Yahoo! Music Album Review

Released on 16/10/06
Label: EMI

Whatever the pluses or minuses of LeToya Luckett's debut solo album, she deserves credit for just staying the distance and mustering the energy to make an album at all. Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, LeToya was a member of Destiny's Child. A lot of water, lawsuits and very public name calling has gone under the bridge since then.

As well as going to war with Destiny Child's manager Mathew Knowles and his niece Kelly Roland and daughter, Beyoncé, LeToya had an abortive attempt at forming a new group, Angel, with fellow Destiny evictee Latavia Roberson and then worked for three years to make her solo career a reality. The irony of the piece is that while it's been six years since the world last heard of LeToya, of all the many Destiny's Child members, she has one of the best chances, second only to Beyoncé herself, of enjoying a sustainable solo career.

As her debut finally makes plain, she was a prime source of the original DC's talent. Vocally, she possesses a sultry composure which assures she's more than capable of looking after herself. Musically, she's working to an agenda which will earn her plenty of respect from those who count in R&B and melodically, at times, she touches upon hypnotic brilliance - but then again, she did co-write "Bills Bills Bills" and the chart-eating "Say My Name".

From the minimalist, finger-wagging of the Scott Storch produced "I'm Good", through to the Jermaine Dupri smoothness of "This Song" and vintage '70s groove of "U Got What I Need", it's an impeccably tailored album. Understated smooches, strength, character and good taste abound; see first single "Torn". Meanwhile, the undercurrent of hip hop grit which dirties-up "So Special"'s cosy sway and powers the emotional turmoil of "What Love Can Do" mean that there's no mistaking this is very much a proper, serious, hardcore R&B album. Whatever her previous pop-R&B credentials, this time she's going for longevity rather than hits.

Of course, as much as LeToya is striving to be seen as a serious artist in her own right, the burning question for everyone else will be how does she stack up against her former band mate and sworn enemy Beyoncé? Will this make her quake in her Jimmy Choos? Probably not. Modelling herself more on Ashanti-with-attitude, LeToya's debut is classier than anything Beyoncé's done, yet what she gains in style and poise, she loses to a lack of instant classics. There's no doubting she's more credible. She's just nowhere near as entertaining.

    by Dan Gennoe