Whitney Houston – I Look to You

by Soraya Abdulatief Email · Print

It's Whitney, bitch! Not really. She's already done that with Just Whitney (2002), the album that starts off with "Whatchulookinat? It's time to strike back".

So how does Whitney fare in the bootylicious age of Beyonce?

I Look to You is every inch the prodigal bad daughter makes good. It's carefully crafted to pull all the right strings. From the fetching album cover portrait* of Whitney in an off- the-shoulder white dress that echoes the cover of her Whitney Houston debut (1985) and the polished mix of pop kissed with gospel overtones to VIP cameos for the singer producer of the moment, Akon. Their duet "Like I Never Left" reveals the true invocation of her 'comeback': "I want you to love me, like I never left".

Though things start off well with the Alicia Keys produced "Million Dollar Bill", followed by the catchy "Nothing But Love", you'll soon wonder just how much her husky voice has been processed. Maybe you'll fidget with your earphones, or turn the volume up. Not to worry she does get stronger. But it's still not 'The Voice' you remember. That voice could leave a heap of pop tarts gasping to hit the high notes. That voice could take on Beyonce.

"Nothing But Love" wipes the slate clean with lyrical admissions like "I ain't blaming nobody if I ain't got my stuff worked out". "Salute" with its lilting reggae feel, great background piano solo and comeback confessional "I'm a soldier girl, in my world, I took the fall, now I stand tall, I made it though" is also bad girl gone good.

Elsewhere soulful prayers like the title track's "Heaven hear me now, I’m lost without a home..." and higher powered ballad "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" remind us that The Preacher’s Wife (1996) is still the highest grossing gospel album to date and that Whitney's God-love ballads sell big time. But you'll also find a glimmer of the old romantic Whitney in, "Call You tonight", "Worth It" and "For the Lovers" which are all, in true Whitney style, about restrained sexiness.

So how does Whitney fare in the bootylicious age of Beyonce? Well, the album lacks the sass of her previous work. It's dignified, and yes, she's definitely back, but true fans will wonder: where's the bang?

*Urgh…Hate the album cover. Doesn't she look like a Dynasty wax figure? What happened to that legendary sense of style and cheeky youthfulness?

*My favourite Whitney albums are The Bodyguard (1992) and My Love Is Your Love (1998).

What's your favourite Whitney album?

Play clips from this album

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Michelle 1/28/2010 12:47 PM Rate it:: So what, she's been through a few things, in her life, all that matters is she has risen above that,I love her new album,dont care about the voice, can still hear it's Whitney,no matter what you can't mistake it for someone else's voice...keep shining Whitney!!!

E 9/10/2009 12:19 PM: I do love it when people who know nothing make comments as if they know everything. Here's the deal: I'm in the entertainment industry and had years of singing training. Whitney has already publicly admitted that her voice isn't what it used to be and is currently in vocal training to restore it. The woman is obviously older. She's aged. Of course she's not going to look flawless on her album cover. It's sad that so many of you want to break her down as if you know her. How about stepping out of your little world and respecting her as an artist...or are you so stupid and deluded that you take this stuff personally?

Nikki 9/10/2009 11:06 AM: @THANANG...I'm white & you are black...so what? At least I can spell & I have a matric certificate...

fred smith 9/9/2009 5:03 PM: can anyone say "crack ho'"? took a very talented airbrush artist to make these pictures look human.

fred smith 9/9/2009 5:02 PM: can anyone say "crack ho'"? took a very talented airbrush artist to make these pictures look human.

thanang 9/9/2009 4:52 PM: you people who think whitney is bad looking , nikki " look like crack" . you probably are WHITE. consider the fact that she is not 20 anymore , she probably reaching 50. damm .... somebody compares her to Beyonce who definetely cant sing but with the great body. i have not yet listened to his song. im sure you dont want whitney to be singing bootylicuis

fred smith 9/9/2009 4:46 PM: can anyone say "crack ho'"? took a very talented airbrush artist to make these pictures look human.

fred smith 9/9/2009 4:46 PM: can anyone say "crack ho'"? took a very talented airbrush artist to make these pictures look human.

Sean 9/9/2009 4:37 PM Rate it:: What an insult comparing Whitney to Beyonce. Beyonce comes across as a glorified (transvestite) prostitute selling music whereas Whitney is known for her voice (although admittedly not what it used to be) first! I think this is a solid album not as great as say Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts but definitely worth the buy.

