When Arista announced the release of Whitney Houston’s first
studio album in eight years I thought I knew what to expect: Diane
Warren, David Foster and Babyface.
They’re here. But Houston buried them.
In thirteen filler-free tracks we get an excellent “soft”
hip-hop album with sound crafted by some of the urban genre’s most
cutting edge producers. Overall, a good album for Lauryn Hill fans.
As pop music the grooves are addictive, as hip-hop they’re
austerely produced. There are exactly two, TWO big-voice ballads
and they both show admirable restraint for the sake of
virtuosity.
Marimba kicks off “It’s Not Right But It’s OK” produced by
Rodney Jerkins (of the Mary J. Blige sound), a track that’s tight
to perfection. Which is followed by “Heartbreak Hotel” featuring
the soulful vocals of Faith Evans and Kelly Price (the amazing
voice that backed Mariah Carey in her pre-
Butterfly albums), making an attitude-effective, vocally
layered record. The hidden track produced by Lauryn Hill “I Was
Made to Love Him” is the distinct Hill sound but curiously
disappoints as Houston struggles with urban interpretation.
Two tracks produced by the innovative Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot
gives Houston’s attitude a groove to match. “In My Business” has
Houston ranting with Missy rapping about “ho’s” in the background,
“Oh Yes” presenting Houston as sensuous, something she’s never
effectively been before.
My favorite track
is a ballad but “Until You Come Back” is so lightly sung you
can almost pass it off as blues. The other ballads are amazingly
nondescript; some Babyface blahs for sheer fan base maintenance, a
Warren-Foster big-voice that would’ve stuck out if it weren’t for
the attitude Houston maintains. And of course, the Mariah Carey
duet “When You Believe” which spectacularly duds under its
over-diplomatic vocal arrangement.
She’ll never do feats like seven Number Ones in a row with
My Love Is Your Love, but who needs that? Let Celine Dion
eat from the dish of chart glory. Houston has found a good sound
and finally cut a consistent record; this diva is going to
last.
