Mtv Unplugged

Babyface

Columbia Records, 1997

http://www.babyfacemusic.com

REVIEW BY: JB

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 12/24/1997

"God, Face, how's your baby?"

"He's fine." He wasn't rude, sarcastic or curt; just, uh, great, he's fine, I guess.

Ultimately, I walked away from my Le Face (trust me; it's the masculine form) meeting with two impressions: he's pretty shy, and LORDY he looks at least fifteen years younger than his age (he's that teenage boy playing guitar in the background in the "Change The World" video).

This man's unassuming nature is left in the closet of his dressing room before stepping out on this New York stage. From the first track "Change The World" he transforms the bland-ass Eric Clapton rendition into something much more soulful and, let's face it, more my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 fun. "Talk To Me" gets you hooked with its exciting arrangement (compared to the LP version); I don't quite get the hype about Clapton's guitar but I can sure get Sheila E.'s percussion, who is the underlying life of this album.

Shanice's rushed delivery of "Breathe Again" doesn't prove anything. The acoustic backing isn't right for the funk of this song but it's just what "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" needs. For those of you who don't care much for Whitney Houston (and I know we're out here), you'll be relieved to know that this is nothing like her edited-for-radio arrangement. It's done as a Live-At-the-House-of-Blues type duet; I can already hear Houston bitchin'!

Boyz II Men is another group that never caught my interest for their wimpy vocalizing (Mariah Carey's midrange eclipsed them) but they had all the luck with getting songs. "I'll Make Love To You and End Of The Road (Medley)" is even more over-the-top than their original versions but it fits into the cohesion of the album and gives a good starting platform for the slow songs.

"The Day" ... this was never meant to be a studio song! Never had there been a more heartfelt singing on MTV Unplugged since the backing vocalists from "Tears In Heaven". Even this is topped by the Stevie Wonder duet and finale "How Come, How Long" which reaches even higher than it does in the LP. Stevie Wonder makes for an amazing harmonica but his underrated singing stands no contest in this track. If you were momentarily shocked by Shanice's sudden flagolet at the end you're in for something even more upsetting (but it's nice to be upset).

This album is his best personal work yet. The album isn't sleek, exquisitely structured or perfected with a sampler on hand; even without that the Face can make good music. Live albums by the Top 40 of today are not easy to come by; grab this one. Next to Celine Dion's Live a Paris, it's the best live album I've heard all year.

Rating: A-

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© 1997 JB and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Columbia Records, and is used for informational purposes only.