Real Thing

Vanessa Williams | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 2, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Concord Records
• ASIN: B0025X4P24
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,573 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Breathless

2. Hello Like Before

3. Loving You

4. Just Friends

5. The Real Thing

6. Lazy Afternoon

7. Close To You

8. I Fell In

9. October Sky

10. Come On Strong

11. If There Were No Song

Editorial Reviews

This is Vanessa Williams' Concord Records debut and her first album in more than four years. In her own words, The Real Thing is "a potpourri of breezy Latin rhythms, sultry jazz standards and dreamy pop sketches," and delves into the sophisticated pop and R&B that have been the hallmark of her dynamic musical career. Vanessa has garnered a total of 16 Grammy nominations and sold millions of albums throughout her musical career. She continues be one of the most respected and multi-faceted performers in entertainment, who has conquered the musical charts, Broadway, videos, TV and motion pictures. Vanessa Williams can currently be seen in the hit television series Ugly Betty and in the blockbuster film Hannah Montana: The Movie. The Real Thing is produced by Grammy Award winner Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Keith Thomas, Rob Mathes, and Rex Rideout.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Vanessa Williams is The Real Thing June 2, 2009

By SM

Format:Audio CD

Its no secret that I love Vanessa Williams in terms of her acting and music presence. I have seen her in concert twice and each time has been phenomenal. I have had the chance to listen to the album for a while now and here is my review!

1. Breathless.
Very sensual and romantic, with a catchy hook that keeps you humming breathless long after the song is over. Vanessa is known for her soft take on romance and this is a stellar track to open the album.

2. Hello Like Before.
Love this one a lot. I love jazz, and what made this song really stand out is the clear, pitch perfect vocals, along with the string arrangements and oh that sax! The lyrics are memorable and poignant, and Vanessa pours such emotion into the song, its hard not to reminance on your past loves.

3. Loving You.
Full blown jazz, that boasts great lyrics. I am not surprised Babyface penned this one. A sure winner at Weddings and smoky jazz clubs.

4. Just Friends.
Great song. Vanessa is stunning in the video and caresses the ear with her pristine vocal styling and charisma. Again penned by Babyface, the tune is memorable and should do well on the charts with the right promotion. Get it on the airwaves.

5. The Real Thing.
Vanessa loves to salsa. If you've been to her concerts, she always end with "Betcha Never" in full blown salsa splendor. This song is a hit. I was shocked at first when I realized it floated on a full blown spanish rhythm but immediately got sucked in with her perfect take on the Stevie Wonder written ballad. Again get it on the air, shrill it on Dancing with the stars, do a video for it. It's a solid track....

The remaining tracks "Lazy Afternoon" and "Come On Strong", lie on the jazz scale with the former being a soothing afternoon ode of jazz and cocktails with the latter paying homage to Wilhelmina Slater. Its campy and playful, much like her character which as we know, if you're going to come to Willy, you better come on strong!

"Close to You", to me is the most disappointing track. I like the song, but hate the arraignment. Vanessa sounds great, but the song falls a little flat because of its lackluster production. Its a shame because Vanessa looks downright sultry in the video.

"I Fell In" seems strange among this collection, sounding more pop than along the lines of Jazz or latin music. The arrangement do get too heavy at times, obscuring rather than highlighting Vanessa's vocals. It doesn't quite reach the standards of "Save The Best For Last", but then again, what song can ever match the classic.

October Sky, features a duet with Javier, whose second album I own. It was a pleasant surprise, though he's barely in the song vocally. Vanessa leads the way through much of the song, and thats fine because she sounds superb.

And finally closing the album is "If there is no song", Vanessa once again mesmerizes us with fine vocals in breathy latin vibes.

I must profess my excitement for Vanessa's return to music, it is much welcomed and very enjoyable. So fellow fans and music lovers, dig in and enjoy, all in all, the album is a solid hit. Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Creative Genius at Work in the Real Thing August 19, 2009

