Whitney (album) - Critical Response

Critical Response

Upon the album's debut, the critical receptions of Whitney were mixed. Most of critics admitted the commercial value of the album, but were critical of its standard pattern followed the predecessor's winning formula and the materials failed to reveal Houston's individuality. Jon Pareles of TIME criticized for something as formulaic on the album, stating that: "Whitney plays everything safe. It uses three of the debut album's producers. There are bouncy, tinkly songs aimed at teen-agers, and slow tunes aimed at sentimental adults, as before. Even the album title fits in with an Arista Records custom of separating female singers—Dionne, Aretha, Carly—from their last names." He was not positive of her vocals on it, commenting "What's more unsettling is that in the two years since Whitney Houston was released, the singer hasn't gotten much more expressive. For too many songs, she takes the patched-together style of the debut album further as if she were singing in a second language." He added that "For all the passionate avowals of the lyrics, Ms. Houston and her producers keep emotion at bay." Vince Aletti from Rolling Stone also gave an unfavorable review, stating "the formula is more rigorously locked in than before, and the range so tightly circumscribed that Houston's potential seems to have shrunk rather than expanded" and the record is "smug, repressive and ridiculously safe." Also, he made some sarcastic comments about the first single, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", calling it "How Will I Know II", spoken at Hollywood's blockbuster sequels. Robert Hilburn, in his review for Los Angeles Times, regarded the album as "another commercial blockbuster", writing that the record is "a series of highly accessible selections that will work on a variety of radio formats." However, he expressed his considerable disappointment that Whitney did precious little to define the singer's vision, adding that she had a sensational voice but didn't assert much vocal character on it. Dolores Barclay of The Associated Press complimented Houston on her excellent vocal ability: "Whitney Houston has a fine instrument and uses it well. Her voice takes us to places we know and to places we might want to forget and to places we dream about." But she, like other critics, was critical of the song material on the record, commenting "There is no depth, and not much excitement. Nor does this extremely talented song stylist and Grammy winner take risks and try something just a little daring." St. Petersburg Times showed a favorable attitude toward her new album at large, stating " is, first and foremost, a product. It has been carefully designed, manufactured and packaged. As such, it's easy to be cynical about. But as products go, this is a pretty good one." They also praised her vocal sounds as follows: "Houston's voice sounds good, real good. She's firmer, more confident. Along with crystalline belting, Houston growls and scats and varies her timbre and phrasing."