When a Woman Loves

1	The Kitchen 0:57
2	When a Woman Loves 4:47
3	Make Tonight Beautiful 4:42
4	If I Was a River 4:27
5	Why Do We Hurt Each Other 5:59
6	Too Many Tears, Too Many Times 5:30
7	Call Me Gone 4:46
8	Time Will 5:47
9	Tell Where It Hurts 4:01
10	I'll Still Love You More 4:41
11	Love Will Lead You Back 5:03
12	When a Woman Loves (Reprise) 2:53

Barnes & Noble

As the former frontwoman for the '60s sugar-and-spice girl group the Bluebelles and the outrageous '70s trio LaBelle, legendary songbird Patti LaBelle has been making soul-stirring music for decades. But Ms. Patti has assumed the throne as one of R&B's reigning queens thanks to her flamboyant stage presence and her musical contributions as a solo artist, not to mention the risqué "Lady Marmalade" she recorded with LaBelle. Although her career has been highlighted by hits such as the sassy dance classic "New Attitude" and the poignant ballad "On My Own" with Michael McDonald, with When a Woman Loves, LaBelle has her sights set on the Titanic-sized chart success of contemporary darlings Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Mariah Carey. And since all of the disc's songs were penned by power-ballad über-songwriter Diane Warren, LaBelle should have no problem pulling our collective heartstrings. Slow jam highlights include the emotive title song, the sensual "Make Tonight Beautiful," and the earnest "Why Do We Hurt Each Other." While most of the 11 tracks are quiet storm-ready, the songstress does get her groove on on the up-tempo "Too Many Tears, Too Many Times" and the mid-tempo "Call Me Gone," both produced by whizzes Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Showing her newfound independence and confidence, When a Woman Loves is a testament to LaBelle's raw, unbridled talent. Tracy E. Hopkins

All Music Guide

Patti Labelle's When a Woman Loves displays much of the appealing warmth that has endeared her to millions of fans. It also marks another tribute to the most successful songwriter of the '90s, Diane Warren. Johnny Mathis recorded a whole album of Warren songs on his 1998 Sony CD Because You Loved Me- The Songs of Diane Warren. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced the bulk of this mostly mellow album that is sprinkled with Labelle's intimately voiced listener-aimed spoken interludes. Highlights are the Khris Kellow-produced "If I Was a River," "Why Do Hurt Each Other," and "Tell Where It Hurts." The pace does pick up on the four-on-the-floor house track, "Too Many Tears, Too Many Times," mid-tempo hip-hop-flavored "Call Me Gone," and "Time Will." It's appropriate that Patti Labelle should make a CD full of Diane Warren's songs: she had the first hit with "If You Ask Me To" (Celine Dion covered it three years later), and some of Warren's songs echo Philly soul (ex. Mary J. Blige's "Give Me You"). Ed Hogan