Product Description:
Personnel includes: Whitney Houston (vocals); Michael Thompson, Greg Charley (guitar); Greg Phillanganes (piano); Wayne Linsy (Fender Rhodes piano); Teddy Bishop (keyboards, programming); Nathan East, Reggie Hamilton (bass); Ricky Lawson (drums); Babyface, Kenya Ivey, Gordon Chambers, Tweet, Sharlotte K. Gibson, Gary Houston, Sheree Ford-Payne, Latrelle Ford-Payne, Sonnie Giddieons, Antonique Smith (background vocals).
Scads of personal drama may have been central to Whitney Houston's life subsequent to the release of 1998's MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE, but 2002's triumphant JUST WHITNEY proved to be a nice comeback. Surrounded by a top-shelf talent pool of producers including Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Babyface, and Missy Elliott, Houston struck gold. Highlights range from the playful "One of Those Days" (featuring a sample of The Isley Brothers' "Between the Sheets") and juicy Missy-penned-and-produced slow jam "Things You Say" (featuring harmonies by Tweet) to the defiant "Unashamed".
Unsurprisingly, this defensive attitude continues to pop up whether it's in the line "I'll live my life the way I feel/ No matter what I'll keep it real" punctuating "Try It On My Own" or the stand-by-my man Bobby Brown duet "My Love." Even Houston's cover of '70s schmaltzfest "You Light Up My Life" seems like an attempt to capture lightning in a bottle a la "I Will Always Love You." JUST WHITNEY proved to be a nice rebound for a massive talent whose recent public attention revolved far too little around her God-given musical talent.
Entertainment Reviews:
Entertainment Weekly - 12/13/02, pp.79-80
"...In her third decade as a diva, Houston remains a formidable role model for IDOL wannabes, proving that a great voice goes a long way toward kicking adversity in the butt." -
Rating: B-
