Between Friends is the latest release by Tamia.

Now I will say that this cd came out with little fanfare this past November.

I first became aware that Tamia was back on the scene when I caught the video for the first single Can't Get Enough. This song peaked my curiosity to see what her cd would be like.

Then before the end of the year I got a chance to hear her interview with Steve Harvey on the Steve Harvey Morning show. During that interview she did some of her jams live and gave the audience a brief snippet of one of the featured songs on Between Friends - Me or what I call Stranger In My House part II. It was during this performance I heard and felt a little something that I hadn't gotten from her before.

For me Tamia has always been one of those artists that I have for the most part have liked, but I never heard enough tracks with any consistency to get a feeling for her sound and style. Always one hit here and there but I never ran out to buy the latest Tamia joint.

I will say Between Friends does definitely deserve some consideration.

This will be more of a cd for the ladies, but for the male music connoisseur who loves a good female voice I think they will be cool with it also.

The first song The Way I Love You gets the ball rolling with an easy going tempo that will get your head nodding. Actually some of the beats in the arrangement made me think of Bobby Valentino's first single, Slow Down and Brian Mc Knight's current single Used To Be My Girl so I had to check the liner notes to see who produced this track.

The second track, Happy was a pleasantly upbeat song with a little soulful edge to it. Typically we have not heard Tamia in this light but the arrangement works for her. The third track Almost I can actually hear being sung by any of the half rate R&B divas (who shall remain nameless) that are currently being played in radio. This was just an ok song, but I can't say that it did anything out of the ordinary to make me really get excited about it.

Too Grown - just didn't like it. I have tried listening to this one a few times - just not feeling it.

Me which was written by Shep Crawford who also penned Tamia's previous hit Stranger In My House is a creatively written ballad that will become another woman's anthem for when things in a relationship just ain't going right. (sorry fellas)

I thought that Tamia's vocal performance was precise. Could stand a little more emotion in the delivery to give it a little more soul, but definitely a keeper.

The two songs that stand out in my mind from this release are Sittin On The Job and Last First Kiss. With Sittin On The Job I don't believe that I have ever heard a song that captures that feeling you have when a relationship is new and you can't wait for that certain someone to give you that call at work while in the back of your mind you are hoping that this time its the real thing.

Now I am an absolute fan of a good slow jam and I was not disappointed with Last First Kiss. Ladies peep the lyrics that are put down on this one. When I first heard this song, I was instantly hooked. It says so much that I can't even begin to describe how much I am feeling this track.

For me other notable tracks are Become Us and Please Protect My Heart.

Between friends - What more can I say.

Until next time - Peace.