I am not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best CDs ever made! Mary J. Blige's sophomore album "My Life" is a classic in the R&B world, and the epitomy of soul and depth. No other album, except the late Aaliyah's "One In A Million," is as complete as "My Life" is. Every song on here is enjoyable, whether the song is painful or uplifting. Mary's melodious, yet powerful voice is at its best. I recommend this album to anyone who enjoys music with profundity and soul. Those who are new to Mary J. Blige's music should definately check this album out, and I guarantee that they will enjoy it. I will provide an in-depth critique of each of the songs on "My Life."

TRACK-BY-TRACK CRITIQUE

2. Mary Jane (All Night Long) - *EXCELLENT SONG* great lyrics; great vocals; happy song; a favorite song

3. You Bring Me Joy - *GREAT SONG* (SINGLE) excellent background music and vocals; another favorite song

5. I'm The Only Woman - *GREAT SONG* I especially like Mary J. Blige's vocals in this song.

7. My Life - *EXCELLENT SONG* (SINGLE) My favorite song on the album; stellar vocals; very thought-provoking lyrics; just haunting!

8. You Gotta Believe - *GREAT SONG* nice chorus; good instrumentals

9. I Never Wanna Live Without You - *EXCELLENT SONG* Mary's voice on this song is absolutely fabulous; another favorite

10. I'm Going Down - *EXCELLENT SONG* (SINGLE) a remake of an older song which I believe Mary does a sensational job; excellent vocals; my second favorite song

12. Be With You - *GREAT SONG* great instrumentals; beautiful vocals

13. Mary's Joint - *EXCELLENT SONG* Has great lyrics, vocals, and instrumentals; another favorite

14. Don't Go - *GOOD SONG* This track is a good track, but does not stand out like the rest of the songs on the album.

15. I Love You - *EXCELLENT SONG* (SINGLE) Very touching lyrics; great vocals; a favorite song

16. No One Else - *EXCELLENT SONG* could have easily been a single; great background instrumentals

17. Be Happy - *GREAT SONG* (SINGLE) Its not my favorite single that Mary J. Blige released, but it is still a great song.

Following her platinum debut, "What's the 411," Mary J. Blige eliminated any and all speculation of the sophomore slump with 1994's "My Life," a startling album of raw, spirit-baring soul. If there's another album from a female vocalist that's this honest and soul-searching, it must be from Aretha. Blige pulls no punches and conveys emotion and urgency on each track, which leans back and forth from old-school 70's soul to modern hip hop. Killer cuts are "Mary Jane," "You Give Me Joy," and her formidable cover, "I'm Goin' Down." But the album's showstopper, in my opinion, is the straight-to-the-heart jam, "I Love You," which is an often-overlooked breakup song. Unlike other r&b records that grow stale after a good 18 months, "My Life" still sounds remarkably fresh and vibrant after all these years. It's the great r&b record Ashanti and Beyonce can only hope to make. A verified classic, "My Life" remains Mary J. Blige's best and most satisfying album, and it fulfills the promise of her impressive debut.

Less pop-ish than "What's the 411?", and "Share My World", and more mature and more focused than her live and remix albums, and even (at times) "No More Drama), "My Life" is simply Mary's greatest musical accomplishment to date. Easily her most balanced work, the album is 2 steps less upbeat than "..411?" and not as slow paced or spiritual as "Mary", but has more replay value than, say, her live album (which, btw, is a novelty album good for true Mary fans ONLY, barely worth a second listen...).

"My Life" was planned well before most of us were born; its foundation was created on the soulful sounds of Curtis Mayfield, Barry White, and Rick James among others. The blend of the tracks she sampled combined with the harmony she pours into "You Bring Me Joy", "Be Happy", "I'm Going Down", "I'm the Only Woman", and "Mary Jane" almost shame the originals. Other cuts like "I Love You", "No One Else", and the title track all show her coming to an emotional level that she never came close to on her first album and, to this day, will only tip-toe around on occasion (save the "Mary" album).

All in all, this was a monumental album back in 1994, and the singles kept fans satisfied until she released "Share My World" around 3 years later. In `92, her first album put her in the spotlight, but this is the album that KEPT her there. Replay value is A+++; you'll play this album more than anything else she released. Trust me. Check it out; you won't be disappointed.

Regardless of what kind of music you like, Mary J. Blige's album, MY LIFE is a must have CD. The sophomore effort of New York's favorite songbird, MY LIFE is a haunting collection of what may be best described as torch songs.

With hints of the legendary female jazz singers like Sarah Vaughn and Billie Holiday and more contemporary pop artists like Chaka Kahn, Brenda Russell and Anita Baker, in MY LIFE, Blige delivers a musical self-portrait of a woman scorned. Bearing her soul and broken heart, Blige makes you feel her pain and recognize the troubling nature of finding love as a young woman.

Those not familiar with Blige's prolific career will probably catch the Mary fever on Track 2 (Mary Jane). With a very loose sampling of Rick James's song by the same name, "Mary Jane" is actually more reminiscent of Sarah Vaughn's take on the jazz standard "Lullaby of Birdland" with its gentle melody and Mary's giggling attempts at skat.

Having said that, the real genius of MY LIFE begins with Track 7 (My Life). Downright haunting, this - the title track - is one of the most emotionally devastating songs ever. With swirling sounds that create a dreamy aura, with every word and every note, the listener is dragged into the profound sadness of a troubled woman trying to convince her emotionally absent lover to give their relationship another chance.

Track 8 (You Gotta Believe) is also spectacular. One of the hallmarks of Mary's work is the order of the songs on her albums. All flow perfect into each other, making it hard initially to distinguish between the beginning of one and the end of the other. Like "My Life," this song is another look at Mary's heart-wrenching attempt to reconcile a hopeless love affair that leaves her and the listener devastated. But rather than exclusively depressing, "You Gotta Believe," is more cathartic than anything else, which partially explains why so many Mary devotees consider listening to her music a form of therapy.

MY LIFE is so jam packed with hits that it is impossible to accurately write about this album without typing for hours. Virtually every track is emotionally stunning and a rare and honest look into a woman's inner life. But I do want to say that some of my other favorites are "Mary's Joint," "I Never Wanna Live Without You," and "Be With You.

Though her handler have named her the Queen of Hip Hop Soul, this moniker is far too limited to capture who Mary J. Blige is and her role in the history of music. At the very least she is the Aretha Franklin of my generation, but in truth she is more than that. Mary J. Blige is music itself - not a representative of one small slice of it.

Having said that, I will say the MY LIFE album is her best ever which is really saying something considering the fact that year after year, album after album, Mary has always delivered greatness.

- Regina McMenamin

I'm an old school guy (70's, 80's soul) and got into Mary J. very late in the game, this being the first CD I bought of her's. Truly outstanding. I love her voice, it sounds so true and honest ... and from what I've read about her, I just like her, period.

Mary J. is just an outstanding performer and singer and for me, better late than never in buying her music. I look forward to many more purchases.