Michelle Williams
Heart To Yours
Music World / Columbia
Folks, there’s usually a very good reason why someone’s a back-up singer, which becomes all-too-apparent when s/he tries to step into the limelight. Fortunately, for all involved, Michelle Williams, unlike many in the Destiny’s Child revolving door, can legally claim that she can sing. But barely. Her voice is quite, quite thin and can barely carry a song all the way through. Another fortunate stroke, however, is that Williams’ handlers also realize the woman’s limitations. So, we don’t have to suffer the vocal paroxysms for which her leader, Beyoncé Knowles, is notorious.
But, that’s pretty much where Lady Luck stops smiling. She gives us three relatively enjoyable songs: the “neo-soul,” D’Angelo-sounding “Heard A Word”; the quirky duet with Mary Mary, “So Glad”; and the BeBe and CeCe Winans’ “Heaven” with Carl Thomas. Beyond that oh-so-powerful triumvirate, we are subjected to nine mediocrities that really and truly make you wonder if R&B is dead. Williams either doesn’t have the talent or the backing to separate her from the schlock-ridden pack of today’s “urban” music, and her executive producer, Daddy Knowles, doesn’t seem willing to see which is the case by providing her with a dope-ass production team. Instead, it seems like he just wanted to make a quick buck with minimal effort – or he didn’t want the other Destiny solo projects to outshine his baby girl’s whenever it debuts. Whatever the reason, it feels as though there was very little effort put into this album, and Michelle and us are the worse for it.
Music World Music: http://www.musicworldmusic.net • Columbia Records: http://www.columbiarecords.com • Michelle Williams: http://www.michellewilliamsonline.com
