Whitney Houston - 'Million Dollar Bill'
Halfway through listening, a thought occurs: Imagine how amazing a co-production between Whitney and Basement Jaxx would be? Pretty astonishing, right? Well, it's going to take a few more hit records and a degree of positive press coverage before anything that experimental could take place. She's got fans to win back, after all.
Does anyone else now find themself paying really, really close attention to Whitney's voice and the way she pronounces words, just to hear if she's making any mistakes? It's a pretty ghoulish thing to do - I'm not proud - but you can't deny there are a few slips and slurs in the verses here which could, if you were so inclined, cause a few tuts and maybe even a sympathetic tilt of the head.
Thankfully, all it takes is a joyful swoop up to the chorus to put that thought to bed. No need for pity, the girl's still got class!
(. They used her real money for the 'rain' shots, y'know)
The emphasis is very firmly on class throughout. The Voice has been provided with a pillowy soft, unobtrusive backing, so that every nuance and grain of her astonishing vocal output is residing in whatever the aural equivalent of 'plain view' is. Plus it's a very proper sort of a song. Not too modern, not too retro.
This is probably for a very healthy reason. At this point in Whitney's slightly rickety roller-coaster of a career, what she needs is a smooth ride, to reassure everyone that she's the same girl who wanted to dance with somebody, the girl who gets so emotional, baby, the girl who's been saving all her love for you.
In short, she needs people to know that it IS right and it IS OK.
(Don't worry if none of that makes any sense to you, 10 minutes in the company of your local oldies radio station should sort you right out.)
The chorus gets that across, even if the introduction and the first verse gives the impression that something has been glossed over.
Maybe they should've used autotune or something?*
Download: Out now
CD Released: October 5th
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
* NOTE: This is a bad suggestion. Not like the Basement Jaxx one, that's a keeper.
PS: Surely to someone of Whitney Houston's level of wealth and success, saying asking if he made you feel like a million-dollar bill is just like me asking if you feel like a tenner.
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