How I Do

The album combines elements of a number of musical styles, including hip-hop, pop, rock, and R&B. The title track is pop-oriented, while "Sittin' Back" was called "hip-hop-hued" by one critic. While The Philadelphia Inquirer{{'}}s Dan DeLuca calls it a "rock-soul album",{{cite news|last=DeLuca|first=Dan|author-link=Dan DeLuca|date=January 20, 2008|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/entertainment/20080120_In_pop__you_can_already_feel_the_heat.html|title=Pop music: Things are warming up|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|accessdate=September 11, 2020}} The New York Times writer Touré says its "collection of seductive post-punk" evokes "the Pretenders, with lyrics about self-empowerment that harked back to the roaring female singer-songwriters of the 70's".{{cite news|author=Touré|author-link=Touré (journalist)|date=August 11, 2002|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/11/arts/music-the-hip-hop-generation-grabs-a-guitar.html|title=The Hip-Hop Generation Grabs a Guitar|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=September 11, 2020|url-access=subscription}} In "Ice King", Res details the story of a relationship with a drug dealer. "Golden Boys" comments that many popular and lauded people "aren't always what they seem".

How I Do was promoted with the release of two singles, "Golden Boys" and "They-Say Vision". "Golden Boys" reached number 30 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, spending nine weeks total on the tally.{{cite magazine |title=Chart Search: "Res – Golden Boys" |url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3ARes&f[1]=ss_chart_search_title%3A%2AGolden%20Boys%2A&f[2]=itm_field_chart_id%3A-&f[3]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=1&artist=Res&title=Golden%20Boys |magazine=Billboard}} The album itself sold 172,000 units in the US by June 2002.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ug8EAAAAMBAJ&q=res+how+i+do+172%2C000+billboard&pg=PA72|title=Urban Acts|publisher=Billboard|first=Margo|last=Whitmire|date=June 1, 2002|accessdate=November 25, 2018}}

Upon its release, the album failed to enter the Billboard 200 albums chart; however, in April 2002, nearly a year after its release, the album finally reached the chart, debuting at number 200.{{cite web |last1=Goodman |first1=Abbey |title=Ashanti Beats Tweet to Debut at #1 on Albums Chart |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1453350/ashanti-beats-tweet-to-debut-at-1-on-albums-chart/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616094648/http://www.mtv.com/news/1453350/ashanti-beats-tweet-to-debut-at-1-on-albums-chart/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 16, 2014 |website=MTV |publisher=Viacom |access-date=December 13, 2021 |date=April 10, 2002}} On the chart dated May 4, 2002, the album recorded a 25 percent gain in sales in the United States, leading it to jump from number 170 to 119 on that week's Billboard 200. That week, it also rose from number 11 to number 1 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. Billboard reported that the album's gain that week was attributable in part to a sale at Best Buy stores, but that sales gains were being reported at other chains, as well. The album ultimately attained a peak of number 115 on the Billboard 200, and spent a total of nine weeks on.

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|last=Unterberger|first=Richie|title=How I Do – RES|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/how-i-do-r539643|author-link=Richie Unterberger|work=Allmusic|accessdate=January 5, 2014}}

| rev2 = Robert Christgau

| rev2Score = {{Rating-Christgau|hm1}}{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|date=n.d.|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=4462&name=RES|title=CG: RES|website=robertchristgau.com|accessdate=September 11, 2020}}

}}

How I Do was met with positive reviews. Billboard named it "Critic's Choice" and noted how Res "effortlessly blends elements of rock, hip-hop, and R&B into a smoothed-out, soul-satisfying set".{{cite magazine |last=Hall |first=Rashaun |title=Reviews & Previews |magazine=Billboard |date=July 7, 2001 |volume=113 |issue=27 |page=23 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IxQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA23 |accessdate=June 23, 2019}} In a review-feature on contemporary neo soul albums, the Chicago Tribune{{'}}s Greg Kot said How I Do "simmers with trip-hop atmospherics and embraces rock guitars and reggae bass lines", as "cautionary tales about fame, the media and unpaid debts give Res' streetsmart grooves a deep-soul resonance that eludes many of her contemporaries."{{cite news|last=Kot|first=Greg|title=Neo-soul grows and grooves|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2001/09/28/neo-soul-grows-and-grooves/|access-date=January 5, 2014|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=September 28, 2001|author-link=Greg Kot}} Mark Anthony Neal, writing for PopMatters, applauded Santi White's lyrics concerning image and identity in the entertainment industry, particularly from the perspective of a black woman.{{cite web |last=Neal |first=Mark Anthony |title=Review: Res: How I Do |url=https://www.popmatters.com/res-how-2496048062.html |website=PopMatters |date=June 25, 2001 |accessdate=June 23, 2019}} Rolling Stone magazine's Tracy E. Hopkins ranked it fourth on her year-end list of top albums from 2001, making note of its mix of "new wave, alt rock, and a splash of reggae and hip-hop".{{cite magazine|date=December 26, 2001|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/our-critics-top-albums-of-2001-191912/|title=Our Critics' Top Albums of 2001|magazine=Rolling Stone|accessdate=September 11, 2020}}

Some reviewers were less enthusiastic. The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau relegated the release to the "honorable mentions" section of his "Consumer Guide" column. He singled out "Golden Boys" and "Ice King" as highlights while recommending the album merely as "something to suck on while you dream of Lauryn [Hill]".{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|date=September 18, 2001|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv901-01.php|title=Consumer Guide: Minstrels All|newspaper=The Village Voice|accessdate=September 11, 2020|via=robertchristgau}} AllMusic's Richie Unterberger deemed it "a competent and accomplished, and not great, crossover of soul, pop, rock, and some hip-hop-type beats", with production largely pop-based and lyrics somewhat different from typical R&B relationship songs.

