

Mary J. Blige shines -- even without the glitter


Give as many Grammy nominations as you want to Mariah Carey; it's more satisfying to immerse yourself in Mary J. Blige's old-school soul than the Glitter girl's trendy urban vibe.

The Breakthrough, in stores Tuesday, is loaded with lean, expressive arrangements that showcase the album's major asset: a voice that still conveys emotion with subtle touches instead of histrionics.

The opening "No One Will Do," constructed on a sample of the O'Jays' "I Swear I Love No One But You," foreshadows what's to come with an infectious combination of hooky chorus and muscular beat.

Although Blige incorporates the occasional hip-hop element, Breakthrough doesn't sound like a reinvention. Anyway, wholesale changes are unnecessary when the singer continues to shine so effortlessly on graceful ballads such as "Be Without You." If Beyonce could sing with such skill and conviction, her solo career wouldn't need to rely so much on her diva image.

Even with a cameo by U2 and a raft of A-list producers on hand, The Breakthrough always keeps the spotlight on Blige. Produced by the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am, "About You" uses its shuffling beat to smoothly meld rapping and snippets of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good."

Sometimes, the guests don't serve any purpose. Employing Jay-Z for a few shout-outs ("MJB! The voice!") on "Can't Hide From Luv" seems like a collaboration conceived in the marketing department, not the studio.

U2 fares slightly better when the band reprises "One," yielding the spotlight to Blige without making the famous anthem sound too much like a cheesy nightclub revue.

In the end, The Breakthough doesn't need such tricks to make its point: Turning Blige loose on her own is enough.

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