By ALLEN

Format:Audio CD

I listened to this CD several times before I turned to Amazon.com to see what the reviews had to say about Vanessa's latest singing venture and was pleasantly surprised to see that the vast majority of the listeners felt as I did. This is a splendid album combing both jazz and salsa with a lot of romance mixed in. It is not a "pop" album like the latest Lionel Ritchie offering, which was terribly disappointing since he is such a fine singer. However, Vanessa does not disappoint in this CD. I have purchased and listened to everyone of her albums and she just gets better with age. Vanessa's vocal range continues to improve and her selection of songs are just outstanding. This is the type of music you want to listen to on a lazy afternoon as one of the songs suggests. It is music that truly sooths the savage soul within us. While there is no doubt she is one of the most beautiful women in the universe, a great actress, and an outstanding dancer, she completes her being with wonderful singing. She truly is one of our treasures and this album only confirms these observations. Don't wait any longer - go buy it and treat yourself - I promise that you won't be sorry you did.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Vanessa's Latin Jazz June 4, 2009

By Dr. Feel

Format:Audio CD

Vanessa Williams returns with her first (non-Christmas) CD of mostly original recordings since her 1997 "Next" album. Produced by Babyface, Rex Rideout, Keith Thomas and Rob Mathes (her guitar player), this album is different from previous offerings in that this time around, VW ventures into Latin rhythms and jazz with a "Big Band" influence.

That's not a bad thing at all, since VW definitely has the voice and the talent for this type of music, and since most of her earlier albums contained at least one Brazilian-style or jazzy song on it (e.g. "Betcha Never"), this just seems to be consistent with her style these days. No, this is not "The Right Stuff" or "The Comfort Zone", this is "The Real Thing" so some fans may have a hard time diggin' this music. VW is now a mature, successful and accomplished singer & actress, so there's no need to make dance music sampling "New Jack" beats and Keith Sweat songs as was the case in 1988 when she had to compete with Janet Jackson, Vesta, Angela Winbush, Shanice Wilson and others to obtain a hit. To VW, these songs are more personal and emotional, not what's commercially expedient. Not to say that VW has abandoned R&B/dance music completely, it seems that's just not where she's focused at this point in her musical career.

This music is great for jazz-standard fans. Vanessa's voice sounds great, the band is tight and the music is soothing. But the downside is that some of the songs towards the end of the album are just not that interesting. These are not songs that you will be humming in your head all day long. This isn't a fantastic CD, but it's not a throw-away either. It's just a little different. If you're a die-hard VW fan like me, and if you like Latin-jazz, you'll enjoy most of these songs....

Best tracks are:
Breathless (reminiscent of VW's signature R&B sound)
Hello Like Before (a light tango and a Bill Withers cover/composition)
Loving You (a Big-Band-Billie-Holiday-ish tune co-written by Babyface)
Just Friends (very nice mid-tempo song written by Babyface)
The Real Thing (a salsa w/ Latin-flavored horns, written by Stevie Wonder)
Lazy Afternoon (a jazz standard, although I prefer Patti Austin's version)
Close To You (very nice w/ a breezy acoustic guitar and violins)

Enjoy "The Real Thing"! Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Vanessa's music grabs you by the throat and wonderfully takes you along June 5, 2009

By Matthew G. Sherwin HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Vanessa Williams ranks high in my book; she has incredible talent and I'm very impressed. Vanessa always gives blood to make her performances shine; and this album was worth the wait! Vanessa tackles some pretty special numbers on this CD; and she always succeeds. She makes it all look easy; but it's her talent that carries her through. The quality of the sound is excellent and I love that artwork!

"Breathless" starts the album; and just as she sings about "candlelight and a glass of wine," feel free to do just that--kick back after a hard day at work and relax with a glass of your favorite wine! This is the perfect mood music for relaxation or a warm, unconditionally loving romance; Vanessa delivers this with panache. The music fits in perfectly with her vocals; this is all THAT good! Other numbers that stand out would include "Hello Like Before" with its jazzy, romantic flavor; "Loving You" with its strong, jazzy arrangement that charms me every time I hear it; "If There Were No Song" with its awesome percussion and flair--what a Latin flavor this number has! It's dynamic, to say the least.

Vanessa also proves she's still got what it takes with other songs like "Just Friends;" I really like this number. The texture of the song is quite appealing and Vanessa never lets go of a superfluous note, either! The piano arrangement is particularly sophisticated. In addition, "Close To You" features Vanessa squarely front and center--right where she belongs!

Vanessa Williams gives us a spectacular new album that shines bright and proves she's got the chops to do whatever she wants to do. I highly recommend this CD for her fans; and it even makes a strong starter CD for people just getting into the magical artistry of Vanessa Williams!

Great job, Vanessa!... We love you! Read more ›