In 2016, the webzine Treble included How I Do in a list of "10 Essential Neo-Soul Albums".{{cite web|url=https://treblezine.com/29575-10-best-neo-soul-albums/|title=10 Essential Neo-Soul Albums|website=Treble|accessdate=September 11, 2020|date=May 12, 2016}}

Track listing and credits adapted from CD liner notes{{cite AV media notes |title=How I Do |others=Res |date=2002 |type=CD liner notes |publisher=MCA Records |id=112 310-2 |location=Europe}} Retrieved 24 December 2022 from [https://www.discogs.com/release/3367742-Res-How-I-Do Discogs]. and Spotify.[https://open.spotify.com/album/4u50iZ3xFs19AxPRmakPYa How I Do by Res]. Spotify. Retrieved 24 December 2022. Except where noted, all lyrics are by Santi White.

{{Track listing

|total_length = 47:49

| title1 = Golden Boys

| music1 = Doc McKinney

| length1 = 4:38

| title2 = They-Say Vision

| music2 = McKinney

| length2 = 3:35

| title3 = 700 Mile Situation

| lyrics3 = {{hlist|Shareese Ballard|White|Kobie Eshun}}

| music3 = McKinney

| length3 = 4:10

| title4 = Ice King

| lyrics4 = {{hlist|Ballard|McKinney|Eshun}}

| music4 = {{hlist|McKinney|Acklins Dillon}}

| length4 = 4:46

| title5 = Sittin' Back

| music5 = {{hlist|McKinney|Dillon}}

| length5 = 4:05

| title6 = How I Do

| music6 = Patrick Lawrence

| length6 = 3:59

| title7 = If There Ain't Nothing

| music7 = {{hlist|McKinney|Dillon}}

| length7 = 3:24

| title8 = The Hustler

| music8 = Lawrence

| length8 = 3:48

| title9 = I've Known The Garden

| music9 = Jeremy Lapinski

| length9 = 3:38

| title10 = Let Love

| music10 = McKinney

| length10 = 3:53

| title11 = Tsunami

| music11 = Lapinski

| length11 = 7:48

| note11 = contains hidden track

}}

11. "Tsunami" – 4:28
12. "Toxic You"/"Say It Anyway" – 7:16

• Note: On the standard edition of the album the final track "Tsunami" has the hidden track "Say It Anyway" on the end, whereas the iTunes and special edition CD versions of the album come with "Tsunami" as an individual track and a bonus track called "Toxic You" accompanied with "Say It Anyway".

Credits adapted from CD liner notes.

;Musicians

• Res – lead vocals
• A Kid Called Roots – keyboards (6, 8), programming (6, 8)
• Blaxam – backing vocals (1, 4)
• Bose – various instruments (9), bass guitar (11), guitars (11)
• Soul Fingaz – Rhodes piano (1), keyboards (3), additional keyboards (4, 7)
• Mr. Khaliyl – bass guitar (5), drums (4, 5), programming (4, 5, 7), piano (7)
• Kobe – bass guitar (1-3), backing vocals (4)
• Doc McKinney – bass guitar (1, 4, 7), guitars (1-5, 7), programming (1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 11), Rhodes piano (1), keyboards (3-5, 7), drums (4), various instruments (10)
• Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (1)
• Steven Murray – drum programming (3)
• Chuck Treece – drums (1-3)

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

;Technical

• A Kid Called Roots – production (6, 8)
• Bose – production (9, 11)
• Mr. Khaliyl – production (4, 5, 7)
• Doc McKinney – production (1-5, 7, 10, 11), additional production (9), recording (1, 3, 4, 7, 10)
• Santigold – co-production (3)
• Tom DeKorte – recording (1-5, 9, 11)
• Jan Fairchild – mixing (1, 5, 10, 11)
• Gene Grimaldi – mastering
• Charles McCrory – recording (3)
• Neal H Pogue – mixing (2-4, 7, 9)

{{col-2}}

• Tony Prendatt – recording (6, 8)
• Blair Robb – recording (4, 5)
• Eddie Schreyer – mastering
• Chris Taylor – mixing (6, 8)

;Artwork

• Chuck Amos – hairstyling
• Lysa Cooper – styling
• Carolina Gonzales – makeup
• Soap Design Co. – design
• Tim Stedman – art direction, design
• Ellen von Unwerth – photography

{{col-end}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Res (singer) albums

Category:MCA Records albums

Category:2001 debut albums

Category:Neo soul albums

Category:Soul albums by American artists

Category:Post-punk albums by American artists