Album Review: Mary J. Blige - Stronger With Each Tear | Sound-Savvy: The Community For True Fans of Real Music

Album Review: Mary J. Blige – Stronger With Each Tear

Posted by Mack On December - 30 - 2009

Artist: Mary J. Blige
Album: Stronger With Each Tear
Release Date: 12.18.09

Judging by its cover, you’d think Mary J. Blige’s Stronger With Each Tear would be a slower, more ballad-heavy album. Au contraire, it’s actually very light, mostly upbeat and filled with feel-good empowerment anthems that echo sentiments of strength, growth and love. Her ninth album is yet another representation of her life with songs written that reflect a more mature and happier, yet still growing woman. Women will relate; men will enjoy the insight. What’s most impressive is the fact that Mary’s team of writers seems to pen nearly perfect songs for her while the real beauty remains in the delivery.

The album’s opener Tonight kicks off the project with a mild dance beat and a smooth clean harmony on the hook. With a bit of help from Drake and some auto-tune for the alley-oop, Mary delivers the album’s official first single The One, a bounce track with street edge reminiscent of Blige’s earlier work on albums like What’s The 411 and Love and Life. Rapper T.I. makes an appearance on the fun and flirty Good Love, while Ryan Leslie contributes the bass-heavy Said and Done, a mature love song about getting over the small stuff for the one you love. I Feel Good is more empowering, similar to her earlier hit Just Fine , though not quite as impressive or catchy. The album’s second single, I Am, is one of the best ballads Mary’s ever delivered, penned by Johnta Austin and showcasing Mary’s raw vocals with a message that personifies a confident love. Each Tear is a life lesson put to music, and highlights Mary’s ability to be empowering and inspirational without being too gospel-ly. The closing track I Can See in Color (from the soundtrack to the movie Precious) is undoubtedly of the album’s best offerings, delivered in Mary’s bluesy disposition with more dynamite vocals.

This project is one of Mary’s best yet, despite a few shortcomings. Said and Done contains yet another recycled beat from Ryan Leslie (think Fabolous’ Everything Everyday, Everywhere) . Ladies can thank Mary for the warning delivered on Kitchen but lyrically it falls short and it just doesn’t work – no matter how REAL it is. I Love U (Yes I Du) is a bit hard to get into; the track is much busier than the rest of the album, and the quality of the song suffers for it. Simplicity with this album worked best so this track stuck out a bit.

The key element to Stronger With Each Tear is that it continues the progression of Mary J. Blige as an artist and a woman. She’s matured into a stronger woman, and her vocals and content share the same evolution. It’s great to see her have fun with her music but stay mature. As an artist, Mary seems to be moving into a place where her music is consistently great, timeless even. Her last few projects have involved a lot of soul searching but have produced excellent music, proving the title to be true: she’s getting stronger with each tear…

Sound-Savvy officially rates Stronger With Each Tear with 4 out of 5 platinum headphones.