Review of the Breakthrough by Mary J. Blige

After a disappointing 6th album, Mary J. Blige, who's known as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, has definitely redeemed herself. Her seventh album, entitled The Breakthrough, is possibly the best album of Mary 's career. In fact, Mary J. Blige has won 3 Grammy Awards for Best R&B album, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Female Vocal Performance for her hit song "Be Without You".

In this album, she pours her heart out with every lyric revealing her personal pain, heartbreak, and trials. Listening to "The Breakthrough" is like overhearing a very personal, heartfelt conversation between good friends, a confession between a penitent and a priest, a child and her parents...pillow-talk between lovers...

The Breakthrough is a solid and enjoyable album. In this album, Mary takes you on a musical journey as she celebrates life and love. The Breakthrough features fantabulous work by some of the biggest producers in the industry including Bryan Michael-Cox, Sean Garrett, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins to name a few) and also features a beautiful performance on the remake of U2's "One."

I'm not going to review every song on the album, but here are my thoughts on a few of the songs:

My favorite song on the album is "Be Without You." "Be Without You," features a beautiful piano intro. It reminds me a little of Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together", but "Be Without You" is more enjoyable in my opinion. In the chorus she states:

"We've been too strong for too long (and I can't be without you baby),
And I'll be waiting up until you get home (cuz I can't sleep without you baby).
Anybody who's ever loved, ya know just what I feel,
Too hard to fake it, nothing can replace it,
Call the radio if you just can't be without your baby"

This song has beautifully written lyrics that are relatively deep, and the vocal performance is simply sensational. If you are in love, you gotta hear this song!

"Take Me As I Am" is a fantastic mid-tempo song. In this song, Mary sings in the third person as she describes her past and asks us to "accept her as she is or not at all." This boasts one of the finest vocal performances on the album. Mary's voice is more refined than on other tracks, but it suits the beat and lyrics perfectly. This is an excellent song about self acceptance and loving yourself. This is a highly inspirational song for anyone who is struggling in life.

In "MJB da MVP", which is one of the few upbeat tracks on the album, Mary reflects on her outstanding fourteen-year career, thanks her supporters, and reasserts her rightful position as the soul hip-hop queen. It is a stunning mini-autobiographical look back on Mary's fabulous career up to now. This song also features rapper 50 Cent.

"Good Woman Down" is another terrific song with a wonderful message where she offers comfort and advice to young woman who may be in trouble, saying "In my life I've seen it all/Now it's time for me to pass on this knowledge to you/All my sisters/My troubled sisters/This is my gift to you."

If you haven't had a chance to listen to Mary J. Blige's album, check it out. I promise you won't be disappointed.

The Breakthrough track list:

1. No One Will Do
2. Enough Cryin
3. About You feat. Nina Simone
4. Be Without You
5. Gonna Breakthrough
6. Good Woman Down
7. Take Me as I Am
8. Baggage
9. Can't Hide from Luv feat. Jay-Z
10. MJB Da MVP
11. Can't Get Enough
12. Ain't Really Love
13. I Found My Everything feat. Raphael Saadiq
14. Father in You
15. Alone
16. One feat. U2