Sibi 9/9/2009 3:45 PM: @Nikki - if you not a fan why bother reading reviews about her - Get a life!!! How do you know she' still on crack?

Sibi@Nikki 9/9/2009 3:42 PM: So you know people are still on crack by judging their pictures???? If you are not a fan why bother reading reviews about her - get a life.

Rushdi 9/9/2009 2:41 PM Rate it:: a disappointing mess of an album - said as someone who loved whitney from 1985 to 2002, when that even worse mess just whitney was released. after 7 years, 11 tracks is all she and clive can come up with?? and of all the tracks they took 3,5 years + to record, THIS is the best they could find?? nee man, order new songwriters then. with all clive davis' experience, could he not hear that LIKE I NEVER LEFT is not a SONG, it's a lame-a** attempt at a song?? after waiting for 7 years, i was done with this album after 3 listens. there are no hit singles here, keep walking... after she appears on oprah in the us next week, the album will sell healthy in second week, then just drop like a bomb because there are no (zero, nil, nada) hit singles on this album!

Rushdi 9/9/2009 2:41 PM Rate it:: a disappointing mess of an album - said as someone who loved whitney from 1985 to 2002, when that even worse mess just whitney was released. after 7 years, 11 tracks is all she and clive can come up with?? and of all the tracks they took 3,5 years + to record, THIS is the best they could find?? nee man, order new songwriters then. with all clive davis' experience, could he not hear that LIKE I NEVER LEFT is not a SONG, it's a lame-a** attempt at a song?? after waiting for 7 years, i was done with this album after 3 listens. there are no hit singles here, keep walking... after she appears on oprah in the us next week, the album will sell healthy in second week, then just drop like a bomb because there are no (zero, nil, nada) hit singles on this album!

Nikki 9/9/2009 2:37 PM: @MAX... Who the hell am I? I am Joe Public which she needs to be in favour with to sell albums you dimwit! She WAS a legend, she HAD a huge fan base...she washed it all down the toilet together with her credibility & the remains of the crack she smoked (& no doubt still does by judging the pictures). Honestly...this time 2 or 3 years ago she was a distant memory...now all of a sudden evryone's like: Oh ja... Whitney...is she still alive? Lol! ;-)

Max@Nikki 9/9/2009 12:38 PM Rate it:: Hey Give her a break. I think that we ALL make mistakes and Yes she made some Pretty bad ones, but Who the Hell are you to Judge her? She is a legand in her own right. She already has a HUGH fan base, so one less will not affect her in the least. Buzz off loser!

Max @ Nikki 9/9/2009 12:38 PM Rate it:: Hey Give her a break. I think that we ALL make mistakes and Yes she made some Pretty bad ones, but Who the Hell are you to Judge her? She is a legand in her own right. She already has a HUGH fan base, so one less will not affect her in the least. Buzz off loser!

Max @ Nikki 9/9/2009 12:38 PM Rate it:: Hey Give her a break. I think that we ALL make mistakes and Yes she made some Pretty bad ones, but Who the Hell are you to Judge her? She is a legand in her own right. She already has a HUGH fan base, so one less will not affect her in the least. Buzz off loser!

Anthony 9/9/2009 10:34 AM Rate it:: Million Dollar Bill is as catchy as any pop song has the right to be. The rest of the album grows on you - yes, it's not the best Whitney's ever done, but it's good to have a prodigal back!

Sibi 9/9/2009 10:02 AM: There is nothing to compare, they are totally 2 different people. As for Nikki’ comment – get a life, we are not all perfect she made her mistakes in the past and she’ learnt from them and moving on, I suggest you do the same.

liya 9/9/2009 9:40 AM: U cannot compare whitney houston & beyonce, they both entirely different. Beyonce sells more cds based on being almost nude, its not her voice that sells people.

liya 9/9/2009 9:40 AM: U cannot compare whitney houston & beyonce, they both entirely different. Beyonce sells more cds based on being almost nude, its not her voice that sells people.

Nikki 9/9/2009 9:19 AM: PS. - Soraya : "Fetching album cover portrait"?? My dear you must either be Whitney's biggest fan or you forgot your coke-bottle bottom glasses at home when you saw this cover...She looks strung-out like a recovering DRUG addict - which she in fact is!

Nikki 9/9/2009 9:14 AM: ...ha-ha-ha! She really does look like a crack-wh_re in all these pictures. Shame. Even the album cover her right eyelid is limping way more than the other one...she looks tired, burnt out & generally wasted/nasty...