[6]
Upon its release, Stone Love received critical acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 68, based on 13 critical reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[12]
AllMusic editor Rob Theakston felt that Stone Love "pleasantly picks up where Mahogany Soul left off, presenting a wiser, more even-keel Stone putting her best foot forward right from the album's onset." He called the album Stone's "most focused and accomplished full-length to date. A delightful album for a summer day, and an enjoyable listen from start to finish."[13]Billboard found that "Stone's soulful, sassy vocals are once again the centerpiece of another well-crafted effort. Whether discoursing on love or heartbreak, the singer/songwriter/musician never leaves an emotional stone unturned."[20] Robert Sandall, writing for The Telegraph, felt that Stone Love differs from Stone's first two albums "principally in its upbeat, amorous mood" and that it "intricately played, [merges] old-school arrangements gracefully with modern beats. Her deceptively powerful voice, beautifully layered and never over-used, is, as ever, world class."[21]
Entertainment Weekly's David Browne wrote that Stone Love "sways pleasurably from start to finish, buoyed by floaty old-school R&B [...] It's easy to luxuriate in its cushy production, to nod along with the occasionally clever line, or to enjoy the duo Floetry's stern-voiced harmonies [...] Everything is balmy, modestly funky – and strangely devoid of outright passion."[14] Steve Hands from MusicOMH critic found that Stone Love "neatly avoids the saccharine seasoning and horrendous filler that so bedevilled soul albums back in the day way before R&B got a healthy dose of hip-hop in its veins." He noted that while the album has its moments when you feel [Stone's] on automatic [and] it's a tad longer than it really needs to be," there "is more than enough here to wipe away the working day."[22]People magazine remarked that "on her righteous third album, Stone continues to carve out retro-'70s R&B rich in the tradition of greats like Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan and Betty Wright."[23]
Chart performance
Stone Love debuted at number 14 on the US Billboard 200 in the week of July 24, 2004,[24] selling 52,000 in its first week of release.[25][26] The album also debuted and peaked at number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart,[27] and marked Stone's first top ten entry on the Dutch Album Top 100, peaking at number six.[28] It also reached the top twenty of the albums charts in Belgium, Finland, and Sweden as well as on the R&B charts in Australia and the United Kingdom.[28]Billboard ranked it 89th on its US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums year-end listing.[29]
The following year, Stone asked for and was granted a release from J Records.[30] In 2007, after signing with Stax Records, she opened up about the label change. Speaking with The Baltimore Sun Stone said: "Originally, that album was called Diary of a Soul Sister. It was gonna be set up with me working with icons like Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Roberta Flack, Natalie Cole... But Alicia Keys was gonna use the title The Diary of Alicia Keys. So I was asked [by label founder Clive Davis] to change my concept. The focus was derailed on the last album, and I asked to be released after that."[30][31] In his 2013 biography The Soundtrack of My Life, Davis contradicted Stone's impression that she had been treated unfavorably compared to Keys.[4]
