Search - Mary J Blige :: My Life

Mary's Masterpiece

The Groove | Boston, MA | 07/27/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Her Personal Best, and Within the Top 5 Best of the 90's!

Marcell | 04/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

A Must Have Album for Anyone's Music Collection

Regina McMenamin | New York, NY | 03/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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"