Babyface was one of the top songwriters and producers of the late 1980s and in 1989 formed the LaFace record label with his first three signings TLC, Usher and ta-dah Toni Braxton. Some opening salvo and Babyface helped write and perform Toni’s first three albums with enormous success.
Twenty-five years later, Toni was announcing her retirement when Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds convinced her to get together for this album detailing the end of a marriage (only the D word much matters here) Love, Marriage And Divorce.
The album is an exercise in old forms that stand up well today, two voices together and apart fretting over a relationship ending, apparently because of his infidelity. Given Babyface’s adeptness at everything from funk (Bootsy Collins gave him the nickname) to New Jack, even at its liveliest this is a mid-tempo affair which doesn’t always repay close attention. “Heart Attack” –the liveliest song of the bunch has a bubbling eagerness and vocal hooks without actually paying off in any real way.
But as concept albums go, it stays close to the concept. Opening song “Rollercoaster” is about what you think a love metaphor would be and while the song isn’t much, it is nice to hear the band get a groove. “Sweat” is a make up sex special slow jam but the album doesn’t take off till Babyface’s ” I Hope That You’re Okay” five songs in, a perfect break up ballad and one then sends Toni seething and hoping he gets STDs on the very next song “I Wish”. “I hope you’re unhappy” she croons on top of a piano and strings.
Toni reaches her heights with “I’d Rather Be Broke” -her smokey voice is lovely and she oozes emotion, it’s like a chick flick set to music. By the end, the also good “The D SOng” everything is broken and, much like the duos career, they go their separate ways again.
The lyrics are too generic and the songs could have been better, but it is a good old fashioned soul album like we never get done nearly well enough, and it is a pleasure to see Babyface and Toni Braxton still able to pull off a good old fashioned romance album.
Grade: B+
