Faithfully
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Description
Sadness is etched in Faith Evans's smoky vocals, an underpinning of regret and the blues that gives her a vulnerability and realness that's compelling. That hint of heartache is perfectly suited for love-lost midtempo ballads, like her 1995 hit "You Used to Love Me," and in many ways Evans (once married to the late Notorious B.I.G.) is a modern-day torch singer. Yet like Mary J. Blige, her sister in sorrow, Evans has added more uptempo rhythm to her moody mix, as evidenced by the thumping first single off her third CD. Set to a banging, West Coast-style beat, "You Gets No Love" (produced by newcomer Michelangelo Saulsberg) is club ready and playful, yet Evans's wistful tone is almost overwhelmed by the bounce. That's why the strongest songs on this satisfying CD are cuts like the lush "I Love You" and the stand-by-your-man anthem "Do Your Time," both coproduced by P. Diddy. She can sing just about anything, but when Evans lets her love light simmer, she creates a smoldering flame. --Amy Linden
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