Album Reviews: 'Waiting To Exhale' Soundtrack

Date: December 21, 1995
By Jeff Niesel

From The San Diego Union-Tribune
Submitted by: Larry A.


WAITING TO EXHALE SOUNDTRACK VARIOUS ARTISTS Arista Records * * * 1/2

In Terry McMillan's novel "Waiting to Exhale," four African-American women in their mid-30s try to come to grips with divorce, dating and parenthood. McMillan portrays the social pressures single women often face and tries to depict their triumphs and defeats.

The songs on the soundtrack, produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who wrote and plays on most of the tracks, capture McMillan's sympathetic tone. Babyface, who has written songs for Boyz II Men, Madonna and Mariah Carey, among others, has assembled an impressive group of female R&B singers, including Whitney Houston, who stars in the film, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan and Toni Braxton.

In some cases, artists contribute their best work to date. The restrained emotions in songs like Blige's "Not Gon' Cry," Sonja Marie's "And I Gave My Love to You" and For Real's "Love Will Be Waiting at Home" make for real tearjerkers.

Houston's "Why Does It Hurt so Bad," Braxton's "Let It Flow" and Shanna's "How Could You Call Her Baby" portray women trying to cope with emotional loss with a poetic elegance one can only hope comes across in the film, due Dec. 22.