Album Review: Mary J Blige - Strength Of A Woman

Why does a Mary J Blige record matter in 2017?

The short answer might be the lead track Love Yourself, a mesmeric opener punctuated by glorious drums and a throwback Kanye verse. But that gem aside, when Blige was at her peak ab-rocking self, pretty boys dominated the game. She now finds herself in a genre that celebrates some of the darker shades of human emotion, rather than just who to love, how to love. Does the searing clarity of her sound make sense in these hazier times? It's Me would be haunting in the hands of contemporary R&Bers. In Blige's it's a powerful statement of self. Clearly, the passion remains. The strength is beyond question. The only question is relevance.