R&B Review: In My Mind: Heather Headley Got it Right This Time!

The transition from Tony Award-winning Broadway diva to Grammy-nominated R&B recording artist is a rare transition but a transition that Heater Headley successfully made with her sometimes good, sometimes bland, sometimes formulaic, Gold-certified debut album, This Is Who I Am. Propelled by the smash hit, "I Wish I Wasn't", the album did manage to sell over 600k and earn Heather 3 Grammy nominations but quickly faded from both the charts and consumer's memories.

But since Heather's label, RCA, padded her album with a dozen urban/adult-contemporary tunes that fed off the psuedo-soul productions mixed with typical power ballad schlock, the idea that looked good on paper had an execution that lacked personality and charisma and thus made Heather look like another character on stage instead of a bonafide recording artist.

But taking 3 years off proved time well spent for Ms. Headley, who's return to the music is marked by her second album, In My Mind, which tweaks and improves upon the formula of her debut for an album that's a lovely exercise in adult-contemporary soul. The most noticeable difference between her two albums is Heather's approach to this album. Where her debut sounded like the work of a Broadway diva testing out new stage material, this record sounds like the work of a female R&B singer, more importantly, a woman, who took the proper time to create an album that spoke to the listener's mind and soul.

The bevy of producers anchoring this project is a round-up of the usual suspects - Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Shep Crawford, Babyface, Carvin & Ivan, Warryn Campbell, and Lil' Jon (ok, so that one's a tad unusual) - but even their approach to this album denotes a marked difference. Here, it sounds like each record was tailor-made by its producer for Heather to help bring out the best in her, both vocally and lyrically, as well as reflecting her personality, where as her debut sounded like a collection of songs the producers simply gave her to sing.

The title track, serving as the lead single, is the kind of material urban-AC radio thrives off. A dramatic storyline about two ex-lovers whose hearts still long for each other, a theatrical arrangement complete with a histrionic string section, and an impassioned vocal performance from Heather. Yet that impassioned vocal performance is exactly what saves this song from itself; Heather delivers it with such plausibility that you wind up feeling the powerful emotion that truthfully isn't there. And it only gets better.

Warryn Campbell's two contributions are definite album highlights; Am I Worth It is a prime candidate for the second single. The brisk melody, with a subtle piano/bass duet anchored by a chugging drumbeat, gives the song a smooth, mid-tempo swing that suits the generic but credible subject matter of questioning one's own worth in a relationship. And the gospel ballad, Change, is a sincere testimonial that proves inspirational without being needlessly preachy.

Shep Crawford works some of that Tamia magic for Heather on Wait A Minute, the subdued production laying way to Heather's passionate vocal and lyric about being fed up with a man's lackadaisical attitude towards her. And then new R&B wunderkind Ne-Yo stops by with a haunting tune for Heather titled I Didn't Mean To that easily proves to be the album's centerpiece; creating chills with the somber violins, sleek piano line, and eerie vocal sample on the hook, Heather gives another award-winning performance as a unfaithful wife who has to deal with the repercussions of her act of betrayal. If the overall solemnity of the track doesn't grab you, Heather's stark confession and wounded vocal will.

Jimmy and Terry lace Heather with the predictable power ballad, What's Not Being Said while Carvin and Ivan help Heather see the benefit of her past, failed relationships over a atmospheric swirl of soul on Losing You. Babyface hips Heather to his new "grown and sexy" sound of "Hip-Hop-lite meeting Urban Soul" on the rightfully selfish Me Time. And Lil' Jon unquestionably wins the Most Surprising Production Credit award for putting his modern "crunk" spin on 50s doo-wop soul for the reminiscent Back When It Was.

Surprisingly, the album only falters when Heather tries to get down and funky. Both How Many Ways and Rain see Heather visiting her "Trini" roots but neither tune is a remarkable attempt at fusing dancehall/reggae and R&B. The former sounds like bubblegum pop gone reggae and the latter has a funky and undeniable drumline no doubt, but is marred by an overall bland and faceless performance; Shaggy's pointless cameo included.

Those qualms, and the fact that Heather refuses to change her key, no matter the song, aside, In My Mind is a major step-up from Heather's debut. The material has more personality, Heather sounds more engaged with the material, and the overall execution leaves a lasting impression more than once. It may not boost her sales figures and popularity too much but if Heather continues to record and release projects like this, she'll definitely be one of the most respected artists in years to come.