Lalah Hathaway

Q - 4 Stars (out of 5)|

When Lalah Hathaway's self-titled debut album came out in 1990, there was reason to believe that she might evolve into one of the top female R&B singers of the 1990s. Donny Hathaway's daughter certainly had a lot going for her -- not only a big vocal range, but also plenty of charisma, passion, and charm to go with it. The material on this CD ranges from excellent to routine, depending on who's writing and/or producing a particular song. Hathaway doesn't always have fantastic material to work with, but when she does, the results are quite memorable. The producers/songwriters who really do Hathaway justice include Angela Winbush on "Baby, Don't Cry" and "I Gotta Move On," and Andre Fisher on "Smile" and "Somethin'." While those selections come across as personal, Hathaway slips into a routine, less-than-memorable urban contemporary grind thanks to Chuckii Booker on "Sentimental," and Craig T. Cooper on "Obvious" and "U-Godit Gowin On." Again, not everything on the album is a gem. But when Hathaway had strong material to work with, it was clear that she had a lot of potential. ~ Alex Henderson