Album- I Look to You
Artist- Whitney
Houston
With a career that spanned more than 20 years and the
release of such mega music hits as I Wanna Dance with Somebody and I Will
Always Love You, Whitney Houston was the amazing voice that inspired a
generation, before her sad passing in 2012. Her last studio album before her
death, I Look to You saw Whitney make a triumphant comeback, as the record saw
her best first week sales in the US and hit number one on the Billboard 200.
Critical reception to the record was a little mixed due to the change found in
Whitney’s voice, but many also praised the vitality of the record. So the
question is, was this really a great final record that proved the singer could
still give other music stars a run for their money, or was this more just a
simply nice Houston album that people bought because they were glad to get some
new music from the singer?
Track 1- Million
Dollar Bill
The lead single worldwide from the record, the second US
single, and the last single released by Houston before her death, Million
Dollar Bill is a fun up tempo pop number with a soulful edge and funky dance
groove. Co-written by fellow RnB artist Alicia Keys, the track finds Houston
telling people to make some noise if there lover makes them feel good, with the
song acting as a nice metaphorical celebration of the power of new love.
Although the verses are a little wobbly vocally, the chorus is powerful and full
of a vivacity that is infectious to listen to, whilst Houston gives us enough
diva ad libs to emphasise that she has still got it. The production is also
strong with the clattering cymbals and funky disco beats that make for a fun
loving sound to perfectly match the vocals, giving us an all-round enjoyable
tune that show Whitney can still mak you want to dance.
3.5/5
Track 2- Nothin’ But
Love
Keeping with the dance energy of the opening track, Nothin’
But Love is another up tempo record you can move around to, but this time the
singers voice is paired with a little bit more of a contemporary sound,
although this doesn’t mean it compromises who Houston is as an artist. The song
is quite powerful but sweet lyrically, as Houston shouts out to the people she
loves and expresses how she is full of joy and love and won’t let anyone, or
herself, bring her down. The layering of the singer’s voice brings euphoria to
the track, whilst the richness of her tone makes the song vocally very
believable, with the note she holds in the bridge making this a truly powerful,
musical statement. The hand clapping beats of the production is a steady if
typical RnB sound, but when this is an artist whose primary tool is her
incredible voice, you can forgive the lack of originality in the production
value.
3.5/5
Track 3- Calling You
Tonight
Produced by Swedish duo Stargate, known for creating hit
songs for the likes of Rihanna and Beyonce, Calling You Tonight is slightly
softer offering from the singer that features the Swedish duo’s signature
guitar riffs and light pop sound. The song acts as a nice love song where
Houston tells her lover that she will call him tonight as soon as she gets
home, as she is busy but she needs her lover to know that she does indeed love
him. The song is nice vocally in the way that the singers voice has this smooth
but also vibrant various in tone that gives a lilting and cute tone to the
track. Lyrically things are a bit too clichéd, but whilst the production is
typical of Stargate, they still manage to keep things vibrant with the euphoric
tone of the songs sound and the slightly fuzzy sounding bass that makes the
track a little more energising and less power lacking.
Track 4- I Look to
You
The records title track and lead single, as well as the first
ballad, I Look to You is powerful and dramatic musical piece that definitely
proves the Whitney Houston could make a stirring ballad whatever stage of life
she was in. The song finds the singer telling this person of how she can be
strong with them by her side and how they have helped her through her
struggles, with the lyrics being beautifully constructed and having the
powerful quality of the listening relating to the song in a variety of
different ways. The minimal production with the soft synths and lush piano
instrumentation gives a great sound to the track, but ultimately what makes
this track is Houston’s voice. It may be a little deeper in tone and less
dramatic than in previous years, but Houston has that voice that exudes emotion
whilst maintaining a smoothness that is classic and timeless. A worthy title
track, a worthy single and a lush ballad.
5/5
Track 5- Like I Never
Left (featuring Akon)
Featuring the voice of RnB star Akon and the first of two
writing credits from Houston, Like I Never Left is bouncy RnB jam with a slight
island feel that finds Houston regretting a decision that she made in the past
and just asking her lover to take her back as if she had never gone. The song
shows of some softness in Houston’s vocals, with the singers lilting tone and
layered vocals giving the song this purity and sincerity that is lovely to
listen to. Akon isn’t the strongest vocalist but his feature on the song gives
the track a nice two fold narrative edge, and with the snappy but soft
production with the flowing flute sounds and steady percussion, this is a light
pop and RnB tune showing a different side to Whitney within the record.
