Subject (album)

Jack Smith of the BBC claimed "Although the tempos never rise above head-nodding, Dwele displays the versatility and scope to his voice (infusing classical jazz and love poetry in the form of an old school balladeer) that few newcomers can match, displaying a crooning style that is far more seasoned and seductive than an army of singers twice his age."{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Jack |title=BBC - Music - Review of Dwele - Subject |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/grbd/ |access-date=2024-12-19 |publisher=BBC |language=en-GB}}

John Bush of AllMusic noted "Mostly self-produced and recorded at his home in Detroit, Subject favors the gauzy beats-and-bliss production style of Slum Village auteur Jay Dee. Though it's a familiar format, it's one that works well as a bed for his vocal style, which uses odd cadences, extended phrasing, multiple layers of vocals, and often his own whispered responses to his main lines."

Del F. Cowie of Exclaim! remarked "Dwele's sound is organically soulful, couched in watery layers of Fender Rhodes keyboards and topped off by the smooth ambience of his spoken word cum rap vocal style. While that first EP entitled Rize, featured musical nuggets that sometimes only lasted a minute and veered into unexpected yet undeniably dope sonic directions, Subject finds Dwele's songwriting adhering closer to traditional song structure."{{Cite web |last=F. Cowie |first=Del |date=May 31, 2003 |title=Dwele - Subject |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/dwele-subject |access-date=2024-12-19 |publisher=Exclaim! |language=en}}

Christopher Sanders of the Miami New Times wrote "Singer/producer Dwele's debut album, Subject, is an exploration of the many idiosyncrasies that exist between lovers, set to a lush backdrop that is neither annoyingly contrived nor forcefully retro. His subtle, smooth numbers utilize an array of sounds and instruments."{{Cite web |last=Sanders |first=Christopher |title=Dwele |url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/dwele-6346123 |access-date=2024-12-19 |publisher=Miami New Times |language=en}}

PopMatters found "If there is anything transcendent about Dwele, like D’Angelo or any of his new soul predecessors, it’s that he is genuinely talented and, above all, refreshing. Subject, like Brown Sugar, is the type of album that can and probably will be played on repeat without wearing on any music listener’s nerves — if anything, it’s inspiring during each rotation."{{Cite web |date=2003-06-25 |title=Dwele: Subject |url=https://www.popmatters.com/dwele-subject-2495871196.html |access-date=2024-12-19 |publisher=PopMatters |language=en-US}}

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Poppa Yo (Intro)

| writer1 = Andwele Gardner

| extra1 = Dwele

| length1 = 2:37

| title2 = Truth

| writer2 = Gardner

| extra2 = Dwele

| length2 = 3:56

| title3 = Find a Way

| writer3 = {{hlist|Gardner|George Archie}}

| extra3 = G-One

| length3 = 4:09

| title4 = Twuneanunda

| writer4 = Gardner

| extra4 = Dwele

| length4 = 3:21

| title5 = A.N.G.E.L. (Interlude)

| writer5 = Gardner

| extra5 = Dwele

| length5 = 2:19

| title6 = Day at a Time

| writer6 = Gardner

| extra6 = Dwele

| length6 = 4:35

| title7 = Subject

| writer7 = Gardner

| extra7 = Dwele

| length7 = 4:01

| title8 = Sho Ya Right

| writer8 = {{hlist|Gardner|Bobby Ozuna|Glenn Standridge|Kelvin Wooten}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Jake and the Phatman|Kelvin Wooten ({{abbr|co.|co-producer}})}}

| length8 = 4:17

| title9 = Money Don't Mean a Thing

| writer9 = {{hlist|Gardner|Alfonzo Hunter|Ron Estill}}

| extra9 = Ronald "Ron E." Estill

| length9 = 3:30

| title10 = Hold On

| writer10 = {{hlist|Gardner|Dwayne Bastiany|Eric Roberson}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|Dwayne Bastiany|Eric Roberson ({{abbr|voc.|vocal producer}})}}

| length10 = 3:42

| title11 = Kick Out of You

| writer11 = Gardner

| extra11 = Dwele

| length11 = 4:07

| title12 = Without You

| writer12 = {{hlist|Gardner|Pete Kuzma}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Dwele|Pete Kuzma}}

| length12 = 4:07

| title13 = Whoomp (Interlude)

| writer13 = Gardner

| extra13 = Dwele

| length13 = 3:36

| title14 = Lady at Mahogany

| writer14 = Gardner

| extra14 = Dwele

| length14 = 4:07

| title15 = A.N.G.E.L. (Reprise)

| note15 = featuring Slum Village

| writer15 = {{hlist|Gardner|R.L. Altman III|Titus Glover}}

| extra15 = Dwele

| length15 = 3:50

| title16 = Let Your Hair Down

| writer16 = {{hlist|Gardner|Mischke Butler|Anthony Nance|A. VanDerVeer}}

| length16 = 4:12

| extra16 = Joint Custody

| title17 = Hold On (Remix) (featuring Kanye West)

| writer17 = {{hlist|Gardner|Dwayne Bastiany|West|Eric Roberson}}

| extra17 = {{hlist|Dwayne Bastiany|Eric Roberson ({{abbr|voc.|vocal producer}})}}

| length17 = 4:34

| total_length = 1:05:10

}}

• Dwele: lead and background vocals, drum programming, bass, guitar, keyboards, Fender Rhodes, trumpet, flugelhorn
• Jake and the Phatman: drum programming, turntables, percussion
• George "G-One" Archie: drum programming, synthesizers, Fender Rhodes
• Dave Foreman: guitar
• Kelvin Wooten: bass, guitar
• Todd Fairall, Chris Puram, Michelle Romero, Eric Roberson, Nikki Holliwood: Recording engineer
• Ronald Estill, Serban Ghenea, Kirk Yano, Dylan Koski-Budabin, Jean-Marie Horvat: mixing
• Tom Coyne: mastering
• Ronald Estill, Timothy Maynor: Executive producer
• Amanda Friedman, Andrew Dosunmu: Photography
• Bento Design: Art direction & design

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{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|155866|Dwele – Subject}}

{{Dwele}}

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Category:Dwele albums

Category:2003 debut albums

Category:Virgin Records albums

Category:Albums produced by G-One