Why the Sound of Res’ “How I Do” Remains Unmatched
Welcome to the world of raw, organic artistry in its purest form.
It’s been nearly two decades, and we can still find ourselves encapsulated in the realm of Philadelphia native, Shareese Renée Ballard, also known as Res. In June of 2001, Res released her trailblazing, debut album titled, “How I Do,” in which she showed the world what authenticity truly was by effortlessly blending pop, rock, and indie soul perfectly, blowing audiences away. On tracks like “Golden Boys” and “They Say-Vision,” Res debunks not only patriarchal standards of what it means to be successful, but she warns against the phoniness that comes with it by revealing that women like her see through the blatant facade. On Golden Boys, she sings:
“Why are you selling dreams of who you wish you could be
A prince in all of the magazines
They'd have no words for the man I've seen
Talk real fast 'fore they see your face”
Instead of trying to fit in by going with the crowd and lying to herself, Res advocates for self-expression and brutal honesty as a form of freedom. “How I Do” is the brilliant, unapologetic spirit of womanhood and culture brought to life, track by track. Res displays her ability to storytell, while also exhibiting a dynamic sound that was unique for an artist during her era, thanks to producers Santigold and Doc McKinney. Throughout the entire album, she maintains her signature cool, laidback style that draws audiences in and takes them to another dimension.
In her song “Ice King,” she details her encounter with a lover that is not only a drug dealer, but emotionally unavailable as well, making them seem very cold and detached. However, instead of trying to plead and beg for her lover to change their ways, Res takes the more difficult route and chooses to leave instead of trying to work things out. The song, while being almost five minutes, is a slow, soulful jam packed with melodious soft guitar and a steady drum pattern that any listener is sure to enjoy.
The ninth track on the album, titled, “I’ve Known the Garden” is an outward expression of love and dedication to a significant other—someone that she wants to spend the rest of her days with despite their apparent flaws. Throughout the song, Res alludes to having known different roses, or people that she’s been with, so this isn’t anywhere near her first rodeo when it comes to love. She’s been with a few people, but she believes that she’s finally found the right person to give her heart to. Now that she has finally found the perfect flower, she no longer has to search the garden and prick her fingers on the thorns of roses like she did before.
“Let Love” is a song that has a similar message, with optimism, vision, and promise, all being key themes that can be found in the lyrics. Res even goes as far as to profess her devotion to her lover by bringing up divinity, mentioning the names of Jah and Allah to talk about her faith in their relationship. “Let Love” is one of the more neo-soul based tracks on the album, with a playful tone and memorable chorus. Res maintains a stress-free narrative, choosing to not worry about the future and instead to live in the present moment. To express this further, she sings, “I wanna live today” towards the end of the song.
Tsunami, the eleventh and final track, is the perfect combination of R&B coated with just the right dash of Rock and Roll to top it off. It first begins gently, with romantic, storytelling chords that have a soulful feel with a hint of folk music as well. Similarly to the previous tracks, Res assures herself and her significant other that everything is going to be alright and that they need not worry as long as they have one another. The first five minutes of the seven minute song create somewhat of a sweet, R&B ballad, while the last two minutes consist of Res rocking out to loud drums and electric guitar.
Unfortunately, the music industry was not ready for the force that was Res. As a Black woman who didn’t fit into one specific genre of music, Res received limited commercial success for “How I Do,” which was indeed a rebel of its time. Though it appeared on the Billboard 200 and spent nine weeks on the chart, Res got very little appreciation that was due to her during her prime in music. However, time has aged her album like fine wine, showing true longevity—each song on the album has a quality replay value that has kept Res both in the music conversation, and performing throughout the years. Similarly to many Black women in music, Res was seen as someone who could not be marketed in the music industry because of her peculiar sound, as it was not seen as “Black enough” for urban audiences at the time, making her years ahead when it came to her craft.
Instead of fitting in with Philly peers like songstress Jill Scott, The Roots, and Musiq Soulchild, Res has created tunes that one might find more closely reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks or singer-songwriter Diana Gordon. These two artists have challenged the standards of music and dared to create waves in sound over the course of their careers. Still, while Res stands out from some of her musical peers, her influence over the Philadelphia music scene remains strong as ever.
Res’ career has shown the world that originality will always be one of the best qualities that an artist can offer to their audience. Despite pressure to be a conformist and sacrifice her creativity for fame and fortune, she chose to not sell out and to stay true to her sound. Although following certain fads and trends might seem like the popular thing to do, they eventually fade away, and true artistry will always outshine in the long run. “How I Do” is an avant-garde masterpiece in its own right, one that sounds like no other.