The Preacher's Wife: Three Stars

Date: December 13, 1996
By Langston Wertz Jr., Staff Writer

From Charlotte Observer (North Carolina)
Submitted by: Larry A.


Whitney Houston says it's been a lifelong dream of hers to make a gospel album. Let's hope she feels properly inspired to do another. This album - the soundtrack to the new movie of the same name and perhaps her best ever recording - should quiet any critics who feel Houston is "Miss Whitney, Soul-less Wonder."

The album is a bit uneven, with huge production numbers like the Kirk Franklin-written "Joy" followed by the R&B bounce of "Somebody Bigger Than You and I." But each of the songs, taken individually, works well. And Houston sings them with deep conviction, apparently more comfortable singing about Jesus Christ than playing Kevin Costner's girlfriend or being somebody's baby tonight.

Though Houston, who takes the lead on 14 of the 15 tracks, sings powerful gospel numbers like "Hold On, Help Is On The Way," she does bend to some "Bodyguard"-like excesses, such as the current single, "I Believe In You And Me" (still, she even pulls that off).

A surprise highlight is "Somebody Bigger," which uses a hip-hop track to introduce Bobby Brown singing about a higher power. Believe us, it'll be a radio hit. And anytime Bobby - a known bad boy - says he's found The Man, well, it's worth at least one listen.