Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Master Class In Making an Album, February 24, 2005
Vanessa Williams' name conjures up a few different images. Miss America, timeless beauty, pop chanteuse, broadway diva or respected actress. Vanessa has worn so many hats that it doesn't come as a surprise that she has explored a myriad of musical styles in her recording career. Although her first two albums were paint by numbers R&B/pop collections that did pretty well on the charts, they did show some signs that the Divine Miss W had more to offer (including the brilliant rendition of What Can I Tell My Heart from the Comfort Zone album). The Sweetest Days if probably the closest Vanessa has come to showing the many different sides of her personality and the range of her talent. This collection is classy, urbane and extremely listenable. Vanessa never oversings or overreaches and truly found her "comfort zone". The standouts on this collection are the two Babyface compostions "You Can't Run" and Betcha Never. These songs both use a brazillian jazz theme and choose instrumentation that allows Vanessa to ride the groove instead of being overpowered by it. Vanessa also tackles You Don't Have To Say You're Sorry (by the criminally underated Patti Austin) with great success. Other great numbers are Sting's Sister Moon, Higher Ground (redone by Barbara Streisand in 1998) and one of Vanessa's greatest vocal performances, Constantly. A superb collection that I highly recommend.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
amazing album, May 8, 2004
By A Customer
I'm listening to the same cd I bought 10 years later, and I appreciate the songs now that I'm older,This is a beautiful album and definitely perfect for a romantic evening. My favorite track is Long Way Home, a very inspiring song a classic album by a under-rated artist with true talent
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Adult, Contemporary & Refined (But Funky)., August 30, 2000
Aging gracefully is a wonderful thing, isn't it? Adopting an amiable, yet classy and highbrow attitude on her third album, Vanessa Williams concocted a flawless, breezy suite of songs that touch on all facets of popular music, without sounding incongruous, forced or trendy. This is strictly adult music, crafted with a team of producers who know how to surround Ms. Williams expressive voice with the most full-bodied production of her career. The intro, a wah-wah guitar played over vibes, bass synth and keys, tells the listener right away that they will hear real MUSIC on this album, and the treasures never keep coming; from radio hits, "The Way That You Love Me"(tight, chunky drums, deep bass and a straightforward arrangement that works to great advantage) Latin flavored pop/soul ("'Betcha' Never" & "You Can't Run", two brilliant collaborations with Babyface) to orchestral torch songs and jazz ("You Don't Have To Say You're Sorry" & "Sister Moon" (featuring jazz legend Ron Carter on bass and Sting on background vocals) to the album's masterpiece, the jazz/hip-hop number "Ellamental" a tribute to the great Ella Fitzgerald. The chorus soars, the track is a bass heavy, delicious confection, and the rap by Soulman(?) is perfectly integrated. As an added bonus, trumpeter Roy Hargrove lays down a solo that gives the song a true, authentic jazz feel, you'll love "Ellamental". My personal favorite is the spare, acoustic ballad "Constantly" with it's simple, exotic beauty and gorgeous melody, it's a yearning, passionate ode to unrequited love for your best friend (a subject I'm all too familiar with). A strong, cohesive album that is still a refreshing change of pace. Music this creative and beautiful shows how truly boring, predictable and uninspired Soul Music has been for many years.
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