3.5/5
Track 6- A Song for
You
A cover of a song originally by recording artist Leon
Russell, A Song for You is a stirring track that focuses on Whitney telling an
estranged lover of how she has lived life but understands her wrongs and now
just wishes for this persons forgiveness, desperately. Beginning with a slow
piano intro, the track develops from a stirring ballad to an up tempo dance
tune that shows that the singer is also still the queen of creating emotional
tunes that still sound great in a club setting. The punchy disco beats and
vibrant sound of the track is infectious, whilst Houston’s vocals are smooth and
emotive, making this another great addition to the Houston wheelhouse.
3.5/5
Track 7- I Didn’t
Know My Own Strength
Written by award winning songwriter Diane Warren, I Didn’t
Know My Own Strength is another emotional ballad from the singer that finds the
singer telling us off how she has overcome the obstacles and hard times of life
and find herself in state of being strong and not letting pressure get to her,
whilst being astonished in sincere way of how she didn’t know her own strength.
With Houston’s struggles being well publicised, the purity and power of this
song lyrically is much more powerful, with the singer once again giving us a
vocal that is full of control and power and which makes the song so emotive and
passionate, but not in a too indulgent way. The simple percussion and lush
string arrangement, as well as the delicate piano melody makes for a strong and
perfect sound to the record, and once again this is just a record that
beautifully delivers on the ballad front.
4/5
Track 8- Worth It
A mid tempo RnB jam, Worth It is a sweet song that finds
Houston singing of how great love is and how there are certain ways that you
know a relationship and the love that is created is totally worth it. The song
acts a nice celebration of love wrapped within a strong lyrical composition
that is full of catchy hooks, and with the controlled but light vocal
performance that is created through the layering of Houston’s vocals and way
that the singer naturally carries herself, the track is another tune where the
listener feels that Houston is totally sincere. The songs production is a
little bit bland after a while, but the steady percussion is enough of light
sound to bring out the tracks sweetness, and Houston’s vocal ad libs keep you
interested tiil the end.
3.5/5
Track 9- For the
Lovers
Bringing back a full on dance groove, For the Lovers is a
vibrant RnB and dance pop tune that features some forceful but fun synthesised
beats and a sassy, confident vocal performance from Houston. The lyrical
content of the song is perhaps a little weak in terms of the way that the song
finds Houston telling people that this song is for them, something we just
heard a lot of on the last tarck. However, the lyrics also brush off people who
bring hate into the world and also nicely creates this catchy, confident air,
with the moments where Houston sings of single people believing in love really
bringing out the free flowing vibrancy of the track. Vocally Houstons deep
vocals bring passion and power to the track that makes the lyrics more
impactful, and with a synth based sound that is just infectious, this for me
would have been a worthy single choice from the record.
3.5/5
Track 10- I Got You
Another Akon collaboration, I Got You is another island
tinged track that focuses on Houston singing of how her man is all she needs
and how no matter where he is, he needs to know that she is there for him, just
like he is there for her. The message is sweet if perhaps a bit clichéd, with
Houston giving us vocal runs and licks that a vibrant and emotive for this too
sound like a track she is fully invested in. The fuzzy synth notes, interesting
guitar riffs and vibrant percussion creates a stomping, but light and strong
sound for the track, although things are perhaps a little excessive, so for me
this just feels like the weakest offering from the record at this point,
meaning that the fact that the next track is the final one might be a good
thing.
3/5
Track 11- Salute
Final track Salute is a mid tempo ballad esque number which
was written by RnB maestro R. Kelly. The song finds the singer finding strength
and being a woman who can stand on her own and doesn’t need this man in her
life. The song is lyrically good in terms of the bitter but stronger sentiment,
but the lyrics are definitely improved with the singer’s vocal performance,
with Houston giving us some great ad libs and keeping this smooth and powerful
without having to stretch her voice out in an unnecessary way. The military
drum beat and light piano notes of the productions gives the song a light and
smooth sound that is still a strong way to end the record, and this is just a
smooth way to end things, and end them on a good note.
Final Review
I Look to You is in my eyes an accomplished record from a
phenomenal artist that acts as a very good final album. I can identify with the
fact that Houston’s voice changed from her early years, but the richness and
new, deep level of her voice is a change that brings substance to the tracks
and keeps you interested in this artist. The album is also refreshing in terms
of bringing us an album that sounds like classic Whitney but which also feels
fresh and modern, and definitely an album which at the time would have seen the
singer kick down some of her competitors. It is a really good record, and sadly
acts like another stamp on the fact that it is terribly sad we have lost this
artist.
8/10
Best Track-
I Look to You
Worst Track-
I Got You
