New Vanessa Williams Album On Sale Tomorrow

Vanessa Williams’ newest album (her 13th!) goes on sale tomorrow.  It is entitled The Real Thing, and, I’ve already posted a couple of videos from the album.  Maybe it’s just that I’ve matured along with Vanessa (we’re about the same age), but I really love what I’ve heard so far from the Ugly Betty star.

The reviews have been mixed, although this one at Slant Magazine is nothing short of scathing.

The pacing on the album is so languid and the arrangements so staid that it would put every last shopper at JC Penney and Sears right to sleep, and neither of those stores could withstand such a blow to their profit margins in the current economy.

Ouch.

The critic, Jonathan Keefe, continues:

It’s tempting to say Real Thing sounds instead like music for a Hallmark store, what with the chintzy chime flourishes on nearly every track and tepid piano work that’s foregrounded in the mixes, but that feels vaguely insulting to Precious Moments figurines and Beanie Babies.

OK, this is almost as harsh as the two-word review for Spinal Tap’s Shark Sandwich.

It turns out Keefe’s real problem is with the production, not Williams herself.  He notes that “her voice has lost none of its pitch-perfect clarity or its rich, pure tone over the years.”

As for the understated production beneath Vanessa’s perfect-pitch voice, in effect showcasing it, all I can say is maybe that was the idea, Sherlock.

Anyway there are other reviews out there, many of them good, and seemingly all of them complimenting Williams’ vocals.  If you run across any notable ones, feel free to post a link in the comments.