Learning from Falling

2002 studio album by Lamya

Learning From Falling

Studio album by

Lamya

Released| 30 July 2002
Genre|

* R&B
* dance
* trip hop

Length| 54:37
Label| J
Producer|

* Peter Edge
* Nellee Hooper
* David Kahne
* Lamya
* Lester Mendez
* Soulshock & Karlin
* The Soundhustlers

Singles from  Learning From Falling

1. "Empires (Bring Me Men)"
Released: 23 September 2002
2. "Black Mona Lisa"
Released: 2002

Learning from Falling is the debut studio album by British singer Lamya. It was released on 30 July 2002 through J Records. The singer worked with Nellee Hooper on most of the album, while Mark Ronson, David Kahne, duo Soulshock & Karlin, and others also contributed. Lamya co-wrote and co-produced on all of Learning from Falling's 13 tracks, with "Pink Moon," a Nick Drake cover, being the only exception.

The album earned largely positive reviews from music critics but was a commercial failure, reaching number 16 on the US Top Heatseekers chart only. A remix of the album's debut single "Empires (Bring Me Men)," produced by Sander Kleinenberg, became a number one hit on Billboard's Hot Dance/Club Play chart.[1] Second single "Black Mona Lisa" was covered by British R&B singer Maria Lawson on her eponymous album.

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [2]
USA Today| [3]

USA Today editor Steve Jones found that "At her best, Lamya is a genre-defying artist whose exotic rhythms, ethereal vocals and eccentric lyrics create a hypnotic mix [...] and while Lamya has songs that lean more toward traditional pop, she's most intriguing when, as on "Perfect Girl," she doesn't try to fit the mold. She succeeds by celebrating her quirks."[3] Michael Paoletta, writing for Billboard, found that with Learning from Falling, Lamya "exudes a confidence that is not studied or learned, but simply is [...] Sensual, mysterious, and provocative, Learning From Falling shines brightly."[4]

Exclaim! critic Michael Edwards felt that Lamya "might just seem like another talented R&B star in the making, but her debut album has more depth than your run of the mill disc, thanks to some real talent. Lamya possesses a voice that is reminiscent of Nelly Furtado and Nicolette, but with a little girl sound that will prove to be an acquired taste for some people. Despite that, there are enough radio-friendly moments present to propel her into the mainstream spotlight, for at least a few minutes anyway."[5] John Bush from AllMusic wrote that "there are a few promising tracks here, but as soon as she (and, more importantly, her executive producers) begin focusing on what can make her sound unique instead of bankable, she'll be able to get some great, consistent work done."[2]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Learning from Falling reached number 16 on the US Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.[6]

## Track listing

[edit]

Learning from Falling track listingNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Producer(s)| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Empires (Bring Me Men)"|

* Lamya
* Major

* Nellee Hooper
* Lamya[a]

| 5:07
2.| "East of Anywhere"|

* Lamya
* Major

* Hooper
* Lamya[a]

| 3:57
3.| "Black Mona Lisa"|

* Lamya
* Major

* Hooper
* Lamya[a]

| 4:22
4.| "Never Enough"|

* Lamya
* Andres Levin
* Camus Celli

* David Kahne
* Lamya[a]

| 4:13
5.| "Judas Kiss (Brutus Diss)"|

* Lamya
* Louis Metoyer
* Justin Stanley

* Stanley
* Mark Ronson
* The Soundhustlers
* Lamya[a]

| 3:49
6.| "Full Frontal Fridays"|

* Lamya
* Major

* Hooper
* Lamya[a]

| 4:19
7.| "I Get Cravings"|

* Lamya
* Stanley
* Ronson

* Stanley
* Ronson
* The Soundhustlers
* Lamya[a]

| 4:56
8.| "Splitting Atoms"|

* Lamya
* Stanley
* Ronson

* Stanley
* Ronson
* The Soundhustlers
* Lamya[a]

| 4:08
9.| "Never's Such a Long Time"|

* Lamya
* Rick Nowels

* Kahne
* Lamya[a]

| 4:27
10.| "The Woman Who"|

* Lamya
* Charles Stepney
* Richard Rudolph

* Soulshock & Karlin
* Lamya[a]

| 4:42
11.| "The Perfect Girl"|

* Lamya
* Ronald Tomlinson
* Donald George McLean

* Hooper
* Lamya[a]

| 3:21
12.| "Pink Moon"| Nick Drake|

* Lamya
* Peter Edge

| 2:47
13.| "Black Mona Lisa" (single mix)|

* Lamya
* Major

* Hooper
* Lamya[a]
* Lester Mendez[b]

| 4:10
Total length:| 54:37

International bonus track[7]No.| Title| Writer(s)| Producer(s)| Length

|
|
|
|

14.| "Bed I Never Made"|

* Lamya
* Carsten Schack
* Kenneth Karlin

* Soulshock & Karlin
* Lamya[a]

| 4:09
Total length:| 58:28

Notes

* ^[a] denotes co-producer(s)
* ^[b] denotes remix producer(s)

## Personnel

[edit]

* Lamya: Vocals
* Rusty Anderson – guitar
* Karen Elaine Bakunin – viola
* Chandru – violin
* Sal Cuevas – bass
* Aloke Dasgupta – sitar
* Allan Gibson – standup bass
* Lukasz Gottwald – guitar
* Jimmy Hogarth – guitar
* David Kahne – bass, keyboards, programming
* Teddy Kumpel – guitar
* Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums, percussion

* Manny Lopez – guitar
* Will Malone – arranger, conductor
* Ralph Morrison – violin
* Rick Nowels – balalaika
* Shawn Pelton – drums, percussion
* Sara Perkins – violin
* Ian Rossiter – programming
* Marsha Skins – violin
* The Soulhusters – beats, multi-instruments
* Merlyn Sturt – viola
* Fabien Waltman – programming
* Adam Zimmon – guitar

|

## Charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for Learning from Falling Chart (2002)  | Peak
position

|

US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[8] | 16

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 151.
2. ^ a b Bush, John. "Allmusic review". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
3. ^ a b Jones, Steve. "Maturity from Mario; 'Learning' from Lamya". USA Today. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
4. ^ Paoletta, Michael (10 August 2002). "Reviews & Previews – Spotlights". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
5. ^ Edwards, Michael (1 November 2002). "Lamya, Learning From Falling". Exclaim!. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
6. ^ "Learning From Falling – Lamya : Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
7. ^ "Learning from Falling – International Version". Spotify. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
8. ^ "Lamya Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 3, 2024.

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

*[No.]: Number