Whitney Houston

Inside The Sleeve - Pop: Whitney Houston hide

March 07, 1985, written by Liam Lacey Photography by n/a.
Submitted by: Larry A. Source » The Globe and Mail (Canada)

Arista AC8-8212

This is an outstanding debut album from Whitney Houston, a 21-year-old cabaret-pop-soul singer, daughter of singer Cissy Houston, cousin of Dionne Warwick. It is a must for fans of good singing - Houston has a silky, rich, vibrant voice that moves between steely edges, or curls sensuously around the notes, with a range that easily bounces around three octaves. She's unquestionably a major new talent, and a worthy colleague to Deniece Williams in the pop-soul idiom.

The arrangements frequently border on formulaic, but such ballads as Saving All My Love, Greatest Love Of All and Hold Me In Your Arms are some of the loveliest pop singing on vinyl since the glory days of Dionne Warwick.

Oh, yes - Jermaine Jackson sings a duet on one ballad, and acquits himself so well you might even be tempted to forgive him for singing with Pia Zadora.