Editorial Reviews

There are plenty of film directors who take the "executive producer" credit on their project's soundtracks, but whenever Tyler Perry's name fills that bill there's a good chance the album will be sound in concept and rich in prime "grown folks" R&B. The soundtrack to his film Why Did I Get Married? does not disappoint. Here the topic is the ins and outs along with the comfort and doubts of marriage. Keith Sweat and Keyshia Cole deliver a fine "grass is always greener" breakup ballad with the opening "Love U Better," while Kelly Price's relationship dissolves in a much less titillating and much more distraught fashion on her heartbreaking "Why." Tracks like these might raise too many issues for couples night, but Musiq Soulchild's joyous "Betterman" and Beyoncé's sweet "Flaws and All" are more hopeful and perfect for romantic evenings. Pushing things into sugary territory, nostalgic crooner Michael Bublé takes his big band and dives headfirst into the euphoria of love with a finger-snapping version of "L-O-V-E." While most of these songs are of a 2007 vintage, the director also reaches into the vaults to enrich the collection with Anita Baker's swooning "You Belong to Me" and Jennifer Holliday's grand closer, "Givin' Up." A great collection even if the listener is unfamiliar with the film, Perry's soundtrack offers an interesting and emotional look at how contemporary R&B handles the multifaceted world of love and marriage. David Jeffries, All Music Guide

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