’’The Comfort Zone’’ by R&B sensation Vanessa Williams is 100% pure early 90s pop meets soul music. The CD is laced with the infamous keyboard-synthesizer of the late-80s to early 90s pop music and pumped solid of the sweet soulful voice of Ms Williams. I remember buying this CD when it came out in 1991, at the tender age of 11...I was a short white girl who had a long history of listening and appreciating the rhythm and blues of the Supremes, Temptations, Otis Redding, etc. I found my groove at a young age, one would say.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening and dancing to this CD. Many times I would pretend to be Vanessa, grabbing a Crayola Marker while lip-synching in my mirror. I guess that is a phase we all go through...so I wonder why Britney Spears hasnt grown out of that yet? But I digress...
The Comfort Zone is the first track of the same named CD. I loved the beginning of the song as a child and I still do...it is very original and funky. The song begins with various television noises, such as an old cartoon/kids show and I heard it through the Grapevine (California Raisins ring a bell?). Then it merges into the synthesizer as the background musical instrument. Attention all Jazz Fans, you may love this song as it has a nice jazz background mixed into the soul music. Vanessa’s voice is angelic in quality and the range is perfect for her tone. Lyrics’’hey welcome to the comfort zone/when you need to be loved like you need to be loved’’
Running Back To You was the dance hit of 1991. Every party, every ’’cool’’ movie had to have this song in it. I am sure many cheerleaders performed their moves to this song. It reaks of strong beats and allows your body to improvise itself into a chain of awesome dance steps. This song is completely reliant on synth music...not that its bad, but that gives it a bit of a ’’cheese factor’’. It is very reminscent of the early 90s...and unfortunately one would have to be in the Gen X category to fully appreciate what this means. Vanessa does a wonderful job at getting right to the point and showing that she means business. Unlike the song before it, her coyness is gone and she is straight-up and honest...very feminist. Lyrics:’’I wont play the fool no not this time/and I’ll show you just how wrong you are/to think I just cant get you out of my mind’’
Work To Do was my favorite song from this CD. I remember putting the CD into my CD player as a young pre-teen and going directly to this track before listening to the rest of the album. I loved it. The song is a slow-to-mid tempo song that is more R&B and jazz then pop. What fascinates me about this song, that I previously was unaware of, is that it was written by the Isley brothers and Brian Mcknight is one of the back-ground vocals. Imagine that! Not to mention, Dr Jam produces the song and he is what made Janet Jackson...well Janet Jackson. This song has all-star quality and it is just a great song. What is trite is during the musical interlude there is a rap...but its done like the traditional old-school rap and not the hip-hop rap of today. I liked it back then and I still like it right now. Lyrics:’’it takes a lot of money to make it let’s talk truthfully/so keep your love light burning’’
You Gotta Go is a duet between Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight, he also cowrote the song. Now, if you are a fan of Brian Mcknight, you have to get this CD just for all of his efforts in the entire CD. I guess he and Vanessa are good friends and this CD was produced a year before their ’’Love Is’’ duet that sky-rocketed his career. So if you love Brian, pick up this CD just for that! The song itself is a mild tempo traditional synth song. There is jazz and even caribbean influences in the song musically, and it is nice. Vanessa comes across demurely as she breathlily sings her way through the song. What amazes me is that Brian Mcknight sounds so so close to Nick Lachey of 98 degrees in this song...listening to Brian’s talented and sexy voice, makes me really see how talented Nick Lachey is...I am amazed at how similar they sound. Wow. Vanessa and Brian sing well together and they play off of each other perfectly. This is a good duet. Lyrics:if you must go, you ought to know/I will get along, I will live without you’’
Still In Love is a moderate uptempo song that I would deem ’’traditional’’ of this CD. Nothing that stands out or leaps off the page...but not poorly done. It is just average and what I call ’’filler’’ as it fills in the gaps between switching songs. Still In Love has the same feel as her other songs and is just uninspired. It sounds more Pop-orientated then any other of her songs. Vanessa does a good job singing, but it really doesnt fit in their and it would have been best if she would have picked another song instead. Lyrics:’’I’m gonna be all you want me to be...cos I am/still in love’’
Save The Best For Last is a well-known song. It catapulted Vanessa Williams into a league shared with Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. I would be shell-shocked if one of you told me that you have never heard this song as it is constantly played on the ’’light-rock’’ stations all the time. This song speaks for itself and I do not need to laud it as it has already been lauded so many times. Although, I will say that this is a top-notch performance by Vanessa. Lyrics:’’its not the way I hoped or how I planned/but somehow it’s enough’’
What Will I Tell My Heart is a cover of the 1937 jazz song of the same title. I love jazz and it is my most favorite music to listen to. Can Vanessa Williams perform Jazz like the great legends of the 30s and 40s? You better believe it. She is in the same league when she is performing this song. Everytime I listen to this song, I am sent back to a jazz nightclub of the early 1930s...smoke is in the air, people are sitting in booths listening to the jazz band and singer belting out her tunes...It does this to me every time, like it has a time-tunnel inbedded into the song. This is a slow song and it highlights Vanessa’s talent and if she were to have any faults, this song would highlight them as well. I cant find any, and neither will you. Lyrics:’’it’s easy to lie to strangers/but why tell a lie to your heart’’
Strangers Eyes is another wonderful duet of Vanessa and Brian McKnight. Only this time, Brian is not in the lead, but acting as the harmony for Vanessa. Jimmy ’’Dr’’ Jam is the producer of this song and it has his signature funky style all over it. This song is original and not like the others in the song as it has a calypso type beat mixed in with some Latin feeling and Jazz sounds...truely ahead of its time, if only it nixed the heavy use of the synthesizer. The music itself is like Prince on tranquilizers...now theres a sight to picture! The vocal performance is magnificient. Vanessa comes through with strength and power that is unprecented in her performance of the album. Definately one of her best sides of her voice. Lyrics:’’but in his eyes I get a sign, I get a feeling/I get the feeling he knows me’’
2 Of A Kind is co-written by Dr Jam and Vanessa, and it is another signature dance tune. It begins with a strong dance theme much like any of Janet Jackson’s uptempo songs. It catches you right from the start, which is a must in this fast-paced