3.5/5
Drop Dead Gorgeous.
Wake up, wake up, wake up, gorgeous! The Queen of R&B is back with all her power. Ready to retake the throne like King James. Just watch! It's been a minute too. 2017 to be exact from this 'Strength Of A Woman'. And man it's a hot one, smooth like Santana. For a GOAT's greatest in years like 'The London Sessions' with the best of the Big Smoke and the time she gave us a second look at 'My Life' like a classic as 'The Journey Continues'. Now her first in five, 'Good Morning Gorgeous' is set like an alarm clock to wake you up from 2022's January reverie. But what's the 411? Where's Blige been whilst the world was in a Mary J haze? She's been making movies and Netflix shows too like 'The Umbrella Academy'. You can't stop the Queen's reign for that crown. Hold up your parasols. Even if the actual Academy turned their back on the 'Mudbound' stars nomination like that indelible moment in the movie were she does the same to Eazy-E of 'Straight Outta Compton', the incomparable Jason Mitchell. She deserved more 'Respect' like 'Dreamgirl' Jennifer Hudson does for her beautiful biopic on the original Queen of soul, Aretha Franklin. A movie in which Mary plays another iconic legend in Dinah Washington. 'This Bitter Earth'. Have respect like that glass shattering scene of anger. Because J. Blige is back to claim hers. Album number fourteen with almost that many tracks comes just days before Mary J. Blige will make history with Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg (who has just made his own by pulling the switch and buying Death Row Records. Take that, Suge!) performing at the halftime show of Superbowl LVI. Set to give Springsteen, Prince and ladies and gentlemen, The Weeknd a run of their cheers and people out their seats. TOUCHDOWN!
Bigger gold hoops than 'Bron on a cover that could be a Chanel commercial, Blige brings this all in perfect time on the slow groove burn of an outstanding opener for the record. Offering wise words of sage advice from her sounds. "Don't chase the money, be humble/And let it find you," she tells those who have 'No Idea' on everything. If you don't know, now you know. But it's the singles that really send her back to the stratosphere, as the DJ Khaled spun 'Amazing' is truly that on an album of classic collaborations with Mary proving she's back like that. That being "another one", as sure thing as a catchphrase from the talents of South Beach. Sampling Dawn Penn's 'You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)' that has been interpolated more times than the greatest of Marvin (we like what Ghostface did with it on his 'Hidden Darts') and singing, "It's so hard to fake when everything I do is real/Money and a doggie bag, I ain't missin' no meal." This flosses as hard as the fur and lambos video set to Miami art deco pastel palettes. Still it's the second single 'Rent Money' with Dave East pitching in his half that really pays the bills. One of the best in show Mary muses, "I just want back what I came with/Ain’t no sense throwing no shadе/Pointing a finger and blaming/Undo the rest/Soon as we kiss/Wasn’t no even exchange/You treat everyone like they are famous/Every girl like she’s the main chick, amazing", between Vegas slots. Pay attention to the sin. This is no jackpot at your last chance saloon. If you owe some money to the one you used to call honey, it ain't wrote off with a break up. Even if you steal away like J and Pharrell, it's not 'No More Drama'. It's daylight robbery.
Title tracks don't come much bigger or better than 'Good Morning Gorgeous'' lead single with H.E.R. and the mesmerizing moments of malaise that precursor all this like a prelude to a kiss. But this lament isn't something cooed to someone she wakes up to, but mantra made for herself. Singing, "Hard enough to be alone/I'm just tryna to move along/Sometimes I do and then I don't/You tell me what I'm doing wrong/Tell myself that it ain't healthy/Second guessing, it don't help me/I'm so tired of feeling empty/Dry my eyes, it's time to fight/It seems like I'm always against me/Seems like this is never ending." Whispering herself the affirmation of this albums same name early rise. It's all Mary, Mary, taking off the shackles from this 'Love and Life'. Blige has blown it out with Method Man over Marvin, Sting (and we know how much his back catalogue is worth), George Michael and even Bono of U2, besting his 'One'. But it's her duet with one half of album of last year Silk Sonic, Anderson. Paak ('Here With Me') that will really tide you over this evening. Paak produces the opening track and this one also bookends 'Love Would Never', the true meaning of the word in a world whose declarations are gone in the wind of the age of independence. Still, this leading lady who needs no one sharing her top billing still stands on her own two. So what the f### you gonna do? Cool and Dre 'Come See About Me', before Fivio Foreign needs no translation 'On Top' of the world. But it's 'Love Without The Heartbreak' that really reaonates. "If I can pick the best parts of love, I would do it like this/I would start at the part where we made love/All the flowers and cards just to make up/If I can pick the best parts of love, I'd do without this/I would take the part when you changed up/I would take out the part when you gave up." If only it was still like this. This thing we call 'Falling In Love'. Most of us have just had 'Enough' like this bruising ballad. In the end, showing us the door, Usher comes through like a confessional to 'Need Love' on a classic collaboration. This is like when Raymond called Alicia Keys 'My Boo'. Putting it down, simple and plain, "I just want someone to hold me close briefly/I need someone who knows I'm not the one to be controled/I may not stay, I may not go/Warning you now, don't get too close." Yeeeah man. When Mary J was crafting classics, Usher was just a kid warning us like B.I.G. to "stop scheming and looking hard." Years before his graduation and a '2001' sample from the good Doctor. But look at them both now. Still here. Like in this game, on the throne. The place Mary J will always stay. From Uptown with Diddy to the crown. Hello. Good morning. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Here With Me (Feat. Anderson. Paak)', 'Rent Money (Feat. Dave East)', 'Need Love (Feat. Usher)'.
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