The first track, "Relating to a Psychopath" could just as easily fit on Beck's "Odelay" as it does on "The Id". It's a psychedelic rock and R&B jam that sets the entire mood for the cd. "Sexual Revolution" is a 60's song for a millennium crowd--sassy, sexy and completely groove-worthy. The stand out "Sweet Baby," featuring Erykah Badu is reminiscent of Gray's first album, but with much richer orchestration. "Gimme All Your Lovin...," although lyrically disturbing, is such an incredible song musically, that you can overlook the rather morbid lyrics. "Don't Come Around" is a jazzy blues ballad in which you can't help but hear Aretha's influence. "Freak Like Me" and "Harry" are the album's guilty pleasures--pop songs that are so well produced that you forget that they're pop songs. And finally, one of my personal favorites, "Forgiveness," which is smooth like butter and an all-around beautiful song. I only wish that it ended the album.

There are a few "odd" choices, for lack of a better word. I could definitely do without "Hey Young World," even though it's cool to see Macy do a song with Slick Rick. The other complete Miss is the freaky "Oblivion," which is part Cabaret, part Fiddler on the Roof and part Carnival Sideshow. It honestly has no place on this otherwise flawless album, and takes my rating down to 4 stars.

Buy this cd with an open mind and don't expect to hear a boring carbon copy of "On How Life Is" or you'll be disappointed. "The Id" stands on it's own as a unique and worthwhile sophomore effort. Miss Gray...Take a bow.

taste of the id
Macy Gray is hardly an attractive star in today's music arena; and her sandpaper-coarse voice while unique, may actually sound irritating to some. But still, she debuted with an impressive first album that already mixed funk, soul, hip-hop and dance.

Bringing this formula into her second album and adding rock and pop ainto the melting pot of hers, Macy showcases a second wonderful album of gems. The first single, Sweet Baby (an I Try follow-up of sorts), features the nice but understated harmonies of Erykah Badu. Seemingly inane songs like Relating To A Psychopath and Give Me ALl Ya Lovin' (Or I WIll Kil You) are actually fun and funky. But expect nothing radically different from Life.

Overall the album delivers with some punch that is often lacking in many artists' followup. And this album has already topped the UK album charts. If you hate her, she's gonna be around for a while to stalk you.

Macy Gray has saved R&B from a sea of lame groups like Boyz II Men and Backstreet Boys.

I remember hearing Sexual Revolution one day (or rather seeing the video) and being blown away by it. What a great song and video. There's nary a bad song on the album. Heck, most albums are lucky to have TWO songs that are good on them!

Macy Gray actually has REAL INSTRUMENTS playing on her songs! Not just some computerized drum machine noise. Not that some music with drum machines and computers can't be great, but most of it isn't. Macy rocks the music world hard. Her songs are actually about something, they aren't just fluff!

I was so burned out and bitter on the status of R&B. I usually listen to rock, but Macy has restored my faith in R&B. R&B was great in the 50's, 60's, 70's. It died in the 80's. And now it's back, baby! Rock on Macy, honey!
Macy Gray burst onto the scene in 1999 with her critically and comercially well received debut on how life is. On that album, Macy used her scratchy, quiet, and completely unique voice in a mixture of bizarre playful funky songs and many slow, soulful ballads. On Macy's second album, the id, she proves that life was not a fluke, but the album is scattered and many of the songs are missing the playful funk that made her debut great. The albums best songs are the soulful ballads, including dont come around, harry and sweet baby. The album does offer some unique gems, songs only Macy would be able to pull off without sounding irritating or disturbing. The opening tack is relating to a physchopath, where she scolds her lover for admiring someone so deranged while at the same time cooing 'you are so good at keeping me company". Another classic is "hey young world", where Macy, an unlikely role model (she admitted to experimenting with drugs), pleas with future generations to respect their parents and to stay out of trouble. Macy shows in this song that her often ridiculed squeaky voice, which is her most unique and important quality as an artist, can be strong and powerful. The other great song on here is gimme me all your lovin or i will kill you. When Macy squeals" i have lost my mind" it neither worries nor bothers you that you completly believe her and its doubtful that many other artists could pull off this song so effectively. However, sometimes macy's weirdness works against her. Oblivion pushes the limit lyrically but musically sounds like bad carnival music. The other problem with this album is that many of the ballads end up sounding similar and repetitive. In the end, this offers many treats but you'd like to see macy get funky in a more diverse and focused way. This album proves macy as a legitimate artist capable of pushing the limits of soul and pop music, but she hasnt quite reached her own limit yet.

B Is Cool Again!
Please disregard my 3-star review...Macy Gray's The Id is definitely above even 4 stars!!!!!!!!!!

I've been trying to delete the frigen thing and it aint gone...

Very Funky. Very Groovy. And Also Very Funny Too.
In 1999, Macy Gray's On How Life Is filled a void that no one knew existed. The eccentric singer's unusual voice--more sand than gravel--and her eyebrow-raising lyrics consumed a massive space that was accessible but also controversial. After all the hype surrounding her just-add-water superstardom, the daunting question her follow-up, The Id, must answer is how well she can weather the abundant exposure. Over the course of Gray's second album, the novelty of her vocal style is somewhat tempered by her limited range. That said, what she lacks in octave-conquering she and producer Rick Rubin more than make up for in creativity. The album's many eclectic singles stand strong. "Psychopath" opens the disc with a wall-of-sound block party; it's a funky, celebratory track, well endowed with twangy surf guitar, glimpses of theremin, a ragga-inspired bass line, and lots of goodies floating in the song's highest register (backing vocals, splashes of cymbals, piano). Gray's album also benefits from a host of R&B and hip-hop guests, including Slick Rick, Sunshine Anderson, Angie Stone, Mos Def, and most notably Erykah Badu, who supports Gray on "Sweet Baby," a moving uptempo ballad that easily rivals the best that '70s soul has to offer. Once again, her lyrical sensibility is gripping, vacillating from whimsical ("Oblivion") to disturbing ("Gimme All Your Lovin' or I Will Kill You"). In all, Macy Gray continues to wave her R&B freak flag while digging deep in the trenches of the vividly real. --Beth Massa