My Love Is Your Love - Whitney Houston > Reviews > Diva alert

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Great lyrics, singer and producers
Disadvantages:	Hard to keep the standard throughout

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

For a few years before this album Whitney Houston seemed to have disappeared off the music scene, and the only time she was in the news was when she had a fight with husband Bobby Brown. Then she returned with this album, and it was truly worth the wait.

Now in her mid 30's her music is taking a new direction. The songs are still catchy but less poppy, and far removed from her last release in 1990, "I'm Your Baby Tonight".

This album was recorded in 6 weeks, which is record time for Whitney, and this may have more to do with the experienced producers she worked with than her own motivation. Once again, she works with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, however the difference on this album is that the production team also includes Wyclef Jean, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, Soulshock and Karlin, Lauryn Hill, and Rodney Jerkins, who is a 21 year old revelation in the US.

There are some other collaborations on the album with Faith Evans, Kelly Price, and most surprisingly Mariah Carey, considering their supposed rivalry. Her daughter Bobbi also sings on "My Love is Your Love", which gives the album the "aaaaw" factor.

This album is about Whitney laying her personal life open for all to see. The songs are about cheating men, a high profile marriage and solidarity with your partner.

The album starts with "It's Not Right But It's Okay". This was the first release from the album, and it is a great start. This is one of the standout tracks on the CD, and it is Houston telling her man she is fed up of his cheating ways.

The first collaboration on the album is the next track. "Heartbreak Hotel" is a beautiful ballad of lost love, and the voices of Faith Evans and Kelly Price are perfect compliments to Houston.

Wyclef Jean produced the reggae influenced "My Love Is Your Love". Albeit a little far fetched that Whitney will ever be a down and out, it is still a classic song.

"If I Told You That" is a dance/funk track, and is a great track to have mid album as it gets the feet tapping.

Not only did Missy Elliot produce on the album, she also joined Whitney for the next track, "In My Business", but I am afraid her addition on the song left it a little flat for me, and would have been better if had stayed on the other side of the microphone.

A great ballad next with a certain oooomph! "I Learned From The Best". A woman gets her revenge by giving an ex some of his own treatment. Whitney's voice is amazing on this song, and the video that goes with it is great.

The only down point of the album is that you have the best songs at the beginning, and while the rest of the songs are good, I felt it meandered on with "Oh Yes", "Get It Back" and "Until You Come Back".

"I Bow Out" and "You'll Never Stand Alone" are Houston of old, and while they are good tracks, they never match the first half of the album.

The final track "I Was Made To Love Him" his actually a Stevie Wonder cover with a gender change!

There is less warbling on this album, and that is to Houston's credit. Her best album to date.