Just Whitney

• Artist: Whitney Houston
• Rating:
• Release Date: December 10, 2002
• Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

The four-year wait between 2002's Just Whitney and her previous album, 1998's My Love Is Your Love, was half that between that record and its predecessor, 1990's I'm Your Baby Tonight; Whitney retreated from the spotlight with this album, and as she canceled concerts, scrapped albums, and pulled out of public appearances, rumors swirled that she and husband Bobby Brown were dangerously addicted to drugs. Following a disastrous performance at the September 2001 Michael Jackson tribute concert, where she looked as if she had already wasted away, the chattering reached a fever pitch and she needed to restore her reputation -- hence the title of Just Whitney: an assertion that she's returning to her basics. This self-styled comeback album is a 40-minute set of contemporary soul. Whitney is in fine voice she's fortunate enough to have Babyface for four productions, three of which are among the highlights of the album. Though Missy Elliott produces a track here, this is nowhere near as concerned with hip production as My Love is Your Love was, and who can blame her? [Also available with a bonus DVD.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
One of Those Days (Lyrics)	Marvin Isley, Patrice "ButtaPhly" Stewart	Whitney Houston	(4:15)
Tell Me No (Lyrics)	Babyface, Annie Roboff, Kandi Burruss, Holly Lamar	Whitney Houston	(3:44)
Things You Say (Lyrics)	Missy Elliott, Charile "CSUN" Bereal, Kenny Bereal	Whitney Houston	(4:10)
My Love (Lyrics)	Ted Bishop, Gordon Chambers, Greg Charley	Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown	(3:27)
Love That Man (Lyrics)	Babyface, Calvin Gaines, Rob Fusari, Balewa Muhammad, Eritza Laues	Whitney Houston	(3:27)
Try It on My Own (Lyrics)	Babyface, Carole Bayer Sager, Aleese Simmons, Nathan Walton, Jason Edmonds	Whitney Houston	(4:40)
Dear John Letter (Lyrics)	Patrice "ButtaPhly" Stewart	Whitney Houston	(4:33)
Unashamed (Lyrics)	Troy Taylor, Stephanie Salzman	Whitney Houston	(3:38)
You Light Up My Life (Lyrics)	Joe Brooks	Whitney Houston	(3:41)
Whatchulookinat	Whitney Houston, Andre Lewis, Jerry Muhammad	Whitney Houston	(3:33)

Credits

Kenya Ivey (Vocals (Background)), Ricky Lawson (Drums), Ted Bishop (Vocal Arrangement), Rob Fusari (Producer), Kenny Bereal (Producer), Patrice "ButtaPhly" Stewart (Vocal Producer), Troy Taylor (Rhythm Arrangements), Marc Stephen Lee (Assistant), Kevin "Shekspere" Briggs (Producer), Steve Fisher (Assistant), Joey Arbagey (A&R), Roxanna Floy (Make-Up), Antonique Smith (Vocals (Background)), Charile "CSUN" Bereal (Producer), Bill Meyers (String Conductor), Ricky Minor (Producer), Tweet (Vocal Producer), Ted Bishop (Producer), Sherree Ford-Payne (Vocals (Background)), Babyface (Vocals (Background)), Babyface (Guitar (Acoustic)), Josean Posey (Assistant), Paul Boutin (Engineer), Ellin La Var (Hair Stylist), Whitney Houston (Vocals (Background)), Sheryl Nields (Photography), Wayne Linsey (Fender Rhodes), Babyface (Drum Programming), Jeffrey Schulz (Design), Whitney Houston (Producer), Craig "Niteman" Taylor (Assistant), Missy Elliott (Producer), Bobby Brown (Producer), Shawndella Taylor (A&R), Dennis Rivadeneira (Assistant), Ted Bishop (Engineer), Whitney Houston (Vocal Arrangement), Gordon Chambers (Vocals (Background)), Troy Taylor (Producer), Patti Wilson (Stylist), Whitney Houston (Vocals), Greg Charley (Guitar), Terrence Cash (Engineer), L.A. Reid (Executive Producer), Bill Meyers (String Arrangements), Ted Bishop (Arranger), Tweet (Vocals (Background)), Gordon Chambers (Producer), Jon Gass (Mixing), Jeffrey "Woody" Woodruff (String Engineer), Steve Genewick (Assistant), Troy Taylor (Programming), Kevin "Shekspere" Briggs (MIDI), Troy Taylor (Vocal Producer), Jimmy Hoyson (Assistant), Ivy Skoff (Production Coordination), Sharlotte Gibson (Vocals (Background)), Matt Brown (Assistant), Ted Bishop (Drum Programming), Ted Bishop (Keyboards), Jeffrey Schulz (Art Direction), Mike White (Engineer), Theresa Wilson (A&R), Joe-Mama Nitzberg (Creative Director), Scott Kieklak (Engineer), Mick Guzauski (Mixing), Manny Marroquin (Mixing), Herb Powers (Mastering), Kevin "Shekspere" Briggs (Engineer), Kevin "KD" Davis (Mixing), Michael Hart Thompson (Guitar), Kevin Guarnieri (Engineer), Tommy Vicari (String Engineer), Kevin "Shekspere" Briggs (Arranger), Gary Houston (Vocals (Background)), Cortez Farris (Engineer), Muhammad2G (Producer), Latrelle (Vocals (Background)), Melanie Byrd (Production Coordination), Nathan East (Bass), Greg Phillinganes (Piano), Randy Waldman (String Arrangements), Tom Bender (Assistant), Babyface (Producer), Randy Waldman (String Conductor), Gordon Chambers (Vocal Arrangement), Babyface (Keyboards), Gordon Chambers (Vocal Producer)