Everlasting Love

1	Tuning
2	Never Can Say Goodbye (featuring George Benson)
3	Midnight Blue
4	Show and Tell
5	Let's Love
6	First Time I Ever Saw Your Face
7	Everlasting Love
8	With You I'm Born Again (duet with George Benson)
9	Send One Your Love
10	You Are Everything
11	One Less Bell to Answer
12	I'll Be Good to You (duet with James D-Train Williams)
13	Harvest for the World
14	Bonus Track: Today and Everyday (Wedding Song)

Barnes & Noble

In the throes of divorce from NBA star Rick Fox, Vanessa Williams recorded a nostalgic album of '70s love songs -- and a darn good one, at that. Ironically entitled, Everlasting Love, the disc unearths numerous pop nuggets to which Williams grew up listening. From the start, she makes smart song selections, such as choosing Rufus and Chaka Khan's lite-funk gem "Everlasting Love" as the title track, instead of Carl Carlton's oft-covered smash of the same name. From there, Williams moves from a gorgeous rendering of the Roberta Flack classic "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," featuring the subtle contributions of the London Session Orchestra, to a sensual reading of the Ohio Players' naughty ballad "Let's Love." While she knows her way around a ballad -- note the piano-kissed take on Al Wilson's 1973 chart-topper "Show and Tell" -- the former Miss America truly shines when she lets loose on a horn-infused cover of the Isley Brothers' "Harvest for the World." Adding to this stellar disc is an appearance by George Benson, who lends his smooth vocals and graceful guitar playing to a Gamble & Huff–like version of the Jackson 5's "Never Can Say Goodbye" and an equally lush rendition of the Billy Preston and Syreeta duet "With You I'm Born Again." Throughout, Williams offers a musical love fest that fans of quiet-storm soul will thoroughly enjoy. Dave Gil de Rubio

All Music Guide

On Everlasting Love, Vanessa Williams covers her favorite soul songs of the '70s, often with help from the London Session Orchestra. This is a classy set of material that straddles the line between faithful renditions and creative reinterpretations. The strummy folk-soul of the Isley Brothers' "Harvest for the World" is turned into jazz-funk for the dancefloor; the natural exuberance within "Never Can Say Goodbye" is toned down a few degrees, thanks in part to George Benson's guitar and James "D-Train" Williams' (!) backing vocals. Nothing really grabs you by the throat or makes your body hairs stand on end, but that's all right. Williams' music career has almost always had more to do with caressing the ears than anything else. This disc is nothing if not a fan pleaser. Andy Kellman