By Gerald Radford

Artist: Whitney Houston
Title: One Wish
Label: Arista
Release Date: 11/18/03
Rating: 9


'Tis the season to breakout the Christmas music, which provides the perfect opportunity to take a listen to Whitney's latest (and first ever) Christmas CD 'One Wish.' She offers her rendition of several classics (one featuring little Bobbi Kristina), as well as stuffing the stocking with a new track of her own.

Though her vocals are not as crisp and clear as they used to be, there seems to be something redeeming about the quality of her voice on this project. With several poor performances to mention, it's relieving to hear her sound so good (despite her seeming overcompensation for the slight deterioration through excessive use of vibrato). Especially impressive is her rendition of 'Who Would Imagine A King' on which she managed to recapture the angelic tone that set her apart from the rest of the pack before her fiery trials began. And speaking of fiery trials, hearing her mesmerizing rendition of 'I'll Be Home For Christmas' had a profound effect on me. I was at first lulled into deep thought about family and friends, but it was abruptly interrupted when I heard the lyrics 'Although I know it's a long road back, I promise you, I'll be home for Christmas.' This line seemed to strike me like lightning! Maybe I'm reaching, but it was as if she put a little extra passion in it, claiming it as a mantra for her life. Though she may never top the charts again due to the changing landscape of popular music, she can certainly reclaim her status as a living legend -- talk to me Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, and numerous others who pulled it back together after having trod the same path -- but I digress...

Continuing, Whitney introduces little Bobbi Kristina to the music world through a soulful version of 'Little Drummer Boy'; and it wasn't at all bad. Little Bobbie (I just despise that moniker, but plain 'Bobbi' just sounds so grown-up) sweetly sings the first verse, paving the way for her mother to bring it home Whitney style - hey even did some pretty nice adlibbing together at the end. It'll be interesting to see what the future holds for the progeny of 'the Voice' and 'the King of R&B' ...

Whitney also pours her heart out on the only original track 'One Wish,' which is the perfect track for radio. It has an ultra smooth R&B sound that provides a nice, brief interruption in the rest of the usual Christmas fare. The remaining tracks are largely traditional ('O Holy Night,' 'Deck The Halls,' 'Joy To The World,' etc.), and Whitney handles them with care.

In the final analysis, this is a very warming and respectfully done Christmas CD that I wouldn't hesitate to set on repeat during this holiday season. If this project were any indication of Whitney's progress in reclaiming her respect, I'd proffer that she's well on her way; it emits a peace and joy that gives the impression that all is well with her soul...