She was doing it before Britney Spears, and she was doing it better. Teen princess Jennifer Love Hewitt attained a level of popularity based predominantly on her immensely likeable girl-next-door appeal. But before she became a household name with TV's Party of Five and as the heroine of the I Know What You did Last Summer movies, she was recording albums. This eponymous CD was her second American release, and though she poses no threat to the Celine Dions and the Lorrie Morgans of the world, her feathery light voice is more soulful than you'd imagine. The tracks on this album are all R&B-flavored pop and adult contemporary, and, though they're slickly produced, they complement Hewitt instead of overpowering her. Yes, most of the lyrics are the usual teen odes to love, loss, and longing, but there's a maturity to them as well that transcends most cookie-cutter pop. On "I Always Was Your Girl," she sings "You put your friends through hell/that's why we get along so well," obviously not capitalizing on the "nice" girl image she was on the cusp of practically owning; on "Cool With You," she pines to right a relationship so that all can be cool again; and on "It's Good to Know I'm Alive" from the House Arrest soundtrack (in which she starred) she sings with such joy and abandon, you'll want to sing along, too. Depending on your threshold for harmless, white-bread teen pop, this album could be a welcome addition to your collection because, frankly, it makes you like her even more than her image did in the first place. ~ Bryan Buss, All Music Guide
Robert Palmer (Drums), Robert Palmer (Producer), Robert Palmer (Vocal Arrangement), Robert Palmer (Drum Programming), Robert Palmer (Wah Wah Guitar), Michael Sembello (Guitar), Michael Sembello (Programming), Michael Sembello (Vocals (Background)), Michael Sembello (Producer), Howard McCrary (Keyboards), Howard McCrary (Producer), Howard McCrary (Vocal Arrangement), Paul Adamy (Guitar (Bass)), Alex Al (Guitar (Bass)), Joe Alexander (Engineer), Joe Alexander (Mixing), Eric Bazilian (Guitar), Brad Davis (Engineer), Brad Davis (Mixing), Brad Davis (Project Coordinator), Melvin Davis (Guitar (Bass)), Valerie Davis (Vocals (Background)), Valerie Davis (Vocal Arrangement), Skip Drinkwater (Producer), Skip Drinkwater (Mixing), Rick Essig (Mastering), Charles Fearing (Guitar (Rhythm)), Doug Grigsby (Drums), Ira Siegel (Guitar), Ira Siegel (Guitar (Electric)), Ira Siegel (Guitar (Steel)), Ira Siegel (?), Danny Powers (Guitar), Greg Mull (Engineer), Jennifer Love Hewitt (Vocals (Background)), Jennifer Love Hewitt (Main Performer), Dick Rudolph (Producer), Billy Mann (?), Billy Mann (Vocal Arrangement), Billy Mann (Water Effects), John Avarese (Synthesizer), Diego Uchitel (Photography), David Flemming (Drums), David Flemming (Keyboards), David Flemming (Producer), David Flemming (Engineer), David Flemming (Drum Programming), David Flemming (Mixing), David Flemming (Rhythm Arrangements), Wayne Cohen (Guitar (Acoustic)), Wayne Cohen (Guitar (Bass)), Wayne Cohen (Guitar (Electric)), Wayne Cohen (Keyboards), Wayne Cohen (Programming), Wayne Cohen (Vocals (Background)), Wayne Cohen (Producer), Wayne Cohen (Loops), Wayne Cohen (Vocal Programming), Joel Kipnis (Guitar (Acoustic)), Joel Kipnis (Guitar (Electric)), Joel Kipnis (Producer), Joel Kipnis (Vocal Arrangement), Elizabeth Barrett (Art Direction), Elizabeth Barrett (Design), Dave Cintron (Keyboard Programming), Robert Mitchell (Engineer), Chris Papastephanou (Engineer), David Clinton (Keyboard Programming), Stephanie Gylden (Mixing Assistant), Larry Loftin (Vocal Arrangement), Fran Lucci (Vocals (Background)), Stephanie Sylden (Assistant Engineer), Brad Catlett (Assistant Engineer), Peter Zizzo (Vocal Arrangement), Peter Zizzo (Vocal Programming), Conner Reeves (Vocal Arrangement), Jimmy Greco (Drums), Jimmy Greco (Producer), Jimmy Greco (Drum Programming), Tony Meador (Assistant Engineer), Rich Christina (Executive Producer), Chris Roberts (Engineer), Chris Roberts (Mixing), Rich Davis (Project Coordinator)
