Yahoo! Music Album Review

Released on 19/12/05
Label: Geffen

The eighth album of Mary J Blige's 13 year career, is, like so many before it, a slick and elegant record. Another quality product from a woman who's built a reputation on quality products. Smooth, easy flowing R&B grooves, sensual soul, gospel passion and a haze of bright beats and taut emotions mark "The Breakthrough" as another perfectly appointed reminder that while Mary J Blige's title of Undisputed Queen Of Hip Hop Soul maybe self-proclaimed, it's also well deserved. Yet for all the streamlined perfection and gleaming sophistication of "The Breakthrough", there's a nagging sense that something's missing. It's hard to put a finger on at first.

The crisp breakbeat of "About You" is loaded with her usual, understated hip hop cool, thanks in no small part to Black Eyed Peas visionary Will.I.Am's tasteful beats. "No One Will Do", with its '70s string samples positively shimmers with a heady mix of vintage soul and ghetto fabulous strut. Meanwhile, the pneumatic Rodney Jerkins produced "Enough Cryin'" is core Mary J Blige: strident, empowered soul made relevant by a street smart click track and raw R&B attitude that says she's not just singing a pretty song, she's telling how it is.

It's all there, along with cruising sunshine soul ("Can't Hide From Love" featuring Jay-Z), pain ("Ain't Really Love"), triumph ("MJC Da MVP") the now obligatory duet; this time Mary and Bono rework U2's One, although most would probably rather they hadn't. In style, content and attitude, it's all classic Mary J Blige. Yet it's not a classic album. It's not even really that memorable.

What's missing is a jaw-dropping moment. A song that demands attention. A groove to prompt an involuntary reaction or an unshakeable melody. While it's almost impossible to criticise a single beat, there's not one that's breaks out of the background. All the ingredients are there, they just don't add up to anything more than pleasant. And given that Mary J Blige has, when put to good use, a voice to stop traffic - in a good way - not to mention enough raw emotion to justify her status as a modern-day Aretha, it all feels a little wasteful.

Ever since she first appeared with the edgy hip hop soul of her debut "What's The 411?", Blige's career has been about maturing from the kid with the voice and attitude to the iconic elder stateswoman. With "The Breakthrough" she seems to have gone straight to cosy, and by the time Bono rolls up, it's like all hope has gone. It's another solid and undeniably enjoyable album. But from a woman as supremely talented as Blige, somehow enjoyable rates as a disappointment.

    by Dan Gennoe