***THAT ALBUM***

It's Not Right, But It's Okay:
Whitney doesn't quite pull off the new sound on this one. The song didn't convince me for a few days, but now I love the Chorus - very catchy. B+

Heartbreak Hotel:
I'm particularly fond of "This is the Heartbreak Hotel..." part at the beginning and towards the end. I was expecting an awesome song (from the sample I heard on ET), but it doesn't really go anywhere. However, the voices blend perfectly. A nice song to relax to on those warm summer nights. B++

My Love Is Your Love:
It's lost a little of the magic (probably because I listened to it so many times on the website), but it's still beautiful and inspiring. The backing vocals get a bit loose towards the end. The lyrics and Bobbi's voice are the highlights. A+

When You Believe:
It's a nice song. Nice vocals, nice lyrics, nice music. It's just plain nice. I do think Mariah's vocals were purposely turned down here, because on Mariah's album they are equally powerful. A ps. I noticed Mariah's nice words about Whitney on her album, but there is no mention of Mariah on Whitney's. Whitney mentions everyone right down to her house staff, but not Mariah. - Probably the rush to get the album out. Still... leaves you wondering.

If I Told You That:
At first, I didn't like the piano intro, but I really like it now. Whitney pulls it off on this one. LOVE the Bridge. A-+

In My Business:
From initially loathing her, I've grown to love Missy Elliot's work. Her influence is very evident on this track. I think she could've done without "hoes..." I'm still wondering why I think it's ok for other singers to use swear words in their songs, but not Whitney. Maybe I expect more from her. Then again, Whitney's no angel. B+

I Learned From The Best:
This song troubles me. It's potentially as big a hit as "I Will Always Love You", but it's tarnished by the fact that it sounds like a recycled version of "Too Gone, Too Long" by En Vogue musically and especially lyrically (also written by Diane Warren). Love the vocals, LOVE the synthesisers - David Foster's production is simply the best. I'm still having problems with the Bridge - somehow it doesn't fit in easily. A+ - (would have been an A+ if it was more original)

Oh Yes:
It is quite repetive. Having such explicit lyrics, it could have been more sultry and sexy. Like "Heartbreak Hotel" it's perfect for winding down or falling asleep to (not in a bad way). Missy did a good job on this ballad. B+

Get It Back:
Love the booming drums. My favourite of the Rodney Jerkins tracks. Brandy's (I'm sure it's her) background vocals are perfect for the song. Whitney's definitely got her "new sound" down with this song. Why do most people dislike this the most out of Darkchild's tracks? A-+

Until You Come Back:
Beautiful, beautiful beautiful. Could easily be a song from "The Bodyguard". Love that classic feel and the lilting beat during the Chorus. I do think they started to slow down too early for the ending. A+

I Bow Out:
Great instrumentals. There's a nice balance between the production of 'Face and Jerkins. Again there's that "plagiarism shadow" hanging over it. It reminds me too much of "Take A Bow" by Madonna. I think Diane Warren needs help with coming up with more substantial lyrics. Looks like Whitney's focusing on the darker side of love on this album. B++

You'll Never Stand Alone:
I love sappy songs. This one's no exception. No complaints here (Whitney safely stays behind the "so-sappy-it's-sickening" line). Absolutely adore Shanice's backing vocals. Like Chanté Moore on "Waiting To Exhale" she should be spending more time in front of the microphone alone. (By the way, Shanice's "Saving Forever For You" is one of my all-time faves). A+

I Was Made To Love Him:
I love her debut solo album, and Lauryn Hill does an equally impressive job on this song. I played this track at work today and had customers bopping up and down. Mmmmmm...this is one FUNKY song! A+

Overall impressions on MLIYL:
I've never anticipated an album as eagerly as I have this one. But it was definitely worth the wait. On first listen, I was disappointed as I thought I'd already heard the best songs on this website. But the more you listen to the album, the more you appreciate Whitney and her "new" sound - which is why I waited a while before I wrote my review. I also prefer Whitney's deeper voice (compared to her earlier work). It sounds richer and fuller.

Whitney has proven that she has the ability to cross over different musical genres - with style. I'm glad she's attempted new sounds. Critics are either going to love the album, or hate it. There's enough variety in material however, to keep long-time fans happy and attract new and younger listeners. This is the perfect soundtrack to the holiday season and new year.

Overall: My favourite Whitney album ever. There's not one song that I can't stand listening to or irritates me. Love the album cover's artwork too. Arista really needs to take a different approach to promotions. "The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack" could have easily topped the album charts if the songs had more airplay on radio. And the songs that were released didn't have enough push from the record company behind them. I hope they really promote this album to the top. They can't simply rely on her name to sell. There are many songs here that deserve to be released commercially.

Where's Rachel's review? I'd like to know what you think.