Obviously Williams knows where her greatest success lies — her romantic ballads. She even re-teams with her “Save the Best for Last” composer, Phil Galdston, on “I Fell In,” which lacks the memorable lyrics of their first hit collaboration. “Breathless” remains the most-likely candidate for scoring another hit single, mainly due to her passionate vocals. Nods to her jazz leanings include covers of “Come on Strong” and “Lazy Afternoon,” as well as duets with Javier Colon on the sexy “October Sky,” which nicely combines jazz and R&B to produce a pretty slow jam.
The Real Thing encompasses a heartfelt collection of songs close to Williams' heart, as she explains in the CD liner notes. While the album could benefit from more variations in tempo and mood, it demonstrates Williams' growth as a singer and chanteuse. Overall, The Real Thing creates the perfect mood for lazy summer nights.
For more information on Vanessa Williams, visit her official site, Concord Music Group artist page, and MySpace Music page. Videos for “Breathless,” “Just Friends,” and “Close to You” are available on YouTube.
Article comments
1 - Bonnie
The Real Thing is a wonderful album of new tunes that will please fans of R&B, Jazz and latin-esq styles. Over the years, Vanessa has continued to change with the times and she has provided such an eclectic catalog of music. Great effort!!!
2 - Joann Johnson
Glad to hear she has another album out, and it sounds like a good one. I loved The Sweetest Days--sounds like this is in the same style.