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.

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.

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.

All true Mary fans know what true musicians and singers know...you always do some of your best work when you are in extreme pain or extremely happy...this album shows that Mary was the former...this is the beginning of the K.C.(Hailey of Jodeci) era in her life...she is hurting and we all feel her pain when she sings MY LIFE and BE WITH YOU.....ah, ladies we have all been there!!!

I am not going to list my favorite songs from this album b/c I would be naming all of them. If you haven't heard this album yet and you are a fan of R&B, GO COP THAT DISC! If you don't remember which songs were singles, they were "You Bring Me Joy," "My Life," "Be Happy," "I'm Goin' Down," and "Mary Jane (All Night Long)"-----which were all instant hits.