This Is Who I Am
Description
Though she didn't come out of the R&B tradition, Heather Headley has plenty of soul on her debut, This Is Who I Am. Headley, a singer whose vocal strength isn't mere compensation for a lack of interpretive skills or lame songwriting, possesses a range that's surprising and welcome; she slips on dramatic personas continually here, quite ironic considering the title. The arrangements aren't exactly hooky, but the cast of producers -- including Dallas Austin, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and D'Influence, use everything in their power -- from a Hammond B-3 to synthesizers -- to flesh out these songs. Occasionally, the songs don't reflect their age very well, as on the regrets of a stay-at-home girlfriend ("I Wish I Wasn't") or an increasingly angry housewife who's been neglected ("Like Ya Used To"). The opener, "He Is" (by songwriter/producer Joshua Nile), is very good though -- an intriguing angle on female thoughts about the male side of love (or, just possibly, a look at the aspects of God). Headley sounds excellent throughout, her voice pure as crystal on the ballads, occasionally outr
Tracks
| Track | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | He Is | 3:46 | |
| 2 | Nature Of A Man | 3:24 | |
| 3 | Fallin' For You | 3:02 | |
| 4 | I Wish I Wasn't | 6:18 | |
| 5 | Fulltime | 3:37 | |
| 6 | Like Ya Use To | 4:05 | |
| 7 | Always Been Your Girl | 4:35 | |
| 8 | Sunday | 3:27 | |
| 9 | Four Words From A Heartbreak | 3:37 | |
| 10 | Sista Girl | 4:29 | |
| 11 | Why Should I Cry | 3:47 | |
| 12 | If It Wasn't For Your Love | 3:54 |
