I Look To You

The the world can be a cold and unforgiving place sometimes.

Ms Houston has had her fair share of glory's glare but has
doubtless also stared into the darkness of the abyss.
That her instincts have not always been a reliable guide is
evident in a career which has, to my ears and eyes, never
seen her quite comfortable in her own skin.

Slave to the 80's dancing-disco-diva-machine; the
tight squeeze of Hollywood in the 90's; the lacklustre
last two albums 'My Love Is Your Love' and 'Just Whitney'.

One of the great voices of our time needed a whole
lot more nurture than both the industry and her
more fickle devotees were prepared to give her.

Finally that voice has found a home.
'I Look To You' is a revelation.
It is the recording she was born to make.

It is crucial, if you have not yet heard the album,
that you disregard observations that her voice is no
longer a worthy instrument. That she reaches for those
stratospherically high notes less often is eminently
sensible for a singer approaching her autumnal years
with dignity. The tone has deepened; the middle and
lower registers now carry the weight of both dynamic
power and expression. It is gloriously unforced.

She has chosen some great songs for her renaissance.

Two of the finest torch-songs of her late-flowering
are here. Mr Kelly's marvellous 'I Look To You' and
Diane Warren's 'I Didn't Know My Own Strength' are
both given blisteringly heart-felt emotional performances.
Hard but beautiful truths.

Up-tempo energy isn't lacking either : Mr Russell's
'A Song For You' is given a treatment every bit as
good as her account of Ms Lennox's 'Step By Step'.
It is a stomping and storming highlight.
So too the wonderfully funky gospel energy of 'For The Lovers'.

That Ms Houston is back is good reason to celebrate.
Nothing to apologise for and certainly nothing to forgive.
After all these years this is the real deal.

Essential.

It's finally here, Whitney's first studio album in nearly 7 years and thankfully it's a very solid album. They said they were going to keep the music true to Whitney and not to conform to todays music gimmicks and for the most part, they have achieved this. The album is very 'Whitney' but obviously has an up-to-date sound, probably achieved mostly through the use of the best producers of the moment. These include Swizz Beats, Danja, R.Kelly, David Foster, The Underdogs, C 'Tricky' Stewart, Dianne Warren, Stargate and Akon.

Overall the album is very balanced and well rounded with a good mix of up-tempos, mid-tempos and ballads. The first single 'Million Dollar Bill' is an up-tempo feel good track and is not a bad way to start of the album but it is far from the best song. The best ballad on the album is without a doubt 'I Look To You'. There is a real sincerity in Whitney's voice and the track is very moving. The Danja produced up-tempo cuts 'Nothin' But Love' and 'For Lovers' are really very good, especially 'For The Lovers' which builds up to a highly energetic chorus. Great stuff. Other stand out tracks include the Stargate produced 'Call You Tonight' which is a fantastic mid-tempo similar in style to Jennifer Hudson's 'Spotlight' only better. 'Salute' is a ballad with bite, dealing with the breakdown of a relationship.

Overall, the album is very positive, tasteful and of a high quality. Whitney's voice has changed since we last heard her but it is still undeniably Whitney. The album is Whitney from start to finish and there aren't really any tracks that should have been left out. It's definately a must have for Whitney fans, shes finally back and in a better place than she has been for years. Its also worth buying if you haven't previously bought any Whitney records as it is contemporary enough to be appreciated for that reason. The music is much better than what anyone else is putting out at the moment. A great musical effort (",)

The songs are great, very inspirational. It's like she has never been away. Wecome back Whitney, God Bless.