Review
It’s a blessing that Toni Braxton’s throaty, mournful alto disqualifies her from common extremes of diva-tude: no skanky-ho come-ons, no five-octave roller-coaster rides. Couture-tailored by Babyface to fit R&B as well as adult-contemporary radio, Braxton rarely escapes the tight confines of each format. But like swanky smooth-jazz sisters Phyllis Hyman and Anita Baker before her, this pillar of multiplatinum dependability personalizes slick soul through her elegantly earthy delivery. On her fourth album, she suffuses playa-weary kiss-offs like the Neptunes-led “Hit the Highway” and the slow-rocking “Lies, Lies, Lies” with indignant nuance. While her wailing contemporaries go off the rails with exaggeration, Braxton merely tightens her groove and rides these mellow, meaty melodies.
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