Whitney Houston's new CD reveals a strong-willed defiant woman who is comfortable with herself, in love with her man, and doesn't care if the world agrees. She's a person of contradiction, sometimes loving, other times seemingly bitter. In fact, it's the same Whitney Houston we saw in the Dianne Sawyer interview, but fortunately she sings this time. And boy does she sing.

Loving Whitney

Either Whitney Houston is really in love or she's incredibly insecure with her marriage. I tend to think she's in love, and most of the songs on her new CD seems designed to prove it to the world.

You know she's ready to sing from the first note. The CD begins with "One Of Those Days," an up tempo pop hit about those bad days and good days we all have.

"Tell Me No," produced by Babyface, is another modern-day "I Will Survive" song. Like Destiny's Child's "Survivor," Whitney's song explains how the more someone hates on her, the more she will prosper. The bridge builds dramatically into a final crescendo and then Michael Thompson's guitar gives the song a rock/funk feel at the end.

Who says actions speak louder than words? Not Whitney Houston. In "Things You Say," Whitney celebrates the words her man says more than his actions. "I dig your actions/ But I love your words," she sings. Produced by Missy Elliot, the slow steady song features Tweet on background vocals.

And speaking of Whitney's man, Bobby Brown shows up on the fifth track, "My Love." The song is like waiting for an accident that never happens. From the moment Bobby's unctuous voice enters the song, you expect disaster, but instead the couple pulls it off. It's another defiant testimony of Whitney's love for Bobby.

"Love That Man" is another song that, yet again, celebrates Whitney's love. The theme could become a little tiresome, but it doesn't because each song is different and each sounds good. Echoing an earlier song, Whitney sings:

Bitter Whitney

Ironically, the most inspirational song on the CD is the one song that seems least like her life, "Try It On My Own." The song begins beautifully and softly and builds to a climax in the bridge and final verse. It's a Frank Sinatra-style "My Way" anthem for a woman who put her life on hold for her man, and it conjures the image of Angela Bassett in Waiting to Exhale or Mary J. Blige singing "Not Gon' Cry."

"Dear John Letter" continues the breakup theme from "On My Own," but the song picks up the pace into a slick hip hop dance beat. You'll be tapping your feet to the beat on this song as you sing along, "I'm writing you a Dear John Letter." Still, this song doesn't feel at all awkward to make you dance while you're breaking up with your ex.

"Unashamed" is Whitney's answer to Dianne Sawyer and all those who have criticized her over the past few years. Whitney tells us she's unashamed of the choices she's made or of the life she's lived. I believe her. I think she really feels this song. There's more passion here than in just about any other song on the CD. If she had changed her mind every time somebody criticized her then she wouldn't be where she is today, she explains. It's a great song about self-acceptance and she hits some great notes to emphasize it.

Whitney's Finale

"You Light Up My Life" is a remake of Debby Boone's 1977 classic that brings us back to the "Loving Whitney" side. Produced by Babyface and Rickey Minor, the melodramatic orchestration almost drowns out Whitney's voice. As she did with the remake of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," Whitney re-defines this song as her own, but unfortunately we don't hear enough of Whitney in the process. It's a good song, but I still like the original better.

"Whatchulookinat" is a hot dance song, launched by Whitney and Bobby's paranoia that the world is out to get them. The song starts with a male voice that says, "It's time for you to strike back." Whitney gives it to you, defiant to the very end. "Why you looking at me?" she asks. As the music closes, the CD concludes with the words: "Look at yourself."

I wish she had stayed in the studio for a few more months to cut some more tracks. The whole CD is just 39 minutes long. Still, I liked the CD. I could listen to it over and over again, and I probably will.

© Copyright 2002 by Keith Boykin.